Welcome back to Getting the Upper Land, where senior journalist Denis Howard and livestock editor Rebecca Nadge give a rundown of some of the stories featured in the paper. Making news this week:
Eugowra residents feel let down by government due to a lack of understanding on what the real issues are. The flooding occurred on the morning of November 14, 2022, when the Mandagery Creek peaked at record levels after catchment areas received up to 120mm of rain over the space of mere hours. Despite the amount of time passed, and a lot of infrastructure work being completed in town, many residents are still in limbo as to what the future holds.
The nation's peak body that represents saleyards has called for the mandatory scanning of sheep and goats in saleyards to be deferred. The Australian Livestock Markets Association (ALMA) supports Western Australia's move to defer the scanning in saleyards to July 1 2025, urging other state's to follow suit to ensure uniformed implementation of electronic identification.
Low quality hay remains on the market from last year and producers have been warned to keep an eye on quality. There is little good quality hay available, with cheaper Queensland feed threatened with red fire ants while oaten hay from the southern districts is dearer than it was in 2019, with a B-Double load costing $28,000. It's recommended that producers feed test everything, as poor hay won't maintain stock - let alone improve it.
A young producer has made the call to change the direction of his sheep operation. His family used to breed first-cross ewes by homebred Border Leicester rams, but they are now focussing solely on their self-replacing Merino flock. They believe there is a shortage of traditional, fine wool.
The passing of two primary producers from the Lower Macleay has left a combined legacy spanning each of their 98 years, more than half of them as neighbours and best friends. Charlie Killmore was a grazier from Smokey on the Kinchela flats, while Noel Everson ran dairy cows next door and represented three generations living on the same flood-free mound. The pair died within weeks of each other.
A "once in a lifetime" photo has captured seven headers harvesting up at Croppa Creek. The amazing photograph of the seven headers, in order, working their way through the windrows of Canola was taken by Mr O'Toole from his drone and just on sunset.
