Around the Camp: OJD webinar recordings / long wool lice tool / national merino challenge / farm management deposits

OJD – are you ready?
New Long Wool Lice Tool – quick and easy
National Merino Challenge
Farm Management Deposits – changes commencing 1 July 2016
Upcoming events
eBulletins

1. OJD – are you ready?

With the impending change in Ovine Johnes Disease (OJD) regulation in Queensland to ‘buyer-beware’, sheep producers will need to skill up on OJD. The recent Leading Sheep webinar on OJD, discussed the impending regulatory changes with Dr. Lawrence Gavey from Biosecurity Queensland.

OJD is a bacterial infection causing thickening of the gut and wasting, production losses and death in affected animals. OJD is slow growing and spreads in faeces from affected animals. It is most significant with high stocking rates in animals under stress including lambing. Vaccination is of some value but is unlikely to be commonly used in Queensland. Testing is primarily a flock test only, as individual affected animals can take some years for a faecal culture to become positive. Your best weapon to prevent OJD being spread to your property is the National Sheep Health Statement – this should be required from all vendors when restocking.

The webinar was recorded and is available as three short recordings (6-13 minutes):

Future strategies for Ovine Johnes Disease (OJD) – Introduction to OJD
Future strategies for Ovine Johnes Disease (OJD) – Changing frameworks
Future strategies for Ovine Johnes Disease (OJD) – New Johnes disease strategy for Queensland

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2. New Long Wool Lice Tool – quick and easy

The LiceBoss Long Wool Tool has had a makeover and is even easier to use. In less than a minute you can describe your situation and the Long Wool Tool will calculate the value of wool loss if no treatment is applied, as well as the approximate cost of a long wool treatment—including chemical, labour and current wool value loss. A report is easily printed.

Ultimately, a long wool treatment is warranted when the cost of application is less than the cost of wool damage if no long wool treatment is applied.

To use the Long Wool Tool, simply select the time of last and next shearing; the time when you see sheep rubbing; the estimated lice-free value of fleeces at next shearing; the number of sheep in the mob; and the number or % of the mob seen rubbing.

For more information or to start using the tool, click here.

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3. National Merino Challenge

More than 140 students from across Australia have enjoyed an introduction to the wool industry via the National Merino Challenge (NMC) in 2016. Now it its fourth year and the first outside its pilot phase, the NMC has educated more than 360 secondary and tertiary students about the basics of the wool industry.

The aim of the NMC is not only to introduce students to the career opportunities within the sheep and wool industries but to offer basic skills surrounding sheep management and appraisal Web using both traditional and modern methods. Last year’s addition of a Careers Panel was broadened to seven panelists to provide students with more insight into the wide variety of options available through the sheep and wool industries.

Australian Wool Innovation manager of woolgrower extension and adoption Emily King said the NMC had grown rapidly since its inception because it met the demands of a new generation. “There is a strong wave of young people coming through who are increasingly enthusiastic about the wool industry. These are the young minds that will take the industry forward with new ideas and new leadership. It’s exciting to see and great to be involved.”

View the 2016 National Merino Challenge winners. Leading Sheep would encourage any Queenland school to get involved in the 2017 National Merino Challenge which will be held in Melbourne on 27 & 28 May.

For more information on the National Merino Challenge.

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4. Farm Management Deposits – changes commencing 1 July 2016

The Farm Management Deposits (FMD) Scheme assists primary producers to deal more effectively with fluctuations in cash flows. It is designed to increase the self-reliance of Australian primary producers by helping them manage their financial risk and meet their business costs in low-income years by building up cash reserves. The scheme allows eligible primary producers to set aside pre-tax income from primary production in years of high income, which they can draw on in years of low income. Income deposited into an FMD account is tax deductible in the financial year the deposit is made. It becomes taxable income in the financial year in which it is withdrawn. cash

The following three changes to the FMD Scheme, are commencing on 1 July 2016:

doubling of the cap on deposits from $400 000 to $800 000
re-establishment of an early access trigger during times of drought
allowing FMDs to be used to offset the interest costs on primary production business debt.

More details on the changes to the FMD Scheme can be found at Important Changes to the Farm Management Deposits Scheme.

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5. Upcoming events

Pathways towards Succession, Pastoral Profit. For more information click here.
- 16 June, Cunnamulla
- 17 June, Thargomindah

AgForce Southern Inland Qld forum, 20-21 June, Roma. Form more information click here.

Sheep handling made easy! For more information or to register click here.
- Wednesday 22 June – ‘Riverview’, Surat. Register
- Thursday 23 June – ‘Mt Molar’, Clifton. Register

Business Performance workshop, Pastoral Profit, 20 June, Windorah. For more information click here.

Best Wool Best Lamb conference, 22 June, Bendigo, Victoria. For more information click here.

Carbon workshop, Desert Channels Qld, 23 June, Blackall. For more information or to register, click here.

Planning for prosperity and growth, Pastoral Profit, 28 June, Bollon. For more information or to register click here.

The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity, Pastoral Profit. Contact Heather Smith for more information on 0428 712 985.
- 29 June, Augathella – register
- 30 June, Eulo – register