Rifa sells final stake in Australian beef
Chinese-owned investor Rifa Salutary has completed the two-year divestment program of its Australian grazing assets, offloading the large-scale cattle breeding property Cooplacurripa Station on the eastern fall of the Great Dividing Range for $35 million bare.
Ay-oop! Now for something … Dalesish!
If you, like Kookaburra, have antecedents who hailed from the sheep and cattle country of the Yorkshire dales, you might well be interested in this fascinating website - Swaledale history. The website is put together by the appropriately named Will Swales.
Shear success with new wool group
The state’s peak farming body will directly tackle the shearer shortage with the formation of the NSW Wool Technical Advisory Group (WoolTAG). NSW Farmers Wool Committee Chair Helen Carrigan said fewer shearers were making their way to Australian sheds, and the NSW WoolTAG would address the challenge.
Shearers Association, AWU, trade blows over Ag Visa
Nichola Rupolo. The Shearers Contracting Association of Australia has labelled the Australian Workers Union’s claims about the new agriculture visa as “illogical” and “unfounded”. The AWU says the federal governments new visa to entice overseas workers into the agricultural sector will undercut wages and conditions for shearers and put young women out of a job ... Experienced shearer from RPC Shearing in Temora Rohan Cockfield has seen labour issues in the industry for over a decade.
FutureFeed: Asparagopsis update
As the only IP holder globally for Asparagopsis, Australian innovation start-up, FutureFeed, is the founding authority on the natural seaweed that helps fight climate change and produce more food with fewer resources. Built from strong scientific foundations based on proven results, FutureFeed exists to support the growing use of Asparagopsis as a natural ingredient for livestock to significantly reduce carbon emissions.
Cutest sheep in the world on Australian shores
Valais Blacknose sheep, known to be the cutest sheep in the world, have been born for the first time in Australia following Valais Blacknose sheep, known to be the cutest sheep in the world, have been born for the first time in Australia following the successful importation of embryos and semen from the United Kingdom.
Event 5 Tasmanian Championships, 30 October – 2 November 2021
Event 5 Tasmanian Championships Rd 1 CopRice Ch Ch Series.
Viewpoint from “Euralie”, Yass – mulesing
In the past decade, we have been able to sell our wool from unmulesed sheep direct to Norway and the UK (Yorkshire), as our wool meets all their requirements. As with food, the ethical provenance of fibre is becoming an essential marketing tool. At a basic level - we give the customer what they want.
AWI investing more on fighting flystrike
Australian Wool Innovation will spend an extra $950,000 to accelerate research into flystrike genomics and new extension workshops on breeding for natural flystrike resistance ... "Evidence of increasing blowfly resistance to chemicals and the shortage in shearers are extra reasons why AWI will speed up this work:” AWI Chairman Jock Laurie.
Western district grazing property sets new record
Cropping and grazing property Rossbridge has set a record for the Lake Bolac area in Victoria’s western district, selling under the hammer for $13,500 per acre - setting a new record for the district.
Pasture assessment project underway on Kangaroo Island
A project is getting underway on Kangaroo Island to provide producers with the tools, skills, and management options to ensure ewe fertility and lamb survival is not compromised because of the bushfires impacting on pasture composition.
Rowe family exits
The Rowe family has brought to a close 70 years of ownership of prime Merino breeding property Wolhalla, selling the 5,056 hectare Flinders Ranges parcel for $2.78 million.
Sheep flock predicted to reach 70 million this year
The forecast of a wet spring in many key sheep producing regions in Australia will drive the national flock to over 70 million head in 2021, according to Meat & Livestock Australia’s 2021 October sheep industry projections.
State Arena Dogpro Plus 2021
West Australian Working Sheep Dogs Association, Media Release, 1 October 2021
Riverina breeding enterprise changes hands
A producer from Riverina region in New South Wales has forked out $5.14 million for Kondoolka Station in the heart of the Gawler Ranges.
Dogpro+ State Yard & Utility
Open winners: Ken Atherton – Ramulam Punch, Open Utility; Nigel Armstrong – Tumutvalley Roy, Open Yard.
Close knit producers buy Buln Gehrin
Three local Merino sheep and wool producers have acquired western Victoria mixed farming operation Buln Gehrin for more than $35 million combined. Located two hours from Melbourne and 15 kilometres from Beaufort, the 1,881-hectare holding is suited to wool, prime lamb, cattle and cropping and enjoys views of Mount Cole and Mount Langi Ghiran.
Resistance set to change how farmers manage flystrike this season
For the first time in more than 20 years, farmers are having to rethink their strategy for managing flystrike. Recently documented chemical resistance, coupled with wet and warm conditions this spring, means there is the threat of a big flystrike season ahead.
MiniJumbuk’s local investment
Gabrielle Duykers. Wool processing factory MiniJumbuk is planning a $500,000 expansion for its Naracoorte retail shop in an effort to attract more tourists ... Marketing manager Darren Turner said the business wanted to create an “engaging” experience for visitors. “You’ll be able to walk out into a safe environment and see manufacturing happening. We want to be able to show how things are still made here in Australia.”
Mount Manning aggregation sold
Stephen and Claire Schmitt from Southern Downs have paid $3.6 million bare for the fully operational Mount Manning grazing aggregation. Located 25 kilometres north of Warwick and 136 kilometres south west of Brisbane, the aggregation comprises the 426-hectare Mount Manning and the 362-hectare Mullins Block.
Freight turmoil hitting red meat exports: MLA
In an increasingly competitive world, Australia has some innate advantages in delivering high quality red meat protein to global markets: it is in the right neighbourhood to access growing demand in the Asia Pacific and world-leading shelf-life performance underpins an expanding chilled trade ... However, global shipping and air-freight have been in turmoil over the last year.
