Issue 6 2023 - Farm Manager
Farm Manager
Kevin Marshall
After a wet month of June, the rain has eased, however still provided plenty of opportunities to get machinery bogged around the farm. July delivered 129 millimetres of rain and August 93, giving Denmark a year-to-date total of 790 millimetres of spring rain. The sun has also come out with some beautiful sunny conditions accelerating pasture growth and fodder conservation. Paddocks are now being “shut up” or preserved for silage and hay production. Additional fertiliser is being applied to give the plants a growth boost before maturing.
The term has been quite disrupted and relatively challenging with staff absences and what seemed to be a run of the flu knocking out staff weekly. Thank you to the farm’s casual pool of employees for filling the gaps and still completing some excellent outcomes during the term. Thank you to Mr Brian Taylor, Mark Gladdish and Scott Finney for working hard to achieve great student outcomes in what has been a challenging time.
Livestock activities have been busy as usual. All ewes and lambs have been drenched and crutched and now lambs are being weighed for market suitability. Beef and lamb markets have taken a mighty tumble in recent months, and it is estimated the price of lamb through local processors will return to $4.30/kg carcase weight. This values a prime lamb 23kg carcase at $101, probably a 40 percent decrease from last year. Likewise, the weaner beef market is similar. Prices at Mount Barker sale yards this week were approximately $3.00-$3.50/kg of live weight for weaner steers over 300kg. This values prime angus cross weaner steers at 40 percent less than last year and 50 percent less than 2021. While as livestock breeders we accept that there are good and bad seasons with venerable markets, these price fluctuations will significantly affect the bottom line of profitability.
Cattle Club has been in full swing with the Royal Show preparation of 23 steers taking up a lot of time and effort. Cattle have been on a grain ration for almost one hundred days and are now having their show haircut, blow wave and facial. On Wednesday 13th September, we were lucky to have a guest from Canada visit the Cattle Club and demonstrate some finer points of cattle preparation and trimming.
Cattle Club students also attended the Beverley Show in August and gained some valuable experience preparing and exhibiting the livestock. The Club took up six Simmental stud cattle and four led steers for the competition and achieved some great outcomes. While receiving a few ribbons is rewarding, what is more important is giving the new Cattle Club students their first ever showing experience. This is where the nerves and anxiety really are tested and overcoming that first experience is a huge achievement. The students at Beverley all did a great job both in the cattle handling and junior judging events. Congratulations to all students for taking that big step and walking in the ring.
The next event on the calendar is the Perth Royal Show from September 21st onwards, where sheep and cattle clubs will travel to Perth and compete. The Farm Skills competition is also going ahead on Thursday 21st September. This is where schools and Ag Colleges compete in a variety of farming events such as tractor driving, wool handling and fencing. Good luck to all students competing in all the competitions.
The Dairy herd have been calving for the past few weeks. There is now forty calves in the shed being looked after by staff and students. Weaner steers and heifers born earlier this year are now needing some new homes and will travel to Boyanup Sale yards in the next few weeks to find greener pastures. Like the beef market, dairy steers are also valued at much less than previous years.
On Wednesday 13th September, Waratah Australia came onsite to teach our Year twelve students about fencing and agricultural fencing techniques. Waratah erected a vermin fence to demonstrate its effectiveness in controlling feral animals from damaging crops and pastures. They also erected the latest in equine wire netting to prevent horse hoof and leg injuries. After lunch, local farmers were invited to attend the same demonstration using the College’s new fencing training area. We enjoy the interaction between agricultural companies and our staff and students and identify it as a way of keeping in touch with all the latest industry’s developments and techniques.
Kevin Marshall
Farm Manager
WACOA - Denmark