A raft of challenges have once again hit the livestock sector's trade environment, with widespread processing delays caused by tumbling staff numbers the latest scenario to cause concerns.
Skyrocketing COVID-19 cases within the sector sparked processors to slow operation in the past month and dramatically reduce buying activity at saleyards.
But anxiety about the sector's stability has all but diminished recently, with tricky trade territory bouncing back and the market defying odds to be in a "remarkable" position, according to industry commentators.
After a price lull at the beginning of the year, the past two weeks have had a slight recovery in yarding and returns for sellers, with Nutrien Ag Solutions Mallala agent Brian Manuel saying the largest yarding for the year was reached at Dublin saleyard this week.
"After a market lull at the beginning of the year, the past two weeks have made a slight recovery in both yarding and returns," he said.
Other major selling centres at Naracoorte and Mount Gambier have also had a price correction in recent weeks but numbers are still slightly lower than this time last year.
PPHS Naracoorte agent Richard Harvie said at long last the sector had lifted and recovered in confidence after the "turmoil" at the beginning of the year.
"The processors are beginning to get back in order and are competing at the saleyard again, so stock is being moved," he said.
"It has been difficult for everyone to navigate - with staff levels at processors so unknown."
Mr Harvie said despite a turnaround, three weeks ago panic had set in a bit and sellers held back.
"Numbers at Naracoorte lifted to about 5800 lambs but prior it was down to 1500, so the panic set in but confidence has increased," he said.
Elders Mount Gambier agent Ben Gregory said the recent struggle in the lamb market affected industry greatly but after gaining solid lamb prices in spring, the impact was somewhat lesser than expected.
"Prices improved this week and in the coming weeks, as more numbers come through the system and buyers are at full capacity, it should continue to improve," he said.
As the backlog of lambs to be slaughtered at processors begins to clear up in the coming weeks, Mr Gregory said buyers would be more active and give greater confidence to sellers who could be holding back on putting lambs into the system.
Producers shouldn't lose sight of how good things really are when something out of the ordinary happens.
- RIPLEY ATKINSON
"Buyers that have committed to lambs that should have been killed at the beginning of January, are only just getting on top of that scenario - the lag in processing has put a lot of pressure on buying volumes," he said.
"They are at the yards but just not operating at the peak levels."
As the situation across SA and just across the border in Vic continues to improve, in contrast to long-term historical prices, the 2022 saleyard selling year for sheep and lambs is exceeding all expectations.
A Meat & Livestock Australia report shows prices are well above the 10-year average prices for sheep and lamb.
MLA market information analyst Ripley Atkinson said the market was in a remarkable position, considering the circumstances.
"Producers shouldn't lose sight of how good things really are when something out of the ordinary happens," he said.
"I know people are worried about the market dropping 20 cents a kilogram or $10 a head because there are not as a many processors operating at the yards, but the market is in a good position."
Mr Atkinson said when taking a step back to look at the position the industry was in at the minute, in comparison with what had been seen throughout the past decade, it put a bit of perspective about just how good things actually were.
STOCK SOLD DESPITE UNCERTAINTY
AN "UNCOMFORTABLE" selling environment throughout the past few months has forced producers into taking risks on when to sell lambs and for many, this has meant putting in a lot of effort to dodge the price dips caused by a lack of processor buyers.
The Schulz family at Sandilands offered lambs at SA Livestock Exchange at Dublin this week but it came with some uneasiness about the most recent effect from COVID-19 hitting the processing industry's workforce.
Matthew Schulz had a long break from attending a saleyard but decided to head along to watch prices closely and "hope for the best" on Tuesday.
"It has been a tricky few months. It has actually been quite uncomfortable," he said.
Most of the uncertainty for Mr Schulz has been centred on market price parameters in the saleyard and on-hooks.
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"We had lambs on stubble and we have grain to supplement feed but we need to sell," he said.
"The feed is low and the lambs are ready to go."
The impact of meat works employees being hit by COVID-19 meant price fluctuations were widespread, as delays to processing draw out and the gallery of buyers reduced dramatically.
"Trying to pick a week when prices are not down has not been easy - we averaged $240 a head across the lambs sold at Dublin this week and that is an improvement," Mr Schulz said.
He has also booked in lambs on-hooks on a forward contract, with a six-week wait for kill space.
"The price was a bit less but I was happy to get a contract," he said.
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