The many benefits that come with enterprise diversity in mixed farming systems were highlighted at BCG’s fourth annual Sheep Management Showcase on Wednesday (August 17).
The buoyant mood at the popular event was undoubtedly a reflection of the good state of the sheep industry at the moment and with forecasts suggesting that the good prices and demand will continue, farmers eagerly sought advice on how to improve production and efficiencies on their farms.
Farmers, who had travelled from across Victoria and interstate to attend the Showcase, were not disappointed with an excellent line-up of high calibre livestock specialists providing them with information and ideas on how to make more from sheep.
Keynote speaker Ken Solly (Solly Business Services) urged producers to monitor, measure and know your costs.
“If you don’t know what it is costing you to run your business, how can you identify ways to improve it?” he asked.
Mr Solly said it was important to be realistic when setting goals and to ensure they were effectively communicated and in-line with what business partners (who are often family members) wanted.
More than once during the Showcase, which included presentations from Wimmera–based consultant Tim Leeming (Paradoo Prime), Scott Dennis (Achieve Ag Solutions) and VFF Livestock President Leonard Vallance, farmers were reminded of the value of sheep to farm businesses in the medium to low rainfall zones, particularly in terms of managing income fluctuations and variable climate.
BCG CEO Chris Sounness said that particularly after the difficulties encountered due to below average rainfall in 2014 and 2015, it had become evident that farms which operate at 75 per cent cropping and 25 per cent livestock outperformed businesses that are 100 per cent cropping in long-term profitability.
Armed with this knowledge, farmers were encouraged to consider how they might do things better.
Mr Leeming, Mr Dennis and Mr Vallance all made mention of the way farmers had embraced technology to improve cereal production (such as auto-steer on tractors and yield monitors on headers) but lamented the fact that on many farms the livestock operation continued to run as it always had.
Mr Leeming made a strong case for investing in genetics while Mr Dennis highlighted the possibilities available with electronic ID tags (eID) and automatic sheep handlers that have the capacity to record and collect sheep data and significantly reduce the labour.
“Have a look at what’s out there and get excited,” he said.
Another enlightening presentation was delivered by Livestock Biosecurity Network vet, Dr Patrick Kluver.
Dr Kluver gave an overview of some of the diseases being detected in abattoirs and the implications this had on producer profitability and the industry as a whole.
BCG livestock officer Alison Frischke said Dr Kluver’s messages were important for producers to hear.
“Given that 50 per cent of sheep and mutton is exported, and that (coupled with the fact that national flock numbers are low) is what is driving the good prices of late, it’s just paramount that we get our animal health right,” she said.
Building on Mr Solly’s advice to “monitor and measure” to identify where improvements can be made, livestock scanner Raquel Tyler (OnTrack Livestock Scanning) encouraged producers to pregnancy scan their ewes.
According to Ms Tyler knowledge of the ewes’ pregnancy status enabled producers to identify poor performers, meet the nutritional requirements of pregnant ewes and improve lamb survival.
“It’s one thing that producers can quiet easily do to improve productivity,” she said.
During the day farmers also got to see some new and innovative sheep equipment in action with demonstrations and presentations from Atlex sheep yards, Stephen Pasture Seeds, Gallagher sheep handlers, Clipex sheep handler, fencing and stockyards and Advantage Feeders.
Sohnic Merino rams were also on display as well as locally grown Dohne fleeces, with Fox and Lillie wool brokers giving an update on the wool market.
Other exhibitors included Landmark Birchip, Mecardo (market analysis), VFF, MLA, AWI, BESTWOOL/BESTLAMB, Agriculture Victoria and O’Connors Farm Machinery.
The 2016 Sheep Management Showcase was supported by MLA, GRDC (through the Grain and Graze 3 initiative), Making More From Sheep (a MLA and AWI project), BESTWOOL/ BESTLAMB, the VFF and BCG members through their memberships.
