Beyond the Saleyards: New season lambs top at $2/kg liveweight

The market has very much got its eyes on the new season lamb price and trying to gauge some kind of idea where the market will be.

Processors aren’t giving too much of a forward price and are heavily booked up until Christmas.

Without an indication from processors, feedlots are also struggling to give an indication of price.

As it stands today though, $2.00/kg liveweight for new season lambs seems to be the top of the market.

Demand from the east coast has been limited but there have been some lambs heading across the border.

The value of this trade is limited due to the fact that there is basically no spread between the east and west markets at the moment.

Direct consignment sheep and lamb prices (HSCW) (from the Agora Livestock Markets app)

● XB trade lambs: WA direct: $5.20 (very limited volumes), saleyards: $4.00/kg, east coast $5.00 (down $0.20)

● Merino trade lambs: WA direct: $4.80 (trade weights only), saleyards: $3.80/kg (unchanged), east coast $4.70 (down $0.10)

● Mutton: WA $2.80 (down), east coast $2.80/kg (down $0.20)

Goat markets have been flat for the week and remain at very low levels.

Direct consignment goat prices (from the Agora Livestock Markets app)

● Liveweight: east coast $0.90/kg (unchanged)

● HSCW: WA $2.80 (unchanged), east coast $3.00 (unchanged)

WA cattle markets remain under pressure and without significant demand.

The LSD story out of Indonesia doesn’t appear to have flowed through to the market.

And given the cattle it was identified in were in Indonesia for a period before it was detected, and LSD is rampant there, it feels like common sense that we are not the likely origin.

Direct consignment live export and feeder cattle bids (from the Agora Livestock Markets app) are currently around the following levels

● Live export steers $2.60

● Live export heifers $2.20

● Feedlot mixed breed steers - $3.00 (down)

● Feedlot mixed heifers steers - $2.50 (down)

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

● Agora Livestock has recently released a marketplace for agents and farmers to list livestock for sale. For more info call us on 1300 812 345 or visit agoralivestock.com.au/marketplace

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.