Issue 4 2025 - Farm Manager
Farm Manager
Kevin Marshall
What’s been happening on farm?
What a contrast to the 2024 season. Minimal rain in January and February doesn’t cause a lot of impact on the farm, but the difference this year has been the desirable falls in March and April of 74 and 76 millimetres. During those warmer months the self-sown pastures germinated evenly and pasture growth boomed. During that time farm staff also sowed the annual fodder crops into variable moisture soil types and got a very early germination. The new seeder (2023) has been a game changer for the farm with the ease and efficiency of the machine allowing the seed to go in quickly and accurately. As a result, feed supplies are at a high level and grazing strategies are active across all herds of sheep and cattle. Fertiliser is now being spread onto freshly grazed pastures and growth is good. All crops and pastures have had an early spray for broad leaf weeds. Weeds like Double Gee, Dock and Capeweed are some of the major competition for pastures and have been controlled well using selective sprays.
Sheep flocks are lambing at present and staff and students been very busy checking and attending to sheep in need. Lamb deaths from fox predation is still an issue even after an early baiting programme.
Simmental cattle herds have artificially inseminated with new bulls available on the Australian market. The stud is focusing on low birth weight and high growth rate genetics with good traditional colours in the Simmental breed.
Angus herds are being joined naturally this year with the purchasing and introduction of three new Angus bulls. They will be backed up to Simmental bulls later in the joining breeding some late calves for the Led-Steer programme.
The Sheep Feedlot concluded recently with students evaluating animal health, growth and wellbeing from start to finish. Merino and cross-bred lambs were bought in from Katanning sheep sales and put onto grain pellets in a controlled yard environment.
Students weighed the stock weekly and observed the growth variations between breeds. At the conclusion of the ten week trial the lambs were slaughtered and processed. The trial revealed quite good results. Growth rates on both breeds was consistent and even. Animals were not affected much by the handling and weighing which had been a concern in recent years. Financially the animals returned a profit of approximately $45:00/ head which is very pleasing. They sold at a carcase weight of 26 kilograms and returned and average price of $195:00 dollars. Well done to the staff and students involved in the successful trial.
Cattle Club is continuing with strong student interest and lots of steers to handle and break in. Following on from the sheep feedlot, farm bought in twenty Gelbveih/X steers from Mount Barker saleyards to grain feed and monitor growth. Some of these steers will be selected and taken through to the carcase competitions and the remainder will be sold directly to processing. Another eighteen steers which are home bred are also on grain and being handled in preparation for the show season coming up. The Club is trialling two different suppliers of grain pellet and accessing the animal’s performance during the preparation period.
Sheep Club is also held on Tuesday afternoons. Students learn about livestock handling and judging in preparation for the events later in the year. Great to see students interested in our livestock enterprises.
Horticulture and Viticulture areas have been very busy with the winter crops being planted. Brassica vegetables are being planted, garden beds are being cultivated, mounded and covered in plastic film for weed control.
In the vineyard staff have replaced the aging ring-lock fence around the boundary. Gates have been replaced and sheep allowed to graze under the dormant vines.
Farm staff have assisted the equine area with the construction of an additional arena. This involved removing tonnes of grass and topsoil from the sixty by twenty-five metre area. Sand from the farm was carted in and levelled. Fencing was erected and pine posts fitted with white sight wires were neatly strained. Additional retaining walls were built and soil carted in. After completion the staff and students have another great area for riding and training their horses.
The new tractor in the farm’s list of machinery has arrived and put straight to use. After a long wait the new Case 125 has arrived and fitted with various extras. This tractor is fitted with a front-end loader and is mainly used for feeding livestock and later in the year hay and silage production. It is fitted with the trainer’s seat which enables students to develop their driving skills before graduating to the higher horsepower tractors.
Up at the dairy things are progressing as usual. Calving has finished and calves are being raised in the warm calf shed. Once the calves reach twelve weeks of age they are weaned off milk and go out to pasture eating a ration of calf pellets and roughage.
All milking cows are now on good grazing rotations eating the quality grass on offer. Milk production has dropped slightly to a 32-litre average while the milkers adjust to a new diet of fresh grass and less grain supplements. Once grazed the pastures develop into thicker crops and are usually re-grazed after 35 days. Nitrogen based fertilisers are applied to freshly grazed pastures to stimulate growth and available feed going forward.
As the season progresses, the pasture and feed available is above average and the farm is looking fantastic. We are very privileged to have had the early rain allowing us to establish quality feed supplies so early. We hope the rain gets further out to the wheatbelt and livestock districts as soon as possible and the season develops into a success for all involved.
Kevin Marshall
Farm Manager
WACOA - Denmark