Yarding: 51,400
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Numbers surged in a typical mixed quality winter yarding. There were increased supplies of dry longer-wool lambs which were discounted heavily across all weight categories.
Old trade lambs were well supplied, along with an excellent section of approximately 5,000 new season lambs penned.
Extra heavy lambs were in reasonable supply, though not all export buyers operated fully which resulted in a much cheaper trend.
The regular turnout of domestic and export buyers were in attendance, however there was no restocker or lot feeder competition other than for young store ewe lambs weighing 21-24kg which attracted keen competition from several stock agents.
Increased supplies of old trade lambs led to weaker demand with prices falling $10 to $13/head. Well finished second cross lambs which were shorter in the skin and grain fed sold to stronger demand from major domestic processors to average 540c/kgm cwt.
New season trade lamb numbers increased, however prices were unable to maintain last week’s values and were $8 to $10/head lower.
Medium and heavy new season lambs made from $120 to $141.20/head to average 565c/kg cwt. Light weight 1 and 2 score lambs suitable for the processors were plainer in quality due to the colder conditions and ranged from $60 to $96/head. The better finished Merino lambs suitable for the trade sold to a smaller group of buyers, which resulted in a cheaper trend of $9 to $17, and the medium and heavy weight trade pens made from 494 to $124/head.
There was a mixed selection of supplementary fed heavy and extra heavy weights offered to a smaller turnout of buyers, which affected prices across all weight categories. Lambs from 24kg to 26kg sold $15/head cheaper and averaged 523c/kg cwt, with very few export and domestic buyers operating in this weight range. Well finished extra heavy lambs sold to limited competition and prices were up to $22 cheaper and ranged from $135 to $178/head to average 515c/kg cwt.
Mutton numbers increased moderately in a very mixed quality yarding, with all weights and grades represented. Greater numbers of ewes and wethers were shorn and were generally $8 to $12/head cheaper to average 350c/kg cwt.
Merino wethers were in reasonable supply, however lacked the weight of the previous sales. Medium and heavy wethers sold to steady competition from southern and northern processors, with prices firm to $6/head dearer. Medium and heavy grades ranged from $82 to $110/head, averaging 388c/kg cwt. Cross bred ewes eased $5 to $7/head and averaged 323c/kg cwt.