SHEEP & LAMBS
BENDIGO
March 4.
Yarding: 16,994. Change: down 2326. Lambs: 11,394. Change: down 1301. Sheep: 5600. Change: down 1025.
Lamb numbers eased to 11,394 head despite next week's public holiday that will cause Bendigo to miss a sale.
Processor demand was weaker, with three main export orders not active and a major domestic processor absent.
Prices decreased by $10 to $20/head across the bulk of the yarding, with some pens easing more on a week ago. Bidding for extra heavy lambs was particularly dull. The best trade weight lambs, and light lambs suiting MK export orders, held their value the best amid restricted supplies.
Extra heavy export lambs weighing above 30kg cwt sold from $178 to $199/head to record an estimated average of 574c/kg cwt.
The heavy lambs, weighing 26-30kg cwt, made from $160 to $185/head to work out from 600c to 610c/kg cwt over the main runs.
There was a better level of processor support over the trade weight lambs, with the neatest types in short skins reaching $165/head, at up to 670c/kg cwt.
However, bidding was selective over the plainer pens that eased carcase averages to make from 610c to 650c/kg cwt over the bulk of the lambs to domestic processors.
There was a reasonable number of Merino lambs in the yarding, the better covered trade weights receiving from $138 to $154/head at an estimated 590c/kg cwt.
Supplies of well presented light weight lambs under 20kg cwt remained tight, helping keep these pens at prices from $110 to $135/head. Very small and secondary lambs with little fat cover were discounted.
Sheep numbers eased to 5600, made up of primarily crossbred and Merino ewes.
Mutton was cheaper, with not all the regular buyers active. Sales varied from $6 to $20/head lower depending on weight and quality.
The heaviest crossbred ewes sold from $115 to $148 and Merino ewes made from $91 to a top of $149/head.
The best Merino sheep, with reasonable fat cover, trended close to 400c, with the balance of the yarding receiving from 320c to 390c/kg cwt.
AVERAGES
Booloola White Suffock Stud (3) $ 340.00
R & K Jennings (1) $ 285.00
Bradford Hills (1) $ 250.00
S McArdle (4) $ 140.00
B Wooten (1) $ 140.00
S Perry (1) $ 140.00
Copan (1) $ 140.00
J Sutherland (2) $ 140.00
Bardeen (1) $ 140.00
V Byrne (1) Merino Ewe $ 100.00
CROSSBRED LAMBS
SW Ellis (112) Dingee $ 199.00
J McLaughlin (101) Charlton $ 194.00
C Cox (46) Berriwillock $ 193.00
McKay Farms (71) Drummartin $ 189.00
Gre Gre Past (50) St Arnaud $ 184.20
BD & S Cail (30) Kamarooka $ 182.00
KM.JM & AJ Wright (181) Yeungroon $ 181.00
EK & SJ Stone (34) Eastville $ 176.00
Nutbyrne (21) Knowsley $ 173.00
C O'Higgins (41) Kyneton $ 171.00
Peter J Howie (35) Mansfield $ 170.00
C & S Koch (49) Campbells Forest $ 170.00
B & F Moon (120) Pyramid Hill $ 169.00
HE Hunt (28) Euroa $ 169.00
N Hollins (60) Wakool $ 169.00
J & J Wright (14) Charlton $ 168.00
Ramj P/L (14) Knowsley $ 163.50
D & R Hannigan (39) Barrakee $ 160.00
D & H McKinley (82) Leichardt $ 160.00
PJ McINtyre (59) St Arnaud $ 156.00
Matt Hartland (25) Huntly Nth $ 155.00
McKInnon & Bailey (30) Marong $ 153.00
DJ Fatt & JA Gallagher (73) Raywood $ 153.00
AK Collins P/L (28) Bridgewater $ 152.00
J McLeish (125) Logan $ 150.00
MERINO LAMBS
C & S Mackrill (71) Nanneella $ 132.00
Bradford Hills (85) Maldon $ 130.00
V Byrne (31) Axedale $ 130.00
S Artridge (194) Ruffy $ 126.00
J McLeish (126) Logan $ 123.00
MERINO WETHERS
Real Food Farming (61) Yandoit $ 113.00
CROSSBRED EWES
JM Gross (170) Molka $ 148.00
Cramlington Park (105) Elmore $ 145.00
Burnewang Nth Past Co (91) Rochester $ 145.00
GP Halloran (16) Kyneton $ 141.00
AG & SM Williamson (18) Gunbower $ 138.00
BE & LE Johnson (10) Kinglake $ 127.00
L McDonald (5) Malmsbury $ 123.00
RW & CT Dickinson (101) Tooborac $ 122.00
Jo Conlan T/A Tumbyweed (21) Creek View $ 116.00
PJ & BJ Rothacker (18) Bridgewater $ 114.00
R & A McNutt (39) Knowsley $ 110.00
MERINO EWES
Moon & Broad (107) Pyramid Hill $ 115.00
A Gordon (11) Dunluce $ 110.00
C,S,R & S Long (30) Knowsley $ 104.00
T & GA Simpson (23) Winjallok $ 94.00
R & W Holt (48) Wedderburn $ 93.50
W & V Rodger (37) Burkes Flat $ 90.00
CATTLE
March 5
Cattle numbers were very similar this week, with 137 coming forward. The cattle presented were very mixed, however, competition remained strong.
Heavy steers sold to a top of $2.56 per kilo and remained firm to slightly easier. Medium to heavy steers sold to a top of $2.65 per kilo, also remaining firm.
A good run of vealers came through and the better calves sold to a top of $2.91 per kilo - a touch easier than the previous market.
A small run of cows presented and sold to a top of $1.82 per kilo, rising by 4 to 5 cents.
QUOTES
Heavy Steers over 500kg sold to $2.56
Medium to Heavy Steers 450- 500 kg sold to 2.65
Steer Veal Heavy over 400kgs sold to 2.91
Steer Veal medium 320 – 390kg sold to 2.91
Heifers Veal 420 to 490kgs sold to $ 2.90
Heifer Veal 320 – 390kgs sold to $2.89
Beef Cows - $1.82
AVERAGES
STEERS
PR & LG Swift - Harcourt Nth $ 1,616.00
G Walters - Lockwood $ 1,172.64
LJ Forbes - Eddington $ 908.00
VEALERS
P & V Gaudion - Lockwood Sth $ 1,204.33
Bulla Investments - Bulla $ 1,198.92
DN Pitson - Bagshot $ 1,135.68
Houlahan Farms - Axe Creek $ 1,128.80
GN Davies - Woodstock $ 1,078.00
M & R Baker - Tennyson $ 927.96
COWS
LJ Forbes - Eddington $ 1,274.00
Bertlea Ent - Strathfieldsaye $ 1,274.00
HEIFERS
G Price - Huntly $ 1,190.00
Muskerry Downs - Muskerry $ 997.50
BULLS
LJ Forbes - Eddington $ 1,523.92
ORDER OF SALE
Week ending March 15
McKean & McGregor 5 & 2; Ellis Nuttall 2 & 6; FP Nevins 1 & 3; Landmark 3 & 5; Elders 6 & 4; Rodwells 4 & 1.
