Issue 2 2024 - Farm Manager
Farm Manager
Kevin Marshall
What’s been happening on the farm?
What a dry season it has been so far. Everyone across Western Australia is in the same situation with minimal summer rainfall and a late season break. Denmark has had around 50ml so far which is approximately 130ml lower than last year. This obviously puts immense pressure onto livestock feeding and feed reserves.
Current situation and measures put in place:
As of this week, we have enough silage to last until the first week in July. We are running low on straw and hay.
Back in February a weekly stocktake of feed reserves was taken and usage budgets created.
The dairy herd silage input was halved, the difference being replaced with wheaten hay and the pellet input doubled. This modification maintains protein levels and reduces silage usage. All non-milking dairy cattle were put on the low-quality silage and a small input of beef pellets. So far milk production has maintained itself really well and herd health has not been affected.
Beef cattle were reduced silage by half and replaced with oaten straw. While not ideal, they have maintained quite well and calving was completed without abnormal incidents. We have recently purchased four Universal lick feeders and are starting all beef calves on crepe pellets going forward. The calves will be introduced to the dairy calf pellet in an attempt to maintain their mother’s condition and assist in getting them back in calf in the next six weeks.
Sheep are maintaining condition quite well with merinos suffering more than the F1 flocks. A combination of Kojonup and Milne pellets are being trail fed regularly, especially as we are lambing as of this week.
Availability of pellets is also a major concern with Kojonup Feeds simply not being able to supply. Fortunately, we have a large account with Milne Feeds and they have been looking after us well.
Cattle Breeding Season:
We are currently programming all dairy and beef herds for artificial insemination. This is a huge effort to synchronise and inseminate six different herds and will be ongoing for the next fourteen days.
A stud Simmental bull was purchased in February and will be introduced after the first round on AI is completed. He was purchased from Bandeeka Simmental for $10,000,00.
Trust Purchases:
We have had some recent deliveries of trust funded machinery purchases. The Vaderstad Seeder has arrived and been used. We have dry seeded 33% of the fodder crop programme but have stopped now until some reliable moisture arrives. The seeder has been outstanding in delivering the perfect amount of product in the location we want to put it. The precision depth control and one pass operation is already making a huge impact on the time taken to achieve the results we are looking for. The one downside so far is the machine does not like dense grass and straw matter and blocks quite quickly. This means paddocks must be grazed very hard prior to seeding or cultivated with the speed tiller.
The sheep yards have had the lean-to roof installed which makes a great improvement to that area.
The multi-spreader from CGS Engineering Kojonup has been delivered and used already. All pasture fertilisers were spread in February and its performance was as expected to be, excellent.
The five-1 grain bin has been collected and bought to sight. The Norrish Service Group bin has had legs constructed for removal and storage and is now waiting for a truck to fit it on.
The truck has been ordered and delivery time is estimated between August/September.
Second round distribution:
We have received approval to proceed with the replacement of the New Holland 6020 tractor in the second round of distributions.
Farm Business Plan:
During the past few months, farm staff have been working on the new Farm Business Plan. We employed an external consultant to facilitate with the design and inputs and is nearing completion.
All other things farm:
All ewes drenched and crutched.
Beef calves marked and vaccinated.
Diesel tank replacement happening.
Spraying and seeding ongoing.
Roads built at Harris Block.
New 75ml irrigation lines laid for dairy effluent.
Gully Paddock drainage completed with eco-fabric and rock spill-way built.
Additional drainage and culverts installed at Harris and East blocks.
Fox baiting continues during lambing.
Lime and fertiliser including some MOP spread in February.
Reefinator develops all rocky areas including the old Gravel paddock.
College wins Gate to Plate Student Challenge again.
Very successful Wagin Woolorama event with sheep, wool and cattle.
Kevin Marshall
Farm Manager
WACOA - Denmark