BIG numbers of sheep and lambs went under the hammer at the Wagga market on Thursday.
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Wagga vendors sold 44,620 and quality slipped a little across all grades in comparison to some of the recent sales.
According to Meat and Livestock Australia’s National Livestock Reporting Service new-season lambs were generally well presented with 21,700 head offered and the majority were trade weights with a reduction in heavy lambs.
Limited amounts of rain throughout the region combined with a run of frosts was putting pressure on spring feed availability in the Riverina.
The old grades varied throughout and there were some quality heavy lambs penned, while store lambs continue to be well supplied.
All the buyers were operating and competition was reasonable resulting in a fully firm market.
Light new season lambs to the processors averaged $112.40 while store lambs held firm averaged from $97 to $112/head.
Medium and heavy trade weight new season lambs were fully firm and averaged from 610c to 630c/kg cwt.
Most of the better heavy trade weights sold from $140 to $155/head. Heavy weight new season lambs also sold at firm levels and averaged from 610 to 620c/kg cwt.
Several pens of extra heavy weights sold from $172 to $185/head.
Old trade lambs were a couple cheaper and averaged $143/head or 575c/kg cwt.
Heavy weight lambs were firm to a little dearer in places and averaged from 585c to 595c/kg cwt or $155 to $176/head.
Mutton numbers increased slightly and quality was good with some large lines of well presented sheep.
Medium Merino ewes averaged from $88 to $98/head or 410c to 415c/kg cwt.
Heavy first cross ewes were firm and averaged $118/head or 375c/kg cwt.
Heavy Merino wethers sold to $135 and averaged $119/head or 400c/kg cwt.
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