For many livestock producers, this year's winter is going along nicely, with last week's lamb and cattle prices responding to more rain.
Apart from the odd area in the Riverina, described by one sage as "one long drought punctuated by the occasional shower of rain", a spring of some sort is assured in most areas.
Rain was the driving factor at Wagga Wagga, NSW, with more falls in the upper north-east, Upper Murray and parts of the Riverina.
The wet weather has placed restockers in a positive frame, setting their sights in the mutton market.
Restockers were looking to secure Merino ewes, while a feedlot purchased Merino wethers on the expectation of tight supplies down the track.
Merino ewes returning to the paddock topped at $285 a head.
On the same day, processors pushed mutton rates $20-$40 higher, with Wagga and Corowa, NSW, the go-to markets for medium and heavy weight sheep.
An extra processor who returned after a short absence dominated sales, leaving many a pundit breathless when heavy wethers set a saleyard record of $283.20.
Heavy and medium weights averaged 640-667 cents a kilogram carcase weight.
Lamb prices have softened in opening trade as the market feels the impact of the uncharted rates.
At Bendigo and Corowa, numbers climbed and rates eased up to $8 for trade lambs, with both selling centres averaging about 958c/kg cwt.
The bulk of the trades, 22-24kg, sold from $190-$270.
Price variations for heavy lambs crept into the markets but overall rates remained very strong.
Heavy lambs averaged 985c/kg at Corowa, while Bendigo was off the boil averaging 997c/kg cwt.
Limited supplies fired up prices at Ballarat on Tuesday despite a smaller field of buyers.
National Livestock Reporting Service data showed price spikes of up to $22 for select pens of well-bred lambs to place on feed.
Feeder lambs consistently sold above $128 to reach a top of $235.
The appetite for trade lambs doesn't look like slowing anytime soon, with prices lifting $13-$15.
Medium and heavy trade lambs sold at $184-$257, to average 1011c/kg cwt.
Heavy lambs were well supplied with some finished on crop or supplementary fed.
While heavy lamb numbers continue to run, signs are emerging of prices becoming softer with rates $5-$9 cheaper.
The extra heavy lambs sold at $262-$314, to average 990c/kg cwt.
