Lamb market kicks

At Dubbo on Monday the numbers of lambs yarded was down a massive 10,230 head on the week prior to 15,720 head.

Elders selling agent, Luke Whan, Dubbo, said the reduced yarding spurred the lamb market to lift $10 week-on-week at Dubbo, while heavier lambs were up to $15 dearer.

"A lot of people have just cranked up with harvest and have got their minds on getting crop off, hence, we have seen lamb numbers nearly halve in a week at Dubbo," he said.

Mr Whan said many farmers shore their lambs when the barley grass became a problem with the intention to hold onto them until after harvest and finish them as heavy weights.

Despite the fall in numbers, he said there were still good lambs coming through with the bulk weighing an estimated 20 to 26 kilograms (carcase weight).

"There had also been a mixture of Merino lambs coming through at good trade weights which made up to $125, really good money," he said.

"The vendors are happy with that sort of money and are hoping the market stays upwards of $5 a kilogram."

The forward lamb contracts of 550c/kg and 560c/kg for December/January released by processor Thomas Foods International sparked confidence in restockers at Monday's market, Mr Whan said.

"The contracts serve as a bit of a guide of where the market is heading for the rest of the year and for the New Year and people can now buy lighter lambs and lock them in as they know where the market is at," he said.

Mr Whan anticipated reduced numbers at Dubbo for at least the next month as harvest continued.

The yarding at Wagga Wagga was also reduced last Thursday but to a lesser extent when 25,000 lambs were penned, back 2000 head week-on-week.

G.J. Hulm selling agent, Isaac Hill, Wagga Wagga, said lamb throughput was back traditionally for this time of year due to many producers having already sold their lambs or opting to hold onto them until after harvest.

"There was a significant drop in well finished lambs so there was strong competition from processors on those well finished lambs weighing 20 to 26kg in four score condition," Mr Hill said.

He said reduced supply pushed the market up $5 to $8 a head.

Mr Hill said there were still quality well-finished lambs coming through due to the good season, however, unshorn lambs were starting show some dryness in the skin due to the warmer weather.

There was also keen restocker activity on store lambs at Wagga due to the release of forward contracts.

"However, there are limited numbers of store lambs because we had a handy winter," he said.

Mr Hill anticipated numbers at Wagga today would be lighter than traditionally for the last week of October as many producers sold their lambs already as they were able to finish them earlier due to the good season.

"We are also at a point where people have got their lambs shorn and sorted out so they can go and get on their headers for harvest and not worry about their lambs for a few weeks."

Restocker competition for wether lambs lifted at the Hay store sheep sale last Friday due to the kick in the prime lamb market at major selling centres in the days leading up to the sale.

There was about 4500 unshorn, 2015-drop Merino wethers yarded which topped at $100.

Paul Dye, "Tchelery", Moulamein, was one of the vendors who received $100 a head for his wether lambs.

He sold 587, April/May 2015-drop Merino wethers which were Kelvale/Alma blood for $100 to a feedlot at Naracoorte, South Australia.

Mr Dye said he was very pleased with the return he received for his wethers especially when compared to his 2014-drop Merino ewes that returned $120 a head.

"The wethers made very good money," he said.

Marcus, Tom, Bill and Diane Hooke, "Warwillah", Booroorban, sold 520, May/June 2015-drop Merino wethers which were East Loddon blood also for $100 to a South Australian restocker.

Selling agent Bruce Summers, Elders Hay, said the Merino wether lambs sold well and were on par with last month's firm sale at Hay.

He said most 2015-drop store lambs would be gone from the Hay district by the end of the month.