CVLX Ballarat Sheep Report

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Report Date: 3rd June 2025

Total Yarding: 29,714

Commentary

Lamb numbers slipped this week to 21,000 off the back of last week extremely strong market. Not as much weight was yarded and the quality also fall away with the lead run presented in excellent off supplementary feed to lambs lacking weight and shape. Most of the usual buyers were on the rail in a market the bounced either side of firm throughout the yarding. Light store and trade lambs sold $5 to $8 softer, while the lambs to feed on over 18kg cwt sold firm to $6/head stronger. Medium and heavy trade gained the most interested with some sales to $20/head dearer to average $4 to $8 stronger and in places reaching just over 1250c/kg cwt. However, there were some cheaper sales over the lambs lacking finish. Extra heavy export lambs sold to a top of $370/head with not as much weight penned this week to sell $15 to $30/head softer.

Lambs back to the paddock made from $19 to $187 and lambs to feed on sold from $170 to $209/head. Light trade lambs under 18kg to suit MK orders sold from $100 to 200/head. Trade lambs 18 to 22kg sold from $170 to $250/head, 22 to 26kg sold $210 to $308, with a wide average range from 850c to 1040c/kg cwt. Heavy export lambs 26 to 30kg made from $263 to $332 and over 30kg made from $322 to $370/head to average 1000c to 1050c/kg cwt. Merino lambs sold from $81 to $270/head.

Mutton numbers also dropped to 8,350 penned, quality was mixed and again a large portion of the ewes were presented in lamb. Not all buyers were active in another erratic market. Merino wethers sold from $60 to $172 for the lighter weights while the heavier Merino wethers made from $172 to $194, gaining $10, with a few pens of heavy score 4 wethers selling from $250 to $270/head. Merino ewes sold from $34 to $154, selling to $5 dearer for the light weights and the heavier weights made from $168 to $190, gaining $5/head while one pen of heavy ewes sold to $254/head. Crossbred mutton sold from $47 to $155, selling to $10 dearer for the lighter weights and from $138 to $268/head for the heavy weights, gaining $5 to $12/head. Most heavy weight mutton average from 550c to 680c/kg cwt.

Market Reporter: Sheona Lamb