Persistent dry weather continues to pressure producers, pushing bigger numbers of lightweight lambs into the saleyards.
It was a similar-sized market on Thursday at Wagga Wagga in the Riverina, where agents sold 31,000 lambs and 12,000 sheep a week ago.
Rates were supported by strong competition from restockers, with the greatest strength coming from the south.
Ballarat restockers stepped up into quality domestic lambs, paying $155-$191 for the better lines, while other lighter weights made $120-$148.
The National Livestock Service noted that most of the well finished types comprised mainly of trade weight lambs, with heavy lambs in shorter supply.
Heavy rates dipped $3, making from $215-$275 to average 839 cents a kilogram cwt.
New season lambs were unchanged, averaging 830c/kg cwt.
Lamb prices started the week on a good note, with some centres quoted up to $11 dearer than the previous sale.
The eastern states' indicators rose by 10c/kg for trade lambs, as buyers bid more freely.
Corowa's market of 13,470 lambs was quoted by the NLRS as $6-$11 dearer, with some lambs making more than 840c/kg.
The bulk of the trade lambs sold from $170-$202.
Heavy lambs tracked $11 dearer, selling from $198-$259.
On the prediction of shrinking supplies in the north, mutton rates powered ahead $7-$18.
Heavy sheep topped at $198, with most mutton averaging 560-616c/kg cwt.
Bendigo's offering of 17,900 lambs was up to $10 dearer, with prices pressured by export and domestic processors.
The bulk of these lambs 24-26kg made $192-$220.
The best of the supermarket type lambs lifted $2, making from $180-$203.
The heaviest pens weighing above 30kg cwt sold to $246.
The mutton market made significant gains of $19-$31 on recent week, boosted by increased competition from the north.
Medium and heavy mutton sold from $158-$230 to average 604c/kg cwt.
Surprisingly, it was a cheaper lamb market at Ballarat on Tuesday.
Not even improved quality new season lambs could sustain rates, with prices falling $12-$22 to average 725-776c/kg cwt.
New season trade lambs have defied traditional price patterns this year, falling a massive 106c/kg cwt in a week.
Overall sucker trade lambs made from $135-$203.
Demand for the best heavy lambs slipped $6, selling at $216-$250.
The heaviest crossbred sheep made from $150-$180, while heavy Merino wethers sold $11 dearer making from $135-$190.
Trade sheep averaged 540-630c/kg cwt.
