Meet the LMO: Graham Pymer

Twenty-six Livestock Market Officers (LMOs) currently work across Australia as part of MLA’s National Livestock Reporting Service. Covering more than 3,000 markets a year and thousands of kilometres between them, LMOs attend and report on up to 70 of the nation’s cattle, sheep and goat sales on a weekly basis.

This week, we talk to Graham Pymer about his sales patch in Victoria and how the markets are tracking.

What markets do you cover and where are you based?

I’m based in Horsham. The regular markets I cover include the Ballarat cattle on Monday and the Ballarat sheep and lambs on a Tuesday, as well as the Horsham sheep and lambs on Wednesday.

Ballarat is now tracking as the largest sheep selling centre in Victoria, handling around 30% of the sheep and lamb stock that goes through the saleyards, and it’s the fourth largest in Australia behind Wagga, Dubbo and Forbes in NSW.

What are some of the challenges or opportunities for livestock producers in your part of Australia as 2019 gets underway?

Ongoing seasonal conditions are continuing to be the biggest challenge faced by livestock producers in the area. In Horsham, Wimmera and the Mallee, producers rely heavily on stubble feed to finish off lambs, so a dry start and finish to the cropping season resulted in reduced plantings and little opportunity to finish lambs on stubble.

Due to the lack of (and price of) grain, producers are averse to putting a lot of stock in feedlots and more interested in selling their grain to merchants. However, this is not necessarily the case in the Ballarat area. Due to the area’s higher rainfall and use of fodder crops, the opportunities to feed on are looking quite good.

Aside from that, prospects for autumn are looking good and prices are expected to be higher due to the reduced stock numbers that went out onto feed this season.

What’s a hot topic around the catwalks of the saleyards you cover at the moment?

Lamb is currently the hot topic with everyone talking about what sort of prices it will reach in the autumn and early winter. Producers in the western district are seeing good prices for prime weaner cattle and we’re waiting to see if this will be replicated for lambs.

What’s the best part about your job?

Having worked for a stock agent for many years in various centres, I enjoy travelling around to different markets and interacting with the agents and buyers I’ve worked with over the years. I like talking to producers, and although sometimes it’s challenging, keeping up with the latest livestock trends and prices. Being an LMO can get very busy, but it’s very rewarding.

When you’re not at the saleyards, where would we find you?

One of the things I really enjoy is spending time with my wife and family. We like to escape to our weekender which is located on the edge of Little Desert at Dimboola where I also enjoy getting out in the bush and hunting a few foxes. I also have a granddaughter who is shaping up to do well in the tennis scene so I like to spend as much time as possible hitting with her, and watching her play.

What’s your favourite red meat meal?

Slow roasted lamb racks, covered in sauces or gravy.