Our thoughts must go to the legion of households and farms that have come through their fourth flood in recent times with big losses each time and heartbreaking clean-ups.

Videos taken on a property at Quandialla show heavy in-lamb ewes paddling through 10-centimetre deep water that is lying over many acres on flat country.

Sheep producers everywhere are taking extra precautions with newborn lambs and freshly shorn sheep.

Tales of severe losses in shorn sheep are part of our country's folklore; an elderly lady told me recently of their "shornies" being caught in a Monaro blizzard many years ago.

"Hundreds of our hoggets died that night and only one survived," she said. "We couldn't afford the loss but we had to carry on."

RED meat producers are carefully watching the steady decline in auction prices as herds and flocks build up after decades of near drought conditions.

The benchmark Eastern Young Cattle Indicator has fallen 119c/kg in four weeks to close on 1009c/kg.

According to Meat and Livestock Australia, the strong supply of sheep and lambs is putting downward pressure on both lamb and sheep prices.

The Eastern States Trade Lamb Indicator lost 25c/kg last week to settle at 758c/kg, which is 106c/kg below the same week last year.

We know that livestock trading runs on confidence and that inflation, interest rates, foot and mouth disease very close to us in Bali, varroa mites in beehives and ongoing flooding are sapping a lot of confidence in the rural sector.

Farm costs are surging and the challenge must be met by an enthusiastic army of farmers who are more than ready to roll up their sleeves and get on with it.

RECENT RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMNS:

CLASSING time for breeding animals has rolled around and most breeders are pretty capable at selecting the type of cow or ewe that they need.

With the advent of race classing for sheep, we saw the need for a classing box (or several eagle-eyed helpers) to check feet, legs and pasterns.

A good helper will check the way an animal stands in races or forcing yards.

Some classers cull about 40 per cent of maiden ewes, while many owners are content to take out 10 per cent.

Until the last couple of years, every breeder where I selected their breeders would say "any ewe that missed the mulesing and any ewe with horns must go on the meat truck".

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who is involved in the running of the Bathurst Winter Festival on Kings Parade and Machattie Park.

Planners of the event probably hoped for success at its first attempt, but this year's festival is brilliant and must bring a lot of dollars to town businesses.

A young boy told me "I'm proud to live in Bathurst". And so are many of us. Thank you Bathurst Council and the many helpers.

A SALUTE to Skillset Bathurst that is celebrating its 40 years of operation.

From a steady beginning as Group Apprentices, the entity has grown to be one of our city's most important employee providers.

Some years ago I was involved with Tony Abbott and Skillset's Green Army and our rural business employed two trainees from Group Apprentices.

These two men are now at the cutting edge of businesses in Bathurst. Thank you for your assistance, Skillset.

AARON Patrick's latest book, Ego, outlines the rise of Malcolm Turnbull to the prime ministership and his behind-the-scenes activities after his party removed him from the position.

If you are interested in the political scene you will really enjoy this book and I have to wonder whether if both Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott were not undermined by Messrs. Rudd and Turnbull, would each of them have been excellent prime ministers.

Obviously Mr Turnbull and Mr Rudd were not.

Federal Governments have a real effect on primary production with interest rates, biosecurity and wage cost structure being of great importance to the sector.

A THOUGHT for the week: Please stop for a few minutes to Google Let Them Be Little by Billy Dean.

THERE were 49,000 bales offered Australia-wide in the first week of wool sales in the 2022 selling season.

Current reduced sentiment in the market had a weakening effect and, by the time the week had finished, the Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) had closed 23ac/kg cheaper to a level of 1407ac/kg.

All merino indicators moved southwards by up to 35ac/kg, however, it was the higher VM, lower style and weaker wools that were most affected.

The better, low VM and more stylish wools were in good demand as the exporters competed strongly on these types.

Competition from Chinese topmakers was prevalent. This was helped along by Australia's biggest trading house, which purchased around 8000 bales of wool for the week.

Week two sees a very large offering of more than 60,000 bales Australia-wide, followed by the traditional three-week recess.

THE shearer's wife hurried into the doctor's room with son Nigel.

"Doctor, can an eight-year-old boy remove his own appendix?" she asked hurriedly.

"No, of course not," she was told.

Mum scowled. "As soon as we get home my boy, you're going to put it right back in," she said.

***

"WHAT do you have for grey hair?" she asked the hairdresser.

"The greatest respect, Madam," he answered politely.

***

WORSE than eating a meat pie in a cafe and not knowing what went into it is eating a meat pie at home and knowing exactly what went into it.