Farm Enterprises

Cattle

At this time of the year, we're doing daily welfare checks, pasture observations and assessments.  We are lucky enough to have enough pasture paddocks to practice rotational grazing without having to mix mobs or cross-graze mobs, (different mobs in the same paddock).  This is helpful to track internal parasite contamination.  Faecal egg counts (FEC) will be conducted in the next few weeks to determine any worm burdens present, so they can be treated if required.  With very few worms detected in the past five years, we haven't been required to drench our cattle.  Through the introduction of a number of new animals in the past 18 months, it could be possible that some worms may have slipped through our quarantine procedure, so we are testing again this year.  FEC testing is a great way to get students involved in the testing process, with Certificate III in Agriculture students being able to read and interpret the results once they are in and suggest treatment strategies.  

Calf marking will be conducted this week, with 30 calves to be ear tagged, earmarked, vaccinated and recorded.  Then comes the job of mothering them up!  Students will go out and observe the calves when they're feeding and record the calf's ear tag number and the dam's ear tag number.  This information is then entered into our Stockbooks program so we can trace the breeding of each animal.

Sheep

Well, the pesky blowies are out in force at the moment, so crutching is in full swing.  The Year 11s have started their crutching careers with a bang, flying through the mobs of ewes.  This effort goes towards their Crutch Sheep competency for Cert II in Ag.  

Patmore Feeds Ag School Merino Judging Challenge

On Thursday, 15 August 2024, four students competed in the Patmore Feeds Ag School Challenge in Katanning.  The Cunderdin team came 2nd overall, with Cooper McCuish claiming an individual 2nd place!  This has qualified him for the Royal Show.  Well done, Cooper.

Congratulations to Cooper, Elsie, Grace and Kayla on your efforts for the day.  The event coordinator contacted us and congratulated the team, commenting that this year's scores were the highest he'd seen in the six years he has been running the event. 

Grains

The crops are growing, and the crop spraying is sporadic, but Cert III in Ag students are getting their Control Weeds and Operate Chemical Application Machinery competencies signed off in the Self-Propelled Sprayer.  Firebreak and laneway spraying is allowing Cert II in Ag students to complete their spraying competencies.

Piggery

It’s been full speed ahead in the piggery so far this term, making sure pigs are warm and comfortable through this wintery weather. The pigs are eating a lot, keeping Miss 

Davenport and students busy making feed.

Cert III students travelled to a piggery in Gingin to practice Artificial Insemination and have been focusing on completing their pork units, with some being very close to finishing! 

Excitement is brewing for the Royal Show - we have some grower pigs selected and are getting them habituated to being patted, brushed and washed. We have good conception rates and have changed the layout of the weaner shed which has resulted in better performance post-weaning. 

Just a reminder to students that they cannot come into the piggery with cold/flu symptoms. Some viruses can pass to the pigs and spread quickly throughout the piggery which can be detrimental to pig welfare and performance.

Preparations for the College Open Day are well underway!