Livestock

Wanalta lamb price breaks record at Bendigo

By Nicholas Spandler

May 4, 2026

A new Bendigo lamb price record was set in April when 80 lambs sold at $475 each. Photo by Contributed

Strong global demand and tightening supply continue to underpin lamb prices, with recent Bendigo sales reinforcing confidence in the market.

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Earlier this month, the Bendigo sheep and lamb sale set a new record, with A, L, B and R McIntosh, from Wanalta, selling 80 lambs for $475 a head.

Rupert Fawcett, director of Ellis Nuttall and Co livestock agents in Bendigo, has been involved in sheep and lamb sales for 40 years and penned the record-breaking yard.

He said the lambs were exceptionally well-finished, with an estimated liveweight of around 84 kilograms and carcass weights averaging 42 kilograms.

Demand for heavyweight lambs has been particularly strong, with global market conditions pushing prices above the $400 mark at select sales.

While prices have eased slightly since the Bendigo record, Mr Fawcett said the broader trend remained positive.

“The lamb market is still looking strong,” Mr Fawcett said.

“We’ve seen some easing since those record prices, but that’s normal; the demand is still there.”

Elders Bendigo Livestock manager Nigel Starick said tight supply combined with sustained export demand continued to drive prices.

“Demand is high and numbers are low, that’s why prices are where they are,” Mr Starick said.

“Australian lamb is very sought-after, both domestically and overseas.”

He said the past month had delivered consistently strong results, with only minor week-to-week fluctuations influenced by supply volumes and lamb specifications.

“The last three or four weeks have been really strong for lamb,” he said.

“We did see a slight softening in the heavier end at times, but that’s a normal supply-and-demand adjustment, and it’s strengthened again.”

Mr Starick said lambs in the 20 to 25 kilogram tradeweight range were becoming increasingly difficult to source, with tightening availability pushing premiums higher.

“Those tradeweight lambs are getting rarer, and they’re attracting more of a premium than heavy lambs when you look at cents per kilo,” he said.

Recent Bendigo sales have continued to deliver strong returns, with many lambs selling around the $380 mark.

“We’ve had a lot of lambs around that $380 level over the past couple of weeks,” Mr Starick said.

“There have been some spikes into the $400s, but not consistently, around $380 has been a reliable top end of the market.”

With export demand expected to remain firm and supplies likely to stay tight, agents said producers could remain confident the lamb market will hold steady in the months ahead.