THE effects of a drier than usual season on the Monaro produced a mixed quality yarding of 4500 lambs and good quality mutton at the Cooma sheep and lamb sale on Tuesday.
But return prices held firm for vendors with most pens, made up of 12- to 14-month-old lambs varying into older store wethers and ewes, making good money.
Max and Carol Caldwell, Bungarby, sold 72 Merino wethers for a top of $119 a head, to Wagstaff Trading Company, Cranbourne Victoria.
Ian McGufficke, Jindabyne, sold six of his lambs for $152.
The Bottom family from Cooma, sold 30 suckers to Manildra Meat Company, Cootamundra, for $136.
Prices for new season lambs varied on quality selling from $88 to $152.
The older season ewes sold from $85 to $122.60.
Monaro sheep producers McGufficke Partners, Cooma, sold the top-priced pen of 72 ewes for $122.60.
Processors secured most of the young and top-end older stock, with only limited competition from restockers.
The majority of restockers sought repeat bloodlines after their purchases last year.
Elders livestock agent Sam Green, Cooma, said the suckers and top-end mutton sold surprisingly well.
"There is a dearer trend starting to begin now,” he said.
“We had a good stack of lambs for top prices and as the sale progressed mutton prices got better.”
The sale was conducted by Cooma associated agents Landmark, Elders, Boller and Co, and Monaro Livestock and Property.
