Easter Demand
Pushes Feeder
Buyers To Side

The demand for lightweight lamb carcasses for the Easter trade blew feeder buyers out of the market this week. Some lightweight lamb prices jumped well over $20, and even the best weight lambs, those near 80 pounds, were being pulled in by killers. Newcrop lambs weighing 40-50 pounds on several Texas markets moved at anywhere from $100 to $130.

The number of oldcrop lambs is dwindling and the price differential between oldcrop and newcrop lambs is generally running $10-15.

Feedlot slaughter lamb prices were little changed on the regular weights while carcass prices held steady again. Carcasses have now been at the same prices for 10 weeks.

Carcass cutout values jumped about $2.50 as legs moved higher for the Easter market. Weights 65 pounds and down were $184.83, heavies $185.36.

Import lamb also got in on the Easter demand with 1662 metric tons inspected last week. That is 3.66 million pounds and the equivalent of 55.5 percent of domestic production. By our calculations, 12,871 metric tons of lamb and mutton have been imported this year, which is above the 12,051 MT trigger level for imposing additional duties. Those added duties are safeguard measures under the Uruguay Round trade agreement.

Newcrop feeder lambs weighing 40-60 pounds in San Angelo brought $104-129, mostly for slaughter, 60-80 pounds $85-90, a few $101, 80-90 pounds $83-87.50 and 90-100 pounds $78-84, oldcrops 65-80 pounds $73-80, 80-90 pounds $71-78 and 900-100 pounds $69-70. Fredericksburg lambs at 40-50 pounds brought $100-130, 50-70 pounds $95-110 and 70-90 pounds $80-85. Goldthwaite sold 40-45 pound lambs at $100-117, 50-70 pounds $86-98, and 85-100 pound oldcrops $69.50-77.50. Junction feeders of 45-95 pounds made $89-94, a few to $109. Midwest lambs in the 60-80 pound range brought $93.25-101, 80-100 pound oldcrops $65-70.

Feeder lambs moving direct in West Texas and weighing 50-60 pounds made $90-100, 90-100 pounds $76-79. Recent sales in Oregon had 90-110 pound lambs at $61-65.

Slaughter lambs in San Angelo weighing 90-130 pounds made $65-71, 130-150 pounds $62-65, 40-50 pound newcrops $114-125, 50-70 pounds $90-102.50, 70-100 pounds $81.50-94, and 100-120 pounds $75-79. Goldthwaite quoted 115-155 pound fats at $59.50-71, and Midwest markets had shorn fats at $60-64.80, wooled $56-64.50.

Fat lambs moving direct from Texas feedlots to packers brought $68-71 on 120-140 pounds, Colorado fats $63.50-70. South Dakota had fats of 135-160 pounds at $65, Oregon lambs weighing 114-135 pounds were $65-67, and 120-pound Utah lambs made $65. Midwest lambs moved direct at $60-63.50.

Fleshy slaughter ewes in San Angelo brought $35-53.50, fats stopping at $44.50. Midwest markets had ewes $25-33.50, and Billings ewes made $27-36.

Wyoming ewe lambs at 110 pounds went back to the country for $85 per head.