Lamb the best performing livestock sector in year-end comparisons

There may have been a late surge in livestock prices, but they are a far cry from values 12 months ago. See which industry finished best year-on-year.

A December lift in lamb prices has made the sector the best performing of all livestock categories in year-end comparisons.

The Weekly Times has analysed figures collected by the National Livestock Reporting Service for values monitored at 50 saleyards, and it’s produced a few surprises.

While it has been a tough year for sheep producers who sold lambs early and winter premiums were non existent, the industry has come home with a wet sail to finish the best year-on-year.

The national heavy lamb indicator closed in December at 662c/kg carcass weight, or just 13 per cent lower than 12 months ago when the rate closed the year at 761c/kg.

It was a similar story for trade lambs, finishing at 622c/kg carcass weight, still nowhere near the 763c/kg a year ago but only back 18 per cent.

A December lift in lamb prices has made the sector the best performing of all livestock categories in year-end comparisons. Picture: Zoe Phillips

But sheep producers took a hit in cash-in values for mutton, with the national indicator closing at the end of last week at 138c/kg carcass weight, a fall of 62 per cent on the 361c/kg paid in December 2022.

The news was not so promising for cattle, though, with late season lifts then eaten away at sales in the final couple of weeks for the year.

Most cattle prices finished at levels just only half of what was paid a year ago.

The feeder steer indicator closed at the end of December at 249c/kg liveweight, down 40 per cent on a year earlier.

The heavy steer indicator did not fare as well, back 45 per cent on December 2022 rates to close at 214c/kg while the processor cow indicator rounded out the year at 158c/kg compared to 297c/kg 12 months ago, a drop of 47 per cent.