December 6, 2010

Australian cattle industry to benefit from downgraded grains

Downgraded grains will mean cheaper feed for cattle in Australia and other intensive or feedlot industries after grain farmers struggle to harvest in the eastern states' deluge.

Livestock agent Anthony Atkinson, from Braidwood in NSW, says cheaper feed is a bonus from the drought-breaking rain.

"I feel sorry for the cropping guys, but one thing we are going to see in the market, which we haven't seen for the last 10 years, is the feedlots coming back into it. It's an opportunity for feedlotters to put a bit more on their cattle, because feed grain is going to be reasonably cheap this year," he said.

Graziers south of Gladstone in central Queensland are not complaining about the wet.

John Bell, from Turkey Station near Miriam Vale, says it's the turnaround cattle producers have been waiting for. "I probably have seen it as good as this in early December, but in my 62 years or in my memory, I've never seen a year as good as calendar year 2010, following the worst in my memory, 2009," he said.