Glen Innes' Hutton family on why they decided to destock their flock

Andrew Hutton, with his wife Pam, daughter Sarah and mother Nancy, run the 308 hectare property and made the decision to sell all their Merino wethers and some crossbred ewes following shearing of their 16 to 17 micron flock in October.

Despite the enormity of the decision, the family are now making significant progress to their land development and have no doubt they will return to the industry when significant rain arrives.

In a good season where rainfall averages 812 to 863 millimetres on Rosefield runs 40 head of cattle and 1300 to 1400 sheep.

Back in 1990 Andrew's great grandfather was running eight horses, 15 cattle and 996 sheep but today, having had 405 millimetres for the year following recent storms, there are just nine head of cattle, seven Merinos and 27 crossbred lambs.

Two lots were sold to local saleyards, 140 head went to Delungra while 644 were trucked to Victoria.

"It was a hard decision, a very hard decision," Nancy said.

"But every day that goes by, it was probably the best decision," Andrew added.

"Normally you can feed during winter time and you don't have to feed in summer time. When you feed during winter time it's supplement feeding but now at the moment you have got to feed them to keep them alive.

"At least we can go home, you can go to bed at night and you can sleep. You don't have to worry about where your feed is coming from."

The decision to destock was not only seen as an advantageous time for the profitability of their stock but also provided their land with a chance to rest and recover.

Andrew has since ploughed an area of 72 hectares (180 acres); opting to plant 13 hectares to millet and about nine hectares to sorghum.

It is the first time that some paddocks have ever been turned over.

"Down here on the flat, they mined that for sapphires 35 years ago but it never got sowed down," Andrew said.

"Now is the ideal opportunity to tear it up to let nature take its course, let the water penetrate into my soil.

"Eventually we will restock but I'm like everyone else, it's going to cost you a mint, so therefore ploughing up the land gives you an option to do a little bit of cropping.

"If we don't get anymore rain I won't plant anything maybe until autumn and then I'll just put it down to say oats or pasture and then I've got the option of letting my oats grow out and bailing it or some agistment."

As to when they will restock will depend on the weather.

"Even if you got rain today you would need to let the ground recuperate and a good four inches of grass come up before you start restocking it," he said.

"By ploughing it up that gives me a good opportunity to sow it down to crop or pasture."