Lambs: 3031. Change: up 1014. Sheep:1581. Change: up 544.

Lamb numbers lifted to 3031 head this week at Horsham. Quality varied from average to very good, with more better finished trade and heavy weight lambs penned. Most of the regular buying group attended and operated in a firm to slightly dearer market, with the quality medium and heavy trade weight lambs making from $2 to $3/head up on last week’s levels. Heavy lambs sold to $188, and the medium trade weights, weighing 22-24kg, sold from $148 to $159/head and averaged approximately 640c/kg cwt. Restocker lambs were in limited numbers and they primarily sold from $70 to $80 for light weights, as Merino lambs reached $80/head. There were 1581 sheep yarded covering all weights and grades, with several pens of heavy crossbred sheep penned. Sheep sold primarily to stronger competition, with the heavier sheep making $8/head up on last week. Light weight 2 score lambs sold from $83 to $120/head. Light trade 2 and 3 score lambs, 18-22kg, sold from $128 to $141/head to average close to 630c/kg cwt. Medium trade weight 3 and 4 score lambs, 22-24 kg, sold from $148 to $159/head, or from 620c to 655c to average approximately 640c/kg cwt. Heavy 3 and 4 score trade weight lambs, weighing 24-26kg, sold from $165 to $168, with the export weight lambs making from $174 to $180/head. Extra heavy export lambs sold from $180 to $188/head to average close to 580c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred hoggets sold from $85 to $115/head. Merino lambs sold to the trade for $116/head. Light weight 1 and 2 score sheep sold from $30 to $64, or close to 350c/kg cwt, with very light sheep making from $20 to $38/head. Medium weight 2 and 3 score sheep sold from $60 to $98/head, or from 300c to 410c, with the Merino mutton averaging close to 385c/kg cwt. Heavy Merino ewes sold from $102 to $123, and wethers made from $105 to $116/head, as the heavier Merino sheep averaged approximately 420c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred ewes sold from $100 to $126/head and averaged approximately 380c/kg cwt. Rams sold from $8 to $60/head.

March 12. Yarding: 23,915. Change: down 2270. Lambs: 15,391. Change: 2702. Sheep: 8524. Change: down 4972.

Lamb supply increased to 15,391 this week at Ballarat. Quality varied from plain to good, with better finished lambs off fodder crops and grain in reasonable numbers. The usual buying group attended, with most operating in a firm to dearer market. Heavy and extra heavy lambs sold approximately firm, as quality trade weights sold from $2 to $5/head up on last week. The light lambs sold a few dollars dearer, with keen restocker, feeder and processor competition. Heavy lambs reached $189, with the 22-24kg trade weights making from $148 to $168.50/head. Feeders and restockers were active, paying from $111 to $146 for lambs, with lighter drafts receiving from $40 to $100, while heavy lamb feeders paid $197/head.

Restockers also paid made $130 for crossbred ewes, and from $93 to $115/head for Merino wethers. Light weight 12-18kg lambs sold from $75 to $142/head. Light trade 2 and 3 score, 18-22kg lambs made from $129 to $156/head and averaged close to 675c/kg cwt. Medium trade weights, 3 and 4 score, 22-24kg, sold from $148 to $168.50/head and varied from 640c to 720c, to average close to 670c/kg cwt. The 24-26 kg lambs made from $162 to $176/head at close to 645c/kg cwt. The export weights sold from $169 to $189, and the few extra heavy export lambs made to $185/head. There were 8524 sheep yarded, back nearly 5000 on last week. Some good runs of Merino and crossbred sheep were penned. Light sheep improved a few dollars, as medium weight sheep eased to $5 and the heavy sheep sold close to last week’s levels, with the plainer types easing to $5/head on quality.Merino wethers in a big fleece sold to $149, and crossbred ewes reached $138/head. Heavy Merino wethers sold from unchanged to $10/head up on last week. Light weight 2 score sheep sold from $42 to $71 and averaged close to 370c/kg cwt, with very light sheep making from $5 to $58/head. Medium weight 2 and 3 score sheep sold from $61 to $115/head, and varied from 315c to 420c, with the Merino mutton averaging close to 400c/kg cwt. Heavy Merino ewes sold from $107 to $130, as the heavy Merino wethers sold from $97 to $149, while the medium weights made from $74 to $130/head and the heavy Merino sheep received from 400c to 435c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred ewes sold from $85 to $138/head and averaged close to 370c, with the better covered ewes averaging over 400c/kg cwt. Rams sold from $5 to $60, as restockers paid to $100/head.

March 13. Yarding: 983. Change: down 3.

There was an equal sized yarding of 983 cattle penned by agents and quality was plain through to good. The cow offering was very mixed in condition with a higher percentage of leaner conditioned types yarded. A regular following of buyers attended plus some keen restocker competition on the leaner conditioned cows. Prices for vealers were mainly unchanged but up to 10c cheaper, while yearlings were mainly 10c/kg less. The grown steers sold mainly 10c/kg cheaper, but the crossbreds held firm. Lean conditioned cows were 10c easier, but the better covered cows sold 15c to 30c lower, with best beef cows up to 40c/kg back in prices. Heavy weight bulls averaged 10c/kg less. The yarding comprised of 339 grown steers, 277 young cattle and grown heifers, 346 cows and 21 bulls. The better vealers made 242c to 290c with restockers going to 260c/kg. The yearlings sold between 220c and 250c and restockers paid to 252c, while plainer yearlings sold from 160c/kg. Most C3 and C4 grown steers were in a range between 242c and 270c, with the crossbreds from 220c to 238c/kg. The D2 manufacturing steers were from 175c to 184c/kg. The few C3 grown heifers made 220c to 244c, with the D2 grade from 145c to 150c/kg. Beef bred 3 and 4 score cows sold from 155c to 180c, with D2 cows from 130c to 171c/kg. The D1 grade were between 136c and 152c, while most E1 cows made 110c to 138c, with very poor quality from 80c/kg.  

March 12. Yarding: 853. Change: down 106.

Agents yarded the slightly smaller number of 853 head of liveweight and open auction cattle. These sold to a smaller field of regular trade and processor buyers, with restocker and feeder orders also present and active. Quality was mixed at best, with a large number of store conditioned types on offer, as this combined with a lack of competition in areas produced another cheaper market. A small number of vealers came forward as steers sold to 275c and heifers 245c/kg. Yearling cattle were very mixed with steers to the trade falling up to 6c as they ranged from 245c to 287c, with feeder support from 185c to 220c and restockers operated from 170c to 279c/kg. Yearling heifers to the trade ranged from 210c to 275c, with feeders active here from 205c to 266c and restockers turned these back out from 145c to 240c/kg. Grown steers and bullocks lifted in number and quality as these bucked the easier trend to lift a few cents, as they ranged from 210c to 278c, as grown heifers ranged from 158c to 270c and manufacturing steers sold to 170c/kg. Cows lifted in number, however there were larger numbers of light weight types, with some big falls in price from 10c up to 50c/kg in places. Heavy cows ranged from 162c to mainly 190c, to be up to 12c easier, with only a single cow returning 195c/kg.

The light weight and store conditioned selection felt the brunt of the fall in price with falls of 25c to 50c, as these ranged from mainly 103c to 165c/kg. Bulls ranged from 180c to 210c/kg.