This week, buyers increased demand for all well-finished stock, with Merino lambs keenly sought after at all saleyards.
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At Corowa, NSW, Merino lambs were a highlight of the sale, jumping $20 a head as domestic buyers sought well-finished types to top up their loads.
Grain-assisted Merino lambs averaged 755 cents a kilogram carcase weight to the trade, with top prices reaching $202 for 26kg.
Another standout of the market was hoggets, with heavy crossbreds jumping $26 and making between $145-$162.
The mutton sale didn't disappoint vendors with rates lifting $10.
Merinos sold from $115-$143, with big crossbred ewes topping at $140.
The yarding averaged 320-390c/kg.
At Bendigo, agents mustered only 9510 lambs, resulting in a very-wintery-looking yarding with many smaller, clean-up lots.
This scarcity forced buyers to chase the market for the limited pool with weight and finish, leading to an uptick of $20.
The overall results ranged from 750-820c/kg.
A footnote from Meat & Livestock Australia's National Livestock Reporting Service mentioned that many pen lots had fewer than 30 head.
Heavy export lambs weighed more than 30kg and made up the larger pens, with prices surging $20, recording a top price of $274 to average 750c/kg.
The mutton sale followed the trend of the lamb market by favouring sheep with weight and reasonable fat cover.
Heavy mutton gained $20 in a sale that built momentum as it progressed.
Big ewes sold from $110-$139.
The lamb market at Forbes, NSW, took a big step forward as processors were forced to bid strongly for the limited supplies of properly-finished lambs.
Prices for runs of trade lambs were quoted as being $10-$20 dearer, while big export types gained $10, reaching $281 and averaging 771c/kg.
However, the market remained subdued for plainer times, lacking fat cover and only a few processors were willing to absorb the secondary lambs.
Trade lambs averaged 779c/kg.
Meanwhile, the mutton sale held its form, with heavy ewes recording a top price of $156, and medium weights ranging from $58-$112 to average 320-380c/kg.
Prices at Ballarat were stronger in a similar yarding of 19,210.
Price premiums were given for better-quality, grain-assisted stock, reflecting the reduced supplies of finished stock, with plainer, wintery types overlooked by major domestic buyers.
Trade lambs weighing between 22-26kg sold for between $170-$215, averaging 783c/kg.
Heavy lambs ranged in price from $194-$280, averaging 750c/kg.
