Sheep

Prime Ministers Albanese and Sunak met in London on 5 May 2023 and announced the long-awaited entry into force date of midnight 31 May 2023 for the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UK FTA), following the expected completion of UK domestic processes ... The A-UK FTA, which was agreed in principle in June 2021 and signed on 17 December 2021, will see Australian beef and sheepmeat/goat meat access to the UK liberalised over a transition period.

Australian agricultural commodity prices took another downward turn last month with the NAB Rural Commodities Index* now 19.7 per cent below year-ago levels. Lower beef, lamb, canola, dairy and wool prices saw the Index fall 3.6 per cent month-on-month, according to the bank’s April Rural Commodities Wrap released on 26 April 2023.

Nine scientific research papers published ... in the world-renowned journal Animal Frontiers have confirmed the critical role red meat and livestock play in society, arguing that animal agriculture is key to the challenges around climate change and global food security.

What a fantastic effort shearing 503 xb lambs in a day by young lad Doltan Austin. Simply put, that’s one lamb every 57 seconds of a standard eight-hour shearing day. Jason “Chippa’ Gordon said, “I have been a student of shearing exploits for many years and I can’t recall a feat ever achieved like this in the area.”

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has launched an online, web-based greenhouse gas (GHG) calculator based on the Sheep and Beef Greenhouse Accounting Framework (SB-GAF) tool for Australian sheep and beef producers. The digitised version of the SB-GAF tool is based off the freely available excel version of the tool available on the Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre (PICCC) website to ensure consistency across the sector.

119th Wagin Show and 50th Woolarama, 10-11 March 2023

NSW Farmers is calling for a substantial investment from the state and federal governments to make their traceability reform achievable. A move to electronic identification (eID) for sheep and goats will far exceed the $20 million offered by the federal government, and with a timeline set for mandatory tagging, farmers are in the dark on what financial support will be made available.

The Australian Beef industry and cattle herd are well positioned to capitalise on changing global supply dynamics in 2023. This year will be a year of transition and maturity for Australia’s cattle herd, with any increases in numbers now beyond rebuild status, with all key production metrics forecast to improve this year, according to the latest Cattle Industry projections update from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).

Barellan annual First Cross Ewe sale was held last Friday with agents Mark Flagg Livestock & Property Pty Ltd of Barellan announcing the results. Best extra heavyweight ewe lambs sold to firm rates on recent sales with most lines $20 - $30 cheaper than a recent noted first cross ewe sale.

A committee charged with assessing the benefits, risks and costs of implementing eID tags for sheep and goats in SA has survived a tied 10-10 vote of no confidence. A call for its removal came after a two-hour debate where farmers spoke for and against mandatory eID tags in sheep and goats.

If a truck load of vendor-bred sheep go direct from a farm to an abattoir, should producers pay for the time, effort and cost of each animal having a $2.50 electronic identification (eID) ear tag ... Current figures suggest around $30 million will be ripped out of rural communities and their service towns by the scheme.

Darkan Sheepfest

International markets for wool and cotton have seen much volatility through the course of 2022 – with the lingering impacts of Covid and escalated geopolitical and economic uncertainty affecting the trade – and the year ahead could be equally turbulent, agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank says in a new industry podcast.

The NSW Government has released its plan to roll out electronic identification (eID) for the State’s $1.5 billion farmed sheep and goat industries. Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Dugald Saunders said the plan has been developed hand-in-hand with industry, ensuring a timeline that works for each sector.

Sheep farmer Suzanne Lewis has just published her first children’s book and had no further to look for something to write about than her own front paddock. “Queenie the Quad Lady” is the story of a remarkable ewe that captured Suzanne’s heart after giving birth to four lambs and successfully raising them all despite all the trials and tribulations a sheep can face.

Jamie-Lee Oldfield. An improved clearance and record high average proved prime lamb producers were keen to put Janmac genetics into their flocks. The Hausler family of Janmac Poll Dorsets and White Suffolks held their 18th annual on-property sale at Goroke, Victoria, on Wednesday, selling rams to a top of $7000.

The fifth Bishop of the Diocese of the Murray, the Right Rev Keith Dalby is coming to St Paul’s Naracoorte on 30 October 2022 for the Blessing of the Fleece. “Shearing sheep is something quintessentially Australian”, he said “and it is a great honour to be blessing this act”.

Shadow Minister for Northern Australia, Senator Susan McDonald has warned the Federal Government to cut the “bull” and not the national cattle herd ahead of signing up to an international methane reduction agreement ... Senator McDonald warned that any move against cattle and sheep herds would be met with fierce resistance, especially from Northern Australia’s $1.35 billion live cattle export sector which supplies much-needed beef to South East Asian countries ... Senator McDonald said attacks on methane emissions ignored the contributions made by herbivorous and ruminant feral animals.

Kristin Murdock. A new approach to managing shearing teams is paying dividends in the Mid North of the state and helping address the skills shortage which is being felt by the entire livestock industry. When Sarah-Jane Abley’s shearing team steps onto the boards of shearing sheds around South Australia, out goes any hierarchy and instead the team just gets to work.

The Moulamein sheep dog trials has returned showcasing the incredible bond of human and working dog. Barry McKenzie, Moulamein Working Dog Club president, had four dogs – two mature dogs and two pups – in the competition and was delighted to have the competition running again.