Centre of advanced valuation and real estate practice



SHEEP

Farm animals are the only movable component in the farm system. Being transportable, animal production is the safest rural; land use as the capital in stock can be either moved into another more efficient farming system or quickly liquidated by selling.

The largest and most important industry in Australia is the raising of sheep for meat and wool. The most important sheep states are NSW, Queensland and Victoria. Australia grows about 27% of the worlds wool but produces more than 60% of the world’s merino wool which is the best for making high quality cloth. Japan is Australia’s most important buyer.

THE GROWTH IN AUSTRALIA’S SHEEP NUMBERS

YEAR
NUMBER
COMMENTS
1788
29
With the first fleet most eaten.
1789 1
1812
25 000
Opening up of the colony’s hinterlan
1860 4.8 million 
 Opening up of large grazing tracts in the west, south and north.
1891  20 million  Opening up of large grazing tracts in the west, south and north.
1902  106.4 million  A record number not to be exceeded during the next 39 years
1930
53.66 million
Drought and the degradation of marginal lands
1945-46
105.4 million
1950-51
112.9 million
1955-56  130.9 million
1957
160 million
1960-61
155.2 million
1965-66
170.6 million Effect of pasture improvement and better management.
1970-71  180.1 million  Effect of pasture improvement and better management
1975-76
151.7 million
1980-81
136.0 million
1985-86
149.7 million
1987-88
159.8 million
SHEEP/LAMBS SHORN

1996-97
156.8m
1997-98 155.5m
1998-99 147.9m
1999-00
142.7m
2000-01
137.2m
2001-02
122.0m
2002-03 
 115.4m

The average fully grown sheep now produces about 4.6 kg of wool whereas Macarthur’s best ram cut only 1.6 kg. The increase in cut weight over the years and the average auction price is shown below:

YEAR CUT/HEAD AVERAGE AUCTION kg
PRICE - greasy c/kg
1945-46
3.54
28.8
1950-51
3.86
264.9
1955-56
4.18
112.00
1960-61
4.08
95.6
1965-66
3.87
110.4
1970-71
4.18
64.7
1975-76
4.27
143.3
1980-81
4.25
256.00
1985-86
4.39
342.1
1987-88
4.58
630.00
AVE FLEECE WEIGHT GROSS VALUE $M

1996-97
4.37
2621.2
1997-98
4.12
2753.9
1998-99
4.32
2141.0
1999-00
4.5
2149.2
2000-01
4.3
2541.2
2001-02
4.4
2713.2
2002-03
4.36
3317.8
ABS 7121.0



SHEEP NUMBERS BY STATE – millions


 1987
2000
2003
New South Wales  60.00
43.4
33.7
Victoria
27.74
22.7
20.4
Queensland
14.61
9.2
4.8
South Australia
17.66
13.8
13.1
Western Australia 33.74
26.1
23.9
Tasmania
5.22
3.3
3.3
Northern Territory/ACT
0.11
---
---
Total: 
159.08
118.6
99.3
Source: ABS (7121)


MAP – DISTRIBUTION OF SHEEP AND LAMBS 2001









See sheep breeds

See wool processing

See australian sheep breeders



TYPICAL ANNUAL CALENDAR FOR A SHEEP/WHEAT FARM IN NSW WHEAT BELT

Below is a typical annual calendar for a medium size sheep/wheat farm. The property has an area of about 1000ha with about three quarters arable. The remaining hills are lightly timbered with Cypress Pine and White Box. Wheat for grain is grown annually on about one quarter of the arable land and the remaining cleared land is sown with oats for early winter grazing and subterranean clover/rye grass pastures. A flock of 500 merino ewes have been purchased and are used as first cross mothers mated with Border Leicester rams. A further flock of 500 wethers have been purchased for grazing on the hills.

JANUARY: Jet sheep for blow fly control. Work fallow ground for wheat and oats. Wean lambs
FEBRUARY: Crutch sheep for blow fly control. Drench ewes and lambs. Shear wether lambs.
MARCH: Sow oats for winter feed.
APRIL: Work fallow ground for wheat.
MAY: Mate ewes. Sow wheat.
JUNE: Graze oats with ewe lambs and merino ewes
JULY: Sell ewe lambs and pick of wether lambs
AUGUST: Sell remainder of wether lambs. Shear all sheep.
Spray crop for weeds
SEPTEMBER: Dip all ewes, sell cull ewes and wethers
OCTOBER: Make hay. Mark lambs. Drench all sheep.
Plough out old pastures in preparation for next years wheat crop.
NOVEMBER: Carry on with above operations until wheat is ready to harvest.
Harvest wheat. Attend markets to buy replacement sheep.
DECEMBER: Finish harvesting. Drench lambs. Jet ewes.
Carry out maintenance to fences and dams.

See sheep husbandry

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