If you mentioned this a couple of months ago the comment would be written off as “pie in the sky.”

Now it would be fair to say, based on previous results, the market could reach this elusive high. 

To see jumps in top prices at Wagga in the $10s of dollars from week to week it is a clear indication that the market could reach this dizzy territory.

Watching livestock reach record prices never gets old. Buyers, vendors and livestock agents will often clap and cheer and there might be the odd expletive in the mix too. It always seems that even the buyer is somewhat surprised when the ultimate value is knocked down under the hammer. 

A few weeks ago a pen of lambs at Wagga sale, sold on behalf of Jeff Crawford of "Pine Grove," Temora for $258.20, which at the time was a national record.

This was quickly followed by another stellar result when vendor Doug Constance sold 168 lambs, which were running at a Humula property, for $276.20.

And then last week Temora vendor Jamie Croff sold some lambs for the new high of $281.20.

To watch these incremental price increases week after week is exciting stuff. And the high prices are not isolated to Wagga.

On Friday Griffith achieved a centre record with extra-heavy lambs making $270.

So where to from here? Keeping an eye on the Wagga market is certainly good sport. And being competitive, vendors, livestock agents and buyers will do their best to hold onto Australian records. 

But in what is shaping up to be a tough season due to lack of rain kudos must go to the vendors and seedstock breeders. A combination of good management, handy genetics and market timing is behind the outstanding results we are seeing.

The vendors have put a lot into these lambs. Many lambs have been supplementary grain fed to allow them to reach as much as 40-kilograms dressed. 

This costs money, and time, and it is assuring to see the vendors who have gone to the trouble to produce these stand-out lines get rewarded. 

It will also be interesting to see if there is a flow-on effect for the stud breeders when the on-property sales start up in spring. 

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