A concerning feature that has crept into recent store sheep sales has been not merely finding suitable ewes to buy but finding ewes in suitable condition to join.
In most other years when feed has been more abundant, it has been craft for some to buy ewes ‘in their working togs’ and then dress them up before letting the rams out to do their job.
This year however with paddock feed scarce and stored grain an extremely valuable commodity, it has been a real concern when attending sales to find ewes that are condition-ready to take the ram.
And while sheep in good condition are making what is believed to be good money, in the case of Merino young ewes above $200 a head, it is the plainer in condition lines priced between $150-$180 that may be more expensive when the final count is taken at lamb marking next year.
This was a point of discussion at Deniliquin, NSW, on Friday, where buyers who are considering buying ewes for breeding, are being met with plainer lots that don’t carry the necessary size or condition.
And intending buyers don’t have the surplus resources to enhance ewe conception potential before joining.
There is also a flip-side to this conundrum in that there have already been sheep sold, and not only from the heavily drought-affected station country, that have clearly been heavily fed through to the designated sale date.
In some cases this has either been an adlib or the trial feeding program in open paddocks or the concentrated feeding in drought containment areas.
However the down-side to this is when heavily fed ewes exit these programs and their diet is radically changed, from solely grain feeding to supplementary feeding or no support feeding at all, there is a let down period that could adversely affect any further joining.
A further negative for the sheep industry, which is only just beginning to come to light, is the true impact this drought has had on national breeding flock numbers.
Figures from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) report that year-to-September sheepmeat exports were 14 per cent higher year-on-year, with September mutton exports up 30pc on 2017 levels and underpinning the spike in sheep slaughter throughout August.
MLA said that for the first time since January 2010, mutton exports have surpassed lamb in monthly export volumes.
Despite mutton exports moving towards a four-year high, it was the sizeable reduction in lamb exports that has underpinned the crossover.
MLA said September lamb exports declined 25pc year-on-year, to 14,800 tonnes, a move below 15,000 tonnes for the first time since September 2012.