A short week teamed with plenty of cancelled sales due to soaring temperatures across southern Australia meant sheep and lamb yardings fell significantly this week, and in fact were the lowest they’d been since last April, when we had a week with two public holidays. Most sheep and lamb categories responded positively to this, however the lower numbers weren’t enough to offset heat-induced hesitation around restocker lambs.
Sheep yardings just about halved week on week, and lamb numbers fell nearly as much. Last week’s sheep slaughter was back 26% from the same time last year, and also below 2024 levels. Lamb slaughter was only 800 head lower from the previous week, but also well down year on year. It remained above 2024 throughput however.
The national mutton indicator throughput was down by more than 30,000 head on the previous week, which prompted a 30¢/kg price increase, to 778¢/kg. Forbes, NSW, was the major yarding, with more than a quarter of all mutton indicator eligible stock, and was also the top average price for the week at 861¢/kg, a significant premium to the indicator. Sub-700¢/kg averages from both Western Australia yards brought the national average back more than usual, given the lack of sales in the east, with the National Livestock Reporting Service recording mutton results from only one yard in Victoria, being Ballarat, which averaged 815¢/kg.
All national lamb indicators, except the restocker, gained between 40¢/kg and 56¢/kg for the week as throughput numbers also fell across the board. Heavy lambs closed at 1096¢/kg, up 40¢/kg, and nearly half of the indicator eligible stock were sold through Wagga Wagga, NSW, which averaged 1113¢/kg. Forbes, with 20% of the throughput, was the only other yarding to record a price above the national average. This meant NSW yards had 10,000 of the 13,000 heavy lambs recorded in the national indicator, and averaged 1105¢/kg. All other states really didn’t have enough price quotes to be telling of actual current returns.
Merino lambs climbed the most for the week, up 56¢/kg to 1062¢/kg. This took it to a 439¢/kg premium over the same week last year, the highest of all indicators, a mantle which has been held by mutton for several months. Trade lambs lifted 52¢/kg to 1136¢/kg nationally and 1144¢/kg in the east. Again Wagga had the largest yarding with 35%, and the NLRS quoted them as being keenly sought by southern processors, with “long bidding duels” on recently shorn lots. Restocker lambs had the biggest decrease in numbers, with the indicator recording 20,000 head less week on week, but still lost 26¢/kg.
The week ahead….
The lack of restocker and even lotfeeder buyer activity was well documented at the handful of sheep and lamb yardings which went ahead this week thanks to the heatwave. Processors however still needed to keep the kill floors full, and this will likely continue into next week. Numbers being offloaded after the soaring temperatures and low yardings this week will dictate most of the market movement next week, especially if it prompts turn-off before stock is at the desired weight or finish.
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Temperature heats up processor demand
Sheep yardings just about halved week on week, and lamb numbers fell nearly as much. Last week’s sheep slaughter was back 26% from the same time last year, and also below 2024 levels. Lamb slaughter was only 800 head lower from the previous week, but also well down year on year. It remained above 2024 throughput however.
The national mutton indicator throughput was down by more than 30,000 head on the previous week, which prompted a 30¢/kg price increase, to 778¢/kg. Forbes, NSW, was the major yarding, with more than a quarter of all mutton indicator eligible stock, and was also the top average price for the week at 861¢/kg, a significant premium to the indicator. Sub-700¢/kg averages from both Western Australia yards brought the national average back more than usual, given the lack of sales in the east, with the National Livestock Reporting Service recording mutton results from only one yard in Victoria, being Ballarat, which averaged 815¢/kg.
All national lamb indicators, except the restocker, gained between 40¢/kg and 56¢/kg for the week as throughput numbers also fell across the board. Heavy lambs closed at 1096¢/kg, up 40¢/kg, and nearly half of the indicator eligible stock were sold through Wagga Wagga, NSW, which averaged 1113¢/kg. Forbes, with 20% of the throughput, was the only other yarding to record a price above the national average. This meant NSW yards had 10,000 of the 13,000 heavy lambs recorded in the national indicator, and averaged 1105¢/kg. All other states really didn’t have enough price quotes to be telling of actual current returns.
Merino lambs climbed the most for the week, up 56¢/kg to 1062¢/kg. This took it to a 439¢/kg premium over the same week last year, the highest of all indicators, a mantle which has been held by mutton for several months. Trade lambs lifted 52¢/kg to 1136¢/kg nationally and 1144¢/kg in the east. Again Wagga had the largest yarding with 35%, and the NLRS quoted them as being keenly sought by southern processors, with “long bidding duels” on recently shorn lots. Restocker lambs had the biggest decrease in numbers, with the indicator recording 20,000 head less week on week, but still lost 26¢/kg.
The week ahead….
The lack of restocker and even lotfeeder buyer activity was well documented at the handful of sheep and lamb yardings which went ahead this week thanks to the heatwave. Processors however still needed to keep the kill floors full, and this will likely continue into next week. Numbers being offloaded after the soaring temperatures and low yardings this week will dictate most of the market movement next week, especially if it prompts turn-off before stock is at the desired weight or finish.
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Data sources: MLA, Mecardo
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