Lamb consignments at Forbes declined 33% week-on-week, to 20,831 head, with some good lines of finished lambs penned, along with plainer quality types. The regular buyers were operating in a dearer market.
Sheep throughput was 68% lower, at 3,556 head, and prices lifted overall.
New season trade weight 4 score lambs gained 27¢ on 649¢/kg cwt
New season heavy weight 4 score lambs were up 17¢ and averaged 626¢/kg cwt
Old season light weight 3 score lambs increased 11¢ on 577¢/kg cwt
Trade weight 3 score lambs were 1¢ dearer on 591¢/kg cwt
Heavy weight 4 score lambs lifted 6¢ on 590¢/kg cwt
Extra heavy 4 score lambs climbed 12¢ and averaged 575¢/kg cwt
Medium weight 3 score Merino ewes were 25¢ higher and averaged 407¢/kg cwt
At Ballarat, lamb numbers fell 14%, to 4,004 head, and quality was plain to average across the old season lamb categories, while the several pens of new season lambs presented in mainly average condition.
Sheep supply was 25% lower, at 2,893 head, and consisted of some heavy weight crossbred sheep penned, along with an increased number of shorn Merinos.
New season trade weight 3 score averaged 612¢/kg cwt
Old season light weight 3 score lambs averaged 583¢/kg cwt
Trade weight 3 score lambs slipped 28¢ on 567¢/kg cwt
Heavy weight 3 score lambs were back 23¢ on 542¢/kg cwt
Extra heavy 3 score lambs averaged 546¢/kg cwt
Light weight 2 score Merino ewes decreased 28¢ and averaged 362¢/kg cwt
At the close of Tuesday’s markets:
The eastern states restocker lamb indicator increased 13¢ on 559¢/kg cwt
Merino lambs slipped 7¢ on 504¢/kg cwt
Light lambs were 10¢ lower on 526¢/kg cwt
Trade lambs declined 5¢ on 576¢/kg cwt
Heavy lambs gained 1¢ on 586¢/kg cwt
The mutton indicator was 3¢ dearer and finished on 369¢/kg cwt
Note: All yardings and prices referenced are from MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) reported saleyards.