Export lamb bliss

A total of 17,947 tonnes (shipped weight) of lamb was exported in the past month resulting in a lift of 10 per cent when compared with August 2013, according to Department of Agriculture figures.

August’s result was also the eighth consecutive month of exports surpassing year-ago levels.

The big mover in August was the US market which increased volumes by nearly 50pc to 3492t.

Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) said the surge in exports to the EU was due to tight supplies out of New Zealand.

As a result, EU lamb exports bounced 36pc year-on-year to 970t.

Shipments to South East Asia totalled 900t (up 7pc) and Japan took 690t (up 4pc).

The big disappointment in overall volumes was shipment to China and the Middle East, which have traditionally been two of Australia’s biggest lamb markets.

China and the Middle East, declined 1pc and 9pc year-on-year, to 3143t and 4927t, respectively.

But to put China’s result in perspective, Mecardo analyst Augusto Semmelroth said for the first seven months of the year, monthly lamb exports to Asia have ranged between 5603t in January to 7764t in May.

He said in August, shipments fell 14pc month-on-month to 6030t.

“Despite being at the lower end of this year’s monthly export range, August’s levels were still 11pc higher year-on-year,” he said.

“Overall, Asia remains the largest destination for Aussie lamb meat in 2014.

“Year-to-date exports to the region are totalling 53,319t and are 22pc above the corresponding period in 2013.”

On a volumes basis, Mr Semmelroth said Asia continued to be the fastest growing market in 2014 and its market share had risen from 33.6pc in 2013 to 35.1pc this year.

On the other hand, Department of Agriculture figures indicate Australian mutton exports dipped 11pc in August, compared to the same time last year, at 10,933t.

This decline was largely underpinned by volumes to China slipping 46pc year-on-year (to 2419t), and a 16pc decline in volumes to South East Asia (to 1731t).

These declines in sheep volumes are in line with MLA forecasts.

Given the surge in sheep slaughter in 2013 and into the start of 2014 – with many producers actively reducing their older ewe flocks which were retained through previous wet years – slaughter levels for the remainder of 2014 were expected to tighten.

The results from June’s Wool and Sheepmeat Survey, released by MLA and Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) last week, indicate the record drought-induced lamb kill in 2013 and dry summer had a significant affect on joining and scanning rates, which would impact turnoff in later 2014 and into 2015.

The June survey results also suggest the Australian breeding ewe flock increased 1pc year-on-year, to 41.1 million head, while the number of lambs on hand, as at June 30 fell 6pc on the previous year, to 24.5 million head.

Reflective of the improved seasonal conditions, 26pc of respondents across the country in the June survey reportedly intended to increase their ewe flock size for next year, while 57pc intend to maintain and 9pc intend to decrease their ewe flock.

BY LAMBING twice a year Richard Woodbridge “Green Acres”, Boorowa, is able to spread his prime lamb income.

He’s just a week away from offering the first of his April-drop lambs and hopes the market will hold up.

“(The market) has come back a bit, but if I got 500 to 530 cents a kilogram I’d be happy at the moment,” he said.

Mr Woodbridge estimated the lambs ready for market would fit into the 20kg to 22kg weight range.

“If the lambs are ready to go and I need to top up the bank balance, they are sold,” he said.

“I’ve tried holding them until they are heavier, but it means I run them through summer and it doesn’t really work.”

The top season has helped Mr Woodbridge’s lambs finish well and he said all his April-drop lambs should be sold by the end of October this year.