ON FARM NATIONAL Over the fence In this series, Feedback follows a group of producers from across Australia as they manage their operations over the course of a year and respond to the challenges that arise. This is the fourth instalment in the 2018–19 series. SEASONAL CHALLENGES: PROGRESS AGAINST LONG‑TERM GOALS: Things are going well. The season has been Our goal is to set up a feed wedge for winter spot‑on for us. We had a good spring, then for lambing and calving. Now the pastures a dry January for getting the crops off. We are actively growing with sufficient moisture received rain again in February in an early in the ground, we have put down nitrogen break, so it’s all looking positive. on most of the paddocks, including all WHAT’S ON MY PLATE: the improved pastures. The calves will be We put the rams out in mid‑March for joining. rotating around the irrigated ryegrass in The focus leading up to this has been April, using electric fences to subdivide the SNAPSHOT: keeping the nutrition up to the ewes. They’ve paddocks and extend the grazing rotation. ■ Jock Hughes, had the first crack at the new pasture sown ACTIVITIES OVER THE NEXT Longford, Tasmania after the crops, then, after joining, we’ll put Sl them onto the native pastures where they’ll TWO MONTHS: stay until three to four weeks before lambing. > top‑dress pastures with phosphorus We’ve continued to move the current lot of and potassium lambs off as they hit spec. If all goes to plan, they’ll be all gone by June. > strategic nitrogen application The cows have been pregnancy tested and > sharpening our grazing management the culls and dries have gone. The remaining to grow more feed. animals will be rotating around our dryland perennial pasture in one larger mob, to try to get our grazing rotation as long as we can – Area: 90 days if possible – while it’s still warm and 800ha pasture is still growing. Enterprise: Breeding seedstock Angus and Coopworth ewes, finishing lambs, cropping poppies, peas and grass seed Jock Hughes E: info@cludennewry. com.au 12