By Rob Pearce, market reporter at Meat and Livestock Australia

Numbers lifted and quality improved with an increase in weight throughout. The heavy weights along with the better trades were well presented.

There were mainly trade and heavy weights penned while store lambs were in reduced numbers. Not all buyers were present but competition was stronger with the market experiencing a dearer trend.

Light lambs to the processors averaged around $130 while store lambs averaged around $135/head. Medium and heavy trade weight lambs were $1 to $5/head dearer and averaged 740c to 790c/kg cwt. The heavy trade 23 to 24kg sold from $170 to $202/head. Heavy weight lambs were dearer by $2 to $6/head and averaged 760c to 800c/kg cwt.

Heavy weight lambs sold from $198 to $210 while extra heavies sold from $212 to a top of $250/head. Mutton numbers were similar and quality improved as did prices. Heavy first cross ewes were $7 to $28/head dearer and averaged 380c to 430c/kg cwt and sold from $115 to $178.50/head.