Evaluation will be a cause for some contemplation | Rural Notebook

Studs that have contributed ram semen are Poll Boonoke, Pooginook, Redlands (Kangaroo Island), Roseville Park, Bogo, Greenland, Boudjah, Mumblebone, Rocklyn, Nerstane, Richmond, Blink Bonnie, Egalabra, Glenwood, Mirramoona and Conrayn.

Every one of these studs would be regarded as progressive, most of them are well on the way to minimising breech wrinkle and many of them are aiming at high lambing percentages and positive muscle and meat qualities.

We must remember that these are individual stud rams and their progeny results may vary from the aims of their home stud.

GREAT rainfalls through June and July have set up excellent conditions for early spring across much of NSW and predictions of a second near-record crop are already being whispered about.

Much of our district is waterlogged, with heavy cattle and horses getting down about 30 centimetres in soft soils.

Pastures that would devour some fertiliser are out of reach for some time and stock transports are also on hold until ground is a lot firmer.

In past years, these conditions in spring have given rise to widespread foot problems in both sheep and cattle, with producers keeping stock on higher country as much as possible.

There is always money to be made in mud and my thought for the week is: "We dream the dream old bushmen dream, fat bullocks and silver cheques."

Please enjoy our wonderful spring 2021, one in 50 years.

RECENT RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMNS:

LATE July always brings the first auctions of stud bulls and stud rams and early signs are really positive.

A 20-month-old bull bred by the Mayne family at Warialda sold for a record $225,000 at the stud's on-property auction last week.

Robert Mackenzie bought the high-priced sire for his family business Macka's Australian Black Angus Beef at Salt Ash, NSW.

"When that bull came up we knew he was the right fit for us and was coming home with us, no matter what," he said.

On the ram front, O'Brien Poll Merino and Dohne Merino averaged $2020 for 100 rams at their on-property auction at Wudinna, SA, with a top price of $10,000.

A SNAPSHOT of sheepmeat markets for the last week of July:

The saleyards office at Wagga saleyards quotes 42,000 lambs and 8950 sheep averaged $226 and grossed just over $11m.

During the same week, the Eastern Young Cattle Indicator topped at 1003.4c/kg.

We all realise that there are risks at these price levels for both sheep and cattle, but it seems obvious that the longer these price levels go on, the stronger the fundamental demand must be.

I NOTED a lovely tribute to former Oberon mayor the late John McMahon from incumbent mayor Kathy Sajowitz in a recent copy of the Oberon Review.

Great things can be achieved by a little kindness in every sphere of public life and the mayor's words must be appreciated.

If we follow the peaceful Fish River all the way into the Macquarie and downstream to Bathurst, we find three Melbourne Cup fields about to line up for the Bathurst Regional Council election in early December and at this stage it's nearly a question of "who isn't standing for election?".

Surely there are nine civic-minded community leaders among the big field who can work together to progress our lovely city and our community.

FOUNDERS of Bathurst Merino Association (BMA) formed the group in the early 1990s with the aim of improving every facet of the sheep industry, helping district producers compare their flocks and property to those of their peers, and providing some genuine friendship among people who often work alone.

These noble aims have waxed and waned at times, but the group is still well maintained with the addition of some new, younger members making sure that the future is sound.

One of our foremost finewool breeders is building a new three stand shearing shed, raised board and ultra modern saw-tooth design.

A suggestion has been made that a woolshed warming afternoon would be a great chance to celebrate a real achievement for this hard-working young family.

They have a top-notch wool producing flock, based on the Davis family's Demondrille stud at Harden.

BMA members will follow the building project closely and keep the champagne on ice.

LANDHOLDERS who like to put a thinking cap on will be interested in a fully designed installation of solar panels at Farrer Agricultural High School near Tamworth.

Two rows of solar panels, each 43 metres long, each four metres wide and 15 metres apart, are forming a 60-kilowatt system that replaces three diesel irrigation pumps.

Dairy cows and stud Angus cattle are grazing under the panels and the system is showing that high solar panels don't need to be fenced off and that livestock can graze and find shelter under them.

No wonder the future will be interesting.

GREAT-GRANNY was getting very short-sighted and when the meter reader left, she told her friend of the visit.

"That was your doctor, love," her friend said.

"Oh goodness," granny replied, "I thought the meter reader was getting familiar."

***

THE old nun always wore her day clothes to bed. She just couldn't get out of the habit.

***

THERE was a young lady from Stawell,

Wore a newspaper dress to a ball,

But her garb caught on fire,

And burned the entire

Front pages, sports section and all.