As we farewell winter, lamb weights have been heavier, financial returns are better than ever and the ongoing legacy of the drought has kept mutton rates at a high.
Strong demand for top quality stock drove the national lamb indicator up by 33 per cent in the past 12 months to reach a record high last week.
An example of this was at Wagga Wagga, NSW, with a bigger yarding of 41,000 lambs and 10,500 sheep.
Buyers were unable to dilute lamb prices despite the larger yarding.
There were 18,000 new-season lambs in the mix and quality continues to be exceptional.
Sucker trade lambs were unchanged, averaging 1001 cents a kilogram carcase weight.
The heavy portion sold firm to $2 a head dearer, making $274-$316 to average 987c/kg cwt.
Prices remained at record highs for the old super-sized heavy lambs, which posted yet another price gain.
Fletcher International, Dubbo, NSW, re-entered the market and had an instant impact on price.
Lambs weighing more than 30kg cwt averaged 1003c/kg, and in dollars per head terms sold from $316-$379.
The 22-24kg old trade lambs were unchanged, making from $215-$269.
Fletcher International also dominated the mutton run.
A small buying gallery chased the heaviest pens of crossbred ewes and Merino ewes in full wool.
Prices remained impressive averaging 620-640c/kg cwt.
On AuctionsPlus there were 63,758 lambs sold last week, up almost 10,000 head.
Meat & Livestock Australia reported new-season lambs made up 65pc of the total offering.
Well-bred store lambs with some weight and frame gained $13 to average $155, while joined young ewes made from $290-$567.
A pen of 206 heavy crossbred 1-2-year-old ewes reached a spectacular $1210.
One southern agent remarked restockers were happy to dig deep to buy stock on the promise of rain, but hot and dry weather would see prices wind back.
At Bendigo, new-season lamb numbers continued to build, making up 9500 head of the total 17,000 lambs.
Trade lambs averaged 1036c/kg cwt while heavy young lambs jumped $28, to a top price of $332, averaging 982c/kg cwt.
