Producers are closely watching stocking levels

Marts: The shorter working week at the beef factories and the weaker demand for cattle has not been welcomed

There was increasing pressure on factories over the past ten days to accept cattle from producers who are operating close to the line on the higher limits of stocking, with speculation that the second census date is imminent or may indeed have just been passed last weekend.

The first census date for 2003 took livestock farmers by surprise when it was announced for Sunday January 19, compared to the second week in March for each of the past two years. In 2001 and 2002 the second census date was May 13 and May 19 respectively, but the first being much earlier than previously the odds are more on April for the second in 2003.