SHEEP producers located outside the new biosecurity zone in the Mallee are being asked to continue to sell their livestock at affected saleyards where they will reap the benefits of improved competition.
That is according to Elders Wycheproof branch manager Jim Coffey, who said the return of the South Australian buyers after seven years' hiatus would benefit all producers, including those outside the North West Victorian Regional Biosecurity Area (NWV RBA).
SA has relaxed its strict Ovine Johne's Disease (OJD) trade laws to encompasses the new NWV RBA - including the entire Mallee region and northern parts of the Wimmera - from Mildura, Swan Hill, Buloke, Yarriambiack and Hindmarsh to the SA border.
Agents are anticipating a greater return of SA buyers at the Yelta, Ouyen, Swan Hill and Wycheproof sales in spring.
Mr Coffey said the first Wycheproof sale under the new regulations was a success, with minimal logistical challenges.
"It was not detrimental to the sheep that weren't from the biosecurity area that traditionally come here from areas like Marnoo (south of Wycheproof)," he said.
"They should not turn around and say they will send them somewhere else because they are competing against sheep from the biosecurity area, because what we have seen is that it enhances their values more than detracts from them.
"Those people who didn't need to buy sheep from the biosecurity area were still there bidding on what were non-biosecurity sheep and we didn't see any drop in competition."
Mr Coffey said lambs vaccinated with Gudair against OJD from outside the NWV RBA received strong interest at the sale.
SA buyers were reported to add depth to the competition at the first sale but few headed west over the border.
Mr Coffey said he anticipated prices would be comparable to those of Naracoorte's spring sales in SA, where prices had been a reported $20-$40 up as a result of the boost in competition.
He said the logistics of running the sale with the biosecurity sheep penned separately from those outside the zone worked well.
"We followed the rules - I thought we followed them to a tee - and it worked well," he said.
"We penned for quality and price and worked through it that way, where we sold some biosecurity sheep and crossed the lane and sold the others."
The sale was practice for next week's 12,000-head special store sale, for which sheep from the NWV RBA are advertised.
Annabelle Beale
National Sheep & Wool Writer for Fairfax Agricultural Media
National Sheep & Wool Writer for Fairfax Agricultural Media
