Sheep

Australian livestock producers have been facing an unprecedented period of market volatility over recent years, with swings in cattle and sheep prices reaching record extremes, Rabobank says in new research. In the report Managing increased volatility in Australian livestock markets … volatility has long been a feature of livestock markets, both the scale and frequency of price swings have intensified significantly over the past five to 10 years.

Matt Canavan’s exposé at the recent Senate Estimates, which had the Department of Agriculture’s executives sweating in their seats, deserves wide circulation ... “There’s lots of talk about the need to increase reforestation—effectively, the conversion of agricultural land to forests ..." ... If Matt Canavan is the Senate’s zealot hunter, then Western Australia’s Senator Matthew O’Sullivan is its Maremma the Sheepdog that protects its flock ... In committee, O’Sullivan’s questioning tore open the government’s $139.8 million Sheep Industry Transition Assistance Package ...

An excerpt from Michael Holding's book, "A Pointless Story" about a young shearer's cook in Cooma in the 1960's ... "3:55 a.m., No alarm clock. Just Stew’s voice booming through the hut like a gospel preacher announcing Judgement Day. “On your feet, Charlton!” There’s a special kind of pain that comes from rolling out of a warm swag into sub-zero air, dragging on yesterday’s stiff clothes, and stumbling into a kitchen where the fire is nothing but a few sulky coals."

Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said Labor has no plan or explanation why farmers applying for Labor’s assistance grant will be forced to find up to $75,000 of their own money as a co-contribution before Christmas, in order to obtain financial help.

...The $30 million Farm Business Transition Program will provide grants of up to $75,000 per applicant to help eligible sheep producers prepare for the phase out, with funding to support new business plans or the adoption of alternative farming practices. The program will be delivered over two rounds, with $20 million available in round one opening next week, and $10 million to be made available in 2026.

Central Murray Best Wool Best Lamb Carcass Competition had a record 177 carcases entered from 27 local producers for its 10th anniversary. Producers were spread from Blighty in the East, Balranald and Wanganella to the North, Quambatook to the South West and Kerang/Murrabit to the South East, with this year’s competition attracting a greater number of youth.

Australia’s sheep industry is at a turning point - and producers are being asked to help write the next chapter. Sheep Producers Australia (SPA) has launched the development of The Future Flock, a national strategy designed to guide the sheepmeat and wool sector through change and set a profitable, resilient direction for decades to come. ARR.News asked some questions of SPA CEO Bonnie Skinner about The Future Flock and national strategy.

Tasmania has emerged as a "standout success story" in Australian agriculture, powered by a vibrant and varied farming sector which has experienced sustained and widespread growth in recent decades, according to a new report. In the report, Gearing up for mature growth in Tasmanian agriculture, agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank says agriculture remains the cornerstone of Tasmania’s economy...

If there was ever a year to "step into good sheep," this is it, says Grant Hausler of Janmac Studs. "The team of rams you buy this year will hopefully take you into a good season and good prices, and what you purchase now is going to sire 150 lambs or more, that's a pretty good investment," he said.

Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry production is expected to hit a record combined value of $101.6 billion in 2025-2026, according to the latest ABARES forecasts released today. ABARES Executive Director Dr Jared Greenville said the new record value was mostly down to livestock.

Rising from his first task as a livestock buyer on the walkway of the Naracoorte saleyards with Ian Perryman, Darren Thomas has piloted Thomas Foods International (TFI) into a global company with a $3 billion turnover. For 15 years he drove to work throughout the South East, but now Mr Thomas flies to work around the globe where he has customers in 85 countries and offices in nine.

Sentiment in Australia’s agricultural sector has softened over the winter months, as the nation’s farmers contend with higher input costs and mixed seasonal conditions, the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey has found. The survey, released today, found net farm sector confidence has eased to a neutral reading of zero (down from five per cent in the previous survey).

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released the latest statistics on livestock slaughtered and red meat production, which according to Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has confirmed a historic period for the red meat sector. Financial year 2024-2025 has seen beef production reach an all-time high, lamb slaughter maintained near-record levels, and mutton throughput surging to its highest volume since 2007.

A pen of 55 second-cross lambs sold to $479.50/head at Griffith, but agents say this still may not be the top of the market. The lamb price has been slowly climbing, with records nearly a weekly occurrence at saleyards across the country since late May.

Today’s release of the August Bendigo Bank Agribusiness Monthly Commodity Update finds that widespread rain in late July marked a turning point for Australia’s winter cropping season. Recent falls have further reinforced production confidence in NSW, Qld and large parts of WA and growers in Victoria and South Australia have also been given a renewed shot at achieving average yields or better...

Wakool Sheep Stud Induro White Suffolks has had a great showing at the 2025 Hamilton Sheepvention with wins across the board with their White Suffolks and also in Hamilton’s inaugural Ultra White showing. Induro stud owner Guy Treweek said it was a very successful event as they warm up for the year's bigger shows.

The team from Glendonald and Orrie Cowie had an exceptional few days at the 2025 Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo, showcasing the strength and consistency of their breeding programs. A combined 34 sheep were taken to the event between Glendonald and Orrie Cowie, contributing to both the show and sale with sheep that were well-prepared and highly competitive.

Three Narrandera High School students and their teacher Jim Shady, made their way to Bendigo to represent the school at this year's Angora Judging at the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show. After preparing the fleeces and animals for judging the events started with the fleece classes.

A quiet revolution is set to transform how Riverina sheep farmers manage their flocks, as advanced AI-based facial recognition technology rapidly moves from research to real-world application. This cutting-edge innovation could soon mean the end of traditional ear-tagging, offering a more efficient and humane way to identify and monitor individual animals.

The Albanese Labor Government ... announcing further details of the $139.7 million sheep industry transition assistance package to support the phase out of live sheep exports by sea. The release of this detailed assistance package follows a series of industry co-design workshops held in Western Australia earlier this year.

The Opposition has slammed the Albanese and Cook Labor Governments over their deeply flawed $139 million live sheep phase-out package - calling it a political stunt dressed up as support, with no meaningful industry consultation and not a single dollar in new funding.

The Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange is close to finalising the installation of electronic identification (eID) equipment and infrastructure for sheep. The Naracoorte Lucindale Council confirmed the progress, noting that it allocated nearly $1 million in this financial year for improvements to the sheep yards.