Hill Padua MPM Newsletter 26th June, 2011

What a good start the northern Ag region has had this year. We’ve had almost the same amount of rain since the 16th of May than we received for all of last year. There are some parts of the state still looking for the break, with a bit of luck that might happen this week for them.

December 22nd and 23rd saw our annual AI program carried out, with over 800 Ewes mated to 4 rams. Without fail, these two days were once again very warm with the fans in the shed working overtime and buckets of sweat lost by most people.

The ewes where scanned on the 24th of March with the AI Group showing 90% success, and the paddock mated up to 97%.

It has been a hard summer for feed with the stubbles running out very quickly and not much grass on offer. Due to this we purchased some more Moylan feeders, with the Lick feeder inserts and had them in the paddock with a mix of lupins and oats. This worked very well with very minimal loss on the ground, although the kangaroos soon caught on. The ewes worked their own feed rate out with most mobs averaging there 300 to 350 grams per head per day. This was enough to keep the ewes in good condition right through to lambing on the 18th of May, when the feed just started to germinate. The lambs have grown well, with lots of twins on the ground so far. Next week lamb marking will commence, just before they get to big.

The weather lambs have had the same feeder, but without the lick feeder insert, with small mobs being turned off regularly since mid February. Prices have held firm all summer with 42/44Kg live weight averaging $130/head +.

The young rams have all so grown well with muscle scanning measuring in excess of 30mm on the 1st of April. They were also shorn and fleece weighted on the 29th April with weights pushing past 5.2kg, length out to 65mm and micron averaging 17.2 for the 6 months.

The main ewe shearing has been brought forward this year from September to the 11th to 13th of April. For the 6 and ½ months the length was from 69 to 75 mm, yielding 59 to 62.6 %, Strength 40 to 54 n/k, and micron from 19 to 20.7. Not bad for a summer shearing.

 

On June 10th Ken Duxson classed the orange tag ewes into their breeding groups, which were shorn last week. There are approximately 300 of these surplus, which are now for sale.

Last year’s ram sale went off well, producing a good turn out and only having a few minor hiccups. This year’s ram auction will be held on the 26th of September, a week after Mingenew Expo following similar format as last years. We look forward to the same success and an even bigger crowd.

Anthony and Geraldine left on the 23rd of May to Jet set around the globe with a trip to Canada, via America including Las Vagas then on to London and Singapore on the way home. Sounds like they had a great time with lots of photos on show when they got home on the 5th of June. It was a busy 10 days home to put the camper on the ute, in-between Kens classing, to make it to Broome to join the tag a long group for a tour of the Kimberley.

We will have a tent again at Mingenew Expo, so call in and have a chat and a look around. Hope everyone’s season turns out with plenty of rain throughout the state between now and then.

Cheers for now from the Hill Padua MPM team.

Anthony 0427541155 Adam 0427541152 David 0437541164