Second half sheep slaughter to slow
Sheep supply and demand will be an interesting equation this spring and summer. Strong flock numbers are converging with drought-induced turnoff, historically high lamb prices, and, so far, improved seasonal conditions in some sheep-producing regions. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released second-quarter livestock figures recently, and sheep slaughter was significantly lower than for the […]
There must be some grass growing
It is safe to say hay prices have peaked, with the latest Dairy Australia Hay Report showing declines in hay prices across NSW and Victoria, while remote or markets that didn’t jump have maintained prices at lower levels. We have hit spring, but hay and silage season is still a few weeks away. That hasn’t, […]
South African merino clip update
With South Africa a major supplier of RWS-accredited merino wool and an important merino production region, it is timely to review the South African supply for the last season. This is particularly relevant given the falling volume of greasy wool production in Australia at present. South African wool data was drawn mainly from the Cape […]
Big herd equals big risk
Meat and Livestock Australia’s (MLA) September cattle industry projections have been dropped, and they paint an interesting picture in terms of the changing dynamics of cattle production in Australia. The herd is large, at a time of strong beef demand, but it brings elevated risk. It might be time to throw out the old rule […]