More rain and limited grass growth kept prices in check for the 840 head, while prime lambs again hit record levels.
A further 4200 prime lambs came to auction, and were predominantly very heavy types as farmers draft off tops to ready paddocks for cultivation. Just over 90% sold in a $140-$188 range, with a further 170 head making $190-$192. Prime ewe numbers were minimal with the bulk trading at $120-$162.
The store lamb pens were quiet, but featured 107 quality half-bred ewe hoggets which sold for breeding at $150, while most mixed sex were also at the better types at $140-$148. Ewes with lambs-at-foot were a talking point as three good lines made $101-$106 all counted.
The bulk of the cattle action was in the 1-year pens, including 300 Friesian bulls. The buyers were there to meet these and most sat in a 223-261kg weight range and made steady returns at $750-$880, $3.30-$3.43/kg.
The quality of cattle worked in vendors favour in the steer and heifer pens, but buyers were selective. Traditional steers, 240-310kg, sold for $900-$1140, with Angus-cross, 251-302kg, right on their tail at $1000-$1120. Charolais-cross, 263-274kg, hit $4/kg, selling for $1060-$1080, but Hereford-Friesian, 302-338kg, were well off that pace at $3.18-$3.25/kg.
Hereford heifers, 232-269kg, managed $800-$940, $3.45-$3.49/kg, with similar weighted Angus-cross reaching $3.71/kg. Hereford-Friesian, 220-255kg, were relatively good shopping at $3.09-$3.18/kg.
The prime market strengthened on the back of low numbers and good local trade demand. Charolais-cross steers and heifers, 555-645kg, both managed $3.15-$3.19/kg, with Angus steers, 594-662kg, reaching $3.07-$3.14/kg. Hereford and Angus heifers also made $3.00-$3.04/kg, and beef-cross lines made solid returns at $2.72-$2.95/kg.
