Quality quickly faded out into smaller lots being sold out before winter.
There were 4850 head presented, which is 6600 less than last sale.
Of those presented, 3550 were lambs.
Not all the regular buyers were operating, and the sale was fickle and lost momentum as it progressed.
Some pens of handy slaughter lambs dipped under 600c/kg carcase weight in the auction.
Price averages were mixed compared to a fortnight ago, the best lambs with weight recording modest improvements at times.
Other categories, particularly those under 22kg carcase weight, were often cheaper.
Only one pen of heavy lambs made $200, and sales over $185 were rare.
The main run of fat score three heavy trade lambs, 24-26kg, sold from $152 to $182 to be tracking around 650c/kg carcase weight.
Domestic lambs in the 22-24kg weight bracket had mixed fortunes for a spread of $130 to $165, estimated from 560c to 680c/kg carcase weight.
Light lambs were mostly $70 to $115, with secondary pens down to $35.
The few Merino lambs sold to $130 for reasonable trade weights, with plainer and lighter types making $82 to $111.
The sheep sale showed the most buyer demand, and mutton was considerably dearer than a fortnight ago. The good lines of ewes were more than 400c/kg carcase weight.
A big line of heavy crossbred ewes made $132 to $148.
Light sheep were well supported.
~ Details provided by Meat Livestock Australia market reporter Jenny Kelly on behalf of the Deniliquin Associated Agents.