Sheep and Lambs
HORSHAM
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
September 6. Yarding: 7876. Change: up 2239. Lambs: 6117. Change: up 1730.
The supply of young lambs lifted again to push the yarding above 6000 head. Quality remained very good, although there was more variance across the yarding with some plainer and drier young lambs appearing. The market didn't have the intensity of a week ago, although one buyer was particularly strong and there were some sales that matched the high rates of the previous sale. Overall prices eased by $3 to $10/head, although taking into account how strong Horsham was a week ago the sale was still in-line with recent results from other areas. Prices reached a top of $190/head for a pen of extra heavy young lambs estimated at around 30kg c/wt. The next best price was $180/head. Most of the young lambs were trade weight types from 20-24kg c/wt and sold from $135 to $170/head. On a carcass basis, there was a range of around 620c to 680c, with the neatest domestic pens estimated at close to 650c/kg. Local agents paid from $95 to $119/head for small young lambs to go back to the paddock. A small but very good pen of new season Merino lambs made $144/head. The selection of old season lambs was very mixed and prices trended lower, with secondary types and odd pen lots the most affected. The best of the heavy trade weights sold to $164/head at over 600c/kg c/wt.
Sheep: 1759. Change: up 509
There was a slight increase in sheep numbers to 1759 head. Export competition for heavy mutton was limited and pens of big crossbred ewes sold from $75 to $91/head to be tracking below 280c/kg on a carcass basis. There was better demand for leaner trade weight sheep, particularly the bigger bare-shorn lines, and these sold from $74 to $100/head to average around 360c to 380c/kg c/wt.
BALLARAT
September 5. Yarding: 5966. Change: up 608. Lambs: 4691. Change: up 590
Lamb supply at Ballarat increased by 590 head this week. The usual buyers attended but not all were operating fully. The yarding contained another rise in the number of new season lambs penned as their quality was from mostly good to average, with a few light weight drafts of 2 score young lambs penned. The old lambs were very mixed from heavy weights to plainer small pen lots as producers prepare for the spring selling season. New season lambs sold from firm to slightly easier compared with last week’s few pens offered, but they sold to good solid competition. Old lambs prices fluctuated, heavy lambs sold close to firm with some demand, but most sales were from $4 to $10/head cheaper. Restocker activity was limited but local agents did pay $92 to $136 for lambs and they also purchased a pen of crossbred ewes for $138 and Merino ewes for $109/head. Light trade weight 2 and 3 score new season lambs made $118 to $125, medium trade weight 3 scores, from 19- 20kg cwt, sold from $130 to $141 and those in the 21-22kg weight range sold from $140 to $154/head. Carcass prices ranged between 629c and 663c to average slightly above an estimated 640c/kg cwt. The heavier weight 3 and 4 score new season lambs sold from $155 to reach $176/head. Light trade weight 2 score old lambs sold from $98 to $109, medium weight 2 and 3 scores made from $115 to $138/head with most sales making between 550c and 570c/kg cwt. The heavy weight 3 and 4 score old lambs made from $165 to the market top of $192/head.
Sheep: 1275. Change: up 18
There was a similar sheep offering of 1275 head with all weights and grades represented. Prices did fluctuate but overall remained firm to a few dollars easier. Light weight 1 and 2 score mutton made from $42 to $80, medium 2 and 3 score sheep sold from $76 to $107/head and the Merino ewe mutton averaged 405c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred sheep sold from $103 to $146, averaging 365c/kg cwt and medium Merino wethers made from $88 to $112/head. The heavy rams of all breeds sold from $54 to $90 and the better covered 3 score hoggets sold from $112 to $139/head.
AVERAGES
SUCKER LAMBS
76 Trotter Farming Balliang $176.00
38 Moyreisk Pastoral Moyreisk $169.00
46 RB & MJ Mortlock Archdale $158.00
37 LJ Meagher Moyreisk $158.00
34 AG Weir Dunluce $155.00
782 Trotter Farming Balliang $153.59
50 KJ & BD Hendra Russells Bridge $153.50
26 MD Nicholson Morrl Morrl $148.00
103 E & J Wilkinson Crowlands $141.00
26 LT & VE Richards Ampitheatre $135.00
46 F & E Hillman Buangor $128.00
34 D & R Buchanan Lethbridge $118.00
31 DR & MB Driscoll Moonambel $118.00
OLD LAMBS
7 Wardor Run Bungador $191.60
58 IL & MR Barber & Son Lovely Banks $190.00
23 Agmech Consultants Donald $185.00
13 M & N Farrell Parwan $185.00
20 McKinnon Farms Cape Clear $155.00
10 BT & CL Roughead Bung Bong $126.00
X BRED SHEEP
21 A Fraser & R Keller Miners Rest $146.00
44 Delta Pastoral Co Berrybank $138.00
6 Wardor Run Bungador $132.00
12 B & S Vowles Burrumbeet $128.00
9 LD & JA Craig Balliang $107.00
MERINO EWES
27 Gollops Garage Avoca $107.00
51 MF Allen Teesdale $100.00
MERINO WETHERS
30 W Dalton Toolern Vale $112.00
44 D Neill Mt Lonarch $96.00
Cattle
NARACOORTE
September 5. Yarding: 416. Change: up 19.
There was a small lift in numbers this week, up by 19 to 416 head. The quality was average to good with some good runs of young cattle yarded. The regular trade, processor and restocker buyers were in attendance and operating in a mostly firm market. Vealers sold around firm making from 268c to 320c, yearlings sold similar making from 268c to 286c and feeders paid to 318c/kg. Lighter weight grown steers eased a few cents selling to 278c with the medium and heavy weights selling from 248c to 296c/kg. Heavy beef cows sold firm ranging from 220c to 248c, with D muscle cows easing a few cents and selling from 219c to 238c/kg. The yarding was made up of 282 young cattle, 110 cows, 13 bulls and 11 open auction cattle. Vealers mostly sold from 268c to 320c to the trade and feeders paid from 281c to 316c/kg. The yearlings made from 250c to 286c and feeders paid from 265c to 316c/kg. Lighter steers eased a few cents and sold from 245c to 278c, the medium and heavy weights were similar to last week and sold from 248c to 296c/kg. Grown heifers sold to 5c dearer in places and ranged from 242c to 275c/kg. Heavy beef cows were similar and sold from 220c to 248c, heavy D muscle cows eased to 10c in places and ranged from 219c to 238c with the plainer types selling from 185c to 216c/kg. Heavy beef bulls eased 10c and ranged from 240c to 248c/kg.
WARRNAMBOOL
September 6. Yarding: 442. Change: down 117.
Cattle numbers declined further this week at Warrnambool, with cold and wet conditions prevailing. There were 429 head yarded with 296 cows in the penning. The usual buying group attended and operated on the average quality yarding, which sold from firm to dearer on last week. There were 21 grown cattle, 72 young cattle 296 cows and 41 bulls. Low numbers of young cattle and steers saw most go to feeders and restockers who paid to 294c for vealers, with yearlings making to 289c to the trade and restockers paying from 180c to 200c/kg for dairy bred heifers. The few medium weight steers sold from 265c to 275c, and manufacturing steers sold to 252c/kg to be unchanged. The grown heifers made to 265c/kg to be firm. Heavy clean beef cows sold from 235c to 265c to be to 10c/kg up on last week. Heavy dairy types were also to 5c dearer and sold from 192c to 230c/kg. Heavy beef bulls were dearer and sold from 270c to 284c with dairy bulls ranging from 240c to 260c/kg. Vealers and yearlings sold to restockers and feeders from 260c to 294c, with dairy bred yearling heifers selling from 180c to 200c/kg. Steers sold form 265c to 274c and restockers paid to 270c/kg. The grown heifers sold from 262c to 265c/kg. Heavy B and C muscle beef bred cows sold from 235c to 265c, with 3 score D muscle cows selling from 244c to 252c/kg. Heavy dairy types sold from 192c to 230c and the one scores sold from 186c to 200c/kg. E muscle cows mostly sold from 170c to 200c with the lighter weights selling from 150c to 190c/kg.