IF you think lamb is expensive to buy in the supermarket here’s why.
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A pen of extra-heavy lambs went under the hammer at the Wagga sheep and lamb sale on Thursday to make a record $258.20.
It follows on from a price of $256 which was paid at Ballarat in February last year.
And in December 2017 some exceptional lambs made $254.20 at Wagga.
Riverina Livestock Agent auctioneer James Tierney of Wagga sold the offering on behalf of vendor Jeff Crawford, “Pine Grove,” Temora.
“I do think it is the Australian record, I believe a pen might made more once (in Victoria), but they were sold for charity,” Mr Tierney said.
He estimated the second cross Poll Dorset lambs, which were finished on grain, weighed about 40 kilograms dressed.
The market was quoted as being $10 to $20 dearer in places. Mr Tierney said so many lambs had been sold in the past few months and numbers were getting tight.
“It is a numbers game,” he said.
The result comes at a time when primary producers throughout the state are facing dry conditions.
However, despite the lack of feed livestock prices for both sheep and cattle have held reasonably firm.
And for those in the sheep and wool industry prices for prime lambs, surplus sheep and wool have all aligned.
Meanwhile, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) national livestock reporting service reporter Leann Dax said early indications from the Thursday market were that it was more than $10 dearer for many categories.
This was backed up by Wagga livestock agents who said prices had certainly increased compared to previous weeks.
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