The Stock & Land team spoke with stud principals throughout Victoria during Stock & Land Beef Week to seek their views on beef prices, input costs, government support and the future of the sector.
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Mystical Murray Grey stud principal Robert Pell, Tatura
On cattle prices:
"As far as the prices go, the market is a bit flat," he said.
"There's room for it to rise.
"It needs to come up a bit more than what it is at the moment to be a viable proposition because let's face it, our costs have all exploded - fertiliser, fuel, water, everything.
"Everything we look at has doubled or tripled in price and our price at the moment is probably a little bit flat to where it should be."
On weather:
"We've had three really-good seasons in succession and this summer, these paddocks are normally brown," he said.
"Well look at them now - they're green.
"The cattle have feed everywhere and you're not subsidising feeding everything.
"There's plenty of feed in the paddock."
On the future of beef farming:
"I think there is a future in beef farming for young Australians, to a degree," he said.
"I think there's always going to be a market developed there.
"Export markets are something which could be pushed a bit more.
"At the end of the day, the countries overseas are going to have to want our product too."
Merribrook Angus stud principal Graeme Collins, Tennyson
On cattle prices:
"I think there will be demand for bulls in the year ahead," he said.
"My son tells me that [Wednesday's] fat market sales at Echuca were through the roof."
On the future of beef farming:
"There is a future in beef farming but buying the land is going to be a big problem," he said.
"Unless we get some changes in government and changes in legislation."
On government support:
"I don't think the government is supporting us at all," he said.
"We'll never get that support as long as we have Labor in and that's speaking as a farmer."
Strathvalley Hereford stud principal Brett Young, Rochester
On cattle prices:
"I'd definitely be hopeful that beef prices should improve as the year goes on," he said.
On the future of beef farming:
"I certainly would be hopeful for the future for young beef farmers," he said.
"There's certainly an opportunity to be had."
