Maline Seed and Fence is proud to sponsor the Midwest Sheep and Goat market report. Maline seed and fence is your local dealer for Rivera Custom Gates and Goat and Sheep pens AND Mountainview Sheep and Goat equipment. Check out all their products at their website:
https://www.malineseedandfence.com/
For the week ending December 2nd the Midwest sheep and goat market came back from the holiday break fairly strong. Prime mid weight slaughter lambs and goats continue to bring solid prices. On the lambs several sales noted $300/cwt+ prices on the 50-70 lb range. For goats the 20-40 lb range saw more sales reaching back to the $400/cwt range. The breeding market was also fairly aggressive this week for the thinner volume of livestock sold as breeding stock. In the Midwest ongoing drought continues to be one of the biggest threats to the market. Meanwhile consumer demand and pricing threatens the market from a broader global perspective. Australia appears to be having a decent growing season with minimal reports of drought or other impacts to their livestock herds. For consumer demand though chicken prices may be back on the rise with new reports of highly pathogenic avian influenza being reported in domestic flocks across the US. Helping offset consumer concerns is the latest labor market data showing that wages are still on the rise nationally. So consumers still buying what they want and seasonality of the market seems to be able overcome a lot of the issues that could send the market lower.
Looking into early 2023 ethnic holidays that may help to give a boost to the market include; Ramadan month of fasting from March 22nd to April 20th, Passover April 5th, Roman Easter is April 9th and Orthodox Easter is April 16th.
Highlighted quotes this week include Colby livestock selling 5 boer slaughter goats weighing 40 lbs for $405/cwt or $162/hd. Kalona Iowa sold 76 head of 63 lb wool lambs for $293/cwt or $184/hd. The upper end of the draft brought $335/cwt or $211/hd. Kalona also sold 55 head of 55 lb slaughter goats for $381/cwt or $210/hd. The upper end of the draft brought $230/hd or $418/cwt. Centennial Livestock in Fort Collins Colorado sold 16 head of heavy goat wether weighing 115 lbs for up to $370/hd or $321/cwt. Sioux Falls Regional Livestock sold 93 head of 61 lbs wool lambs for $348/cwt or $212/hd. The upper end of the draft bringing $355/cwt or $216/hd. Sioux Falls also sold 9 head of 2-4 yr old breeding wool ewes weighing 232 lbs for $225/hd. Sioux Falls also sold 20 head of bred 137 lb 2-4 yr old does for $275/hd. Producers livestock in San Angelo sold 4 head of 45 lb hair lambs for $352/cwt or $158/hd.
USDA retail meat data for the week of December 2nd the Lamb and Veal retail activity index was 43.83% higher, feature rate 1.70% higher, and the special rate was 4.00% higher. Lamb Cuts reported 40.57% higher. For the week Roast ad space was sharply lower and Chops ad space was sharply higher. Lamb features offered more ad space for Shoulder Round Bone Chops, Loin Chops, Ground Lamb, Shank and Stew Meat-Lamb
The grain markets were lower this week. December futures contracts went into delivery and likely highlighted the futures were over the cash markets. Especially on markets like soybean oil which saw a higher than usual amount of contracts delivered. Soybean prices still remained relatively unchanged on the week as traders preferred to sell more corn and wheat. The EPA released their latest renewable fuels standard and did little to increase the blending requirements which signaled to the market there would be no increase in demand for grains as bio fuels. Prices may be poised to move higher next week as Russia continues it’s assault on Ukraine and Argentina contends with drought.
The haymarket in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Colorado and Wyoming was firm with high quality alfalfa $10-$20/ton higher this week than last week. Unfortunately the hay market news sounds like a broken record. Tight supplies and high prices. There is very little that looks to change in the near future. Colorado hay report did note that feedlots and dairies took their lumps and have a majority of their needs for the winter secured and working on delivery.
Lamb slaughter this week was estimated at 37,000 head through Saturday. That is an increase of 8,000 head from last week. It’s also down 4,000 head from last year. Year to date lamb slaughter at 1,611,000 head -9.5% or 168,000 behind the previous year’s lamb slaughter. Live lamb weights this week were 126 pounds. That was unchanged from last week and down 2 pounds from last year. Dressed lamb weights were 64 pounds. That unchanged from last week and an increase of 1 pound from last year. Goat slaughter under federal inspection 9,604 head.
Here is a regional price range from all sales in the report.
Wool lambs
20-40 lbs $210-$255/cwt
40-70 lbs $140-$335/cwt
70lbs & up $160-$305/cwt
Hair lambs
20-40 lbs $200-$350/cwt
40-70 lbs $207-$380/cwt
70 lbs and up $140-$250/cwt
Wool ewes
Stocker $115-$225/hd
Slaughter $50-$140/cwt
Rams $50-$130/cwt
Hair Ewes
Replacement $150-$225/hd
Slaughter $65-$140/hd
Hair Rams $100-$200/cwt
Kid Goats
20-40 lbs $200-$415/cwt
40-70 lbs $200-$418/cwt
70 lbs & up $200-$300cwt
Wethers
70 lbs & up $225-$321/cwt
Does
Slaughter medium-fleshy $125-$270/hd
Replacement $130-$275/HD
Bucks
Slaughter $130-$267/cwt
Breeding N/A
