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Meat sheep a winner in the tropics
THE sight of sheep in the tropics of coastal Central Queensland isn't a common one among the mostly sugarcane fields and cattle properties.
But at the Koumala property of Karen Leigh, not only do Dorper-cross meat sheep thrive, they are also proving their worth as a profitable enterprise.
Karen, in partnership with her parents, Mervyn and Mary, and sons, Daniel and Justen, has been running the solid, barrel-shaped meat sheep since 2004 after the family decided to diversify out of the sugarcane industry.
"We saw an article on meat sheep and thought why not give it a go," Karen said.
"It's an industry that no one up here had tried before and there were some locals who laughed at our plans, but I thought 'well you can laugh all you like but I'm going to make it work'."
And work it has.
Today the family runs a flock of 500 including 300 breeders, and sell their prime lambs straight from the paddock to clients, which have included the likes of the local IGA in Sarina.
"People know they're getting lamb and what the quality is, and now I've got a waiting list of buyers from weaning to weaning," Karen said.
"When we first started out, our local vet got behind us which was great because we knew we were going to have trouble with regards to worms on the coast," Karen said.
"I had worked with sheep out west near Longreach when I was younger, so I had some experience with sheep before."
At Karen's property the sheep graze on creeping blue bisset grass and are also supplementary fed a molasses-based liquid supplement sourced from Champion Liquid Feeds' Molafos range.
"We lamb twice a year in April/May and then September/October and we're doing it quite successfully," Karen said. "We have to monitor our sheep really closely because of being on the coast and the worm situation.
"We continually do faecal samples every six weeks and send them to WormBoss (an initiative of the Australian Sheep Industry CRC and Australian Wool Innovation) to do egg counts, and we also work closely with them to prevent drench resistance.
"On the production front, we now have a 93 percent conception rate up from 86pc with our ewes, and I really have to give a lot of credit for that to the Molafos grower that we've been feeding our sheep.
"I've seen lambs two days old just coming up to that trough and having a little taste, and then they just keep coming back for it.
"By feeding Molafos to the sheep we've had better conception rates, our ewes are holding a grid body score all year round, and the ewes are in good enough condition to be able to have a six-week break between weaning and lambing.
"Another big difference we've noticed is weaning weights - in one lot of weaners our average weaning weight was 22kg.
"That particular lot of weaners have had the Molafos since conception.
"When they were weaned they were in the yards with the lick and I've never had a mob of weaners where within 24 hours you didn't hear a peep out of the lambs, until this group."
"They came on to the Molafos because they knew what it was.
"I let them out into a bigger holding yard during the day to let them graze and bring them back in with the dogs and they all get run through the yards, and then fed some grain."
Despite the heavy summer rainfall the district traditionally experiences, Karen said they had not had any problems with footrot and the sheep withstood the wet conditions well.
And due to the Dorper breed naturally shedding its fleece, there's no need for shearing, crutching or fly control.
"The only problem we do get from the rain is if there is a wind behind it, then it knocks the sheep around and they can develop pneumonia," Karen said.
While dry winter conditions tend to cause pastures to drop, Karen irrigates and fertilises the property's pastures in the cooler months.
"In winter our pastures do drop down quite a lot, but in summer you can't get the grass down fast enough it just grows that quickly," Karen said.
"I love the bisset because I'm fertilising and watering it in winter and you can see the green pick constantly coming through.
"As soon as we get our spring rains it's amazing how much bulk we get and how quickly it grows.
"The sheep never lose any nutrition; they don't lack anything because of the combination of the grass and lick."
So has the family's bold venture into meat sheep proved a good move? Karen certainly believes so.
"The price of prime lambs at the moment is more than $6/kg which is a lot more than cattle are getting at around $2.60/kg.
"While sheep are more intense and certainly involve more work than cattle it's the throughput of production and the returns with meat sheep that make them worthwhile."
Source: MELISSA MARTIN QCL 28/7/10
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Cattle market alert - 28 July 2010
Restocker demand strong
National cattle throughput at MLA's NLRS reported physical markets increased 3% compared to last week. Most yardings remained relatively stable with only slight variations recorded, although Inverell increased more than three fold after one of the smallest yardings on record last week. Muchea in WA increased 60% in a yarding that contained few finished cattle yet plenty of local store and pastoral cattle penned.
Quality varied across most sales with pens of supplementary fed and crop finished cattle coming forward as farmers lock up crop paddocks, alongside unfinished lines. Most of the usual buyers were present with NSW processor competition evident in Queensland particularly Roma. The prospect of a decent spring in many areas resulted in restocker demand remaining strong on well bred young cattle. Medium weight yearling steers returning to the paddock gained 3¢ on last week to average 203¢/kg.
Prices mixed
Demand on young cattle remains strong with restockers and feeders competing for plainer lines and processors keen to secure the limited number of finished young cattle. On the other hand export categories received mixed demand depending on the saleyard as the A$ reached US90¢.
Processors in NSW and Queensland left direct to works rates unchanged even as supply remains tight. There is plenty of boxed beef on the market and shifting product overseas is proving tough.
After Tuesday's markets the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) settled 2.50¢ higher than last week at 359¢/kg cwt. The trade steer indicator eased 1¢ to 192¢ and feeder steers were steady also at 192¢/kg lwt. Japan ox slipped 3¢ to 179¢ while US cow gained 3¢ to 141¢/kg lwt.
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Sheep and lamb market alert - 28 July 2010
Sheep and lamb numbers up
The supply of sheep and lambs at MLA's NLRS reported saleyards increased by 28% and 9% respectively from last week. Sheep and lamb numbers are higher in every state so far this week with the exception of lamb volumes in Victoria, which recorded around 20% less at Ballarat and 30% fewer at Bendigo. This is the first sign of old lamb numbers beginning to dry up as the first significant batch of new season lambs arrived at Victorian yards. Restocker and feeder presence was also softer.
In the NSW Central West, numbers jumped at both Dubbo and Forbes. New season lambs were generally well finished with around 6,500 head penned at Forbes. In SA, numbers in the south east remain at subdued levels while the SA Livestock Exchange had increased numbers.
Dubbo in NSW and Muchea in WA had the largest sheep offerings with both of these centres having significant supply increases from last week.
Most categories cheaper
Trade lambs were the only indicator grade to improve on last week with a generally cheaper market trend. This was due to larger numbers, a seasonal decline in quality and weaker restocker and feeder presence as typical July conditions influence have an influence on the market.
Restocker lambs are costing producers an average of $76 to return to the paddocks in the Eastern States. Nationally, Merino lambs slipped 23¢ to average 415¢ and light crossbred lambs dropped 24¢ to sell for 423¢/kg cwt. Trade lambs gained 8¢, to 510¢ and heavy lambs slipped 4¢ to settle at 486¢/kg cwt. Mutton averaged 395¢ - a fall of 17¢/kg cwt.
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Tuesday daily livestock article - 27 July 2010
Numbers remained steady at Toowoomba Elders with quality mixed. Heavyweight yearling steers to feed sold to 188¢ and averaged 180¢/kg. Medium weight C3 yearling heifers to slaughter improved 4¢ to average 177¢ while those to feeders sold around 183¢/kg. Heavyweight grown steers eased to make 182¢ as heavyweight D4 cows settled at 151¢/kg.
There was a reduced penning at Tamworth with a fair supply of finished cattle through all categories. Lightweight yearling steers to restockers averaged 207¢ as heavyweights to feed averaged 188¢/kg. Heavy yearling heifers to the trade slipped 2¢ to sell around 175¢ as heavy grown steers averaged 183¢/kg. Medium weight cows sold from 120¢ to 140¢ to mostly average 129¢/kg.
The Wagga yarding was similar and quality was fair. Medium weight vealer heifers to restockers averaged 189¢ with lightweight yearling steers also returning to the paddock averaging 210¢/kg. Heavyweights to feeders eased slightly averaging 188¢ while heifers to slaughter made around 180¢/kg. Heavy grown steers sold at similar rates averaging 186¢/kg. A good selection of D4 cows made between 146¢ and 164¢ to average 155¢/kg.
The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator (EYCI) finished Monday 6¢ dearer than last week at 358.25¢/kg cwt. The feeder steer indicator was 1¢ dearer at 192¢/kg lwt. Japan ox improved 2¢ to 183¢ while US cow settled at 141¢ to be up 6¢/kg lwt.
Around 45,000 mixed quality lambs were penned at Dubbo. New season trade weights slipped $2 to mainly sell around $130, while the older trade weights averaged $114/head or 489¢/kg cwt. Heavy lambs sold from $124 to $140/head as most pens settled at 470¢/kg cwt. Merino ewes to the trade were slightly cheaper, selling from $74 to $88/head.
Numbers eased at Bendigo as a broad range of weight and quality was offered. New season trade weights sold from $124 to $132 to average $128/head or 529¢/kg cwt. Older heavy lambs were cheaper and settled at $118, while the heaviest pens reached $152/head or 491¢/kg cwt. Heavy Merino wethers were in short supply to mostly sell at $119/head.
After Monday's markets restocker lamb prices in the eastern states averaged 480¢, gaining 17¢/kg cwt for the week. Light lamb values were 5¢ cheaper at 432¢, while Merino lambs lost 25¢ to 421¢/kg cwt. Trade lambs held firm on 507¢ and heavy lamb prices were unchanged on 490¢/kg cwt. Mutton finished 22¢ cheaper on 407¢/kg cwt.
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Sheep and goat identification and traceability
As of July 1st 2010 Sheep and farmed goats must be identified with an NLIS visual or RFID ear tag before they leave the property on which they were born (exemptions may apply for dairy goats in some States). Although each animal is identified with a tag, the traceability system is mob-based
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