Fat, Feeder
Lamb Prices
Mostly Steady

Both fat and feeder lamb prices showed some starch this week, holding steady in most areas and trending higher in a few. Sioux Falls was an exception, selling fats $1-3 lower Wednesday, but muddy pelts were a factor there.

Slaughter ewes also kept an even keel in most places, though San Angelo saw some weakness. Texas shipped 3352 head to Mexico last week and about 1900 head through midweek this week, bringing the year to date figure to 214,000 head. That is about 10,000 more than at this time last year.

Carcass lamb prices were $3 lower on all weight ranges and categories. Weights under 55 pounds brought $160.50-161, 55-65 pounds $168.50-169, and 65-85 pounds $173.50-174.

Boxed lamb cuts traded uneven to steady with loins mostly weak to occassionally lower. Movement was slow to moderate on light to moderate offerings and demand.

Spot trading on the domestic pelt market remains virtually inactive, helping hold down live lamb prices. The Russian and Pacific Rim economies, in turn, continue to have a negative effect on the pelt market.

San Angelo feeder lambs weighing 40-60 pounds earned $70-73, 60-70 pounds $69-72, one set of 61 pounders $77, 70-90 pounds $68-71, and 90-100 pounds $64.68.50. Goldthwaite lambs of 50-85 pounds were $65-75.

Midwest markets sold 60-80 pound feeder lambs for $66-70 and 80-100 pounds $63-66. In Billings, lambs weighing 50-60 pounds sold for $71.25, 60-70 pounds $71-71.75, 70-80 pounds $69-72.75, and 80-90 pounds $66.75-72.50. Colorado auction trade saw 68-78 pound lambs bringing $65-69, 80-90 pounds $64-69, and heavier feeders $61.50-67.50, mostly $63-66.50. A few sales at Sioux Falls brought $67-74 on 80-88 pounders and $62 on a handful weighing 101 pounds; Faith, South Dakota sold 60-74 pound weights at mostly $75-79.50 and 80-94 pounders at $63-70.50. Virginia lambs weighing 60-85 pounds sold for $65-68.

Recent sales of feeder lambs in Wyoming for immediate to fall delivery found 80 pound lambs bringing $70, late sales $66-70; 80-90 pounders were $64-68.50. Seventy pound lambs in western South Dakota made $70, and in western North Dakota 89 pounders were $65.

San Angelo had a few fat lambs, shorn and wooled, weighing 100-120 pounds at $67-72, and in Goldthwaite 85-135 pound fats sold for $52-65. In the Midwest 100-110 pounds earned $63-68, 110-120 pounds $64-72, and 120-160 pounds $66-75. Pennsylvania fats scaling 90-100 pounds brought $78-85, 100-120 pounds $72-78, and 120-140 pounds $62-66.

Colorado auctions paid $75-75.25 on choice 1-3 wooled fats weighing 134-154, a few lots of mixed fats and feeders weighing 120-130 pounds $62.50-67.50. Sioux Falls reported $68-74 prices on 130-150 pounds, bulk $69-73.60, 118-125 pounds $64-67, and 111-116 pounds $62.25-63. Sioux City quoted 125-160 pound lambs $72.50-75, and 105-120 pounds $68-72.

Fleshy slaughter ewes in San Angelo brought $25-35, fleshy ewes on Midwest markets $22-30, and in Billings $23-27.