A pen of heifers this week made an all-time record at a Wagga auction in what was described as a big win for farmers and a blow to local shoppers.

Wagga residents are also being priced out of the market by overseas customers, according to butchers. 

Co-owner of Knights Meats and Deli James McNaughton said butchers and consumers will be slugged as a result of the “worrying” cattle numbers. 

“We’re seeing significant increases in the price of beef to the shop and it’s all relative; when the suppliers pay more, the butchers pay more and the customers pay more,” he said.

“I’m sure we’ll see another big rise in the cost of beef in the next few weeks. 

“You’ve got the seasonal pressure – grass is too short to finish cattle – the high kill numbers, and the demand of export from overseas buyers, there’s huge pressure right there.”

Monday’s groundbreaking cattle sale left some of the most experienced industry stalwarts shocked as a pen of cattle made $2172 a head. 

Cattle prices have also gradually risen over the last five years, with the average cents paid per kilogram doubling. 

Wagga auctioneer at Elders Joe Wilks said the massive sale was a “one-off phenomenon”, but abattoirs had also flagged concerns in the industry. 

“If it stayed around that rate of sale for a period of time it would really affect the meat prices, but I don’t think that’s likely to happen,” he said. 

“The abattoirs are saying they can’t keep up with it and that they’re going to reduce their kill count or close their factory on a certain day of the week – but that remains to be seen.

“The cattle numbers are running low, you can’t get your breeding numbers back up in a year, but I think that’s still quite a way off.”

The Angus heifers on Monday were secured by processing company Thomas Foods International, who were planning to take the cattle to South Australia.