LAMBEX 2026: Looking Ahead for the Australian Sheep Industry

Nathalia Pamplona Barboza
4 days ago
3 min read

By Nathalia P. Barboza, TRAC Ruminant Productivity Consultant

LambEx 2026 brought together producers, consultants, researchers and industry leaders from across Australia to discuss the future of the sheep industry. While presentations covered a broad range of topics, from business management and genetics to processing, nutrition and market trends, a consistent message emerged throughout the conference:

The future of the Australian sheep industry is bright for producers who focus on productivity, profitability and data-driven decision making.

One of the strongest themes was that profitable businesses are built on more than simply increasing production. Speakers emphasised the importance of understanding business performance through accurate benchmarking, measuring key production indicators and making informed decisions based on reliable data rather than assumptions.

As Nathan Westling, CEO of AJ & PA McBride Ltd. highlighted, profit creates options. Understanding where a business sits within industry benchmarks allows producers to identify opportunities for improvement and make confident management decisions.

Another recurring topic was the importance of simplifying farming systems. Producers continue to face increasing labour pressures, making efficient systems and clear management processes more valuable than ever. Data-driven decision making, transparency within businesses and practical technologies that improve efficiency were consistently identified as key drivers of long-term success.

The conference also looked closely at the future of carcass measurement and value-based production. Discussions around objective carcass assessment and the continued development of MSA grading demonstrated the industry's move towards rewarding producers who consistently deliver high-quality lamb. As these systems continue to evolve, breeding and management decisions will increasingly focus on producing animals that meet market specifications while maximising overall flock profitability.

Importantly, several presenters highlighted that some of the greatest gains do not necessarily come from improving the best performing animals, but from lifting the performance of the lower performing portion of the flock. Small improvements across this group can have a significant impact on whole farm productivity and profitability. `

The outlook for the sheep industry was another encouraging discussion point. Global demand for high-quality protein continues to remain strong, while sheep numbers have declined in many regions of the world. At the same time, the rebuilding of beef herds is expected to reduce beef availability in coming years, creating additional opportunities for lamb to meet consumer demand. While market conditions will always fluctuate, the longer-term outlook presented at LambEx was positive for Australian producers who continue to improve efficiency and productivity.

For those of us working alongside livestock producers, one message was particularly clear: nutrition remains one of the most practical and measurable tools available to improve flock performance. Whether through better mineral nutrition, improved feed efficiency, supporting reproductive performance or maximising growth rates, nutrition continues to play a central role in helping producers capture the opportunities ahead.

LambEx reinforced that the future of the Australian sheep industry will not simply be driven by producing more animals, but by producing better animals, more efficiently and more profitably.

At TRAC, we remain committed to providing practical, science-based nutritional solutions and technical support that help producers improve productivity, profitability, and long-term sustainability.

We thank the organisers, presenters and producers who contributed to another outstanding LambEx and look forward to continuing these conversations with producers across Australia.

If you have any questions about improving flock productivity, profitability or on-farm performance, please do not hesitate to talk with one of our TRAC Ruminant Experts.

Our Consultants

EXPERTS IN RUMINANT PRODUCTIVITY

Tom Thorn

0427 243 319

tomt@totalresult.com.au

Owen Rees

0429 437 823

owenr@totalresult.com.au

Mark Facy

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markf@totalresult.com.au

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