MAY 2009

Merino Stud:

We have just lifted the nutrition and classed our ewes into lambing mobs – 80 – 120 in each, including the ewes we conducted ET programme with last December.

These ewes have been organised into 4,000 Special Stud Haddon Rig ewes, 400 Lansdowne/HR Poll ewes; and 200 of our Severn Park/HR Mules-Free family.

We have been lucky to receive average rainfall so far this year which has given us a green start to 2009.

Severn Park/HR – Charlie Massey says that the ewes have picked up and jumped away in condition since shearing and appear to be heavily in lamb.

We have 700 merinos and 700 dorset/Merinos on feed in our newly completed lamb feedlot adjacent to the woolshed yards. This kicked off in April and the feed regime consists of barley/lupins/Elders breeding services lamb mix. A large scale tree planting project is planned this year to provide windbreak for this, and also cut down the dust through the classing race and woolshed yards.

Newsletter – We are starting to put our Newsletter together. Please send any info or photos you may have about your sheep/HR/your farm/industry matters to Sally Falkiner so that I can share this with our readership. salfalkiner@bigpond.com.au Thanks!

Jillaroos - HR has two jillaroos working on the place. Erin Rush is an entrant in the upcoming Warren Showgirl Competition. We wish her luck!

Yoroka Kelpies – The Stud’s sire, “Chief” received very good comments at the Eumungerie dog trial,  Nick and Mary continue to hold Training Days, and have put a lot of work into their kennels so far this year. A website is in the making. 

National Trust Visitors to HR – We have just welcomed a large group of National Trust members from Parkes and Forbes area. They toured the woolshed, old jackeroo quarters, Homestead and Gardens as part of an extensive district exploration.

Anderson – We welcomed members of the Anderson Family who had lived here on the Station in the early sixties. Mr Anderson senior had been in charge of all engines, generators etc on-farm and had worked with Mr Falkiner Snr on many innovations ie fire-fighting aircraft engine mounted on a truck (a development of this idea was put to use in the Gulf War to put out the massive oil fires there).

Beavis – An enquiry from descendant of George Beavis who died in 1868 on the station of a broken thigh. HR is conducting work on the Haddon Rig cemetery this year and many of the headstones there will be more clearly revealed.

George Falkiner – AWI

George has been earning his stipend as a Board Member for our Industry’s Wool Body. He is pleased to report that the team works very well together, and with Brenda McGahan as CEO. They have been concentrating on shaping the company professionally, cutting down on overheads, sourcing the right employees and bringing the global team together. 

George is working specifically with Meredith Sheil within the On-Farm R&D area, identifying viable projects within key, useful areas and setting up targets and time-frames for their achievement. 

He is also working within the animal welfare sphere to ensure that all members of the Industry are kept fully informed as to the development of the non-mulesed merino,  and is committed to keeping up the momentum of this goal .