MORE than 100,000 sheep have gone across the border from WA so far this month, a figure which has blitzed the total number of head that made the journey during all of 2009.
Last year, a total of 94,680 sheep went across the WA/South Australia border and 5471 cattle.
This month alone, as at September 17, a total of 95,703 sheep and 10,212 cattle had passed through the Ceduna border checkpoint, with 24 B-double trucks heading through last Thursday.
The total for the year to date is 223,650 sheep and 51,564 cattle.
As Farm Weekly went to print on Tuesday, a spokesperson from the Ceduna checkpoint confirmed that well over 100,000 sheep had passed through the checkpoint so far this month.
Figures indicate that the end of August may have been the cut-off point for a lot of producers in deciding whether to retain or sell stock, as there was a significant spike in numbers from August to September.
Good rains in the east leading to abundant feed has seen a massive increase in demand for breeding stock, after several dry years had led to destocking in many parts of NSW and Victoria.
During August, 24,772 sheep and 7415 cattle left WA via the Nullarbor, which was still a big jump on July which saw only 2023 sheep and 3747 cattle trucked across.
Elders stud and commercial sheep manager Tim Spicer said demand from the east had been phenomenal and he had been receiving between eight and 10 calls each day over the past few weeks from agents chasing sheep.
Mr Spicer said there were rumours of 40 B-double trucks going across the border on a weekly basis.
“I would say there is probably 20,000 plus sheep a week heading over the border,” Mr Spicer said.
“They started off chasing ewes, mainly one to four-year-olds, but now it’s starting to swing into mixed sex lambs and crossbred lambs.
“It’s really across the board now, there are even some areas that will take five-year-olds.”
Mr Spicer said inquiry had come from all over NSW, Victoria and South Australia, from any of the areas that have had good rain.
He said sheep were being sourced from right across WA’s main sheep production areas now, particularly the drier areas around Lake Grace, Hyden, Kulin, Kondinin, Corrigin and throughout the Wheatbelt.
“Any of those areas that are really dry, the numbers are just pouring out,” Mr Spicer said.
“I think the numbers going east will really hit a peak in the next two to three weeks because a lot of producers are June/July lambers and they won’t wean lambs until the end of September or beginning of October.”
Mr Spicer said the obvious freight advantage for South Australia gave it a buying edge, but that had not deterred buyers from NSW and Victoria judging by the prices they were willing to pay.
“Certainly in the last week or so prices have really started to jump,” he said.
“They’ve probably gone up $10 to $20 a head on ewes compared with 10 days or two weeks ago.
“I think we’ve seen a jump in price purely because demand has gone through the roof with the amount of feed they have over there and they’re going to have a season no matter what happens.”
Record sheep prices have been set in NSW and South Australia over the last two weeks, with a pen of one-year-old Merino ewes setting a national record for commercial sheep when it sold for $244 a head at Pinnaroo, SA, last week while in the same week at Hay, NSW a pen of March/April 09-drop Merino ewes sold for $237 a head.
No young ewes at the Hay sale made less than $190, while aged ewes varied from $150 to $176 and Merino wether lambs unshorn topped at $100.
Comparatively, at Katanning last week where 22,500 sheep were yarded compared with 12,500 head during the same period last year, white tag Merino ewes sold between $60 and $90 a head.
But Mr Spicer said prices in excess of $110 a head for younger ewes right through to four-year-olds, depending on shearing date, were now quite common because of the increased demand from the east.
“As long as they have some frame about them, producers can command up around $120 plus a head,” he said.
Freight-wise, it’s estimated to cost $15 a head to truck sheep to South Australia and between $23 and $30 a head to NSW and Victoria.
Mr Spicer said most sheep seemed to be carted by Eastern States-based trucking companies, but more recently he had heard of quite a few WA trucking companies also making the trip.
With the WA sheep flock less than half the size it was two decades ago at just 15.7 million, the massive exodus of sheep this year will really start to have an impact across the industry next year.
Mr Spicer said he was very concerned about the implications of such significant numbers leaving WA.
“This could have a major bearing on ewe numbers and also availability of lambs next year,” Mr Spicer said.
“I think we’re heading into unknown territory now.
“This year was going to be a struggle anyway in terms of supplying enough lambs for the demand, but next year, with the amount of ewes that have gone out of the system, it’s unknown territory.
“Ewe numbers in WA will be devastated after this drought.
“The only saving grace is that sheep prices are at an all time historic high with that demand from the east, but next year I just don’t know what’s going to happen because we certainly can’t bring them back over the border.”
Landmark livestock manager Eric Broad confirmed there had been unprecedented demand from the east because of their season and the lack of season in WA.
Mr Broad said demand had predominantly been for young sheep but more recently that had expanded to include older ewes.
He was also worried what would happen to WA’s sheep industry next year, and said it was a situation that would impact right across the board.
“The season is non-existent and that’s going to put pressure on everywhere - live export, processors and at the farmgate, because people won’t have that income coming in next year because they’ve sold so many sheep,” he said.
“Cattle are the same, we’re on a knife-edge with the cattle industry as well.”
Agriculture and Food senior research officer Steve Gherardi said the Department had been encouraging farmers to plan well in advance for managing stock through summer and autumn given the limitations on pastures and water expected as a result of the dry conditions.
“Those plans include ensuring stock feed supplies will meet demand and if they won’t, then reducing stock numbers while sheep and cattle are in good saleable condition,” Dr Gherardi said.
“Reports from industry of increased numbers through saleyards do indicate that many farmers are making those decisions now to offload excess stock.
“Putting available feed into the most valuable stock (especially breeding stock for future years) is a tested economic strategy.
“Effectively managing feed in paddocks will be critical in reducing the risk of wind and water erosion and ensuring paddocks are in the best condition to take advantage of the next season.
“Farmers and transporters are reminded that they are jointly responsible for ensuring that only fit stock are loaded.”
