2018 marketing gurus

[malleefarmer]

Well some of the experts are talking up the market here with a plethora of reasons none really wash with me straw clutching.

Some how supplies have to be reduced be it through drought or farmers planting less and responding to market signals. To me its as simple as that reduce stocks and or supplies. And deflationry pressures as well.

Guess im talking wheat and barley mostly.

Canola seems a ok but presume many will increase plantings.

So here on my patch as you know im going back farming on my own and scaling back acres from the bto situation i was in.

6 to 8000 acres crop hopefully secure some ewes "female sheep" to get sheep numbers up to 2000 ewes.
Sheep currently on a gross margin basis beat a 2t ha feed barley or 1.5t ha wheat crop.

Son is coming home from school part time in what is called a "school based apprenticeship " basically he will do welding some metal working mechanics etc etc whilst at school with only reading writing and arithmatic only subjects studied. School 3 days a week.

One workman from previous operation has followed me, a unique chap and you guys might have them, is basically illiterate struggles to read and write but boy oh boy is he the worlds best mechanic, just likes to be treated with respect and not used.

Anyway got derailed currently fowards in canola $505 which is ok when oil added, wheat fowards poor $220 and feed barley around $200 which isnt to shabby.

A lanina weather pattern is looking a very strong chance which means a better wetter year for us or at least average but not so for norther hemisphere? Its bad for you guys right?

If you wondering each breeding merino ewe cuts around $80 to 100 of wool and produces a $130 lamb which also has some wool as well $15.

So back to a easier life for me not stress free but no hustle and bustle relentless work load.

Ah now the machinery side have to buy a whole farming plant 2nd hand of course but thats another thread or may be added here if enough interest in this dumb arse aussie.

Happy new years all stay warm or cool which ever part of the globe your from

[malleefarmer]

And if your wondering 4 to 6000 crop acres is almost normal around here

[GDR]

Mallee, I have a few ewes around, have since I was a kid. Thought you might be interested that our wool price most years will not cover the cost of shearing. not many Merinos here, mostly coarse wool creatures. Even fine wool will not bring in many dollars. Only money in sheep is meat lambs, still likely one of the best ag ventures from an economic standpoint but too labour intense for most farmers, most are raised by hobby farmers, large commercial sheep flocks are rare and most are on hutterites colonies.

[malleefarmer]

Mallee, I have a few ewes around, have since I was a kid. Thought you might be interested that our wool price most years will not cover the cost of shearing. not many Merinos here, mostly coarse wool creatures. Even fine wool will not bring in many dollars. Only money in sheep is meat lambs, still likely one of the best ag ventures from an economic standpoint but too labour intense for most farmers, most are raised by hobby farmers, large commercial sheep flocks are rare and most are on hutterites colonies.

Guess they have to be housed and fed over winter

[malleefarmer]

Sheep in the yards or corral as you guys would call it. Young sheep 14 mths yep theres over 50 in the mob.

[malleefarmer]

In a good year this is what stock lives on. Medicago polymorpha. When season finishes its good dry feed. Basically 5 months of year green or 6 then dry the rest. Medic is naturally regenerating. Wheat goes exceptionally well after grass free medic. Puts in N.

[shtferbrains]

So are you budgeting about $1mil income from 2000 ewe?

We have a native plant we call black medic that looks like that but smaller leaves.

Don't see it much anymore.

[GDR]

In a good year this is what stock lives on. Medicago polymorpha. When season finishes its good dry feed. Basically 5 months of year green or 6 then dry the rest. Medic is naturally regenerating. Wheat goes exceptionally well after grass free medic. Puts in N.

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Do the burs damage wool quality or cause mouth sores on the stock?

[malleefarmer]

1 ewe 80 to 100 bucks equals lets 90k per thousand ewes
1000 lambs hopefully at 130 130k but you only sell wether portion forgot to add that. so 500 times 130.
But you sell aged ewes each year for maybe 9o bucks by 200 ewes

plus 15k for lambs wool per 1000

bit short of a mill

burrs do get in wool yes but mostly on belly wool moiuths are fine

[dalek]

Guess they have to be housed and fed over winter

Not necessarily. A lot of ewes are left out all winter and bale grazed, maybe a wood lot for shelter or a windbreak. If there’s snow a lot don’t even need water

[Sheepwheat]

Not necessarily. A lot of ewes are left out all winter and bale grazed, maybe a wood lot for shelter or a windbreak. If there’s snow a lot don’t even need water

Our ewes are at the tail end of breeding right now. They are out on pasture. They bed down on the hay in the lee of the woods. And they do not have water, they eat snow. Un roll hay every few days, feed them a lb of grain a day, they are doing fine. -49 with windchill today. They IMHO are tougher than cows.

I do take it back that I love this weather. Today is different. Very uncomfortable, because I over dress, then I get sweating, and the combination, along with wearing glasses that fog up and get coated in frost, makes for discomfort. Not so much that I get cold, it is the discomfort of no being able to see, and sweat freezing on my forehead and glasses. Up to today, I liked being outside, today is tougher..

Need to wear less, I guess? lol.