While there was plenty of hype last week surrounding JBS Australia's decision to cut its processing of lambs by 20,000 head a week, the fanfare surrounding it has had little impact to local markets.
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Norman C. Bellamy director Damien Stephenson, Cowra, said there were no repercussions at the Cowra market last Friday from JBS Australia's swift move to reduce processing numbers.
"It's that time of year when a lot of processors will take a shift off or shut one of their plants down," he said.
"It's is probably a good thing, not for the workers obviously... but I think processors now realise the supply chain is driving price sustainability."
Mr Stephenson said ultimately if the price remained stable, supply would be stable. There were 5000 lambs penned at the sale and extra heavy lambs topped at $189.
"It's good for the cocky and the agent when prices are high, but once the price hits the mid $6/kg level it's not good for the processor or the consumer at a retail level," he said.
"If the market can stay between $5 to $6 a kilo than everybody is making money."
Mr Stephenson said all buyers were active at Cowra last week and a buyer from JBS Australia bought lambs weighing upwards of 24kg dressed.
"It was a case of JBS trying to get them at the price that was sustainable for them - they were paying $5.50/kg or a shade more."