Most of us can’t remember pastoral conditions this good since the 1950s, but we realise that this won’t last indefinitely and a long look at possible risks is probably a sound business plan.

A few thoughts:

Don’t overstock present pastures as standing feed is always of value during summer/autumn.

Keep a keen eye on worm levels, feet problems, lice control and condition of young cattle and sheep.

Don’t put poll and horned rams with mobs of breeding ewes. The fights can be fatal for the polls.

WHILE most farmers statewide have benefited from the lovely spring season, and many are looking towards extra good grain and fodder crops, we should pause a moment to think of others who face real problems:

Many hectares of grain and pulse crops have been drowned by floodwaters and waterlogged paddocks.

Some reported losses to bloat in cattle have been horrendous and even small numbers of death account for very big dollars.

Outbreaks of virulent footrot are heartbreaking, very time-consuming and involve really big costs, regardless of eradication strategies.

THE “Blink Bonnie” merino stud at Tarana conducted its annual sale of hogget rams and surplus sheep last Saturday.

The top-priced ram at $2200 went to Steve Messner and family, volume buyer was Grant Toole with 10 rams and the sale averaged $1008 per head.

A nice line of one-year-old wethers off shears was bought by Col McPhee for $88 and 1.5-year-old merino ewes brought $120 to Tony Millbank.

GEORGE was supermarket shopping with his long-suffering wife and he slipped a slab of VB into the trolley. She objected and George pleaded “they’re on special for $34, love” but they left the trolley. 

His wife popped a package of face creams in and George objected strongly. She said: “But this product will make me look beautiful, dearest.” George replied: “So will 24 tins of VB, and at half the price.”