Australia exports 92% of its mutton output and 57% of its lamb production, Sheep Farm Workers 200+Jobs in Australia June 2025 making it the world’s top exporter of sheep. But there are still many obstacles to overcome in the sheep business, along with chances to go into uncharted territory! Both will be covered in this post. Reproduction success, survival rates, and litter size all impact our productivity, which has remained relatively steady over the past few decades. Ewe productivity is the number of lambs raised per ewe joined. There are now about 68 million sheep, down from 170 million in 1990. Seventy-five per cent of the approximately 37 million breeding ewes are Merinos. About 25% of the wool produced worldwide comes from Merinos. When the amount of wool produced fell by 60% in 1990, the Australian sheep industry changed its focus from producing wool to producing both meat and wool. But as of right now,
Farm Work at Cattle and Sheep Stations
Australia is home to a large number of sheep and cattle stations, some of which span more than one million hectares. The farmer only sees sheep and cattle once or twice a year in the genuine Outback, where they are allowed to graze freely. In addition to learning how to operate a horse, bike, and tractor, you will quickly learn how to work cattle or sheep, muster, drive, brand, tag, inject, fix fences, and operate equipment once you are on a station. Closer to the shore, we also offer agricultural work on smaller grazing holdings, which are often mixed farms with some livestock and crops. As long as you like dealing with animals and have the courtesy to treat them with respect, both men and women may do this kind of agricultural labor. Pay begins at the minimum wage set by the government, although it may increase based on experience and competence. If the company provides lodging and board, the current minimum salary for “station hands” is A$450 per week after taxes. Although it’s not usually the case, salary rates for those under 20 years old might be lowered by up to 20%. Single rooms are often available for lodging near the farmhouse. Many Outback stations are also in need of station chefs, housekeepers, and childcare providers
Farm Labor on Cropping Plantations
Small, intensive farms (20–50 Ha) and big commercial operations spanning thousands of hectares are examples of cropping farms in Australia (the largest irrigated cotton farm in the southern hemisphere is Cubbie Station in Queensland, which is 93,000 Ha). While the more intensive farms along the coast cultivate fruit and vegetables, these big enterprises often grow wheat, cotton, sorghum, maize, sunflowers, and soybeans. At these stations, the majority of agricultural labour involves operating large machinery, such as tractors and tools, for planting, ploughing, spraying, and harvesting crops. Bulldozer work, stick raking (clearing brush and scrub to create pasture or farmland), and grader work also require skilled drivers. These abilities can be picked up rapidly by anyone with a truck or tractor-driving experience. It’s interesting to note that because women are often more cautious and skilled operators, many farmers prefer to hire them to run their equipment. Operators of machinery may make over A$1,000 a week, which includes lodging and all meals. Even though most of these agricultural occupations are temporary (4–10 weeks), you may switch between them if you want to earn money. The consumption of sheep meat is predicted to increase by 1.7% to 1.9% each year over the next few years. Due to the widespread use of sheep meat, growth is most significant in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. A substantial portion of customers are deliberately selecting higher-quality beef as they transition into the middle-to-upper income range. New Zealand is Australia’s main rival, and it is predicted that NZ’s output will plateau in the coming years, providing Australia with an opportunity to capture the majority of international markets.
- The world’s biggest producer and consumer of sheep meat is China, whose demand is expected to rise in the coming years.
- Throughout the next ten years, Asian, Muslim, and Hispanic cultures worldwide are expected to increase their demand for sheep meat.
- Since sheepman has no religious taboos and no history of harmful illnesses like beef and pig do, it has enormous potential for consumption across the globe.
Future manufacturing efficiency is expected to increase thanks to rapidly evolving technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, genome editing, and alternative proteins.
The Australian sheep meat industry’s advantages
The world’s heaviest lambs are produced in Australia. Australia’s labor expenses are twice those of New Zealand and Europe and more than ten times those of China, Africa, or South America. However, this is outweighed by the fact that sheep farms in Australia generate five to ten times as much meat per hour of work than those in other countries!
- Australian farms continue to produce sheepman at a low overall cost.
- Because wool and crops provide extra revenue, Australian sheep farms often sustain greater levels of profitability.
At weaning, they continue to grow at above-average rates for animals that are sold or killed.
The demand curve will be more susceptible to economic fluctuations due to the high cost of sheep meat in comparison to chicken and pig.
Weaning rates are lower in Australia than in other nations
Merino flocks have moderate to low reproduction rates, which should be raised by evaluating their diet or, if practical, via genetics. Significant Obstacles and How to Get Past Them Exorbitant capital expenses: The high cost of capital is a problem for everything from water storage and shearing sheds to sheep yards and fencing. To mitigate the burden that capital might impose on a developing sheep farm, farmers should consider utilizing technology, renting, or sharing buildings and equipment. Work: Sheep farming necessitates seasonal work requirements. In Western Australia, for example, the sheep are shored in September after lambing in May. Crutching, soaking, jetting, vaccination, and lamb marking are all part of the husbandry regimen. As a result, finding qualified seasonal workers is a significant problem. Farmers might investigate the potential of technology to boost productivity and lower workforce requirements.
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The benefit of Australia
Lamb production has increased over the last 30 years as a result of a significant change in demand from the production of wool to that of meat. Sheep businesses have made more money globally in recent years than beef companies. You may wonder why more nations aren’t entering the sheep meat market, given the substantial amount of money flowing in. The incapacity to provide sheep meat at a price comparable with that of Australia and New Zealand, as well as a severe lack of resources to establish sheep farming, are the reasons behind this. One nation with the potential to begin producing sheep meat for export to other countries is the European Union, particularly the UK. Let’s discuss trade: As we previously said, Australian sheep meat is highly sought after in Asia and the Middle East. Actually, in 2017–2018, the value of sheep meat from Australia quadrupled to AUD 3.28 billion. This is also primarily because Australia now has access to export markets through bilateral and regional Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), multilateral discussions with the World Trade Organization, and the removal of non-tariff trade barriers. And how did Australia get such advantageous WTO terms It’s due to their excellent animal health, the absence of foot-and-mouth disease, and the possession of the world’s most advanced livestock traceability system. Additionally, Australia produces disease-free, exceptional sheep that thrive in feedlots outside of the nation. Strict animal welfare procedures are followed, and all export animals are subject to tracking and control procedures until they are killed.
sheep farmers who have contributed to this success
Being the biggest exporter of sheep meat worldwide, sheep farming is a lucrative business for farmers. The potential to generate extra revenue for items like wool, milk, and manure, the high rates of reproduction in ewes, the fact that sheepman production occurs all year round, and the fact that it requires less care and maintenance than other livestock are just a few of its benefits.
How to Apply
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