Stud stock industry mourns the loss of Shorthorn stalwart Sandy Munro.

Alexander Forbes Munro, Weebollabolla, Moree, known to many as Sandy, died Thursday, July 18, leaving the studs stock industry in complete shock

A fourth-generation agriculturalist, Sandy’s contribution to the Munro family’s 150-year farming legacy as managing director was nothing short of incredible.

His family was one of the north-west region’s earliest settlers, owning Weebollabolla, a mixed farming and grazing operation since 1873..

Sandy was innovative, unafraid to stray from tradition, humble, whip smart and a friend to all who crossed his path.

Beyond the farm gate Sandy was a well-loved volunteer who contributed greatly to the Moree community and a keen race-goer.

Remembered in the utmost regard by people both inside and outside of the agricultural industry, Sandy will be missed by many.

He is survived by his wife Judith, daughters, Catriona, Kirsten, Jennifer and Jacquelin, sisters, Jane, Susan and Mary, and his 12 grandchildren,

Inverell Prime Cattle Sale Tuesday 16^th July

Inverell penned 1004 good quality cattle with a larger offering of cows available.

Trends improved throughout particularly with the cow category which saw a very marked improvement to top at 312c/kg.  

Steers to background gained 13c/kg and steers under 330kgs also to backgrounders competition sold to 11c/kg better.

Medium weight steers to feed on were significantly dearer gaining 28c/kg. Heavy yearling steers to feed to a positive trend 328c to 336/kg.

Light background heifers lost 8c/kg due to a quality correction however similar weight feeders were up to 20c/kg dearer ranging 270c to 296c/kg.

Medium feeders were 13c/kg back.

The same weight heifers to process made 335/kg. 

Heavy grown steers for processing rose 6c/kg and topped at 320c/kg with similar heifers also dearer 206c to 294c/kg.

The cow market dearer medium cows 175c to 274c/kg. Heavy three and four score cows exceptionally dearer 280c to 312c/kg.

Bulls sold to dearer trends topping at 272c/kg.

ROMA STORE SALE TUESDAY JULY

With an increase of 1208 head Roma Agents yarded 7738 head. All the regular processors feed lotters and backgrounders present.                                              The yarding comprised of quality weaners feeders and more than 2200 cows. The market continued to rise for all descriptions.                                                 Yearling steers under 200kg topped 400c/kg.                                                  Yearling steers 200 to 280kg sold from 300c to 410c/kg.                                                                                Yearling steers 280 to 330kg also made to 402c to average 373c/kg.                       Yearling steers 330 to 400kg with the majority making to 402c and averaged 360c/kg which is a 10c/kg stronger.                                                               Yearling steers 400kg to 480kg improved 34c and sold from 300c to 374c/kg.          Yearling steers over 480kg made from 250c to a top of 372c/kg.                         Light weight yearling heifers under 200kg sold to a stronger market and made to 300c/kg.                                                                                                           Yearling heifers 200 to 280kg also improved in price and selling to 304c/kg. Yearling heifers 280 to 330kg sold from 226c to 320c/kg.                                        Yearling heifers 330 to 400kg sold well to 321c/kg.                                        Yearling heifers 400 to 480kg topped 340c to average 325c/kg.                                          Yearling heifers over 480kg sold from 240c to 320c/kg                                                      Grown steers 500 to 600kg topped 360c/kg.                                                     Grown steers over 600kg made from 260c to 324c/kg.                                     Grown heifers over 540kg made to 314c/kg.                                                         Almost 2200 cows penned and sold to a stronger market with the inclusion of 3 southern processors.                                                                                        The majority of the 2 score cows selling from 160c to 255c/kg.                               The 3 score topped 324c to average 291c/kg.                                                           Bulls under 600kg topped 268c/kg. Bulls over 600kg made to 290c/kg.          Market Reporter David Friend          

Inverell Sheep and Lamb Sale Tuesday 16^th July     

Inverell penned 1122 lambs and 1037 grown sheep the total being back 1145 less than a fortnight ago.                                                                                      It was a very good offering of heavy lambs with the regular processors on hand. Restockers were very competitive against processors to secure product.                               Trends were much improved for sheep and lambs throughout the sale.                          Light crossbred lambs to the paddock $140/head to be significantly dearer. Competition for the heavier drafts was equally good $152 to $180/head.         Dorper trade lambs lifted $26/head and the crossbred category firm to slightly dearer $180 to $210/head.                                                                              Lambs up to 30kg cwt were considerably dearer reaching $225/head with similar weight Dorpers reaching the same result.                                                               Lambs in excess of 30kgs cwt were substantially dearer $231 to $255/head. Heavy hoggets reached $130/head.                                                                          Grown sheep were dearer. Light ewes lifted $7/head $80 to $90/head while medium weights made $80 to $120/head.                                                                     Heavy cross bred ewes were up to $28/head dearer and Merino ewes with long skin lifted $22/head.                                                                                                                           Heavy cross bred wethers $150/head and meat rams to $15/head.                Stephen Adams MLA

UNE’s 12-month extension for deep-rooted legume research from NSW to NT

A University of New England (UNE)- led project that equips graziers with the skills needed to increase the adoption of deep-rooted legumes has been extended another 12 months.

The allocation of extra time will give farmers nationwide more opportunities to learn how to become more resilient with predicted climate variability.

The UNE recently held several training days, field days, and workshops to highlight regionally specific legume establishment and management techniques.

Following the positive outcomes of previous events over the past two years, these will continue as part of the Overcoming the Knowledge Gaps project.

Southern Basin buybacks begin: 

The Commonwealth can expect no shortage of offers to buy Southern Murray-Darling Basin water entitlements after the second round of the federal government’s voluntary buybacks opened for tender this week.

The majority of hopeful sellers will be family farmers in a tender process seeking to extract entitlements mainly from private diverters, according to Ruralco Water general manager Phil Grahame.

Mr Grahame, who started water brokering in 2008, said a range of licence holders had been seeking preliminary advice after the government announced it wanted to buy shares from within the New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria Murray catchments, the lower part of the Murrumbidgee catchment and Victoria’s Ovens catchment.

The flystrike treatment that could become the answer to mulesing

University of Queensland researchers have been working on a chemical-free method of controlling flystrike that could open the door to new ways of controlling livestock pest problems.

Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation Research Fellow Karishma Mody and PhD candidate Yunjia Yang have proved it would be possible to use RNA technology to fight back against blowflies by stunting their growth and potentially killing them.

Dr Mody says RNA interference is a natural process, where small RNA molecules can pretty much switch off specific genes, preventing them from making proteins.

“So what we’re doing is using double stranded RNA (dsRNA), which will target the essential genes of the blowfly… it’s very species specific.

Dr Mody said the work was still in very early stages, with the next challenge to identify target genes that can be silenced by the dsRNA to slow insect growth and potentially kill the blowfly

Agribusiness executives earning 50 times a typical worker’s weekly wage

Agriculture’s highest-paid agribusiness executives have been revealed in an audit of CEO pay, with well-known industry leaders taking home up to 54 times more than the average weekly wage.

However, the 23rd annual Australian Council of Superannuation Investors study of publicly listed companies found Australia’s ASX100 chief executives actually made slightly less year-on-year with average incomes dropping from $5.2m in the 2022 financial year to $5m in FY23.

The highest-paid CEO in Australia of all industries was Greg Goodman of Goodman Group with a realised package of $27.34m, while Macquarie’s Shemara Wikramanayake was second with realised pay of $25.32m.

There were also high outcomes for CEOs in listed companies but based in overseas markets, with Resmed’s Mick Farrell ($47.58m) and News Corp’s Robert Thomson on $41.53m eclipsing the local talent.