Bidding ebbed and flowed for Lambs at Bendigo

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Yarding - 21,570

Few more lambs yarded at 13,420 head, although trade buyers still faced issues finding neat domestic weighted lambs. At the moment the better finished lambs tend to be heavier types, with well covered lambs in the 20-24kg cwt range in limited supply. One of the major supermarkets didn’t operate while all the other main orders were active to various degrees. The market still battled to find a consistent price base and bidding ebbed and flowed again. Across the sale there was dearer outcomes for lambs at times, particularly in the trade weight categories, but this was sometimes lost when the auction lost momentum. Heavy export lambs ended the day at a similar price average to a week ago, while best trade lambs averaged a few dollars dearer. Light lambs sold strongly with a pick-up in MK ‘bag lamb’ buying by processors against restockers.

The heaviest export lambs from 30kg to about 35kg cwt from $200 to a top of $259 to average $235 at a ballpark cost of 725c/kg cwt. Heavy lambs in the 26-30kg cwt sold from $184 to $232 at an estimated 740c/kg lwt. Neat trade lambs, 22-24kg, made from $157 to $186 and averaged dearer after some pens reached up to 780c/kg. Overall the better processing lambs were costing between 700c to 750c/kg cwt. But there was still crossbred lambs with less polish and appeal which were in the sub 700c range, at 650c to 690c/kg cwt. Merino lambs were dearer on better quality in this market reaching up to $180. Light lambs were keenly supported and the 12-20kg cwt categories averaged dearer at $87 to $140 for the better presented lines. A few secondary lambs sold down to $11.

The sheep market was dearer, with good lines of mutton estimated as costing processors from 300c to 350c/kg cwt. Heavy Merino ewes in wool $105 to $138, big crossbred ewes $84 to $108 with some of these still below 300c/kg. Trade and light sheep recorded the biggest gains and the majority of sales were between $60 to $85/head.

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