Bendigo Sheep Report

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Report Date: 22nd July 2024

Total Yarding: 23,710

Commentary

Weaker market across lamb and mutton categories. Lambs above 20kg cwt lost $10 to $20/head compared to a week ago, while lighter stock eased $5 to $14. The trend in the sheep was similar with heavy mutton pulled back the most to be up to $30/hd cheaper, while the general run of sheep were off by $10 to $20. It followed a lift in supply and a decline in quality. There was 16210 lambs offered for an increase of 2800 on a week ago, although the supply of top quality fed lambs actually declined. There was more wintery and woolly lambs in this yarding. All the regular buyers operated but were more selective on fat cover and presentation, and some processors only operated to set price points and didn’t chase the market. It led to a wider price spread across the lamb run, crossbred lambs from 780c to just touch on 900c/kg, with the bulk of sales from 820c to 880c/kg cwt.

There was less export lambs available and the 30kg cwt plus pens sold from $252 to a top of $288 at a ballpark cost of 850c/kg cwt to processors. The heavy 26-30kg cwt lambs from $200 to $252 at a blended average of 840c/kg cwt. Neat trade lambs $178 to $215/head. Merino lambs received some of the best buying support in this sale, the heaviest to $246 and fed heavy trades at $170 to $236 at over 800c/kg to match it will crossbreds at times. But plainer Merinos with less fat cover were mostly $130to $150 for those with frame, and from $96 to $124 for smaller MK kill types. There was a lot of Dorpers in this sale, of note was a line of 635 light trades around 19-20kg cwt which sold for $151/hd.

The sheep sale didn’t have the punch of the past fortnight as rates were rolled back below 500c/kg cwt. Some extra heavy crossbred ewes to $172 and big Merino ewes in a skin to $160/hd. The majority of sheep were in a range of $80 to $140/hd at an estimated 420c to 480c/kg with only limited lines hitting 500c/kg.

Market reporter: Jenny Kelly