Victorian beef stud principals say their 'costs have exploded'

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."

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."

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."