Lamb Meat
Drops For
Fifth Week

Carlot dressed lamb prices fell again last week for the fifth week in a row. Lightweights held steady while 55 pounds and up were $3-5 lower. Fat and feeder lambs were mostly steady, though some areas were softer.

Slaughter ewes were lower in Texas and steady in the Midwest. A total of 8507 slaughter ewes crossed into Mexico last week.

Carlot lamb on the East Coast had 55 pounds and down at $165.50-166, 55-65 pounds $167.50-168, 65-85 pounds $167.50-170 and 85 pounds and up $166.50-167. Those prices are off $19-23 from the highs of six weeks ago.

Cutout values were off $5.50 and $4.95 with 65 pounds and down $201.45 and 65 pounds and up $204.75. Those prices are off $12-14 for the last six weeks.

During that time period, live lambs, both fats and feeders, moved down $5-6.

Sheep and lamb slaughter the last couple of months has been fairly consistent at about 2000 head per week above a year ago. For the first nine months of the year federally inspected sheep and lamb slaughter was down 4.5 percent at 2,626,000 head. That equates to around 3.66 million for the year, down around five percent, and the ninth consecutive yearly decline.

San Angelo feeder lambs weighing 40-60 pounds brought $74-78, 60-70 pounds $73-77, 70-80 pounds $72.50-75.50, a few $78, 80-90 pounds $70-74.50, a few $77, and 90-105 pounds $68-71. Junction feeder lambs were $72-76. Midwest markets had 60-80 pound feeders $68-79.50 and 80-100 pounds $65-70.75. Billings lambs weighing 60-70 pounds were $72.25-76.50, 70-80 pounds $73-79, 80-90 pounds $71.25-75, 90-100 pounds $67.50-73, and 100-115 pounds $64.75-67.75.

Feeder lambs moving direct in West Texas brought $72-75 on 65-75 pounds and $69-70 on 90-95 pounds. Colorado feeders of 90-95 pounds made $72, 110-115 pound mixed fat and feeders $71-75. South Dakota had 105-110 pound feeders $68.50, a few down to $63. Wyoming lambs weighing 70-80 pounds were $78.50-80.25, 80-95 pounds $77-79 and 95-100 pounds $72-75. Montana lambs brought $76-80 on 70-80 pounds, 85-90 pounds $73-76, 95 pounds $69.50 and 100-105 pounds $63. New Mexico lambs weighing 70-75 pounds made $77.25. Utah had 90-105 pounds $73-75.50, Washington 94 pound lambs $70. Oregon lambs made $63-68.50 on 105-110 pounds.

Slaughter lambs in San Angelo brought $72-78. Midwest markets moved shorn fats at $69.50-72 and wooled $66-71. Billings had fats $64-65.25.

Fat lambs moved direct from Texas feedlots to packers at $71-74, wooled $67-71. Colorado fats moved at $80.50, contract lambs $75-80.25. South Dakota lambs of 130-135 pounds made $71-73. Oregon had 110-120 pound lambs $76, Washington $71-74, and 130 pound California lambs turned at $77. Midwest fats moved direct at $69-70 on shorn and $67-68 on fats.

Idaho sold yearling ewes at $127 per head. Wyoming ewe lambs scaling 75-80 pounds made $81-88.50 cwt., and Utah had 85 pound ewe lambs at $84.

Slaughter ewes in Texas moved from $30 to $44.50, a few to $47.50. Midwest markets had ewes $22-32.25.