Records broken three times for lambs at Forbes

Stunning results of a national record at Forbes and extraordinary rates paid for restocker lambs mark new ground for the industry. Read the details.

Lambs set a new record at Forbes in central west NSW on Tuesday, making $454 a head in another stellar day for the sheep industry.

The national benchmark was broken three times at the same sale amid a winter of record prices, which are edging closer to $500 and injecting confidence across the sector.

The top-priced pen was sold by the McMahon family of Tullamore, comprising spring-drop lambs finished the family’s feedlot.

The prices soared past the previous high set at Wagga Wagga last week, where lambs reached$440.

Record territory at Forbes, NSW today for the lamb industry as extra heavy lambs made $454. Pictured are agent Matt Lennon, KMWL, with vendor Ross McMahon, Tullamore, NSW, and watching on were Archie McMahon, Charlie Mortimer and Freddie McMahon.

Kevin Miller, Whitty, Lennon and Co agent Matt Lennon set the McMahon family had held a draft of lambs back in an attempt to set a new benchmark.

“We had the highest national price three times today, and the McMahon family’s lambs held it twice,” Mr Lennon said.

Of the draft of about 100 lambs, the best pen made $454 and the “seconds” made $450. The Poll Dorset-sired lambs out of first cross ewes had an estimated carcass weight of about 47kg.

“They do a professional job with finishing lambs and everything was spot on with this draft, as it usually is,” Mr Lennon said.

The draft of record price lambs at Forbes, NSW, that weighed an estimated 47kg carcass weight and sold for $454 for the McMahon family from Tullamore. NSW. The lambs were Poll Dorset sired out of a first cross ewe.

He said the sustained run of high prices made producers confident in the future of the lamb industry.

“We know numbers are well back due to the tough season in parts and the number of scanned-in-lamb ewes that went to the abattoirs,” Mr Lennon said.

“And there’s some producers who are tight for feed that are selling lambs now and taking advantage of that confidence.”

Tuesday’s sales boosted the national heavy lamb indicator to 1165c/kg carcass weight, up 94c/kg in the past month.

Meanwhile, the enthusiasm for finishing lambs has seen store values for suckers surge to more than 1700c/kg on Auctionsplus this week.

A line of 600 Poll-Dorset Merino lambs from Cootamundra NSW which were April/May drop and weighed 14-19kg liveweight made $163 or 765c/kg liveweight and 1753c/kg carcass weight.