Sheep -Lamb
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Sheep -Lamb
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Prepared and written by Jeff Swenson, DATCP Livestock and Meat Specialist. The Market Update draws information from several sources, including trade publications, radio broadcasts, agricultural news services, individuals involved in the industry as well as USDA NASS and AMS reports.
Lamb
Cash lamb prices pushed higher last week. Retail lamb prices are above both the five-year average and this time last year. This has been a sustained counter-seasonal move. The lamb cutout value was $480.81 last Friday, compared to $477.39 the previous week. The weekly sheep and lamb harvest estimate of 34,000 was 1,000 fewer than both the previous week and the same week last year. Lamb and mutton production is 1.8% higher than 2024 year-to-date. The average live weight of lambs at harvest is continuing to decline, however. Last week’s average was 113 pounds compared to 121 a year ago. New crop lambs were higher from $200-$240/cwt.
