VENDORS sold 46,700 sheep and lambs at Wagga on Thursday.
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Meat and Livestock Australia market reporter, Leann Dax said quality across new season heavy export was fair to very good.
New-season trade lambs were well supplied and quality improved on the previous sale.
Heavy lambs were in reasonable numbers and a significant portion weighed between 26kg and 30kg carcass weight. Store lambs were well supplied presenting buyers a good selection of light to plainer trade weight young lambs.
Old extra heavy lamb was limited, and old trade lambs were in short supply. Not all major processors were in attendance and not all buyers operated to capacity. In the trade market some major domestic processors were quite selective, with competition fading at times across heavier trade weight categories.
New season trade lambs were unchanged to $6/head cheaper. Lambs 21kg to 24kg sold from $190 to $243/head to average 900c to 916c/kg cwt.
Heavy and extra heavy young lambs met weaker demand selling from $228 to $290/head to average 918c/kg cwt.
There was a mixed selection of young lambs suitable for restockers and feedlots. Lambs with weight and frame sold from $166 to $232/head.
Old trade lamb quality was limited and averaged 730c to 830c/kg cwt. Heavy export lambs were few averaging 892c/kg cwt. It was another mixed quality yarding of mutton that was offered to a small group of buyers. Heavy crossbred ewes sold to notably stronger competition, despite a small group of processors. Heavy ewe mutton averaged 603c to 639c/kg cwt.
Trade sheep were in reasonable supply and demand was significantly stronger with the 2 and 3 score sheep improving $14 to $19/head to average 621c to 643c/kg cwt. Restockers stepped into the market for younger Merino ewes, with prices ranging from $167 to $212/head. Merino wethers suitable for processors made from $128 to $210/head averaging 630c to 673cd/kg cwt.