The Banks family are passionate sheep people and have made significant management changes to increase lambing success and to lift the overall profitability of the enterprise. Some of these changes have included scanning to determine where losses were occurring, splitting ewes into mobs of singles and twins, culling unproductive ewes, supplementary feeding and using electronic … Read more
Being willing to adopt new technology and utilise effective, information networks will be key to the future success of the state’s sheep and wool industry according to one of Western Queensland’s younger producers. Jesse Moody works alongside his parents, running Abbadoah and Yarmouth, with the properties making up around 56,000 hectares of mulga and Mitchell … Read more
A Blackall sheep and wool producer says introducing a pregnancy-scanning program can improve flock fertility by 10 to 15 per cent within a 12-month period, as well as allow producers to fine-tune ewe management. Ben Banks and his wife Oona manage the 46,500 hectare family property, Rivington, west of Blackall, where they run 25,000 Merinos … Read more
Ben Banks from ‘Rivington’ Blackall has been scanning for about 9 years and scans 100,000 ewes per year. Ben talks about the benefits of pregnancy scanning your ewes and how you can use the data you collect. Ben also gives some tips for those who are just starting out with scanning. Ben believes scanning is … Read more
There are a number of sheep pregnancy scanners that operate in and/or service Queensland including: Damo’s Preg Testing – Damien Pollett (Tweed Heads), 0447 049 057, dmpollett@bigpond.com D & S Meppem Livestock Services – Damien Meppem (Gurley)- 0439190923, wilwurkkelpies@gmail.com Mike Rival (Goondiwindi), 07 4671 2203, mikerival@bigpond.com Ben Banks (Blackall), 0429 799 807 or 07 4657 5959, … Read more
Western Queensland sheep and wool producer Jim King believes the erection of exclusion fences to reduce wild dog pressure is one of the most positive moves his industry has seen in more than a decade. The Longreach property owner said the fences had given the sector a much-needed shot of confidence, prompting some producers to … Read more
How to decide what to supplement your pregnant ewes with? Get some tips from San Jolly from Productive Nutrition Pty Ltd. San talks about feeding grain, hay, meals and urea.
There are a number of things to consider to have a successful lambing in dry conditions. Listen to San Jolly from Productive Nutrition Pty Ltd talk about some of these including: do you have the feed or financial resources, pregnancy scanning; and containment feeding (12 mins 21 secs).
Ewe nutrient demand changes throughout pregnancy. As demand increases so too does the ewes energy and protein requirements. These requirements are also influenced by whether the ewe is carrying a single lamb or multiples. Listen to San Jolly from Productive Nutrition Pty Ltd discuss nutrient demand in pregnancy and the ewes requirements (11 mins 32 … Read more
Queensland sheep and wool producers have been advised they need to get the right ewes, on the right feed, to successfully raise lambing and weaning rates as the State’s flock rebuilding starts in earnest. Sheep and wool advisor Geoff Duddy from Sheep Solutions is a consultant that has shared his expertise at Leading Sheep webinars … Read more