A 15 per cent decline in the total number of ewes joined for the past five months is the first symptom of the tight times ahead sourcing breeding ewes.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Meat and Livestock Australia and Australian Wool Innovation wool and sheepmeat survey results reported a 1.2 million reduction in the total number of ewes joined year-on-year, to 6.9 million head, in the four months prior to June.
Meat and Livestock Australia market reporter Leann Dax said extended drought conditions in northern NSW, southern Queensland, parts of South Australia and Victoria had resulted in an increase offload of breeding ewes.
“From all counts there will be plenty of competition this year for breeding ewes,” Ms Dax said.
“Protracted dry conditions coupled with the high prices being paid for mutton early in the winter inspired producers to cull ewe flocks heavily.”
The mutton prices peaked in June, with prices for medium and heavy mutton fetching from $100 to $180 per head, which she said inspired producers to further offload aged breeders.
“Some went through their flock several times until they were down to their core young breeding ewes,” Ms Dax said.
The wool and sheepmeat survey reported the Australian breeding ewe flock was 2pc higher than the same period last year, at 41.7 million head, underpinned by a 4pc lift in Merino ewes joined to Merino rams and an 11pc lift in first-cross breeding ewes.
All states except for Victoria recorded an increase in breeding ewes in this period.
Roberts sheep advisor Damian Meaburn, Tasmania, said this year’s sustained slaughter levels, despite decreased production nationally, had been made possible because of producers’ offloading of ewes usually held as breeders.
“The industry has entered a danger zone because people are realising that it’s cheaper to breed Merinos than buy them,” Mr Meaburn said.
“What will be available this spring will be very dear. Yardings of young ewes will be down due to the good start to the season with recent rainfall so people will hold numbers.
“What does come on the market will be extremely sought-after.”
The level of competition for breeding ewes will be revealed at spring breeder sales which commence later this month.
Riverina Livestock Agents licensee James Tierney said competition was expected to be fierce.
“I’ve got no doubt prices will be dear to source sheep this spring and we might see levels that we’ve never seen before – that’s to do with the season, not just shortage of numbers,” Mr Tierney said.
“With sheep numbers in northern NSW, Queensland and Victoria so depleted, we’re expected them to spring into the sales again.”
While in the Wagga Wagga, NSW region, few producers have had to sell into their five year-old aged ewes, Mr Tierney said, Victorian producers and Northern NSW had cut heavily into their breeding numbers to contend with tough seasons.
The national average marking rate was steady year-on-year, at 96pc, according to the report, with Merino av marking at 84pc and all other breeds the marking rate av 106pc, for the four months prior to June.