Hamish Dickson

Sheep producers.... 🇦🇺 We've a national webinar 🗓 This Friday 🕛 12-2pm Rego bit.ly/2025MLwebinar Presos + insights from our containment feeding workshops: 🌾 grain pellets hay straw 🔢 energy rations & feed tests ↔️ transitioning in/out 🚜 gear & set up 🌐 pens mobs types

SALC LAU PROGRAM UPDATE | We've been working hard to bring our program together for the #SALCLAU2019! @McTay01 from @meatlivestock will be co-presenting a session on the latest in MLA RD&A. Register & more info: salivestockconsultants.com.au.

Important work, please send your comments to Tom!

@mrjengland No worries, yep in that case I often see the main offenders are a group of ewes that resist the straw for as long as possible in between hay feeds. Then the grain intake (proportionally) tends to fluctuate, cause some digestive upset and pass more grain.

@hamish_dickson Thanks Hamish. Balansa pretty much cleaned up in 2 days and straw was being eaten at 3kg/week. Had hoped that would bind them up hut my fault for letting them slip a bit lower than I wanted.

@hamish_dickson I had twin ewes requiring 98mj/week less 15% as in confine.Gave straw add lib & were eating 1.5kg balansa hay/week & Barley 1.4kg x 4 times a week. Was this enough fibre as when doing own FEC counts notice plenty whole grains in crap?wastage rates underestimated?

@PeterDutton_MP Stop looking after your own self interest and focus on the long term future of our country, and no, just because you think you would be a better leader does not mean that's what you're doing - we need a govt with stability, foresight and heart, none of which you deliver.

A few minutes ago I spoke with Malcolm Turnbull to advise him I believed the majority of the party room no longer supported his leadership. Accordingly, I asked him to convene a party room meeting at which I would challenge for the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party.

For those of you interested in hearing the latest project updates from MLA, AWI and other researchers: eventbrite.com.au/e/salc-livesto…

It’s ewe time! Today we’re in Walgett NSW with @meatlivestock delivering seasonal information to help you get the best outcome from your sheep flock in the current season. Tons of practical advice & presentations will be on makingmorefromsheep.com.au soon!

@pbl1972 @sheepGeekCP Work still to be done in that area, however as we are weighing more regularly than current systems it should be less. Outputs dependent on the trial purpose, some work will be RFI, but also simply testing a range of mgmt options, eg feed, shade, water etc

@hamish_dickson @sheepGeekCP Any idea how long the test period will be? And whether feed efficiency will be expressed as FCR, RFI or both?

Masteryard. 500 head individual animal feedintake measuring feedlot. By Will MacSmith

@pbl1972 @sheepGeekCP The feed trough is actually a series of individual feed tubs all on loadcells to measure feed consumed each time they eat, liveweight is also collected as the animal feeds.

@sheepGeekCP How does it work? I can see feed is delivered from the tubes above. But how is feed intake measured?

@mrjengland @TimLeeming @sheepGeekCP Yep 11.5 - 12me, but importantly also about 25% protein and low dry matter content, so good for meeting protein requirements, but may still be short on energy depending on number of lambs

What feed value estimate does this mostly fresh fescue phalaris and clover pasture pasture inbetween cardboard shelter provide? @TimLeeming @sheepGeekCP @hamish_dickson hard to pluck feedtest!

@mooringafarms Brain/spinal cord is usually definitive for sway back (copper) however bloods are unreliable, so if it happened to be based on that I wouldn't rule out Cu, hope they get to the bottom of it for you.

@mooringafarms Yes surprised to see copper ruled out, do you know if this was based on blood test results, or did they examine brain/spinal cord?

Attention #EyrePeninsula Farmers - Confinement Feeding Workshop with Hamish Dickson - FREE EVENT- Kimba Council Chambers, Tues 12 Dec 2017, call Mary 0407 187 878. More info: bit.ly/confinefeedep #epsutainableag #sheep #livestock #sustainable #farm

@mooringafarms Could also be sway back which is a symptom of copper deficiency in utero. Test before treating though as it is toxic in high amounts.

@rockwahnoms Shearwell tags performing well, pretty good application and no problems with retention.

A great opportunity to get some answers to questions we've all been asking ourselves over the last few weeks.

@AchieveAg Only worth supplementing w/ Zn where deficiency exists. I find its most important to manage feed (DM & CP) and footbathing for lameness.

Amazing images of a fetal lamb after growing for 4 weeks in an artificial womb ow.ly/APvO30b9Qoy