Medium to good forward store lambs held their value, as buyer demand pushed the market along. Most sold for $83-$99, tail-end $60-$79.
Prime lamb numbers dropped, just as more buyers came to the rails. This lifted demand and while budgets were in place on the heavy end, second and third cuts firmed. Most lambs sold for $100-$129.
Ewes also met strong demand. Lighter types sold for $20-$39, medium to good $70-$89.
Domestic demand for cattle has picked up, and has resulted in a lift in local trade heifer prices. Heifers, 427-445kg, sold for $2.81-$2.90/kg, with values similar for the heavier lines. A line of 385kg heifers sold to $2.98/kg, matching steer prices, though a small line of 391kg steers did sell to $3.10/kg. Bulls sold in two main small lines, with 693-770kg making $2.50-$2.60/kg, lighter weighted, better yielding types $2.69-$2.70/kg.
Store pens lacked numbers, but made up for it in quality with a specially advertised consignment of 35 vetted-in-calf Angus and Angus-Hereford cows in from North Canterbury. These sold in three lines at $1010-$1120, $2.02-$2.09/kg. The only other stand out line was ten Hereford-Friesian R1 steers, 216kg, which sold for $740 at $3.43/kg.
