FARMING in one of the driest districts in the driest state of Australia presents many challenges, according to Mallee mixed farmer John Gilbertson.
“We expect to hand-feed sheep every year leading up to lambing, so we have to make sure we always have hay and grain on-hand,” he said.
An on-farm feedlot, irrigation and a recently-purchased secondary property in the Upper South East are helping the Gilbertsons to spread their risk.
Mr Gilbertson farms 1336 hectares at Parilla and, more recently, 648ha at Keith, which is mainly used for running livestock and features 24ha of floodplain irrigation.
The Gilbertsons crop about 900ha and run a 1500-breeder Merino flock, with 300 ewes mated to Suffolk rams.
The self-replacing Merino flock, averaging 21 micron to 22M, is based on Glenlea Park bloodlines.
Lambing is mainly in April/May, but Mr Gilbertson also schedules a smaller spring-drop of lambs, mainly crossbreds, to spread risk.
The Merino wether lambs are held during summer to run on stubbles, before being autumn shorn and then finished off in Mr Gilbertson’s on-farm feedlot.
The feedlot allows Mr Gilbertson to finish off about 550 Merino lambs annually on hay, oats, vetch, barley and lupins.
“I leave them for four to five weeks to finish them off, to get them away before the end of April and they’ll usually reach 25 kilograms to 26kg dressedweight at 10-11 months old,” he said.
“I have put the crossbred lambs through the feedlot as well, but recently I’ve gone more towards Merinos. Wool prices are good at the moment, so it’s worthwhile.”
The lambs are usually sold to one of the two local meat processors.
“If we can find a good forward contract for the lambs then we’ll lock it in, so we know what we’re getting and can target that specific weight range,” Mr Gilbertson said.
Mr Gilbertson has an annual agreement with a vineyard in McLaren Vale, where he sends between 600 and 800 ewe hoggets for agistment during his tightest feed period between May and August, before bringing them back home.
Culls are sold at the local offshears market, with last year’s cull ewes selling at $165 a head.
Mr Gilbertson is expecting even more demand for breeding stock this year.
Shearing occurs twice a year or three times in two years, producing an annual wool clip of 100 bales.
“Wool seems to grow faster and we find by shearing twice a year, they seem to lamb down better,” Mr Gilbertson said.
“We’re consistently seeing yields of between 60 per cent and 70pc, which is very good for this area.
“Genetically, we’ve also improved our wool and that’s played a big part in those results.”