There is talk about hay being carted huge distances – from one end of the country to the other in fact – just to provide sustenance for livestock.

Bureaucratic bodies like Local Land Services (LLS) are using the language ‘drought’ and there is talk about the hay market, which had plateaued earlier on, and is now starting to rise.

Fortunately there are some glimmers of hope.

Wool prices have reached record highs. The good price for wool means that sheep with handy genetics and an ability to cut good fleece are valuable.

And for those who have grain stored on farm there are opportunities in finishing extra-heavy export lambs too. Prices sailed to a high of $228.20 at the Wagga market on Thursday. These prices came despite the fact that big yardings went under the hammer.

This week the Wagga sheep and lamb sale has attracted another big yarding with vendors tipped to sell 43,400 sheep and lambs. It is another sign of the dry times. 

We have had droughts before and we will have them again. Fortunately this time around markets are good.

Good markets mean there can still be some cash flow.

And in contrast to previous drought periods there is good information swapping going on.

To be fair primary producers are savvy. They know how to make on the spot decisions and to mix things up to make the best of what could be a bad situation.

From hand feeding to supplementation or completely revolutionising the winter cropping rotation program producers appear more flexible.

Flexibility in anything could perhaps be the key here.

If the crops are bad, cash in on the lambs. If the lambs don’t deliver, sell wool. The ability to alternate and make a go of mixed farming is something that has really come to the fore. 

The same philosophy goes applies to marketing. If you aren’t getting what you need in the open cry auction system there are opportunities to sell direct or over the hooks.

And the ability to use the internet to assess the situation from our northern hemisphere competitors also provides a bit of an edge. See what is needed, what is not and meet the market.