Numbers lifted in a good quality yarding last week to 50,000, up 3000 from the week before, according to Meat and Livestock Australia.
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This included 35,000 lambs and 15,000 sheep.
Ongoing dry spring conditions have forced some producers to offload lighter weight and immature lambs this week.
There was a noticeable change in skin quality with many showing dryness.
Old lamb numbers were similar and quality across trade and heavy categories was fair.
Store buyers were very active, with plenty of orders in place.
Buyers came from Ballarat, Birchip, Yarrawonga and Forbes along with some local interest at the tail end.
New season lambs were in greater numbers and quality was excellent throughout all trade weight categories.
New season trade lambs sold unchanged to a few dollars dearer, selling from $125 to $163/head, to average 606c/kg cwt.
Heavy young lambs were in reasonable supply selling from $156 to $174/head.
The extra heavy portion tracked firm to a few dollars dearer making from $162 to $200.40/head.
Light weight new season lambs to the processors sold to weaker demand making from $80 to $119/head.
There were plenty of lambs this week to suit restockers and prices for lighter weights ranged from $80 to $112, while lambs with frame and weight sold from $112 to $140/head.
The mixed quality supply of old lambs attracted strong competition.
The bulk of the old trade lambs averaged 574c, while the heavy portion averaged 572c/kg cwt.
Merino trade lambs were limited, making from $105 to $151.20/head.
It was a very good quality offering of mutton.
A large percentage of the offering was sheep recently shorn.
Not all buyers were operating fully or in attendance.
Heavy cross bred ewes sold to a top price of $110/head, to average 259c/kg cwt.
Trade sheep were in shorter supply however prices eased by $8 to $14/head, to average 350c/kg cwt.
Light sheep made from $58 to $75/head, averaging 328c/kg cwt.