REPEAT buyers knowing the meat qualities of Meat Plus progeny continually bred by Union Agriculture, paid up to $168 a head for wether lambs while securing all 3636 head at the annual Bobbara Station's feature store lamb production sale at Galong last Friday.
The top-priced pen of lambs weighed an average 38.9 kilograms and were among several purchases by Meat Plus studmaster Tony Rutter, Tarcutta, who bought on behalf of clients who would background and grow out the lambs to heavy weights.
Mr Rutter purchased 1168 wether lambs including the second top-priced pen of $166/hd for another draft of 347 lambs weighing an average 38.9kg, and paying down to $145/hd for 35.5kg weights.
Selling agents, Delta Livestock and Property agent, Cam Rosser, Young, said compared with current markets, he thought the lambs sold at a definite premium.
"They sold to a dearer trend on current store lamb prices purely to the fact that repeat buyers know how these lambs perform," he said. "So buyers return here year-in, year-out to secure this quality."
Mr Rosser said 38kg lambs were currently making about $145 to $155 maximum.
Delta Young, bought two pens of wether lambs for clients, paying $163/hd for 339 weighing an average 38.9kg and $148/ha for 237 weighing 35.5kg average.
QPL, Temora, paid $125/hd for 264 wethers weighing an average 29kg.
Ryan Meat Company's abattoir at Nathalia, Victoria, bought 263 wether lambs weighing 29kg at $126/hd while their grazing side, Ryan Pastoral, bought two pens of ewe lambs, 123 head weighing 43kg average for $164/hd and 284 averaging 37kg at $156/hd.
Forbes-based McCarron Cullinane Chudleigh purchased four pens, paying $120 a head for 249 ewe lambs of 31 kilogram average weight, and three pens of mixed-sex lambs totalling 709 to a top of $109/hd for 231 averaging 26kg.
McCarron Cullinane Chudleigh agent, Adam Chudleigh, said he had purchased lambs for a client at Young at that sale in the past couple of years to fatten and market.
"Some will start on stubble and be introduced to feedlot later on to finish for the trade kill," he said.
"We've bought lambs at Bobbara before and they do the job, so we return."
Bobbara Station ewes have better growth rates and with their higher meat production potential have a better doing ability with increased survivability and are joined for a July/August lambing.