The Sheep Deer and Cattle Report: Vote for your future meat Co-Op shareholders urged

LAMB

Lamb schedules continue to ease as the emphasis changes from chilled to frozen as processing volumes build, but prices are at least $10 a head better than last year and demand is good with low stocks on hand.

Pre Christmas weaning drafts are common and operators are keen to market all killable lambs while procurement premiums are still in place.

Demand for early cull ewes is strong at the saleyards with many yardings of good cutting animals averaging $90-$100 a head.

Caution is evident in the north island store lamb market with the dry weather and falling schedules affecting sales but numbers have yet to be seen in the south.

Meat Co-Op shareholders are being urged to vote in the December director elections for red meat reform, with the status quo alternative according to Prof Keith Woodford is more processor failures and the banks deciding which Co-Op will survive.

Large half page ads in the local newspapers on the elections, shows an organised MIE is determined to push hard for change and farmers must get out and vote to give direction for these reformers on the future of the red meat sector.

Beef and Lamb NZ report on good results with plantain oversowing on hard hill country that has seen improvements in lamb weights and stocking rates.

WOOL

A big drop in wool prices a the latest North Island sale as buyers report no orders at the current levels which will be a worry as main shear volumes arrive in the market place.

Passings lifted to 20% of the offering and crossbred indicator values dropped by 44-47c/kg clean from the last sale.

BEEF

Beef schedules remained steady this week, as processing volumes lift, and a firm US imported lean beef market continues.

However while lower feed grain prices and better feed conditions will encourage US farmers to restock severely depleted beef herds, it will also stimulate chicken production and this could dampen any record beef price rises next year.

Weaner dairy beef calf sales are now common with buyers paying for quality at values similar to last year, but unlikely to compensate for the extra cost of powdered milk.

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DEER

More venison schedule falls, as prices adjust to reflect the less optimistic frozen market which DINZ chair Andy Macfarlane predicts should bottom out about $6.30-$6.50 a kg.

A boost to industry fortunes in being awarded $8.3 million from the Primary Growth Partnership for a project aimed to lift deer weaner weights and returns from selling more chilled product into the premium markets.

Velvet farmers are now harvesting product off their young replacement stock which has shown huge lifts in production through improved genetic selection.