The lamb market has continued to hang close to the 800-830 cents a kilogram carcase weight mark despite buyers becoming more selective across all categories.
Prices at Bendigo and then at Corowa, NSW, on Monday showed some downward trends, but it was fairly mild, with price corrections often witnessed at markets at this time of year.
More than 13,000 lambs were sold at Bendigo, a slight increase on a week ago.
Meat & Livestock Australia's National Livestock Reporting Service quoted prices for the better-weighted lambs $5-$10 softer in an erratic market where buyers bid to quality.
Trade lambs 21-24kg sold from $170-$197 a head to average 820c/kg cwt.
The top price was $259 for a pen of extra heavy lambs estimated to weigh more than 30kg cwt.
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The main drafts of extra heavy lambs generally dipped $15 with one major buyer only bidding on grass-fed pens.
On a carcase weight basis, most lambs were estimated as running from 780-810c/kg
Small store lambs made from $100-$130, with not a lot of good lines to suit restockers.
The mutton sale found its legs with prices bouncing back higher than 300c/kg.
Price gains of $25-$35 were common across heavy categories.
Trade sheep gained $25 selling at $69-$99 to average 342c/kg cwt.
At Dubbo, NSW, on Monday, the season continued to push a lot of lighter weight lambs into the centre.
Light-weight lambs to the processors sold $6 cheaper with 12-18kg selling from $60-$100.
Prices for lambs back to the paddock gained $3 to $10 as more restockers stepped in.
The general run of smaller types around 12-14kg sold from $102-$123.
Trade and heavy lambs averaged 780-813c/kg cwt.
At Forbes on Tuesday in NSW lamb numbers increased to 17,000, up about 700.
Prices softened by a few dollars but remained strong for the better-weighted trade lambs averaging about 800c/kg.
Heavy lambs eased back $5 topping at $263 to average 798c/kg cwt.
Meanwhile, erratic price results were recorded for lambs at Ballarat on Tuesday.
The market came under pressure from bigger numbers of quality trade and heavy lambs and selective bidding from some major processors.
Quality trade lambs were rewarded with the top end selling up to $208, while longer wool lambs dragged prices back $4-$9 with the bulk averaging 804c/kg cwt.
Heavy export lamb demand weakened, and cheaper prices were recorded.
Prices declined $7-$14 to average 805c/kg cwt.
Mutton rates rallied $20-$30 and were boosted by a burst of bidding from several processors.
Heavy ewes ranged in price from $100-$160.
- Leann Dax is an NLRS market reporter.
