Lane lambs set new WA record

Livestock producers are heading into unchartered territory as crossbred lambs hit $181 last week in Katanning, a new State record.

It supersedes $164 reached two weeks ago for lambs at Muchea.

The record-breaking line was purchased by Fletcher International, which was bidding heavily to keep its competitors out of the market.

Fletcher’s Albany processing facility manager Greg Cross said the high price was due to supply and demand.

But the question on everyone’s lips is will the result set the price for the future?

Many industry players are taking a wait and see approach as prices have reached levels never seen before in WA.

But a good indication is the strength of the eastern states markets, which have been able to maintain their high prices for several months.

For the Lane family of Hyden, a return of $181 on 131 May drop Merino cross Suffolk lambs was more than a surprise.

Michael Lane, who farms with his father Alf and brother Peter, said the lambs were a second draft and he was expecting $130 to $150.

The first draft, weighing above 52kg, was sold to WAMMCO in November for an average of $107 a head.

Mr Lane was advised by his stock agent, Lincon Gangell from Farmworks, to sell through the saleyards.

Shorn in September, the crossbred lambs had 45mm of wool and had been grazing on barley stubble and regrowth.

Genetics are sourced from Woolundra Suffolk’s in Karlgarin and Lewisdale-Corrigin Merinos.

The Lanes run a 60 per cent cropping and 40 per cent sheep enterprise with the culled Merino ewes crossed with Suffolks.

To combat last year’s dry conditions, 19 lick feeders were brought with 80 per cent of the pregnant ewes fed a barley, lupin and oats mix as well as a mineral mix.

Mr Lane said it had been one of the family’s toughest cropping years, with only half of their program sown.

“But our lambs and lambing percentage was one of the best, with 108 per cent lambs marked compared to the long-term average of 90 per cent, ” he said.

The Hyden farmer also said baiting foxes for the first time last year had a positive affect on the lambing percentage.

The Lanes also sold 64 lambs for $147 and 24 lambs for $90.

Mr Gangell estimated the top lambs would dress out at 26 to 27kg and said it was good news for those who had stayed in the industry.

“It’s good to see a client in a marginal area be reward for their efforts and it’s a positive for the industry, ” he said.