Lamb prices have never been better at the Dubbo Regional Livestock Market where new records for sheep and lamb prices have been set.
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At Monday’s weekly prime lamb and sheep sale, heavy weight crossbred lambs sold for $270.60 a head while Merino lambs made $233.20.
Both prices are believed to be records for the selling centre.
The lambs were sold by local agents Christie and Hood, on behalf of vendors Craig and Gary Fordham, ‘Yarran’, Armatree.
Selling agent Tim Wiggins said the lambs were sold to Thomas Foods International.
“The lambs averaged 72.5 kilograms,” he said.
The previous record for Dubbo saleyards was also set by Christie and Hood on behalf of the Shanks family, Dubbo only a week before when they sold heavy weight crossbred lambs for $255/head.
CPS Thomas Ballhausen and Irvine, Dubbo also set a record, selling a line of heavy weight Merino lambs for $233.20/head on behalf of vendors J and L Vell Family Trust, Gilgandra.
There was strong processor competition at Monday’s sale, which trended dearer across most categories.
A total of 23,900 lambs and 8260 grown sheep were yarded.
According to Meat and Livestock Australia’s National Livestock Reporting Service, light weight lambs to the processors were $5/head dearer, with the 12 to 18kg category selling from $75 to $125/head.
Trade lambs were $3 to $7 dearer, with the 18 to 23kg 3 scores selling from $123 to $188/head, to average between 700c and 740 cents a kilogram carcase weight.
Heavy weight lambs were up to $18 dearer, with the 22 to 30kg category selling from $179 to $240, while the over 30kg pens sold from $241 to $271/head for a new centre record.
Merino lambs were $7 dearer, with the trade weight Merinos selling from $123 to $178, while the heavy weight Merino lambs sold from $188 to $233/head.
Restocker lambs were cheaper, selling from $86 to $104 and hoggets sold to $168/head.
Most grades of mutton were $6 to $10/head cheaper. Ewes sold from $18 to $100 for plainer types, while the better lines sold from $88 to $194 for crossbreds and $181/head for Merinos.
Merino wethers sold to $145/head. Carcase prices ranged from 480c to 545c/kg cwt.