Light lambs head back to paddock

AS WE move through the middle of October, I think it would be fair to say that most are surprised at how high the lamb prices are in interstate saleyards with some questions being asked about how many lambs are actually out there.

Most new season lambs in all the big saleyards are sitting about 1,100c with the best nudging 1,200c/kg carcass weight.

Numbers increased at the early sales this week at Bendigo (up 5,000 to 18,500), Dubbo (24,245 lamb) and Corowa (double to 12,000) and interesting to note that the kill figure for the first week in October was just over 500,00 which is similar to last year and behind 2024.

Obviously we are still to see the flush of lambs out of Western Victoria where there are big numbers bred and particularly in a much better season than last year. On Tuesday at Powranna there was a total of 2305 lambs (about 1200 new seasons) and dominated by light new season store lambs.

About 600 of these came from one property at Campbell Town and were only 10-12 weeks old.

There was very strong interest and the whole run averaged just over $200/head, an outstanding result.

It should be mentioned that these lambs were beautifully presented, a credit to the vendor.

Overall, these new seasons lambs to go back to the paddock made $188 to $218 and very small $172 to $190/hea.

The trade and heavy new seasons lambs were bought by processors for $228 to $292/head.

Most years we do see some very good prices early in the season and then they drop off a bit heading towards Christmas.

After saying that, these are outstanding results for these young lambs and with the season in parts of the state looking average, these prices give producers something to think about.

Mutton prices are also continuing to hold up very well with most sheep in the major interstate yards making 800c to 900c/kg carcass weight which means that extra heavy sheep make $280 to $350 and not many sheep under $200/head.

Locally on Tuesday we saw extra heavy sheep make $230 to $272, heavy $200 to $228 and medium $138 to $196/head.

It will be interesting see what happens as we see more sheep come to the market as weaning takes place over the next couple of  months.

Buyers keen on light lambs

THERE was a much bigger yarding of 2,305 lambs at Powranna on Tuesday (1,941 more) with a big percentage being new seasons store lambs.

Processors paid $228 to $292 for new lambs while trade old lambs made $206 to $250 and heavy $254 to $280/head.

The highlight of the sale was the drafts of new seasons light lambs that created very strong competition with most making $188 to $218 and very small $172 to $190/head. There was a big draft of very well presented lambs from Campbell Town that averaged just over $200/head.

There were 715 mutton (192 more) and although cheaper in places most sheep sold to strong competition with extra heavy sheep making $230 to $272, heavy $200 to $228 and medium $138 to $196

Restockers bought very light sheep for $46 to $80/head.

THERE was a very small yarding of 51 cattle with most being cows and bulls.  

The few yearling heifers made 446c to 452c and a couple of bullocks 426c to 488c/kg.

There were 33 cows yarded and most were heavy pens and sold for 354c to 386c while a fewer leaner 315c to 328c. Heavy bulls made 330c to 342c with the heaviest bulls making over $3,600/head.