Sheep provide returns

LAMB and sheep are continuing to return good results for producers as prices for both the meat and wool markets continue to improve.
SEJ stock agent James Kyle said the local sheep and lamb market was solid at the moment.
He said the stock coming through Leongatha VLE was of good quality at recent sales, off the back of a pleasing season.
“We have had good summer rain. It was only in the last fortnight that it became really hot and caused stock to start slowing up,” he said.
“Generally, going forward, most farmers have got plenty of feed around and the majority do a fairly handy job of what they are doing.
“With a good season, we would expect good stock condition and numbers to keep up.”
Mr Kyle said sheep numbers in Gippsland were nothing on what they were years ago.
“We are only a very small player in the sheep and lamb operation in South Gippsland, compared to East Gippsland and the north east of the state,” he said.
“Our market at Koonwarra is quite small. It can’t be compared to bigger markets at Ballarat or Bendigo for example.”
Mr Kyle said at recent sheep sales at Leongatha VLE, the higher quality, heavy lambs made up to $160 and trade weight lambs around $135 to $140.
“On this time last year, the prices are right up there. It might even be a touch dearer for this time, but the market does fluctuate a lot,” he said.
Woodside sheep farmer Fergus Irving said prices for lamb, mutton and wool were as high as he had ever seen them.
“We sold wethers in December, which sold incredibly well I thought and our store lambs sold well too,” he said.
“A lot of Australia was dry for a lot of last year and sheep were sold off earlier which caused a bit of a shortage of supply, which might have pushed the price up a bit.”
Mr Irving said sheep prices have been good for a few years now.
“I am hopeful it will continue, but I expect it is unlikely to keep up at very high prices. It is very pleasant and I will enjoy it while it lasts,” he said.
Adrian Nuttal from Australian Wool Network in Yarram said in the first selling week back after the New Year, 53,000 bales of wool were offered to the trade.
“The clearance rate was 98 percent, due to more increased pricing. It opened up 50 to 100 cents dearer than it left off last year,” he said.
“Some of the finer microns have reached their highest recorded levels.”
Mr Nuttal said there was “no logical reason” for the prices to change in the immediate future.
“It is looking pretty good for wool growers at the moment,” he said.

Having a look: Cody and Jade Humphrey from Toora were at the sheep sale at VLE Leongatha last Wednesday with their mum to see how well the lambs were selling.

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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Jan 30 2018. Filed under Rural News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry