Only limited numbers of heavy and trade lambs were available and buyer competition intensified to create a dearer market.
Prices were up to $20/head better than a fortnight ago to match recent stronger rates.
There was still some variance in the market, however, with buyers not pushing as hard on mixed pen lots or lambs in long seedy skins.
Heavy export lambs sold to $274/head, but there was only four head in the pen affecting the carcase rate.
The main runs of heavy crossbred lambs, 26kg to 30kg carcase weight, sold from $220 to $255/head to record averages of 820c to 845c/kg carcase weight.
The neater trade lambs were costing similar cents/kg money at $188 to $215/head.
Plainer trade lambs, or mixed lots of a few head, varied from $171 to $185/head.
Finished trade Merino lambs were dearer at up to $208/head.
The lighter weighted lambs were mostly Merino, and sold from $130 to $168/head.
Buyers also competed keenly for the small offering of ewes and rams and prices remained at the elevated levels of a fortnight ago.
Top sales:
Lambs - T Jones, $272; Holmwood Pastoral, $255.20; D & N Mills, $229.60.
Hoggets - G & S Pearn, $230; Doherty Farms, $220; J Sidley, $212.
Sheep - D & L Comb, $235; S & L Fawns, $234; A Evans, $230.
Rams - East Lodden, $250; J Sidley, $246; M & S Hughes, $231.20.
~ Contributed by Meat Livestock Australia market reporter Jenny Kelly and Elders Deniliquin, on behalf of the Deniliquin Associated Agents.
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