Up and down market at Wagga Wagga

Yarding - 55,900

Slight reduction in lamb numbers down to 43,050 head or 2450 less. Quality was mixed and arguably not as good overall as last week, with less hard finish in the top end of the lambs. All the regular buyers were active and competition for the best lambs did intensify and what played out was a two speed market. The best heavy and trade crossbred lambs consistently sold in a range of 700c to 750c/kg cwt, while the untidier and woolly types remained in a spread of 620c to 680c/kg cwt. The sweet spot of the sale was quality 22-28kg cwt lambs which suited the top end domestic orders and these were $5 to $10 dearer. Heavy export lambs ended up similar to a week ago. Store and feeder buyers put a lot of pressure on processors for light to medium weight crossbred lambs at $72 to $160/head. As a result processors were more active over light Merino lambs which were dearer. The best fed Merino lambs in the trade and heavy categories were also stronger and matched crossbred money in c/kg price terms at times.

Bidding for heavy exports mostly remained in the $210 to $240 price range with just a few select pens higher to a top of $258. The price average for export lambs was estimated at 690c to be within 10c of a week ago. The heavy 26-30kg lambs had some price spikes as domestic buyers stepped into well finished types, and these sold from $170 to $218 to average $3 to $5 higher. Heavy trade lambs $164 to $190, the best over 700c/kg cwt. The neat 22-24kg cwt trade lambs $152 to $180 and this grade held an average above 700c/kg cwt today. In the light lambs there was some much dearer price bounces at times when feeders locked onto well presented shorn lambs at up to $160/head. Small lambs under 18kg cwt to the paddock mostly $75 to $128/head. In the Merino run the best fed pens sold from $160 to $208 and were well supported, but buyers were fickle and pulled back on some of the plainer types. There was a lot of little Merinos yarded in the 12-16kg cwt range which sold from $52 to $105/head in a dearer result.

Get all the Ag news first at 5 am. Join The Farmers Club.

Sheep supply was cut to 12,850 head or 8600 less. All weights and grades were represented and the tone of the sale was firm to softer on heavy mutton but dearer over neat trade and light sheep. One stand-out pen of extra heavy meat ewes topped at $150, with most of the big crossbreds from $100 to $135/head. Heavy Merino wethers in a pelt sold to $144.20 and ewes to $136. The general run of leaner ewes from $60 to $90/head. Most mutton categories were averaging in a range of 320c to 360c/kg cwt.

https://wagga.nsw.gov.au/business-investment/council-businesses/livestock-marketing-centre