Yarding: 23,340. Change: up 2058. Lambs: 15,589. Change: up 3827. Sheep: 7751. Change: down 1769.

A bigger yarding of 16,000 lambs or 4000 more, although much of the increase was from smaller Merino's to suit MK bag lamb orders.

The market did show a stronger trend for lambs with weight, with export processors more interested in stock over 30kg cwt which sold to a top of $244/head - the highest dollar per head price for a number of sales.

Bidding for trade weight lambs 24kg and above was linked to quality, with buyers prepared to step-up for well presented lambs with good fat cover, while demand for secondary types remained irregular.

It resulted in price improvements of $6 to $15/head over the better quality pens, while plainer and fat score 2 lambs just held their value. There was little price change over most of the medium and light crossbred lambs to slaughter.

The supply of Merino lambs increased for similar price averages to last week. Heavy export lambs approximately 34kg cwt sold to $244, with the bulk of the 30kg plus crossbred lambs making from $204 to $224/head at an estimated 680c/kg cwt.

The best 26-30kg cwt lambs sold from $181 to $221/head to nudge 700c/kg cwt. Price results for heavy and medium trade lambs did fluctuate on quality, the lead drafts making from $160 to $185, as plainer types sold from $142 to $158/head.

It lead to a carcase spread from 660c to 710c/kg over the bulk of sales. Most of the Merino lambs were lighter weight types. Merino lambs estimated at 18-20kg cwt sold from $124 to $125, the next size down from $96 to $117/head returning averages from 680c to 700c/kg. Restockers paid to $133/head for a run of first-cross ewe lambs.

The sheep yarding included some very good stock drawn out by recent high mutton prices. The sale did not have the intensity or extremes of a week ago, although price results remained impressive for good sheep with size and fat cover.

A standout line of shorn Merino wethers, weighing approximately 38kg, cwt sold to $220, and crossbred ewes to $214, but sales above $200/head were limited. The market still showed some erratic tendencies as buyers tried to adjust to the new values.

There was a big dollar per head price spread from $109 to $198/head being the general run of heavy sheep, determined by weight, fat cover and breed. Carcase estimates were also wide, varying from 450c to 550c across heavy mutton and from 400c to 500c/kg cwt across leaner and lighter types.

CROSSBRED LAMBS

Laurina P/Ship (64) Wooroonook $ 230.00

RL & KE Mountjoy (83) Raywood $ 227.20

SW Ellis (79) Dingee $ 224.00

S & A Baker (34) Baringhup $ 223.50

LA Rumbold (24) Wycheproof $ 222.00

Peter F Schlitz (96) Quambatook $ 221.00

DM & MA Tuohey (74) Myola $ 221.00

TB & B Cail (63) Kamarooka $ 221.00

WJ Metheson (28) Wycheproof $ 220.00

BD & S Cail (50) Kamarooka $ 220.00

AA Jenson & Sons (85) Raywood $ 218.00

TE & ML Rowe (51) Culgoa $ 216.00

PA Condelly (22) LAkeMerran $ 215.00

AD & TL Cole (52) Raywood $ 215.00

McRae Oaks P/L (156) Oakbank $ 215.00

Meadow Valley Farms (48) Derrinal $ 213.00

JGK Pastoral (106) Dingee $ 213.00

GR & H Nankavell (27) Raywood $ 213.00

RJ & DM Johnston (69) Boort $ 194.00

Killara Past (81) Boort $ 193.00

Robert Kerr (36) Boort $ 190.00

A & C Branson (38) Colbinabbin $ 186.00

PN Brown (70) Pompapiel $ 185.00

O'Sullivan Farms (121) Elmore $ 185.00

PT & KF Howard (133) Goornong $ 183.00

Robert McCormick (38) Euroa $ 182.00

CA & MJ Stone (43) Raywood $ 180.00

F & M Schmidt (30) Pyramid Hill $ 177.00

KM,JM & AJ Wright (62) Charlton $ 176.00

Mark Lanyon (69) Boort $ 173.00

RH,JD,& R McNutt (74) Knowsley $ 170.00

Anshara P/L (64) Berrimal $ 158.00

B & F Moon (49) Pyramid Hill $ 155.00

G Nesbit (34) Glenalbyn $ 155.00

MERINO LAMBS

McCrae Oaks P/L (20) Oakbank $ 175.00

BP & JA Lanerainchi (108) Maryborough $ 166.50

Barbetti Property (50) Nullawil $ 156.00

H & S Doyle (22) Culgoa $ 145.00

JT VA FX & SM Coghlan (197) Bridgewater $ 144.00

AW & KJ McClelland (97) Sealake $ 137.00

MERINO WETHERS

RA & A Weston (236) Kinypanial $ 212.00

O'Sullivan Trading (376) Elmore $ 160.00

B & F Moon (98) Pyramid Hill $ 111.00

CROSSBRED EWES

A,L,B & R McIntosh (79) Colbinabbin $ 214.00

TH Brown & Sons (17) Moorlim $ 203.00

Nedna P/L (16) Willongie $ 192.00

Rex James Transport (36) Nathalia $ 190.00

M & R Bennett (83) Mia Mia $ 190.00

DE & W Nolan (16) Euroa $ 188.00

BJ & SJ Griffiths (25) Kyneton $ 186.00

IR & DJ Micheel (52) Tongala $ 173.00

BG & DA Bott (20) Barham $ 166.00

MERINO EWES

JJ & BM Round (4) Wedderburn $ 198.00

JC & MT Miller (88) Bangerang $ 197.00

McCrae Oaks P/L (130) Oakbank $ 193.00

JM & DJ Johnson (50) Hunter $ 189.00

D &E Rathjen (197) Colbinabbin $ 186.00

Trella Farming (48) Wycheproof $ 166.00

AS & BA Beer (43) Boort $ 164.00

Fowels Farms (49) Longwood $ 138.00

April 9

Cattle numbers were up this week, with 252 coming forward. Heavy steers sold to a top of $2.86 per kilo. Medium to heavy steers sold to a top of $2.88 per kilo, both holding firm to slightly dearer. A good run of vealers came through and the better calves sold to a top of $3.30 per kilo also holding firm to 5 cents dearer from last week's market. A good run of cows sold to a top of $2.12 per kilo, remaining fully firm.

Heavy Steers over 500kg sold to $2.86

Medium to Heavy Steers 450- 500 kg sold to 2.88

Steer Veal Heavy over 400kgs sold to 3.21

Steer Veal medium 320 - 390kg sold to 3.30

Heifers Veal 420 to 490kgs sold to $ 3.22

Heifer Veal 320 - 390kgs sold to $3.20

Beef Cows - $2.12

STEERS

KA Woodman - Muckleford $ 1,599.60

Golden Gum Farm - Strathfieldsaye $ 1,483.56

VEALERS

C & P Leask - Costerfield $ 1,467.30

Broadacres Farms - Piavella $ 1,334.00

Michelle Stewart - Newbridge $ 1,260.00

Eaglerange Limosin Stud - Marong $ 1,243.06

M & C Carson - Calivil $ 1,210.00

W Read - Goornong $ 1,175.68

CD Hepburn - Strangways $ 1,174.50

B & S Griffiths - Kyneton $ 1,135.75

M Read - Goornong $ 1,040.60

P Markham - Malmsbury $ 1,025.80

S Read - Goornong $ 870.24

COWS

LJ Forbes - Eddington $ 1,676.76

Peter O'Riley - Lockwood $ 1,490.50

D English - Muskerry $ 1,363.87

HEIFERS

B & S Griffiths - Kyneton $ 1,717.20

KA Woodman - Muckleford $ 1,482.00

D Parker - Tooborac $ 1,296.00

ORDER OF SALE FOR WEEK END April 20

McKean & McGregor 3 & 5, Ellis Nuttall 5 & 2, FP Nevins 4 & 1, Landmark 1 & 3, Elders 2 & 6, Rodwells 6 & 4.