April 2013 Presidents Post

NEWSLETTER APRIL 2013 PRESIDENTS POST To date the year has been rather from some of the other breeds. complicated due to lack of rain and my I began my drought strategy in November, selling all my commitment to the Bundaleer Festival autumn calves after weaning one month earlier than usual. at Jamestown. It had been my intention I was reluctant to sell a line of 15 heifer weaners at the time to attend both the Whittlesea sale but they looked good in the market and sold for money not and Sydney Royal. I have had positive seen since. The steers also sold very well. I then sold any cows reports from both these events, which, that may have had a poor udder or feet or were getting to unfortunately, I was unable to attend. replacement age. Some of these were hard to let go but by The Victorian Region has shown great skill in holding the sale reducing the herd numbers by 40 it meant the hay would go at Whittlesea and the expertise and knowledge gained will be further. I also weaned my spring calves at the end of January of great use in organizing a national Red Poll sale at a future into feedlot conditions and took their dams on the road. At time. this stage, the strategy has been effective, but my autumn calving has started and with 22 calves already on the ground For the first time, in 32 years of breeding cattle, I have had and no sight of breaking winter rains things are tightening up no significant rain since the end of winter last year and as a again. The spring calving dams are in good forward condition result have spent nearly every day for three months droving and their calves as robust as ever. Rain before the cold winter around the roads near my property. Due to the poor weather weather of Jamestown will see me back in full production conditions last season’s hay supplies are low and prices at and I would expect the markets to lift considerably soon to a premium. In addition, selling cattle into the current poor increase my options as the weaned cattle would be able to markets makes it a depressing exercise. Despite all these be sold for what they are worth. I thought I would relate my limitations, I am extremely please at how well Red Poll cattle drought program to you as it has reinforced my belief in this adapt to the difficult environment. My fences have not been wonderful breed of cattle that we have been privileged to put under too much pressure, and the mob behaves itself care for. well on the road, going back into the bare paddocks easily and maintaining reasonable condition. I suspect this sort of Your Executive has already met earlier this year and by the tolerance in difficult conditions would not be as forthcoming time you get this newsletter we will have had another tele- PG 1 REPOrts Presidents Report (continued) conference. One issue you will be aware of is the show and have offered a tour of their factory. If anyone could help uniform which has been modified by changing the white for with possible sponsors to we would be grateful. We need a green chambray shirt. Many members in Victoria and NSW names and addresses and if possible, a contact person as have been using this shirt with the Red Poll logo as their knock we have found most companies are not readily accessible to about show shirt for some time. Enquiries regarding access discuss parting with their money only with gaining yours. can be made to the secretary. Currently entries are open for Junior members to apply for the Another issue we have had to deal with has been the Youth Ambassador award. The winner will have fares, entry nonpayment of fees. It is a very difficult issue as it means and a heifer available for the SA Heifer Expo, and the World that those members who pay their dues diligently are really Tour Scholarship. Scholarship applications will be reviewed supporting those that do not and our secretary has the by a select committee, and the successful awardee will unpleasant task of ringing members to request payment. represent Australia on tour. All fees will be paid on the tour Sometimes we have carried members for several years which but the awardee will be expected to pay for their flights to of course limits the activities of the Red Poll Cattle Breeders and from and within the tour. Further details are included with Inc. this newsletter. Progress with the World Tour is continuing and now a link In ending this report I would like to remind you that the AGM has been established on our website with our tour manager, will be at the Melbourne show this year so could you keep that Sunlover Tours. Kim McNeill of Sunlover would be only too in mind. In the meantime, I intend to be at Bendigo, Brisbane, happy to deal with your enquiries regarding participation. The Melbourne and Perth shows this year and I hope to catch up full itinerary has been included with this newsletter. with many of you there. Sponsorship for the tour has been very difficult to find. Of the RICHARD daLey 30 major rural companies approached only five have replied, all negative except for Alflex, who will supply tour name tags SOUTH AUSTRALIA The fire at Bundaleer North he S.A. region has been very dry for a long time. Spring Trains failed to eventuate after a long cold dry winter leaving paddock feed in short supply. The southern areas did well with their cropping but since then they also have experienced dry conditions. Winter rainfall and summer drought are normal for S.A. but this year conditions are the worst that most of us can remember. Although some old timers say the early 1940’s were the worst As usual, we started our regional activities for the year with a lunch meeting at Balaklava. This is always a convivial event and sets us up for the year to come. Moyle Park participated in the S.A. Beef Field Days and had a very interesting group of people attending including Bob Graham, the retired principal of Broomfield Red Polls. Bob still has a keen interest in everything rural and he and Hay has been difficult to source to feed cattle and the market price Jan live in Maitland. is so poor that reducing numbers is very uneconomical. However Maleer suffered the loss of 600 acres in the Bundaleer Forest fire in this may be an option for some of us if a break in the weather February. This was a major fire destroying one third of the historic doesn’t come soon. Planning for the year is currently on hold forest of Bundaleer. Bundaleer was the birth place of plantation although the school steers will be leaving our properties soon. The forestry in Australia. John and Chris both have amazing stories to schools again have been keen to source Red Poll Cattle with a new tell about the fire. They are still fencing. Richard Sampson stayed school this year coming onboard. Lets hope we can emulate our for two days to help pull down the old fencing as he had personal results from previous years. experience of replacing fences after the Adelaide hills fires a few RICHARD daLey years ago. PG 2 REPOrts QUEENSLAND irst off Priscilla Hancock from the Glenleigh Red Poll Stud Fat Glen Innes won supreme beast of the show at Dorrigo in November with her senior bull Glenleigh Nugget. The judge Colin Rex commented on Nugget’s thickness and how a bull like this will benefit the breed in moving forward. Tim Light from the Lagoona Red Poll Stud at Armidale was selected to compete in the state final junior judging competition at Sydney. This is the first time that Tim has achieved this level and gained a lot of experience from it. ALbert AND RachaeL Hancock Glenleigh Nugget WESTERN AUSTRALIA he summer of 2013 has been the hottest and driest on Unfortunately Red Polls didn’t make it to Wagin Woolarama Trecord, although early march rainfall has brightened a this year, however Ranfurley and Juniper studs made it down few horizons with many in the wheatbelt already beginning too Harvey agricultural show, where the Juniper heifer was their seeding programs. awarded Junior Champion British bred heifer and the cow exhibited by Ranfurley stud, Ranfurley High Society, was It has been relatively quiet on the Red Poll front in Western awarded Supreme Beef Female. Australia, with cattle prices at a low point and the instability of the domestic and export market, many cattle producers Preparations are in full swing for the upcoming W.A. leg of have been assessing there options elsewhere. the Red Poll congress tour of Australia, with many exciting things to see and do in W.A. its highly recommended every In February the Yongerellen and Red Sands studs offered Red Poll enthusiast make sure they mark the dates in there bulls at the annual multi breed bull sale held in Narrogin, diary and come to W.A. to see the sights and quality cattle. unfortunately just the 1 bull sold, the animal offered by JH Williams and Co, was sold for $3000. Wayne Owston newsletter production dates DEADLINE FOR materiaL JulY 15th 2013 NewsLetter POSTED by: JulY 31st 2013 advertising accepted! Contact the Federal Secretary for rates Suggestions and story ideas welcome! PG 3 REPOrts new SOUTH wales This was my first visit to the Royal Easter Show in Sydney for many years.

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