Glenorchy producer Stew MacPherson said the biggest challenge with the mix of crop and sheep was trying to get the two enterprises to complement each other.
Mr MacPherson and partner Narrelle Vance and Stew’s father, Matt, operate a controlled traffic zero-till crop enterprise and a self replacing Merino ewe enterprise.
Cropping on the Wimmera property about 25km north-west of Stawell, takes priority, “but sheep definitely have a place, particularly in the current climate,” Mr MacPherson said.
In the past a lot of decisions would benefit one enterprise but would be negative towards the other, he said.
“We had to stop the “rob Peter to pay Paul” mentality that's why we made cropping the priority and make the sheep fit in best they can,” he said..
“In the overall operation, the sheep side of the business offered an alternative source of income.
“It also offered the flexibility in the system for when you can see opportunities arise.”
