By the conclusion of the previous week's markets, the pendulum had swung in favour of livestock producers who still held older lambs suitable for the trade or export.
The recent Labour Day public holiday in NSW on Monday fuelled bidding among processors buying in the export and trade categories.
Bidding at the Wagga Wagga, NSW, market on Thursday last week was intense, where a major supermarket jumped into action, offering $128 a head for lambs weighing 24 kilograms carcase weight.
This early sale set the tempo for the day, as lamb rates saw a notable uptick for both young lambs and well-finished, older lambs suitable for trade.
Prices averaged between 450-510 cents a kilogram.
Freshly-shorn, big, new-season lambs were elevated to rockstar status, fetching a top price of $177, with the second run selling at $175.
Heavier, young lambs, weighing 26kg or more, experienced a modest price gain of a few dollars, ranging from $138-$158 due to stronger competition.
Surplus lots of inferior, lightweight lambs made their way to the sale, with the majority selling $5-$10 lower than the week before.
Well-bred, second-cross lambs carrying more condition to turn out commanded a $10 premium, with an average price of $69.
At the Bendigo market on Monday, there was a similar-sized offering of 19,445 lambs.
Of these, the majority were young lambs, with only a few thousand older lambs in the mix.
Meat & Livestock Australia's National Livestock Reporting Service reported that bidding on the top drafts of trade lambs was somewhat erratic, with key domestic processors noticeably absent.
Competition favoured young lambs with good weight.
Trade lamb rates dipped by $5, but it's worth noting that top drafts of trade lambs managed to maintain their prices, fetching between $101-$122, averaging 470c/kg.
The market saw a top of $160 for a pen of big lambs weighing approximately 32kg, while heavy lambs averaged 494c/kg.
Meanwhile, the mutton market experienced a substantial turnaround, nearly doubling in value from the previous week's prices, which were at a 16-year low.
Ewe mutton averaged 140-200c/kg, with a pen of heavy, crossbred ewes making $70.
At Ballarat on Tuesday, the market gained momentum in a yarding of 11,500 lambs and 6750 sheep.
All processors made it to the sale and trade weights bounced $8-$20.
Trade lambs averaged 506c/kg.
Heavy, old lambs surged $25 to record a top price of $170.
The majority of heavy, old lambs averaged 448c/kg.
Mutton averaged 120-176c/kg, topping at $63.
- Leann Dax is an NLRS market reporter.
