Bendigo Sheep Report

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Report Date: 20th January 2025

Total Yarding: 19,000

Commentary

Smaller yarding of lambs, partly reflecting the dip in price a week ago but also influenced by the looming long weekend for Australia Day. There was a few more lines of better presented fed lambs available – including some super heavy exports – while the balance of the yarding was the usual mix of weights and grades. Agents quoted the market as $10 to $15/head dearer on the top-end of the trade and heavy processing lambs which were hard finished and neatly shaped. Once off the tops there remained a selective tone to the market and the general run of lambs sold at similar to slightly stronger averages compared to last Monday. Store lambs held their value.

Some super heavy export lambs which selling agents estimated up around 38kg cwt sold to a top of $294/head – a higher price point than recent sales at Bendigo but also among the heaviest lambs yarded recently. Most of the heavy export lambs sold from $240 to $280/head. The lead of the neat trade lambs sold from $200 to $230/head, agents reporting these lambs received the best support on the day. The quote for good processing lambs above 24kg cwt was 800c to 840c/kg for most, with some select lines of very neat domestic lambs to around 860c/kg at the top end. But once off the very neat lambs agents said there was still a noticeable pull-back from buyers on stock that weren’t quite there for finish or presentation at 760c to 800c/kg cwt. Best store lambs offering breed quality and frame size remained at a similar point of $130 to $155/head. Smaller and mixed lambs mostly $90 to $125/head.

The mutton market was described as erratic, with better export competition on some of the heavier sheep but buying gaps evident on some of the plainer trade weighted lines. Prices ranged from just firm on a week ago to dearer on some of the better lines of Merino sheep. Agents said mutton trended either side of 400c/kg cwt.

Report compiled remotely by Jenny Kelly