Paddock Chat

Today on Paddock Chat we’re getting into the research behind WA’s wild dog problem. Joining us today is a wildlife ecologist and DPIRD research scientist, Dr Tracey Kreplins. Tracey busted some common myths about wild dogs, gave us an update on the research being done in WA, and some insight into the kind of activity we may see following a productive breeding season and mild summer.  We are also j...

Today on Paddock Chat we are talking preg scanning. Ultrasound scanning pregnant ewes, or pre-scanning, is a management practice that can boost lambing percentages by helping producers manage the needs of pregnant ewes. It also means you can manage dry ewes more effectively. We caught up with Bec Martin, who runs Martin's Ewe Scan across the Midlands region, to learn more about how it works a...

Today on Paddock Chat we are talking potatoes.  We caught up with Brad Ryan who farms with his family in Dandaragan. They run a mixed enterprise with a focus on ware and seed potatoes. “Ware Potatoes” refers to any potatoes destined for human consumption while still in potato form. Brad unpacked their operation, giving us an insight into what their growing season looks like, how they tackle constr...

Precision ag technologies have huge potential for managing variability in our agricultural systems. We caught up with the Agrarian Management consultant, Bindi Isbister, to shed some light on how we can implement precision ag in our farm businesses to improve input efficiency and boost yields. Bindi also shared some great tips on where to start, and how to tackle the roadblocks that many producers...

Today on Paddock Chat we’re talking farm safety. Is your farm business up to scratch when it comes to safety? In light of the recent changes to WA industrial manslaughter legislation, there is a renewed push to get farming operations up to scratch for the safety and well-being of everyone on-farm: employees, employers, family members, contractors, and visitors. To shed some light on how producers...

In this episode, WMG’s Brinley Porter caught up with Calingiri farmer, Sarah Mason to unpack her experience eradicating spiny rush from her property. Sarah gives insight into the ongoing activities and tools they use to ensure the re-establishment of the invasive weed is prevented. And later in the episode, we get to know the newest member of the WMG team, Erin O’Brien. We talk about the BEEF LINK...

Are you planning on burning your crop stubbles ahead of seeding this year? Research has shown there are many benefits to retaining stubbles. West Midlands Group 's executive officer Nathan Craig caught up with Ken Flower to discuss the advantages of retaining stubble to ensure good soil moisture retention and crop establishment, and to minimise soil erosion. Ken is a lecturer at UWA’s School...

Are you currently using ASBVs to guide your decision making when purchasing rams?  If you haven’t had a go at using Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBV) just yet, this episode will give you a better understanding of what they are, and how you can apply them to your operation to improve productivity and profitability. Essentially, ASBVs are an estimate of the genetic potential a sheep will pass...

In 2020, Coorow farmer and WMG member Charles Wass hosted a collaborative WMG and Liebe Group trial site to explore options to increase production on what was previously an unviable paddock.  The paddock was ameliorated with a Plozza Plow in June 2019 and seeded to 8 plots of varying pasture varieties in May 2020. On today’s episode, you’ll hear a conversation between myself, Charles and WMG mixed...

When the West Midlands Group’s Nathan Craig caught up with DPIRD’s Paul Findlater recently to chat about the wind erosion in our region, after checking out some of this year’s trial site, they discussed the performance of a few of those as well as checked some of the interesting things that were happening in roadside paddocks on their way back to the WMG office. They also discussed why Paul loves...

Feral pigs cost the agricultural industry over $100 million each year, largely via predation of lambs, competition with livestock and damage to property and crops. In this episode, I caught up with Peter Adams, DPIRD development officer and returning guest, the Midlands Biosecurity Group’s coordinator Chris O’Callaghan to get a better understanding of their impact on the Midlands region and what w...

Earlier this year, many farms across the West Midlands region suffered a severe weather event and wind erosion. This episode features a conversation from back in late October this year that the West Midlands Group's executive officer Nathan Craig had with Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development ’s Paul Findlater on the topic of wind erosion. Tune in to hear Nathan and Paul d...

Have your lambing percentages been impacted without any obvious cause? Did you get new rams this year?  Have the neighbour's ewes or rams found their way into your flock?  If you answered yes to any of those questions, your operation may have been exposed to Ovine Brucellosis. Ovine brucellosis is a highly detrimental reproductive disease that can affect all breeds of sheep. West Midlands Gro...

In this episode,  the WMG caught up with farm manager Mark Drake from Lawson Grains' Walyoo operation at Regans Ford. We discuss: How their crops are performing following the 2020 season His tips for finding and retaining staff during harvest What Walyoo did to tackle safety and continue production when COVID19 hit WA earlier this year  The procedures in place to ensure the Walyoo team gets t...

If you were lucky enough to attend our Beef Cattle Nutrition in Practice workshop back in August this year, you would have had the opportunity to hear from today’s guest, livestock production specialist and Honorary Research Fellow in the UWA Institute of Agriculture - Dr John Milton. If you didn’t get there, then this episode catches you up on the great information you missed out on!  In this epi...

You're listening to our first ever mini-episode! In lieu of our usual programming, we're recommending some great podcasts working in the ag space that we're sure you'll love. Find links to those podcasts in the show notes below. Make sure you listen to the end of this mini-episode for a sneak peek of our upcoming ep featuring livestock production specialist, Dr John Milton on t...

In this episode, we caught up with Head of Succession Planning at Rabobank, Rosemary Bartle. In part two of our chat with Rosemary we cover: Decision making around active and inactive family members Strategies to continue the process even when you don’t see eye to eye Where should succession planning take place? Is there a spot for success?  And Rosemary’s top tips for succession planning Get in t...

In this episode, we caught up with Head of Succession Planning at Rabobank, Rosemary Bartle. We tackle the tricky topic of succession planning! In our conversation, Rosemary shares her tips on: How to get started and what to expect Who needs to be involved in the planning Keeping things fair and negotiating compromise Get in touch Rosemary Bartle | E: Rosemary. Bartle@rabobank.com Rabobank Success...

In this episode of Paddock Chat, West Midlands Group 's executive officer Dr Nathan Craig caught up with Dr Hanabeth Luke to delve into the topic of RegenAg. Their conversation covers: What is Regen Ag really?  How does it fit into and does it already exist in traditional farming systems?  What the future holds for research in this rapidly developing field and the exciting new Regenerative Ag...

In today's episode, we're talking weaning for best results. We caught up with Dr Danny Roberts (DPIRD veterinarian and researcher) to talk about: The benefits of weaning at 12 to 14 weeks after the start of lambing Things to consider before weaning Paddock and nutrition tips to get the best results for both ewe and lamb after weaning You can get in touch with Dr Danny via email on danny....

In this episode, we're talking weeds and pests with agronomist and farmer Courtney Piesse. We cover how the season is looking so far, our options for resistance management, the pests our crops could be vulnerable to in 2020, and the exciting new Agtech on the horizon for managing weeds. This conversation was recorded in early June 2020. Useful Links Get in touch with Courtney on 0429377608 or...

In this episode, we caught up with Dandaragan grower Duncan Glasfurd to delve into his experience with ameliorating soils, and late-season amelioration in particular. We cover why they choose to wait for rain when ameliorating, the preparation of a paddock prior to amelioration, how management changes following amelioration and all the things to consider before giving it a go that will save you ti...

In this episode, I caught up with Nutrition & Production Specialist Bronwen Fowler from Nutrien Ag Solutions to talk about mastitis in ewes. Following the dry summer, sheep producers should keep an eye out for this highly contagious and damaging disease in their flock. We caught up with Bronwen in mid-June 2020 to get her advice on preventing, recognising, managing and treating mastitis. USEFU...

This week's episode has literally come from a paddock near you! We caught up with Dandaragan farmer, Zac Roberts in a paddock full of perennials on Strathmore in Dandaragan to talk all things pasture improvement. Zac farms with his father Wade and brother Jeremy on approximately 10,000 hectares spread across four properties within the Dandaragan Shire. The Roberts family run a mixed enterpris...

In this episode, we chat with Summit Fertilizers Area Manager and Marchagee farmer, Juliet McDonald about what's keeping her busy in the paddock right now, how to spot the missing links to improve your crop performance, what she thinks we can expect from the 2020 season and plenty more. This conversation was recorded on the 15th of May 2020 when we were still waiting on the break of the seaso...