One more sheep sale has been scheduled for 2024, but it is not yet clear whether the numbers will be there for the sale to go ahead.
In providing his usual report following this week’s Deniliquin sheep sale, Deniliquin Saleyards manager Greg White said the figure shows just how vibrant the industry is.
“Most people probably don’t realise just how much goes through the facility, and how important it is,” Mr White said.
“Total sales at Deniliquin this week were $588,957.20, from a total yarding of 4446.
“That resulted in an average sale price of $132.47, which is higher than a fortnight ago.
“Last sale we had a yarding of 5217 head, total sales of $576,821 and an average price of $110.56.
“The results from this week bring the yearly total sales to $23,832,969.30.”
Most of the lamb run in Tuesday’s sale weighed less than 26kg carcase weight, and the best quality was in recently shorn crossbreds.
The market was dearer in carcase weight terms across the medium and heavier trades, despite some pens being borderline for finish.
Light lambs were very mixed for quality and breed type.
One pen of heavier shorn lambs around 27kg carcase weight topped at $236/head.
The sale then gathered pace over the medium trade lambs, the shorn pens in the 22-26kg carcase weight range selling from $190 to $230/head.
The shorn lambs sold to stronger processor interest than the unshorn lambs, which are now mostly dry in the skin.
The lead pens of the young woolly lambs sold from $184 to $207/head.
On a carcase basis, the best slaughter lambs were mostly in the range of 840c to 900c/kg carcase eight, with some pens breaking over 900c/kg.
Lighter and plainer domestic processing lambs were mostly $146 to $166, at varied rates from 720c to 800c/kg depending on breed and quality.
MK style lambs sold from $110 to $125/head and very small lambs and secondary clean-up lots were $25 to $66/head.
The sheep sale was dearer and comprised a few pens of crossbreds and some bigger lines of station Merino ewes.
Price rates fluctuated either side of 400c/kg carcase weight, with the highest carcase rates recorded for leaner and lighter mutton.
Merino wethers sold to $120, extra heavy Dorper ewes to $126 and Merino ewes to $114/head.
Top sales:
Lambs - John Lamb Pastoral Co, $240; Wolgni, $236; Dhuramein Nominees, $230.
Sheep - Thomas Pastoral, $125.80; Shady Trees Farms, $125.80.
~ Contributed by Meat Livestock Australia market reporter Jenny Kelly and Deniliquin Saleyards manager Greg White, on behalf of the Deniliquin Associated Agents.
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