The best on-farm photos submitted by Stock & Land readers during 2023

Livestock, machinery, wool sheds and wildlife feature in the top 50 photos from readers this year.

Even half-a-dozen photos of the industry's next generation - young children on farms - have made the cut from hundreds of photos submitted for the weekly Social Media Snapshot.

Among the most iconic images is a photo of Tony Leahy, at Redesdale who was captured reading a Stock & Land in his shearing shed.

The photo was taken by his daughter Christina Leahy who had returned home from Edinburgh, Scotland.

"I study photography at college which I started during COVID as I had lost my job," Ms Leahy said at the time.

"I was given a brief to do an environmental portrait and as I was going home for a wee holiday, I used dad as my subject.

"My dad is a sheep farmer and he is obsessed with the Stock & Land so I managed to convince him to take a five-minute minute break so I could take his portrait."

Meanwhile, Victorian grazier Chris Bruty made national headlines after he mowed a smiley face stick figure into the side of Mount Emu on his Chepstowe property.

The 500-foot mountain which is 400 metres above sea level is located 40 kilometres west of Ballarat.

The photo was featured first in Stock & Land and later made headlines across Australia.

"A few years ago when my son was playing in the grand final for Skipton, I wrote 'Go Emus' using hay when I was feeding out," Mr Bruty said.

"Sometimes I'll write something on the side like 'Mount Emu' if I don't have much time."

The family has owned the property for more than 100 years, making it four generations of the Bruty family who have farmed on the property.

"It took me about 30 minutes to do and he stands 80 metres tall," Mr Bruty said.

Photos of cows with calves at foot, working dogs and little Jack Russells, shearers and wedge-tailed eagles and canola crops also made the top 50 best photos of 2024.