With the relaxation of some of the restrictions around livestock auctions, agents in the central west are looking to launch a flurry of store cattle sales, across this part of the state.

After months of hibernation Dubbo combined agents have a second store cattle sale planned in a very reduced time frame.

This will take place on July 17 at the Troy Complex. July 22 is the date chosen for the next Dunedoo store sale which as in the past will showcase one Dubbo agent in association with the local Dunedoo agents.

To round off the trio of sales in our area Larry Tolmie Livestock Binnaway and David Grant Agency Coonabarabran have selected August 7 as the date for their sale.

ALSO MAKING NEWS:

All three centres expect very strong demand as many graziers still have not filled their shopping list.

Dubbo Agents for their Prime Cattle sale on July 2 have drawn for 3100 head which looks to be a very healthy line-up of well finished cattle.

Many cattle and also sheep and lambs are hitting the markets in prime condition having been finished on early sown crops.

One complaint currently heard is that percentage wise many centres are not yarding enough restocker cattle, lambs and mutton to fill restockers requirement due to the improved seasonal conditions.

China is once again in the news having announced an outbreak of a corona type virus which the government authorities claim may have entered the country through imported salmon.

Also, we note a news item which suggested that a new swine fever type virus had been found in pigs with some suggesting that this particular virus may be able to transmit from pigs to humans.

Authorities in China are suggesting that some imported protein may be banned.

These two outbreaks confirm the risk in International Trade when a pandemic has such a strong foothold virtually across most parts of the world.

Australian consumers should be ever vigilant and more now than ever and should where possible purchase locally grown product to reduce the possibility of contamination from imported protein.

One anomaly in our beef sales at the moment is that while the local physical market appears to be going from strength to strength the opposite is happening in the global pricing of beef.

Export abattoirs and others are dropping shifts on a regular basis because of increase world wide competition and it is true to say that some of our most lucrative markets in the past such as the USA, Japan, South Korea and China are all in the doldrums due to COVID-19 and for this reason we see beef export prices in decline.