Sixty-four properties responded to the TasFarmers dry conditions sentiment survey and on-island drought coordinator Deb Delaney presented the results at last Thursday’s farmer gathering.
The properties that responded represented a wide range of operations (40 to 3000 head).
In response to livestock management questions, 40 per cent of farms have Lambing/Calving season in Spring, 30 per cent mixed seasons, 20 per cent non-breeding and 10 per cent Autumn-only.
The survey showed 71 per cent are currently supplementary feeding, 13 per cent are not, and 16 per cent anticipate they will be.
The main issues being faced are: financial costs (50 per cent), transport costs (13 per cent), sourcing hay (29 per cent) and small-scale operation challenges (9 per cent).
The survey revealed a median of 14.76 per cent across all respondents in destocking rates and an average of 25% for those who have destocked.
Cattle Stocking Rates have declined from 1.61 head per hectare last year to 1.41 this year and a variation in breeder stocking rates, averaging 0.46 cows per hectare, with 54 per cent of respondents considering further destocking.
Key decisions that are influenced by these activities include changes in fertiliser rates, feed allocation, planning, livestock treatment, feed budgeting, destocking strategies and improved livestock condition assessment.
Of those surveyed, 69 per cent have set up additional water infrastructure this year; 75 per cent have less than 20 per cent water supply left and 32 per cent anticipate needing to cart water in the next three months.
The survey participants suggested cattle feeding, nutrition, fertiliser management, winter crops, wildlife management, long-range forecasting, energy requirements, water infrastructure and fodder reserves as future challenges to be addressed.
The survey also revealed that group sharing across properties and benchmarking was valuable.
Farmers requested better shipping strategies and information about how to access markets off the island and improved earlier access to hay and those markets and minimising damage going into the future Small producers felt that they had been left off the agenda and highlighted the need for social activities, stress management, eligibility for financial support and loans, and increased water planning.
Need for Feed and the King Island Lions Club will hold an open-to-all function on July 27 at the Showgrounds. This will coincide with another Need for Feed top-up.
Photo by Jennifer Coffin-Grey