Welcome back to Getting the Upper Land, where we give a rundown of some of the stories featured in the paper and online.
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Coming up this week, we'll have features on how renewable energy is impacting communities and what's being done to improve the consultation process.
But first, let's take a look at some of our headlines.
Demand for IVF technology in cattle is growing rapidly as some big Australian operators get onboard. The process requires no hormones and being able to keep cows in the production cycle are two of the major benefits producers see in using IVF technology. It's been used extensively in the United States over the past 10 years.
The lamb market recorded another jump at Wagga Wagga on Thursday with second-cross lambs selling to a top of $270. Agents said prices were up by about $60 a head on last week's sale, and while the result wasn't completely surprising it was a lot better than only a couple of weeks ago.
Legislation to overturn the ban on virtual fencing for farm livestock is planned to be in the NSW Parliament in mid-February, Member for Orange Phil Donato said. It comes after he delivered a Notice of Motion to Parliament in October. The technology is successfully in use in Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Tasmania and across the Tasman in New Zealand.
Pay cuts to Local Land Services directors and chairs has triggered concerns around how the organisation will continue to function. A letter of notification detailed that from May 15, local board members would be remunerated $5000 a year, down from $20,000; local board chairs to $30,000/year, down from $60,000; and, the LLS board chair $58,250/year (0.25 fulltime equivalent), down from $116,500/year (0.5 FTE senior executive Band 1).
Producers have been warned it's one of the worst seasons for bush and paralysis ticks from the Hunter Valley to the Mid North Coast. It's not just cattle and horses, with working dogs also falling victim. A combination of flooding years, followed by drought and humidity off the back of recent storm activity has made it the ideal breeding conditions for ticks.
A major goat operation in western NSW is aiming to develop its own brand of goat meat to sell to the domestic market. Mt Hope Station, Mt Hope, is one of three neighbouring properties used in the operation, which totals about 60,700 hectares and houses about 24,000 Boer goats. The station is carrying out on-farm trials and also in the progress of massive fencing upgrades.
