Weekly Midwest sheep and goat market report

Weekly Midwest sheep and goat market report
RRN Photo. Goat enjoy hay in the feedbunk.
April 17th, 2021 | Clay Patton

For the week ending April 17 the Midwest sheep and goat markets were steady to higher for the second consecutive week. Lamb prices were somewhat mixed, but generally higher to sharply higher across all reporting sales in the Midwest. It appeared that the goat market is starting to find the price level where hitting new highs is becoming more difficult. While maybe not what everyone wants to see it is good to see that a market is functioning properly with a limiting of demand at a certain price point. In general though prices across the board are strong for lambs, kids and cull stock. Reid Redden, AgriLife Extension sheep and goat specialist and interim director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, San Angelo was interviewed by a Texas news paper on the strong market currently in the sheep and goat market. Redden shared that “The market for Texas lambs and goats is diverse, resilient and growing. It avoided supply chain bottleneck issues other livestock markets dealt with, and I think the COVID restrictions kept the regular consumers home, which means more family functions to eat lamb and goat meat.” Which continues to support my theory for the strong market being increased demand both from traditional ethnic markets and new consumers looking for different proteins. Now the question is though we’ve had a good strong market how long can it last? The only true answer will be answered with time and patience, but we are now in Ramadan Month of fasting so that continues to give holiday support for the market. Still summer can be a seasonal slump for the market so we could start to see a decline moving in late may or early June. Another point of long term support for this market may be in extremely dry conditions that are building on the Northern plains. This week’s drought monitor noted that nearly 75% of the state was in extreme drought. South Dakota is 90% covered in some stage of a drought with extreme drought covering the Northwest corner of the state. If these states don’t start to see moisture soon then the grazing season could be very short. That could cause aggressive culling in herds (more than what is already happening due to attractive prices). Or flat out liquidations of herds because there isn’t forage available. In the short term that could create market pressure as the market is temporarily flooded, but after that the herd numbers are smaller which means a smaller quantity to try and keep with what appears to be very strong demand. 

Other commodity markets were strongly higher this week. Corn markets tested highs not seen since 2013 which translates to $6 bushel corn. That isn’t the price livestock feeders want to hear. There is some evidence though that the high grain prices are starting to take their toll on the demand side of the equation. USDA export sales on Thursday showed 4 marketing year lows in grains.That comes as price is rationing demand. There is still concern too that China is battling African Swine Fever. If this holds as true as some analysts are estimating this could relieve some strain on the soybean and soybean meal complex. 

Other feed input markets to report include the hay market. Kansas and Nebraska both reported steady prices on all hay classes. Kansas noted slowing demand and deliveries taking place last week. In the Southern part of the state the green up is coming and the first cutting is likely to happen sooner rather than later. As for Nebraska there is still plenty of hay leaving the state and a cool week with snow in the Western half is likely slowing the time to the first cutting on hay. 

For the week ending 4/17 lamb slaughter under federal inspection was estimated at 35,000 head on Friday. There is an expected Saturday slaughter of a 0 head. That will bring the total weekly slaughter to 35,000 head. That’s even with last week and 1,000 head less than the previous year. Year to date lamb slaughter at 556,000 head. About 0.6% or 3,000 head more  than a year ago. Cattle and hog slaughter have not closed their gap to the previous year’s slaughter and are now behind lamb slaughter in catching up to last year’s level. Cattle slaughter is -0.4% behind and hog slaughter is 3.4% behind. USDA data shows that goat slaughter under federal inspection was 9,921 head for the week as of 4/16. That is 436 head more than the prior week. Lamb and mutton production under federal inspection through 4/17 is estimated at 2.3 million pounds. That is 100,000 pounds lighter than last week. Year to date lamb and mutton production is estimated at 37.6 million pounds. 2021 continues to exceed 2020 lamb production by 1.8% or 700,000 pounds. The average live lamb weight for the week ending 4/17 was 133 pounds, down 3 pound from last week and up 7 pounds from last year. Dressed weights for lambs this week were 67 pounds. That is an decrease of 2 pounds from last week and 7 pound heavier than a year ago. 

Sale reports from the week

Hamilton Commission Company Hamilton Texas sold 2,413 head of sheep and goats on Monday 4/12. That compares to 1,333 head in the previous week’s sale. Dorper lambs were sharply higher, wool lambs were sharply higher, barbado lambs were sharply higher, ewes steady, kids sharply higher, and nannies $10 higher. Highlighted quotes from the sale include dorper and dorper cross lambs weighing 40-70 lbs brought $285-$330/cwt. Wool lambs at all weights were untested. Kid goats weighing 40-70 lbs brought $340-$475/cwt. 

http://www.hamiltoncommissioncompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/4.12.21-sg-sale.pdf

Producers Livestock San Angelo Texas sold 9,142 head of sheep and goats on Tuesday 4/13. That compared to 4,860 head the previous week and 4,469 head last year. Compared to last week slaughter lambs 20.00-30.00 lower. Slaughter ewes 5.00-10.00 lower. Feeder lambs not well tested. Nannies firm; kids firm. Trading and demand were moderate. Highlighted quotes from San Angelo include; 46 head of slaughter lambs weighing 72 pounds brought $266-$298, 59 head of slaughter lambs averaging 82 lbs brought $262-$287/cwt, 804 head of hair breed slaughter size lambs averaged 55 lbs brought $270-$302/cwt, 1,139 head of hair breed slaughter lambs weighing 64 pounds brought $268-$306/cwt, 95 head of feeder goats weighing 37lbs brought $446-$476/cwt, 473 head slaughter goats weighing 56 lbs brought $444-$468/cwt, 4 wethers weighing 130 pounds brought $$330-$365/cwt.   

https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_2014.pdf

Centennial Livestock Fort Collins Colorado sold 777 head of sheep and goats on Wednesday 4/14. That compared to 998 head the week prior and 322 head a year ago. Compared to last week: In sheep, feeder lambs traded 8.00 lower. Slaughter lambs traded unevenly steady on limited comparable trades. Slaughter ewes traded mostly steady while slaughter bucks were steady. In goats, slaughter kids traded sharply higher. Slaughter nannies were unevenly steady, while slaughter billies slaughter wethers traded steady. Trade activity was good and demand was good to very good. Highlighted quotes from Fort Collins; 11 head of feeder lambs weighing 46 pounds brought $285-$300/cwt, 26 head slaughter lambs weighing 86 lbs brought $280-$340/cwt, 30 head of hair breed lambs weighing 59 pounds brought $285-$295/cwt, 13 head of feeder kids weighing 37 lbs brought $100-$167.50/head, 26 head of slaughter goats weighing 64 lbs brought $220-$290/head, 10 head of slaughter goats weighing 85 pounds brought $255-$300/hd, 15 wethers weighing 108 pounds brought $330-$390/hd

https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_1899.pdf

Sioux Falls Regional Livestock in Worthing, South Dakota sold 3,169  head of sheep and goats on Wednesday 4/14. That compared to 614  head last week and 608 head last year. Traditional slaughter weight lambs 10.00 to 16.00 higher, lambs weighing 100-149 sold sharply higher this week. A few buyers speculate that this attractive sheep market will hold on for a few more weeks. Slaughter ewes Good 2-3 2.00 to 7.00 lower, Good 4-5 5.00 to 10.00 lower, Utility 1-2 15.00 to 20.00 lower, Cull 1 to few to make a meaningful comparison. Demand for this large offering of lambs and ewes was very good. Highlighted quotes from Sioux Falls; 184 head of feeder lambs weighing 44 pounds brought $265-$365/cwt, 433 head of feeder lambs weighing  56 pounds brought $260-$325, 335 head of slaughter lambs weighing 84 pounds brought $247-$270/cwt, 247 head of slaughter lambs weighing 154 pounds brought $185-$198/cwt, 39 head of slaughter goats weighing 62 pounds brought $430-$460/cwt, 29 wethers weighing 108 pounds brought $300/cwt. 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_2016.pdf

Kalona Iowa sale barn sold 1,986 head of sheep and goats on Wednesday 4/14. That compared to 1,356 head the prior week and 0 head a year ago. Compared to the previous Wednesday, slaughter lambs 50-90 lbs. 3.00-6.00 higher, 90-150 lbs. 10.00 higher on limited offerings, hair lambs 5.00-10.00 higher, slaughter ewes 8.00 lower, slaughter bucks steady. Slaughter kids 25.00-30.00 higher, slaughter nannies and billies firm. Trade active with very good demand for the large volume of offerings. Highlighted quotes from Kalona; 55 head of feeder lambs weighing 44 pounds brought $287.50-$315/cwt, 244 head of slaughter lambs weighing 64 lbs brought $293-$321/cwt, 202 slaughter lambs weighing 85 lbs brought $297.50-$322.50/cwt, 51 head of hair breed slaughter lambs weighing 66 lbs brought $302.50-$310/cwt, 16 head of hair breed slaughter lambs weighing 76 pounds brought $287.50-$305, 15 head of feeder goats weighing 44  pounds brought $200-$257.50/hd, 13 head slaughter goats weighing 63 pounds brought $275-$307.50/hd, 10 wethers weighing 85 pounds brought $215/hd.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_2153.pdf

Colby Livestock Colby Kasnas sold close to 1,047 head of sheep and goats on Thursday 4/15. That compared to 1,068 head the previous week. Talking with sale manager Leeland Wilson he called the lamb market $15/cwt higher and the goat market steady in all classes. He also noted there was a very attractive quality of sheep and goats offered in this week’s sale. Highlighted quotes from Colby; 12 head of crossbred lambs weighing 80 pounds brought $315/cwt, 49 head of dorper lambs weighing 62 pounds brought $305/cwt, 11 head of dorper cross lambs weighing 69 pounds brought $305/cwt, 17 head of boer kids weighing 40 pounds brought $470/cwt, 25 head of boer cross kids weighing 57 lbs brought $442.50/cwt, 32 head of boer cross kids weighing 70 lbs brought $427.50/cwt, 15 boer kids weighing 110 pounds brought $355/cwt.

https://www.colbylivestock.com/wp/livestock-prices/

Palmyra Sale barn sold 308 head of sheep and goats on Saturday 4/10. This is a monthly sale so no real comparison sale to sale, but prices seemed to be steady and competitive on slaughter lamb and goats with other regional sales. Cull prices on the low end may have been softer than other areas, but again were with regional sales on the upper end of the price ranges. Highlighted quotes from Palmyra; Feeder lambs 45-59 pounds brought $2.62-$2.85/lbs, fat lambs weighing 150+ pounds brought $2.25, Feeder hair lambs weighing 60-79 pounds brought $2.60/lb, fat hair breed lambs weighing 120-149 brought $1.55/lbs, feeder boer kids weighing 40-59 pounds brought $3.50-$4.60/lbs, fat boer kids weighing 91+ pounds brought $3.20/lbs.

This sale report is on Facebook only so cannot post a link to the sale report.

Clay Patton has the recap of the whole report here:

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