I ALWAYS thought I travelled a lot of kilometres in a week working for Stock Journal, but after talking to an Eyre Peninsula farmer last week, I discovered my time in the car is a walk in the park.
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The particular farmer I was talking to had travelled from Ungarra on the EP to Booborowie in the Mid North to put in his entries for the inaugural Thomas Foods International Booborowie Lamb Competition.
I thought this was impressive enough, before he informed me that he was actually travelling on to Streaky Bay after Booborowie!
Entrants came from far and wide to enter the competition, with another farmer travelling through the heart of Adelaide, during mad Fringe time, from the Fleurieu Peninsula to take part. This shows the huge amount of interest the competition has attracted, with many farmers wanting to benchmark how their breed and stock perform against others from throughout the state.
Unloading of the competition lambs was followed by a great afternoon of speakers at the Booborowie Institute.
One major message to come through from a number of the speakers was that producers should not be chasing lean meat yield at the expense of eatability.
It takes just one bad eating experience to turn consumers off lamb, so every care needs to be taken to ensure a pleasant product was on people’s plates.
Not only was it a great afternoon of speakers, props have to go to the Booborowie Bowling Club for the sensational lamb burgers after the event.
At another major livestock event last week – the SA Pig Industry Day at Tanunda – I was asked an interesting question by a farmer – whether I thought a good stock person was born or if the skills could be taught?
The question followed on from conversation about footage shown on metropolitan media last week of a piggery worker who looked like he was struggling to deal with the stock in his care.
The farmer questioned whether it makes it easier to get footage like this when some people just don’t have the skills to deal with animals, no matter how much education they receive.
I replied I do think it’s something that you’re born with, unfortunately.
I’d love to say I have a way with animals, but after years of dealing with them, I know my short-comings.
You just have to take one look at our livestock editor Catherine Miller, who has a gift for being able to get a bull’s ears forward for a cracker photograph.
Unfortunately, I can moo until I’m blue in the face some days and all I will get is the cattle looking at me strangely.
Luckily, the stock usually come through for me in the end, but it can be tough!
