Numbers rise

Consignments increased 8% this week, with 21,859 head yarded in all MLA reported saleyards .

Prices mixed

Lamb

Lamb consignments throughout NSW slipped 19%, week-on-week, for a total of 91,131 head.

New season trade weight lambs trended $1 to $2 dearer, making from $95 to $140/head, or an average price from 545¢ to 553¢/kg cwt.

Trade weight older lambs slipped $3, ranging from $83 to $127/head and attained an average price from 468¢ to 482¢/kg cwt.

Over-the-hook export goat indicators have moved into uncharted territory, reaching 500¢/kg cwt this week (MLA’s NLRS). Goats, which, in the past, have tracked the price of mutton, are now edging closer to current lamb prices. The average September export over-the-hook indicator (12-16kg cwt) is 471¢/kg cwt, up 40% year-on-year.

Average weekly eastern states goat slaughter, reported by MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service, eased 4% year-on-year in August, 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, slaughter lifted in Queensland and NSW, to 17,292 head and 3,121 head, respectively.

Although the average eastern states goat slaughter for the month was lower than year-ago levels, August goat slaughter was higher than the May, June and July averages.

According to the latest United States Department of Agriculture  (USDA) GAIN report, the Russian cattle herd is forecast to decline by 1.5% in 2016, to 18.4 million head – a reflection of the long-term reduction on cattle inventories. Difficulties in obtaining long-term credits, low raw milk prices, and a decline in consumption have compromised the investments in new beef and dairy production projects in 2015, which are also likely to constrain the herd growth in 2016.

Despite the overall low beef supplies and high cattle prices in the Russian market, producers are struggling to increase production due to limited cattle stocks and reduced access to long-term credits, with Russian beef production forecast to also decline in 2016, to total 1.3 million tonnes carcase weight equivalent (cwe).

The Russian government have recognized that import substitution for beef will require a longer period of time and significantly higher investments to replicate the success of local pork and poultry producers. Minister of Agriculture “Alexander Tkachyov” recently noted that self-sufficiency in beef and dairy can only take place with continued strong government support to the sector over the next decade.

Consignments at Roma Prime increased 28%, to 1,060 head. With a similar increase in numbers to the previous week, a strong mix of good quality bullocks and cows set the benchmark for competition between exporters. Processors looked to secure suitable prime cattle, with the plainer categories selling to the cheaper trend.

Dubbo numbers were up 29% week-on-week, reaching 7,100 head. It was a good quality yarding presented across all sections, with prime cattle and the odd pen from the far west making up the offering. After trending cheaper in the early stages, the market gained momentum as the sale progressed, with most categories setting a dearer platform at days end.  

Throughput at Bairnsdale increased 23%, to 455 head. The short supply of prime cattle, showing good finished conditions, were in hot demand. A strong outfit of the usual buying group were present however, due to the mixed market conditions, not all operated.

Lamb consignments at Wagga slipped 8%, to 23,000 head, and new season lamb quality was excellent. All the regular domestic buyers were in attendance, although there were very few export processors operating.

Sheep throughput edged 1% lower week-on-week, to 7,500 head, with a reasonable proportion of the yarding consisting of medium and heavy weight lines.

At the close of Thursday’s markets:

18 September 2015

Target 100 producers were in the spotlight at the recent Farmer of the Year 2015 awards, taking out three of the 10 awards – including the Farmer of the Year.

Farmer of the Year was awarded to Tasmania’s Matt Dunbabin. Matt also received the diversification award. Matt and his wife Vanessa run a livestock enterprise at Dunalley in south-east Tasmania, where they also produce wine, crops and wool while operating tourism enterprises. Matt was one of the producer faces in the Target 100 Bettertarian campaign . Read their Target 100 story here , where they talk about improving environmental outcomes while lifting productivity.

18 September 2015

Liz Manchee, from Narrabri in New South Wales, has received a Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarship supported by Meat and Livestock Australia.

She will focus on the performance and profitability of producing ‘natural’ lotfed beef, considering genetics and traceability claims.

18 September 2015

Garry Kadwell is the epitome of the organised farmer. The seed potato grower, prime lamb producer and fodder trader operates in the challenging climate of Crookwell in the southern NSW Tablelands.

In this series where producers share their current challenges and the strategies to manage and grow their business, Garry shares how he makes the most of his 800mm annual winter/spring dominant rainfall to fill substantial feed gaps.

18 September 2015

Producers can beef up their business by matching cattle to customer specifications, rather than taking a ‘shot gun’ approach.

This is the message from Jarrod Lees, Meat Standards Australia (MSA) Producer Engagement Officer (Eating Quality), who will take South Australian producers through strategies to get the most out of their carcase feedback sheets when he speaks at two Pastoral Profit events at Craddock and Blinman on 28 and 29 September 2015.