Warwick farmers celebrate end of drought but struggle with rising sheep prices

Drought-affected farmers forced to offload stock are now struggling to recoup numbers, as sheep prices continue to increase with no end insight.

Industry veterans at the Warwick Sheep Sales warn it may be at least three years until the sector recovers from one the worst droughts on record.

Ray White livestock manager Ben Johnston said farmers forced to sell off their sheep during the big dry were now restocking, pushing prices up.

“It’s probably a level that’s sustainable for a period for time, not forever, but it needs to be this way for a few years to get farmers financially in a good position again,” he said.

The crowds at the Warwick Sheep Sale.

The market’s supply and demand meant prices were good for those selling, Mr Johnston said.

Mr Johnston said prices could stabilise once farmers’ fields were fully stocked.

“That could take three to four years,” he said.

Mr Johnston sand some of the worst-affected farmers were now priced out of the market.

“They want to restock, they’ve got plenty of feed, but they can’t afford it,” he said.

Low numbers in Warwick have even forced one farmer to drive more than seven hours to buy sheep.

GR Prime Lamb and Pork owner Angus Gross said the cost the transfer the lamb from New South Wales was another blow as he tried to recoup from the drought.

Angus Gross is hoping to buy between 100 to 200 lambs at the Warwick Sheep Sale.

“I’d rather buy them out of here, but there’s not enough lambs for me here,” he said.

The drought saw Mr Gross sell off all his ewes, but he was optimistic about the future.

“A lot more ewes will have gone back to the paddock and hopefully breed more, and there’ll be more for sale by spring,” he said.

Mr Gross said he was purchasing between 100 to 200 sheep at the weekly sales while he wanted for his numbers to recover.

Numbers are down at the Warwick Sheep Sale (Photo: Zilla Gordon).

“By the end of next year … it won’t be back to normal, but it will be a lot better than what it is at the moment.”