Lamb prices took the brunt of another price correction as the industry is yet to find a base price in mid-winter.
Price cuts stood out most across trade lamb categories, with good domestic slaughter lambs having to be exceptional to make $200 a head.
This represents a roll back of about 55 cents a kilogram carcase weight in the past seven days, equivalent to about $15 on a 22-24-kilogram lamb.
At the close of trading, Monday averages for trade lambs were listed at 754c/kg and heavy lambs at 777c/kg, according to Meat & Livestock Australia's National Livestock Reporting Service.
There are reports processors have access to more lambs around them, with over-the-hook or direct sales increasing.
Buyer competition has been somewhat erratic at physical markets, with not all processors buying or fully active from sale to sale.
It was evident at Wagga Wagga, NSW, with Goulburn Meats and Thomas Foods International sitting on the fence, with other companies selective when competing across the trade and heavy lamb classes.
Other major companies such as Australian Lamb Company and Fletcher International were also very quiet.
Adding to the mix on the lighter end, south-west Victorian company Midfield Meats at Warrnambool did not attend.
This reduced pressure on the top end of trade and heavy lambs, and the result was weaker with rates of $10-$20 across the bulk of weight categories.
The heaviest lambs more than 30kg-plus were unchanged, while lambs 26-30kg dipped $10 with buyers very selective to average $225.
Light lambs 11-14kg struggled to find a home with prices wound back $50 and in some cases, more.
Major sales on Monday reported further price corrections of $10-$20.
Price averages for the main lines of supermarket lambs averaged 750-780c/kg cwt.
Heavy lambs at Bendigo sold $9-$20 cheaper to average 680-780c/kg cwt.
The trends were similar at Corowa, NSW, and further north at Dubbo, NSW, where trade lambs made from $124-$190 to average 720-775c/kg cwt.
At Ballarat on Tuesday, there were no sales above $275.
It appeared the run of super heavy lambs, 35-40kg, has slowed with less weight as export competition fades.
Some export abattoirs are closing for winter maintenance, while others are operating at reduced capacity.
This meant extra heavy lamb rates fell $10 to average 755c/kg cwt.
Trade lambs suffered a price correction of up to $15, selling at $138-$205 to average 770c/kg cwt.
Meanwhile, the mutton run continued its cheaper trend in the southern market at Ballarat, losing a further $10-$25.
Heavy ewe mutton averaged 550c/kg, while trade types averaged 580c/kg cwt.
- Leann Dax is an NLRS market reporter.
