Sheep up Lambs down at Ballarat

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Yarding - 45,060

Lamb supply increased to 33,300 penned. The quality ranged from plain to excellent. All the usual buying group attended in a mixed market. The bidding intensity wasn’t as strong this week with sales to $15/head cheaper in places for the plainer lambs in wool lacking finish. The market overall ended $5 to $10/head softer across most categories. Light trade sold to $8 cheaper, medium trade ended $5 to $8 softer and heavy trade to $7/head back on last weeks levels. Heavy export lambs were in good supply and sold to a top of $315/head, however, the competition was softer with sales to $11/head cheaper.

Store buyers weren't as active this week and were more selective when bidding. Lambs back to the paddock and to feed on sold from $76 to $180 selling to $8/head cheaper. Light lambs under 18kg cwt to suit MK orders to the trade, sold from $110 to $153 being $10/head softer. Trade lambs 18 to 22kg made from $154 to $182, lambs 22 to 24kg sold from $180 to $205, lambs 24 to 26kg made from $196 to $218/head with a wide average range of 780c to 820c/kg cwt. Export lambs 26 to 30kg made from $209 to $240 and over 30kg sold from $245 to $315/head with an average range of 775c to 790c/kg cwt.

Sheep numbers also increased to 11,700 yarded. The quality was mixed ranging from plain to very good. Well present merino wethers with plenty of weight were offered, but not all processors operated fully in another competitive mutton market. Heavy Merino wethers made from $180 to $234 gaining $5/head to average 700c to 750c/kg cwt. Heavy Merino ewes sold from $184 to $230 to be $25/head dearer in places, with a wide range of 650c to 720c/kg cwt, and heavy crossbred mutton made $166 to $250/head being $5/head stronger to average 670c to 700c/kg cwt.

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