According to Meat and Livestock Australia's National Livestock Reporting Service lamb numbers lifted and the quality remains good with mostly new season lambs penned but there was an increase in lambs that were drying off.

Trade and heavy weights were well supplied and there was a good run of store lambs. Merino numbers were similar and most were lighter weights. The market sold to a dearer trend for the store lambs and firm on the trade and heavy lambs.

New season lambs to restockers and feeder made from $101 to $167/head. Trade lambs 18-22kg were firm selling from $136 to $178/head.

Lambs 22-24kg sold to similar rates from $160 to $196/head. Heavy lambs sold from $169 to $196 and extra heavy weights made from $191 to $235/head.

Most averaged 720c to 750c/kg cwt. Merino trade lambs sold from $148 to heavy weights $181/head. Old heavy lambs reached $196 and hoggets reached $192/head.

Mutton numbers improved and the quality was fair to good. Prices were $4 to $6/head dearer and there was not the weight in the heavy sheep as the previous week.

Medium weight ewes sold from $115 to $155/head. Heavy crossbred ewes sold from $154 to $187/head. Heavy Merino ewes reached $182/head.

A flock dispersal of Australian White ewes sold from $160 to ewe lambs that reached $214/head to restockers.