The North Coast Local Land Services Sustainable Agriculture team has offered information to North Coast livestock producers to help in identifying supplementary feed options with conditions continuing to remain drier than normal across the region. It is highly likely that greater demand will be placed on the available supplementary feed options that remain for beef producers with demand continuing to exceed supply.

Nathan Jennings, Senior Land Services Officer with North Coast Local Land Services said, “I would urge beef producers on the North Coast to take the time to assess their available feed, stock condition and if you are likely to require a supplementary feed source then call your supplier now, to determine availability and price.”

Drought conditions across most of NSW have placed an unprecedented demand on many of the common supplementary feeds relied on in the North Coast and additionally, North Coast feed producers have been supplying significant volumes of hay to western areas as well.

Nathan continued, “It is important for producers to consider the cash-flow position of the business and for those looking to supplement to have an idea of what the cattle are worth now and potentially could be worth to ensure there is sufficient margin over feed cost, especially for weaners likely to be sold in the coming months.”

For those producers that may not have been following the stock feed market very closely as yet North Coast Local Land Services has compiled a list of what is commonly used to supplement cattle in our region with estimated price ranges and most importantly for some, availability. Visit www.northcoast.lls.nsw.gov.au for more information.