Around the Camp: water infrastructure & feed suppliers / mental health / AgriHive / drought stories

Welcome to the February edition of Around the Camp and our first for 2014.  Not surprisingly this edition has a drought focus.  If you know of any web sites, information or resources that others may find useful then please let us know.  Here’s hoping for some widespread rain and soon!

  1. Water infrastructure suppliers
  2. Where can you buy fodder and feed supplements?
  3. Glovebox guide to mental health
  4. AgriHive – how one producer is trying to help others
  5. Drought survival stories
  6. Upcoming events
  7. eBulletins

1. Water infrastructure suppliers

Due to the ongoing dry conditions many producers are running out of water.  If you live in or near the following shires click on the link below.  It will take you to a document listing some of the suppliers of poly pipe, tanks, troughs and pumps.  The shires are: Balonne, Goondiwindi, Maranoa, Murweh, Paroo, Quilpie, Southern Downs, Toowoomba and Western Downs.

Click here to view water infrastructure suppliers in southern and south west Queensland.

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2. Where can you buy fodder and feed supplements?

With a lot of regular feed supplies running low you may be having trouble sourcing alternative supplies.  The link below gives you a list of suppliers who sell whole cottonseed, grain, feed rations/pellets, protein meals, dry licks, molasses and hay.  This list is meant to be just a starting point and is by no means complete.  Please check your local suppliers, the yellow pages, newspapers and the web for other options.  It pays to shop around.

Check out some options for sourcing fodder and supplements here.

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3. Glovebox guide to mental health

The Tie Up the Black Dog Committee, with the assistance and cooperation of the Queensland Country Life have developed the Glovebox Guide to Mental Health.  The stories and information presented have been gathered from a wide range of locations across Queensland – authors include doctors, psychologists, research fellows, sportsmen, authors, artists, farmers and rural women. It is hoped that these stories will reach into everyone’s hearts and help increase the awareness of how important it is to maintain good mental health and a positive attitude.

Click here to view the Glovebox guide to mental health.

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4. AgriHive – how one producer is trying to help others

James and Manny Walker, ‘Camden Park’ Longreach have created AgriHive to provide information, training and tools to assist farmers and producers affected by the drought.  The first installment is a free 25 minute audio which contains interviews with three experts in the fields of cattle marketing, supplementary feeding and fodder analysis.

Check out the website, listen to the audio or join the mailing list by clicking here.

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5. Drought survival stories

Every drought is different!  However, you may find some useful tips in this series of drought survival ebooks published by Leading Sheep in 2006/2007.  The main purpose was to provide, through individual stories and experiences, some tried and practical strategies to help sheep producers through the “big dry”.

Click here to view these stories.

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6. Upcoming events

  • Caravan of Collaboration
    • Tuesday 11 March Morven
    • Thursday 13 March Bollon
    • Friday 14 March Cunnamulla
    • Tuesday 18 March Quilpie
    • Wednesday 19 March Charleville
    • Thursday 20 March Tambo
  • Drought Assistance Information Sessions between 19 and 22 March Muttaburra and Windorah (tbc)
    • Agencies participating include DAFF, Rural Financial Counsellor, QRAA and RFDS
    • Opportunity after the presentations to catch up with the agencies and each other over a bite to eat
    • For more information contact Liz Lynch RFDS Longreach on 4652 5800

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7.eBulletins

Sheep CRC Summer Newsletter

Bestprac enews February 2014 – accelerating Innovation / submit labour info to win petrol

AWI woolgrowers’ newsletter January 2014 – rotational vs continuous grazing / wool Lab App

WormBoss News January 2014 – reducing drench resistance / emergency app / state outlooks

Invasive Animals CRC Feral Flyer January 2014