Sheep Industry News December 2021

Mutton exports were down 88 percent in this period to 2.1 million lbs. Total exports were down 86 percent year-on-year.

Equity Cooperative Sheep and Lamb Video/Internet Auction sold about 600 slaughter lambs in the North Central U.S. at an average of $221.00 per cwt. for 140 to 160 lbs. Slaughter hair lambs at the New Holland, Penn., auction lost about 1 percent in October monthly and were 22 percent higher year-on-year for 70 to 100-lb. lambs. Seventy- to 80-lb. hair lambs received $276.96 per cwt., 80 to 90-lb. lambs saw $260.13 per cwt., and 90 to 100-lb. lambs averaged $257.96 per cwt. Hair sheep prices at New Holland were roughly on par with wooled lambs as values ranged from 94 to 101 percent of comparable wooled lambs. WHOLESALE LAMB REMAINS STRONG The lamb cutout value averaged $693.11 per cwt. in October, up 1 percent monthly and 58 percent higher year-on-year. Among lamb primals, the rack and the leg saw the greatest monthly gain at 2 percent, while the shoulder weakened by 2 percent and the loin held steady. The rack, 8-rib medium, averaged $1,435.95 per cwt., the loin, trimmed 4x4, averaged $1,050 per cwt., the leg, trotter-off, saw $613.29 per cwt., and the shoulder, square-cut, averaged $539.73 per cwt. According to Midland Marketing in October, about half of lamb consumers choose the lamb loin to cook at home. However, the loin’s COVID-19 boom could be slowing. Since August, when the loin

FEEDER LAMBS STRENGTHEN AT AUCTION Sixty- to 90-lb. feeders at auction averaged $262.48 per cwt. in October, up 1 percent monthly and up 32 percent year-on-year. Feeders in San Angelo, Texas, averaged $276.38 per cwt., up 2 per cent monthly; feeders in Fort Collins, Colo., saw $254.05 per cwt., 3 percent higher monthly; and in Sioux Falls, S.D., feeders averaged $257.03 per cwt., weakening by 1 percent. At the Equity Cooperative Sheep and Lamb Video/Internet Auc tion, 90-lb. lambs in the North Central region sold for an average of $249.25 per cwt. SLAUGHTER LAMB MARKET SOFTENED Live, negotiated slaughter lambs averaged $241.18 per cwt. in October, down 3 percent monthly and up 43 percent year-on-year. Average harvest weight of live, negotiated lambs was 145.70 lbs., up 4 percent monthly and up 3 percent from a year ago. Wooled and shorn slaughter lambs at auction saw mixed move ment in October, yet held at 37 percent higher year-on-year. For an average 100 to 150-lb. lamb at San Angelo, slaughter lambs sold for an average $210.15 per cwt., up 1 percent monthly. Fort Collins saw $200.70 per cwt., down 9 percent monthly, and Sioux Falls averaged $230.12 per cwt., down 5 percent monthly.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year M H

ELITE OVIGEN Elite Sheep Genetics

eliteovigen@gmail.com www.eliteovigen.com

December 2021 • Sheep Industry News • 7