Processor demand reheats after depressed start

Producers were relieved to see plenty of bidding action at Bendigo, but the number of lambs to come remains a mystery

The buyers were back and they were not messing about.

As a result, lamb prices jumped $10-$20 a head at Bendigo on Monday.

Doug Curnow from Laanecoorie was one of the producers happy to see the market recover some ground after a depressed start to the new year.

On behalf of his wool classer daughter Abbey, Mr Curnow sold 101 Merino wether lambs, weighing around 56kg, for a healthy $200/head.

“It was the first lot of her sheep that she had to sell, $200 was the target and we got there, just,” he said.

“Prices were better today, all the buyers turned up and they were much more animated after a lacklustre start.”

According to the National Livestock Reporting Service overall numbers sold at Bendigo remained low at 10,500 lambs and 3800 sheep, as producers withhold stock while processors continue to battle worker shortages due to Covid outbreaks.

But, as NLRS noted, the big change this week was the lift in demand, with a full field of export and domestic buyers operating for the first time this year.

Lambs gained $10 to $20 and 22-24kg carcass weight lambs lifted by more, and sheep prices surged by up to $65.

Doug Curnow from Laanecoorie was pleased with the $200 his daughter Abbey’s Merino wether lambs fetched at Bendigo on Monday. Picture: Zoe Phillips

Mr Curnow, like many others had held lambs back from sale due to the processors slowdowns and price ease. Now, he had to work out when to sell.

“There would be a lot of people with lambs ready to go, but they’ve held off, waiting for the market to kick, so there will be a lot to come in next week now, when people hear it has lifted,” he said.

“It is a bit of guesswork really, knowing when to sell, although the signals are that the lamb job should remain good.”