RECORDS have been smashed again and again for extra-heavy lambs this season.
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And despite some tough competition from Wagga vendors, livestock agents, and buyers to snatch the elusive price of $300 it was met this week. At Forbes.
Wagga Livestock Marketing Centre holds pride of place as the largest sheep selling centre in the country. If not the world.
Big numbers go under the hammer at this centre every week. It is also the centre that tends to lead the way in terms of indicator prices and market records.
Records have not just been achieved for the extra-heavy lambs destined for the export market but suckers or new season lambs have made $200 and Merino lambs have broken all previous barriers.
And while Wagga has had the lion’s share of the records in recent times there has been plenty of jostling from other centres too.
Records have not just been achieved for the extra-heavy lambs destined for the export market but suckers or new season lambs have made $200 and Merino lambs have broken all previous barriers.
Tamworth, in fact, held the record for a while, and then Forbes made headlines this week for smashing through the $300 barrier at the Central West Livestock Exchange.
Vendor Graeme Spackman of “Bella” Corinella sold the pen of 40 kilogram (dressed) lambs through Randall Grayson and Tim Mackay for $300.60 to Tamworth buyers.
Now the industry will watch and wait. Chances are that Wagga will equal or better the $300 mark.
The only factor is the amount of those extra-heavy lambs that are left to sell.
If the sale last Thursday is to be a guide there are vendors out there who have more. Or second lines that are weighing more than 40-kilograms dressed.
Now the questions is not whether or not the price will hit $300 but just how high it will go before the spike ends.
And with the dry times spreading across the rural belt in Australia headlines and high lamb prices could be just the injection of positive energy this industry needs.
- More on markets and the prime lamb industry at www.therural.com.au