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/
Also want to let you know about an upcoming hair sheep sale. The Mid States hair sheep cooperative 5th annual spring sale is set for March 25th at Wahoo Livestock in Wahoo Nebraska. The sale will start at 11:30. The Mid States Hair Sheep Cooperative is expecting upwards of 600 head of high quality hair sheep. Check out consignments and more at their facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/midstateshairsheepsale/
For the week ending March 18th the Midwest sheep and goat market was steady to higher once again. There was only one major sale that saw softer prices on most classes of livestock. The lower prices came through as the volume of livestock through the ring increased significantly week over week. More supply can often lead to pressure on a market. Once again the midweight slaughter lambs and goats were the strongest section of the market. Breeding stock sales have been fairly thin over the past couple of weeks, but several sales are being advertised for the next two weeks. That could shed some light on where ranchers’ thoughts are for the future. As we’ve discussed in previous reports, drought is still a major concern on the Southern plains. Extended forecasts continue to be more friendly, but it will take time and significant moisture to make a substantial impact in those areas. This week outside the sheep and goat market has been filled with plenty of volatility with the US and European financial markets/institutions liquidity and stability being called into question. While this doesn’t have a direct impact on the day to day market function of the sheep and goat market it does have an impact on producers/consumers and their decision making. I talked with the CEO and President of the Nebraska Bankers Association to see if agriculture should be concerned with the current situation. Listen to the full interview here, but in short he was confident agriculture has little to worry about in the current banking climate.
For Ethnic holidays we have Passover coming April 15-23rd, Ramadan April 2nd – May 1st, Roman Easter April 17th, and Greek Easter April 24th.
Highlighted quotes this week include Colby Livestock in Kansas sold 25 head of dorper ewes weighing 159 lbs for $205/cwt or $325/hd (The quote did not list if these were exposed or bred ewes, but given the price it would lend towards the possibility they returned to production vs. slaughter.) Colby also sold 36 head of boer cross slaughter goats weighing 58 lbs for $425/cwt or $246.50/hd. Centennial Livestock in Colorado sold yearling exposed hair ewes weighing 141 lbs for $240/hd. Sioux Falls Regional Livestock sold 42 head of 57 lb slaughter wool lambs for $301/ cwt or $172/hd. The upper end of the draft brought $310/cwt or $176/hd. Sioux Falls also sold 108 head of 97 lb slaughter wool lambs for $171/cwt or $166/hd. The upper end of the draft brought $195/cwt or $189/hd. Sioux Falls also sold 72 head of slaughter hair lambs weighing 91 lbs for $176/cwt or $160/hd. The upper end of the draft brought $195/cwt or $177/hd. Sioux Falls sold 40 head of 67 lb slaughter goats for $403/cwt average or $270/hd. The upper end of the draft brought $410/cwt or $275/hd. Producers Livestock in Texas sold 374 head of 73 lb slaughter hair lambs for $260/cwt or $190.50/hd. The upper end of the draft sold for $269.50/cwt or $197/hd. Producers also sold 165 head of 54 lb slaughter goats for $424/cwt or $228/hd. The upper end of the draft brought $434/cwt or $234/hd.
The grain markets this week have been mixed with lower undertones. The commodity market was impacted by the broader market concerns over the financial sector this week. Supply and demand fundamentals did win out a few times though. Especially for corn, China made three purchases of over 600,000 MT this week. The purchases come as Brazil is trying to sell and ship as many soybeans as possible with a record harvest coming in and storage at a premium. So that helps put US corn as the best buy in the market with shipping available. Corn though can’t move much higher without support from wheat and soybeans. It appears the grains are likely moving into at best range bound markets where there will be resistance at nearby highs. For livestock feeders this may be the beginning signs of cheaper grains in the near term future. However the US growing season is still well ahead of us and there is time for grains to pull higher.
The haymarket in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Colorado and Wyoming were reported with little movement of hay as supplies continue to dwindle and those with hay to sell are continuing to squeeze the most they can out of that supply. For premium quality alfalfa prices for the limited reported trade were $10-$30/ton higher and it’s not uncommon for it to be over $300/ton.
Lamb slaughter this week was estimated at 36,000 head through Saturday. That was unchanged from last week and an increase of 3,000 head from last year. Year to date lamb slaughter at 372,000 head 8.1% or 28,000 head more than the previous year’s lamb slaughter. Live lamb weights this week were 133 pounds. That was unchanged from last week and an increase of 8 pounds from last year. Dressed lamb weights were 68 pounds. That is unchanged from last week and last year.
Here is a regional price range from all sales in the report.
Wool lambs
20-40 lbs N/A
40-70 lbs $225-$310/cwt
70lbs & up $172.50-$250/cwt
Hair lambs
20-40 lbs $230-$310/cwt
40-70 lbs $240-$320/cwt
70 lbs and up $170-$275/cwt
Wool ewes
Stocker $180-$250/hd
Slaughter $45-$125/cwt
Rams $85-$190/cwt
Hair Ewes
Replacement $130-$325/hd
Slaughter $55-$160/hd
Hair Rams $55-$160/cwt
Kid Goats
20-40 lbs $250-$400/cwt
40-70 lbs $225-$450/cwt
70 lbs & up $220-$400/cwt
Wethers
70 lbs & up $188-$290/cwt
Does
Slaughter medium-fleshy $130-$288/hd
Replacement $140-$270/HD
Bucks
Slaughter $200-$315/cwt
Breeding N/A
