Bendigo Sheep Report

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Report Date: 28th April 2025

Total Yarding: 13,210

Commentary

Smaller yarding of 8960 lambs and 4250 sheep following the Easter break and reasonable rainfall in some areas. Quality was mixed and well fed lambs with weight were in the minority, with no extra heavy exports above 34kg cwt in this yarding. It was a dearer sale across all categories, with several processors appearing keen for numbers. Although that said some buyers did withdraw from the market when prices lifted sharply. Lamb prices improved by up to $30/head on pre-Easter rates while sheep gained $30 to $80/head in a repeat of what the industry witnessed a few weeks back after the big northern rain event. Big crossbred ewes sold to $292/head while export lambs reached $285/head.

Export lambs sized from 30kg to about 33kg cwt from $262 to a top of $285/head. Heavy lambs in the 26-30kg cwt category, $220 to $282/head. Best heavy trade lambs $210 to $245/head. General run of trade lambs $165 to $200/head. Most of the crossbred lamb categories trended between 800c to 880c/kg cwt, with the very neatest fed pens out to 950c/kg at times. Trade Merino lambs to $204, with the leaner and lighter trades from $130 to $180/head at an estimated 740c to 780c/kg for most. Light lambs sold strongly amid support from MK ‘bag lamb’ orders and restocking interest. Better framed and bred light lambs $130 to $170/head. Smallest lambs $80 to $115/head, with some very small and light Merinos down to $19/head.

Competition for heavy sheep cranked up again, big crossbred ewes $220 to a top of $292/head; Merino wethers to $265 and good Merino ewes $180 to $225/head. Sheep with frame size but less fat cover $120 to $160/head; very light sheep $78 to $100/head. There was a wide price spread of 550c to 750c/kg cwt over the bulk of the sheep yarding, with heavier mutton receiving the most consistent demand and tending to be in the higher carcass price brackets. Once again some buyers were unable to fill orders due to the significant price rise. Competition for heavy sheep was dominated by one key northern exporter.

Market reporter: Jenny Kelly