SHORN lambs were the standout of the prime stock sold at the last sale for 2014 at the Cootamundra saleyards on Wednesday.
Livestock agent Corey Nicholson, Holman Tolmie, Cootamundra, said lambs fared well, up $3 to $6 on the fortnight prior.
The yarding of 6500 sheep and lambs was varied in quality but given it was the last sale of the year the market was quite competitive, Mr Nicholson said.
Mutton was firm but $5 to $8 cheaper on the lighter end, he said.
"Buyers were chasing the shorn lambs rather than woolies because of grass seed issues," Mr Nicholson said.
"Both supermarkets and all major exporters operated on Wednesday and a handful of southern buyers."
The top priced pen of lambs fetched $154.60, offered by Graham Warren, Grogan.
They were shorn crossbred lambs and estimated 30 kilograms carcass weight (cwt).
Freshly shorn and wooly lambs in the 22 to 25 kilogram cwt range made between 540 cents per kilogram and 560c/kg.
Stockinbingal vendor John Angus, "Wattle Flat", sold six-month-old wooly lambs (pictured) for $136.60.
The lambs averaged 23 kilograms and were secured by Woolworths.
Most trade lambs sold from $110 to $130 and suckers ranged from $55 to $136.60.
Lighter lambs were sought after from restockers for $60 to $80.
The Cootamundra sheep market will resume on January 14 and their first cattle sale back is January 22.