Farm Tender Daily

Farm Tender Daily - All the news from Friday, the 12th of July, 2024.

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By Dwain Duxson

This might explain it - This might be the last piece on our stories about a pest called the Kangaroo. We might at some point publish all the replies because they were bloody interesting, and it alerted me as to how wide the issue is across the country. Here is one of the replies, and it may explain why the explosion in population has occurred.

"Dear Dwain. About 57 years ago, my first boyhood income came from shooting and skinning Roos in far NW Queensland on a 286,000-acre Cattle station. We had a serious contingent of Gatton Ag College vets on the station at the time, working on Brucellosis detection and eradication. The vets told me that the problem with Roos is that they conceive at least once a month but use post-natal abortion to prevent the crawling foetus from reaching the pouch if:
- They already had a joey.
- The season was bad.
- There were too many in the herd.

So:

- Culling them just accelerated reproduction. 
- Adding permanent watering points and clearing for pasture improvement just accelerated reproduction.
- Cultivating Roo-edible Crops just accelerated reproduction.

The only way to bring numbers down is to restrict access to water, and then only if the water is human-provided, which is hard down South. You can teach Cows and Horses to push a simple barrier away from a water trough with their snouts, Roos won't. Roos also hate Dogs, while Cows, Sheep and Horses tolerate them. I had collected over 1,000 Roo skins over about a year, with no visible impact on numbers next year. Reply to [email protected]

The Farmers Club headlines - Our 3 topics tomorrow are:
1) Costs have caught up to Land prices, but production hasn’t. What’s our bare minimum for prices for the things we sell?
2) WA’s rainfall recovery has proved that you are never out of the game.
3) Agricultural industries that are on the brink
The Farmers Club - Join Ag’s Movers & Shakers Sign up here for free.

Take a listen to Scott Bennett - Scott sent me through his lineup of music. He describes it as music from Rural Australia. Take a listen here.

Ramage Rural - There is no more passionate Sheep man than Jamie Ramage. We love promoting innovative businesses, and Jamie helps Ram and Bull breeders reach their full potential. Take a look at his website here. This just might be the year that you need somebody like Jamie to get ahead.

Stockshift App - Another member sent me this App. It’s a platform that streamlines communication in the Livestock Freight industry.

National Cattle prices: EYCI 625 (+22), WYCI 553 (-21), Feeder Steer 345 (+13), Heavy Steer 330 (+23), Processor Cow 263 (+19). National Sheep prices: Trade Lamb 836 (+47), Heavy Lamb 861 (+61), Restocker Lamb 595 (-35), Mutton 444 (+37). Goat prices: 180 (NC). All prices are up until Friday, the 12th of July, and are cents/kg. Ranges are from a week ago. Source MLA.

Today's Trends - Sales trends included Vetch Hay, Headers, Barley Straw, Grain Cleaners, Wheat Straw, Feed Corn, Urea, Air Seeders, Oaten Hay, and Ram Sale Pens

End of message

Dwain Duxson
P - 0427 011 900
E - [email protected] 

What was listed today?

What was sold today.