A well-earned break is on its way for some SA farmers this summer, with little to no spring rainfall resulting in minimal weeds in paddocks and therefore less need for summer spraying.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
Lock farmer Kerran Glover, who crops about 4500 hectares, expects to finish his harvest program today, and although last year he had boomsprays in paddocks at the same time headers were, this year he believes he will have a grace period heading into the holidays.
While less time spraying summer weeds will be a welcome gift, it also means less subsoil moisture heading into seeding next year according to Mr Glover, but he said he wouldn't be changing any of his normal decision making just yet.
"We're not going to have the moisture up our sleeve that we had at seeding last year unless we get some significant rainfall over the summer period," he said.
"I'm not going to change any plans in the initial stages, but we might change a few in season decisions about fertiliser based on stored moisture and whether we're actually getting the rainfall."
Mr Glover also runs a 1500-head self-replacing Merino ewe flock, with all ewes currently in containment feeding in an effort to manage ground cover.
"It's critical for us to retain ground cover so when we do get to seeding next year we're able to sew into it with good cover," he said.
"It is tricky though because with the way the grain market is at the moment, you have to balance how much money you want to spend on containment feeding with how much value you put on ground cover in paddocks.
"I'm of the opinion that getting good crop establishment for next season is vital for us, and although you have to spend a bit more feeding stock, they're maintaining condition and the sheep market will rebound at some stage, so while I'm able to keep them in a relatively cost effective holding pattern I will.
"We're actually holding onto sheep at the moment that we'd normally sell, but the value isn't there and we can hold them until shearing and get another fleece off them and wait for better value."
Katie Jackson
Journalist at Stock Journal. Born into a journo family in the state's South East, Katie made the move to the big smoke to join the team in early 2022 after seven years spent at various mastheads in the regions.
Journalist at Stock Journal. Born into a journo family in the state's South East, Katie made the move to the big smoke to join the team in early 2022 after seven years spent at various mastheads in the regions.
