@BradW00ldridge@paradooprime@Tedthekelpie Yes. True cost of energy sources would allow the market to allocate resources efficiently and negated the need to use other tools to like LGCs for renewables.
Nb, plenty of roos live in our local pine plantations... control measures are insufficient.
@paradooprime@BradW00ldridge@Tedthekelpie With respect, a price on carbon via a market approach would probably have avoided the need for LGCs which is the bulk of "subsidies" which incidentally is pd by retailers ie us.... "We" got that wrong ~10 yrs ago... no doubt I will be criticised for this.
@KennedyCreek1 Fescues also a great option. Going to put phalaris in next year. Have massively destocked to ride out this year and will take 2-3 yrs to recover numbers, so good chance to get the slower establishing species in.
It's a bit stressed, but gee the phalaris has hung on well. Curiously, every night my stocking rate lifts by 30-40% but the roos clearly preference everything else before phalaris....
Well, that point has been reached. Nil autumn break means no late winter feed for lambing so these girls will have to go. 21/22/23 drop Composite x Nudie ewes mated to Nudie rams. Great way to kick-start entry into shedding sheep. Lambing ~10th August. DM or call if interested.
Been a fairly tough period and not much rain fell over Easter. Going to be interesting to see how well everything has survived... can you spot the phalaris?
@agronomybrady Challenge seems to be holding the reproduction rates up as I make the transition. The larger composites helped with reproduction bit they were too large really....80+kg and 3+ CS gave weaning rates over 180%....but dragging them across the boards was getting harder. 🤣🤣
One for you @agronomybrady ...I have woolly ones and full shedding ones, and everything in between... its an untidy looking ewe flock atm. Last of the coopworth Composites leave the farm in 2 weeks.
@lochsfarming@k_bolto@benfirman11@kbolto In the end tho, it was the challenge of getting shearers, easier care, and lower workload for me, and the cost for updating and expanding infrastructure that helped drive the decision to go shedders.
@lochsfarming@k_bolto@benfirman11@kbolto Our composite flock reliably weaned 180% or slightly better. We are nowhere near that yet with shedders. Next year will be a clear test as I will have good numbers of F1 and F2 ewes on their 2nd and 3rd lambing.
@lochsfarming@benfirman11 Yep, this is why as a composite breeder/producer I have abandoned wool......but the cost external to wool seems to be at least 10 loss in reproduction from a similar "wool free" animal. Will have a better handle on this next year.
Weighing, mixing and applying fertiliser to trials...not much has changed over the years running trials. If you cut and remove forage to measure growth, you have to put the nutrients back.