The high prices weren’t just reserved for the extra-heavy lambs and all categories were buoyed by overall rural confidence. 

Vendors sold a total of 43,050 sheep and lambs at the sale – on Thursday – which came after more than 70mm of rain drenched the Riverina and southern NSW.

Meat and Livestock Australia market reporter, Leann Dax said there was certainly a step in activity on the extra-heavy export lambs. 

She attributed this to the wet weather and tighter supplies at competing selling centres. 

Trade lambs also benefited from keen bidding and major domestic processors shelled out good money for the shorter skinned supplementary fed lambs.

“Restockers were very selective when making purchases due to the perennial problem of lambs cutting their teeth,” she said.

HOW THEY SOLD

Generally trade lambs sold $9 to $14/head dearer, due to ramped up demand from major domestic processors.

Trade lambs generally made from 573c to 589c however, there were plenty of sales above 600c/kg cwt.

Merino trade lambs attracted premium prices regardless of skin length.

Southern export processors had the greatest influence over the lighter weight categories, with lambs to slaughter averaging around 557c/kg cwt.

Restockers stepped away from the market, with only a handful of pens returning to the paddock, sales ranged from $66 to $89/head.

Heavy and extra heavy lamb numbers were reasonable, supply and bidding was stronger from the commencement of the sale.

Heavy lambs sold from $146 to $163/head, to average 567c/kg cwt. Supply pressure built as the market progressed for the extra heavy pens, as buyers scrambled to fill loads. The better finished heavy pens sold at $170 to $209.20/head, to average 520c to 567c/kg cwt.

It was a mixed quality offering of mutton, with all weights and grades represented. Heavy crossbred ewes made from $96 to $140/head, to average 362c/kg cwt.

Demand strengthened for Merino ewes with two-inch skins and longer, which pushed prices $4 to $9/head higher. Trade sheep sold to spirited bidding selling at $71 to $116/head, to average from 357c to 402c/kg cwt.