Can the unprecedented volumes of WA-bred sheep and lambs flocking over the border be maintained?

More than 500,000 sheep and lambs were sold by WA farmers to the Eastern States in the first three months of 2020 on the back of surging demand and attractive prices. However, can the unprecedented volumes of WA-bred sheep and lambs flocking over the border be maintained? Elders WA commercial sheep manager Dean Hubbard is doubtful. The well-known sheep industry figure noted an expected drop in processing demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic to slow interstate sheep transfers. “No, it won’t continue at these levels,” Mr Hubbard told Countryman. “Sheep processors will most likely be reducing capacity a little bit over the next few weeks, because they are struggling to sell at the moment due to air freight and local demand.” This year’s interstate transfers from January to March’s end eclipsed every yearly total since 2010, after 514,000 head left the State en route to the east coast. Dry conditions across much of WA’s key sheep producing regions prompted many farmers to happily offload livestock to buyers over the Nullarbor. It is understood upbeat prices of between $110 to $145 a head for lightweight lambs weighing between 33kg and 35kg, about $10 to $15 a head more than what has been offered in WA, has spurred the rampant selling. Mr Hubbard forecast Eastern States’ demand for re-stockers to remain, however, he said east coast processors’ purchasing would slow. “There is still demand from NSW and Victoria for breeding stock and that is likely to continue,” he said. “But, I think we will be under pressure from processors who are operating in trying circumstances at the moment and trying to sell to international customers. “There will likely be limited stock going across the border to processors because their prices have come off.” LIVEstock Pricing founder Rob Kelly has also been watching the interstate sheep transfers from WA with interest. Though he also flagged processor demand to decline, Mr Kelly anticipated east coast graziers’ want for re-stockers to continue. “Farmers in the Eastern States are wanting to rebuild their flocks,” he said. “They will keep looking towards WA to find the re-stockers to do so.”