The Land Down Under was Uplifting

By: Darcy Howard, Production Animal Consultation

I was fortunate to experience the trip of a lifetime accompanying Ted Howard and Dr. Kip Lukasiewicz to Australia on a working visit. Dr. Kev Sullivan greeted us off a 13-hour flight at the Brisbane Airport and the adventure began… on the left side of the road.

We traveled through the beautiful foliage-covered Great Dividing Range on our journey to Dr. Kev’s home in Bell, Queensland. We all kept a sharp eye out for kangaroos and wallabies. However, seeing none, we started to question if the elusive kangaroo was simply an Australian myth.

The quaint rural town of Bell (population 550) is nestled in the western foothills of the Bunya Mountains. Dr. Kev and Jane Sullivan graciously hosted us in their charming home, Dolce Donum. We were welcomed by the wonderful staff at Bell Veterinary Services. We enjoyed visiting with these busy and passionate animal stewards.

Dr. Kev toured Dr. Kip and Ted to the Dalby Regional Saleyards where every Wednesday five to seven thousand head are auctioned. We were greeted by Frank and Lynn Ashman providing coffee and our first ever scones (Australian biscuit with jam and cream). Dr. Kip and Ted discussed low stress cattle handling options for their new sale barn facilities.

Then we embarked on the feed yard tours and training. Our first stop was Aronui Feedyard. Dr. Kip worked closely with the stockmen on loading out fat cattle in double-decked side load trailers. The cattle trailers were very different from those we have in the United States.

Ted sported his first ever riding helmet as he worked with the stockmen in the pens. Riding an Australian saddle was a new experience as well. He appreciated the o-ring bits and horsemanship from the crew. The people were amazing.

Next stop was Rangers Valley near Glen Innes, New South Wales. The countryside was magnificent and the rainy weather was refreshing. Rangers Valley hosted a two-day seminar on nutrition, hoof care, horse teeth maintenance, horsemanship and stockmanship practices.

Dr. Kip worked extensively in the processing barn’s bud box loading cattle into the working alley. He spent time with each stockman explaining pressure and release principles. Ted demonstrated acclimating and exercising in the pens with the stockmen. Ted also spent one afternoon working with individual’s horses. Each horse brought a different opportunity for teaching horsemanship.

We learned that cattle heading to slaughter must be washed and clean. The washing station would wash up to eighty head of fats at one time over a few hours. The cattle then were taken to wood chipped pens under a shed where they would reside for a few weeks until being shipped.

We stayed in the original headquarters at Rangers Valley. The Australian history and heritage of this great home was apparent throughout from the ornate fire place to the brick covered courtyard. Sensing the history in the original shearing sheds and shearers’ quarters was truly an unforgettable experience. However, the best part of Rangers Valley was the people.

At this point in the adventure Dr. Kip headed home to the United States, but not before he got to experience a rugby match. He ate the traditional meat pie like an Australian native. It was a pleasure traveling with Dr. Kip; however one must remember he requires very little sleep (so don’t sit by him on a 13-hour plane ride).

Dr. Kev, Ted and I left for a little holiday in Dubbo, New South Wales. We spent the morning learning all about the Australian flora and fauna from Dr. Kev at the Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Ted and I enjoyed the native Australian animal exhibit. Finally we could study the wallaby and kangaroo up close (even though we did see them in the wild as well, not a myth). There is no better guide than Dr. Kev… if you can keep up the quick pace!

Ted and Dr. Kev spent a day at the Jindalee Feedyard. Ted enjoyed riding an American stock saddle at this location. He spent time with the crew exercising, acclimating and emptying pens. They gathered cattle out in a pasture. At the end of the day Ted spent time in the round pen working with numerous horses. This crew was a pleasure for Ted to work with.

We spent a day traveling back north to Dr. Kev’s home in Bell. We continued to listen to the weather reports on Cyclone Debbie that was approaching the Queensland coast a few hours from Dr. Kev’s home. Those reports sounded much like this: “Tropical Cyclone Debbie slammed into northeastern Australia with wind gusts as high as 161 mph; as many as 25,000 residents have been evacuated.” Needless to say we were tuned in.

After much deliberation, Dr. Kev decided we could make it to Brindley Park Feedyard near Roma, Queensland. Ted spent some time with the stockmen and women in the pens demonstrating how to acclimate and empty pens. They worked on pulling individual cattle and many of the techniques required for low stress cattle handling. Ted worked on some horsemanship with their horses. It was also a pleasure to watch Dr. Kev acclimate cattle in the pens.

We spent the last few days rained out of any more feed yards. We enjoyed time in Bell, and Dr. Kev took us to Toowoomba to a Stock Show. It was a delight to watch some stock dog trials, a horse shoeing competition, a dairy cow show as well as observing the livestock. On the last morning Jane escorted me to a great market. Vendors sold everything from love birds to kangaroo bones for your dog to chew. I failed to mention to Ted I purchased a backpack full of Australian books that we lugged as carryon on numerous flights. Dr. Kev did impress upon me that some things that happen on the tour stay on the tour...So with that I will come to a close.

This was a trip of a lifetime. The most rewarding memory we will always reflect on is the relationships with the people. The Australian people were open-minded and curious about our agriculture practices as well as our politics. They afforded us a genuineness and warmth that we recognize throughout our agriculture community in the United States. No matter which continent we reside on, we share a passion for producing a safe product in a meaningful manner. The Land Down Under was truly uplifting.