Newsletter
for the week ending 3rd June 2005
Just about all of eastern Australia is gripped by drought
with only a thin strip on the coast north and south of Sydney having received
normal rains. Cattle prices have held
up remarkably well but the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator this week fell below
year ago prices for the first time.
From a peak of 380 c/kg in February it has fallen to 322 c/kg. The fall in price applies to both store
cattle and slaughter cattle but it has not stopped Limousin and Limousin X
vealers and yearlings from making over 200 c/kg in centres such as Gippsland,
Wodonga, Camden, Moss Vale and Gunnedah.
It also did not stop Australia from exporting a record value
of beef in the first quarter of the year.
A record $1.03 billion worth of beef was exported in the quarter, which
is the first time beef exports have exceeded $1 billion in a quarter.
A major concern is that very little grain has been sown in
the east, which will create a major shortage and increased prices for grain to
the lot feeding industry, which will put pressure on the price they can pay for
feeder cattle.
Limousin X cattle were again to the fore at Casino Beef
Week. Grand Champion Led Steer was a ¾
Limousin bred by the Medd family at Merriwa and prepared and exhibited by St
Johns College from Dubbo.
This steer sold for 615 c/kg carcass weight and together
with prize money returned $2,375 to the school.
St Johns also claimed the Lightweight Led Steer with a
Limousin X Angus/ Shorthorn with Brisbane Waters Secondary College, Umina,
placing second with a Limousin X Murray Grey.
In the carcass section, Gary and Bradley Holley from
Tenterfield NSW took out the Grand Champion Carcass with a Limousin X Angus,
which scored 91.5 points. The 625kg
steer dressed out at 386kg due to an outstanding (but typical) dressing
percentage of 61.5%.
A couple of weeks ago I listed an enquiry for commercial
Limousin females from the Kendall family at Milton, NSW. The Kesby family at Tamworth who had about
250 cows for sale due to losing an agistment property at Coonabarabran was
quick to respond and I am pleased to report that we have a new commercial herd
of 106 high content Limousin cows on the Kendall's property at Milton. The Limousins are replacing a herd of Angus
and Murray Grey cows joined to Limousin bulls.
President, Max Atkins is more than pleased as the Kendall property is
right next door to his Willow Park Limousin Stud so he has the pleasure of
seeing the cows on a daily basis. Max
also helped select the cows from what he said was a simply outstanding herd of
commercial Limousin cows. Having also
advertised in The Land the Kesby's received very strong enquiry and had no
trouble selling the cows for very good prices in the middle of a drought.
The Northern NSW Beef Week will run from 20th
June until 26th June. Two
Limousin studs are on display. John and
Helene Rae's Dry Creek Stud is open on Wednesday 22nd June and Phil
and Barbara Bricknell have their King Creek Limousins on display on Friday 24th
June.
There are just eight places left in the Limousin breeders'
workshop to be held at Quirindi on 18/19 June.
This workshop will include a mix of industry and genetics
topics as well as a visit to the large Killara Feedlot and should not be
missed.
Contact Ron Short on (02) 6746 1586 if you want to claim one
or more of the last few places
In NSW all cattle sold from 1st July this year
must carry a National Livestock Identification Tag. This will include bulls and females offered at the Scone and
Hunter Valley Sales. I am told the time
from ordering to supply of the tags can be up to six weeks so make sure you
order your tags ASAP.
NLIS tags are another form of "permanent"
identification and the external tag number can be recorded on the ALBS database
by sending in a list or entering the tag numbers via the web.
Once recorded, the NLIS number prints in the registration
certificate and is an acceptable form of permanent identification. In some cases the tag will need to be
inserted over the tattoo. If this is
the case make sure you notify the Society of the tag number for each animal.
4 Limousin X yearling steers 462.5kg
@ 222.2 c/kg = $1,028 Acc: DP & MM
Alston, Wagga Wagga,
7 Limousin X steer vealers
350.7kg @ 211.6 c/kg = $742 Acc: KJ & RL Ryder, Tawonga, Vic
7 Limousin X heifer vealers
368.6kg @ 203.8 c/kg = $751 Acc:
GE & GJ Cooper, Wodonga, Vic
Yours in Limousin,
Alex McDonald