Commodity Conversations

FMD & LSD, a report from Bali – Friday 16th September 2022

The FMD & LSD threat is still on our doorstep despite not dominating headlines as it was recently. This week we bring you an ‘on the grounds’ report from Dr Ross Ainsworth about the outbreaks in Indonesia, the local response to the situation and likelihood of either of the diseases spreading to Australian livestock.

Dr Ainsworth has 40 years plus working as a vet with large animals, mainly in the live export business in Northern Australia. Dr Ainsworth gives a concise summary of the Indonesian authorities response to the recent outbreaks, the reality of the practical challenges facing them as well as the ongoing threat to the Australian livestock industry, with some advice for producers to keep on the front foot in terms of protecting their properties and the industry.  

The grains & oilseed flipside – 4th September 2022

The grains & oilseed markets have been on a roller-coaster ride this year with prices for many crops reaching all-time highs earlier in the year before recently settling back down to pre-Russian invasion of Ukraine levels. Nick Booth from Next Level Grains Marketing joins us on episode 200 to talk us through the reasons behind the volatility this year and what we can expect going forward.  As always Nick explains the key international market drivers for the grains & oilseeds complex in a clear, succinct manner as well as touch on local conditions here in Australia.

From milk to grass - the science behind weaning, 28th August 2022

Good weaning practices provide the foundation for an animals genetic potential to be fully reached. Rob Bell from ProAgni, joins us this week to discuss the keys to a successful weaning program with some interesting scientific insights and good practical advice on the transition period from milk to grass for weaners and calves. 

Behind ’the gavel’ with AuctionsPlus - 19th August 2022

AuctionsPlus have recently released its’ second edition of “The Gavel”, and this week on the podcast we have their chief economist Tim McRae on to share the key insights, stories and challenges facing Australian livestock producers from their producer survey. 

Herd primed for growth

Restocking and breeding up has been a driving feature of the Australian cattle market since the breaking of the drought. While the market has come off the boil slightly, there are always opportunities to be found whether it's in genetics, branding or trading. This week we're talking with Andrew Hosken from Hosken Stock and Land to see how the season is progressing, what markets are performing well and some of the opportunities for growth. 

Getting off the sheep & lamb market rollercoaster - 5th August 2022

There are plenty of challenges around in sheep and cattle markets but the underlying fundamentals for red meat demand remain strong. Ron Rutledge, Livestock Development Manager at Nutrien Ag Solutions, joins us today to share his insight into why we are seeing a rollercoaster ride on the sheep & lamb markets, what the outlook is for the spring flush, demand for meat and cattle market dynamics.

The digital future of the livestock industry - 29th July 2022

Data-driven insights and efficiencies for livestock marketing is speaking our kind of language, and Joel Rockes, Founder and Managing Director of Agrinous, has this at the core of his vision in digitising the livestock sector. Joel joins us to share how they are making this a reality, and some of the challenges & opportunities along the way.

Old season lambs dragging the chain – July 21st 2022

There’s a lot of pieces to the sheep & lamb supply puzzle at the moment with more plenty of old season lambs still trickling through as we approach the traditional influx of new season lambs in spring. To help us understand what’s happening on the ground and what might be around the corner, we’ve got Adam Mountjoy, Regional Livestock lead for Nutrien, back on the podcast to share his insights around space for new season lambs, and what that could mean for price going forward.

You can also read Angus Brown's take on the lamb supply situation here at Mecardo:

https://mecardo.com.au/will-old-run-in-to-new/

 

Market insights Q2 2022 – July 20th 2022

On this episode of commodity conversations, Olivia & Rob bring you the key stories & insights from Mecardo’s latest Quarterly Market Insights report for Q2 2022, covering the trends and movements in commodity markets as well as the outlook.

Key topics:

• Quality issues and an extended season  put pressure on ovine markets
• Bullish fundamentals for grain & oilseed remain
• Cattle market falls from its peak
• Weaker AUD supporting demand for wool

For a copy of the full report click here:

Quarter 2 Mecardo report 2022

Non-mulesed pathway driven by data & a whole farm perspective – 16th July 2022

Demand for non-mulesed merino wool shows no sign of abating and as the dominant producer of merino wool, increased supply will have to come from Australia eventually. This week we have Sally Martin from Sheep Metrix talking to Rob Herrmann about her & her teams approach to farm management including producers on the non-mulesed path.

Sally has 30+ years of experience working in the sheep industry and knows well the complexities involved in managing a farm business. Her method of assisting farmers on the non-mulesed journey is considered from each farms unique perspective.  Sally is passionate about using science & data to make informed decisions and today she shares some sound insights and advice for wool producers.

Sheep Metrix are currently working in partnership with Meat & Livestock Australia on a producer demonstration project supporting sheep producers transition to non-mulesed sheep which you can read more about here:

https://www.sheepmetrix.com.au/initiatives#transition-non-mules