I was recently invited to speak at a lamb feedlot day to an audience of 90 sheep producers from across the Wimmera and Mallee. The event was organised by Agritech Rural and Rodwells in Horsham and included a presentation from Pete Mecham of Zoetis. The stock agents were keen to engage their clients and discuss [...]
More Lambs More Often workshops have been running across the country for 2 years. The workshops are free to producers to attend and address issues such as farming in a variable climate and setting trigger levels for key decisions. An open forum for ideas and discussion! Contact Steve at Dynamic Ag if you would like [...]
A record sale yard price for ewes with lambs at foot was achieved by Dynamic AG client, Bernard Lindsay of Warracknabeal. The record sale yard price is a reflection on the hard work and dedication of Bernard, Max and the team at Prospect Rural who work very hard on their livestock enterprise and can [...]
Blowfly strike in sheep is a major welfare concern and cost to sheep producers across Australia. The word on the street (or should I say track?) is that 2016 will be a bad year for blowfly strike. Most people have taken preventative action, purchasing their spray-on of choice, accelerated by rumors of short supply, high [...]
Merino's can count! Wallaloo Park Merinos at Marnoo has been rewarded with lamb marking percentages of 191% in some mobs, with an average of 174%. This fantastic result has been a combination of management, genetics, nutrition and season. Well done to John and Trent - it goes to show what the potential in Merinos can [...]
Hypocalcaemia in sheep Following the long dry summer and extensive grain feeding of sheep, we are seeing numerous cases of hypocalcaemia (milk fever) in Autumn lambing ewes. Hypocalcaemia (a metabolic disorder) in sheep occurs when there is insufficient intake and absorption of calcium and insufficient resorption from skeletal reserves to meet foetal demands. The condition develops [...]
The lack of dry carry over feed (or fibre) from summer means that lush short green pastures are devoid of fibre. Fibre is extremely important for normal rumen function in ruminants and assists with saliva production, aiding in rumen buffering and mineral absorption. With cereal hay prices reaching highs of $240-$250/t on farm, cereal straw [...]
Algal poisoning of livestock is a real threat this year due to lower than normal dam levels. There have been several outbreaks of blue green algae in dams on properties throughout Western Victoria with one sample confirmed to be Anacystis spp. algae. Algal blooms occur when the combination of nutrients (phosphorus and Nitrogen) light and temperature are [...]
