Vendors sold a total of 33,000 sheep and lambs and numbers were marginally higher.

About 2000 new season lambs were penned along with a few extra pens of younger shorn lambs which were supplementary fed.

Theses drafts offered buyers weight and yield which helped lift prices a few dollars higher for the better finished drafts.

There was a slight drop in weight across the extra heavy lamb category with fewer lambs weighing above 26kg cwt. The usual contingent of domestic and export buyers were competing in a solid market.

Secondary lambs suitable to restock or feed on were in short supply, with only limited restocker activity and no lot feeder competition. There was several producers looking to rebuild ewe flocks and buyers paid $125.60 to $137/head.

Bidding was strongest for well finished trade and new season lambs, with prices unchanged to a few dollars cheaper in places.

Medium and heavy new season trade lambs made from $132 to $151/head to average 610c/kg cwt.

Medium and heavy old trade lambs were well supplied to average 600c/kg cwt. The better finished heavy trade lambs ranged from $144 to $168/head.

There were several drafts of exceptional Merino lambs offered which ignited bidding from both export and domestic processors. Well finished Merino trade lambs made from $121 to $154 with a pen of extra heavy Merino lambs topping at $168.20/head. Light lambs to the processor fell $6 to $7, making from $72 to $114/head.

Heavy export lambs were in shorter supply which aided the slightly dearer trend. Heavy and extra heavy lambs sold from $154 to $197/head to average 585c/kg cwt.

Mutton numbers increased and quality was mixed to quite good, with plenty of weight across the offering. Ewe mutton suitable for the trade was in reasonable supply and made from $72 to $104/head or 380c to 426c/kg cwt.

Heavy sheep were well supplied and demand was solid. Heavy mutton sold from $113 to $139.20, averaging from 390c to 420c/kg cwt.