The lamb market showed ambiguous signs of a price correction this week leading into winter.
Prices for trade and export lambs were quoted as $5-$15 a head cheaper at Bendigo earlier this week as processors dragged the market back under 810 cents a kilogram carcase weight.
However, price corrections were not as obvious in the north with smaller numbers in NSW helping those saleyards hold their form.
Meat & Livestock Australia's National Livestock Reporting Service quoted a dearer trend at Corowa, NSW, on Monday.
But markets like Dubbo, NSW, and Wagga Wagga, NSW, did report some erratic bidding as prices started to break up around quality and buyer participation.
At the completion of auctions on Monday night, the price average for heavy lambs was listed a few cents higher at 784c/kg cwt, while trade lambs settled at 798c/kg and Merino lambs were 752c/kg or 3c/kg down on week-ago levels.
But when the figures were analysed on a state basis, Victoria leads in terms of prices ahead of NSW and South Australia.
The latest breakdown shows NSW heavy lambs sit at 780c/kg and trade lambs 813c/kg.
Victorian heavy lambs hit 798c/kg and trade lambs rested at 818c/kg.
SA heavy lambs were 741c/kg and trade lambs made 810c/kg cwt.
At Bendigo, the heaviest lambs weighing more than 30kg cwt sold from $220-$263 to a top of $274.
The competition was patchy and only the heaviest of lambs ignited the bidding.
Some of the heaviest lambs did trend below 700c/kg cwt.
As a guide it took a good, young lamb 26kg cwt and better to make more than $204 a head.
Trade lambs were in short supply and despite that, rates dipped $6-$8 averaging 774c/kg to 803c/kg cwt.
There was very little interest from restockers enabling processors to make purchases at cheaper prices.
Not all buyers fronted up for the mutton sale and prices were cheaper.
Heavy sheep sold $5-$13 cheaper to average 545c/kg to 609c/kg cwt.
Trade sheep averaged 630c/kg cwt.
Supply at Corowa lifted to 11,380 lambs and sheep 2750.
Stronger competition appeared to be a factor in the higher prices with most of the buying group present and active.
The NLRS said trade lambs at Corowa were about $9 dearer with heavy trade weight lambs making from $194-$209 to average 861c/kg cwt.
Heavy lambs were unchanged selling at $213-$257 to average 713c/kg to 774c/kg cwt.
In a plainer yarding at Ballarat on Tuesday trade lambs sold either side of firm to average 840c/kg cwt.
Big heavy lambs sold $5-$17 cheaper to average 725c/kg to 788c/kg cwt.
- Leann Dax is an NLRS market reporter.
