PITTSWORTH producers John and Anne Waters were delighted to see their RNA prize-winning lambs sell for a whopping $294 a head to a Brisbane butcher - more than double their normal price.
Their Killara White Dorpers clinched the champion pen of three in the RNA prime lamb carcase award in just their second year entering the competition.
Their pen consisted of two milk tooth White Dorper-Suffolk cross lambs and one milk tooth White Dorper-Merino cross.
The lambs, with a liveweight between 46 and 49 kilograms, boned out to average 23.8kg carcase weight and sold for a massive 1240c/kg to Pattamore's Meats, Alexander Hills, to return $294 ahead.
"It really was a massive thrill and a great price," Mrs Waters said.
"Our lambs normally make about 500c/kg."
She said the "secret formula" was producing an even line of carcases.
"We really couldn't believe we had won until we saw them hanging up, and we are very proud," she said.
The lambs were prepared on-grass, with added supplementary feed from Fodder Solutions, using barley.
Judge Pat Mc Mahon of Warwick described the overall grand champions as having good leg and rump and excellent cover from the back end to the shoulder. "These lambs were up against 90 entries, and are outstanding," Mr McMahon said.
"From a butcher's point of view we need to get as much meat from the carcase as possible, and these lambs deliver," he said.
Overall reserve champion pen of three lambs went to Peter and Pene Hood, Plainview Texel Stud, Pittsworth. Their pen was by Texel rams from Border Leicester-Merino cross ewes. They sold for 1000c/kg, with an average carcase weight of 20.6kg.
The winners
- Champion pen of three: Killara White Dorpers, Toowoomba.
- Reserve champion pen of three: Hood family, Plain View Texel, Pittsworth.
- Champion grass fed pen of three: Killara White Dorpers.
- Pen of three light trade lambs. 1. Hood family 2. Hood family 3. T&K Balla.
- Pen of Three Heavy Trade Lambs. 1. Killara White Dorpers 2. T&K Balla. 3. Warren and Wendy Schelbach.
- Pen of Three Restaurant Trade Lambs. 1. Leanne Moore 2. Peter Hood. 3. Leanne Moore