Fingers crossed there's better times ahead | Stock Talk

With the sheep and cattle markets continuing their downward trends during the previous months, a positive in the local area of the Southern Tablelands is the recent rain.

It means the sub soil moisture levels are remaining high and a start to the spring is very much on the horizon.

The lamb market is still certainly feeling the effects from last year's wet spring and large carryover of lambs.

This has caused the oversupply of lambs being carried into the winter and is sure to run into the start of the new season lambs later this year.

With the effects of the autumn floods through the Central West, it is still yet to be seen what the quality and quantity of those early drop lambs will be.

The cattle market is however sitting on a knife's edge and the only possible way to drive it up is through rain.

Although this isn't on the forecast, we may still see a slight peak towards the middle to back end of August when supply is traditionally tighter.

During the next twelve to eighteen months there may be a significant lift in the domestic processing ability with Thomas Foods International's new state-of-the-art Murray Bridge plant in South Australia to come into operation as well as the Cootamundra abattoir opening its doors following significant upgrades.

Both plants are capable of processing more than one thousand bodies per day.

Combine this with the new United Kingdom trade deal and the not too distant future appears to have plenty of upside.

After all the inevitable free fall following three outstanding years of upward market trends we might have just hit the bottom (fingers crossed).

Stock Talk is written by a range of stock and station agents from across NSW. It reflects their opinions and observations from their local district.