Sheep

Allan Marshall recently published an excellent article outlining the important role live sheep exports play in delivering multiple benefits, especially improved animal welfare and global food security ... So why does this closure of the live sheep trade concern Grain Producers Australia?

Gaining premiums from the processor, maximising genetic improvement and the latest in sheep handling technology will be on show for lamb producers at the Pepperton Farms information day on September 6. Hosted by the Trewick family, Pepperton Poll Dorsets and White Suffolks at Elmore from 10am to 3pm...

John Hassell, President WAFarmers. Sheep farmers in Western Australia have been told by the Federal Labor Government that we have lost our social licence for live exports ... If it was a rash decision then it's time to reverse it and accept that the industry has done everything it has been asked for by the Government and should be allowed to continue.  If not then this decision marks the end of agriculture in Australia as we know it and the Government should tell us.

Local shearing and woolhandling stars from Nhill and surrounding districts shone bright at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show held in Bendigo over the weekend, clinching top honours in several categories at the Victorian State Titles ... Josh Bone made a triumphant return, securing first place in the Open Shearing State Title for the second year running. The Woolhandling side also witnessed thrilling victories, with Kirsty Pollock clinching the Open Woolhandling title and Sigourney Williams securing the top spot in the Novice category.

Warooka’s John Dalla had another successful showing at this year’s World Shearing Championships ... An 11-time national title holder, Mr Dalla finished this year’s competition, held at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, Scotland, with a fifth place in the individual event and fourth in the teams event ... "There’s nothing similar to the sheep in Scotland here in Australia, so it’s actually really difficult to train for."

This year, Australia’s sheep flock and its breeding ewe numbers reached their highest levels since 2007 at 78.75 million and 46.14 million head respectively, according to the latest Sheep Projections update from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) ... Carcase weights in 2023 will remain 7% above the 10-year average.

Sheep and cattle farmers are planting hundreds of thousands of an elite variety of Oldman Saltbush across Australia’s southeast this winter to supplement feed during dryer conditions heralded by a potential El Nino. Anameka Saltbush is a specially selected variety of the drought-tolerant native shrub, developed over 15 years by CSIRO.

New analysis released by ABARES examines Australian Agriculture’s extensive sustainability credentials—and the importance of demonstrating them to consumers and investors in the future ... “Compared to other significant agricultural producers, Australian farmers use less fertiliser, have better nutrient balances on their land and use more sustainable cropping practices”: ABARES Executive Director Dr Jared Greenville.

Rural Bank’s Australian Agriculture Mid-Year Outlook 2023 report finds that favourable seasonal conditions and strong production over the first half of 2023 ensured strong winter crop establishment and pasture growth, particularly on the east coast, but despite a positive start to the year, softening commodity prices are now impacting Australian farmers following several seasons of strong prices.

A new research report released by CSIRO and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has shown that the Australian red meat and livestock industry has reduced its net greenhouse gas emissions by 65 per cent since 2005. Using information primarily from the 2020 Australian National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions attributed to the red meat industry were 51.25 Mt of carbon dioxide equivalent GHG in the year 2020.

The independent panel appointed to consult with stakeholders on the phase out of live sheep exports by sea will complete its public consultations this week. The panel was appointed by Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Senator Murray Watt to provide advice on how and when the Australian Government can give effect to a phase out of live sheep exports by sea.

Brett Jewell of Kaniva said, "Our sowing program is nearly done with about 100ha to go, haven’t got much in the ground this week due to the wet weather, but we won't send that away. Canola and beans are up and the first of the wheat is coming through now. We have double-knocked most of the weeds this year which has done a great job but has required a lot more time on the sprayer."

The National Farmers’ Federation has warned a consultation panel assessing the phase-out of live sheep exports that Australia’s status as a favoured food exporter will suffer should the ban proceed. In a submission to the consultation process, made public on 20 June 2023, the NFF has named broader trade impacts among several reasons the phase-out plan must be scrapped.

Startling findings from two different surveys have highlighted the devastating impact the proposed live sheep export ban is having in Western Australia, according to the country’s peak farm body. Data released from Rabobank shows that while confidence edged higher nationally, WA bucked the trend recording a further dip into negative territory.

Arolla Pastoral Company’s James and Carla Pidgeon hope to fast-track the production of genetically superior sheep. Works are underway on a sheep reproductive facility at Allora designed to fast-track Queensland’s supply of genetically superior lambs while creating four direct jobs and 11 indirect jobs for Queenslanders as a result of the project.

The independent, global Gender Representation in the Meat Industry 2023 report draws on international data from more than 50 major meat organisations ... Australia's OBE Organic - whose MD Dalene Wray is herself a notable woman in the meat business - featured as a case study in the report ... ARR.News asked some questions about women in the meat business of Dalene and Laura Ryan, Founder and Global Chair of Meat Business Women.

South Australia’s biggest saleyards, the Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange (NRLE), is set to increase the footprint of its undercover cattle section by 40 percent in a multi-million-dollar upgrade. An expanded roof, a revamp of the unloading ramp area and truck wash modifications form part of the improvements that will see around $2 million spent at the facility.

The state’s peak agricultural body says mandatory electronic identification tags for sheep should cost no more than $1 per tag, setting a clear target for state and federal governments ... farmers were still worried about how much the scheme might cost their businesses, and made it clear there must be financial support to implement traceability reform.

A new technology has been made available to Australian farmers to help reduce the risk of stock theft ... James and Bec learned about the tags at a gathering organised by another victim of stock theft, Kevin Butler.

Editorial. There is a certain romance about shearing. But, as in so many professions, there is a world-wide shortage of shearers. If you go back 30 years, there were some 10,000 working shearers. Today, there are 2,000 in the industry. But the Covid pandemic has done the industry a good turn, inasmuch as it has enabled young people out of a job to do the necessary training for a well-paid occupation, which shearing – while hard work – undoubtedly is.