Irrigation the savior for some in Gippsland

If not, there is little grass, and not much water.

Travelling through to East Gippsland, you pass through a lot of irrigated pasture, which at the moment looks good.

Some maize crops are over two metres high, and millet, and other crops can be seen.

Fred Exner farms just out of the city of Sale, and he does have irrigation.

Mr Exner is almost surrounded by dairy farms in his patch, but he fattens Angus steers into prime bullocks.

The contrast between irrigated pastures, and those that are not, is very stark.

Mr Exner was at Bairnsdale, along with a close neighbour, who also fattens bullocks on irrigated ground, and they both agreed that this summer was the worst they can remember.

“With irrigation, I am turning prime heavy Angus bullocks, which are making very good money,” Mr Exner said.

However, his neighbour, Barry Hollonds, and himself, were not at Bairnsdale to buy replacements.

“Probably just as well, as the sale was very strong,” Mr Exner said.

Many pens that suited bullock fatteners sold to strong competition from South and West Gippsland fatteners. 

Their competition, combined with a King Island producer, kept the sale pumping.

Of course, there is the cost of water for irrigation, but with the hot weather, it is growing some great grass.

Mr Exner likes to buy locally, purchasing mostly at the Central Victorian Livestock Exchange at Sale.

However, the drought has seen many producers sell early, and many of the cattle have been too light.