A RECORD number of sheep and lambs were sold at Wagga Wagga Livestock Marketing Centre last Thursday.
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A whopping 80,650 sheep and lambs went under the hammer for the weekly sale with 75,056 of those sold to a gross of more than $10 million, which took about six hours to sell.
It was a large lift in numbers from 35,000 yarded last week and Wagga Regional Livestock director Isaac Hill said the weather played a huge part as flooded roads had impacted access for previous sales.
"While harvest is impending something has got to give so if they haven't been able to sell there for three to four weeks that has culminated into this week," he said.
"Based on the fact that it was so good in Wagga last week people have really pulled out all the stops to get there lambs there, as well as factors like the majority of roads are now open and they're wanting to keep lambs moving so they can go harvesting."
Mr Hill said prices were back $30 to $50 a head across all grades due to a combination of the large numbers and lower quality.
"A lot of lambs lacked freshness," he said.
Mr Hill said the lamb numbers had been erratic at recent sales but said this is something they would hope to minimise moving forward.
The Wagga centre draws sheep and lambs from all directions NSW and Nutrien Ag Solutions agent Peter Cabot said they sold some lambs from Goulburn and Cooma as well as the normal catchment area of the Riverina.
Mr Cabot said the demand was from where it had been for most of the year with the southern processors operating, as well from other areas including Dubbo.
The Forbes weekly sheep sale was cancelled on Tuesday which also boosted numbers for Wagga with some of the other livestock agents selling lambs from that area.
In the breakdown new season heavy lambs sold for $190 to $258, new season trade lambs made $142 to $180 while new season store lambs sold for $70 to $140.
Heavy old lambs sold for $170 to $250, old trade lambs made $136 to $168 and Merino lambs sold for $85 to $184.
Heavy mutton sold for $135 to $160, trade mutton made $109 to $130 while lighter mutton sold for $60 to $100.
Alexandra Bernard
Journalist based in Wagga Wagga covering all things agriculture in southern NSW.
Journalist based in Wagga Wagga covering all things agriculture in southern NSW.
