Some Mutton $8 at Bendigo

Yarding - 12,920

The lamb yarding was the smallest in some time, totalling just 7,270 head. Sheep numbers remained similar, but it was the mutton market that reacted most strongly to the wet weather. Not all processors were present or fully active. While the lamb market indicated a rising price trend, most processing lambs continued to trade within a similar price band of 1,100 to 1,300 cents per kilogram carcass weight (cwt). The main grades saw prices pushed slightly higher, partly due to reduced weight and quality. For example, a limited run of heavy export lambs was estimated at 1,220 cents per kilogram cwt today.

The strongest demand came from domestic processors for neat trade lambs in the 21-26 kg cwt range, as supplies were very short. Merino lambs in this weight range that had good shape and fat cover sold well, often matching the prices for crossbreds. Lightweight lambs experienced a price increase in an overall market that was robust across all weights and grades today.

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Heavy export lambs sold for $401, reaching a top price of $439 per head. The main run of heavy lambs in the 26-30 kg cwt range sold for $305 to $370 per head, while the best heavy trades fetched $280 to $340 per head. Mixed trades of various weights were mostly priced between $220 and $265 per head. A broad range of 1,100 to 1,300 cents per kilogram covered the majority of sales, with select pens of neat domestic lambs occasionally exceeding $13 per kilogram. Lead pens of fed Merino trade lambs were priced between $228 and $260 per head, while decent light lambs with frame and some fat cover sold for $140 to $215 per head. Secondary and very light lambs sold for $27 to $115 per head.

The mutton market fluctuated but exhibited upward trends, particularly for larger lines of woolly Merino ewes, which sold amidst strong competition, even if some of these ewes appeared to have low fat cover and weight beneath the fleece. Prices were typically $10 to $20 per head higher and sometimes more. On a carcass basis, a significant number of sheep sold above 700 cents per kilogram cwt, with some lines pushing above 800 cents and reaching the estimated 800 cents per kilogram cwt range at times. Heavy ewes sold for $223 to $275 per head, good trade sheep for $150 to $220 per head, and decent lines of light sheep sold much higher at times, reaching $130 to $155 per head. There were still some scrappy clean-up winter lots, each consisting of a few head, which sold below the 700 cents per kilogram cwt threshold.

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