VENDORS sold 18,000 sheep and lambs at the Wagga market on Thursday.
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Meat and Livestock Australia market reporter Leann Dax said vendors reacted to the volatility of recent markets and held stock back.
Well finished trade and heavy lambs were in reasonable supply.
And most were grain assisted.
All buyers favoured shorn types and bidded strongly for shorter skinned lambs weighing 22kg carcass weight and above.
Not all the usual buying group attended, and competition lifted notably as some companies scrambled for supplies.
The improved quality of domestic lambs pushed prices up to $30/head higher.
Lambs 21 to 24kg sold from $190 to $240/head to average 937c/kg cwt.
Extra-heavy shorn young lambs over 30kg carcass weight gained $4 making from $260 to $300/head to average 845c/kg cwt.
Lambs 26 to 30kg ignited the bidding lifting $23, selling from $$230 to $272/head.
There was a mixed selection of young lambs suitable for restockers.
Store lambs returning to the paddock with some weight and frame sold from $123 to $174/head.
It was a mixed quality yarding of mutton that was offered to a small group of buyers.
Heavy ewe mutton gained $15 to $22/head and averaged 653c/kg cwt.
Trade sheep were in reasonable supply and buying competition ramped up from a northern processor. Prices averaged 611c to 635c/kg cwt