Bag Lamb orders return at Bendigo

Yarding - 17,035

Lamb supply lifted to 11,385 head as a full trading week resumed after Anzac Day. The make up of the yarding was fed weights showing plenty of weight, very few good trade lambs, and then plainer and light lambs. It influenced results with some much dearer sales of any neat trade lambs which went well over 700c/kg cwt at times, but there wasn’t enough of these higher sales to really boost the overall trend as plainer and woolly lambs were no dearer. The overall quote for good processing lambs was $2 to $8 stronger at 660c to 695c/kg cost averages to processors. Underneath this was the plainer trade types at less than 650c/kg cwt. Lighter weight lambs suiting MK ‘bag lamb’ orders were dearer amid reports air freight to key Middle East destinations has opened up again. Any well finished Merino lambs with shape were dearer, but plainer types were unchanged. 

There was a reasonable run of lambs weighing above 30kg cwt and these sold from $200 to a top of $254, with most sales from $210 to $235/head at an estimated cost of 680c/kg cwt. The heavy 26-30kg cwt lamb sold from $170 to $218 and these category had some price spikes when domestic processors clashed on the best pens in the 26-28kg range for a ballpark average of 695c/kg cwt. General run of trade lambs including plainer types in untidy skins mostly $125 to $155/head. Light processing lambs in the 12-20kg cwt range from $90 to $119/head. 

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Sheep numbers remained similar at 5600 head, agents suggesting the dry conditions were influencing supply. The mutton market opened strongly before it settled down Most sheep made an estimated 250c to 290c/kg cwt, with some early sales over 300c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred ewes $80 to $121; good Merino wethers $76 to $106; and Heavy Merino ewes to $114. Overall the majority of sheep still tracked between $40 and $80/head.

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