When the forecast for soaking rains for south-eastern Australia including the whole of the Murray Darling Basin began to strengthen mid last week there was a sense in livestock markets the tide may be turning.
For those suffering badly from the extremely dry weather of the past 12 months, their reasons for selling will remain unchanged but for those awaiting in readiness to restock this change shouts of opportunities.
The Kyneton monthly store cattle sale was one case in point. Throughout this sale there were small glimpses of a renewed demand, with local area restockers from Ballarat, Daylesford and Myrtleford all more eager to purchase on a range of categories from light young calves to breeding females.
A disturbing feature of Kyneton sale was the number of autumn-born calves, aged to three months offered split from their mothers. While these were cleared to restockers the word from prime markets suggests the trade have absorbed a large number of these motherless young calves which must have an ill-effect on future numbers.
On Friday at Warrnambool the main focus of the south-west surplus surrounded the high number of spring-drop weaners offered before their time. This area has also felt limited rain since spring and with the winter fast approaching, it has also become necessary to move surplus young cattle.
While most of these spring-drop weaners were absorbed back into lower south-west border districts inquiries from both Deniliquin NSW and Wangaratta, where rain has already fallen, saw speculators accumulate yearling-off and weaner heifers to background, providing options for joining or to the trade later in the spring.
With rain falling mid-sale at Warrnambool a strong focus also shone on breeding females with young calves at-foot. Here demand certainly outstripped supply and, on several occasions, prices soars over the $2000 per outfit mark, with few lots cleared for less than $1500- $1600.
On the lamb front this week a seasonal high of $190 a head was paid at Ballarat for a pen estimated at 35-36kg dressed weight. Supply at Ballarat fell sharply from 25,000 last week to 17,500 on Tuesday and while the cents per kilogram rate for heavy lambs was about 500-520c/kg, the strongest demand was generated for trade lambs.
The reason was confirmed that supplies to mainland processors from Tasmania have been halted by the huge seas currently menacing Bass Strait shipping. As many as 20,000 head have been affected, however once these heavy seas subside markets may soften until the backlog is cleared.
On the back of the rain the Eastern trade lamb indicator lifted 2.5 percent this week to 527c/kg while the cattle EYCI jumped three percent to 562c/kg.
