Last week, the inaugural session of the RIST & AWI’s Lifetime Ewe Management (LTEM) Heytesbury Group brought together farmers from Cobden, Timboon, Darlington, and Port Campbell. This area, once exclusively dedicated to dairy farming until the last decade, is now also home to a diverse range of sheep producers, including merino, composite, and first cross breeds.
During this first session, participants took part in condition scoring their ewes, comprehensive pasture assessment and measurement exercises which are important for developing effective feed budgets as they approach weaning time. The Heytesbury district, known for staying green for nearly ten months each year, features pastures made up of perennial grasses, , and legumes and currently, there’s no need for supplement feeding.
A key takeaway for participants was the revelation that pasture this time of year is composed of 80% water. Using a bucket to illustrate, a 10L bucket of feed contains just 2kg of actual feed and 8kg of water. “When lambing ewes need up to 30kg of pasture, which is a huge amount of feed to consume, nearly impossible, the rest of that requirement has to come off the condition of the ewe” The LTEM Group Trainer, Ken Solly, explained the importance of having good condition score post-lambing from which the ewe can draw energy to boost her milk production. .
Looking ahead, the group aims to address production issues by tracking data from monitor flocks. This collaborative approach will facilitate dialogue among participants, helping them refine their practices based on shared experiences and become a sound foundation for keeping good lambing records.
About the LTEM Trainer:
The Heytesbury LTEM Group is led by well-respected Australian agricultural consultant Ken Solly. Ken brings with him over 55 years in the industry, with 15 of those as a LTEM trainer. Offering the group a wealth of knowledge and experience, Ken is more committed than ever to empower both seasoned and new farmers through education and mentorship. “I’m not planning on slowing down just yet”.
When reflecting on his favourite part of delivering the LTEM course, Ken acknowledged, “The best part of my job is seeing participants implement the principles to optimise their farming practices. I also enjoy witnessing them network and share experiences”. After this session, participants were seen arranging visits to each other’s farms to learn about different pasture management strategies, highlighting the value of group network learning, “which is what it’s all about”.
In a bid to foster positivity, Ken encourages his LTEM Group participants to identify recent successes on their farms to bring to the next gathering, “whether it was a good lambing percentage or effective pasture management, Farming involves a lot of problem-solving. And the ability to work within your networks and – celebrating the positives makes the journey more enjoyable.”
Thankyou to Ken and the Heytesbury LTEM Group, We look forward to hearing more from future sessions!
If you would like to discover more about LTEM get in touch with RIST’s National Program Manager Bec Malseed on 1800 883 343.