Sheep prices head South at Bendigo

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Yarding - 13,625

Slightly smaller yarding of 8775 lambs, although new season stock are slowing building and accounted for around 1800 head in this sale. Full field of buyers although not all orders operated fully. Price outcomes were mixed. The heaviest export old lambs were $10 to $15 cheaper. The sweet spot of the sale was nicely weighted trade lambs in the 22-27kg range, and this led to the unusual result of heavy trades claiming the top dollar per head price against much heavier lambs. The market top was $148 for heavy trade new season lambs which averaged dearer than a week ago. There was mixed price results over the general run of old season lambs, some of the lighter and plainer types improving on a week ago.

Demand was keenest over the new season lambs, with fresh 24-26kg pens selling from $136 to a top of $148. The heaviest pen of new season lambs made $138, showing how trade types were favoured in this sale. Medium trade young lambs $115 to $125, and light types to processors $65 to $107. The lead pens of young lambs to processors were estimated as costing from 530c to 570c/kg cwt.

Competition was dull for extra heavy old lambs which sold from $130 to $145 at an estimated 410c to 420c/kg cwt average. The main run of heavy crossbred lambs, 26-30kg, varied from $120 to $140 and there was some stand-out sales in this category for lambs around 26-27kg cwt which sold to domestic processors. Tradeweight old lambs 22-24kg mostly $92 to $112. The trend for old season lambs to processors was 420c to 480c/kg cwt. Light and plainer lambs mostly $30 to $90, some sales showing stronger results on the discounted rates of the past fortnight.

It was a negative sheep sale across all weights and grades. Price falls of $10 to $20/head were common. Heavy ewes $55 to a top of $88, with a stand-out pen of extra large crossbred wethers making the top price of $124. General run of medium and light sheep $10 to $50/head. Majority of sheep tracked under 200c/kg cwt, the exception being the best of the nicely weighted trade lots that made 200c to 235c/kg at times. Restockers paid $88 to $128 for SIL crossbred ewes.

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