Up to 1300 cents per kg at Ballarat

Yarding: 15,832

Lamb supply has dropped, quality has declined, yet prices continue to rise, resulting in a more expensive market in cents per kilogram terms. Just 10416 lambs were yarded, down nearly 5,000 compared to the previous week, with a significant percentage of the offering being lighter winter types weighing under 20 kg cwt. This rapid decline in weight and condition was evident, as prices in the opening laneway dropped from $400 to under $200 per head in just six pens. This situation intensified competition among trade and export buyers for the smaller pool of quality slaughter lambs, resulting in a broad price range for this sale of 1100 cents to 1300 cents per kg cwt, with averages landing between 1130 cents and 1250 cents per kg cwt for the better processing grades.

The strongest results occurred early in the market, with demand settling later on as some buyers withdrew. The lighter grades of lambs generally sold for 900 cents to 1100 cents per kg cwt, depending on quality and fat cover. Pens of heavy export lambs were limited and sold between $360 and $430 per head. The heavy 26-30 kg cwt lambs benefitted from domestic competition at times, with some achieving very strong prices of $330 to $380 per head, including those with 1300 cents per kg rates. The top heavy trade lambs sold for $280 to $328 per head, followed by the main run of 22-24 kg cwt lambs at $250 to $314 per head.

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There was a significant variety of mixed light lambs in each agent's run, with the better-bred and well-presented types priced between $150 and $220 per head, while secondary and very small lambs ranged from $55 to $140 per head.

Sheep supply remained stable at 5,416 head, again largely dominated by ewes in light scores of 1 and 2 condition. The few pens of extra heavy ewes were cheaper, with exporters not pursuing the market, selling for $200 to $240 per head regardless of weight. The middle range of trade sheep, characterised by frame and fat cover, mostly sold for $150 to $210 per head. Beneath this, there were many very light ewes priced between $60 and $145 per head. The estimated rate for most mutton was between 640 cents and 750 cents per kg cwt.

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