As the somewhat dry autumn weather conditions remain, quality concerns are the hot topic of conversation for most domestic processors.
Buyers commented at most sales fresh well-finished trade lamb supplies, have tightened considerably.
In terms of weight, buyers advised most yards are lacking supplies of light and medium trade lambs, with many domestic processors lifting their weight specifications to maintain quality.
This was evident at Wagga Wagga, NSW, on Thursday.
There were plenty of plainer one and two score lambs under 18kg carcase weights.
The plainer conditioned lambs, which lacked breeding were absorbed mostly by meat buyers at $2-$7 cheaper.
The heavier well-bred secondary drafts (shorn) were snapped up by a strong level of restocker demand and lot feeder competition, which saw rates unchanged.
Lambs returning to the paddock reached a top of $137. Well-bred secondary lambs to feed-on fetched up to $151, a dearer trend of $2.
Trade lamb prices were bouncing around and to be fair, the best of the trades sold close to firm while plain drier types lacking the final finish dragged the market back $3-$6, with the bulk of the lambs averaging 593c/kg cwt.
Interestingly even with a major domestic buyer competing against export processors for 24-26kg lamb, prices retreated to be $7 cheaper making from $149-$174.
Extra heavy lambs lacked the quality and weight with fewer pens over 30kg cwt.
Owing to the Labour Day holiday in Victoria, NSW markets set the scene in opening markets producing mixed trends on the back of an increase of plainer stock.
The yarding of 5726 lambs at Corowa saw fewer finished trade and export lambs which helped underpin prices in some categories.
Medium weight trade lambs sold $5 lower to average 611c/kg cwt. In contrast Merino lambs were unchanged to $10 cheaper making from $125-$138 averaging 586c/kg cwt.
Lambs sold $3-$8 cheaper at Dubbo on Monday in a penning of 18,940 lambs.
Extra heavy export lambs 26kg plus made $160-$204 and 24-26kg sold at $153-$175.
There was a noticeable decline in the level of demand for heavy trade lambs with 22-24kg selling from $137-$150.
It would appear by Tuesday at Ballarat prices had stabilised with rates firm to a few dollars dearer for trade categories.
Processors dodged away from any biding duels when buying heavy lambs to average 597c/kg.
In the case of heavy trade lambs demand was solid making from $141 to $157 averaging 610c/kg.
Restockers and feeders were active with two South Australian orders pushing rates up by $2-$4.
Lambs returning to the paddock or to feed on returned $80-$133.
