Naracoorte Sheep Market Report

Following steady rain last week numbers were back with 4,365 lambs and just 654 sheep penned. Quality was mostly good over the yarding with lambs showing good finish. There were more young lambs yarded this week and they sold to the trade and restockers at levels to $10/head up on last week. The medium and heavy trade weight lambs sold from $246 to $290 with heavier weights selling from $328 to $386/head. Merino lambs sold from $230 to $262/head and averaged 1010c/kg cwt. Dorper types sold from $205 to $273/head. Feeders and restockers were active and paid from $210 to $295 and from $138 to $196 for lighter lots, with lambs going local and to Ballarat areas. They paid from $149 to $163 for shorn Merino lambs. Sheep covered all weights and grades and they sold to a smaller buying group at steady competition to be dearer on light and medium weights and a few dollars easier on heavy crossbred ewes. Merino ewes sold to $248, Outstanding heavy shorn Merino wethers sold to $300 and crossbred ewes sold to $249/head.

Light trade weight young lambs sold from $246 to $247/head to average 1095c/kg cwt. Medium trade weights sold from $246 to $256/head and averaged 1075c/kg cwt. Heavy trade weights sold from $262 to $290/head and averaged 1055c/kg cwt. Export weights sold from $281 to $335/head to average 1065c/kg. Cwt. Extra heavy weights solid from $328 to $386/head. Hogetts sold to $280/head. The few old lambs sold from $238 to $335/head.

Light sheep sold to $151/head. Medium weight sheep sold from $149 to $195/head and averaged 800c/kg cwt. Heavy Merino ewes sold from $196 to $248 with a pen of wethers selling at $300/head. The ewes averaged 800c/kg cwt. Crossbred ewes sold from $188 to $249/head from 600c to 775c/kg cwt. Rams sold to $280/head.

Market Reporter - Graham Pymer.