Australian lamb prices surge to record highs in South Australia and Western Australia

Lamb prices in Australia have surged to new state records. In South Australia, heavy lambs sold at the Dublin saleyards approached the $450 per head mark set last year, driven by competition from a Victorian processor and a range of farms offering extra‑heavy crossbred and Merino lambs. Prices for heavyweight lambs were quoted between $320 and $441, with the top sale reaching $426 for a line of November‑shorn crossbreds.

In Western Australia, a pen of 142 Merino wethers at Katanning broke the state record by selling for $418 each to Fletcher International. Owner Kevin O'Brien exclaimed, "Holey moley, I can't wipe the smile off my face," after the sale, noting the previous record of $397 per head. The O'Brien family, who run a 2,500‑head Merino breeding flock, attributes the success to sustained demand for heavyweight lambs and strategic feeding practices amid short pasture supplies.