Young unshorn crossbred lambs accounted for the bulk of numbers, with quality from good to very good, although there was very few heavy weights over 26kg carcase weight available.
A full field of domestic buyers operated alongside restocking orders from northern Victoria and local Riverina areas.
Prices for the best heavy young lambs were $3 to $5 easier, with rates slipping by up to $10/head on some of the plainer and lighter domestic types.
Old lambs were cheaper on very mixed quality, bidding once again favouring the better presented heavier types.
Young lambs were the feature and the lead runs of trade weights consistently sold from $220 to $260, with just a couple of pens selling higher to a top of $275/head.
These lambs were estimated as costing processors from 920c to 980c for a ballpark average of 950c/kg carcase weight.
Bidding was more selective on the plainer trade weights under 22kg carcase weight, with most sales to processors from $185 to $215/head.
Restockers stepped into some better-framed store lambs at $170 to $185, with smaller types at $142 to $155/head.
A small penlot of extra heavy export lambs topped the old lamb run at $296/head.
Price results for old lambs were mixed, reflecting quality, weight and skin presentation.
The sheep sale included some big lines of Merino ewes off shears, plus two good drafts of crossbreds.
Condition was generally good and the bulk of sheep were heavier types.
Heavy mutton was dearer than a fortnight ago, while plainer sheep were cheaper, mirroring the trend that has been evident at recent markets.
The heaviest Merino ewes sold from $208 to $249, and big crossbred ewes sold from $217 to $238/head.
The general run of sheep were $130 to $180/head.
An estimated range of 620c to 680c/kg carcase weight was recorded for the majority of sales.
Top sales:
New season lambs – IR Landale, $275; N & D Bradford, $275; H Wills, $268.60.
Old lambs – N & D Bradford, $296; Cassar & Edwards, $278; Sutton Nominees, $267.
Hoggetts – T Holschier, $260; G Leetham, $230; P & D O’Connor, $225; Indara Holdings, $200.
Sheep – J & J Andrews, $249.60; L, D, S, M Farrant, $240; Pisasale Farms Pty Ltd, $238.
Rams – D Goudie, $228; Paraway Pastoral, $200; Yarabah Werra, $190.
~ Details provided by Meat and Livestock Australia and Elders Rural Services Deniliquin, on behalf of the Deniliquin Associated Agents.
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