Category: Sheep

YOUNG wool growers will converge on Clare in South Australia next year for the next Australian Wool Innovation Breeding Leadership course. Source: Sheep Central Young wool growers head to South Australia for AWI course

MOST maternal ewe and Merino lambs averaged cheaper on AuctionsPlus as online buyers bid more strongly for crossbred and composite lambs, and joined ewes, last week. Source: Sheep Central Maternal ewe and Merino lambs take price hit online

YOUNG first cross ewes made to $395, ewe lambs to $376 and Merino ewes to $300 before a small pre-harvest crowd at the final 2021 Wycheproof store sheep sale on Friday. Source: Sheep Central Final 2021 Wycheproof store sale sheep lacked bloom

SOUTH Australia’s Sheep Industry Fund is looking for good project ideas to fund next year. Source: Sheep Central South Australian sheep fund is looking for good ideas

A WELCOME strong finish to this week’s spot auctions put the AWEX Eastern Market finish in positive territory for consecutive weeks for the first time this season. The table below… Source: Sheep Central Strong wool auctions, but forward trading languishes

PEAK grower body WoolProducers Australia has circulated a proposal to be the oversight body for Australian Wool Innovation as Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud discusses industry structural reform. Source: Sheep Central WoolProducers circulates AWI oversight body proposal

AUSTRALIA’S Auditor-General’s office will undertake an audit of Australian Wool Innovation’s obligations to levy payers and taxpayers next year, Senator Glenn Sterle said today. Source: Sheep Central Australian Wool Innovation to undergo ANAO audit

PEAK national body Sheep Producers Australia has appointed former Meat & Livestock Australia market information manager Ben Thomas to its board. Source: Sheep Central Sheep Producers Australia welcomes new director

VICTORIAN sheep producers are being advised to report animals affected by mouth and hoof lesions as flocks battle severe outbreaks of scabby mouth due to favourable Spring conditions. Source: Sheep Central Victorian sheep vet raises scabby mouth outbreak alert

VICTORIAN shearing contractors and farmers are risking fines of more than $100,000 as unvaccinated shearers and shed hands leave responsible employers to work elsewhere. Source: Sheep Central Unvaccinated shearers and shed hands walk to new jobs

IMPROVED training courses for sheep shearers and wool classers will be sought by a New South Wales Wool Technical Advisory Group formed by the state’s peaking farming body. Source: Sheep Central NSW Farmers group to seek shearing workforce solutions

BREEDING sheep prices took a hit on AuctionsPlus last week, but new season crossbred and Merino wether lamb values held firm in the overall reduced offering. Source: Sheep Central Online buyers focus on store sheep and lamb opportunities

SUSTAINABLE thermal packing company Woolpack Australia is looking to establish a state-of-the-art wool processing, research and development facility in the next 12 months after receiving a $4.8 million Federal Government grant. Source: Sheep Central Woolpack Australia aims for m Series A fund-raising

NEW wool market and processing opportunities will be explored with a $662,000 Federal Government grant to peak grower body WoolProducers Australia. Source: Sheep Central Wool processing feasibility options to be explored

ONLY 6.5 percent of eligible levy payers voted at the 2021 Australian Wool Innovation annual general meeting, sparking concerns about the level and quality of engagement between the research, development and marketing body and its shareholders. Source: Sheep Central Low 6.5pc wool grower turnout at AWI AGM

Women like Ash Smith are bringing a new depth of knowledge and experience to stations like Kentucky, where finding enough contractors to clip close to 12,000 sheep is a yearly challenge. Source: ABC Livestock Faces of diversity on show in the woolshed as shearing evolves to meet its challenges

A recently accredited probe that measures intramuscular fat in meat carcasses could bring tastier lamb to the table.  Source: ABC Livestock Meat probe that could improve the taste of lamb gets green tick

A CHOPPY week in the auction rooms resulted in uncertainty on the forward wool market this week. Source: Sheep Central Choppy auctions play into forward wool market

NON-MULESED wool sold at premiums of 100-350 cents above similar mulesed types in Melbourne auctions this week. Source: Sheep Central Non-mulesed wool premiums hit 100-350 cents at auctions

AUSTRALIAN lamb processors and brands can benchmark product and ensure it meets customer needs following commercial accreditation of a probe that measures intramuscular fat. Source: Sheep Central Intramuscular lamb fat probe gets commercial approval

SOUTH-WEST Victoria’s prime lamb turn-off started in earnest this week and Hamilton producer Lee Menzel was more than happy with the record prices for heavy new season lambs. Source: Sheep Central Former pastry cook Jess has the right lamb recipe

AUSTRALIA’S world-first sheep sustainability framework is set to be strengthened and its global profile elevated under new chair Queensland producer Verity Morgan-Schmidt. Source: Sheep Central Sheep sustainability framework gets new leader

GUNDAGAI brothers Bill and Tony Barton will offer their Tumut property Kimball and its Primeline ewe flock in a rare offering this month to enable re-investment in their processing business.… Source: Sheep Central Land and Primeline flock sale to fund lamb investment

TASMANIA has taken the first step in investigating the introduction of electronic identification across its sheep industry with a $250,000 State Government commitment. Source: Sheep Central Tasmania takes 0,000 step on sheep EID journey

PRICES improved for limited numbers of ewe-lamb units, Merino wethers and shedding breed ewes on AuctionsPlus last week. Source: Sheep Central Online crossbred and Merino wether lamb prices hold

PEAK wool grower body WoolProducers Australia will focus on ensuring industry service providers and organisations work together more efficiently and effectively for growers over the next 12 months. Source: Sheep Central Re-elected wool body leader commits to co-operation

NATIONAL Wool Declaration definitions for wool from non-mulesed and ceased mulesed flocks, and sheep treated with liquid nitrogen, have been clarified by the Australian Wool Exchange. Source: Sheep Central AWEX clarifies breech treatments on wool declaration

AN economic development body in western Queensland is backing a plan to build a wool processing facility in the area. Source: Sheep Central Support builds for western Queensland wool processing

WOOL grower Andrew Farran will continue his long-standing philanthropic contributions to agriculture and education, aided by the sale of the Edenhope district property Yiddinga. Source: Sheep Central Farran wool-growing legacy to continue after farm sale

FORWARD wool trading was light again this week, during another tough series of auctions. Source: Sheep Central Light forward wool trading in tough auction week

WOOL prices lost ground this week, driven mainly by losses in the Merino fleece sector, the Australian Wool Exchange said. Source: Sheep Central Merino price drops lead Australian market fall

FIRST cross ewes sold to a record price of $480 and ewes lambs made to $364 at the first AWN sheep sale at Edenhope yesterday. Source: Sheep Central First cross ewe records set at first AWN Edenhope sale

FIRST cross ewes sold to a national record price of $538 at the annual Naracoorte 1.5 year-old ewe sale yesterday. Source: Sheep Central Naracoorte sets first cross ewe price record at 8

IN A massive vote of defiance of the current Australian Wool Innovation board, growers have voted overwhelmingly to retain their levy at 1.5 percent of sale proceeds for the next three years. Source: Sheep Central Defiant wool growers vote to retain 1.5pc levy for 3 years

Woolgrowers have voted resoundingly to maintain a 1.5 per cent levy on wool sales to fund Australian Wool Innovation. Source: ABC Livestock Woolgrowers reject AWI pitch for more money, vote for the status quo

POSTAL delays have led to some wool growers not yet receiving ballot papers for the 2021 Australian Wool Innovation director elections, with proxy voting due to close in a week’s time. Source: Sheep Central AWI voting delays as election letters prompt war of words

A Western Australian meat sheep has sold for $90,000, smashing the state record, as breeders prepare to blend their high-priced shedding varieties with rams fetching $150,000. Source: ABC Livestock Sheep that doesn’t need shearing sells for ,000, almost doubling WA record price

WESTERN Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is extending footrot surveillance in abattoirs to include feedlot lamb lines this year. Source: Sheep Central Footrot checks extended to feedlot lambs in WA

THE price gap between conventional and certified quality assured/audited ‘attribute’ lamb is expected to widen, according to WAAMCO International chief executive officer Coll MacRury. Source: Sheep Central Quality assured lamb price gap to increase – WAAMCO

WOOLS of New Zealand and Primary Wool Co-operative shareholders have overwhelmingly voted in favour of a proposed merger of operations. Source: Sheep Central Shared vision prompts New Zealand wool merger

INITIAL buying demand waned on AuctionsPlus last week, with post-sale negotiations needed to boost clearance rates after several weeks of high new season lamb offerings. Source: Sheep Central Post-sale bargaining lifts AuctionsPlus lamb clearance

MULTIPLE records tumbled at this year’s re-jigged Bendigo annual first cross ewe sale where prices were described as being “fair” for buyers and sellers. Source: Sheep Central Records fall at joint Bendigo first cross ewe sale

LIGHT forward wool trading continued during another mixed week for the spot auction market. Source: Sheep Central Light forward wool trading in mixed auction week

THE introduction of the striking Valais Blacknose sheep into Australia from the United Kingdom is not expected to lead to further importations of other British breeds. Since the first Blacknose… Source: Sheep Central First Blacknose sheep entry won’t open ‘floodgates’

CROSSBRED wool prices made the largest percentage gains in a slight rebound in overall auction rates across Australia this week. Source: Sheep Central Crossbred clips make better gains in firm wool market

AN AUSTRALIAN Workers Union claim the new Ag Visa scheme will be used by unscrupulous employers to cut wages has been rejected by the nation’s peak shearing contractors body. Source: Sheep Central Shearing contractors reject AWU’s ag visa wage slight

AUSTRALIAN Wool Growers Association directors have dropped New South Wales wool grower Robert Ingram from their board. Source: Sheep Central NSW grower dropped from wool body board

FACSIMILE proxy forms distributed as how-to-vote cards for the Stephen Read-Michael Field-Don Macdonald ticket in the Australian Wool Innovation election would be counted if completed correctly, Sheep Central was told today. Source: Sheep Central Read-Field-Macdonald vote card can be proxy form – AWI

LAMB prices and clearances dipped, and Merino ewe values improved, in a record AuctionsPlus weekly sheep and lamb offering last week. Source: Sheep Central Online lamb prices and clearances dip with big numbers

WET conditions fuelled bidding enthusiasm at the Elders Wycheproof special spring store sheep sale on Friday. Source: Sheep Central First cross ewes to 2, Merinos to 6 at Wycheproof

AUSTRALIAN Wool Innovation chair Jock Laurie could not say whether the levy-funded body audited its expenditure to maintain a 60:40 split between marketing, and research and development projects, at Senate Estimates this week. Source: Sheep Central No AWI marketing:R&D spend split audit available

THE wool forward market remained relatively stable despite another rocky spot market this week. Source: Sheep Central Wool forward trading market remains stable

AUSTRALIAN wool prices were this week unable to maintain their upward path and build on last week’s strong gains, and most categories recorded losses. Source: Sheep Central Australian wool prices fall back as demand falters

AUSTRALIAN lamb and beef customers now have access to a suite of online learning modules to improve knowledge and provide education and inspiration on working with Australian red meat. Source: Sheep Central True Aussie lamb customers get online resources

SHEEP Producers Australia will appoint experienced agribusiness executive Andrew Spencer as independent chairman at its annual general meeting next month. Source: Sheep Central Sheep Producers Australia names new independent chair

AUSTRALIAN Wool Innovation’s board has effectively added at least about $400,000 to its future annual salary budget with the appointment of former chief executive officer Stuart McCullough to a new overseas marketing position. Source: Sheep Central AWI budget to take 0,000 hit with former CEO’s new job

NEW season lambs continued to dominate listings on AuctionsPlus last week, making up 66 percent of the online sheep and lamb offering. AuctionsPlus last week offered 137,876 sheep and lambs,… Source: Sheep Central New season lambs flood onto AuctionsPlus

AUSTRALIAN Wool Innovation’s $950,000 investment to accelerate research into flystrike sheep genomics and hold workshops on breeding for natural flystrike resistance has been welcomed by the industry. Source: Sheep Central AWI’s new 0,000 flystrike investment welcomed

PEAK wool grower body, WoolProducers Australia has called for renewal on the Australian Wool Innovation board by backing three new candidates for election this year. Source: Sheep Central WoolProducers backs renewal candidates for AWI board

Out at Holbrook in New South Wales, Georgia Cluff and her three kelpies have spent hundreds of hours in the paddocks counting sheep. It’s been their biggest year yet — perhaps even record-breaking. Source: ABC Livestock What’s the most lambs tagged in one season?

WOOL’S auction market continued its sawtooth pattern this week, with most Merino types finding seasonal highs before consolidating into Wednesday’s close. Source: Sheep Central Lift in wool auction prices improves forward trading

IMPROVED competition from China lifted Australian wool prices this week and a bale of ultrafine fleece sold for 15,000c/kg – the highest auction price in the nation for more than six years. Source: Sheep Central Wool auction prices surge, yielding a ,700 bale

SHEEP breeders with repeat buyer interest on their home-bred, mulesed and Gudair-vaccinated lines fared best at Corowa’s annual first cross ewe sale yesterday, as prices soared to $502. Source: Sheep Central Home-bred first cross ewes sell to 2 at Corowa

MEAT & Livestock Australia’s ‘Make Lamb Not Walls’ campaign has been awarded a number of accolades at Effie Australia’s online ceremony last night, including gold for ‘Outsmarting Covid.’ Source: Sheep Central MLA makes lamb, not walls and wins awards

VOTING deadlines in the latest WoolPoll levy ballot and for Australian Wool Innovation director elections will not be put back, despite postal delays in document deliveries to some growers. Source: Sheep Central No extension of WoolPoll and AWI voting deadlines

THE launch of a plant-based product as ‘lamb’ in the United States is unacceptable, according to Nationals senator Susan McDonald. Source: Sheep Central Black Sheep Foods launches plant-based ‘lamb’ in US

AGRICULTURE Victoria has advised producers to be alert for signs of pneumonia and pleurisy in flocks this summer. Source: Sheep Central Pneumonia and pleurisy can be costly in sheep flocks

AUCTIONSPLUS last week listed its largest commercial sheep and lamb offering to date — 164,375 head, boosted by big numbers of crossbred, Merino wether and ewe lambs, and unjoined Merino ewes. Source: Sheep Central Lambs and Merino ewes help set AuctionsPlus record

AUSTRALIAN Wool Innovation is standing solid behind former chief operating officer Stuart McCullough’s appointment to a new international role despite already outlaying hundreds of thousands of dollars to overseas programs and senior marketing advisers. Source: Sheep Central New AWI position to lift EU wool advocacy funding

THE Australian Wool Growers Association has appointed two more directors to its board making a total of five new appointments in the past two months. Animal health academic Dr Sabrina… Source: Sheep Central Wool body AWGA appoints two more directors to board

FORWARD wool trading levels were light, but consistently at a premium to spot levels as the auction market endured another tough week. Source: Sheep Central Forward wool trading was light, but consistent

NEW South Wales sheep farmers have been reminded to check their rams before and after joining, to ensure they are fit to do their work and avoid potential spreading of disease. Source: Sheep Central Check your rams are healthy and fit to load

AUSTRALIAN Wool Innovation board challengers Michael Field and Steven Read have launched their campaign for election on a ticket with current AWI director Don Macdonald. With the help of a… Source: Sheep Central Field and Read run with Macdonald in AWI election

AUSTRALIAN Wool Innovation chief executive officer Stuart McCullough has been moved sideways to an international marketing role, without a proper executive search and interview process for the position. Source: Sheep Central Former AWI CEO McCullough gets new overseas job

While all families have their black sheep, a wool farmer and shearer in South Australia’s Mid North recently spotted a lamb that stood out a little more than the rest — with its unusual appendage reminding him of a haircut currently in vogue among sporting circles. Source: ABC Livestock ‘We’ll call it Bailey Smith’:… Read more »

ASPIRING Australian Wool Innovation director Georgia Hack believes her marketing experience and retail knowledge will be valuable for promoting wool internationally and underpinning pricing for growers’ clips. Source: Sheep Central Retail marketing executive is ready to work for wool

LAMB producers have been urged not to panic about the mooted capacity impacts of COVID-19 workforce restrictions on metropolitan processors. Source: Sheep Central Strong North American lamb demand to continue – Quilty

MAKING greenhouse gas auditing fairer for wool, pastures more resilient for sheep operations and grass-finishing of lambs profitable are the goals of some of the latest 2022 Nuffield scholars. Source: Sheep Central New sheep and wool scholars focus on regenerative farming

AUSTRALIAN Wool Innovation’s board nomination committee has recommended David Jones executive Georgia Hack as its number one pick for election to the board this year. Source: Sheep Central AWI BNC picks David Jones executive for board seat

A LINE of prime heavy old lambs sold at Wagga Wagga last week has pushed Australia’s record saleyard price to almost $400. Source: Sheep Central Wagga lambs make 9.20 despite less competition