Sheep Industry News May 2022

the first quarter of 2022, averaging about 30,000 head per week – 13 percent below the same period last year. The first quarter of 2022 saw lamb and yearling dressed weights track about 1 percent below a year ago at 67 pounds. The lower slaughter rate and marginal decrease in dressed weights combined to a nearly 13 percent decline in lamb production for the first quarter of 2022. Weekly slaughter typically rises leading up to Easter as retail stores feature more lamb. This year, Easter fell later – on April 17 – and as of this writing weekly slaughter had started to increase. The last two weeks of March saw weekly lamb and yearling slaughter jump nearly 10 to 15 percent week-over-week to more than 36,000 and nearly 40,000 head, respectively. El evated levels were expected to occur in weekly slaughter for the week leading up to Easter. Last year, weekly lamb and yearling slaughter was about or just less than 40,000 head in the three weeks leading up to Easter, indicating that this year’s slaughter levels are tracking lower than those of 2021. The lower slaughter levels are supporting lamb prices. This Easter, consumers were facing much higher lamb prices than they did last year. Since the start of the year, the lamb cutout value has maintained an elevated level averaging around $6 per pound. The first full week of April saw the lamb cutout value slump slightly to $5.89 per pound, which is the lowest

than the same period last year which averaged about U.S. $4.48 per lb. (Aus. $5.79 per lb.). In recent weeks, prices for the finer wools – between 17 and 21 microns – have generally been even to slightly higher than last March. Compared to a year ago, prices through the first quarter of the year have been above 2021 levels. Prices for the 17 to 19 micron wools are trending higher than last year. The 19 to 21 micron wools have been flat to slightly higher than a year ago. Prices for the 21 to 23 micron wools in early April were trending about even with prices in March. Compared to a year ago, prices have seen smaller gains of about 2 to 3 percent. The market for 25 to 26 micron wools has moved lower in re cent weeks with prices ranging from down 5 percent to as much as a 12 percent decline. China continues its zero tolerance policy on COVID-19 cases, which has started to raise concern as to potential impli cations to wool demand. As of this writing, wool prices have generally remained level since the start of this year with recent prices tracking above a year ago, indicating demand repercus sions so far have been limited. If China’s zero tolerance mea sures on COVID-19 persist, that could limit wool demand and pressure prices in the near term.

LAMB MARKET UPDATE Lamb and yearling slaughter were on a slower pace through

See MARKET REPORT on Page 8

& $ ' " & $ ' #" & !' $ " & !' " & ! ' $! ! % " ' "

Pipestone Lamb &Wool Program Educational Offerings for Sheep Production

%" ' $ ' '&' ' ' ' $ ' '&' ' '

Facility Tour June 7, 2022 Tours will include 5 separate locations in

ND O@5.] ` WH8` ` `/ F `_` K/T`)>K[` `M F `_`)>99M`)>K[` *.UWO5.] ` WH8` ` `/ F `_`-KXT>` X6

Southwest Minnesota & Northwest Iowa and allow producers to see various types of sheep facilities, including the latest in buildings, lambing barns and facility layout. www.pipestonesheep.com

Contact Information Pipestone Lamb &Wool Program MinnesotaWest – Pipestone Campus PO Box 250 Pipestone, MN 56164 507-825-6800 Toll Free 800-658-2330 Email: ann.kolthoff@mnwest.edu

Delivering online training to learners anywhere in the world.

`M F `_`%P9R9IT/TAKI`K;` [/P6R` `M F `_`)>99M` ` K/T`)/D9` *WH5.] ` WH8` ` `/ F `_`#KXIT/AI99P` D/RRA4`

(Y:SVBLJS ` LJV03V`!LJ0V?0J`,0^ELQ`0V` ` \ZS?::N0J7=L0VS0E: 3LG` $JEBJ:` B77BJ=` Z0BE02E:`0V`+?L\+VL3C&E0J:V 3LG`

May 2022 • Sheep Industry News • 7