ON FARM NORTHERN CATTLE “We don’t need to add sulphur because that ANIMAL HEALTHZ comes through the water, which is high in minerals generally.” outcompeted by the grass.While adding a legume to the pasture mix hasbeen considered, there’s a risk they’re rapidlyFrom concept to “We’re currently adding about 1,000kg nitrogen/ha/year,” Kevin said. “We may get additional response (in growth) if we add more nitrogen, but we don’t actually want too much more grass. “In this environment, only about 40–50% of the grass we grow actually goes into an animal’s mouth. That’s about the best grazing‑usage percentage we can get. We have to accept the loss. Cutting hay gives us better usage (around 80%) but the feed quality is lower. We have to be careful not to spend money on things we can’t sell, and what we sell is kilograms of beef, not grass.” Worm egg counts are done on the young stock every month and parasite levels are remarkably low. “The stock are healthy and robust,” Kevin said. The only major problem for the project so far has been a plague of yellow‑winged locusts, which devastated the grass. “They ate it down to stumps on the ground,” Kevin said. With more than producers still need to drench “There were only about 15 stems per square two million doses for other worm species. But metre. But the Rhodes just bounced back. of Barbervax® where Barbervax is being used, Three weeks after the locusts were gone, the fewer drenches are required grass had recovered. sold globally every year, and, on some farms, no other the barber’s pole worm control is needed for barber’s “The cattle were fine because we had plenty of population is under attack. hay to feed them. But we learned from that and pole worm.” we’ll be a bit more proactive in the future. We’ll Developed with MLA funding Generally, producers administer get in and control the locusts quicker if we see and initially launched in Barbervax while sheep are them again. Australia, Scotland‑based yarded for drenching for other “Doing what we’re doing here at Pardoo, Barbervax inventor Dr David worms or animal husbandry. we have to learn how to do it as we go along. Smith of Moredun Research Institute said the product is also“We’re working towards vaccines It’s a good learning exercise and the system being sold in South Africa and for other parasite species as is resilient.” ■ well,” David said. the company has permission Kevin Bell to distribute it under veterinary“The ultimate vaccine would E: Kevin.bell@pardoo.com supervision in the UK. protect against a range of Barbervax is produced at species and only need to be the Department of Primary injected once in an animal’s LESSONS Industries and Rural lifetime, but it’s unlikely that LEARNED Development (DPIRD) in would ever be attainable.” Albany, WA. Moredun CEO and Research > Over summer, growth of 130–150kg Despite the success, David Director Professor Julie DM/ha/day is possible for Rhodes grass describes the adoption of the Fitzpatrick said producers need under irrigation. vaccine as slow. to inject sheep regularly during > Precise management is essential to the barber’s pole worm danger “Vaccine adoption on‑farm is period in their region. maintain palatability and prevent the generally a slow process and Rhodes grass going rank. Barbervax is no different in that“We’d like to improve the > Cutting hay enables a greater way,” David said. vaccine response so we can percentage of the grass to be used, but reduce the number of injections feed quality is reduced. “The vaccine is specific for needed, and that’s ongoing barber’s pole worm, so work,” Julie said. 24