PASTORAL conditions have certainly changed across our lovely district and native summer grasses are now providing useful stock feed.
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Prospects of further rainfall give confidence to landholders and crops of millet, lucerne and brassica are making the saddest of animals look happy.
Producers who marked and mulesed merino lambs before the season changed so dramatically must be pleased with their decision.
Comments are often made of the positive results from using TriSolfen on lambs and the quick healing that occurs.
Please don’t skimp when using this product as a full 10ml spray will give a great result.
Looking back
BATHURST Merino Association president Warwick Larnach reports that the association has now completed a quarter century of operation. Some of the highlights in 2017 were:
- A successful ewe competition to the north west of Bathurst city that was won by the Wykes family at Euchareena.
- The 2017 Ram Expo and Dog Auction at the showground was well-attended and was an excellent presentation. A Junior sheep judging event was of real interest to all involved.
- Once again, the wool section at the Royal Bathurst Show was a showcase for the sheep and wool industry in our beautiful Central Tablelands.
- A coach tour to the Melbourne Cup was enjoyed by the crowd of Bathurst tourists and was a trip to remember.
Much to offer
SEVERAL times I’ve heard a person referred to as “just a farmer” and the description really annoys me.
After a lifetime of working with and for a cross-section of our community, I know just how valuable a capable farmer is when you employ him in the stockyard, woolshed, workshop or in building infrastructure.
Many five-year-old children have much better stock-handling skills than their friends who have had no exposure to livestock handling.
Tears have often come to my eyes as a person stands at a gateway or in a woolshed and must be wondering why no-one is smiling.
Most of us are specialists at our professions and are priceless in some fields and useless in others.
Quality is king
ADAM Mort reports a clearance of 37 rams from the 40 offered at an annual Helmsman auction at his Hilltop Merino Stud at Mudgee.
This is once again proof that quality animals always sell well regardless of seasons.
Clearing it up
CLIENTS of AWH wool buying division tell me of their experience as Richard Butcher tidied up the oddments in their wool bins after their spring shearing finished.
Four or five butts, short lamb’s wool, a half-bin of stain pieces were all weighed on his certified scales, Richard made a cash offer that was gladly accepted and “Bob’s your uncle”.
The shed is cleared, a nice cheque on the spot and a warm handshake. AWH will buy your wool at 369 Stewart Street. Phone 0427 254 643.
Taking stock
THE run-up to Christmas seems a good time to have a quick look to rural Bathurst’s past and the travelling stock routes that were used to walk livestock to the Bathurst saleyards for auction sales.
When the world was a bit younger, the local agents offered cattle, sheep and lambs, pigs and sometimes an auction of all classes of horses on a regular basis.
It was cattle on Wednesday mornings, sheep after lunch and pigs between those sales if any pigs were on offer. Store sheep sales were held monthly when members were about and a horse sale was held occasionally.
Travelling mobs from the north came across Rankin’s Bridge at Eglinton, up Esrom Street and on to Boundary Road to the saleyards.
Stock from the north east came down Boyd, Gilmour or Sydney Road, across the old Denison Bridge, up Havannah Street and along Vale Road to the yards.
Blayney Road stock crossed the Mid Western Highway to Pit Straight on the Mount and down Lloyd’s Road.
There are still a few old drovers about who used some of these stock routes until the late 1960s.
Tis the season
THANK you to Bathurst Regional Council and the many business houses that have given our city such a great feeling of Christmas this time.
A few festive decorations, Christmas carols and trees are greatly appreciated by locals and visitors.
We realise the spirit of Christmas and know that there really is a Santa Claus.
Follow the leader
NATIONALS State Leader John Barilaro certainly stirred the ants when he publicly suggested that our PM should give Australia a Christmas present and resign.
Of course there are many who would support the proposal, but the PM would not oblige.
In an era of discontent, our country and our Parliament are obviously longing for a strong leader who can control their own cabinet.
If the PM were to leave the scene, who on earth would want to take over?
Laugh lines
SHE said: “You’d be surprised how much it costs to look this cheap.”
George said: “I didn’t get old on purpose; it just happened. If you’re lucky, it’ll happen to you.”
She said: “Once you’re over the hill you pick up speed.”
He also said: “At 76, I now need two girls. If I fall asleep, they’ll have someone to talk to.”
