Just a slight change to lamb and sheep supply this week with 8000 head yarded.
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Meat and Livestock Australia market reporter Jenny Kelly said quality improved in a yarding that featured an impressive line-up of extra heavy export lambs over 30kg cwt.
These came within $5 of matching the Griffith price record, selling to a top of $340/head. The market was $10 to $20/head dearer and more in places, as processors showed keen interest for well-finished trade and export lambs of all breeds. Just a few pens of new season lambs were offered, most being Dorpers from the Western pastoral country.
Neat trade lambs were in limited supply against export grade stock with the lead pens making from $200 to $235/head. Most trade and heavy lambs were averaging between 880c to 920c/kg cwt, with pens of neat domestic types higher at times.
Any odd lots of a few head or secondary lambs in rough skins were discounted below these rates. The few pens of new season lambs sold from $178 to $216/head with the lead trade drafts estimated to average from 900c to 930c/kg cwt.
All agents had runs of lambs above $300, with 23 pens selling from $300 to $340 for an overall average of $315/head. These lambs weighed 30 to 40kg cwt, improving to an estimated 880c/kg cwt thanks in part to some very strong sales in this category. Heavy lambs weighing 26 to 30kg cwt were also well supplied, selling from $255 to $274/head.
The sheep yarding was dominated by heavy ewes showing a lot of condition and prices were firm to cheaper on a carcase price basis.
Big crossbred ewes made from $220 to $250 with heavy Merino ewes ranging from $190 to $234/head. The few light sheep mostly sold from $136 to $175/head. Most mutton was estimated as costing from 630c to 680c, with limited sales above 700c/kg.