Adapting to Adversity: A Victorian Farmer's Bold Ewe Strategy
In the face of challenging conditions, Victorian farmer Dusty Pascoe has made a unique decision to increase his ewe numbers rather than reduce them. As wool prices rebound, Pascoe's strategy involves utilizing his own farm-grown grain and hay, along with a feedlot for lamb finishing, to navigate the difficult winter ahead.
Pascoe manages a self-sustaining Merino flock of 3500 to 4000 head, alongside his cropping enterprise, across 2000 hectares near Raywood. He has recently completed the joining process, with lambing set to commence in May. Additionally, he raises crossbred lambs, which he finishes in a small on-farm feedlot capable of accommodating up to 2000 head.
Despite the industry-wide trend of reducing breeding flocks, Pascoe has chosen to increase his numbers. He explains, "While everyone else is reducing, I kept a few surplus ewes because I thought they were too cheap to sell. I joined them to a White Suffolk ram, creating a surplus mob that can be sold as scanned-in lambs or lambed down if needed."
Pascoe's decision is driven by the potential value of scanned-in lambs, which he believes will be highly sought-after if favorable weather conditions arrive. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining ewe condition, stating, "All my ewes are in excellent condition coming into scanning, and I don't need to add extra weight to them at this point."
Lambing in May aligns with Pascoe's cropping enterprise, as his main pasture is lucerne, which thrives with rain and provides an ideal environment for weaning and finishing lambs. During lean years, he utilizes grain, hay, and straw from his own farm through a feedlot to support lamb finishing.
Pascoe's approach involves constant assessment and adaptation to find the best feeding options. He employs various strategies, including grazing stubbles, using self-feeders, and maintaining a feedlot. He carries a substantial supply of hay and grain, utilizes containment yards, and has a feedlot at his disposal.
Pascoe's philosophy is to maximize profitability by making the most of available resources. He states, "I run it pretty tight, ensuring I maximize everything. It means I'm always favoring feeding a mob, whether it's lambs to finish or ewe lambs to join at specific times of the year."
Pascoe's symbiotic relationship between cropping and sheep is evident in his goal of achieving a 75% cropping and 25% sheep ratio, which he believes maximizes both endeavors. The Merino flock typically produces 6.8 kilograms of 19.6-micron wool per adult ewe, which is marketed throughout the year.
Pascoe acknowledges the wool market's improvement but emphasizes the need for further growth to compete with cropping and meat. He highlights the importance of water availability and confidence in production, stating, "The biggest factor against people is the lack of water, which leads to a lack of confidence in producing as much."
Alister Carr, a wool representative, agrees that challenging seasonal conditions are influencing growers' decisions regarding stocking rates and joining. He notes the impact of water scarcity and the resulting lack of confidence in production. Carr mentions that producers are holding tight, awaiting a proper autumn break to boost confidence in running more sheep and growing more wool.
David Hart, the northern region wool manager at Nutrien Ag Solutions, acknowledges the positive direction of the wool market, which is encouraging Merino retention, especially in areas with good seasonal conditions. Hart describes the situation in drought-prone areas as the 'art of the possible,' where wool production takes a backseat to keeping sheep in good condition.
Despite the positive wool market, Hart highlights the influence of seasonal conditions and feed availability on joining decisions and breeding stock retention. He predicts that autumn joining will continue, with the decision to join Merino or crossbred rams potentially influenced by the upward wool market trend.
Hart also mentions the impact of grain harvest on feeding strategies, noting that producers with good grain harvests have a decent feed supply. However, he acknowledges the trade-off between feeding costs and foregone income from grain sales. The wool market's lack of supply and fear of acute shortages drive its direction, but a certain wool production level is necessary to sustain the industry.
