Ballarat follows Bendigo - Mutton up big time

Yarding: 35,300

Numbers returned to normal levels after last Tuesday’s unusually low yarding due to the short trading week. There was some excellent super-sized export lambs yarded as well as a very good lead of heavy trade lambs. Buyer competition was strong on heavy lambs with both northern and southern based export demand clashing which helped carry the market to a top of $328/head. The major domestic orders were also keen on hard fed lambs with shape and short skins.

Once off the top lambs the market did still have a selective tone over mixed lots and woollier type, with meat buyers still not prepared to chase everthing to high money. Overall the market remained in the ballpark of last week’s averages of 820c to 860c/kg cwt - and with the best lambs over 900c/kg - but noting there was limited volumes traded a week ago for accurate comparisons. Light lambs under 20kg cwt benefitted from both store and feeder competition as well as MK ‘bag lamb’ processing orders and there was some very strong results recorded in this section. A run of extra heavy export lambs over 35kg cwt sold from $300 to a top of $328/head. This was followed by the general run of exports weighing 30-34kg cwt which made from $244 to $285/head.

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These export lambs were estimated at an average of 840-850c/kg cwt which is a healthy price rate for the amount of weight which was on offer. Heavy lambs in the 26-30kg cwt category sold from $218 to $260/head; heavy trades from $198 to $230/head. Underneath this was the general run of mixed trades from $165 to $195/head. Store and feeder buyers were very keen and paid from $140 to $172 for lambs with frame size to go onto grain. Lighter lambs to restockers in the 12-16kg cwt range from $97 to $150 and they often outbid meat processors wanting MK style stock. Well bred lines of light lambs were costing in excess of 800c/kg cwt.

It was an exceptional if somewhat erratic sheep sale. There was more light weight ewes and wethers in comparison to heavier sheep, and this meant the lead ewes with some fat cover sold to very keen competition at $200 plus. The main run of heavy crossbred and composite ewes sold from $210 to a top of $272/head. Off the top ewes with frame but less condition from $130 to $180/head. Where the market showed the most fluctuations was on light sheep in score 1 and 2 condition which ranged from $30 to $130 depending on what caught the attention of buyers. Decent lines of heavy mutton were costing processors in excess of 700c/kg cwt, with some pens estimated above 800c/kg. There was a wider price spread of 250c to 650c/kg over light sheep.

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