The 17th annual Tamara Valley store lamb sale, held Thursday near Launceston, Tas, has traded $5 – $10 a head above its values of 12 months ago.
The sale of 7250, which was hosted by three branch members of the Archer family- Stewart Archer, Weymouth Farm, Winston Archer, Effingham and Ed Archer, Greenhythe – attracted an eager field of regular Tasmanian lamb finisher and repeat mainland interest from Bendigo.
The sale also contained 399 first-cross ewe lambs that were snapped up at $153 to $169 a head as future breeders.
There has been an abundance of grass hay and silage made in Tasmania for livestock this season, hence store lamb (and store cattle) prices have surged to be the dearest in Australia.
- Ian Richards, Richards Livestock
Greg Harris, Elders said at the sale’s first leg of 5050 2nd cross lambs were offered at Effingham and Weymouth Farm.
All were the complete drops of September/October-born lambs and unshorn and were the some of the sappiest and freshest lambs offered by these two vendors in some years.
This was reflected in the weights of the lambs being 2-3 kg heavier and having a smaller number in the tail end of the run, Mr Harris said.
Regular buyers mainly from across the north and north west coast areas attended along with two Victorian fatteners who have supported the sale since its inception.
Conjunctional agent in the sale’s second leg at Greenhythe, Ian Richards, Richards Livestock said with the late rains during November and December there has been an abundance of grass hay and silage made in Tasmania for livestock this season, hence store lamb (and store cattle) prices have surged to be the dearest in Australia.
Sale results included; “Weymouth Farm”- sale top $148, average $128.20, “Effingham” - sale top $142 average $120.60, “Greenhythe: 1813 Wether Lambs, sold to $140, average $121, 398 ewe lambs, Cashmore and Oaklea bloodlines, August/September-drop, $158-$168, average $164/head
Major buyers were Elders Bendigo a/c John Parsons 850, a/c Billanode 550, Webb & Woodiwiss a/c Gibson Ag 575, a/c Nosswick 575, Scott Francombe a/c GF & DM Marshall 778, Dean Allen a/c Formosa 360, a/c Woodside Park 186, Jake Oliver a/c JMO Enterprises 372.