The good prices of the past week influenced a bigger yarding of both lambs and sheep. Demand from processors was at much higher levels, and prices increased by $10 to $20/head which prevented some buyers from operating. A highlight of the market was very strong bidding on light weight lambs and mutton amid reports several processors have special orders for religious kills that require small and lean carcasses. Young lambs dominated the sale and quality was very good. Prices reached a top of $183/head twice for an estimated 26kg c/wt. The main run of neat trade weight lambs sold from $148 to $173, with the majority of pens over $160/head. On a carcass basis, rates for the best heavy young lambs started at about 650c and improved to over 700c/kg on the lighter domestic types. A run of young and small Merino lambs benefitted from demand for light weight processing stock and sold from $105 to $118/head. Processor competition also stepped up for old season lambs, with a few pens of heavy export types selling from $180 to a top of $193/head. The general run of trade weight lambs ranged from $125 to $160/head depending on quality, size and finish. There was a noticeable improvement in carcass prices across the better finished pens. 

Sheep: 1250. Change: up 646  

The highlight of the sheep sale was bidding on light weight fat score 1 and 2 sheep, which made up to $90/head in a much dearer market. At times there wasn't much price difference, in dollar per head terms, between the light sheep and the heavy ewes which sold from $90 to $96/head.

August 29. Yarding: 5358. Change: up 1513. Lambs: 4101. Change: up 1508 

Quality for old lambs varied from good down to plain and there were a few more pens of new season lambs sold in the offering. Most of the regular buyers were in attendance although not operating fully, in a steady market as prices for most sales of the light and medium weight trade lambs sold between $2 and $8/head dearer. Some sales of the better quality finished lambs were from $8 up to $15/head stronger in some isolated sales. Some of the light weight plainer old lambs did sell from unchanged to slightly dearer in places. Restockers paid from $108 to $138 for their store lambs and $90 to $128/head for crossbred ewes. The 2 and 3 score new season lambs of light to medium trade weight sold to good demand, making from $114 to the top priced pen of $158/head, estimated at 22kg cwt and costs ranging between 635c and 675c/kg cwt. Light weight 2 score old lambs made from $77 to $97 and the light trade weights sold from $110 to $118/head. Medium trade weight 3 score old lambs made from $124 to $146 and heavy trade weights sold from $145 to $156/head, to average an estimated 617c/kg cwt. Heavy 3 and 4 score old lambs sold from $156 to a market top of $190/head, selling between 580c and 600c/kg cwt. 

Sheep: 1257. Change: up 5

A similar number of 1257 sheep of mixed quality saw prices for Merino sheep sell from firm to $3/head dearer, while heavy crossbred sheep sold unchanged to a few dollars cheaper. Light weight 1 and 2 core mutton sold from $58 to $93/head. Medium weight sheep sold from $80 to $103/head. Merino ewe mutton averaged 410c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred sheep sold between $100 and $128, and heavy Merino wethers made to $114, while the medium weights made $83 to $94/head. The best covered hoggets sold from $128 to $149 and heavy rams of all breeds sold from $75 to $105/head.

OLD LAMBS: 52 R Jubb Hexham $190.20; 124 PM Laidlaw Lismore $190.00; 79 GG & MK Harrison Mt Cottrell $180.00; 21 MF & RI Brian Woolsthorpe $170.00; 46 W & EW Nisbet Rodborough $169.00; 29 R Tweddle Mt Bute $168.20; 41 M, K & D Morcombe Brewster $164.00; 35 Naweenda Partnership Mortlake $164.00; 6 Coolana Pastoral Co Caramut $163.00; 21 B Lynch Panmure $148.00; 70 NJ & RM Pearce Inverleigh $145.00; 41 D Keilor Caramut $145.00; 37 Tor Park Gheringhap $145.00; 27 Quaama Farming Miners Rest $145.00; 32 ID & LS Roberston Stoneleigh $138.00; 94 Beavis Rural Avoca $137.10; 12 Trisan Family Trust Buninyong $135.00.

SUCKER LAMBS: 147 Mt Widderon Skipton $158.00; 25 MD Nicholson Morrl Morrl $151.00; 30 Ennerdale Dundonnell $150.00; 18 Bunyola Shelford $150.00; 36 Lethfarm Nominees Melton. $135.00.

X BRED SHEEP: 27 WJ & AM Hearne Chatsworth $128.00; 28 CD & LJ McKenzie Illabarook $114.00; 26 Mingawalla Beeac $106.00; 32 Coolana Pastoral Co Caramut $105.00; 27 Mt Widderon Skipton $100.00.

MERINO EWES: 36 S & V French Derrinallum $136.00; 10 A Chenery Linton $117.00; 64 CD & LJ McKenzie Illabarook $108.00; 47 Burnbank Elaine $105.00; 53 Mt Worth Mortlake $104.00; 42 M & J Lanfranchi Mt Hooghly $103.00; 31 HM Trainor Cape Clear $100.00; 21 D Tweddle Mt Bute $93.20.

MERINO WETHERS: 27 NA Mulvenny Stawell $115.00; 24 J & S. Ranken Morrisons $103.00

August 29. Yarding: 397. Change: down 265. 

Numbers dropped sharply at Naracoorte as agents yarded 397 head of live weight and open auction cattle. These sold to a smaller field of trade and processor buyers with some restocker orders looking for cattle to turn out and grow on. There was a lot less weight in a very mixed quality offering as the market sold to an easier trend. Yearling steers to the trade ranged from 260c to 295c with a small amount of feeder support to 284c and restockers were actively seeking supply from 260c to 306c/kg. Yearling heifers were very mixed in quality as the trade purchased ranging from 232c to 300c with restockers turning these back out ranging from 235c to 280c/kg. Grown steers and bullocks were lacking both in weight and numbers this week as they ranged from 256c to 295c ,with a 4c/kg drop in price. Grown heifers ranged from 235c to 276c/kg. Cow numbers fell by nearly half with the light weight types ranging from 200c to 238c with some restocker activity to 223c/kg. Heavy cows remained firm in price as they ranged from 238c to 249c/kg. Light weight bulls sold to 250c, with heavy bulls ranging from 220c to a high of 260c/kg for an outstanding Limousin.

August 30. Yarding: 559. Change: up 164  

Numbers increased this week at Warrnambool. Quality was average, with more steers and young cattle penned. The usual processor, trade and restocker buyers plus some extra competition attended and operated in a generally firm market, with cows selling a few cents either side of last week’s levels. Vealers sold to restockers from 280c to 285c, with yearlings to the trade selling from 264c to 282c and restockers paying from 264c to 275c/kg. The grown steers eased by up to 10c, and sold from 252c to 280c, with bullocks making to 280c/kg. Heavy beef cows sold similar and ranged from 244c to 258c, with heavy D muscle cows selling a few cents easier and ranging from 230c to 248c/kg. Heavy dairy cows improved 2c to 5c and ranged from 190c to 225c, with medium weight E muscle cows easing 2c and ranging from 164c to 195c/kg. Heavy beef bulls eased a few cents and made from 230c to 280c, with dairy bulls a few cents dearer and selling to 250c/kg. The yarding consisted of 92 grown cattle, 129 young cattle, 317 cows and 21 bulls.

Vealers and yearlings sold to the trade from 264c to 285c and restockers paid from 264c to 285c/kg. Light and medium weight grown steers sold from 265c to 278c, heavy weights sold from 252c to 280c and bullocks made to 280c/kg. Grown heifers sold from 240c to 280c.