Beyond the Saleyards: Lamb prices ugly amid low demand

If you are watching WA saleyards at the moment, you will continue to see a lack of demand for lambs, low market volumes, and some pretty ugly prices.

If you are a seller, buyers are still much more interested in mutton versus lamb at the current values on offer.

However, most farmers now appear to have had enough of trying to sell sheep and are focused on getting their crops in the ground and hoping for rain.

Direct consignment sheep and lamb prices (hot standard carcase weight) from the Agora Livestock Markets app:

● XB trade lambs: WA direct: no quote, saleyards: $5/kg, east coast $6.80ish (unchanged)

● Merino trade lambs: WA direct: no quote, saleyards: $4.50/kg, east coast $6.40 (unchanged)

● Mutton: WA $3.20/kg (unchanged), east coast $3.80 (unchanged)

Goats have continued to claw their way back off the basement floor on the east coast, but numbers remain unchanged in WA at $2.80/kg HSCW.

Direct consignment goat prices:

● Liveweight: east coast $1.10/kg (up 10¢)

● HSCW: WA $2.80 (unchanged), east coast $3 (up 20¢)

Cattle markets started the week unchanged in WA.

Direct consignment live export and feeder cattle bids:

● Live export steers $3.40 (unchanged)

● Live export heifers $3.20 (unchanged)

● Feedlot mixed breed steers $4 — $4.20 (unchanged)

● Feedlot mixed breed heifers $3.60 - $3.90 (unchanged)

All prices quoted are available in the Agora Livestock Markets app, available free on the app stores.

Rob Kelly is the founder and managing director of Agora Livestock, a free service with the latest sheep, cattle and goat price grids in one easy-to-use app.