Week ending 07/02.2020
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The rain gods are smiling with tremendous rains in drought-stricken parts of Queensland and the good chance that some of this rain will make it to NSW and down as far as Victoria.
By the time the column sees the light of day next week much of what I write now may be old news.
Most western rivers in Queensland have reports of minor and in the odd case major flooding occurring as of now.
A good friend has owned country north of the border in the western division of the state for some 15 years and this is only the third decent winter outlook that he has experienced in that time.
All the Queensland coastal rivers will flood as will those that flow into the Gulf of Carpentaria.
But until government at all levels and persuasions implement the Bradfield Scheme or something similar these major water flows will be of no use to Western Queensland, NSW, Victoria or South Australia for that matter.
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No doubt the rain will in some parts give our firefighters some relief.
No risk the big feed yards will be looking hard at the physical markets with regards to their future requirements.
Reports filtering through from some major selling centres indicate that the top end of feeder steers weighing 400kg or a touch heavier have been bid the best part of $4.00 per kg liveweight.
Assuming these figures are accurate, breeders who normally sell direct to feedlots surely would be tempted to give their nearest saleyards a flutter.
No doubt the rain will in some parts give our firefighters some relief.
These prices indicate dramatic gains in returns to producers and should be watched closely over the next two to three weeks.
The MLA suggest live cattle exports will decline sharply in 2020 compared to the numbers shipped in the previous year.
ALSO MAKING NEWS: Rain leads to boil water alert in Wellington and Geurie
If the rain in the north continues unabated and becomes a proper monsoon season this certainly will be the case.
Last year we shipped 1.3 million head of both feedlot and slaughter cattle up a staggering 19 per cent on the previous year.
These were drought created numbers and hopefully as seasons in the north return to something equivalent to normal we will struggle to see these numbers again in the foreseeable future as graziers commence the rebuilding of their decimated herds.
Dubbo Agents for the cattle sale on February, 6 have drawn for 2400 head.
With the rain that has been falling and the prediction of more to come it is hard to imagine that these numbers will be obtained.
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