Australia's lamb market found its mojo late last week when it marched back over 800 cents a kilogram carcase weight as processors were forced to up their spend for a share of trade and heavy lambs.
It was evident at Wagga Wagga, NSW, when buyers raised the stakes by a fair margin for all well-finished domestic lambs.
Rates lifted $10-$15 a head with plenty of sales reaching more than 800c/kg to average 780c/kg cwt.
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Export buyers put the pedal to the metal over an outstanding offering of mostly gran-assisted, extra-heavy lambs.
Prices improved $20 with the big heavy weights reaching $265 to average 671c/kg cwt.
A highlight of the sale was Merino lambs with prices roaring back, recovering losses sustained over several weeks.
All Merino categories gained from $30-$50, with some buyers having an insatiable appetite for well-finished trade and heavy-weight lambs.
The mutton market also rallied, driven by extremely wet weather in the north.
Fletcher International led the way as rates jumped by $10-$25.
The main runs of heavy crossbred ewes sold from $150-$232, while trade sheep improved $10 to a top price of $144.
Meanwhile, rain begins to push lamb and sheep prices in opening markets, with the normal flows of stock disrupted at some sales and direct to meat works.
The impact was seen in NSW, where numbers at Dubbo, NSW, dropped to fewer than 13,000 lambs and 3600 sheep.
Numbers were also reduced at Bendigo in a smaller yarding of 5200 lambs and 3200 sheep.
Buyer competition intensified across all weights and grades, led by domestic processors.
Fewer lambs helped push good processing types $30-$50 dearer and in some places, lifting by more than this margin.
Trade lambs sold from 21-24kg made from $185 to $212 to average 873c/kg cwt.
Lambs 26-30kg continued to climb higher on the back of heated demand from domestic processors.
Further price rises of $30-$50 were recorded according to Meat & Livestock Australia's National Livestock Reporting Service.
Prices ranged from $206-$250, with sales averaging 848c/kg cwt.
Lambs more than 30kg topped at $254 to average 781c/kg cwt.
Sheep prices followed suit, rallying $25 to $40, as they cost processors 570-650c/kg cwt.
Lamb prices continued to climb higher at Ballarat on the back of heated demand from both domestic and export processors, despite a reduced field of processors.
Trade lambs sold $22 dearer to a top price of $207 to average 805c/kg cwt.
Heavy Ballarat lambs gained $25 and averaged 722c/kg cwt.
- Leann Dax is an NLRS market reporter.
