Stanley Vale Merino Stud - News & Views

New MSA online training

23 October 2015

A new online training program, ‘Producing excellence in eating quality’, has been developed to provide a refreshed, interactive and informative overview of the MSA beef and sheep program, as well as recommendations for producers to optimise the eating quality and compliance of their animals.

The program follows the conversations of five producers as they learn about the on-farm impacts on eating quality and how they can use MSA for either their beef or sheep operations. The program also provides tips on how to read carcase feedback reports generated by the new myMSA feedback system.

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Plan ahead for pasture management - Northern

23 October 2015

Spring can be agonising time for northern producers as feed reserves run low, but there are strategies which can be implemented now to protect pastures and capitalise on any season-breaking rain.

Current pasture feed availability across northern Australia ranges from none through to average for this time of year.

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Thursday daily cattle summary

Throughput at Casino declined 29%, to 750 head. Quality was mixed, however there were several pens of well finished cattle throughout the sale. The usual buying group was present and operating in a firmer market.

Light D2 vealer steers to restockers slipped 18¢, to average 248¢/kg Medium C2 vealer steers to slaughter fell 19¢, averaging 265¢/kg Medium C2 vealer heifers to slaughter declined 10¢ on 234¢/kg Medium D3 cows decreased 6¢, to average 212¢/kg

Dalby consignments decreased 39%, to 4,225 head. Quality was mixed and the market trended generally dearer week-on-week. The usual panel of buyers and processers were present, with increased restocker activity. 

Light C2 yearling steers to restockers increased 4¢, to average 293¢/kg Medium C2 yearling steers to feed improved 11¢, averaging 292¢/kg Heavy C2 yearling steers to feeders declined 3¢, on 306¢/kg Light D2 yearling heifers to restockers increased 14¢, averaging 237¢/kg Light C2 Grown steers to feed, jumped 21¢, averaging 266¢/kg Heavy D4 cows lifted 11¢, to average 249¢/kg

Leongatha yarded 1,581 head, back 34% week-on-week. There were some very good bullocks and trade cattle offered, while cows were in shorter supply. The usual buying group were present and competing in a dearer market

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Thursday daily sheep summary

Lamb throughput at CTLX increased 20%, to 8,050 head. Quality was mixed across the yarding, with a large offering of store lambs suitable for restockers. Well-conditioned new season lambs were limited, with the majority lacking finish. The usual buying group were present however not all were operating in a generally dearer market.

Sheep numbers eased 12%, to 2,900 head, and quality was generally good.

New season light weight 3 score restocker lambs sold between 515¢ to 525¢, averaging 518¢/kg cwt New season trade weight 3 score lambs increased 22¢ on 513¢/kg cwt New season heavy weight 4 score improved 14¢, to average 494¢/kg cwt Heavy weight 4 score crossbred ewes were back 16¢ on 256¢/kg cwt Medium weight 3 score Merino wethers fell 30¢ on 265¢/kg cwt

At Horsham, lamb supply jumped 25%, to yard 12,790 head. Quality was good with a reasonable supply of well finished trade weight and heavy lambs penned. The usual buyers and processors were present and operating in a dearer market.

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Gippsland receives spring rain

Falls of 15-50mm fell over the Gippsland region of Victoria this week, while the remainder of the state received light showers. Widespread rain was recorded across NSW, with some northern regions receiving up to 25mm. The SA coastline and southern WA recorded falls of 1-10mm with occasional showers of 15mm. Patchy falls up to 5mm were measured across the remainder of WA, while the NT was mostly dry. The central and northern coastline of Queensland saw isolated showers of up to 25mm, while Tasmania received up to 25mm in the western regions of the state.

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In focus: South-east Queensland

Continuing drought conditions, combined with increasing prices across most classes, have had a large impact on the supply of cattle into southern Queensland saleyards throughout spring. Throughput at the Roma store sale has consistently hovered around 7,000 to 10,000 head each week, while elevated levels have also been evident at Dalby, with numbers regularly around 5,000 to 7,000 head.

Prices reached a peak in late September, with the QCMI reaching 324.6 points. At Dalby, export slaughter lines of bullocks sold around 316¢, while good heavy cows averaged 265¢ and made to 281.2¢/kg over this time. Young cattle were also in demand, with vealers steers to restockers making into the 370¢/kg range. Medium and heavy weight yearling steers to feed generally sold around 320¢/kg.

However, by early October, the consistently large supplies of cattle had a big impact on prices. The QCMI fell to 287.2 points and saw slaughter bullock prices less than 290¢, and good heavy cows mostly around 238¢/kg in the Dalby sale. Medium weight yearling steers to feed generally sold in the 280¢/kg range.

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Goat export values ease

Australian goatmeat export values for August decreased 24% year-on-year, to $18.6 million FOB (Australian Bureau of Statistics) – driven by a 27% fall in the total volume shipped for the month (2,403 tonnes swt). This saw the year-to-August total at $1.4 billion FOB, down 1% on the corresponding period last year.

The lower export volume and value were underpinned by a decrease in goat slaughter during August, with NLRS average weekly eastern states goat kill down 4% year-on-year, to 31,660 head. This decline was attributed to slaughter levels in Victoria and SA halving year-on-year, to 5,962 head and 5,285 head, respectively. In contrast, goat slaughter in Queensland and NSW lifted, to 17,292 head and 3,121 head, respectively.

Returns from most of Australia’s major goatmeat export markets in August followed a similar trend, compared to the same time last year:

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Lamb slaughter lifts but remains below year-ago levels

Eastern states indicative lamb slaughter increased in most states last week but was lower than the same time last year.

The rise was attributed to the return of a full processing week in most states, although lamb slaughter usually peaks in October as new season spring lambs continue to enter the market, as illustrated in the figure below.

Eastern states lamb slaughter was 402,756 head, down 2% year-on-year Victoria at 193,983 head, down 4% NSW at 100,965 head, steady SA at 84,311 head, down 1%

ES-lamb-kill.bmp

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Hot, dry conditions lift cattle kill

Eastern states weekly cattle slaughter has been in steady decline since Easter, as illustrated in the figure below. However, with the onset of hot and dry conditions, particularly in the south-east, large numbers of cattle have been turned off and last week registered the first marked increase in the eastern states weekly kill since before the Easter period.

ES-cattle-kill.bmp

With almost 161,000 head processed throughout the eastern states, last week’s kill was the highest it had been since July but remains 8% below year-ago levels. While the 15% week-on-week lift is coming off a short processing week in many states, it is also 12% and 6% higher than the previous two weeks, respectively.

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Improving assurance

16 October 2015

Since July 2011, the livestock export industry has operated under the Australian Government’s Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS).

A research and development project, being undertaken by MLA and LiveCorp, aims to develop a more robust assurance system that will strengthen the principles of ESCAS, better ensure the welfare of exported animals and demonstrate the professionalism of the trade while protecting the long-term sustainability of the entire industry.

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