Sheep

The Betts/Barbour/Hume family’s 157-year-old agricultural and biodiversity conservation property is at a critical point. It may not survive this latest challenge to its viability. If it fails, it will take with it decades of labour and investment expended on protecting an extremely environmentally, historically, agriculturally and culturally important area.

Lockhart shearer Nicki Guttler will attempt the Women’s 8-Hour Merino Lamb Shearing World Record at Parkdale Merino Stud near Dubbo on December 21 2024. The current record of 395 lambs was set on November 17, 2024 near Yass.

In his latest attempt to channel Australia’s wealth into government-approved projects, Chalmers announced plans to steer the Future Fund toward housing and renewables, claiming these priorities will secure both national prosperity and a moral high ground. But if the Treasurer is serious about backing industries with real potential, it’s time to herd the Future Fund into the sheep yards of Western Australia, where $200 million could establish a state-of-the-art abattoir to breathe life into a sector gasping under the weight of Canberra’s policy redirection. 

Live sheep export farmers being forced to shut down their crucial trade will not be given even one cent of support until after the next election. Labor has told Senate Estimates today its ‘transition package’ for farmers won’t roll out until July, 2025, despite farmers starting to change production cycles now and significant reduction in sheep prices from Labor’s decision.

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has today released the results of the National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) 2023–2024 Saleyard Survey. According to NLRS Operations Manager for MLA, Stephanie Pitt, the survey, reported voluntarily for the financial year, aims to inform industry of saleyard throughput across all states, except the Northern Territory.

Another five shearing legends have been inducted into the Australian Shearers’ Hall of Fame. The induction took place during the Festival of the Blades event ... These men represent the cream of the shearing industry as instructors, state champions and contractors.

Michelle Daw. Yorke Peninsula farmers are facing difficult decisions due to some of the lowest rainfall figures on record, compounded by hot, dry weather and frosts in September. These harsh conditions have severely impacted crop yields across the region, with many farmers facing difficult decisions ahead of the upcoming harvest.

Jamie-Lee Oldfield. Renewed positivity in the lamb industry and continued support of good genetics was evident at the Janmac annual on-property ram sale on Wednesday. The Hausler family achieved a stud record high price for a Poll Dorset, as well as a very solid clearance across both breeds.

Confidence has returned to Australia’s farming sector following a mid-year dip in sentiment, as more favourable livestock markets and beneficial rain in some cropping areas fuel renewed optimism. The quarter three Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey ... found sentiment among the country’s agricultural producers had rallied heading into spring, although farm sector confidence remained just shy of net ‘positive’ levels...

Member for Mallee, Dr. Anne Webster, will stand with Mallee farmers and her Nationals colleagues shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds more farmers from across the country today (September 10), in an unprecedented rally against Labor’s anti-farming ideology. Dr Webster said Labor is destroying agriculture and making life impossible for producers of food and fibre, due to endless cuts to the regions, anti-farming legislation and unnecessary red tape.

ARR.News was approached by PETA with "a gripping and timely opinion piece from an undercover investigator who has firsthand experience of the live export industry..." The full, frank and fearless debate on this highly contentious issue continues here on ARR.News with further responses from both PETA and Trevor Whittington, CEO WAFarmers.

Brett Jewell said, "It was great to get some much-needed rain over the last week—16 mm at my location—whilst Canola was really struggling with the warmer weather ... Matt Rohde said, "I have been busy spraying broadleaf weeds in cereals ... Lawloit’s Lewis Bothe said, "We have just finished our main shearing, which went smoothly ...

Matt and Zaya Wood of Culgoa UltraWhite and Dorper Stud from Manapouri brought home some blue ribbons from this year’s Ekka ... Allora Butchery is proud to be associated with Culgoa Stud so Aaron and his team can supply the best cuts of lamb to his customers.

The release of the Sheep Sustainability Framework’s (SSF) 2024 Annual Report has revealed the broadest range of data to date on the sustainability performance of the Australian wool and sheepmeat industry. Established by Sheep Producers Australia and WoolProducers Australia and supported by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), the SSF is now in its fourth year of data collection and reporting.

South Australian producers of sheep and farmed goats and the broader supply chain will benefit from a new electronic identification (eID) implementation program to prepare for the traceability system that becomes mandatory from 1 January 2025. A further $900,000 in funding is being provided to establish the eID Advantage Program to improve producer knowledge and understanding of changed responsibilities under the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS).

John Hassell. On 16 July members of the ‘Keep the Sheep’ group of industry peak bodies fighting to retain the live sheep trade signed off on a letter to the WA Minister for Agriculture, Jackie Jarvis, in response to the Albanese government's disgraceful vote to put live exports to the sword. Now I won’t print the whole letter, but it is worth knowing what WAFarmers, the Pastoralists and Graziers, WA Shearers, Livestock Transporters, Stud Marino Breeders and the Live Exporters Assn are asking in the letter, so I'll quote the key bits ...

Increases in the price of wheat and lamb helped lift the NAB Rural Commodities Index* for the third consecutive month, rising by 0.4 per cent in June. NAB’s July Rural Commodities Wrap … reports while the wheat price rally slowed in June, prices continued to rise, increasing 3.5 per cent on average over the month.

The 2024 State Finals took place in Bendigo alongside the Australian Sheep and Wool Show. The weekend showcased some impressive performances in shearing and wool handling.

Old Man Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia), a salt-loving, native shrub, that thrives on the plains but in the paddock this humble shrub is proving vital to production ... Recognising an opportunity to improve shrub systems, CSIRO worked to select and develop a special variety for farmers to use as a supplementary feed. It’s called Anameka Saltbush.

Onwards and upwards is the theme for the 2024 Australian Sheep and Wool Show, which captures the camaraderie and community spirit of an agricultural sector that is constantly adapting to meet changing market conditions. The 145th annual event will be held at the Prince of Wales Showgrounds in Bendigo from July 19-21, bringing together stakeholders from all aspects of the sheepmeat and wool industries.