By Jeremy Sollars
With lamb prices continuing to surge despite the drought a good number of entries are expected for the 2018 Warwick Show and Rodeo Society Prime Lamb Carcass Competition.
Good yardings continue to present at the weekly sheep sale at the Warwick Saleyards – last week alone saw 1226 lambs and hoggets and 624 sheep through the sale.
Carcass Competition Chief Steward Joe Browne told the Free Times this week while prices were good by past standards, right now they’re “probably where they need to be with feed availability”.
Joe said there a “very few” drought-affected animals coming through the Warwick sheep.
“There’s very little coming from interstate – it’s really all coming from the southern, western and northern Downs,” he said.
“It’s hard to find a home for anything that doesn’t have feedlot or slaughter potential.
“There’s as good a margin as ever given where the Aussie dollar is at, and even though obviously feed is dearer.
“Around 95 per cent of the slaughter animals coming through are supplementary-fed but grain supplies are going to get tight.
“Right now the biggest issue is hay for roughage.”
Entries for the Carcass Competition close at 3pm on Friday 28 September and as is the case with past years the majority of entries will come close to the end, with producers keen to present their lambs in top condition.
Prime Lamb Carcass Competition details…
• Entries Close – 3pm Friday 28th September 2018.
• Lamb Weighing – Warwick Municipal Saleyards, Wednesday 3 October, from 9am.
• Chairman – Bill Gross; Chief Steward – Joe Browne (0417 703 701).
• Entry fees – $5 per single entry including GST per head; $15 per pen of three lambs entry including GST.
Exhibitors please note your entries need to be submitted with your preferred livestock selling agent. Your entry fee will be forwarded to the show society by your livestock agent at the end of the competition. Carcass lambs must be accompanied by individual NVD forms consigned to Carey Brothers Abattoir via Warwick Sale Yards.
Classes…
Prize Money (all categories) – 1st, $100, 2nd $60, 3rd $20
• Class 1: Single Lamb – 42 kg to 46 kg live weight.
• Class 2: Single Lamb – 46.1 kg to 51 kg live weight.
• Class 3: Pen of Three Lambs – 42 kg to 46 kg live weight.
• Class 4: Pen of Three Prime Lambs – 46.1 kg to 51kg live weight.
Overall awards…
• Lamb with Highest Dressing Percentage
• Champion Single Carcass Lamb – selected from classes 1 and 2.
• Reserve Champion Single Carcass Lamb – selected from classes 1 and 2.
• Champion Pen Of Carcass Lambs – selected from classes 3 and 4.
• Reserve Champion Pen Of Carcass Lambs – selected from classes 3 and 4.
• Double Winner Bonus – If the live lamb judged as best entry wins a first place in any class of the carcass sections the entrant will also receive $100 Cash. If not won, prize money will jackpot to next year.
• Most Entries from an Agent
Carcass viewing will be held at Carey Bros Abattoir on Saturday 6 October from 10 am 12 pm – trophy Presentations followed by a BBQ lunch generously sponsored and prepared by Carey Bros Abattoir and GR Prime Lambs.
