Rise in Mutton prices at Bendigo

Yarding - 24,400

Increased yarding of 17600 lambs after Bendigo skipped a market due to the Australia Day holiday. There was a short lead of very good heavy fed lambs in each agents run before quality slipped down into a mixed run of tradeweight and lighter types. The market performed around quality. The best crossbred lambs - meaning those with weight, shape and hard carcass finish - sold to solid demand at 780c to about 840c/kg cwt. But it was quick slide down into the general run of mixed lambs with average tradeweights selling between 720c to 770c/kg cwt. Overall buyer demand was selective and subdued once off quality stock, with categories such as Border Leicester cross lambs and any longer-wooled trade lambs lacking fat cover the most affected.

Export lambs sold to a top of $295/head but there was only limited pens above $270 and they had to be superweights above 34kg cwt to be up in this money. The main run of heavy 26-30kg cwt lambs sold from $190 to $255/head showing how the market did fluctuate and there was gaps in the market for this type of stock even on some well presented pens. The heavy trades, 24-26kg cwt $178 to $215/head at a ballpark cost of 785c/kg cwt to processors. The general run of trades 22-24kg cwt $160 to $195 to average $175/head at an estimated 750c/kg cwt. Most buyers are currently working on little to no skin returns.

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There was some neat tradeweight Merino lambs in a good skin which sold to $200 to be in the realm of crossbred money in c/kg terms. But most Merinos were lighter weight types suiting the MK market at $116 to $140/head. Better quality store lambs with either breed quality or frame $130 to $155/head, smaller types $74 to $115/head.

It was a stronger sheep market with good lines of mutton tracking over 400c/kg cwt again and improving to above 450c/kg cwt in places. Big Merino wethers reached $170, Merino ewes in a skin to $160 and heaviest crossbred ewes to $151/head. Most heavy sheep $100 to $130/head and lighter mutton $$60 to $100/head.

https://www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/Services/Bendigo-Livestock-Exchange