Multi-storey stock trucks from Adaminaby, Jindabyne, Berridale and Nimmitabel and throughout the Cooma district unloaded 17,000 old and young sheep at the last sale.

Exporters snapped up about a third of the yarding, mainly heavy lambs. Supermarkets were active too.

Buyers had come from as far afield as Melbourne, as well as abattoirs at Goulburn and Cootamundra.

Agents began penning up a day before the sale to draft the huge yarding, the second one to exceed 17,000 this year, according to Cooma Associated Agents president Myles Buchanan.

Yet despite the flood of stock, prices held up well.

''The market was definitely dearer than a month ago,'' Mr Buchanan said. ''Sales have been extremely good.''

Feed is scarce all across the stoney Monaro plains. A mere 14 millimetres of rain has fallen since mid December.

Farmer Jamie Rowe is now handfeeding his sheep with grain and hopes the creeks on ''Matoppo'', Bobundara, 40 kilometres from Cooma, keep flowing through the extended dry period.

Although thousands of sheep were going under the hammer in quick time, Mr Rowe was surprised at how high bidding was for older animals.

Lean pastures had a silver lining - it was harder for meat buyers to find well-framed sheep.

''We're selling older sheep now,'' Mr Rowe said. ''So that we can destock and keep younger sheep. [We want to get rid of] the older stock that are doing it harder and won't get through. Probably a month ago you were getting half of what the [buyers] were bidding today, so it's good,'' he said.

Big yardings and blank skies haven't rattled the grazier.

''I'm pretty confident going forward that the markets will stay good. Now that they've had rain out west of here, I think the market will change again.

''People will hold onto sheep that they were once selling, and the rest they will get rid of, I think.''