Lamb Prices
Drop Again;
5-Year Low

Dressed lamb prices fell $10 last week and are now at the lowest level since August 1993. Fat lambs also lost ground in the Midwest markets. Feeder lambs were lower across the country. Slaughter ewes were mostly steady in Texas, higher in the Midwest. Ewe exports to Mexico last week totaled 6154 head.

Dressed lamb weighing under 55 pounds on the East Coast brought $137.50, 55-65 pounds $135.50, 65-75 pounds $124.50, 75-85 pounds $114.50 and over 85 pounds $95. Wednesday the lamb carcass cutout value was off $6.30 on 65 pounds and down at $150.64 and off $5.73 on 65 pounds and up at $144.66.

Lamb and mutton inspected for U.S. import last week was about 2.4 million pounds, the equivalent of 48 percent of domestic production.

One thing the large volume of lamb meat imports and the low price of the product may be trying to tell the producer is that demand for lamb is half again more than domestic production is satisfying. If current prices are satisfactory, U.S. producers can increase their output by 50 percent and theoretically see the same price levels. That being the case, there needs to be a concerted effort to produce a product that the consumer, as well as the breaker, wants, and that does not include heavy carcasses.

In regard to heavy carcasses selling at $95, why don’t we see some of those lamb burgers we heard so much about a few years ago, and what is the producer-owned packing plant doing to help solve this enigma?

Meanwhile, back at the market, San Angelo feeder lambs weighing 30-40 pounds brought $86-91, 40-60 pounds $80-85, 60-95 pounds $72-78. Fredericksburg feeders weighing 55-80 pounds made $75-80, over 80 pounds $72-77. Goldthwaite lambs of 40-60 pounds were $84.50-97, 60-70 pounds $76.50-88, and 80-95 pounds $74-83. Junction sold 55-85 pound lambs at $76-82.50. Midwest markets quoted 60-80 pound feeders $75-80.

Feeder lambs moving direct in West Texas brought $65-75 on 65-75 pounds. California lambs weighing 100-110 pounds made $65, a few to $66. Arizona saw $65-70 on 90-100 pound feeders.

Slaughter lambs in San Angelo weighing 100-120 pounds brought $60-66, newcrops of 90-115 pounds $70-75, a few 125 pounds $58. Goldthwaite reported $58-59 on 130-145 pound fats. Midwest markets moved fats at $55-64, newcrops $58-66.

Fat lambs moving direct from Texas feedlots to packers brought $65-68 with 30-40 cent slides over 130 pounds. Colorado fats weighing 130-165 pounds brought $63.50-65.50 with a 50 cent slide over 140 pounds. Formula lambs averaged 156 pounds at $61.77 compared to 146 pounds and $94.87 a year ago. South Dakota fat lambs made $60-64 on 150-155 pounds, and 180-pound Wyoming lambs earned $45. Arizona lambs at 130-140 pounds were $62, newcrops at 115-120 pounds $65. California newcrop fats of 110-120 pounds brought $65, a few $67-70. Midwest fat lambs moved at $62 on 130 pounds, $57 on 150 pounds; 125-pound newcrops made $64.

Fleshy slaughter ewes in San Angelo brought $34-54, fats stopping at $44. Midwest ewes were $28-37.25.

San Angelo had ewe lambs going back to the country at $70-83 per cwt., ewes with lambs $32-43 each.