Mixed and erratic market at Wagga Wagga

Yarding - 47,000

This week, the lamb market experienced a moderate decline in numbers. The quality of the lambs varied significantly; while some were of excellent quality, others, particularly those that were not grain-fed, were plainer. Notably, not all export buyers were actively purchasing, yet heavy export lambs managed to maintain their market value.

Demand for trade lambs surged due to interest from southern processors and supermarkets. This heightened demand pushed prices upward as buyers scrambled to secure the well-shaped, shorter-skinned lambs that were in short supply. In contrast, the quality of light lambs was only fair, prompting both restockers and processors to adjust their pricing strategies from pen to pen. The trade market was extremely erratic, with key buyers actively pursuing shorter-skinned lambs, while some opted to pass on woolly types. Prices for lambs weighing between 20-24kg ranged from $200 to $334, while those in the 24-26kg category sold for $302 to $357 per head. Merino lambs were particularly competitive, with the majority selling between $183 and $313 per head.

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Extra heavy lambs were in reasonable supply but lacked the weight and quality seen in the previous sale. Prices for lambs weighing 26-30kg remained mostly unchanged, ranging from $322 to $374 per head. For lambs over 30kg, prices ranged from $388 to $447 per head, averaging 1171 cents per kilogram carcass weight.

The yarding of mutton was very mixed, with many plainer types included in the mix. Light sheep sold for $74 to $128 per head. Trade sheep lost momentum as buyers were quite selective at times, selling for $133 to $180 per head. Heavy ewes were in high demand, but prices did not consistently match the high levels of the previous sale, with the bulk of heavy mutton selling for $200 to $310 per head.

https://wagga.nsw.gov.au/business-investment/council-businesses/livestock-marketing-centre