There was another flush of numbers at the Deniliquin Saleyards on Tuesday, as spring rainfall remained elusive across the area.
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Among the total yarding of 10,729 head were 5650 new season lambs, ranging from very good trade and heavy crossbreds down to some lines of very light and immature Merinos.
All the main buyers were again represented, including supermarket competition on the young lambs.
Price trends were firm to a few dollars stronger on the lead pens of new season lambs which still displayed the most freshness and consistent finish.
Plainer young lambs weighing under 20kg carcass weight (cwt) displayed a cheaper trend of $5 to $15/head, with store buyers backing off from the high rates seen earlier in the spring.
The old lambs sold according to quality and presentation. The neatest pens were firm to dearer.
A small penlot of extra heavy old lambs topped the sale at $400/head, while new season sold to $368/head.
Sheep numbers fell this fortnight due to elusive spring rain. Photo by Susan Champness.
A few pens of heavy young lambs above 26kg cwt sold from $332 to a top of $360/head, with most buyers advising a skin value of $4 to $5 per pelt.
The heavy trade lambs made from $274 to $323/head, followed by the main run of 22-24kg cwt crossbred lambs at $244 to $287/head.
On a carcass basis there was a spread of 1050c to 1180c/kg over the majority of young lambs, with the top end consistently selling above 1120c/kg and going over $12kg cwt at times.
Support for lighter lambs was more selective, and there was a pull back on restocking lambs.
The main run of 16-18kg cwt crossbreds to the paddock sold from $160 to $196/head.
Lightweight Merino lambs to restockers sold from $80 to $148/head.
Any handy old season lambs in tidy skins still received solid support to remain in an estimated range of 1000c to 1200c/kg cwt.
Heavier types made from $275 to $360, with just the one small lot of extra heavy lambs to $400/head.
Mutton continued to be in strong demand from processers, and prices were dearer to track either side of 800c/kg cwt on the feature lines of Merinos - noting Deniliquin is a fortnightly sale, so the price comparisons date back to late September.
A few pens of heavy crossbred and meat ewes made from $260 to a top of $300/head.
Lead Merino ewes with good fat cover sold from $250 to $270/head, the majority of ewes from $180 to $240/head.
The plainest sheep were down at $90 to $160/head in small numbers.
Top sales:
Old lambs - TM & J Caldwell, $400; Stan Wood, $376; EA & JW McDonald, $369.
Suckers - Walker Shearing, $360.
Sheep - TM & J Caldwell, $300; EA & JW McDonald, $399; G & B Murphy, $299.
~ Details provided by Meat & Livestock Australia market reporter Jenny Kelly and Deniliquin Saleyards manager Greg White, on behalf of the Deniliquin Associated Agents.
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