Bendigo Lambs erratic with cheaper and dearer patches

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Yarding - 15,850 (-250)
Lambs - 11,750 (-650)
Sheep - 4100 (+400)

Slight dip in lamb numbers down to 11,750 following last week's cheaper market. Lamb quality was very mixed and generally plainer with less fed export weights available. A couple of processors were again absent or only purchasing limited numbers. The market was erratic with cheaper and dearer patches evident across the auction compared to last Monday. The overall result for lamb was similar to modestly stronger by a few dollars per head. The mutton market recorded another rebound of $20 to $30/head to regain much of the previous week's losses. Competition for heavy sheep was dominated by one northern based export who secured the majority of stock. Light sheep were the other big improver.

The heaviest export lambs $235 to a top of $285/head for an estimated 36kg cwt for an estimated average cost to processors of 740c/kg cwt. The 26-30kg cwt lambs still had some flat spots at $212 to $236/head for most sales trending from 730c to 785c/kg cwt. Neat trade lambs remained very scare. Best trade lambs $185 to $206/head at 750c to 800c/kg with limited pens higher at times. Fed trade Merino lambs in a skin $170 to $185/head at a ballpark cost of 700c/kg cwt. Little change over restocking lambs at $155 to $178/head for those with frame; $70 to $125/head for small lambs to the paddock with quality causing some price fluctuations.

Sheep were dearer, with heavy mutton sales boosted by competitive bidding from exporters. Heavy ewes were making between $170 to $217/head with the main run of heavy crossbred ewes averaging over $200/head again. Light sheep bounced back from their discounted price levels of a week ago with nearly all sales tracking over $100/head again. General run of mutton 550c to 620c/kg cwt.

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