The emerging spring-like conditions in the north of Victoria have lamb producers on edge as new season lambs begin to reach sale weights.
The chill of winter which took some of the gloss off lamb values, continues in the south, but producers in the north are now pondering their options and feed availability into spring.
The season in much of the north of the state has meant the entry of new season lambs has been restricted to smaller lots than normal.
Landmark Ouyen livestock manager Tim Ferguson said the Ouyen market was "good without being ridiculous".
"Some of those earlier lambs suffered a bit at the start and were a bit drier but there are a lot of lambs about to come in that are fresh.
"Another fortnight will see more come through, not huge numbers, but a draft off the top.
"I think lambs have been held back to get some weight in them."
He said mutton prices "couldn't be much better" for ewes.
"With these mutton prices it makes it easy to change over into young ewes," he said.
At Swan Hill, the fortnightly lamb market has seen restricted numbers coming forward and these have sold at firm rates.
BR&C auctioneer John Sawyer, Swan Hill, said the season had been late this year and suckers were only just coming in in numbers from next week.
"We usually have good numbers of suckers in late July, but this year looks like being short and sweet," Mr Sawyer said.
"I reckon it will be a five or six week season up here, starting next week.
"Without irrigation allocations north of the river, most of the suckers will come out of big-framed Merino ewes off pastures where there has been enough rain to get them through."
Mr Sawyer said the mutton market had held on well, especially at this time of year.
Paull & Scollard/Landmark livestock sales consultant Richard Wynne, Corowa, NSW, said the latest sale at Corowa was very good.
Mr Wynne said the local region was experiencing a good season and lambs were weighing extremely well, but there "wasn't a power of lambs about".
At Colac, Phil Douglas, Charles Stewart Dove, said most lambs in the region wouldn't hit the ground until late October.
He said most lambs coming out were traded lambs that were shorn and sold.
"We need some sunshine," he said.
"It's got quite wet but we know we've got to have it.
"This month will shape up how the season will be.
"We are going to get weight because lambs are being well fed."