PRIME lambs continue to break new ground at Wagga with a new national record of $281.20 being set at the market on Thursday.
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Riverina Livestock Agents (RLA) were at the rail for Temora vendor Jamie Cross at the Wagga Livestock Marketing Centre for the Thursday sale.
The Temora lambs, which currently hold the national record, were estimated to weigh 40-kilograms dressed weight and auctioneer Angus McHatten was at the rail for RLA.
It will now be a jostling act to see if lamb prices could perhaps make it to $300 this season given the lack of numbers and demand for extra heavies.
And Wagga is not the only centre to enjoy the action. A saleyard record for Griffith of $270 was achieved on Friday.
The RLA video clip from the Wagga market clearly indicates the cheer from buyers, livestock agents and vendors with yet another record broken at the Wagga Livestock Marketing Centre.
According to Meat and Livestock Australia’s National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) market reporter, Leann Dax, numbers were down at Wagga with 29,000 sheep and lamb selling.
She said quality across heavy lamb categories was outstanding however lambs weighing above 30kg were in limited numbers.
There was very little restocker activity and a single pen of 340 second cross lambs sold to a feedlot at $123.20/head.
The trade market sold to steady competition, however, as the sale progressed demand strengthened and prices were pushed $6 to $15/head higher. There was a large number of trade lambs that sold above 800c/kg cwt.
Trade lambs generally averaged 793c/kg cwt. The heavy and extra heavy lambs had strong competition with domestic buyers active in this weight range.
Lambs from 26-30kg sold to a top of $244, while lambs above 30kg set a new Australian record for NLRS reporting saleyards, reaching a top price of $281.20/head.