At yards covered by MLA's National Livestock Reporting Service, heavy lamb prices have remained steady despite the high Australian dollar.

MLA says producers have successfully produced heavier lambs, in spite of the pressures of high grain costs and dry conditions.

For the first third of 2008, national heavy lamb offerings finished 36pc higher than the five year average, MLA reports.

Over the past month, heavy lamb yardings have registered their largest increase in some years.

Lamb yardings in the 26-30kg carcase weight range realised the greatest gain in numbers, climbing 64pc above the five-year average.

There has also been larger numbers of lambs that have been offered in four-score condition.

These four score yardings during April were 56pc greater than the five-year average.

Throughout April, the national heavy lamb indicator was 333¢/kg (carcase weight).

Prime heavy lambs have registered some recent price rises due to the varied quality being offloaded at this time of year.

Leading into winter, however, processors are starting to show some concern regarding adequate supplies.

On Thursday, the national heavy lamb indicator finished at 349¢/kg, which was 4¢/kg higher than last week and 12¢/kg lower than the same time last year.