THE sheep pens at the Cooma saleyards were at capacity on Tuesday when more than 18,000 sheep and lambs went under the hammer at the fortnightly sale.
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There were 8800 lambs and 9300 sheep sold with the yarding overflowing into the cattle yards.
Monaro Livestock and Property director and selling agent, Will Dixon, Cooma, said it was the largest yarding they had in six or seven years since the drought years of 2007 and 2008 which resulted in yardings in the vicinity of 18,000 head.
He said while this is the time of year most lambs on the Monaro hit the market, the yarding for lambs this week at the sale centre was up about 30 per cent on the same time in normal seasons.
"The heat in the last few weeks and the dry conditions has forced lambs onto the market a few weeks earlier then they would normally be sold," Mr Dixon said.
Despite the strong supply, prices were firm on last month's sale with heavy cross bred lambs $10 to $12 dearer and store lambs were up $7 to $8, according to Mr Dixon.
The market topped at $141 for June/July 2013-drop second-cross lambs offered by Phillip and Shirly Bylton, "Gloccamorra", Numerella, that were six weeks off shears, finished on lucerne and weighed 60kg (liveweight).
Mr Dixon said the majority of heavy second cross trade lambs sold from $118 to $131.
"On the back of the rising prime lamb market, second cross store lambs that would have weighed 37kg (liveweight) topped at a solid $82," he said.
Mr Dixon said the mutton market was fully firm on last fortnight's sale at Cooma with wethers sold to $65 and heavy ewes with a heavy skin sold to $63.
He said the only cheaper category was the lighter mutton.
Mr Dixon said the switch to a Tuesday sheep sale at Cooma this year from the usual Monday market had proven a success with more buyers in attendance.
He said eight processors operated in the prime market this week, while store stock was secured by restockers at Narrandera and Corowa.
Mr Dixon said 98pc of the mutton went to processors while local restockers secured older Merinos of specific bloodlines.
Selling agent Graeme Boller, Boller and Co, Cooma, said the hot weather in January and the lack of surface water on Monaro at present forced more numbers onto the market.
He said generally they would yard 12,000 to 14,000 at their early February sale.
Contrary to reports in metropolitan media, both Mr Dixon and Mr Boller confirmed the bushfires burning to the west of Cooma had no impact on the yarding and no stock had come from fire-affected areas.
