Sheep market alert
20 June 2012
Full trading week lifts supply
National lamb supply at markets reported by MLA’s NLRS increased 65% week-on-week with the return to the full trading week. In NSW, supplies lifted too fold, while in Victoria throughput increased 40%. SA lamb supply was 72% higher, with both Naracoorte and SA Livestock Exchange lifting there throughput. Over in the west, WA Muchea sale yarded slightly more lambs, up 16%.
National sheep supply doubled in numbers with all states yarding substantially more mutton.
Quality mixed
Quality remained mixed with ample plain to well-finished lightweight lambs in the market this week. In Victoria, the weight of lambs is easing and prices tended firm to dearer as a result. NSW continues to yard fair numbers of trade and heavy weight lambs with quality contributing factors behind price variations. Restocker orders for suitable lines of light weight crossbreds were active in SA.
With the larger yarding of mutton, demand wavered slightly, due to the mixed quality.
Prices cheaper
At the conclusion of Tuesday’s markets the eastern states restocker lamb indicator was 6¢ higher to average 414¢/kg cwt. Merino lambs were 31¢ lower on 345¢, while light lamb eased 8¢, to 401¢/kg cwt. Trade lambs decreased 15¢, to 404¢, while heavy lambs were 6¢ lower on 380¢/kg cwt. The mutton indicator finished 17¢ cheaper to settle on 291¢/kg cwt.