The most recent sale at Winnipeg Livestock Auction was set for the flood of more than 1,000 animals it received.
Slated for August 15 it fell just before the Eid holiday and buyers brought their lists to fill festival demand for this Muslim holiday celebrating sharing and giving.
The semi-trucks were waiting and ready for loading and one special lamb order was constructed to ship directly to Montreal.
In the sheep sale there was a readily available supply for all buyers and the appearance of the animals was what drew buyer attention. There appeared to be no price differences between wool and hair ewes. Even the sheared or the heavy-wooled ewes stayed within the average price range. Majority of the ewes had a price range of $0.77 to $0.98/lb. Another price range developed between $1.03 to $1.12/lb.
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The hair rams dominated the ram class likely due either to being lightweight or more available — the price range was $2.18 to $2.38/lb. The heavier rams reached a price range from $1.25 to $1.38/lb.
The heavyweight lambs were represented by two 130-pound Clun Forest-cross lambs. These lambs brought $421.80 ($1.86/lb.).
The bidding on the market lambs appeared to be quite variable with a wide range of prices. Grain-fed lambs showing good development did remain in the upper price range. The upper price ranged from $2.42 to $2.46/lb. Even three 103-pound ewe Clun Forest-cross lambs did not create the normal interest they possibly would have at another date. The bidding remained strong for wool and hair lambs.
Feeder lambs could not maintain the strong bidding as the market lambs at this sale. There appeared to be no price differences between wool and hair lambs. The price ranged from $2.17 to $2.34/lb.
The lightweight lambs clearly showed a lower bidding interest. The hair lambs dominated this 70-plus class. These lambs were viewed as a future investment. The 70-plus lambs had a price range from $1.91 to $2.15/lb. There was a small group of 78-pound lambs that brought $2.35/lb.
The 60-plus lambs had a slightly lower bidding average, ranging from $1.80 to $2.06/lb.
The 50-plus lambs showed that the wool lambs were preferred, maintaining price as well as the 60-plus lambs or better. The price ranged from $2.03 to $2.12/lb.
The 40-plus lambs were viewed as a long-term project or an immediate butchering purpose. A 40-pound Rideau-cross lamb entered the arena, expressing full lungs.
A large group of 39-pound Cheviot-cross lambs were of some interest for future purposes at $1.95/lb. The smaller groups could not reach this price bidding.
Turning to goats, the prices clearly reflected meat demand, with little interest in dairy does. This reflects the demand of the festival season.
Dairy goat bucks however, maintained within the price range of the meat goat bucks. There is interest and demand for the dairy bucks for future purposes.
One thing that was notable was how sellers met the market demand, offering a large supply of meat and dairy kids for all buyers. In contrast, most sales see only a handful of goat kids available.
The Ontario Stockyard Report indicated that the buyers could easily pick what was of interest. Thus, even the lightweight new-crop lambs were difficult to sell and saw lower bidding. The heavy lambs were of major demand and brought higher prices. Good goats produced high prices, while other goats could not maintain the prices.
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