NORTHERN Tablelands weaner cattle and calf sales have commenced and numbers hitting the market will lift after the Easter break.
Values have been strong with the timing of Ben Sharpe’s sale in Tenterfield, coinciding with the arrival of the big break in Queensland, setting the pace.
The Tenterfield sale topped at 390 cents a kilogram for 200kg to 280kg steers. Inverell didn’t get to this the following week, but Armidale got to 381c/kg on Friday. Heifers in this weight bracket generally sold from 280c/kg to a top of 330c/kg.
At Armidale well weaned steers were the standout selling to very strong competition. The Nalorac calves were an example of very well weaned calves appealing to the large gallery of buyers.
I was away in Quirindi on the weekend and seeing the country south of Armidale so dry, one can only hope that present calf values will be maintained. We certainly need a break with decent rain over much of NSW.
It is wonderful to see the wool market strength which will, no doubt, support young people to make a career in the industry. The lift in numbers which will follow will put pressure on the availability of shearers and classers who are required to ensure clip preparation is not compromised.
There are many who continually knock Meat and Livestock Australia. I would like to highlight three developments for our livestock producers which have been game changing.
The Fresh Australian Range Lamb promotion has been extremely successful, removing some 250,000 tonnes of heavy lambs from our local market.
From some years of bitter experience, I know that these lambs used to be broken down and sold to Australian consumers and inevitably the market for all prime lambs would collapse. This is not happening now.
AuctionsPlus was developed when MLA (formally AMLC) gave the New England University the brief to develop a computer based livestock selling platform. This was put into practice in 1983 and known as New England Computer Marketing.
Under the banner AuctionsPlus, this has developed into a business that facilitates the marketing of several million sheep each year and some 400,000 cattle. Those who defied the sceptics would now be very pleased.
Finally, Meat Standards Australia has proven to be a paying proposition with the number of livestock graded to MSA standards growing every year. Our livestock industry has done one million taste tests and we have assembled more information on eating quality than any other country in the world.
In fact, I have it on good authority that some 15 countries are hoping to buy our MSA standards.
We wish all a happy and safe Easter break.
