Lambs cheaper at Ballarat this week

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Yarding: 23,379

Smaller yarding of 19,000 lambs which included some outstanding extra heavy and trade lambs alongside the usual winter offering of mixed and plain types. All the buyers who have been attending in recent weeks were at the rail and operating to varying degrees. The market was cheaper overall, with weight and quality key factors in price outcomes. The heaviest lambs started OK at up to $220 before bidding dropped away significantly to drag down the overall average by about 50c/kg or $15 a head on a week ago. In contrast the best trade and heavy trade lambs were just a few dollars easier and sold for up to $160, meaning their dollar per head price was sometimes close to the big export lambs. But once onto plain and wintery trade lambs the market became a cheaper lottery with little buying depth for secondary and untidy lambs.

The opening run of extra heavy lambs sold from $201 to $220 on big weights of up to 40kg cwt. However the market lost traction and other agents could only drew out bids of $160 to $180 for their top export lambs. It meant the rate for 30kg cwt plus lambs stretched from 450c to 590c/kg cwt, the overall ballpark cost to processors being around 550c/kg. Any stand-out pens of trade and heavy trade lambs were keenly supported by a couple of domestic processors at $138 to $160/head. However bidding for the general run of trade type lambs was much more selective and cheaper at $90 to $135. Most categories of trade lambs recorded averages of 520c to 575c/kg cwt, but individual pens did sell below 500c. Pens of lightweight lambs suiting MK bag orders mostly $60 to $90. Only limited restocking activity was seen across the sale.

Sheep supply declined to 4300 head, made up mostly of crossbred style ewes and a few lines of Merino wethers. Prices were similar to dearer on the better lines of mutton. Heavy crossbred ewes $80 to $125 and Merino wethers to $109.

https://www.bssaa.com.au/