NORTH EAST AND GOULBURN MURRAY
Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria Published since 1984
PAGES 8-10
APRIL, 2017
Connecting Rural Business Women
37 Rowan Street, Wangaratta 3677
Pasture and Fertiliser
Tallangatta Farm and Water Expo
PAGES 15-17
PAGE 18
A long life lived with Shorthorns
Farming matriarch Marian Mason is pushing 90, but she hasn’t forgotten how to handle her beloved Shorthorn cattle
LITTLE OL’ LADY: Don’t be fooled, Mrs Mason still knows how to get out and push her cattle around.
PHOTO: Jarrah Loh
GREAT-GRANDMOTHER Marian Mason may be heading toward her 90th birthday this year, but that doesn’t mean she is looking to slow down. Almost 20 years after her husband’s death, the cattle producer still lives alone on the family farm in South Wangaratta. “She’s still managing,” said her son Richard Mason, who lives on his own farm a couple of kilometres down the road. “My sisters are always talking about trying to slow her down,” he said. “But, why? “You see people retire
BY JARRAH LOH
jloh@ nemedia.com.au
and they don’t have any interests, then a few years later they’re no longer here.” Mrs Mason certainly still has interests – especially her Shorthorn cattle, which she has been farming for almost 50 years. “I still love the cattle,” she said. “I like them because they are nice and quiet and that’s what we’ve always had.” Continued page 3
Better feeding, higher production HAY GOES MUCH FURTHER WITH A WASTE-NOT HAY FEEDER s Increase production in your mob using less hay or
With the cost of hay and silage increasing as the drought season continues a Waste-Not Stockfeeder can ensure that your hay goes much further. s Individual feeding spaces between steel arches act as voluntary head bails so uneaten hay and silage falls back in the feeder and there is no trampling on or soiling the hay s Cattle get all the hay including leaf and grain
sometimes lower quality hay s A Waste-Not Dairy Feed Pad can save up to 2kg of hay per cow per day s There is a Waste-Not Stockfeeder to suit your farm and any type of bale - small, round, big squares, FEL’s full, even feed-wagons Hay goes much further with a Waste-Not Stockfeeder
To make the most out of your hay investment call 1800 808 685 for a free information pack or consultation.
www.wastenot.com.au
E/12D13315/1916
Much Smaller, Shorter and Less Expensive Better feeding, production. Than higher You Think!
REDUCE HAY AND SILAGE WASTAGE BY UP TO 25%