EXTRA heavy lambs made a five-year high of $239.60 at the Wagga sheep and lamb sale on Thursday.
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Vendors sold 48,000 sheep and lambs and the quality was described as good in a market that escalated in price across several categories.
Meat and Livestock Australia market reporter, Leann Dax said prices for trade lambs did fluctuate and the better finished pens were equal to slightly dearer to the previous sale.
She said heavy lambs lost some traction in places due to the lack of weight.
There were increased supplies of secondary lambs with the bulk selling to export buyers.
And well finished grain fed trade lambs attracted the strongest bidding, while grass finished pens at times struggled to attract major buyers due to the lack of fat cover.
HOW THEY SOLD: Generally trade lambs sold firm to $9/head dearer with shorter skinned lambs benefiting from strong supermarket competition to push over 700c/kg cwt.
Across the board, trade lambs averaged 665c/kg cwt. Merino trade lambs sold to solid demand regardless of skin length making from $115 to $164/head. A southern export processor had the greatest influence over the lighter weight categories buying the bulk of the offering. Light weight lambs to the processors tracked dearer selling at $93 to $132/head.
Restockers were again cautious, with only limited numbers returning to the paddock, with sales to $126.60/head. Heavy lambs were keenly sought by several domestic processors, which helped support prices to average 655c/kg cwt.
Extra heavy lambs lacked weight and finish in some agents runs. The better finished heavy pens sold from $173 to $239.60/head, to average 645c/kg cwt. It was a mixed quality offering of mutton, with all weights and grades represented. The market for heavy ewes lost its intensity with not all buyers operating fully.
Sales averaged 423c to 435c/kg cwt. Light and medium grades of sheep generally sold from 376c to 427c/kg cwt. Berridale vendors Jodie Dobbie and Doug Constance (pictured above), “Werralong”, sold extra heavy lambs for $228.
A stand-out pen of Merino wethers – estimated to weigh 26kg – returned $182.20 for a Lockhart vendor.