LAMBS sold to $165 a head at Rodwells' Edenhope annual first-cross wether sale in Vic on Thursday last week, where prices reflected strong store sale price trends.
Limited killable heavy lambs contributed to tightened supply, with many suitable lambs sold recently due to buoyant prices and promising seasonal conditions.
The sale attracted a $143 average - $10 higher than last year's figure.
Rodwells Edenhope branch manager David Hanel said smaller lambs were also keenly sought-after, with only one pen selling below $120.
"We had our usual small crowd of enthusiastic buyers from Wimmera and South West districts looking for shorn lambs to put on feed or stubbles," he said.
The dearest pen of the sale was for a lot of lambs from WD,RG&NW Robinson, Edenhope, which made $165 a head.
The Robinsons averaged $147 across their 983-head offering.
WH Kealy & Sons, Edenhope, sold 138 lambs to $152, while Westwood, Edenhope, sold 294 lambs at $149 and 247 lambs at $148.
JS&EM Staude, Pigeon Ponds, Vic, sold 200 lambs at $146, while EF&HL Yates, Edenhope, sold 92 lambs at $146.
Longlands, Harrow, Vic, sold 88 lambs at $146; RT&SJ McClure, Harrow, sold 282 at $142; while TJ&SJ Futerieal, Edenhope, sold 147 lambs at $142.
Mr Hanel said the May/June-drop lambs presented "exceptionally well".
"The season has hung on probably two weeks later this year," he said.
"We possibly didn't see a lot of sunshine on the lambs we usually would, but the feed has been really good."
But processor activity was limited due to suitable lambs being absent from the sale.
"However, the prices restockers were prepared to pay was generally in excess of meat value, which is due to the fact there are no shorn lambs of any quantity available at present," he said.
"Prices were indicative of the store sales this year across Australia, which seem to be $10-$15 higher than the same time 12 months ago."