Lamb numbers eased and the quality was better with more shorn lambs penned. Light weight unshorn lambs were in fewer numbers and restocking activity was not as feverish. Trade and heavy lambs were better supplied and there were only a few pens of extra heavy lambs offered. The return of a supermarket order and an extra southern buyer completed a full field of buyers. The market was dearer on the lambs.

Restocking lambs sold from $60 to $117/head. The medium and heavy trade weights were $4 to $5 dearer selling from $115 to $150/head, to average 610c to 630c for the better shaped lambs. Heavy lambs gained $4 selling between $134 and $165/head with extra heavy lambs reaching $188.20 to average 610c/kg. The best of the hoggets made to $135/head.

Mutton numbers declined and the quality was good with reasonable numbers of all weights and grades. Prices were $2 to $3 cheaper over the runs with medium weight ewes selling from $74 to $116/head, the latter for Merinos with long wools. Heavy crossbred ewes reached $131.20/head with most averaging between 380c and 410c/kg cwt.

Market Report: MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service – CLICK HERE for full MLA report.

CLICK HERE to download the SELX Market Report – Prime Sheep & Lamb sale – 25 January 2017.

Photo: Landmark Goulburn/Crookwell topped the XB Lambs sale on behalf of Craig Heffernan, Biala selling to a top of $188.2ph.