Lamb market shows slight drop on national averages

Lamb market back under 800c due to processor demand, while mutton numbers still fail to build.

Spring correction: Latest markets have shown a slight drop on national price averages. Picture: Zoe Phillips

THE lamb market showed the tentative signs of a spring price correction this week as the market recorded its first easing trend since September.

Prices for trade and export weight sucker lambs were quoted as $10 to $15 per head cheaper at Bendigo earlier this week as processors dragged the market back under 800c/kg carcass weight again.

However, price corrections weren’t as obvious in the north, with wet weather and smaller than usual numbers in NSW helping those saleyards hold their form a little better.

The National Livestock Reporting Service quoted a dearer lamb market at Dubbo in central NSW on Monday.

But markets like Wagga Wagga and Corowa did report some erratic bidding as prices started to break-up around quality and condition.

The overall result on Monday was a slight downgrading of national price averages.

At the competition of auctions on Monday night the price average for heavy lambs was listed at 802c/kg cwt to be 8c lower; trade lambs were listed at 818c/kg or 4c softer; and Merino lambs were at 756c/kg — or 5c less than late last week.

But when the figures are analysed on a state basis, NSW is leading prices ahead of Victoria and South Australia.

The latest state breakdown by Meat and Livestock Australia was:

NSW: heavy lambs 808c/kg and trade lambs 838c/kg cwt

VICTORIA: heavy lambs 792c/kg and trade lambs also 792c/kg;

SOUTH AUSTRALIA: heavy lambs 776c/kg and trade lambs 783c/kg cwt.

In the south, Bendigo is in the midst of its peak flush, selling another 34,000 lambs earlier this week.

Numbers are also starting to build at Ballarat, while sucker lambs are not tipped to appear at Hamilton in any decent volume until next month.

At Bendigo the heaviest sucker lambs weighing over 30kg cwt sold from $230 to a top of $248 and the NLRS said there was only about a dozen pens that were good enough to be in this price range.

As a guide, it took a decent young lamb weighing 26kg cwt and better to make above $200 last week.

The NLRS said there the main run of heavy and medium tradeweight suckers sold from $165 to $195 per head, with price rates varying around breed quality and condition.

As an example, the best crossbred suckers in the 22-24kg size range at Bendigo averaged around 780c/kg, compared to a ballpark of 760c/kg for the plainer first-cross types.

The mutton market continues to be supported by extremely low numbers, with most centres only yarding between 2000 to 7000 sheep.

Heavy sheep sold to $238 on Monday, with most mutton varying from 550c-620c/kg cwt. The national saleyard average for mutton was listed at 623c/kg, and like lamb, the dearer quotes are coming out of northern selling centres.

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