With Hamilton’s Sheepvention over for another year, it brings back memories of exactly what our winters were like, wet and cold.
The Western District has experienced one of the wettest winters for some years. The fear of surface water problems have been alleviated with dams overflowing and water lying everywhere. While some of our cropping boys are a little worried about wet feet, nearly every other farmer is buoyed about the forth coming spring. While this may be good for some, an old agent once told me that there are things a farmer cannot handle - fire, flood and feed.
While the hope of a good spring is terrific the thought of buying replacement stock is mind blowing. Every indicator predicts record prices, season and lack of breeding stock due to drought and price stock prices in every category.
Back to Sheepvention, congratulations to Ryan Burden from Landmark Narrandera for taking out the Sheepvention Young Auctioneers Competition. Cast your mind back 12 months when Ronnie Dix, Elders Lucindale won. Ronnie went onto the win this years ALPA National Young Auctioneers Competition. This enabled Ronnie to compete at the International Auctioneers Competition in Calgary where he won Rookie of the year. Good luck Ryan, hope you go further. The 2016 ALPA Victorian Young Auctioneers Dinner and Competition is in September.
The Australian sheep and goat industries are united in calling for the continuation of the current mob-based tracing scheme under the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS), so a timely reminder in regards to National Vendor Declarations. Only the latest version can be used and it is important to ensure NVD’s are correctly completed. Attention must be given to non-vendor bred sheep and lambs. It must be indicated on the NVD accompanying the stock whether or not all sheep and lambs have been vendor bred. If there are non-vendor bred sheep or lambs in the consignment, details must be provided of all PICs for introduced stock on the NVD. If there is insufficient space, they must be recorded separately & attached to the NVD.
The ALPA Southern Regional Advisory Committee has been formed for 2016-18. The members on this committee are: Jarred Bennetts, Everitt Seeley & Bennetts, Rob Bolton, Rodwells & Co Pty Ltd, Warren Johnston, Roberts Limited, Dale Keatley, Ray White Keatley, Jack Kelly, J&J Kelly, Stock Agency Pty Ltd, Russell Mawson, Landmark, Ron Rutledge, Elders, Bradley Walker, Landmark and Damien Webb, Elders. I look forward to working with this committee in the future and I thank them for being involved on this committee.