Slightly dearer at Ballarat

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Yarding: 47,174

Lamb supply increased to 37,400 for the first sale in 2023 at Ballarat. Quality again ranged from plain to very good with heavy well finished lambs in limited supply and light weight store types dominating the yarding.

Store buyers were very active early in the sale on the bigger lots gaining to $15/head to then soften as buyers dropped off bidding once orders were filled. Light trade lambs sold firm to $2 better, medium trade gained $3 to $4, heavy trade jumped $10/head and more in places. Heavy Export lambs sold to a top of $270, ending $10 to $20/head dearer to the last sale in 2022. Store buyers were keen to fill orders early with lambs back to the paddock and to feed on under 16kg sold from $46 to $126 and over 16kg sold from $115 to $154/head ending firm to a few dollars dearer. Lambs sold to the trade under 18kg from $96 to $144, trade lambs 18 to 22kg made from $136 to $175, 22 to 24kg sold from $167 to $198/head with a wide range of 680c to 760c/kg Heavy trade lambs 24 to 26kg made from $194 to $223 and heavy export lambs 26kg and over sold from $218 to $270/kg to average 800c to 860c/kg cwt.

Agents penned 9,770 sheep, the quality was mixed, not all buyers were present and only a few processors were actively bidding, overall the market was $5 to $10/head dearer across the yarding. Limited Merino wethers made from $78 to $114/head. Merino ewes sold from $78 to $123 and crossbred mutton made from $56 to $144/head.

https://www.bssaa.com.au/