Warning as record numbers of sheep and lambs flock east from WA

An unprecedented number of sheep and lambs are flocking from WA to the Eastern States, with more than half a million head trucked across the Nullarbor in the past three months. From the start of January to the end of March, 514,000 sheep and lambs travelled through South Australia’s Ceduna checkpoint, with a whopping 274,000 head trucked east last month. Of the total, 57 per cent were lambs and 43 per cent were adult sheep. Interstate transfers over the border in the first three months of 2020 already exceed the 409,112 head sent east last year. The record total — which has surpassed all full-year totals, except 2010’s levels when more than one million head left WA — has been driven by high prices offered by east coast processors and farmers re-stocking. Despite the allure to sell and cash in on soaring values, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development senior development officer Mandy Curnow encouraged WA farmers to take a long-term outlook. She warned the increased selling of breeding stock could be detrimental to the State’s future flock size. “These latest figures reinforce the need for WA sheep producers to evaluate their flock selling strategies carefully to ensure the long-term profitability and viability of their enterprise,” she said. “While a large portion of the stock going east are lambs, we believe a growing portion are breeding stock which are being used for restocking.” Australia’s dwindling sheep flock is amplifying East Coast demand for WA sheep. The national flock is forecast to drop to its lowest levels in 116 years, with Meat and Livestock Australia’s latest sheep industry projections predicting it to plummet 3.5 per cent to 63.7 million head by June. It comes as WA’s flock was at 14.5 million head in 2017-18, according to the State Government’s latest figures. Ms Curnow noted the record number of sheep leaving the State would impact flock numbers in the years ahead. “Producers are reminded to think carefully about the impact the sale of young breeding stock will have on future flock profitability,” she said. “We recognise that in many cases, WA producers are having to make difficult decisions, weighing up stocking rates in a challenging season with strong prices for livestock and the future potential of their sheep flock. “The department’s Sheep Flock Composition Calculator is a new tool that can assist producers to compare selling scenarios and model the outcomes of selling or retaining different age classes of ewes over six years.”