Kate Parry’s mixed farming enterprise at ‘Glengarry’, Sandigo, was affected by lingering flood waters from the Murrumbidgee river for months in 2016. Where her cattle usually graze over winter was deluged so the cattle couldn’t get any grass and it was even too wet to feed supplementary hay.
“Looking back, it is remarkable these young cattle have done as well as they have”, Ms Parry explained. “Most of our crops were affected by flood water and the grazing wheat on which the young cattle usually have was only half the normal area”.
The 1,700 acres comprises river frontage and open country where Ms Parry grows winter cereals and canola while raising 100 breeders.
“Many of my females include pure blacks from the Buckingbong herd which was recently dispersed with some baldies and Ireland Angus bulls over them is producing consistently good calves. These cattle are lighter than last year’s simply because they didn’t get their winter feed which affected their growth potential”.
In spite of the lower weights, Ms Parry was heartened by the prices for the 48 head she offered with one pen of 26 steers weighing an average of 339 kg reaching $1350 per head.
“This breed suits our country which is the most important aspect of managing my property”, Ms Parry explained. “They are commercially successful as I can sell for grass-finishing with others being snapped up by feed-lotters. They have a combination of phalaris, hard-seed clover and lucerne during late spring and into early autumn, then winter grazing wheat”.
“During summer, I only carry dry livestock as that is best for our country”, she concluded.