Lambs delayed despite recent Mallee rain relief

The delay is expected to be up to a month as some producers have decided to hold onto lambs and utilise pastures down the track, that received a boost of much-needed rain in the past two weeks.

But unfortunately, a lot of rain does not equate to feed instantaneously according to Nutrien Ag Solutions agent Kev Keller.

"A lot of lambs from the Mallee will be late by at least a month, lambs will be back in size and condition.

"The feed will be there in about three to four weeks but some producers will sell lighter lambs earlier."

Mr Keller said demand for lambs outside of the area was "very high" and store lambs were attracting prices to match.

"The whole livestock industry is very positive at the moment. Some producers will definitely take the money and run but others will wait, since it is clear that there will be feed and they can put the weight on."

Prime lamb sales at Murray Bridge saleyards that are scheduled to be held from August 10, are likely to attract lower lamb numbers, according to Mr Keller.

"The first couple of sales might be most effected by more lambs being held onto," he said.

Before about 40 millimetres of rain fell across most of the area recently, Nurtrien Ag Solutions Pinnaroo David Daniel said the area looked "terrible".

"It has been a dramatic turnaround that's for sure.

"The rain has opened up another option for producers. People who were looking to offload lambs as stores can now hang onto them if they want to because the feed will be there.

"Producers have been spending a lot of money on feeding stock so feed will hopefully kick away in the next few months now."

Mr Daniel said last year, Mallee producers were selling new-season lambs in late July but most of his clients were still between two to four weeks away.

"Most producers would prefer to get them up to trade weights but there are definitely a lot selling lambs earlier without the weight."

Spence Dix and Co's Simon Lehmann, Murray Bridge, said the situation was entirely feed dependent.

"In the past three weeks, a lot of producers off-loaded lambs because the money has been exceptional.

"The upper Mallee area in particular has been doing this. The feed has just not been there.

"But lambs with a bit of weight on them already will be held back if there is enough feed ahead of them."

FEEDING sheep has become a monotonous task for the Braun family at Paruna, after battling drought in previous years and a late start to this year's season leaving them with no other option.

The season break arrived in the past two weeks for most of the SA Mallee, providing fresh hope for struggling feed crops but despite this, the family's new-season lambs are expected to be about a month behind previous years in terms of growth.

The recent rain has offered some reprieve for Leon Braun, as he makes plans to sell lambs over-the-hooks in the coming weeks.

"We did destock down to 800 breeding ewes from about 1600 and we weren't even going to seed our crops, a few weeks ago we thought it was all over," he said.

"But we got the break and we're in the game now."

But Mr Braun is "tired of feeding sheep" and was pleased to see green pick flourishing this week.

The feed will finish the top end of the lamb draft.

"We have had grain feeders in the paddock the entire time and despite the start, it is surprising how well lambs have progressed," Mr Braun said.

A six-pen containment feedlot setup has helped the Brauns finish lighter lambs that were offered on AuctionsPlus last week.

Crossbred lambs were also sold at Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange last Monday and Mr Braun said lambs made very good prices.

Despite being relieved about the season turnaround, Mr Braun was concerned about whether lambs would reach 21 kilograms dressedweight and make the "top money" at the processors.