Concerns about the safeguard of effluent whilst ships are docked are believed to have triggered the four-week wait, halting both the Portland and Adelaide vessels.

While communication from AMSA has been tight lipped, SAMEX Australian Meat company live sheep buyer Peter Hooper said they were expecting a final decision next Monday following court proceedings last Friday.

"Hold ups of one or two days is not uncommon, but this would be the first serious delay since the ham incident three years ago," Mr Hooper said

"All ships need to be declared so we are just waiting for the clearance talks to end.

"We do not expect it to be too much more ongoing."

For Lancefield producer Don Paterson, who has 1200 wethers booked on the EMS Adelaide boat, it has been a frustrating wait.

"t is affecting people all around the place and in a year like this it is the last thing you need," Mr Paterson said.

"There is a real critical shortage of feed, and to have this on top seems crazy – particularly if it is just the Government fiddling around."

An agent who wished to remain unidentified said the delay has been crippling for farmers in northern Victoria and the Riverina who have been forced to keep on feeding sheep that should have been on the boats.

"First it was supposed to go on September 16th, then 28th and then the first real contact we had was this week and they still don't know."