Meat processors have enough cattle to kill for the capacity that is on and prices have been steady to slightly weaker as a result. 

Despite a softening in the NZ dollar in recent days, export beef slaughter prices are still being hammered at the expense of the exchange rate.

Westpac economists are forecasting global dairy and beef prices to rise on the back of drought in the US and elsewhere.

ABOUT 25% of dairy farms will “have significant liquidity risk” this year on current forecasts for costs and milk price, says DairyNZ senior economist Matt Newman.

Beef and Lamb NZ's latest new season outlook has beef production pegged for a 7.8% lift to 2.3 million head in the 2012-13 season. This is largely linked to the carryover of cull cows from last season given the excellent conditions though fewer beef cow replacements are being retained and more dairy culls are likely, given the ever expanding NZ dairy herd.

A major problem that meat processors are facing is built up stocks of frozen lamb. Too much money was spent on lambs at the start of the season, and when overseas markets slid, processors were too slow in adjusting schedules.

iFarm has adjusted their beef price outlook upwards slightly again this month. This is driven by an increasingly bullish outlook for US imported beef prices.

SENDING STOCK to auction as a breeder is a bit like a one-night stand, Beef + Lamb director James Parson says. “It looks great at the time but there’s not much chance of repeat business.” 

After 24 burgers were delivered for a joint lunch with the Forestry Owners Association, the Board of Federated Farmers has given its thumbs-up to McDonald's Serious Lamb Burger.

THE NEW McDonalds ‘Serious Lamb Burger’, launched last week in New Zealand, could soon find itself on menus around the world – a great move for Kiwi producers, says Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive Rod Slater.