Competition weaker for all types at Bendigo

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Yarding - 14,500

Increase in lamb numbers to 11,000 head as more new season stock appear although the yarding was still dominated by mixed quality old season drafts. Competition was weaker for all lambs despite the regular processing group attending and most operating at some level. Heavy old season lambs were $20 to $35/head cheaper, with crossbreds in the 24 to 30kg cwt range the most affected after key domestic buyers swapped into new season lambs. But bidding for young lambs was also weaker by $10 to $15/head, and buyer interest quickly fell away on any pens that lacked hard carcass finish or showed signs of having dried-off a little in the skin.

A few pens of lead export lambs over 34kg cwt still received reasonable support at $225 to a top of $255/head. But buyers quickly pulled back bidding on the heavy 26 to 30kg cwt lambs at $166 to $218; the 24 to 26kg pens at $153 to $182/head; and the 22 to 24kg lots at $136 to $167/head. Most of these old lambs were estimated at 620c to 680c/kg cwt, but late in the auction there was pens selling below the 600c mark. Secondary light lambs $60 to $120 for most.

Bidding for new season lambs was very selective. The lead pens of heavy tradeweights $185 to $210, and one agent had a small penlot of export young lambs at 30kg plus which still only made $210/head. A few drafts of medium domestic lambs sold between $169 to $175/head. Buyer interest on plainer and lighter new season lambs was dull at $116 to $145/head and these sold in a similar carcass price range to old season lambs. A run of little Merino lambs sent down from NSW sold from $76 to $101 to the paddock with a processor securing the tops at $107/head.

Competition for sheep was weaker, although an agency from the south-west pushed export buyers on some of the heavier crossbred ewes. Most sheep estimated at 450c to 510c/kg cwt, with odd sales higher in a sometimes erratic market. Heavy ewes $164 to $190 with the general run of ewes selling from $114 to $155/head.

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