Sheep and Lamb prices on the rise at Bendigo

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Yarding - 20,100

Bigger yarding of 14,700 lambs, drawn out by rising saleyard prices last week and next Monday's public holiday which cancels the regular Bendigo market. Quality was of a higher standard, with more lambs presenting as hard-fed off grain. Demand from processors stepped-up, with buyers often engaging in sustained bidding to secure the best lines of export and domestic lambs. Competition was strongest for heavy lambs over 26kg cwt and these were $10 to $15/head dearer. Similar price lifts of $10 were evident for the best heavy trade lambs, however plainer domestic lambs that lacked consistent fat cover or were in long woolly skins were often only a few dollars dearer than a week ago. Any well-bred lines of genuine store lambs were $6 to $10/dearer.

Exporters paid to $300/head for an impressive line of extra heavy grainfed lambs estimated at around 38kg cwt. Most export lambs sold from $240 to $280 at an average cost of 780c/kg cwt, noting there was sales above 800c for nicely weighted pens around 32kg cwt. Heavy lambs 26-30kg cwt sold from $223 to $268, improving to averages of 820c to 840c/kg cwt. The neat trade lambs 24-26kg cwt $218 to $230 at an estimated 840-860c/kg cwt. However trade buyers remained selective on woolly lambs and plainer types off grass which were only modestly dearer at 740c to 800c/kg cwt. The better style store lambs to the paddock from $135 to $164/head.

Competition for mutton ramped-up to levels not seen for some time with several processors keen for numbers. Sheep quality also lifted with some stand-out Merino wethers on offer. Prices were $10 to $25/head dearer. Heavy Merino wethers $240 to $255/head at an estimated cost of 760c/kg cwt. Export buyers clashed for heavy crossbred ewes pushing prices from $220 to a top of $269 for estimated values of 660c to 690c/kg cwt. All sheep were considerably dearer, including light mutton at $124 to $136. Buyers needed 650c/kg plus to be competitive on the better lines of sheep.

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