There was a modest lift in lamb numbers to 10,791 head, about 3500 more than a week ago.  

Quality remained very mixed, with a lot of lambs lacking fat cover and carcase finish.

Rather than more good slaughter lambs being yarded, most of the supply increase was across lighter and plainer types from as far afield as Broken Hill in NSW. 

On the demand side, both major domestic processors were back operating but export competition remained very low. 

Price results did vary based on lamb finish and weight. 

The best pens of trade weight lambs were $2 to $8/head dearer, while secondary types and small mixed pen lots sold at similar prices. 

Light weight lambs were cheaper after selling particularly well the week before. 

A limited selection of extra heavy lambs over 30kg cwt made from $174 to a top of $190/head. 

The best presented pens of trade weight lambs, weighing 22-24kg and off grain or irrigation, sold from $140 to $160/head. 

Plainer trade weight lambs 20-23kg cwt sold from $125 to $138/head. 

On a carcase basis domestic buyers stepped up to pay an estimated 600c to 630c/kg on the lead runs of trade weight lambs, however when the plainer types were added-in overall sale averages only improved slightly on last week at 585c to 610c/kg cwt.

The same trend of buyers favouring quality and finish was also evident in the Merino run.

The best trade weight Merinos supplementary fed sold to $143/head at similar carcase prices to crossbred lambs, but plainer and lighter types were discounted.

Most light weight crossbred lambs sold from $85 to $119/head. 

There were more restockers in small lambs from Swan Hill, Finley and Echuca areas. 

There was a bigger and better yarding of sheep, with more lines of Merino wethers and ewes on offer.

Mutton was dearer, with good trade weight sheep costing processors an estimated 430c to 480c/kg cwt. 

Extra heavy crossbred ewes made from $130 to $165, heavy Merino ewes $117 to $144/head.

The main lines of Merino wethers made from $101 to $130/head.

Sydlaw Holding (47) Culgoa $190.00

BD & S Cail (22) Kamarooka $190.00

TB & B Cail (28) Kamarooka $186.00

C & TD Cox (32) Berriwillock $182.00

AL & G Lloyd (49) Stuart Mill $181.00

E & W Carmody (11) Calivil $175.00

D & S Lloyd (60) Stuart Mill $174.00

AR & FJ Gorman (36) Sea Lake $172.00

RJ & DM Johnson (56) Boort $165.00

Nuttbyrne P/L (370 Knowsley $164.00

R Shawcross (80) Lockington $160.00

BJ Clay (370 Bagshot $160.00

B & P Young (59) Malsbury $159.00

R & H Last (36) Fiery Flat $159.00

M Rinaldi (56) Moolort $158.00

B Gierisch (50) Shelbourne $158.00

L O'Mara (25) Myers Flat $158.00

T & D Sutton (26) Lockington $158.00

SW Ellis (22) Dingee $155.00

Yenken Past Co (45) Mansfield $155.00

NG & KL Tonkin (31) Kerang $155.00

AB & KB Broom (25) Neereman $154.00

GR Dobson (22) Rochester $154.00

PJ Tout (40) Whitlesea $154.00

E Goers (45) Epsom $153.00

D Payne (74) Kilmore $152.00

DM & KP (85) Nullawil $135.00

LA & PM Hine (7) Traynors Lagoon $134.00

CJ & ST Fawcett (125) Nullawil $127.00

AW & KJ McClelland (78) Sea Lake $140.00

Woodlands (100) Nullavale $127.00

E Mercer (4) Euroa 125.00

BV & EC Kelly (5) Kilmore East $105.00

Webster PPP (170) Glenaroua $101.00

Ewart Holdings (53) Wahring $165.00

Potters Hillside (32) Boort $152.00

GB & CT Kelly (39) Kilomre    $148.00

DF & FM Graham (10) Moama   $142.00

JH & DR Greenwood (19) Romsey $122.00

Fairfields @ Mysia (62) Mysia $170.00

C & TD Cox (27) Berriwillock    $149.00

J & K Head (32) Kerang    $144.00

JC & PJ Robins (186) Hopetoun    $136.00

AW & PM Gould (20) Mysia    $127.00

JP & JK Durie (28) Wycheproof    $125.00

AK Collins P/L (125) Bridgewater $123.00

J &J Harris (514) Balranald $115.20

TGB Watts & Sons (61) Coonooer Bridge $95.00

May 1

A very small yarding of cattle came forward this week.

Competition was good and the quality was once again quite mixed.

The top vealer made 3.40 per kilogram - 10 cents dearer than last week.

Heavy steers were in very short supply this week.

The top steer reached $2.69 per kilogram falling 4 to 6 cents.

Medium to heavy steers were in short supply as well this week, the top steer reached $2.85, also dropping 4 to 6 cents.

A small run of cows came forward and sold to a top of $1.92 dropping 10 cents. 

Steers Heavy over 500kg sold to $2.69

Steers Med/Heavy 420 – 490kgs sold to $2.85

Steer Veal Heavy over 400kgs sold to $3.37

Steer Veal medium 320 – 390kg sold to $3.40

Heifers Veal 420 to 490kgs sold to $3.28

Heifer Veal 320 – 390kgs sold to $3.32

Beef  Cows - $1.92        

G McMillan - Eaglehawk $1,890.50 

Ravenshoe Past - Ravenswood $1,294.08 

Lombardy Enterprises - Elmore $1,381.25 

Broadacres - Prairie $1,343.79 

M & C Carson - Calivil $1,301.52 

W Gray - Sutton Grange $907.92 

G McMillan - Eaglehawk $1,662.50 

Lj Forbes - Eddington $1,352.40 

Hazeldenes - Newbridge $1,326.36 

Heazeldenes - Newbridge $1,036.57 

Ravenshoe Pastoral - Ravenswood $1,000.10 

J & S Truscott - Strathfieldsaye $1,814.50 

LJ Forbes - Eddington $1,785.25 

ORDER OF SALE FOR WEEK END May 12 

McKean & McGregor 5 & 2

Ellis Nuttall  1 & 3

FP Nevins  3 & 5

Landmark   2 & 6

Elders 4 & 1

Rodwells  6 & 4