Sheep sale significantly cheaper at Bendigo

Yarding - 19,000 (+1500)
Lambs - 15,000 (+1000)
Sheep - 4000 (+500)

Lamb supply lifted to 15,000 with no sale next Monday due to the Queen's Birthday holiday. Another fairly plain yarding, with only the lead pens off-grain showing good fat cover and finish. A couple of export companies were buying again, although several other processors were still not fully active, and there was very little restocking support. Prices for heavy crossbred lambs were similar to a week ago, while some of the best ideal sized domestic pens gained a few dollars on limited supply. Merino lambs were cheaper, with plainer quality a factor. The sheep sale was significantly cheaper than last weeks very dear mutton market.

The heaviest export lambs made to a top of $278 while the main export run of 30kg plus lambs made from $235 to $269/head for a similar average of 750c/kg cwt. The best pens of heavy and medium trade lambs made from $185 to $215/head. There was still a significant price spread from 730c to 800c/kg cwt over a lot of heavy and medium trade lambs depending on size and quality. Buyers still gave solid support to well finished Merino lambs, but were selective on plainer pens lacking consistent fat cover. Heavy Merino lambs sold to a top of $240, with the average run of score 2 and 3 trade weights making from $155 to $185/head. There was little competition from restockers on light lambs, with processors dominating the better farmed and covered types that made from $100 to $150/head.

The 4,000 sheep were mixed for type and condition, with not as many bigger lines of quality Merinos available. Heavy sheep fell by $30 to$40, selling for a top price of $220 compared to $294/head a week ago. Good lines of heavy mutton made either side of 600c, with neater trade Merinos averaging 650c/kg cwt.

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