Trade4go Summary
The article reports a surge in the number of lambs transported across the Nullarbor Plain to the Eastern States, reaching over 30,000 last month. This increase is attributed to the end of lambing season in the north, larger sheep areas in the south, and a lack of processing space. However, this trend is expected to decrease as the season dries up and shearing ends. The current demand is also influenced by the dry season and concerns over a potential live sheep export ban in 2028. The market has provided a lifeline for producers in 2024, but prices have not reached the levels of 2020 due to less demand. A potential shortage of mutton after Christmas could drive up prices due to the typical supply and demand cycle.
Disclaimer: The above summary was generated by a state-of-the-art LLM model and is intended for informational purposes only. It is recommended that readers refer to the original article for more context.
Original content
The number of lambs trucked across the Nullarbor Plain climbed back up past 30,000 head last month. However the increase is not uncommon for this time of year, according to Elders State sales manager livestock sheep, Wayne Peake. "With heavier sheep areas through the south coming online, a large number of store lambs headed east," Mr Peake said. "There's also been a lack of processing space here, so quite a few slaughter lambs have been sent across the border in recent weeks. "I would think that demand is also to do with the dry season over there." A good season in southern WA meant lambs came onto the market quicker than usual. This coincided with the tail-end of lambs from the northern and eastern areas - and knocked off some booking space. "As it dries off in the north, instead of shearing, producers are coming to the end of their lambs and turn-off what's left," Mr Peake said. "Then those in the south take them out to killing weight - they would rather sell big numbers and ...
