Sucker lambs top at $250 at Deniliquin prime market

The first major lines of suckers rolled out of the Riverina this morning, topping $250 at Deniliquin. See all the prices.

Bill Holden, from Deniliquin, NSW, sold 660 second-cross suckers at the Deniliquin prime market on Tuesday, with the lead pen topping at $250. He is pictured with agent Ian Geddes of Elders.

The importance of giving young lambs enough time to mature and show weight and hard finish was highlighted at the Deniliquin, NSW, prime market today, as the first major lines of suckers rolled out of the Riverina.

In a draw of about 3000 crossbred young lambs, the best pens above 24kg sold from $204 to a top of $250.

The top priced pen came out of a run of 660 suckers sent in by local Deniliquin producer Bill Holden – the $250 pen estimated around 27-28kg carcass weight by agents.

These lead lambs trended at 850c/kg to 900c/kg.

But there was a noticeable drop in money for off the top types that were in the 20-22kg range and these suckers sold from $154 to $166 to be quoted in the low 800c/kg range with some pens dipping below the $8/kg threshold.

Nutrien auctioneer Marc Braybon said the results suggested producers eyeing off $200 as the sell point for early suckers needed to have a good 24kg-plus in their lambs with consistent finish.

“Once you come off the tops it does drop away,” he said.

“To get lambs up into the top runs it could take an extra fortnight or more in time than people were hoping.”

Elders auctioneer Jason Andrews said early indications suggested weight would be a critical component of sucker sales.

“It showed here today that suckers with a bit of weight are making good money, but once back on those general trade types the market does soften – buyers know those 20-22kg lambs are going to be a dime a dozen this season,” Mr Andrews said.