CVLX Ballarat Sheep Report

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Report Date: 23rd July 2024

Total Yarding: 21,860

Commentary

Numbers dropped to 11,950. The quality was patchy, the majority of the yarding were plainer secondary types with limited numbers of lambs with good cover and finish. Most of the usual buyers were present but not all were operating in an erratic market at times, with some sales over 900c/kg for the really neat short skin lambs, however the market was cheaper across all categories. Light store and trade lambs sold $8 to $15 cheaper, medium trade sold $10 to $20 softer and heavy trade were $15 to $20/head cheaper. Heavy export lambs were in limited supply and not as much weight yarded this week, selling to a top of $304 to be $30 to $43 back on last week’s very strong prices.

Lambs back to the paddock sold from $46 to $135 and lambs to feed on made from $112 to $162/head. Light trade lambs under 18kg sold from $95 to $135/head. Trade lambs 18 to 22kg sold from $140 to $195, lambs 22 to 26kg sold $189 to $248/head to have a wide range from 730c to 880c/kg cwt. Heavy export lambs 26 to 30kg made from $231 to $279 and over 30kg sold from $278 to $304/head with an average range of 860c to 885c/kg cwt. Hoggets were in limited supply, with the better quality selling from $120 to $198/head for the crossbreds and $92 to $124/head for the Merino’s.

Mutton numbers were similar with 9,910 penned. Quality ranged from plain to very good, not all the usual buyers were operating and standing off the rail in a cheaper market across the yarding. Merino wethers sold from $34 to $82 for the light weights, selling to $25 cheaper and the medium and heavy weights sold from $88 to $183, selling $10 to $15 softer. Merino Ewes made from $35 to $105 for the lighter weights and $94 to $154/head for the heavy weights, selling from $10 to $20/head cheaper, with Merino mutton averaging 440c to 530c/kg cwt. Heavy crossbred mutton made from $110 to $160, and the light weights made from $21 to $122, selling $10 to $30/head softer. There were sales under $10/head for very light mutton.

Market Reporter: Sheona Lamb