Sheep

Peter Christen. If you've ever wandered through Panacea Estate and seen a flock of sheep wandering between the vine rows, you might have wondered: What are they doing here? The answer is simple and surprisingly effective. They're helping us make better wine.

Bendigo Bank Agribusiness’ Monthly Commodity Update, released today, reports even higher beef export volumes in early May, and heralds the possible breaking of the previous monthly export record for cattle, set in October 2024.

Around the state, Mr Schinckel said the amount of money spent by producers nowadays would be something in the order of $10-$15 million per week per 1000 producers. “So, $50m that the SA government is offering is not going to go far—it’s a drop in the ocean.” ... He believed that the state and federal governments did not know or understand livestock production.

...Bendigo Bank Agribusiness’ Monthly Commodity Update finds that US tariffs should have less impact than initially expected, however dry conditions across key cropping regions still have grain producers on edge. Lamb markets are stable with wool a bright spot, while supply chain issues for fruit and vegetables have seen a lift in wholesale prices on the east coast...

April 2 was ‘Liberation Day’ in the USA and Donald Trump has announced his promised reciprocal tariffs on trading partners. There is a baseline minimum tariff rate of 10 per cent for all countries except Canada and Mexico (who have been affected by previous tariff announcements).

The Red Meat Advisory Council (RMAC) and its members are disappointed in the United States’ decision to impose tariffs on Australian red meat exports destined for the US ... “However, it remains a disappointing decision from the US, in stark contrast to our 20-year partnership under the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA),” Mr McKillop said.

Omika Upadhayay. India, the world’s most overlooked economic success story, is on the cusp of a transformation that could have profound implications for Western Australia’s sheep industry.

Crowds flocked to Wakool for the Annual Sheep Races on Saturday night. Frocks, fleeces and fine attire all made their way onto the ground to watch the sold-out races. Track conditions were favourable, the firm but forgiving ground boded well for competitive racing action.

“I'm actually embarrassed to say now that I used to think sheep farmers had it easy.” said sheep expert Geoff Duddy, addressing the Best Wool Best Lamb meeting at Wakool. Geoff spent 27 years with NSW DPI in both Sheep and Wool research and extension roles before establishing his own private sheep consultancy ...

Australia’s national cattle herd and sheep flock are both expected to decline slightly as record production, slaughter and exports meet demand, according to Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) 2025 Cattle and Sheep Industry Projections. The cattle herd is projected to fall by 1.4 per cent to 30.1 million head in 2025 due to increased turn-off of older breeding cows and dry conditions in Southern Australia. 

Geoff McDougall and champion kelpie Ace recently won the open section of the South West Slopes Championships Working Dog Trial ... Yard dog trials are competitions that test the skills of dogs and their handlers in guiding sheep around a course.

Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said live sheep export farmers have been dealt another insulting blow by the Albanese Labor Government, amid revelations $2.3 million of the budget allocated to phase out live sheep exports has gone to a global media company for advertising.

Paul Simons is a genuine phenomenon. He is a charming, unassuming person, who is also a captain of industry ... this account of his life shows that when an opportunity presented itself, he had the courage and self-assurance to take it and do whatever he had to do.

Heather Fleming. A new book detailing the story of the Modern Merino sheep in Australia was launched at the Grampians Estate Cellar Door at Great Western last weekend. "Collinsville and Beyond: a pastoral history of the Modern Merino," was written by Chris Guthrie, well known breeder, classer and consultant from Rich Avon, near Donald.

Born in Wales, Paul spent his early childhood years amidst the rigours of the Great Depression... A career in the British Merchant Navy took him to all corners of the globe ... Settling in Australia, he took a job at the bottom of the rung of Woolworths, rising through the ranks to become perhaps its most successful CEO. When retirement should have beckoned, a third career as a Superfine Merino woolgrower has occupied Paul to the present day.

A record year of world sheep shearing records has ended with Lockhart shearer Nicki Guttler’s breaking of a new mark. Guttler, who was third in a women’s event at the Golden Shears in Masterton in March 2024, shore 450 merino lambs in eight hours at Parkdale Merino Stud, near Dubbo – the 11th successful record bid in 2024.

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.