According to Meat and Livestock Australia's National Livestock Reporting Service quality was excellent over trade and heavy lamb categories.

Most old lambs were supplementary assisted or finished on grass and lucerne.

Heavy and extra heavy lambs numbers dipped noticeably.

Restockers found it difficult to operate with most young lambs weighing more than 21kg carcase weight.

A full field of buyers were in attendance and all were operating to capacity.

Victorian processors dominated the market with a large percentage of lambs weighing from 22 to 24kg to be destined for Victorian abattoirs.

New season trade lamb quality was outstanding despite showing a lack in wool cleanliness. Competition was at times very strong.

New-season lambs 22 to 24kg gained $12/head and in some sales more to average 714c/kg cwt.

Merino trade lambs sold to stronger price trends.

The bulk of the trade lambs average $159/head. A full field of buyers were at the rail along with some strong major domestic processor competition from Victoria.

Heavy and extra heavy lamb new season lamb prices lifted considerably, driven by a shortage of supply in Victoria. Lambs 26 to 30kg sold from $188 to $212/head.

Lambs weighing in excess of 30kg cwt were keenly sought selling from $205 to $220/head with prices unchanged. Heavy old lambs recorded a top price of $238.20/head.

Heavy merino lambs ignited the bidding selling from $168 to $201/head. It was an outstanding yarding of mutton with only heavy sheep available.

Heavy ewes sold to strong demand improving from $16 to $22/head to average 544c/kg cwt.

Heavy wethers were in reasonable numbers making from $178 to $183.20/head to average 540c to 573c/kg cwt.

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