Home - Sheep Central

Victorian ewe flock decline behind lower 2025-26 saleyard numbers

VICTORIAN stock agents attribute a decline in sheep saleyard transactions in 2025-26 to the general flock decline and producers selling direct to abattoirs or via on-farm sales using online platforms…Read More

Terry Sim, October 26, 2026

Lamb Production

Feedgrain Focus: Rain drops quality, weight in northern crops

CEREAL crops in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales are losing weight and quality every day as rain settles in over the region…Read More

Liz Wells, October 26, 2026

News

Rice and sheep farmer Peter Herrmann is new NFF vice president

NEW South Wales rice, sheep and walnut farmer Peter Herrmann has been appointed as the new vice president of the National Farmers’ Federation…Read More

Sheep Central, October 26, 2026

News

Missing NSW sheep carry distinctive ‘M’ ear marks

NEW South Wales Police rural crime investigators are appealing for information from the public after 120 sheep were reported missing and are suspected stolen from a property in the state’s central west…Read More

Sheep Central, October 26, 2026

News

Veterans a home-grown asset ready to bolster ag

AN INITIATIVE born during COVID has given veterans a pathway into agriculture, and instigator Garry Spencer hopes the pathway will become a highway…Read More

Liz Wells, October 26, 2026

Property

Weekly property review: Latest listings and a NSW sale

This week’s property review details latest listings in NSW, Vic and SA, and the sale of Kallala in central NSW…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, October 26, 2026

News

NSW police arrest four men over alleged sheep thefts

FOUR men have been charged over alleged illegal hunting following a joint operation in New South Wales’ central west region, according to NSW Police…Read More

Sheep Central, October 22, 2026

Markets

Producers with feed hold lambs for weight – Howie

IT is apparent continued rain, fantastic fattening feed and a shortage of lambs due to the two-year drought in the south is leading to producers holding lambs normally sold as stores…Read More

By Sheep Central livestock markets columnist Chris Howie, October 22, 2026

Wool Production

NZ sheep shearer gets home detention for abusing lambs

Sheep Central, October 22, 2026

Markets

Wool buyers get picky and growers withdraw bales

Sheep Central, October 22, 2026

News

Recruitment: Six key elements in effectively managing staff

Sheep Central, October 23, 2026

Markets

Different perspectives on the Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement

Eric Barker, October 22, 2026

News

QWool’s $775m wool processing plan is ‘not just a vision’

Sheep Central, October 21, 2026

Lamb Production

Strong demand and limited supply are good news for sheep

Sheep Central, October 21, 2026

Industry Dashboard

Carbon Trading Market

Aust. Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) - $/tonne of CO2 equiv.

Today

38.70

Source: Jarden

$A / $US

Updated 7am daily

Today

0.7062

Source: NAB

ASX Market Index

26 Oct 2026 (updated 10am daily)

Company	Price	Trending
Elders	$8.96
Australian Agricultural Co	$1.52
Graincorp	$7.29
Ridley	$2.12
Woolworths	$36.64
Wellard	$0.06

Source: ASX

SOI Graph

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI)

Today

-27.88

Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology

ESTLI

Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator. Ac/kg cwt

Last Week

1166

Source: MLA's NLRS

EMI

Eastern Market Indicator. c/kg clean

Today

1873

Source: Australian Wool Exchange

Goat

Eastern States 12.1-16kg c/kg cwt

Today

Source: MLA

ASX Market Index

26 Oct 2026 (updated 10am daily)

Company	Price	Trending
Elders	$8.96
Australian Agricultural Co	$1.52
Graincorp	$7.29
Ridley	$2.12
Woolworths	$36.64
Wellard	$0.06

Source: ASX

What readers are saying

Strong uptake of EID for sheep and goats in NSW saleyards

Trials of injectable transponders have not been successful in sheep or cattle The read distance of the injectable unit is quite short and unable to be read by race....

Bruce Dumbrell

Agtech: Putting a price on a blade of grass

Combine this with virtual fencing and you have to wonder what comes next?....

John Marriott

Strong uptake of EID for sheep and goats in NSW saleyards

As a sheep farmer, I am OK with electronic devices; however, the ear tag is a clumsy way to do it as they are lost easily and in sheep....

Martha Truelove

Wild dog control needed in national parks to protect livestock and native animals

Thanks for keeping us informed about what is happening nationally.....

Rhonda Crawford

Rice and sheep farmer Peter Herrmann is new NFF vice president

NEW South Wales rice, sheep and walnut farmer Peter Herrmann has been appointed as the new vice president of the National Farmers’ Federation…Read More

Sheep Central, October 26, 2026

Missing NSW sheep carry distinctive ‘M’ ear marks

Sheep Central, October 26, 2026

Veterans a home-grown asset ready to bolster ag

AN INITIATIVE born during COVID has given veterans a pathway into agriculture, and instigator Garry Spencer hopes the pathway will become a highway…Read More

Liz Wells, October 26, 2026

NSW police arrest four men over alleged sheep thefts

FOUR men have been charged over alleged illegal hunting following a joint operation in New South Wales’ central west region, according to NSW Police…Read More

Sheep Central, October 22, 2026

Markets

Producers with feed hold lambs for weight – Howie

IT is apparent continued rain, fantastic fattening feed and a shortage of lambs due to the two-year drought in the south is leading to producers holding lambs normally sold as stores…Read More

By Sheep Central livestock markets columnist Chris Howie, October 22, 2026

Wool buyers get picky and growers withdraw bales

GROWER reluctance to sell wool increased as prices dipped at Australian auctions this week, with all sectors of the market recording falls….Read More

Sheep Central, October 22, 2026

Different perspectives on the Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement

AS beef industry groups urge parliament to reject a free trade agreement with the European Union, opinions appear to be more divided in Canberra…Read More

Eric Barker, October 22, 2026

Larger wool auction offering tests buyer demand

AUSTRALIA’S largest wool offering in five weeks has tested demand and prompted increased grower withdrawals from auctions…Read More

Sheep Central, October 16, 2026

Liz Wells, October 26, 2026

Strong demand and limited supply are good news for sheep

SIGNIFICANT expansion of the Australian sheep flock remains unlikely, despite strong global sheep meat prices, according to Rabobank research…Read More

Sheep Central, October 21, 2026

Final PDS project webinar on successful ewe lamb joining

THE final webinar for the ‘Optimising ewe lamb joining outcomes’ producer demonstration site project will be held this Friday…Read More

Sheep Central, October 21, 2026

Wool Production

Feedgrain Focus: Rain drops quality, weight in northern crops

CEREAL crops in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales are losing weight and quality every day as rain settles in over the region…Read More

Liz Wells, October 26, 2026

NZ sheep shearer gets home detention for abusing lambs

A NEW Zealand sheep shearer has been placed on two months home detention for physically abusing seven lambs while shearing them…Read More

Sheep Central, October 22, 2026

QWool’s $775m wool processing plan is ‘not just a vision’

QUEENSLAND and Tasmania are ranked as Australia’s lowest wool-producing states – but that hasn’t stopped grower-backed start-up QWool from thinking big…Read More

Sheep Central, October 21, 2026

Strong demand and limited supply are good news for sheep

SIGNIFICANT expansion of the Australian sheep flock remains unlikely, despite strong global sheep meat prices, according to Rabobank research…Read More

Sheep Central, October 21, 2026

Processing

New vision technology delivers cut-to-carcase traceability

New vision sensing technology has demonstrated that vacuum packaged primals can be traced back to the individual carcase with 100 percent accuracy in commercial research trials…Read More

Sheep Central, October 15, 2026

Automated lamb leg deboning tech heading for Australian trial

The first prototype of a machine for lamb leg deboning suitable for Australian meat processing has been built and tested in Japan, and is heading to Australia for a six week plant trial…Read More

Sheep Central, October 14, 2026

Gundagai lamb processor saves on gas by recycling heat

NEW South Wales lamb plant Gundagai Meat Processors has implemented a staged heat recovery system that reduces natural gas consumption, improves refrigeration efficiency and removes the need for a major boiler upgrade…Read More

Sheep Central, September 30, 2026

VFF lobbies to avoid truck wash biosecurity timebomb

VICTORIA’S peak farmer body has called for bipartisan political support to upgrade the state’s truck wash capability, claiming the current network is ‘a biosecurity disaster ticking timebomb.’..Read More

Sheep Central, September 16, 2026

Trade

Over-charged, over-regulated and over it – ALEC leader

AUSTRALIA’S peak livestock exporter body is urging the Albanese Government to abandon its push towards full cost recovery for regulatory charges, backing a call for an independent audit of export cost recovery, in this opinion piece by chief executive officer Mark Harvey-Sutton…Read More

By Australian Livestock Exporters Council chief executive officer Mark Harvey-Sutton, August 11, 2026

Lamb prices to continue to follow beef upward

AUSTRALIAN sheep producers have been told the current run of high lamb and mutton prices could extend for up to three years despite global quota restrictions and tariffs, as beef and sheep meat supplies stay limited globally…Read More

Terry Sim, July 9, 2026

UK signals intent to align with EU Deforestation Regulations

THE United Kingdom is looking like adopting regulations similar to the European Union’s Deforestation Regulations (EUDR), that could potentially impact Australian red meat exports into the UK market…Read More

Sheep Central, July 2, 2026

Mooralla Merino story to be told at BestWool BestLamb conference

WESTERN District sheep producers Ricky and Marni Luhrs have contracts for their wool and the eggs from their pasture-raised hens – the next phase in their marketing will be being..Read More

Sheep Central, June 19, 2026

Property

Weekly property review: Latest listings and a NSW sale

This week’s property review details latest listings in NSW, Vic and SA, and the sale of Kallala in central NSW…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, October 26, 2026

How are property values looking in central and southern Qld?

The spring rural property market in Central and Southern Queensland is steady, selective and quietly recalibrating, valuers Will McLay and Tim Cavanagh suggest. The season is dry, but typical for this time of year, cattle prices remain strong and buyers are still active – just more discerning…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, October 16, 2026

Weekly property review: Feedlot values double as sector experiences unprecedented investment cycle

Australia’s grainfeeding sector has been identified as the standout performer across the rural property market over the past 12 to 18 months, recording the highest volume of transactions in more than three decades and a dramatic escalation in asset values…Read More

Property editor Linda Rowley, October 16, 2026