What's news? 
 

Grahame Marriott
Chair, Northern Tablelands Local Land Services Board
 

What's happening in the paddock? 

MANAGING SCANNED EWES
The use of ultrasound technology to identify a ewe’s pregnancy status and/or litter number has been commercially available for over 30 years. In recent years improvements in scanning accuracy, handling equipment, and data capture (and use) when managing lambing ewe flocks have contributed to improved lamb survival within both wool and crossbred lamb enterprises.

Scanning can assist with management decisions in terms of:

Read the full Land Fact Managing scanned ewes - the benefits LF-AP-S-3.1
Read the full Land Fact Managing scanned ewes-the basics LF-AP-S-3.2 
Read the full Land Fact Managing scanned ewes-Placental development-LF-AP-S-3.3
Read the full Land Fact Managing scanned ewes-Pre-lambing-LF-AP-S-3.4

For more information about managing scanned ewes, contact Brent McLeod on 0413 884 710.


Pregnant ewes at the Glen Innes Agriculture Research & Advisory Station


ANNUAL AERIAL BAITING CAMPAIGN WINDS UP
The annual Northern Tablelands aerial baiting campaign targeting wild dogs and foxes has just come to an end after two weeks in the air. The campaign began at Niangala and worked its way up to Legume, north of Tenterfield.
 
The 2021 wild dog and fox aerial baiting campaign was, once again, a collaboration between 409 private landholders, Local Land Services, NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service and NSW Forestry Corporation.
 
The campaign was the culmination of five months of meticulous mapping and planning. 137,381 baits were dropped according to strict guidelines along 3,434 km of pre-determined aerial bait lines across both private property and country managed by government agencies.
 
In addition to the aerial baiting, more than 9,000 ground baits were distributed by landholders from 40 wild dog control groups to maximise the impact of the campaign on the wild dog and fox populations that predate livestock and native fauna and carry diseases.


Loading the helicopter for aerial baiting


CARVING HABITAT FOR GREATER GLIDERS

Northern Tablelands Local Land Services is providing habitat for endangered Greater Gliders after bushfires!

We have been monitoring Greater Glider activity for a few months now and the reports are in. There is an increased number of Glider sightings and we are helping them find new homes. We have been working with the Banbai Rangers at the Indigenous Protected Area, Wattle Ridge, near Guyra, with help from experts O.S. Tree Services from Bathurst, to build nesting hollows in living trees to provide habitat for the Greater Gliders.

For more information about this project, please contact Bridget Newman on 0419 331 712.

This project has been delivered by Northern Tablelands Local Land Services through funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program. It is one of many threatened species projects being delivered under our environment program.


Building a Greater Glider nesting hollow.


SCHOOLS PROPERTY PLANNING COMPETITION GROWS
The annual Northern Tablelands Local Land Services Schools Property Planning Field Day attracted even more agriculture students than in previous years. 210 students participated in the field day from 11 schools across the Northern Tablelands region and beyond.
 
The students were welcomed to Peter and Sally Strelitz’s property, Elm Park, just outside Armidale where the history of the farm business and its current operations were explained. The students have been hypothetically contracted by the Strelitz family to prepare a property plan that can be considered for adoption on Elm Park.
 
Northern Tablelands Local Land Services staff were on hand to share their expertise, providing additional information on soils, pastures, livestock, biodiversity, biosecurity, water quality, and Aboriginal cultural heritage.
 
The field day was the first stage of the program, which is funded through the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program. Students now take their new knowledge away to create a profitable, productive and sustainable property plan for Elm Park which is then submitted as an entry into the Property Planning Competition, with the winners announced later in the year.
 
Northern Tablelands Local Land Services is most grateful to the Strelitz family for opening their farm gates for the field day, and also to Schools Property Planning Competition sponsors University of New England, Meat and Livestock Australia and Regional Development Australia - Northern Inland, for supporting this event for the region’s future farmers and agriculture professionals.

Read more .....

What's on the go? 

WHY IS NLIS IMPORTANT?
Andrew Biddle, District Vet

The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) is all about tracing livestock.

Due to Covid-19 we are quite familiar with “contact tracing” and “checking in” to venues. These tools are helping contact tracers in Australia quickly identify where potentially infected people have gone and who they have had contact with. The more quickly and accurately we do this, the less Covid-19 spreads and impacts other Australians.

NLIS is the same. When you sell animals and update the database it's like checking in.

In the event of a disease outbreak or residue detection, we can quickly determine where animals have gone and what animals they were in contact with. The faster this happens the sooner the disease can be managed and industries returned to normal.

When selling sheep it is important that the correct information is included on the NVD. For non-vendor bred mobs of sheep the details of all NLIS eartags in the group must be included on the NVD. The only time this is not required is if a post breeder (pink) tag for the vendor has been inserted in the sheep’s ear.

So when you purchase or sell livestock remember to fulfill your NLIS requirements so that we are prepared (but not alarmed).

If you have any queries about complying with NLIS requirements, please call your Local Land Services team on 1300 795 299.


District Vet, Andrew Biddle, at a sheep sale at Inverell Regional Livestock Exchange 


NSW GOVERNMENT MICE SUPPORT STILL AVAILABLE, DESPITE APVMA DECISION

You may have heard the NSW Government’s application for the use of bromadiolone to manage mice was refused by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA). 

While this means Local Land Services is unable to open any grain treatment sites, there are still a range of other government support programs that you may be able eligible for.   

From today, eligible households and small businesses can claim cash rebates through Service NSW to help cover the cost of mouse baits, traps and cleaning materials bought after 1 February, 2021.  

Households can claim up to $500 and small businesses up to $1,000. Primary producers who live where they work will be able to claim a single rebate of up to $1,000 to help meet the cost of protecting their premises. 

Applications will close on 27 September 2021, or when funds near their allocation. To find out if you qualify and to make your claim visit www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/nsw-mouse-control-rebate or www.nsw.gov.au/mice.  

Meanwhile, primary producers experiencing financial hardship due to mice will be able to claim a 50% rebate on purchases of zinc phosphide, up to $10,000, through the Rural Assistance Authority (RAA).  

The Department of Regional NSW and RAA are developing the rebate framework, including how primary producers will be able to claim the rebate and the eligibility criteria.  

For more information and updates on this program, visit www.nsw.gov.au/mice.

 

TRAVELLING STOCK RESERVES OFF LIMITS FOR FIREWOOD
With cooler months upon us, please remember that it is illegal to collect firewood from Travelling Stock Reserves (TSRs).

TSRs are an extremely important refuge for many rare and endangered native plants and fallen logs and standing dead wood can be part of their habitat. Decaying timber and leaf litter are also important in the process of nutrient recycling back into the soil.

While firewood collection is not permitted on TSRs, members of the public can still apply for a permit to collect firewood from selected state forests.

Contact 1300 655 687 for details or visit: www.forestrycorporation.com.au for further details.

 

Opportunities, research & resources

THE PRODUCTIVE PRODUCER PODCAST SERIES

Tune in to the latest episode about mice contamination in hay, where Northern Tablelands Local Land Services District Vet, Lisa Martin, discusses the risks associated with mice contaminated hay and the options available to producers.

The Productive Producer podcast series is designed specifically for producers across the Northern Tablelands.

All topics featured in the podcasts have a strong focus on production.  Regardless of the theme, they all have a practical application on farm.

The Productive Producer podcast series offers concepts and opinions on different aspects of production, some that producers will be familiar with, others that producers are looking into and would like to learn more about.

For more information about any of the podcasts in this series, please contact Northern Tablelands LLS Livestock Officer, Max Newsome, on 0427 007 190 or max.newsome@lls.nsw.gov.au.


LANDCARE ADVENTURE - SAVE THE DATE!



FENCING NORTHERN BASIN RIVERBANKS PROJECT

Expressions of interest are now open for the first round of the NSW Fencing Northern Basin Riverbanks Project. The project provides practical support for eligible landholders, community groups and Aboriginal land managers to protect valuable ecological sites and improve native fish habitat across the northern Basin.   

Other eligible activities under the program include off-stream stock watering points, control of exotic woody weeds, minor erosion control works, revegetation and river re-snagging to protect native fish and contribute to a healthier river system.

In the Northern Tablelands Local Land Services region, there are particular reaches of the Macintyre and Dumaresq Rivers that are priorities so if you are a landholder in these areas, you may be eligible to apply.

To find out if you’re eligible and how to submit your expression of interest, head to https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au/fnbr

This program is being delivered under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan by the NSW Government, through funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Graduates.




FOR AUSTRALIAN PRIMARY PRODUCERS - 2022 NUFFIELD SCHOLARSHIPS

Applications are now open for Nuffield Scholarships!

Nuffield Australia is known as the country’s leading agricultural scholarship organisation. It a unique program that awards primary producers with a life-changing scholarship to travel and study an agricultural topic of choice.

Applications close 6 August 2021.

Apply now!




REPORTING AGRICULTURAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY NATURAL DISASTERS
If your property is impacted by a natural disaster such as a severe storm event, flood or fire, we encourage you to contact your Local Land Services office in the first instance and also complete the Primary industries natural disaster damage survey. This helps us to help you, and provides important information that may be used in applications for disaster declarations.
 
The primary industries natural disaster damage survey is a simple online survey Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and Local Land Services (LLS) staff, farmers and agricultural industry representatives can use to record damage to primary production and animals from natural disasters such as floods, fires and storms. The damage survey allows you to:

• record the number of crops, animals, infrastructure and other primary industries damaged in a single event
• add photos to the assessment
• see the severity of damage in your area.

DPI can view survey information in real time and results are used to determine:

• the area the natural disaster has impacted and the scale of the event
• the severity of the impact
• the value of impact to primary production
• where and what assistance or resources may be needed.

This source of “ground truth” information helps the Government and communities understand the scale and regional distribution of the impact of a disaster on agriculture and target resources and assistance in an area.

To report damage, submit a survey on your phone or computer. It’s free and takes just a few minutes to complete.


Flood damage along fence lines can be costly and time consuming to repair


TREES ON THE TABLELANDS
Are you interested in natural tree regeneration on your property? If so, the University of New England would love to talk to you!