The fat ewe market is still travelling well with entries larger again this week and no trouble selling them.
By far the majority of the ewe yarding was in the better medium category with fewer heavy ewes or grazing ewes, and the ewe market could be considered to be at least steady with a hint of firming.
At least the cull ewe prices are helping the sheep breeder and, as numbers fall, the interest in mutton looks like keeping those prices reasonably steady.
Boner cow prices were pegged back by 15-20 cents/kg with few buyers operating.
There were no beef cows offered to tempt the market. There were also no beef heifers offered, only Friesian, and the two steers were Friesian cross, so the prime cattle were only lighter medium sorts.
Plenty of bulls came forward and the 10 beef bulls offered sold to firm demand.
The top bulls were a couple of hefty Friesians and sold well for $2158 ($2.84), considering the effort being made to talk the bull schedule down.
Sheep (6479): lambs (1575); prime (1491), 36-52 kg, $81-$113, $2.20-$2.30, firm - lifting; store (84), 22-36 kg, $37-$80, $1.68-$2.28, steady; hoggets (8), $60-$76; ewes (4705); good, heavy, 26-28 kg, $82-$86.50, $3.00-$3.30, firm; medium, 21-25 kg, $63-$81, $3.00-$3.25, firm; lighter, 16-20 kg, $40.50-$59.50, $2.50-$3.00, firm; 2ths (33), $55-$70; male sheep (58), $51-$71.
Cattle (138): steers (2), 490 kg, $1269, $2.59; heifers (9), 493kg, $1232, $2.50; cows (56); good, 547 kg, $979, $1.79, ease; boners, 387-641 kg, $522-$1045, $1.35-$1.60, ease; bulls (71), 360-670 kg, $752-$2158, $1.98-$2.84, steady.