WAGGA has cemented its position as a market leader for prime lambs after making a new national record of $305.20.
Temora vendor Craig Miller of “Sunnyside,” saved the best until last when he teamed up with selling agents H Francis and Co to offer 50 second cross Poll Dorset lambs for the record price.
The buyer was Fletcher International Exports of Dubbo and the lambs were estimated to weigh around 35-kilograms dressed.
Ironically, H Francis and Co were last in the draw and the exceptional pen of lambs was almost last to sell.
All up vendors sold 37,830 sheep and lambs at the Wagga market.
Mr Miller said the lambs were finished using grain in a feedlot and he was really pleased with the results.
Tim Francis of H Francis and Co said he knew they were good lambs and it was encouraging to get a record price.
He said H Francis had a long history of selling livestock for the Miller family. In fact, the Millers first started selling stock through H Francis back in 1962 when the selling agency started.
“Records are made to be broken,” Mr Francis said.
However, he conceded there were not a lot of those quality extra-heavy lambs left to sell. He said it would be interesting to see how long the record would stick for.
Records were not isolated to the extra-heavy lambs and Marrar vendor Tom Pattison, “Killarney,” sold some suckers for what is believed to be a record high of $239.20.
The lambs were sold through Riverina Livestock Agents (RLA) and attracted exceptional buyer competition.
The 120 suckers were estimated to weigh 26-kilograms dressed and were by Poll Dorset rams from first-cross ewes.
“They were finished on wheat and radish crops,” said Mr Pattison.
“This is a terrific price (to get) for young lambs … and there is more to come,” he said.
In another standout sale vendor Kent Steward, “Cooee”, Grong Grong offered a pen of lambs to support north Wagga footy player Josh Hanlon.
Mr Steward is the former president of Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong Football Club and said he wanted to help out Josh in his recovery.
“I was really pleased with the price and the buyer support was excellent,” Mr Steward said.
The second-cross Poll Dorset lambs were estimated to weigh 34 kilograms dressed.
Mr Steward also sold a second pen of similar lambs in the market and they made a pleasing $290.
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Rural journalist with Fairfax media based in the Riverina.
Rural journalist with Fairfax media based in the Riverina.
