According to AHDB Beef and Lamb, there will be 1.7 million fewer lambs on farms in New Zealand in the 2015/16 season than last year

The lamb crop reported was seven per cent smaller than the previous year at 23.9 million head. The overall number of ewes put to the ram was down five per cent on the previous season following a drought as well as a continuing trend of producers switching to cattle due to higher global beef prices and farm-gate returns.

Those factors have led to the smallest lamb crop recorded in New Zealand in over 60 years, and it is forecast that there will be an eight per cent fall in lambs slaughtered for export in the 2015/16 season at 19.5 million head.

Market round-up

C&D Auction Marts Ltd had 5129 prime lambs forward in Longtown on Thursday when export lambs sold well but light lambs were harder to cash. Top prices on the day were £93 per head and 220p per kg with the overall average levelling at 155p (-11p on the week).

A smaller show of 4137 cast sheep were easier on the week with Mule ewes showing the biggest decrease. Heavy ewes sold to £140 for a Texel and average £66.73 (-£4.63), while light ewes peaked at £71 for Lleyns and levelled at £44.44 (-£2.67). Rams sold to £115 for a Texel and averaged £72.08.