Victorian lamb record set at Ballarat

A pen of extra heavy lambs has sold for a new Victorian record of $428 at the Ballarat saleyards, just $3 shy of the national high set at Griffith two weeks ago.

A pen of extra heavy lambs went under the hammer at the Ballarat prime market on Tuesday to set a new Victorian record of $428.

The money was just $3 shy of the $431 national high achieved at the Griffith, NSW, market two weeks ago and $2 more than the $426 made at Bendigo recently.

The pen of 102 lambs, estimated to weigh 40 kilograms dressed, were sold by Danny Maher of Dean.

“It is an honour to be at the top, and it’s a team effort,” Mr Maher said.

He said seeing these prices in drought conditions was encouraging.

“Our hearts go out to all of the other farmers battling these drought conditions, who just like us, are doing the best they can to get through,” he said.

Auctioneer Gerard White of TB White and Sons at Delacombe was wielding the gavel when the lambs sold and commended the vendors on how they were presented.

“With the conditions of the season and the fact we are now coming into cold weather, it is important to note that the vendors are doing an outstanding job of presenting lambs of this calibre,” he said.

Mr White said there were some other exceptional lambs that made good money, with Grigg Farms of Bungaree selling 200 second cross for $415.

A total of 26,449 sheep and lambs were sold at Ballarat, and four pens of lambs made more than $400.

Elders Griffith auctioneer Rodney Evans with record-breaking lambs. Picture: Jenny Kelly

On a carcass basis, the market was quoted as being slightly cheaper, with the extra heavy lambs making 1050c/kg to 1090c/kg, and most export lambs ranging from $320 to $388 to an average of $360 at 1055c/kg.

Despite the solid result, Meat and Livestock Australia’s heavy lamb indicator has lost ground, showing a drop of 31.65c/kg in the past week to settle at 1038.91c/kg carcass weight based on a headcount of 33,312.

The national high of $431 for 33 Poll Dorset Merino-cross lambs, weighing 38kg to 39kg, still stands for brothers Shane and Damian and father Kevin Mannes of Coleambally.