THE gloss may have come off the livestock markets in the past week, but store sheep are still in demand.
First-cross ewes sold to a top of $210 a head at the Narromine store sheep sale on Wednesday last week.
Glenn Turner and his son Isaac, “Rosebank”, Temora, were the buyers and planned to put the ewes with Poll Dorset rams in October.
Mr Turner said he often bought sheep from Narromine as he liked the bigger frames of the western ewes.
It’s a two stubbie job this weekend
TWO stubbies and your biosecurity plan for bovine Johne’s disease is done!
That’s the message from ECM Livestock agents Pat Cleary and Dhugald McDowall at Moss Vale in the NSW Southern Highlands.
While many cattle producers are tearing their hair out with 40-page templates for the biosecurity plans, the boys at ECM reckon there’s no need to sweat.
You can do it in a couple of minutes!
The boys have put together a helpful video where they use a seven-page template to get the job done.
“We were getting about 10 calls a day for clients asking about what they had to do to get a biosecurity plan,” Mr Cleary said.
“The video shows just how easy it is for those who want a BJD score 6.”
And don’t sweat about the June 30 deadline either - you’ve got until October 1 really with the Livestock Production Assurance accreditation comes in. Actually you’d be better doing it now - with a few beers perhaps.
EYCI slips to 628c/kg
YOUNG cattle prices have taken a tumble in the past week and now sit just below year-ago levels.
At the close of markets on Tuesday the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) was on 628 cents a kilogram (carcase weight).
This was nearly 30c/kg cheaper than at the same time last year.
Averages were also nearly 10c/kg below rates at the same time last week.
Rain forecast for later this week may help to curb the supply of young cattle on the market and firm up prices.
Cattle kill hits 28-week high
DRY conditions have driven eastern states cattle slaughter to hit a 28-week high according to Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) figures.
There were just over 137,000 head processed last week. Supply was up 10 per cent week-on-week, although this increase follows the shortened trading week with the Queen’s Birthday public holiday the week before.
Eastern states cattle kill has tracked below 2016 levels for most of this year and MLA said it remains well below the five-year average.
Online sheep and lamb supply up
THE supply of sheep and lambs was up again last week on the AuctionsPlus selling platform.
Ellen Simpson from AuctionsPlus said a total of 59,411 head were offered, which was up almost 11,000 on the week before.
Ms Simpson said Merino ewe lambs averaged $157 to top at $182 for a line of 50kg ewes from Wycheproof in Victoria that were rising one year old.
Young Merino breeders averaged $148 and sold to a top price of $227.
Proven Merino breeders averaged $151 and sold to a top price of $203 for a line of three-year-old, Hazeldean blood ewes, scanned in lamb to Tattykeel Poll Dorset rams. Mr Simpson said these girls were sold from Wagga.
Older proven breeders sold from $99 to $180, to average $134. A line of 317, six-year-old ewes, scanned in lamb to White Suffolk rams, from Newstead, Vic, topped the market.
First-cross ewes sold from $200 to $306, to average $265. A line of rising two year old, SIL ewes from Young recorded the top price.
Sale-O for Queensland auctioneers
AUSTRALIAN Livestock and Property Agents Association (ALPA) have confirmed the dates for the 2017 ALPA Queensland Young Auctioneers Competition and Dinner.
The dinner will be held at the Pullman Hotel, King George Square, Brisbane, from 6:30pm on Thursday, August 10.
The Queensland Young Auctioneers Competition will be held the following day at The Ekka from 9am Friday, August 11.
- Contact ALPA for dinner tickets (02) 9262 6633.