Buoyant market at Ballarat

Yarding: 23,627

The lamb and sheep market reopened after the wet weekend with higher prices, particularly for neat and shorn heavy trade pens, which sold for exceptional carcass money at times. The total yarding included 17,681 lambs and 5,964 sheep, as the initial draw was impacted by good rainfall across the region. All regular buyers attended, and the demand was strong enough to create firm to higher outcomes across all weights and grades.

Heavy export lambs matched the recent record high for Ballarat at $399 per head again, while heavy trade lambs were the most expensive category in terms of cents per kilogram of carcass weight, selling for $331 per head. The average price for the 17,681 lambs sold was $219 per head, up from an average of $188 for 21,339 lambs sold the previous week. Despite the buoyant market, buyers applied a selective approach concerning wool length, lamb finish, and overall presentation. Two key domestic buyers were significant in driving prices for the best pens of hard-fed and shapely heavy trade lambs that were shorn. There were notable price differences when agents evaluated lambs that, while still of good quality, lacked the appeal of the top offerings. Generally, trade and heavy processing lambs had prices ranging from 900 to 1,100 cents per kilogram.

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Heavy export lambs sold mostly between $330 and $380 per head, with a few exceptional types reaching up to $399 per head. The main run was estimated to cost processors around 1,000 to 1,050 cents per kilogram of carcass weight. Heavy lambs weighing 26-30 kg sold for $285 to $328 per head. The highlight of the sale was the neat heavy trade lambs weighing 24-26 kg, which ranged from approximately 1,100 to 1,300 cents, with an average estimated price of 1,200 cents per kilogram after selling between $275 and $331 per head. Trade lambs in the 22-24 kg category sold for $202 to $310 per head, with prices varying based on breed quality, presentation, and wool length. Good lines of light lambs under 20 kg received support from both restockers and feeders, selling for $155 to $196 for the top drafts. Plainer and mixed light lambs mostly ranged from $80 to $130, with the lower-priced lots typically in very light score 1 condition.

The sheep sale was very strong, featuring a mixed yarding that was dominated by lighter and leaner conditioned grades. The limited run of heavier mutton with reasonable fat cover saw prices rise to between 700 and 800 cents per kilogram of carcass weight. The heaviest ewes sold for $260, reaching a top price of $288 per head, while Merino ewes went for up to $263. The main run of light and middle-grade mutton sold for $90 to $170 per head.

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