The season has deteriorated in most areas of the state after a good start to the year. It is a great concern what will happen with the sheep and cattle industries as a result of the consecutive poor spring.

Last summer most people elected to keep most of their breeding stock.  Where necessary to prevent erosion, they locked stock into containment areas. They did a really good job of it - keeping their sheep in good condition and protecting the country at the same time. 

I conducted a survey of people who locked sheep up and the results were outstanding.  Average death rate in the feedlots was only 1.1% - probably less than if the sheep were left in the paddock.  Farmers learnt a lot about stock management and nutrition in dry times.

Now some people are saying they will not keep their stock this time.  This year they don’t have the hay on hand, barley is now $400 a t, and they just don’t want to do it again.
 
The problem is; if most people decide to sell their stock it will have a depressing impact on stock prices and the recovery could take years because stock numbers will be so low.

To sell now, or to hold on and feed, is a really difficult decision for producers this time.  However, if you have low stock numbers now, or have good feed available, it might be a good time to buy.

Ask yourself

* How much feed do we have – in the paddock and in the shed?
* How much feed do we need to get our stock through?
* How much minimum ground cover is needed?
* How much feed can we afford to buy?
* Can we use existing paddock feed better eg. by use of electric fencing or improved watering?

When considering which stock to keep, work out;

* The value of the stock now
* How much they will earn by this time next year?
* How much it will cost to feed them through?
* How much they will be worth this time next year?

Some of the figures will be a guess, so work out a range of possibilities. Don’t use the worst case, or best case, scenarios but the most likely.

Can you make more use of existing paddock feed?

There is evidence that people can make more use of paddock feed – which is very good quality in a poor year.

The ideal is to have bigger mobs in each paddock for less time. If you move the mob once a week you, and the sheep, quickly get use to it. The sheep won’t have time to make camps, or tracks, and to cause erosion.

This is especially important when grazing failed crops - which are vulnerable to erosion but are also good feed.

* Could you improve your water supply so they graze the paddock more evenly?
* Could you split paddocks to reduce erosion risk?
* Could you fence off sand hills?
* Has electric fencing a role for you?

This year is a good time to try some of these new sheep management practices. Let us know how you go or if you want to discuss it.

AUTHOR:  Brian Ashton, Senior Livestock Consultant, Rural Solutions SA.

CONTACT: Brian Ashton, Rural Solutions SA Pt Lincoln Office, Telephone (08) 8688 3403, Email ashton.brian@saugov.sa.gov.au