Lamb is going gangbusters.
   The only problem in the immediate future is there may not be enough of it to go around.
   And what there is may prove too costly.
   Meat and Livestock Australia says lamb exporters were higher in May, up 4 per cent year-on-year to 14,212 tonnes shipped weight, driven by strong sales to the Middle East.
   Lamb slaughter (based on MLA's weekly slaughter survey data) also ran higher in May as growers responded to the attractive prices on offer.
   The Middle East continued to grow as a market for Australian lamb, with exports up 43 per cent on the previous year to 3997 tonnes.
   National average lamb prices are soaring towards record levels, particularly for trade and heavyweights, finished last week 22 cents and 19 cents higher respectively than the previous week.
   The national mutton juggernaut also continued on its record-setting path, jumping 23 cents to finish at 279 cents a kilogram carcase weight — with Victoria's indicator hitting a staggering 302 cents.
   Sales last week at both Katanning and Midland saw reasonable supplies of prime crossbred trade and heavy-weight lambs, with the market again responding to increased processor demand fuelled by dwindling supplies of lambs.
   Boosting the lamb surge, MLA says US and Chinese markets continue to perform strongly, consolidating growth in the Middle East.