ARARAT region farmers are heading to the last of the season’s wool markets with some of the best prices in decades.
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However, high rainfall and humid weather have raised the risk of flystrike that could inflict losses on flocks and bottom lines.
Landmark Ararat wool account manager John McGrath said wool prices were at a “historic high” and represented a “bright spot” for farmers this year, especially some of those hit by late season frosts.
“Prices for the Ararat region are on a historic high at the moment,” he said.
“The wool market indicator, which is the guide we use, is 350 cents higher than where it was last year.
“Generally, farmers in the Ararat and Stawell region would be getting the best wool prices they have had probably since the late 1980s.
“This week is the last sale for 2017. It has been a very strong finish to the wool season.”
Mr McGrath said the extra money in farmers’ pockets would be good for the region’s economy but they had been conditioned by accountants to be careful and look to the next 12-month forecast.
Victoria Livestock Logic director Andrew Whale warned of summer being a large flystrike risk season due to conditions.
Paraboss operations manager Deb Maxwell said producers should increase their flock monitoring following the wet conditions.
“Assess your ability to respond to a strike outbreak - if labour is short and a high level of strike is likely, apply a preventative treatment to the whole mob,” Ms Maxwell said.
Flystrike losses and treatment have been estimated to cost the Australian sheep industry more than $300 million a year.
Mr McGrath said flystrike was also an issue in the Ararat region.
“With the humid weather we have had, it’s something that farmers really need to be monitoring,” he said.
With western Victorian wheat and legume growers losing hundreds of million of dollars to late frosts last month, Mr McGrath said farmers in the region with a diversified business could offset some of their losses.
“It would certainly be helpful,” he said.
“They would see it as a bright spot, most definitely. Outside of a natural disaster, year-on-year the returns are similar for livestock and cropping.”