Across the Northern Tablelands, Autumn joining of ewe flocks is a common practice as it fits in with the natural oestrus period of sheep. For many parts of the region it also coincides with lambing down when there is the highest chance of having feed in the paddock. Given this fact producers buying in ewes are encouraged to assess some key factors to make sure that they are getting the most appropriate article for their enterprise.  

• If pregnant, have ewes been scanned and identified as twin or single bearers. 

• If they are maiden ewes, will they be at an appropriate bodyweight for joining (join at 70% of standard reference weight). 

• How long were the rams left out at joining? The aim being for a condensed lambing of 5 weeks.  

• Are the ewes out of sync with the desired breeding times for individual operations? 

• Are they footrot, brucellosis and Johne’s free? 

Buying Autumn born weaner ewes is one option that producers may consider. Strong indicators from the Bureau of Meteorology predict a wetter than normal spring and presents the opportunity to purchase in these weaner ewes and put them on suitable pasture to keep them moving forward to make critical joining weights. This has the potential benefit of allowing ewes to be lambing at 18 months rather than 24 months which is common across the tablelands. This has the advantage of expediting the return on their investment.  

FALL ARMYWORM FOUND IN CROPS IN NSW

Grain growers in the region need to be on the lookout for signs of damage and the presence of fall armyworm larvae in summer crops.

A partnership program between DPI and LLS has seen a number of fall armyworm traps set up across NSW. Moths have been trapped east of Narrabri and west of Wee Waa in October this year, following the first known detection of fall armyworm in NSW, near Moree in recent months.

In the Northern Tablelands region there are traps set up in summer crops between Inverell and Glen Innes and between Inverell and Delungra.

Grain growers and consultants need to look for windowing of leaves where larvae have hatched and small shot holes as leaves expand, caused by larvae feeding in the developing leaf whorl.



Identification of recently emerged larvae can be difficult, but when larvae reach second to third life stage the features which allow diagnosis are more obvious. Fast action to manage small larvae is recommended by NSW DPI and Local Land Services to maximise control and help minimise further spread by restricting local infestations.

The best way to minimise the spread and impact of the pest is to identify the signs and symptoms early. Anyone who suspects the presence of fall armyworm should call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.

For small larvae, NSW DPI and Local Land Services recommend retaining samples with food, such as host crop leaves, and allow them to grow to enable photographs to be taken.

In most cases, NSW DPI will be able to identify larvae from clear photographs which can be sent via an online form or to biosecurity@dpi.nsw.gov.au with your contact details. DPI continues to  provide free insect diagnostics for suspect fall armyworm moths and larvae, advice on control and chemical management options. More information on identification, treatment options and resistance management is available on DPI and LLS websites. Contact LLS staff for advice:

Georgie Oakes - Inverell                            - 0429 310 264
Jeff Lowien - Glen Innes                             - 0427 102 680
Karl Andersson - Armidale                         - 0437 867 523
 

HANDY EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE FOR LOAN: RIPPER MOUNDER

The machine is designed to perform both ripping and mounding activities, but not at the same time. It is used to prepare ground for tree planting and is proven to increase tree seedling survival significantly. Rip and mound separately.

Ripping should be performed well in advance of the mounding operation. Proposed tree lines should be ripped and weeds sprayed to reduce competition to seedlings once planted. Ripping enables moisture to penetrate deep into the soil profile. This will encourage the roots of seedlings to grow downwards.

Whilst mounding can be performed just prior to planting, it is recommended that it be done well in advance of planting so that any emerging weeds can be sprayed out. The mounding operation breaks-up and aerates the soil, producing a bed in which seedlings can grow. However, this operation also encourages the growth of weeds, so spraying/weed control is extremely important.

Ripper mounder

The equipment comes on a dual axle box trailer. Just call us at any Northern Tablelands LLS office and we can put you on a booking list for you to collect and deliver the machine back. We typically loan this machine out for a week or less so as many landholder get the use of it as possible.

We have added more episodes to the newly launched podcast series called the Productive Producer designed specifically for Northern Tablelands producers.

Listen to our latest discussion on Cross-breeding beef cattle and find out more about the potential gains from including cross breeding cattle into your operation.

The recently launched Productive Producer podcast series, hosted by Northern Tablelands LLS Livestock Officer Max Newsome, is packed full of practical, production related topics for you to apply on your farm.

Created specifically for livestock and cropping enterprises in the Northern Tablelands, the podcasts are available through Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Play and Pocket Cast. Simply search “Productive Producer”.

Podcast guests are selected for their industry knowledge and on-farm experience and we are fortunate to have them share their insights on an array of subjects from winter forage crops to livestock health, from weeds impacting production to livestock sales during Covid-19, and plenty more in between. Listen in to the latest episode or visit our website to catch up on previous episodes.

For further information contact Max Newsome, Northern Tablelands Local Land Services Livestock Officer on 0427 007 190. 


SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBOURS - PUBLIC LAND BOUNDARY FENCING PROGRAM

Northern Tablelands Local Land Services appreciates that many landholders are still on the long road to recovery after last summer’s devastating bushfire season, and we are here to help.   

Funding is still available through the Supporting Our Neighbours program to help landholders replace bushfire damaged boundary fencing bordering public lands. 

This money can also be issued retrospectively, so even if you have already rebuilt your boundary fences, you can still receive this grant.  

If eligible, you can receive a one-off grant of up to $5,000 per kilometre to purchase fencing materials. Where there was existing exclusion fencing bordering public land, landholders may be eligible for up to $10,000/km.  

You will find this is one of the easiest programs to access and all you need to do is fill out a short form online or call our team on 1300 778 080.  

It will only take a few minutes to get started and we have a team of dedicated Boundary Fence Coordinators ready to work with you to identify your needs and ensure the funds flow as soon as possible. We are encouraging people not to self-assess, but rather contact our Boundary Fence Coordinators to help you through this process.

In the Northern Tablelands region, the Supporting our Neighbours program has funded 188 projects to replace fences damaged by last year's bushfires. 745km of boundary fencing has been installed.

All fencing must be completed by 31 December 2021 so don't delay your application for support. Please note, in a previous Northern Tablelands LLS newsletter we included the incorrect date - our apologies.

For more information about the Supporting our Neighbours Public Land Boundary Fencing Program, please call Christine Richards on 1300 778 080.


PASTURE RECOVERY

Karl Andersson - Agronomist, Armidale

As we head toward summer it is a much better situation we face compared to the last couple of years. With some decent rains and pastures around, this is a good time to assess the condition of your pastures.

While some pastures have recovered quite well others were not so resilient. When assessing your pastures' recovery, a benchmark target for pastures in the Northern Tablelands region is for five to six desirable plants per square metre; pastures with at least that number can be managed to increase plant population, while lower numbers could warrant re-establishment.

Where pasture density is above this threshold, retain and focus on increasing plant numbers by grazing management or by adding seed if required. Allow the pastures to set seed (going to phase three) by restricting grazing through to seed set.

Read more ......
 

Brent McLeod - for sheep management                                             - 0413 884 710
Tahnee Manton - for livestock management                                      - 0438 600 473
Max Newsome - for livestock management                                       - 0427 007 190
Georgie Oakes - for agronomy (based in Inverell)                             - 0429 310 264
Jeff Lowien - for agronomy (based in Glen Innes)                             - 0427 102 680
Karl Andersson - for agronomy (based in Armidale)                           - 0437 867 523
Johnelle Stevens - for farm planning                                                  - 0409 791 619
Andrew Biddle (Inverell) - District Vet                                                 - 0427 825 725
Lisa Martin (Tenterfield) - District Vet                                                  - 0428 623 471
Nigel Brown (Glen Innes) - District Vet                                               - 0419 434 087