A whole lotta yardings goin’ on

LIVESTOCK | 18TH APRIL 2021 | BY MATT DALGLEISH

The Snapshot

• East coast cattle yarding levels have risen 132% from the previous week, with sale yards in Queensland leading the charge and registering a 188% lift in volumes.
• Weekly east coast lamb throughput has registered levels in excess of 200,000 head for the first time in ten weeks as sale yard lamb volumes surged by 66% on the previous weekly total.
• Victorian sale yards are 126% above the five-year average weekly pattern for this time in the season, meanwhile NSW lamb yarding level are 39% above the seasonal average pattern.
• East coast sheep throughput recorded volumes that were 65% above the five-year average pattern for this week in the season, spurred on by very much above average volumes of sheep in Victorian sale yards.

The Detail

Weekly east coast throughput numbers have lifted strongly for cattle, sheep and lamb. East coast cattle yarding levels have risen 132% from the week prior to hit 51,490 head for the week ending on 16th April. Weekly cattle throughput now sits 7% above the five-year average pattern and while it is only in singles figures it is the first time this season that the weekly east coast cattle throughput has been above the seasonal average trend.

While all mainland east coast states contributed to the increased cattle throughput the biggest recovery on the week was seen in Queensland. Weekly cattle yarding levels in the “Sunshine State” jumped 188% to hit the highest weekly total seen this season at 25,474 head.

NSW cattle throughput managed a respectable 125% gain on the week to register 15,591 head presented at the sale yard. Meanwhile, Victorian cattle throughout gained 50% to see 8,599 head offered. Despite the solid rebound NSW cattle yardings remain under the five-year average trend by 23% but Victorian cattle volumes are right on the average seasonal level for this time in the year.

Weekly east coast lamb throughput has registered levels in excess of 200,000 head for the first time in ten weeks as sale yard lamb volumes surged by 66% on the previous weekly total. There were 236,602 head of lamb reported at east coast yards for the week ending the 16th April, representing lamb yarding levels that are 70% over the five-year average pattern for this time in the season.

NSW sale yards accounted for the bulk of the east coast volumes, however the biggest percentage increase in east coast lamb numbers were seen in Victoria. NSW saw 116,641 head of lamb presented for the week ending the 16th of April, which was a 54% gain on the week prior. NSW lamb yarding level are now running 39% above the seasonal average pattern for this week in the year.

Meanwhile, Victorian sale yards saw a 74% lift in lambs offered for the week bringing the throughput tally to 100,059 head of lamb. The weekly surge of lambs in Victoria representing yarding levels that are 126% above the five-year average weekly pattern for this time in the season.

Lambs were the only abundant ovines this week, with east coast sheep throughput recording a 104% lift on the previous week. There were 89,281 head of sheep reported for sale at east coast yards, which is 65% above the five-year average for this time in the season.

Sheep yarding volumes between Victoria and NSW were fairly evenly split with both states registering around 35,000 head of sheep for the week. NSW throughput lifted by 78% from the week prior to see 34,640 head  of sheep offered, which represents a level just 3% above the average seasonal pattern for this week in the year.

While the Victorian sheep numbers were similar in volume, at 35,827, the week on week gain was larger at an increase of 91%. Furthermore, compared to the five-year average pattern the Victorian sheep throughput volumes represent levels that are 106% higher than the seasonal trend for this time in the year.

From Thomas Elder Markets