The Farmers Club Newsletter

The “Club Notes” for Monday, the 8th of January 2024.

By Dwain Duxson

If you can, please get your family, friends and colleagues to sign up. See the website link here.

Underrated Lucerne

I reckon Lucerne, as a Grazing system, is underrated. I remember when I was on the Farm, we had 5 or 600 acres of Lucerne Pasture, and they always performed. Some of the stands were up to 20 years old, and it's years like this one where there is plenty of Summer rain that you wish you had more. So it's the fact that it's a perennial plant that is the key as, unlike annuals, it doesn't need to be replanted year after year. So, your establishment costs are minimal. The key to managing your stands is Grazing pressure. It's not the number of Animals; it's more about time. The trick is not to Graze it right back to the butt. You need to leave something behind, and away it will go again. It's also the diversity. You can also cut it for Hay or Harvest the Seed. Do you have Lucerne, and if so, how old are some of your stands? Reply to [email protected]

Discount or premium?

The much anticipated first week of the 2024 Weaners sales has delivered a pleasant surprise for many. The heady days of 2023 are a distant memory, but these rain-induced Weaner sales have given Vendors a little bit of confidence. There is a bit of a sideshow going on, and those closer to the Cattle industry than I will be able to tell me how long this trend has been happening. That sideshow is Angus vs Hereford. I saw a report saying this: "The gap between whiteface Cattle and Angus was bigger across the 280-33kg pens, with today's offering averaging 287c/kg for live weight for Herefords compared to $350c/kg for Angus". The question is, is it a discount for Hereford or a premium for Angus? Another question is, at what point in time to Hereford Breeders switch over? There is a lot of loyalty in the Cattle industry as far as the Breed is concerned, and I am sure that Hereford Breeders will see it as a passing trend that will correct itself soon. Is the price divide going to remain? Reply to [email protected]

Buggered without it

We all know that Farming or Agriculture is the most important industry in this country. But what runs 2nd? I'd argue the Freight industry. What would happen if all the Trucks, Trains and Planes all stopped for a day? We would see panic buying like never before. Ag and the Freight industry are knitted at the hip. Many Farmers are in the Freight game themselves, with some treating their Trucks as a side business, which meshes well with their Farming operation. It's been one of the biggest changes to Farming when Farmers started buying larger Semis to graduate from the Tray Truck. This has allowed Headers to get bigger, and they have. Now, the Semis might have to expand to keep up with the Headers. Tell us about your Trucks? Reply to [email protected]

Your replies

Below is where we take some of the most relevant comments from your replies. All quotes will remain nameless. See a few current ones below:

• “The problems in the Goondiwindi/Boggabilla area have been ongoing for a fair while now. There are plenty of Trucks that won't stop the night in that part of the world now”. - In reply to our story about youth crime in Goondiwindi.

• “Many, many moons ago, a neighbour ran a monthly account at our local. He would pay by Cheque and on his tax return, claim it as drench. It obviously worked on a number of counts. One is, he said that he never had worms or liver fluke”. - Haha, I reply to our Note about cash a blank Cheque at the Pub.

• “On the age of Farmer topic, we have an average of 66 here, but good to see plenty of young Farmers in our district (Walgett, NSW)”. In reply to the real age of Australian Farmers

• “We nearly always use 4 barb Fencing. Yes, that high tensile curly sh*t, once you strain it, that seems to be the end of it. Once it's broken, all the stretch has gone”. - In reply to our Farm Tender Daily story on Barbed Wire.

  Reply to [email protected]

End of message.

Dwain Duxson
0427 011 900

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