Australia’s farm exports are forecast to be around $35.8 billion in 2013-14, 3.2 per cent lower than the estimated $37.0 billion in 2012-13, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).

From July 1 sheep producers will be required to pay for National Vendor Declaration (NVD) books they must use for livestock transactions.

Western Australian sheep producers with high lambing rates are invited to nominate for membership of the More Sheep Initiative’s 100%+ Club.

New nationally-agreed livestock transport standards which commence in NSW are set to improve the welfare of livestock during transportation.

NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) encouraged horse owners to vaccinate their horses against the potentially deadly Hendra virus.

In places things are looking bare and producers may feel the temptation to open up the area around the shed which hasn’t been grazed for years or maybe let cattle into the house paddock, or an old dip site, or dump site.

Eastern states over-the-hook lamb prices lifted this week, with a number of contributors again making upward adjustments to their rates in the wake of higher physical market prices.

Lamb supply in WA, as reported by MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service, increased considerably, up 96% this week, as cropping activities slowed.

World sheepmeat production is projected to reach 15.1 million tonnes cwe (carcase weight equivalent) by 2019 - an increase of more than 1 million tonnes on 2012 levels, according to the recently released OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2013 - 2022.

Exports of Australian beef and veal are the highest on record, with soaring demand from China and the Middle East pushing the monthly total in May above 100,000 tonnes for the first time.