According to Meat and Livestock Australia's National Livestock Reporting Service lamb numbers lifted and the quality was mixed. Only a 250 new season lambs were penned and included a few light store lambs.

Old lambs were also mixed in finish and trade and heavy weights were best supplied. Merino lambs improved in number and most were light to heavy trade lambs. Not all the usual buyers attended the cheaper market.

The few new season trade lambs sold from $146 to $168/head.

The light store lambs made from $133 to $136/head. Old lambs had declines of $25 to $30/head across the majority of the lambs.

Medium and heavy trade weights ranged from $145 to $158/head averaging around 700c/kg cwt. Heavy old lambs made from $132 to $158 or 640c on average and extra heavy lambs sold from $151 to $199/head or 530c to 570c/kg cwt. Merino lambs sold from $114 to $126/head for the light 2 score lambs to 16kg. Trade weights sold from $126 to a top of $166/head.

Mutton numbers lifted and quality was very mixed but really light sheep in 1 score condition were very limited. The market sold $15 to $20/head cheaper.

Medium weight ewes sold from $110 to $138/head. Heavy crossbred ewes made from $135 to $158 and heavy Merino ewes with a full jacket reached $180/head. Carcase prices averaged 540c to 560c/kg cwt.

RELATED READING: