Trade winds turn
With the spring price decline setting in motion last week, producers weren’t as willing to risk another weaker market at saleyards. Throughput declined but it wasn’t enough to prevent prices from falling steeply across most categories. It wasn’t all bad news this week, however. Mutton has come under pressure in the last four weeks, with […]
Lamb market standing on solid ground
Saleyard lamb and sheep throughput continue to track down slightly, with wild weather no doubt stalling some numbers in the south this week. As a result, buyers chasing quality have again helped to firm up the market. Winter clean-up lots marking the tail end of the old season lambs in the south are widening the […]
Will southern rain cause a stir
Rain is in the gauge and on the radar for southern sheep regions that have been in desperate need of a drink. While it hasn’t translated to an overnight market reaction, with prices largely steady to slightly softer this week, a decent lead into spring is what we are all hoping for. At Bendigo saleyard […]
Quality over quantity
The mixed quality offering at saleyards continues to split the market. Large price spreads are being reported, with any well-presenting stock attracting a premium. On the whole, the finished lamb market is holding value well. In WA stronger prices drew lambs and sheep out of the paddock. With a total yarding of just under 30 […]
Did lambs find the ceiling?
After a stellar run over the last few weeks, the winter price rally appears to have found its limit. Lamb and mutton prices were down across the east this week, with steep falls occurring despite tighter supply. Mid-July typically marks the seasonal low point for sheep and lamb slaughter, and we saw the numbers heading […]
Southern buyers chasing the warmth
Southern processors are pushing north in search of slaughter ready stock and it’s working wonders to heat up competition across the field. An increase in yardings didn’t dampen momentum this week as prices across many saleyard indicators have hit the highest point in over a year. The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator lifted 14.50¢ on the […]
Dollar clips the wool market
Unfortunately, the second week of the new selling season saw the momentum of the first carry-through. A rally in the AUD/USD on the back of soft US inflation data didn’t help, but sellers put their foot down, lifting the pass-in rate to 13.6% of the offering. With discounts right across the board for Merino types, […]
Cows command high prices on a tight beef outlook
Tighter supply saw prices improve across the board this week. Notably, processors shifted their attention to cows, with heavy cows, in particular acquiring solid price improvements. The young cattle market in the east picked up an additional 22¢ on the week to see the EYCI at 603¢/kg cwt. In the West, young cattle have held […]
It’s all in the numbers
The real surprise from this week’s market didn’t come from the usual reports of price or supply but the ABS release of the 2023 cattle herd estimates at 29.9 million head. The new methodology employed by the ABS has found an additional ~4 million head to the cattle herd. While unexpected, this news shouldn’t impact […]
Little lots lead to bigger wins
All the wool market action took place in the east this week, with no sales taking place in Fremantle. The small 2 day sale with very few lots on offer saw the market stronger from start to finish. The offering declined by almost 5,000 bales week on week to just 26,897 bales in total. Buyers […]
Mutton makes 12 month highs
The market was buzzing this week, with stronger competition and lighter yardings driving prices significantly higher on all types of lambs and sheep. Some decent rainfall totals across large parts of the country have helped lift the mood of the market. The Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator (ESTLI) lifted to 715¢/kg cwt over the week, […]
Let’s hope China’s hungry
Cattle slaughter rates have reached levels not seen since 2020, and so this week’s big beef news of China removing import suspensions on five Australian processors should help to absorb the rising production volumes. While Aussie beef has still been flowing to China this year at near average levels, the regained access for another five […]
