Farm Manager Report

With over 1200mls of rain spread over 151 days in 2021, the farm has certainly stayed damp. Silage and hay production has been slow with small windows of opportunity taken where possible. Pasture quality has been slightly compromised with grasses becoming stalky and a little mature. However, yields have been high at approximately 15 bales per hectare. Currently we have harvested around 1200 rolls of silage and hay is ongoing. 

Machinery has been excellent with the new Pottinger rake doing an excellent job creating larger windrows for the baler to consume. Students (especially Cert III in Agriculture) have had some good opportunities to operate all equipment as well as the Year 10’s and 11’s getting some training time while on farm. 

Dairy Update

Recently several steps have been put in place to assist with the operation of the robotic dairy system. 

• We have begun a compulsory training period for dairy and call-out staff to be held weekly to improve problem solving skills and knowledge among several staff.
• We have finalised the employment of another Dairy Technical Officer starting in Early December. Nia Campbell is an ex-student and will join the farm staff team. We look forward to Nia’s commencement. 
• A spare parts list has been created and the Department of Finance through BMW has agreed to fund some of the costs. These parts are being sourced and will be stored on site.
• Selective culling of cows is underway with numbers to reduce between 20 to 30 head.

Exceptional Lamb & Cattle Sales

We have recently weaned and sold some prime lambs and calves. The markets seemed to be strong so we weaned earlier than normal and sent most stock to Mt Barker. The first lambs went direct to Wammco and dressed at 22.7kg carcase returning $182/head. The second group also to Wammco dressed 21.4kg returning $165. Another 120 will be ready early December. 

Calf sales were especially pleasing. We offered 41 Angus cross steers late in October. Sale figures as follows: 

18 strs 335 kg average @678cents/kg returning $2504 inc gst

23 strs 293kg average @700cents/kg returning $2254 inc gst

Heifers and small steers were offered two weeks later.

11 heifers 271kg average @ 572cents/kg returning $1710

7 heifers 284kg average @ 550cents/kg returning $1719

9 Heifers 257kg average @ 594cents/kg returning $1680

2 strs 262 kg average @ 700cents/kg returning $2021

These sales were a great reward for the extra effort in getting the pasture production and grazing systems operating efficiently. 

Going forward, the cows have been dried off and dry cattle will be sold either direct to slaughter or Mt Barker. The Blue Ribbon Bull Sale is on January 18th and we will offer six Simmental bulls. Feedback from the Inspection Group recently was very positive. The bulls have been semen tested all receiving good scores. In the Simmental stud I am potentially sourcing another bull. The bull we have used for the last two joining’s has calves on the ground now and although calves have outstanding carcase traits,  is not reliable for quality eye pigment and could be throwing some undesirable temperament.

Sheep & Wool

Shearing has been completed with six days of AWI funded training. Students got value from the shearer/wool handling experience. Wool will be baled and sent for testing and probably sold early in the new year.

Ten Corriedale rams were sold recently at an average price of $600. Roger Schulz has kept two rams with desirable wool types to use this season. Cull rams have been sold through Katanning and Wammco as mutton. Two Poll Dorset rams were purchased from Brimfield Stud and cast for age rams sold at Katanning.

Albany Show Success

Staff and students attended the two day Albany event with sheep and cattle. Highlights were the students in the sheep shed handling and stewarding for several exhibitors. 

In the Cattle Competitions Inlet Views took out Champion Junior European Bull class, missing out on the Interbreed by a narrow margin. The highlight was winning the group classes of 1. Two bulls, and 2. Group of three animals. These classes came with some quality prizes.

Food Safety Audit

On December the 8th an independent company will audit the pasteuriser and processes on behalf of the Department of Health. We have been fortunate to use Harvey’s recently written Food Safety Plan which outlines standard and processes. We have no doubt that we will be issued with recommended actions of improvement which we will have to act on. One may be the purchase of a mobile cool room and redesign of the current pasteurising room.