A LIMITED amount of competition and a mixed quality yarding caused young lamb prices to ease at this week's Warwick sheep sale, reaching a top of $164 a head.
The top price pen was down from a $191/hd top at the previous week's sale, while the average price of $118 was down from a $143 average.
Young lambs made up the majority of the 1322 head yarding, with 982 head on offer.
However, a backlog of stock at local processing facilities meant only wholesalers and restockers were in operation, causing young lamb prices to range from a low of $40 to the $164 top.
The dip in prices was put down to the lack of competition as buyers were more selective in their purchases depending on quality.
Most young lambs snapped up by restockers sold for about $80, while heavier lambs selling for about $102.
Read Also:
Lambs sold to the butcher trade sold for a top of $156 to average about $144.
The next biggest category of Wednesday's sale was the hogget market, which also experienced a dip in prices.
Overall, the 105 hoggets on offer topped at $166, which was down from $173 at the previous sale, to average $88, which was back from an average of $132.
Wholesalers were responsible for the $166 top, with most of the hoggets bought by wholesalers selling for an average price of about $120.
It was a similar story in the ewe category, as the 97 head on offer reached a top of $150, which was down from a $160 top at the last sale, to average $70, which was about on par from the previous week.
Ewes sold to restockers reached a top of $199, while lighter-weight store ewes also sold to restockers made $64 and well-finished heavier ewes sold to the local wholesale trade for $100.
Old lambs were also among categories to experience a drop in prices as the 83 on offer sold at an average of about $120, which was back from $151 at the previous sale.
Most pens sold from about $75 to a top of $154, which was back from a top of $174.
There was a similar size yarding of wethers at this week's sale with 35 on offer, which was slightly up from the yarding of 31 the previous week.
Prices across the category remained fairly firm ranging from a low of $64 to a top of $174, which was up from $154 at the previous, to average $96.
Rounding out the sale was a small yarding of seven rams, which in price from a low of $74 to a top of about $160 to average about $141.
Dorper rams returning to the paddock sold to a top $152, meaning the category was up from the $113 average and $132 top at the previous week's sale.