Bendigo Sheep Report

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Report Date: 14th April 2025

Total Yarding: 22,800

Commentary

Numbers dropped back to 14,450 lambs and 8350 sheep, down more than 10,000 head on a week ago. It was a plainer yarding allround, with less good grainfed lambs and a lot more light Merino ewes in the mutton run. Not all the regular buyers were here amid reports some processors have already covered their Easter kill requirements. The lamb market had a softer tone but price movements were modest, only 5c to 20c changes in a lot of cases. The broad results were 800c/kg plus for the best heavy and trade lambs, but with the bulk of the crossbred processing lambs from 750c to 790c/kg cwt. Fed Merino lambs sold strongly at times to be the realm of 720 to 760c/kg cwt. Once again it was a market where quality and presentation, and number in a pen, often determined price outcomes. The sale did have a lot of smaller penlots of clean-up type lambs.

Export lambs $233 to $265/head for most, with a couple of extra heavy pens over 36kg cwt to a top of $290/head. Heavy lambs, 26-30kg cwt, from $205 to $238/head at an average of 792c to show a mild change of 7c on a week ago. Lot of trade lambs from $160 to $190/head with feeders paying to $184 for lambs to take-on, and there was a new order from NSW operating. Good light and MK ‘bag lambs $120 to $155/head; plainer and small lambs $80 to$115/head for most. Fed Merino trade lambs $175 to $196/head; smaller and light Merino lambs $68 to $150/head. The store buying interest today targeted better bred and framed lambs to go onto grain $160 to $184/head; mixed lots of small store lambs mostly $90 to $130/head.

Price results for sheep were cheaper, with not a lot of 500c plus in the market. The rate was 420c to 500c/kg for most of the heavier sheep with some fat cover; light ewes showing the affects of the dry 300c to 400c/kg cwt. In dollars heavy ewes $135 to $185/head and once again bidding was dominated by one major exporter; middle run of sheep $90 to $130/head; light ewes $30 to $90/head.

Market reporter: Jenny Kelly