DIGGING DEEPER - AG CHATS WITH AL
Real farmers, real conversations, practical insights and inspiring stories.
Join Al Micallef and special guests to help unlock your farm's production potential.
Whether it's in relation to drought or economic shifts, this podcast is your go-to for developing resilience in agriculture.
This podcast is made possible by the Future Drought Fund Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program co-funded by the Victorian and Australian Governments.
DIGGING DEEPER - AG CHATS WITH AL
DIGGING DEEPER - Inside the Sale Yards: A New Year in Agriculture
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Al opens 2026 by thanking listeners and outlining plans for more practical guests and local producers, plus monthly veterinary updates from Chelsea (Herd Solutions) and livestock market reports from Morgan (Elders). In the episode, Morgan discusses heavy rain arriving after a dry, fire-affected period, boosting confidence and tightening cattle supply; he notes feeder steers rising from about $4.20–$4.40/kg to around $5.20/kg. The Mountain Calf Sales’ move to undercover facilities at Bairnsdale is described as a major success, with strong local Gippsland buying, about 1,700–1,800 cattle, and prices commonly over $5/kg (lighter types dearer), plus heifers around $2,200 as breeders. They also cover strong but pressured sheep and lamb markets (about $8/kg for sheep, lambs up to ~$10.70–$11), upcoming store and weaner sales, bull sales, and advice to trade old bulls while cull values are high, followed by brief on-site interviews reflecting positive results despite wet conditions.
00:00 Welcome to 2026
01:21 Rain Changes Everything
02:20 Mountain Calf Sales Wrap
04:41 Where the Buyers Came From
06:14 Bairnsdale Sale Success
07:14 Sheep Market Gets Dear
09:20 Weather Forecast Banter
10:17 Next Week and Bull Sales
11:08 Sale Highlights and Sign Off
12:52 Auction Ring Action
13:37 Post Sale Price Breakdown
15:10 Producer Chat Pinkeye Update
16:08 Sale Prices Snapshot
16:50 Why Bairnsdale Works
17:21 Season Break and Water
18:37 Undercover Verdict
20:10 Local Bull Sale Plug
20:52 Cost of Production Reality
22:46 Future Feature Sales
23:11 Producers Praise the Draft
23:47 Agents and Yard Crew
25:08 Elders Wrap and Hereford Plans
27:36 Up the Mountain Mud
29:14 Buyer Hunting Steers
29:59 Thanks and Sign Off