According to MLA, heavyweight lambs enjoyed the greatest price rises, resulting in heavy lambs finishing similar to trade lambs values.

It says processors had difficulty sourcing adequate numbers of prime trade and heavy weight lambs.

This was in part due to the good rainfall across Victoria and south eastern South Australia over the weekend resulted in tighter yardings at the start of the week.

Of the eastern states lamb yardings, there were reduced supplies of lighter end trade weights (18-20kg carcase weight), down 21pc from last week.

Heavy weight lamb yardings tightened 4pc from last week, with the 24-26kg category incurring the biggest reductions, down 27pc.

Processors have generally been paying higher prices for the 3 and 4 score lambs, but MLA says the numbers bought by processors in the 3 and 4 fat score range fell 12pc from last week as fewer slaughter lambs with the desired fat score specifications were presented.

The plainer 2-score slaughter lambs doubled, while the over conditioned 5-score slaughter lambs more than trebled from last week.

Southern markets set the trend for the stronger heavy lamb prices.

The gap between Victorian trade lamb and heavy lamb prices narrowed, with the average heavy lamb price the dearest among the states.

Ballarat's and Bendigo's heavy lamb indicator stood at 385¢/kg and 383¢/kg (carcase weight), respectively, while trade lambs only finished a few cents more at 386¢/kg and 385¢/kg, respectively.

At Naracoorte in south eastern SA, the heavy lamb indicator finished 12¢/kg higher than the trade lamb indicator, to stand at 385¢/kg.

In NSW, the later sales reported higher heavy lambs prices. Forbes and the central Tablelands Livestock Exchange in particular reported higher heavy lamb prices, with the indicator prices finishing between 6¢/kg and 10¢/kg more than trade lambs, at 372¢/kg and 376¢/kg respectively.

This strong trend continued throughout the week, with Wagga finishing Thursday at the dearest levels.

Wagga reported the highest trade and heavy lambs prices, with the heavy lamb indicator finishing 7¢/kg higher than the trade lamb indicator, to stand at 414¢/kg.