Strong market sees heavy young lambs push past $200 mark
A breakdown of saleyard prices indicates Victoria now has the strongest saleyard prices for both heavy and tradeweight lambs.
THE lamb market has rallied to take the best heavy young lambs above $200 a head in the past five days.
Export weight suckers sold to $230 at Bendigo on Monday, matching the money recorded at the Swan Hill and Ouyen markets late last week.
A breakdown of saleyard prices indicates Victoria now has the strongest saleyard prices for both heavy and tradeweight lambs.
It comes as exporters lead the market into higher price territory, with carcass prices for heavy lambs now catching up to the ruling average listed for domestic kill stock.
After selling on Monday the national saleyard average for heavy lambs improved to 684c/kg cwt, a gain of 29c in the past week, according to figures from the National Livestock Reporting Service.
The tradeweight lambs moved up to 718c/kg.
When analysed by state, the figures show Victoria is now tracking ahead of NSW. The NLRS has heavy lambs in Victoria at 699c/kg, compared to 681c in NSW.
Export competition has strengthened at southern markets, with all the major processors based in Victoria and South Australia competing against some of the key NSW companies such as Fletchers of Dubbo and Southern Meats.
Consistent rain across much of NSW is reportedly sending some northern processors south for numbers.
At Bendigo on Monday about 24 pens of heavy young lambs made over $200 a head. Underneath this was a lot of good suckers sized from 24kg to 28kg cwt that made from $165 to $195.
Lighter processing lambs were mostly $135 to $155. On a carcass basis the NLRS has been quoting a spread of 660c to 760c/kg over young lambs, with the bulk of sales in a tighter range of 680c to 720c/kg.
Restocking interest is increasing, although much of the action is away from the saleyard system.
AuctionsPlus recorded a doubling of store lamb numbers to 21,000 head late last week. Prices did ease slightly, but the general result was a robust market at $120 to $150 for most young crossbred suckers going back to the paddock.
The price average in cents per kilogram liveweight terms was 351c – not be to confused with slaughter lamb rates which are quoted in carcass money.
At Bendigo this week specialist lamb finishers from Ballarat paid to $180 for tradeweight suckers to shear, with most small lambs to restockers from $130 to $150.
The mutton market surged in Victoria on Monday, boosted by volume buying from Fletchers of Dubbo on heavy ewes.
A pen of exceptionally heavy Dorset ewes topped at $230, with most heavy crossbreds from $160 to $220 to gain $20 to $30 on a week ago.
Heavy Merino ewes and wethers were $160 to $200.
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