Cootamundra Sheep Sale Report

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Report Date: 31st January 2024

Total Yarding: 1,700

Commentary

After 93 years of operation Cootamundra sale yards is closing. Decreasing numbers and infrastructure upgrades has made agents and council decided to make today the last sale. Around 1000 fair to good quality lambs were offered and there were several very good runs of trade and heavy weight lambs were penned. Lighter store were limited and there were a few medium and heavy weight hoggets. The core group of buyers were operating and there was a larger than usual gallery looking on. The market lifted slightly on the trade weights with an extra buyer working on these weights and cheaper on the heavy lambs.

The few store sold to $22/head. Medium and heavy trade lambs lifted and ranged from $134 to $176/head averaging 680c to 730c/kg cwt. Heavy weights sold from $175 to $206/head. Hoggets reached $125/head.

Mutton numbers were similar and the quality was good. Prices around $10 stronger on the medium and heavy weights. Medium weight ewes sold from $55 to $65/head. Heavy crossbreds ranged from $90 to $110 and Merinos reached $112/head. The better mutton averaged 320c to 340c/kg cwt.