In continuing our dedication to sustainability at Avington, our annual tree planning program has commenced this month. A 15-year strong relationship with Central Goldfields Revegetation has seen an estimated 170,000 trees be planed over six properties, with an annual target of 8,000 trees to be planted this winter and spring. This commitment not only offers shelter for livestock but also contributes to biodiversity at Avington Merino.
At Avington it’s no secret that animal welfare is our highest priority. In our constant search to evolve our management techniques we recently came across a revolutionary castration tool known as “numnuts”. The Numnuts castration tool is used to apply a traditional rubber castration ring and also seamlessly administers a dose of ‘numocane’, a local anaesthetic. This alleviates post application pain to the testicles and tail, allowing treated lambs to walk freely and continue feeding unaffected by the process.
On the 2nd of July Avington was host to a training day featuring product developer Robin Smith (Senesio), Tristan Jubb (Bendigo sheep vets) and Leigh Coglan (Kyneton Veterinary Hospital). This course provided an introduction to the best practice procedures of lamb marking and hands-on training with the Numnuts system.
Early trialling of the process at Avington shows a remarkable change in lamb behaviour post marking, with no affects or physical displays of pain. Results included an easy unaffected walk back to grazing paddocks and an instant return to normal feeding behaviour.
Given the outstanding results we will now proceed in making all of our 2019 progeny using this method.
During June Avington participated in its third Livestock Production Assurance audit conducted by Meat and Livestock Australia since its establishment in 1996.
The auditing system focusses on operational pillars including on-farm food safety, animal welfare and biosecurity.
With our strong commitment to record keeping, best practice and operational transparency the audit was passed with flying colours.
Last week we completed our annual sale of surplus sheep with a line of productive ewes heading to Kangaroo Island, proving the confidence in Avington genetics across a range of climatic conditions.
A new drone will take to the skies this lambing season at Avington, enabling the surveillance of ewes from a safe distance during this critical time. The drone comes with a zoom lens which will allow staff to moniter ewes before, during and after lambing, to see if any are in distress and to keep a watch out for predators. It will also be an invaluable tool during poor weather when lambs are most vulnerable.
On 21st March 2019 Avington had Dan and Di from the McKinnon Project on farm to train staff in sampling, measuring and monitoring the worm burden in our sheep.
McKinnon is a consulting group that Avington has a long association with and are based at the Vet School of Melbourne University.
Four staff participated in the workshop and will now be able to carry out accurate faecal egg count (FEC) sampling and testing on farm.
FEC testing enables us to determine the number of worm or fluke eggs present in a specific mob or individual animals and thus measure the parasitic burden.
From this information we can make more educated decisions regarding the need to drench or make stock movements.
By having the FEC testing facilities and training at Avington we can collect samples and get results quickly to avoid unnecessary drenching that can result in resistance.
Avington hosted a low stress stock handling course on 13-14 March, 2019.
There were six Avington staff plus eight farmers from other parts of Victoria.
The aim of the course is to foster an environment of low stress interaction between people and animals, to promote a positive attitude to stock handling and to show the economic benefit of a low stress environment.
The trainer, Nic Kentish, was an inspiration to the group and provided training in the shed plus practical demonstrations in the paddocks and yards. We all developed new skills which are being used on farm with our stock.
Avington had two rams in the ram sale on the Sunday.
A 33340 (160098) 14.8 FD $2,500
A 33345 (161734) 15.9 FD $2,000
Following offers on the Show rams both were sold.
A 33342 (160047) 15.7 FD $8,000
A 33341 (160206) 15.5 FD $5,000
Avington celebrated success in Bendigo recently at the 2018 Australian Sheep and Wool Show.
Read MoreIn autumn 2019 we have continued our pasture renovation program, sowing a combination of perennial and annual ryegrasses combined with multiple clover species over an area of 130 hectares. High May and June rainfalls have seen these newly sown pastures germinate well and place themselves in a great position heading into what we are hoping will be a favourable spring.
Loading of fertilizer onto the spreader truck
The stock pile of lime
Avington was proud to be the first wool growing property in Australia to be certified under the international Responsible Wool Standard in 2017.
The certification is for three years but an annual surveillance audit is required. The surveillance audit was carried out in February 2018 by Lexi Sturrock of Control Union on behalf of Textile Exchange. Also present was Stuart Adams, Agriculture Standards Advisor- Textile Exchange, the developers of the RWS.
The goals of the RWS… ‘will provide the industry with a tool to recognize the best practices of farmers, ensuring that wool comes from farms with a progressive approach to managing their land, and from sheep that have been treated responsibility.’
A Jackeroo position is now available at Avington, please see the flyer for more information.
Avington Merino won several awards for our sheep and wool at this year’s show. Our results were:
Tag 150082: Reserve Champion Ultrafine Poll Ram
Tag 161481: Champion Ultrafine Poll Ewe
Tag 150062: Champion Superfine Poll Ewe, also Reserve Junior Champion Superfine Ewe
A great result with seven broad ribbons to the five sheep taken. All placed in their opening classes.
Highest number of merino entries with a really strong depth of field in the ultrafine & superfine end of the shed.
In April 2007 we purchased the neighbouring property, Avington South. The timing of our purchase enabled us to double-fence boundaries and plant shelterbelts. These plantings provide shade and shelter for stock, increase biodiversity and allow carbon levels to increase in the soil.
Other improvements to infrastructure at Avington include the extension of our existing shearing shed. The extension included the installation of additional wool storage bays which will streamline productivity during our busy shearing period. The shed was also extended to cover our existing sheep yards, enabling us to hold at least a full day’s off-shears inside in case of a severe weather event. The protected yards further demonstrate that our commitment to the health and wellbeing of our sheep is paramount, ensuring their comfort throughout the year.
A new stock loading ramp was installed at Avington recently. The improved ramp enables us to load stock in less time than previously and is fully compliant with health and safety regulations.
Murdoch university recently undertook a study using sensor technologies on ewes and lambs.
This technology will potentially offer an accurate means for identification of lambs to dams, resulting in the collection of critical DNA data for breeders.
The sensors monitored lamb and ewe behaviour to match lambs to their dams.
The study will aim to further develop data collection on lamb and ewe behaviour, changes in activity, isolation pattern suckling/licking behaviours, date of conception, date of birth, lameness, Dystocia, cast ewes, early warning of flies/ill-thrift and intake and grazing patterns.
Lambs at Avington were fitted with non-intrusive collars with sensor monitors. When in commercial production, Electronic tag technology similar to the Electronic Identification Device (EID) which is currently in use, will more than likely replace the trial collars.
Midland Express, July 11, 2017
The Protecting, Linking and Enhancing Priority Remnants in the Kyneton Woodlands Project (the Kyneton Woodlands Project) was funded by the Australian Government. The project received $2.47 million in funding over five years between 2012–2017. Avington Merino was proud to be support the project by protecting significant remnant vegetation by fencing off these areas, collecting seed and replanting seed in conjunction with the local landcare group.
For more information on the Kyneton Woodlands project visit:
