Charlotte Varcoe
THE Mount Gambier and District Saleyards has had a surplus of cattle stock this financial year while sheep sales remained lower than previous years due to footrot concerns.
According to council’s monthly financial report, cattle numbers were significantly above budget by more than 3000 head this month.
Cattle numbers have remained strong for eight months with January having 10,782 – more than 3000 over budget.
Despite this, the saleyard’s sheep numbers remained under budget for the fifth consecutive month.
The report states in June, sheep numbers were 2865 below budget – the lowest this financial year.
Acting chief executive Gary Button said council originally budgeted for 65,000 head of cattle to go through the saleyards during the financial year with the final number reaching 79,273.
According to Mr Button this resulted in a 122 per cent increase over budget equalling to about $220,000.
Sheep sales were about 91 per cent over budget with Mr Button claiming most of the saleyard income was from cattle sales.
“There was a restriction there for a period of time with a local issue with footrot and that did decrease the sheep numbers early on,” Mr Button said.
“The numbers have been relatively consistent and it was very much at peak in November but in the long run it has stabilised and it is an important part of what we see.”
He said the saleyards was mainly a cattle yard facility although sheep sales still played a part.
Mr Button said this was a driving force for council to continue pursuing federal funding for the transformation project.
The project would include a soft floor cladding, a roof over the holding pens and further enhance animal welfare.
“For council the majority of our income is from the actual price per head so the impact of sheep, while it is an impact, is not great,” Mr Button said.
Mount Gambier Combined Agents chairperson Chris Manser siad the saleyards have had good numbers over the last financial year.
“We thought the stock would increase and I believe they will increase even further especially if we were able to get our extension to the yards and the modifications that we want to the yards in regards to soft flooring, roofing, water catchment, solar and the rest,” Mr Manser said.
“That will attract more people who want to sell their livestock through the saleyards.”
He said the increase in stock numbers proved the facility was a place where farmers wanted to sell their livestock and saw a benefit in it.
“Prices have not been as good as what they were about two years prior but that is seasonal and other things come into play with that but I can see the numbers increasing more,” Mr Manser said.
“If we were able to get this federal grant it would really increase the numbers even further.”
Mr Manser said in regards to sheep sales dipping due to issues around footrot, he believed less restrictions would help.
“We are finding that some producers are not able to sell their sheep here in the saleyards because of a footrot problem,” he said.
“They are often offering to sell those into Victoria or basically straight to the abattoirs.”
He said although footrot was a notable disease, he noted the Department of Primary Industries (PIRSA) had been “targeting” the Mount Gambier Saleyards more often throughout the last 18 months.
“There is a concern with footrot but another way of looking at it would be in regards to management,” Mr Manser said.
“I think it should be more of a management type thing and farmers certainly are concerned.”
He said due to these concerns and PIRSA continued “targeting” of the local saleyards, many farmers were not bringing their sheep to the region.
“With the idea of footrot, they would rather go direct to the abattoir or sell them in Victoria,” he said.
Mr Manser said should the saleyards receive the federal grant funding, he hoped more sheep farmers would bring their stock back to the saleyards thus increasing numbers.
“We have to get this footrot thing right or under more control for that to happen too,” he said.
“We do not want to lose that market here, we want to be able to sell it and I believe we should come in line with other states.
“We need to have it as a management on a farm and not have the strict regulations that we do while also making sure we have the vaccinations for footrot.”
Despite the difficulties, Mr Manser said there had been positive responses to the recently launched petition for the saleyard funding.
“We do want to get more signatures and although it is an online thing and we know some farmers have not got a computer, there are paper petitions available at the saleyards and at all agents offices too,” he said.
“I would really urge all producers and also the community of the District COuncil of Grant to get behind and sign the petition because the saleyards bring in great economic benefit to the town.”
He said the future of the saleyards was critical for the farming community as it provided a respite for those who were often isolated.
“For the producer he can come out here and meet with like-minded people, he can see his livestock compared to the next producer and it is also a good thing for the mental health of our farmers as well,” Mr Manser said.
“Farmers go home, isolated somewhat within their own farms and they do not get to talk much outside of the saleyards.
“It is a meeting place and it can be a fun place to go especially after what we have been through in the last six months to a year.”
A state government spokesperson said PIRSA had visited the saleyards 39 times in the past financial year and recorded four detections of footrot – two of which were from South Australian properties.
“PIRSA’s responsibilities regarding the NLIS include surveillance for notifiable diseases, including footrot, as well as sheep lice and other matters,” the spokesperson said.
“Footrot is a contagious bacterial disease of sheep capable of causing severe production losses and animal welfare issues.”
LivestockSA will now develop an indsutry-led steering committee to determine the required components for the future Footrot Management Program which will include considering the management changes recommended in the report.
