Pastoralists miss crucial rain

Livestock SA northern region chair Colin Greenfield, Billa Kalina Station, via Roxby Downs, said there had been little rain all through summer, following on from a drier year in 2017.

“There are areas in the North East that have it really tough and the North West is catching up rapidly,” he said.

Mr Greenfield said it was unusual for the lack of rain to be so widespread.

“There is so little rain everywhere,” he said. “Usually you can get some adjistment on some place, somewhere.”

Pastoral Board member Keith Slade, Moolooloo Station, Blinman, agreed.

“Normally there is a thunderstorm or a bit of rain somewhere,” he said. “From April to April, most people have only had from 50 millimetres to 100mm, unless they were very lucky.”

Since May last year, Roxby Downs had recorded 57.2mm of rain, with only 15mm of that falling in 2018 and none since February. Its average annual rainfall is 148mm. Marree has also had no rain since February, and 61.8mm since April last year – in comparison to an average rainfall of 146mm.

Further south at Hawker, in contrast to its average rainfall of 308mm, only 85.4mm has fallen, with only 1mm in the past two months. 

Mr Slade said those on pastoral leases were unable to use supplementary feeding, leading to most destocking significantly.

“The wool and meat job is as good as its ever been and we’re missing out on capitalising on that, but it’s also what’s keeping us going,” he said.

He said there was a reluctance to completely destock as it would mean the loss of generations of breeding.

“We’ve been breeding these (lines) for 20 or 50 years and it’s a juggling act because no one wants to lose their livelihood,” he said.

“And we always think its going to rain next week – pastoralists are very optimistic people.”

Mr Greenfield said stock bred on these properties had adapted to the conditions, whereas stock bought in would find it tougher, adding to the reluctance to destock and restock, while kangaroo numbers also limited the benefits of having no livestock on the property.

He said without a typical season there was no cut-off time to know when was the right time to sell.

At Glenlyle Station, Hawker, the Fels family have been feeding stock for months, after reducing sheep numbers.

Geoff Fels said the most recent significant rain they had was more than 12 months ago.

“Last year in April we had 40mm and had good germination and it looked like it’d be a pretty good year but we didn’t get any follow-up rain so we had no winter feed stores,” he said.

Since then they have only had about 100mm, falling in small amounts, with 21mm in the past four months.

Heath Fels said they had reduced their sheep flock to breeding stock only, having sold all the old ewes in October, after young lambs were sold in September.

“We’ve got 40 years worth of breeding, so we can’t sell it then buy it back and keep the breeding we’ve always had,” he said.

Geoff said they were trying to spread the flock across multiple paddocks to reduce the load, which was not being helped by the large kangaroo population.

They have also been contouring bare soil to try and minimise the loss of top soil during windy days or through rain events, when they eventually come.