Market Morsel: It’s all a bit sheepish

Market Morsel

Low sheep and lamb saleyard volumes were noted across the east coast for the week ending 14th January. Lamb throughput came in at 86,871 head, which is 57% under the weekly volumes usually seen of around 200,000 head, according to the five-year average trend for this week in the season. An even weaker start to 2022 was noted for sheep throughout with just 27,883 sheep presented at east coast saleyards. This represents levels that are 72% lower than the five-year average pattern.

The lower than normal sheep throughput volumes were by a similar magnitude across NSW and Victoria with numbers coming in 75% and 71% below their respective five-year average trends. However, the picture for lamb throughput was a little one sided. Weekly NSW lamb throughput is sitting 66% under the five-year trend, meanwhile the Victorian saleyard lamb offering was just 45% under the average seasonal trend.