Clearer weather this past week has allowed prime lamb and cattle markets to ease seasonally in value on an influx of sale numbers.
Markets at Bendigo, Dubbo, Wagga, and even Ballarat were back to normal supply levels for this time of the year, however for store markets the same could not be said.
At Barnawartha bi-monthly store cattle market and also Jerilderie annual Merino breeders’ sheep sale - the two markets I witnessed, numbers were below par for this time of the year.
NVLX Barnawartha cleared a shortened supply of 1500 head when normally 2500 or more could have been expected. While at Jerilderie its numbers plunged from the advertised 12,000 to 8000 head, which was 65 per cent below last year’s tally of 22,000.
The northeast and its neighbouring Riverina area, it’s fair to say, is awash with water. Swollen streams, flooded waterways and water-logged paddocks are making the routine management of livestock difficult especially those earmarked for transport to a pending sale.
Amidt of these two sales, Corowa stock agents even found too difficult for me to get on-farm to complete a preview they planned for its upcoming feature Crossbred ewe sale later this month.
A point of interest at these two sales was the greater acceptance of buyers to current price regimes, both in cattle and sheep. And, this was especially the case with the cautionary chat touting potentially a sharp dip in slaughter prices in the not-too-distant future.
With the whole of eastern states thoroughly wet, and an explosion of grass imminent, it seems to me that yet another wave in restocker demand may eventuate as before the spring growth has cured.
Whether this competition continues at its current level or drives to further new highs is still to seen. But with the damage expected to cereal, legume and hay crops, and the difficulties that may arise during this harvest period due to sodden paddocks, not to mention low grain prices, it could be expected livestock may be called on to clear these areas in preparation before next year’s seeding program can begin.
Meanwhile, it has been encouraging to read that during the Victorian NLIS (Sheep and Goats) period of consultation that all of the major industry groups ie; agents, wool, sheep and goat producers have all appeared on the one page calling for a delay in the implementation timeframe.
Their submissions have all been united calling for trials and testing of the technologies- old and new- as well as the retention of the “mob-based” system of traceability so Victoria can remain parallel with the other states that have so far resisted the urge to jump into electronic tagging.
Whether their calls for common sense are heeded is another matter.
