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RURAL MAGAZINESuccessforTogetherGrowing2022FOUREDITION Watson ProduceFamily First generation farmers sustainably producing food for your family SUCCESS Calga Pastoral A story of four generations, two farms and one resilient family 60RevivingYears HistoryPursehouseof Your For more information turn to pg. 28 $24,800ValuedatYOUR CHANCE TO WIN 1 OF 2 CAN-AM DEFENDERSidebySides The Farmers Florist Bringing the crops of the Liverpool Plains to the living rooms of Australia Story on pg. 29 The Threat of Foot and Mouth Disease in Australia Expert advice from Team Leader in Animal Biosecurity LLS, Andrew Biddle each

PerformancePremiumforCattle *See product label for registered claims. Zoetis Australia Pty Ltd. ABN 94 156 476 425. Level 6, 5 Rider Boulevard Rhodes, NSW 2138. © 2022 Zoetis Inc. All rights reserved. 02/22 ZL1538 AUSTRALIA’S FIRST DUAL ACTIVE INJECTABLE DRENCH FOR CATTLE effectively KILLS: ROUND WORMS * effectively CONTROLS: Cattle ticks * for 30 days effectively CONTROLS: sucking lice* for up to 56 days 10

Edition Four Contents Cover Stories 34 WATSON FAMILY PRODUCE Sustainable produce from their family to yours 59 BRANCH PITTSWORTHPROFILE:QLD 53 AGRONOMY REPORTS From some of Pursehouse Rural’s leading Agronomists Agricultural Inputs 45 HELP PREVENT NITROGEN LOSS THIS SEASON 12 THE THREAT OF FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE IN AUS by District Vet. LLS Andrew Biddle Animal Health 7 BE ALERT, NOT ALARMED BY DICYCANIL RESISTANCE by Dr. Kathryn Humphries Stock Feed & General Merchandise 15 SHORT ROI AS GRAINWESTONFENCEGALLAGHERSAVESCROP 19 ALL NEW OPTI-PHIL SAVING PUMP LIFE AND ENERGY ON FARM 9 MANAGING RESISTANCEDRENCHAMUST! by Dr. Ben Foster All rights reserved. No part of this publication [Your Rural Success Magazine] may be reproduced in whole or part without prior written permission of Pursehouse Rural. All material appearing in the publication is subject to copyright unless otherwise stated. Pursehouse Rural have taken reasonable steps to secure the copyright of each article and photograph reproduced in this publication and every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of information in this publication. Pursehouse Rural accept no responsibility for any errors, omissions or resultant consequences including any loss or damage arising from reliance on information in the publication. Pursehouse Rural Pty Ltd takes no responsibility for advertising content. Products featured within this publication are subject to availability at Pursehouse Rural branches. 1 Editor: Andrew Publisher:MaughanArticles:CoverAndrewPhotography:Artwork/Design:MaughanJessicaReaJessicaRea&PearsonPhoto:AndrewPearsonJessicaRea&AndrewPursehouseRural Cnr Lennox and Loder Streets Quirindi. NSW. 2343 P: 02 6741 2500 E: W:marketing@pursehouserural.com.aupursehouserural.com.au 29 REVIVING 60 YEARS OF PURSEHOUSE HISTORY 25 THE FARMERS FLORIST Bringing the crops of the Liverpool Plains to the living rooms of Australia 39 CALGA PASTORAL A story of four generations, two farms and one resilient family From Pursehouse Rural 49 SEED SUCCESS WITH PIONEER SEEDS 51 COTTON RESULTSINVESTMENTHERBICIDEKEYTO 47 LOCAL FORDELIVERSCHEMISTRYWORLDFIRSTFARMERS 3 MALCOLM PURSEHOUSE: CHANGE PUSHES BUSINESS TO BE THE BEST 5 IAN WHYSCUTT:AUSTRALIAN AGTECH IS INCREASING 21 COMBATING THE INFLUX OF WEEDS 23 COBBER FAVOURITECELEBRATESCHALLENGEOURTEAMMATES Image - Working Dogs at Calga Credit - Jessica Rea

2 for 60 years Growing Together

Change is sometimes a daunting word. But as we cast our mind back over the past 60 years of business at Pursehouse Rural, it has become clear just how quickly change pushes us forward. From one store in Werris Creek over 60 years ago, to now nineteen locations servicing customers across Northern New South Wales and Queensland, the Pursehouse Rural business continues to embrace change for the better. In business we can change in four ways. Internal change is a natural part of business, such as employee upskilling and employee numbers increasing to meet the demands of business. External change can propel us into future markets such as technological changes or the expanding requirement of our customers.

Reactive change can often impact our business in the form of law and regulation changes, which ensure we are operating safely and sustainably. And finally, proactive change culminates in leadership decisions made to keep Pursehouse Rural at the forefront of the agricultural distribution industry.

MALCOLM PURSEHOUSE: Change Pushes Business To Be The Best From Pursehouse Rural

To your ManagingMalcolmsuccess,PursehouseDirector

As I look back over the decisions made by Fred Pursehouse over 60 years ago, I can see that he adopted change proactively, whether that be shifting the business from wholesale agricultural distribution to retail ag distribution, operating from Quirindi, NSW, and servicing farms directly on the Liverpool Plains. To investing in aeroplanes flown from America to support aerial spraying operations in the district and eventually investing in prototype Hino trucks which laid the foundations for ground spray application services, when spraying from Toyota Landcruiser Rigs was no longer viable, as farms grew in size and operational capacity.

At Pursehouse Rural, we continue to invest in new technologies, products and services to guarantee our customers are at the forefront of industry operations. Today, in 2022, we look at aerial weed mapping by drone, chemical advances from our leading suppliers and animal health developments to ensure our livestock are protected.

For 60 years, Pursehouse Rural have been working to support your operations on farm. And we will continue to do so as we grow together.

GST). Judging of entries 16:00 PM AEST from 13 November 2022 at promoters address. Winners notified via email and published at au.virbac.com/whenitmatters. Winners notified via email and published at au.virbac.com/whenitmatters 21 November 2022.Promoter is Virbac Australia ABN 77 003 268 871. 361 Horsley Rd Milperra NSW 2214.For full terms and conditions including prize details refer to au.virbac.com/whenitmatters. Enter for your chance to win up to $74,000 in prizes with Multimin. HOW? 1. Scan the QR code or whenitmatters.com.auvisit 2. Let us know when performance matters most to you. 3. Add photos and videos for additional points. 4. Submit – the best responses win! CONCEPTIONINCREASEDRATES IMPROVEDFERTILITY CALVESMORE CONCEPTIONFIRSTHIGHERCYCLERATESMARKEDLAMBSMORE WEANINGHIGHERWEIGHTS SHARE EXPERIENCEYOURTOWIN! Multimin for Sheep Win a Te Pari Racewell Sheep Handler Bundle worth over $31,000 + Loads more! OVER forMultiminWINUPPRIZES70FORGRABSwithEvolutionCattle Win a Leichts CIA Immobilizer Pro Chute worth over $14,000 + Loads more!

fulfill the eligibility requirements. Visit promotion website and write a testimonial to enter. Total prize pool is $74,000

References 1. Swaney, S. (2014). Increasing conception rates in sheep by using an injectable trace mineral product prior to joining in diverse regions across Australia. Virbac data on file. 2. Gonzalez-Rivas P.A.,et al (2021) Effect of a trace mineral injection before joining and lambing on conception rate, marking rate and lamb weights in diverse farms in Victoria. Animal Production in Australia 33, cxxviii. 3. Mundell, L. et al. (2012). Effects of prepartum and postpartum bolus injections of trace minerals on performance of beef cows and calves grazing native range, Professional Animal Scientist, 28:82- 88. 4. Virbac (2015) Trial protocol 578/15*. 7. Virbac (2018) Trial protocol 594/18*. 5. Sales, J. et al. (2011). Effect of injectable copper, selenium, zinc and manganese on the pregnancy rate of crossbred heifers (Bos indicus x Bos taurus) synchronised for timed embryo transfer. Livestock Science, 142:59-62. 6. Hawkins D. (2007). The effect of injectable trace elements (Multimin®) on health and reproduction parameters in NZ dairy herds, NZ Dairy Cattle Veterinarians Newsletter, 24(3):12-16*. 7. Mitchell. K. et al. (2008). Injectable trace elements increase reproduction efficiency in dairy cows, in Trace elements in animal production Systems, 296-299. 8. Durel et al. (2016), Proceedings of the 29th World Buiatrics Congress, Dublin, Ireland, 3-8 July 2016*. 9. Hill S.L et al (2015). Breeding soundness of weaned bull calves treated with bolus injections of trace minerals. Proceedings of the Society for Theriogenology Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX, USA Aug. 5 9, 2015. 10. Preedy, G. W. et al. (2018). Injectable trace-mineral supplementation improves sperm motility and morphology of young beef bulls. The Professional Animal Scientist, 34(1), 1-9. 11. Sullivan, L,T. et al. (2018) Evaluation of essential oil and injectable trace mineral on bull growth performance and fertility, Translational Animal Science, Volume 2, Issue suppl_1, S189–S192.11-14 *Multimin used in this trial contained different levels of minerals compared to those registered in Australia. ® Multimin is a registered trademark of Virbac. Starts 9:00 AM AEST 17 July 2022. Ends 3:00 PM AEDT 31 October 2022. Open to AUST residents 18+ who (incl.

AustrWhyAli

In the 2021/22 season, Australian agricultural production was valued at $83.1 billion AUD, a record for the industry.

While nation-wide connectivity may not make Australia global leaders in agtech and digital agriculture overnight, it will certainly increase the industry potential and willingness to consider more on-farm digital solutions. Agtech or agricultural technology refers to the different technologies which can be seen along the agricultural supply chain. Agtech does not just refer to digital software which is used for farm management but also hardware such as satellites, sensors, and robotics many of which require the IoT to integrate into a producer’s system. Traditionally, Australia has been behind global competitors in terms of development, investment, and adoption. Unfortunately (and to the frustration of those applying agtech) many innovations to date have been developed without understanding the problem that is trying to be solved. This, however, has improved in recent times and coinciding with an increase in digital literacy and appetite to solve ‘real’ on farm issues.

A sing 5

As the world population continues to grow, agricultural land becomes more scarce, the effects of climate change continue to be experienced and wars influence export markets; the agricultural industry could become the largest case study for the law of diminishing returns. To counteract this, creativity and innovation becomes increasingly crucial along the entire agricultural supply chain as the industry strives to achieve output targets. This was identified in the ‘RoadMap to 2030’ report released in 2018 with ‘Unlocking Innovation’ being one of the key pillars. As the ‘Regional Connectivity Program’ enters its 2nd round with commitments of a further $140 million over the next two years (this being added to the 1st round of the program funding of $118 million) to infrastructure projects in regional areas, more growers will be able to access the Internet of Things (IoT) increasing the viability of digital solutions and agtech for growers. This is a cause for optimism for the ‘Roadmap to 2030’.

Ian Scut CEO AgLink Australia

The comparison between agtech in 2012 to where it is now in 2022 has seen it go from targeting early adopters to now a widespread segment within the Agricultural industry, a trend difficult to ignore! Scutt: AgLink Australia

Australia will continue to see material investment in agtech whether that be start up’s or from major global organisations looking to diversify their offering to the agricultural market. Agricultural chemical companies such as Bayer, BASF, Corteva, UPL and FMC who are heavily invested in this space are likely to play an increasing role over coming years in the Australian market.

The major component of this figure was contributed by farmgate outputs which was estimated around $73 billion AUD, around 3% of Australia’s GDP. This was supported by high commodity prices (influenced by poor production in Russia and Ukraine), good growing conditions across large sectors of the country which coincided with poor conditions overseas. To put that in perspective, the US reported $134.7 US billion (~ $196.3 billion AUD) of farmgate outputs which contributes 0.6% of the US’s GDP. Despite this outstanding achievement by the Australian industry, the goal set by the National Farmer’s Federation (NFF) of $100 billion in farm gate outputs by 2030 is a daunting task. Admittedly, this target was set in 2018, well before unforeseen circumstances such as the pandemic.

A n t ech is ncre

Ian

1800elanco.com.au226324 30% active ingredient1^ protection against flystrike (up to five weeks)1^ againstprotectionbreech strike2^ protection against development of resistance2,3^ Forpeace of mind INDICATED FOR USE ON SHEEP OFF-SHEARS OR WITH ANY LENGTH WOOL CLiK™ Extra protects against blowfly strike for up to 29 weeks, and protects mulesing and marking wounds. BUY 2 X 20 L DRUMS AND GET A Plus receive another $100 gift card for every extra drum! $$200GIFTCARD200GIFTCARD Offer ends 15/09/22 Scan QR code or toelancorewards.com.auvisitredeemyourcard 6

^Compared to CLiK. Meat WHP 21 days. Wool WHP 3 months. Always read and follow the label directions. Good agricultural practice is essential for optimal blowfly strike prevention.

*Conditions apply, see www.elancorewards.com.au. Offer not valid in conjunction with any other offer. Only available while 20 L drums are in-stock. Open to AU residents. Purchase between 15/06/22 and 11:59 pm AEST 15/09/22. Claims commence 15/06/22 and close at 11:59 pm AEST 31/10/22 or once allocated gift card stock runs out, whichever is first –see terms for conditions. Purchase must be in a single transaction. Retain receipt. Only one claim permitted per claimant.

References: 1. CLiK Extra Spray-On contains 65 g/L dicyclanil and provides up to 29 weeks protection from blowfly strike. CLiK Spray-On contains 50 g/L dicyclanil and provides 18–24 weeks protection from blowfly strike. 2. When used for protection against breech strike, or body and breech strike. 3. Insecticide resistance in sheep blowfly CLiK™,http://www.flyboss.com.au/sheep-goats/files/pages/treatment/insecticide-resistance/Resistance_download_130410.pdflarvae:ElancoandthediagonalbarlogoaretrademarksofElancooritsaffiliates.©2022Elancooritsaffiliates.PM-AU-22-0375.EAH22319.

Promoter: Elanco Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN 64 076 745 198) of Level 3, 7 Eden Park Drive, Macquarie Park, NSW, 2113.

Dr White says CLiK Extra, CLiK and CLiKZiN will continue to provide trusted and reliable protection against flystrike, in accordance with the label claims, for the majority of sheep producers. Always read and follow label directions. “We actively support the implementation of the resistance management strategies developed by industry experts, available on the flyboss.com.au website.”

6 This report also stated “there is a need to perform implant trials using blowfly strains after isolation from the field without imposing any further drugselection pressure, in order to better understand the actual impact of current field resistance levels on product protection periods”.

For references go to www.pursehouserural.com.au

7 Be A lert, not A l A rmed AB out

Animal Health

Elanco Technical Services Director, Dr Rick White, asks that the results of this AWI- study are viewed in context, rather than selected highlights. “This larval implant trial found that the lengths of protection provided by CLiK Extra, CLiK and CLiKZiN were reduced to less than nine, four and three weeks, respectively, when sheep were exposed to larvae known to be highly-resistant to dicyclanil.”

Dicyclanil resistance was first detected in a population of the Australian sheep blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) in the 2010/2011 fly season,1 12 years after the introduction of CLiK. Further cases, most commonly in NSW,2 3 have been reported since. Research has shown that there is significant variation in the level of resistance between fly populations, that low level resistance does not impact protection periods 4 and that high level resistance can reduce protection periods.5

6 The MLA report stated that “the use of laboratorypressured strains in these studies means that the impact of current field resistances on product protection periods remains unclear.”

“The larvae used in this study were bred from identified dicyclanil-resistant strains, selected for resistance to dicyclanil for another three generations and then another seven generations during the study Referringitself.”

EMERGING resistance to dicyclanil, the active ingredient in the blowfly strike preventatives, CLiK™ Extra, CLiK and CLiKZiN™ poses a risk to the future welfare of the Australian sheep population.

Samples collected from a producer survey were also tested for resistance to alternative fly preventative chemicals diazinon, ivermectin, spinosad and imidacloprid. The Beyond the Bale publication stated, “With ivermectin and spinosad, results suggested that there was no functional fly resistance present to either chemical. With imidacloprid, results suggested a preliminary shift towards resistance in some flocks.”

3 Dr White says Elanco is continuing to scrutinise dicyclanil resistance in Australian flocks. He says, “Elanco has been actively monitoring dicyclanil resistance for more than a decade and will continue to do “Sheepso.”producers who are concerned about the protection period provided by any Elanco product are encouraged to contact us and we will actively investigate those concerns.”

“Whilst resistance to chemical treatment can result in a reduction in the period of protection, other factors such as incorrect application technique or adverse environmental conditions occurring during or after application, also reduce the protection period.”

An AWI publication (Beyond the Bale) also commented that “It should be noted that the method used for this study is a more severe challenge than likely in most field situations and provides something of a worstcase scenario.”

A recent Australian AWI supported study found the length of protection against blowfly strike provided by a number of commonly used blowfly preventative products was significantly reduced when sheep were exposed to dicyclanil-resistant larvae.5 This study measured protection period using a larval implant trial rather than in-field conditions.

to dicyclanil resistance, a recent report commissioned by MLA stated “The levels at the end of the trial (after 10 generations of selection) were certainly higher than would have been the case when the flies were first recovered from the field.”

dicycl A nil resistA nce

“Elanco is committed to protecting the efficacy of dicyclanil by promoting best management practices, as we do with all of our products,” he says.

Dr White says producers can adopt several simple management practices with a view to preventing or slowing the development of dicyclanil resistance.

Barber’s Pole worm is a blood sucking parasite found in the 4th stomach (Abomasum) in sheep. They thrive in warm wet climates such as the New England, Southern QLD and the North West NSW over the summer period. Barber’s pole are tremendous egg layers and can build up numbers of infective larvae on pasture extremely quickly, leading to a quick onset of disease and sudden death after grazing animals ingest these from the

mA nAging drench resistA nce to BA r Bers pole A must!

Advice from Industry Expert Dr. Ben Foster

However,pasture.during

the last 12 months, many cases have been reported in areas that are traditionally winter rainfall, and have hot dry Summers, which do not suit barber’s pole. These areas include the central and southern tablelands, central western NSW and most parts of Victoria. This is largely due to La Niña rainfall patterns that we have experienced, providing rainfall to many of these areas over the warmer months, making conditions ideal. The alarming threat with this parasite, is the rate to which it can build resistance to our traditional chemical methods of treatment (oral and injectable drenches). Especially if these are being overused, or not rotated. There are some areas, which have very little chemical means left to control this parasite, and therefore have to heavily rely on a range of other integrated Itmeasures.stillsurprises me how many producers still do not worm test any animals on their farms, to check if they need to drench, and also for what parasite. Most of these producers drench on demand or to a set timing. Many places can carry a mixed infection of internal parasites, and chemicals that may kill one type of parasite, may not kill the other.

Over the last 3 years, most sheep producers in NSW and Southern QLD, need no special introduction to internal parasites such as Barber’s Pole (Haemonchus Contortus).

Apart from doing routine worm testing, it is becoming increasingly important for farms to check all drench groups for effectiveness. Many of these drench groups have been around since the 1960’s and have been used very extensively.

Animal Health

Dr. Ben Foster

There are two ways this can be done. The simple way is when you are drenching a mob, take at least 10 dung samples from the animals being treated, take them to your local Pursehouse Rural store, and they can be sent away for a faecal egg count, and also a culture to identify the worms present. 14 days later take another sample for these sheep again take it for testing. The worms present at 14 days after treatment, have been left behind by the drench, and you can work out a percentage reduction. This is called a simple drench check. The second way is to see your local store and organize a full drench trial (Faecal egg count reduction test). This is usually done by an animal health company that services the store. Ideally these should be repeated every 2 years. To get good worm control, you must use effective drenches, especially those that are over 95% effective, on the parasite being targeted. Regular testing and culturing allows producers to know what worm they are dealing with, and to what level they are infected, to allow more prescriptive choices in whether to treat, and what with. The less exposure to unnecessary treatments, the slower the selection for resistance. In 2014, a vaccine specifically for barber’s pole worm was released in Australia, after approximately 30 years of research by a Scottish scientist/Vet from Moredun Research Institute. Barbervax is now produced in Albany WA in conjunction with the WA dept of Primary Industries and Regional Development. It has been widely used in the New England since, with some particularly good results. Barbervax is available and stocked by the Pursehouse Rural Atgroup.the end of the day. The most important take home message from this article, is to ask yourself what are you doing for your worm control? Do you test? What parasites am I dealing with? And what drenches work on my farm? And finally, what quarantine measures do I use if I am bringing sheep in from another property? Always assume they contain resistant worms, and use at least 4x drench actives on entry, and one of those actives must be a newer drench group, such as Derquantel, or Monepantel. And let them empty out in a holding yard for 2-3 days. With no new drenches on the horizon, we must do what we do better. There is heaps of information available on the paraboss.com.auwebsite.Parabosswww.

To delay resistance your drench should have the highest possible efficacy and the shortest possible persistence.1 So choose TRIGUARD®, low persistency actives in a triple combination. TRIGUARD® – Australia’s most trusted drench* *Largest number of sheep drench doses sold - Avcare Data 2021. See product label for full claim details and directions for use. 1. Leathwick, D. M., and I. A. Sutherland. “Heads or tails – which drench do I choose.” Proceedings of the 32nd Seminar, Sheep & Beef Cattle Society of the NZ Veterinarian Association. Vol. 32. 2002. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Australia Pty. Ltd. Level 1, 78 Waterloo Road North Ryde NSW 2113. ABN 53 071 187 285. ®TRIGUARD is a registered trademark of the Boehringer Ingelheim Group. Photo ‘Counting sheep’ courtesy of Belinda Dimarzio-Bryan. All rights reserved. AUS/GENS-181000 See product label for full claim details and directions for use. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Australia Pty. Ltd., Level 1, 78 Waterloo Road, North Ryde, NSW 2113 Australia. ®EPRINEX is a registered trademark of the Boehringer Ingelheim Group. AUS/IVEP-181003 THEEPRINEX®.POWER TO PRODUCE YOUR BEST. Eprinex provides sustained activity to kill more species of worms for longer than any other pour-on. Eprinex is completely weather proof, not just rainfast - and has no milk or meat withholding period and no ESI. For more information, call 1800 808 691 or visit your local eprinex.com.austore. TREAT YOUR FLOCK WITH AUSTRALIA’S SMARTEST LICE PROTECTION Fight resistance and break the lice lifecycle. Use Fennec® Pour-On for Sheep. Don’t risk lousy sheep Two actives > one powerful kill = peace of mind 4 5 weeks protection against reinfestation* 4 The combined power of 2 actives to fight lice resistance 4 Easy flow pour-on application and rainfast formulation For more information, visit fennecpouron.com.au, contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim Territory Manager, or visit your local rural store. See product label for full claim details and directions for use. *When applied within 24 hours of shearing. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Australia Pty Ltd. ABN 53 071 187 285. Level 1, 78 Waterloo Road, North Ryde, NSW 2113. Toll Free 1800 808 691. ®FENNEC is a registered trademark of the Boehringer Ingelheim Group. All rights reserved. AU-OVI-0026-2022 10

Marks-MinREPRODUCTION provides elements that support reproduction by aiding the development of male and female reproductive systems, the process of fertilization and also the maintenance of pregnancy (Cu, Mn, Zn, Se)

IMMUNE DEFENCE Marks-Min provides elements that support immune defence by aiding function of the immune system and white blood cells that help resist establishment of infection ENERGY Vitamin B12 plays a key role for the production of energy in livestock. Energy is required for all body processes and it is the backbone of all production.

PERFORMANCEHEALTHOPTIMALSUPPORTINGAND

*See product label for full claim details and directions for use. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Australia Pty. Ltd., Level 1, 78 Waterloo Road, North Ryde, NSW 2113 Australia. ABN 53 071 187 285. Marks-Min® is a registered trademark of the Boehringer Ingelheim Group. AU-BOV-0006-2020 To find out more about Marks-Min contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim Territory Manager Sallyanne Esdaile on 0428 291 805 or sallyanne.esdaile@boehringer-ingelheim.com

Why is B12 important? Vitamin B12 is important for energy production in ruminants. Ruminants cannot directly utilise energy from their diet and so, need to make their own. Vitamin B12 is an important part of this process. Ruminants also cannot utilise B12 directly from their diet. They must first take up cobalt through the diet, where it is then converted by rumen microorganism to B12. If cobalt levels are low in pasture, B12 levels can fall and this can limit energy available for body processes.

Why put Trace Minerals and Vitamin B12 together?

The key processes of growth, reproduction and immune defence require large amount of energy to function well. Providing trace minerals and vitamin B12 together ensures the trace mineral building blocks for optimal health are available along with energy from vitamin B12 to help support the best response to trace mineral supplementation.

MAKE YOUR MARK WITH

What is Marks-Min? Marks-Min is a trace mineral injection for cattle that contains the trace minerals copper, manganese, zinc and selenium along with vitamin B12, which are required for optimal health, production and Optimisingfertility.trace mineral and vitamin B12 levels at critical times, like calving, mating and drying off, can have a positive impact on health, immune status and reproductive capacity of livestock. Marks-Min provides trace minerals and vitamin B12 in one convenient rapidly absorbed injection, ensuring essential trace minerals for optimal health are available together with energy provided by vitamin B12 to help support the best response to trace mineral supplementation.

Why are trace minerals important? Trace minerals are essential to body function, but are only required in very small amounts per day. These minerals may make up only a small portion of an animals diet; but play an important role in everyday life, especially for the key functions of growth, reproduction and immune defence.

Marks-Min – Trace Mineral with vitamin B12 in a convenient single dose SUPPORTING OPTIMAL HEA AND PERFORMANCEGROWTHMarks-Min provides elements that support growth by aiding bone, joint and muscle development and function (Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Selenium (Se)) and energy metabolism (Vitamin B12)

If in your travels, you had contact with livestock and you live on a farm don’t rush out and immediately handle your livestock. Unpack your bags wash yourself and your cloths and wait seven days. Australian Farmers Do not feed meat or food scraps to pigs, known as swill feeding. This is really important as a number of exotic disease viruses can be transferred to pigs, if the pigs eat illegally imported meat from a country with a disease such as FMD. Fence and secure rubbish tip areas so that feral pigs cannot gain access to meat products or food scraps. This is also important to avoid livestock gaining access to lead from old batteries or old farm chemicals. Even better dispose of rubbish at registered local government Waste Facilities.

by Andrew Biddle Team Leader Animal Biosecurity and Welfare, Regional Veterinarian - LLS

t he t hre At of f oot A nd mouth

dise A se in Austr A li A

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is certainly trending on talk back radio and social media last month, after it was reported that the disease has spread to the island of Bali. The threat of FMD to Australia is nothing new. Australians have been travelling to FMD infected countries for years. Foot-and-Mouth Disease occurs in many parts of the world and especially in developing countries and in Africa and Asia. Biosecurity at our borders has been effective and there is no reason to believe this will change. If anything, recent events put focus on our biosecurity and what we can all do more broadly. The NSW Department of Primary Industries slogan for biosecurity is that it is a shared responsibility. So, what can we all do? Travellers Australians leaving the country may go to FMD infected countries or they may have contact with animals infected by many other diseases that are exotic to Australia and potentially devastating to the livestock industry that could be impacted. So, the message for returning travellers is simple. Wash your clothes, footwear and equipment before leaving the country you have visited. Removal of soil or faeces will also remove the virus and should be done in combination with soap or laundry detergent. Do not bring meat products home in your luggage. Some viruses such as FMD can survive in processed and cured meats. Enjoy them while you are away but don’t bring any back to Australia. Similarly, items containing untanned or poorly tanned hide, unprocessed wool or seeds may be a risk, of harbouring other contaminants. Declare them at customs for scrutiny by trained Biosecurity Officers.

There are many steps along the path from breeding and feeding to livestock carriers, agents and processors. Everyone has a part to play knowing how to keep FMD out and knowing what to do if they suspect FMD. My final comment is if you want more information ask. If you think you have animals showing signs of FMD call 1800 675 888.

One indication of FMD in livestock is sores on the mouth, nose and udders, as seen here. Sores between the toes and coronary band can cause severe lameness.

Update the movements of livestock on the NLIS database as soon as animals move and check your database account to make sure it reflects the number of livestock on your property. In the event that we get an exotic disease, rapidly determining where animals have moved will assist in determining how far the disease may have spread. You see your animals more often that anyone else. If they show signs of illness contact your local vet or call the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888. Signs of FMD include fever, excessive salivation, loss of appetite, sores in the mouth, nose, udder, between the toes and coronary band which leads to severe lameness, decrease in milk production and dramatic loss in condition. These signs are most pronounced in cattle and pigs, and more subtle in sheep and goats.

13 Cover Story

It’s 2022. Satellites guide tractors, remote sensors monitor our soils and robots are milking cows. Every aspect of farm operations has evolved to a higher level of excellence - except fencing. But now there’s Gallagher Westonfence – a proven, permanent electric fencing solution that stands the test of time and outperforms legacy fencing on every measure. A fence that is more economical to monitor and maintain, that tells you how your fence is performing and takes seconds to check, rather than hours. Head into your local Pursehouse Rural store to push your boundaries and take your farm productivity to a whole new level of excellence, effectiveness and efficiency with Gallagher Westonfence.

Retrofit/OffsetExclusionInternalRetrofitting

A Gallagher Westonfence has paid for itself in the first year, by protecting crops from being eaten by Damienkangaroos.Meppem is the livestock overseer on “Tyrone”, which sits at Gurley, between Narrabri and Moree in the Western Slopes district of Northern NSW. Owned by the Carrigan family, the property operates sheep, sheep-feedlot and beef enterprises, with summer crops of wheat, barley and chickpeas.

Mr Meppem said, “In a good year, cropping losses to kangaroos aren’t so extreme, but in a tight year you really notice how much you actually lose, because the rest of the paddock’s pretty thin too. We’re also in an area where it’s probably becoming a bit more marginal than it used to be with our rainfall pattern.”

Damien Meppem beside the Gallagher Westonfence on “Tyrone” that is keeping kangaroos off the cropping country and allowing the operation to harvest more grain.

Mr Meppem said using power in the fence has removed pressure from livestock leaning on it. “There’s just no pressure within a couple of metres either side; we’ve only had them in for 18 months or so, but they’re standing perfectly upright. We run a lot more sheep here than cattle, but none of them go anywhere near it. “We haven’t done a whole lot of electric fencing –just single-wire to fence a bit of creek country off. So we’ve been learning about the electric side. As far as putting the Gallagher Westonfence up, it’s probably the quickest fencing we’ve probably done here, to be honest. “It’s worked so well, we’ve got more in the pipeline for this winter. “In comparison to the netting, for us this is the way we’ll go. It’s a lot cheaper, and I reckon a lot easier to Takemaintain.”yourfarm productivity to a whole new level of excellence, effectiveness and efficiency with a Gallagher Permanent Electric Fencing solution. sAves gr A in crop from k A ngA roos

In an effort to stem losses, they investigated different fencing options. “We did a fair bit of research, plus went to a few field days – I went to AgQuip a couple of years ago and there was a local mini field day at Bellata, which is not far.” Both times they saw Gallagher Westonfence – and were impressed. “We’d heard a bit about it, too, with different people using it. “It’s easy to put up, easy to maintain and as far as a comparison goes, pricing was pretty much the same as netting fence. “So far we’ve put in about 12 kilometres, scattered all over the farm. It’s not necessarily boundary fencing, we’re replacing fences that border our own grass country going into cropping where there’s lots of kangaroo pressure, to upset the kangaroos’ movement pattern and keep them in the grass country and off the cropping side. “The first bit we did, we literally saw a result Mrstraightaway.”Meppem said they’ve used D8 Gallagher Westonfence Insulated Suspension Posts, with the 1,365mm height providing a visual and physical barrier. They’ve also used 660mm Gallagher Westonfence Insulated Suspension Post Leaning Offsets on existing fencing that was in good shape. So far the fences are solar powered, using M5800i Mains Fence Energizers.

15 s hort roi A s gA ll Agher Westonfence

“This winter, we’ll be hooking one into the mains too, putting in M12,000i Mains Fence Energizers. “We also saw a result pretty quickly with the leaning offsets. We put in the first lot mid-planting, but you could still see the result come harvest time – with crop on the headland, whereas previously there wouldn’t be. “We’re pretty excited to see what happens this year when we plant, with the fencing having been in from the start. Before was pretty good, but this will show us the real results.”

Stock Feed & General Merchandise

Feedlots and saleyards are like daycare centres. When young cattle from different farms are mixed together, Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) becomes a serious issue. That’s why many feedlots want cattle prevaccinated with Bovilis® MH+IBR – the only vaccine that protects against the two key organisms that cause BRD. ARE YOUR YOUNG CATTLE PREPARED FOR DAYCARE? Toll Free 1800 226 www.coopersanimalhealth.com.au511 ® Registered trademarks. Intervet Australia Pty Ltd (known as MSD Animal Health). ABN: 79008467034. Copyright © 2022 Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates. All rights reserved. AUSTRALIA’S ONLY DUAL PROTECTION BRD VACCINE 16

CROP PACKAGING SOLUTIONS FOR THE 2022 HARVEST TWINES TO SUIT ANY BIG SQUARE BALER IN AUSTRALIA FOR ANY CROP TYPE • High knot strength (upto 350kg) for UHD bales • UV stabilized for tough Australian conditions • Also twines for Round and Small Square balers EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG 5 & 7 LAYER SILAGE FILMS • 750mmx1500mx25um • 750mmx1650mx22um • High puncture and tear resistance • Guaranteed minimum 12 month UV stability • Silage Pit Covers STRONG & SECURE. PERFECT BALES EVERY TIME. • 1.23 & 1.30m width in multiple strengths for all sorts of crops • Gold Economy version for cost effective baling of silage crops • Complete bale coverage every time, including over edge on 1.30m roll width • UV stabilized against Australian conditions for 12 months LEADERS IN CROP PACKAGING SUPPLIES FOR OVER 30 YEARS www.venuspack.com.au | Available at your local Pursehouse Rural branch. 17

High performance, compact float valve, SAVING PUMP LIFE AND ENERGY NEW High-Vis orange float for fast distance.wateridentificationeasyoflevelfroma High-Vis FloatDesignSmooth-Flo Optimises water flow out of the valve, reducing yourspray,bounce,minimisingturbulence,floatcuttingwaterandsavingpump. TechnologyOpti-Flo Patent water.performanceblockageshelpthroughoptimisesOpti-Floprotectedtechnology,waterflowthevalvetoprevent&improveindirty Soft-Close Patent protected soft closing design for reliable shut-off & water-hammer.damagingpreventing Full-Flow Full flow andsavingshortpreventingtoprovidingdesign,flowsup847L/minandpumpcycling,yourpumpenergy. Scan to find out more about OptiPHIL PHI1167 18

All neW opti-phil sAving pump life A nd energy on fA rm

Minimising float bounce being one of them, you don’t want your float bouncing in turbulent water in the trough creating false shut offs that can cause damage to fittings and ruin pumps. The team at Philmac have developed the unique Smooth-Flo outlet design which optimises water flow, reduces turbulence, minimising float bounce. When combined with the patented softclose technology which prevents water hammer and provides a reliable shut-off every time saving wear and tear on your pump and pipe systems.

The valve is also designed with the patented Opti-Flo technology, which optimises water flow through the valve to help prevent blockages and improve performance in dirty water.

The new Philmac OptiPHIL float valve is a high performance, compact, float valve for large and medium troughs with high demand. This full flow float valve provides flow of up to 847 L/min at high pressure and flows of 287 L/min @ 100 kPa, making it very adaptable in a wide variety of Theapplications.Research and Development team at Philmac have designed innovative new features into the OptiPHIL float valve that have dramatically improved the function of this style of valve.

So what’s in the box? The Philmac OptiPHIL float valve comes pre-assembled with a standard 1” BSP tapered male thread. To cover other common inlet sizes and underwater installations, OptiPHIL is supplied with ¾” and 1-¼” thread adaptors and an underwater kit, which consists of a float cord and anti-tangle tubing. All this means installation is fast and easy. If you do need to adjust the water level in the trough it’s as simple as loosening a screw on the arm that holds the 4” high-vis float and then retightening.

For more information on the new OptiPHIL Float Valve go to: www.philmac.com.au/valves/float-valves or speak to your local Pursehouse Rural store.

Stock Feed & General Merchandise

WEEDSSPRING PREPARE FOR DESIGNED FOR COMBATING WEEDS IN THOSE HARD TO REACH PLACES, THE COMPACT RANGE OF SPRAYERS ARE AVAILABLE FROM YOUR LOCAL PURSEHOUSE STORE - ORDER IN TIME FOR SPRING! MARSHAL PLUS, MARSHAL PRO & SPRAYSCOUT RANGES 5% OFF QUOTE: 5PHR22 COMPACT RANGE Ask in-store at your local Pursehouse Rural for pricing. T&C Apply. 5% discount only available until 1st November 2022. Please quote 5PHR22 20

agricultural and industrial equipment for over 30 years, Rapid Spray offers an innovative and market leading range of weeds sprayers which allow farmers to complete this task in a more effective and efficient manner.

There is no doubt that 2022 so far has been a wet year to say the least for many parts of Australia, especially the East Coast. For farmers, their attention will soon turn to the mammoth and potentially daunting task of taming the invasion of weeds that will inevitably come after so much Manufacturingrain.

Rapid Spray’s Compact Marshal UTV Sprayer range is a great place to start when it comes to combating the influx of weeds. Sitting in the middle of the range and ideal for hobby farms or small cattle operations, the Marshal Plus features adjustable spraying pressure options with a pressure regulator and gauge, delivering a economical weed kill through reduced chemical use.

Sometimes you just need a “good, handy, reliable machine” to make your day easier, and get the job done quickly.

The next step up from the Marshal Pro in terms of heavy duty sprayer and best used to cover large areas is the SprayScout UTV sprayer. Available in 360L or 600L options, this compact sprayer is built to suit dual cab utes with tubs or tray back utes with limited space available. These sprayers are designed with the market leading on-board flush system which also doubles as a handwash tap for safe chemical handling.

According to Jason Dolgner, from the Desert Channels Group, it’s for these reasons, he continues to use Rapid Spray products, at home and at work.

c om BAting the influx of W eeds

Take advantage of the 5% discount offered exclusively through Pursehouse Rural stores and order your sprayer in time for spring - start combating weeds

Toearly!find out more about Rapid Spray’s weed sprayer ranges visit www.rapidspray.net or speak to your local Pursehouse Rural representative today.

Treating weeds such as cactus and acacia, Jason runs multiple work crews, and “covers thousands and thousands of hectares every year” which means he needs a unit he can rely on to help him do his job successfully and efficiently.

21 Stock Feed & General Merchandise

Follow the action and support your local competitors on our socials or cobberchallenge.com.au THE 2022 COBBER CHALLENGE RELAY IS SET TO BE THE MOST EXCITING YET! Follow the Action Cobber Working Dog fuels the Cobber Challenge. EAT. SLEEP. RUN. REPEAT.RID23925 22

Northern NSW station hand Glenda Rogan and her Kelpie-cross Buddy won the Cobber Challenge in “The2020. Cobber Challenge gave me a better insight into how much our dogs do each day,” Glenda said.

Stock Feed & General Merchandise

Winners of the 2021 Cobber Challenge, Ben Jeffery and his Kelpie Skyblue Jack.

Each year, in late winter and early spring, the collars track how far, fast and for how long 12 dogs work. Every day of the competition, data is uploaded to the Cobber Challenge website where fans can follow the performance of each dog. Each days’ data is added together and by the end of the challenge we have a new Cobber Champion. While the data is awesome – showing that each dog does the work of at least a few human workers – it is the stories shared by the dogs’ handlers that capture our audience’s imaginations. The connection between people and their dogs; that’s what the Cobber Challenge truly celebrates. This connection is what spurs impressive media and social media coverage of the competition. A great example of that connection is seen in last year’s winning team, kelpie Skyblue Jack and owner Ben Jeffery, from Victoria. In all the photos and videos of Jack, while working, playing and resting, you can see his love for his owner. And in Ben’s words? “I’m in awe of my dog,” he said when they were announced the winners.

TEAMCELEBRATESCHALLENGECOBBEROURFAVOURITEMATES

This year’s 12 competing teams will be announced on 25 July, with the 2022 Cobber Challenge Relay running from 22 August to 11 September.

The Cobber Challenge is a celebration of the unsung heroes of farms across the country – working dogs. From humble beginnings in 2016, the Cobber Challenge has become a world-wide phenomenon, with people around the globe enthralled in the Butcelebration.whatmakes

the Cobber Challenge so successful? How does it engage farming and metropolitan audiences alike?

To keep the campaign fresh and reach new audiences, we have themes for each year’s competition. For example, last year we extended the competition to New Zealand farmers too. Three Kiwi farmer-dog teams competed against nine Australians in the first trans-Tasman Cobber Challenge. This year, we are thrilled to introduce the first Cobber Challenge Relay. Farmers will compete with teams of two or three dogs. Each day they will nominate one of their dogs to wear the GPS collar for that day. This approach recognises that dogs have different strengths – some excel at paddock work, others shine in the yards. This year it will be the hardest working team that will be crowned Cobberwinners.Working Dog food fuels these dogs during the Cobber Challenge, as it does for thousands of dogs around the country every day.

We struck gold with the idea to fit dogs with a GPS collar to track how hard they work over a threeweek period.

The idea for the Cobber Challenge came from two simple questions: How can we show how much dogs do on our farms? And, how can we celebrate the connection between farmers and their dogs?

“I love my dogs; I couldn’t do my job without them. And I knew with Jack, that I cracked a great bloodline so it’s been awesome to put him to the test and capture just how hard he works,” Ben said. With Ben’s boss unable to get back to Western Victoria because of COVID border closures, Ben, Skyblue Jack and his kennel mates had to step up to get the stock work done. These circumstances gave Skyblue Jack a leg up in the competition and saw him clock a Cobber Challenge record of 1012.6 kilometres over the three-week period.

STOCKED NATURE’SRURALPURSEHOUSEBYSTORESELITECANINESUPPLEMENT 24

PhotographyAustraliaofArticlebyJessicaReabyJessicaRea

Cover Story

25 the f A floristrmers Bringing the crops of the Liverpool Plains to the living rooms

Nestled in the heart of the Liverpool Plains, New South Wales, lies Breeza Station, a bustling hub of farm life which circulates around 11,000 acres of summer and winter crop rotations of wheat, corn, sorghum, and cotton alongside a trading heard of cattle. Breeza Station is home to multiple generations of the Pursehouse family starting with Andrew and Cindy, to sons James and Hugh and daughter Anna, alongside their partners Julia, Maddy and Jack, to their grandchildren, Archie (4), Primrose (2) and Fletcher (1). Though this story is situated on Breeza Station, we look to one member of the Pursehouse family who has found a way to marry her love of floristry to her life on the farm and her commitments to family and farm life. In 2018 Julia Pursehouse, sat alongside her then baby boy, Archie, was dabbling in the sale of succulents and working in a local florist to satisfy her need for creativity and to feed her love of plants. It was whilst working at that florist in nearby Tamworth and looking at the creative trends coming out of florists and interior designers in Sydney, that Julia noticed the growing demand for dried flowers and particularly cotton and wheat. She had plenty of this, and sorghum, at her fingertips, in the paddocks just beyond her home. So, with Archie in tow, Julia set about her own harvest for distribution throughout local florists and beyond. Soon, a fully fledged business had taken form. But what to call this growing business of hers? It was as she was sat on the veranda one afternoon, putting together her bunches of cotton, wheat, and sorghum that Julia looked up to see her husband James working hard in the paddock and she thought to herself, well that’s the farmer over there and I’m the florist so how about the Farmers Florist?

Julia Pursehouse Breeza AutumnSorghumStationharvested2022

Today, the Farmers Florist is part of a Liverpool Plains business group called The Plains. This is a group of small businesses located across the Liverpool Plains who come together in workshops and seminars to support one and other in business growth and development whilst also working to build on the agritourism potential of the district. Julia has been able to harness the power of Instagram to fuel her business growth. From an early stage she recognised the importance of visibility on social media as integral to the growth of her small business and for her, Instagram fit the bill. It had the ability to reach out to potential customers who may come to her directly or through the florists she sells to, and it gave her the platform to highlight the origin of the dried crops which find their way to customer’s homes.

Growth in the business and in the number of stockists taking on bunches of cotton, wheat and sorghum from Breeza Station. Growth in her two boys and her family and growth in the paddock and beyond. can follow Julia and her journey with the Farmers Florist on Instagram @the_farmers_florist

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More recently, Julia opened her home and the nearby woolshed to her first ever workshop. Attendees donned their gumboots and headed into the paddock to pick their own cotton bunches and get a crash course in cotton picker functionality from Farmer James, before heading back to the woolshed to learn how best to preserve and maintain a cotton plant in their home and how to arrange and display the bunches of cotton and other crops sourced from the paddock. As we look at what the reminder of 2022 might bring for the Farmers Florist, we only see growth.

Before long, Julia had a thriving business on her hands, servicing the Liverpool Plains and surrounds with her bunches, heroing the crops grown at Breeza Station. Then along came baby number two, Fletcher, and Julia found her hands full with two boisterous boys to occupy at home. Both the business and the family grew together, and Julia found a way to balance motherhood with her small business and farm life, retaining a sense of herself through her work with the Farmers Florist. This was so important to Julia as many working mums will recognise the importance nurturing the part of yourself which separates yourself from your mum-self. For Julia that part of herself was her flowers and her garden and her small business gave her a sense of accomplishment each day.

See terms and conditions at pursehouserural.com.au/competition-terms-and-conditionsNSWLotteryNumberTP/0199728 $24,800Valuedat Competition commences Tuesday 16th August. Competition period closes Thursday 1st December. WIN 1 OF 2 DEFENDERSCAN-AM At Pursehouse Rural branches in NSW and QLD. Brought to you by Pursehouse Rural and Pacific Seeds BUY 6 20KG BAGS OF PACIFIC SEEDS CORN, GRAIN SORGHUM OR FORAGE SORGHUM SEED FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN! CORN & SORGHUM SidebySide each

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historypursehouseof

Story by Jessica Rea Photography by Andrew Pearson 29 Cover Story

Small goods such as drench, poly pipe or paint were taken across to passenger trains three or four times per day and delivered to customers along the line at Duri, Nemingah or Kootingal.

Large goods such as chemical and fertiliser were collected from freight trains by the everreliable truck and moved into storage by hand. No forklifts in those days! The town was an ever-moving hive of activity at which the grocery and rural supply store ran by the Pursehouse family, lay at the center. The Greengrocers was one of the first selfservice supermarket stores outside of Sydney and Newcastle. What we now expect from a supermarket, picking up our basket at the front of the store, collecting what we want from the shelves and making our way to the cashier at the end of our trip, was foreign to rural towns in the 1950’s. Fred asked his brother Ray, a builder in Sydney, for help. Together with his men, Ray built the shelving and shop fittings in Sydney and Fred took the green Chevy truck on the long trip to the city to collect the internal infrastructure for the modern self-service store.

On a warm summer’s day in 1955, a then fouryear-old Clive Pursehouse travelled with his father Fred, in their old Morris Commercial truck to the General Motors dealership in Quirindi. That was the day they collected their brand new 1954 model, single cab, Chevrolet truck, in forester green. These were exciting times for the four-year-old, and now 60 years on from the commencement of trading as a dedicated agricultural retail store, the Pursehouse brothers recount their memories of the Chevy truck that would become the work horse of the Pursehouse business throughout the late 1950s and early Fred1960s.and Clive travelled back to Werris Creek in the shiny new truck, leaving the old Morris Commercial behind. She was a fast truck for her time, going 90 miles per hour, and Fred would regularly push her to her limit whilst travelling on the dusty dirt roads of the district. Once home, Fred immediately set to work building a new tray for the Chevy, from timbers he had in the shed. Fred tinkered away adding to the new truck until she was fit for purpose in his grocery and agricultural supply business. The Chevy quickly became an important part of the show for the Pursehouse family business. She would come to spend her working week moving goods across Werris Creek, between trains and the shop, zig zagging across the town. Back then Werris Creek was a 24-hour town, being a major junction for trains meeting from the New England and the Northwest. Goods were shuffled around the platforms at Werris Creek Station, from local suppliers like the Pursehouse family, to train carriages travelling North into Queensland, Northwest to Moree, South to the Hunter and beyond. On any given day, you could see the green truck moving goods busily around the town in time for the next trains arrival.

Trips to Sydney would become a regular feature of working life for Fred and the boys. What would now be just a four and a half hour journey between Werris Creek and Sydney, thanks to the Hunter Express Way and the Pacific Highway, took up to nine hours in the green Chevrolet truck, down the Putty road which was dusty, powdery white dirt for 230km, between Singleton and the Colo River. During these trips the green Chevy would be fully laden with goods on the tray and family in the cab with Fred driving, his wife Marj sat in the passenger seat, oldest boy Malcolm in the middle and then youngest boy Clive left to take a seat on the floor of the truck. Brother Andrew was spared these trips as he was yet to come into the Thepicture.Chevrolet covered thousands of kilometers in her time between the working and family lives of the Pursehouse’s. She carried horses to pony club, and trailers laden with a demonstration hammermill, built by Fred’s brother Colin in Sydney, to farms in the New England and NorthWest. Malcolm and Clive would join their father on these sales trips with the demonstration hammermill pulled along behind the green Chevy, to farms in Guyra and Tenterfield. Here the trailer would be unhitched, and the hammermill would be attached to a tractor on farm to demonstrate her strength. Fred would ask the farmer to grab some old bones and wood, which he would throw into the machine, and she would grind it up with ease, turning the bones to dust and the wood into sawdust, much to the delight of potential buyers. This was just one of the many aspects of Fred’s flourishing agricultural business. Back in Werris Creek, the green Chevy became an active part of family life. Clive and Fred would travel out to a farm belonging to the family of Tony Windsor, whose father had been killed in an accident on the railway line. Here Fred would milk cows each morning for the Windsor and Pursehouse families and sometimes he would throw the Windsor boys, along with his own sons, and their bikes, onto the tray of the truck and take them on the three-mile journey to school.

The Windsor boys and the Pursehouse boys would return the favour, not always willingly, by helping Fred re-package potatoes from the three bushel bags received into the grocery store, down to 7lb paper bags for resale. After school, the sacks of potatoes would be emptied out onto the ground behind the grocery store and the young Pursehouse and Windsor boys would gather around, packaging and weighing the smaller 7lb potato bags to replenish the shelves inside. In summer the boys would be rewarded with any crushed icy poles that may have been damaged in the store, and in winter they would take some packing wire, spear a rogue potato and suspend it over the incinerator located at the back of the store, which was in operation around the clock, burning rubbish from around the place. Then, once their after school work was complete, a hot potato would be ready for consumption.

Still a

Each Pursehouse brother was keen to be part of the business at as young an age as possible. At 6 years old, Clive hopped into the green Chevy truck and copied his older brother Malcolm in how he would manoeuvre the truck around the sheds in Werris Creek. But 6-year-old arms and legs don’t quite operate a large truck without power steering to full effect, and Clive would often get the wobbles and be told by his older brother to hold onto the steering wheel tighter to prevent the wobbles from taking hold, to which Clive would swing from the steering wheel and grip with all his might. One day, Clive’s foot slipped from the clutch of the green Chevy truck, and she ploughed straight through the end of the shed at the Pursehouse home in Werris Creek. In typical brotherly fashion then ten-year-old Malcolm responded with a painted warning on the end of the shed to his younger brother, who was affectionately known as egghead. However, Malcolm, who had not really been paying too much attention at school up until this point, misspelled his words of warning which read, ‘Steady egg herd. Proceed at 105 miles per hour’. family business in 2022 Left Anita Callachor (nee Pursehouse) CIO, right Scott Pursehouse CEO

The vehicle underwent a full strip and rebuild, with a conversion from left hand to right hand drive. The original tub was replaced with a custom tray, modelled off the only remaining photos of the original truck showing Fred’s handbuilt addition. The paint was colour matched to the original Chevrolet ‘forester green’, and the signage was brush painted by hand to replicate the original Innumerablework.parts were replaced in the restoration, including window rubbers, seals, the carburetor, fuel tank, bumpers, and grill. The original 6 volt system was upgraded to a 12 volt system along with the wiring loom being Itreplaced.iswithgreat

thanks to importer Lee Volk, from trackstar imports, who sourced and imported the vehicle, and to Warren Iacono, from MW USA imports Toowoomba, whose team completed the conversion and rebuild. Without their hard work on this project, we would not have the pleasure of sharing this exceptional part of Pursehouse Rural history.

In 2022, the 60th anniversary of the Pursehouse Rural business, the Pursehouse family imported a 1951 Chevrolet 3100 ‘pickup’ from Texas, USA. This being the correct make and model to match the original green Chevrolet bought by Fred all those years ago, as it had the two-piece windscreen, the straight six Chevrolet engine and four speed manual gearbox. These Australian sold vehicles were originally assembled in Australia from Chevrolet supplied parts, however there was often a mix and match of bumpers, grills, and such. The split windscreen was not common in Australia and was soon replaced by a single pane windscreen. The split windscreen is an identifying feature of the original truck used by Fred Pursehouse in his business at Werris Creek.

Left to right, brothers Clive Pursehouse, Andrew Pursehouse and Malcolm Pursehouse

34 WAtson f A producemily A first PhotographyArticleonraisedproducingsustainablyfarminggenerationfamilypasture-hensandeggstheDarlingDownsbyJessicaReabyJessicaRea

Cover Story

The Maremmas are a cornerstone of life at Naldham. Hayley and Matt breed their own dogs, ensuring they have just the right nature to suit the unique combination of chook protector and family life on the farm. They needed dogs that would spread their scent to warn away predators and would be scary enough to engage in protecting the chickens should a fox approach, but a dog that had no predator drive themselves.

Maremmas seemed the natural choice. As you walk through the paddocks at Naldham you are greeted by at least one of the six dogs protecting flocks across the property. Holly (mum to three litters bred at Naldham) stands out as her lip lifts into what we are reassured is a smile! As with any dog training, not all the pups are suited to flock protection, with some finding their way back to the house to mind the two boisterous boys in residence rather than the chickens.

Just a stones’ throw from the heart of Warwick, lies ‘Naldham’, home to an enterprising young family building an egg empire from pasture raised hens. Hayley and Matt Watson, along with their young sons Cooper (7) and Charlie (4), have a contagious passion and energy for their livestock. What started with 20 chickens and two dogs, back in 2016, has now grown into a farm built upon regeneration of the soil and land upon which Naldham lies. But as first generation farmers who commenced operations on the eve of one of the most devastating droughts Australia has ever seen, Watson Family Produce have had to navigate a business landscape ruled by weather. In 2016, with a then 14-month-old Cooper in tow, Hayley, with a background in horticulture, and Matt, hailing from mountainous Tasmanian country, looked out onto a block of land on the Darling Downs, characterized by sandy soils and ironbark trees, and saw business potential where many may not have. They picked up tools and occupied an existing chook run with just 20 hens. In a clever approach to the foundations of their pasture-raised hen operation, they began by training their Maremma Guardian dogs on those 20 hens to protect them from potential predators, whilst Matt set to work building their first movable chook house.

The packing shed took shape, starting out with a hand inspection, cleaning, and packing process. Just three days after giving birth to their second son, Charlie, Hayley was back in the packing shed as the quickest packing machine they had, now with a baby strapped to her chest. Just 12 months into their start-up business, one of the worst droughts in Australian history began to bite. The family quickly realised that their operations had to adapt if their new business was to survive the dry times. Maintaining ground cover became a priority. Hayley identified four paddocks which they were willing to sacrifice. In the end this equated to less than 15 acres of the property. That meant that when the rains did eventually fall on the Downs, the ground cover on the remaining parts of the property minimised run off and the surrounding paddocks quickly sprang back to life. Today, their conservative operations through the drought have inspired regenerative practices across all operations on farm. Naldham is now home to 5000 hens, 50 sheep, 6 Meremmas and 4 pet goats. Ground cover is maintained by moving the hen houses small distances as regularly as possible, usually at night so as not to disturb the hens. Paddocks are also rotationally grazed by stock to help sustain even ground cover. For every paddock housing livestock, one is rested meaning the ground is rested for 14 months at a time. With an abundance of fertiliser available from the residence chickens, the native seed and pasture reintroduced at Naldham thrives.

Every aspect of operations at Naldham is built from Hayley and Matt’s vision for their business, their farm, and their home. Before long, fences sprung up across the 110 acre property, sectioning the land into 5-acre paddocks which would come to house up to 650 hens each, half the number reccomended by industry guidelines.

Hayley and Matt highlighted on many occasions throughout our discussion that their aim is to; "leave the land better than what they found it." Every aspect of their business is driven by Hayley and Matt, from caring for their hens, egg collection, inspection and packaging (now completed by a state of the art machine, much to Hayley’s delight), through to marketing and distribution.

Watson Family Produce eggs are available at 50 stockists including leading supermarkets on the Darling Downs and into Brisbane, as well as independent green grocers and cafés. Hayley and Matt fit the energy and chaos of a young family into life on a working farm. At Naldam, the children are as free range as the chooks who roam under the protection of Maremma Guardian dogs. A first-generation farming family who are ploughing forward with drive and enthusiasm for their business, for regenerative farming and their pasture raised hens.

You can follow the Watson family and their journey via their social media channels; Facebook - @watsonfamilyproduce Instagram - @watson_our_family

IMPROVING YOUR PROFITS WITH S&W CASH BACK Plant with confidence with S&W Establishment Guarantee®Your partner in the paddock. SW0299_PHwww.swseedco.com.au On Tanami and Gibson Grain Sorghum Terms & Conditions To be eligible to claim the S&W cash back promotion, included products must be purchased from a retailer in Australia between 01/08/2022 and 30/04/2023. To claim, individuals are required to go to www.swseedco.com.au and complete the online claim form and upload a copy of their receipt. Cash back will be fulfilled after the promotion closes but before 30th June 2023. For full terms and conditions please go online to www.swseedco.com.au $40 CASH BACK $20 CASH BACK On Calibre BMR® and FlexiGraze™ Forage Sorghum 38

c A lg A pA stor A l

T he Pye Family operations straddle two historic properties in NSW, ‘Calga’ located close to Coonamble on the Central Western Plains of NSW and ‘Caroonboon’ which is 22KM West of Wanganella, between Hay and Deniliquin, on the banks of the historic Billabong Creek. With over 110,000 acres between them, these are two impressive properties. Each has its own unique history dating back to the mid 1800’s, each has its own impressive scale, and each has stories to tell of achievements won through hard work and determination over many generations. But there is another side to this success story, where the distance between things becomes at best, a cause for frustration, and at worst, a multiplier of risk. For the Pye family, that risk has written tragedy into their family story, and indelibly into the pages of Caroonboon Station history.

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Calga, traditionally a merino station, was first purchased by the Pye family in 1911, when Charles Pye bought the 40,000-acre property from AML & F Co. This was only to be a brief holding though, as over the next several years he sub-divided Calga and sold it off in three separate parcels: 12,000 acres to the Driver bros, 14,000 acres (known as Calga West) to Colonel Rutledge and the remaining 12,000 acres to the Thompson family in 1917.

We can only speculate if there was a sense of unfinished business or regret for the Pye family with that brief period of ownership of Calga from 1911 to 1917, as in 1931 ‘Calga West’ was repurchased by Frederick Pye. Tony Pye, nephew to Frederick, went on to buy Calga West from his uncle in 1948. Notably, he was only 23 years of age at the time.

Article by Andrew Maughan Photography by Jessica Rea Drone images by John Nott Story

Selective acquisitions of premium rams since 2004 have complimented the existing stock and the resultant awards are testament to the success of the breeding program. Combined, the operation stands today as one of the biggest and most successful Dohne breeding flocks in Australia. Calga owns the #1 sire in the Country (2020), over 50% of the top 20 sires (2020) and has won countless awards for Champion Dohne Fleece, Reserve Champion Dohne Fleece, with commercial fleeces from Caroonboon Station at the Australian Wool and Sheep show and various notable shows across NSW. Commercial success has been met both in terms of fleece sales and stud breeding, including AI export to South America, Europe, United Kingdom, and New Zealand. Genetics at Calga are benchmarked with the commercial dohne operation at Caroonboon.

In 1966 Tony Pye bought part of neighbouring Calga (8,377 acres) making Calga West a total of 25,602 acres. He formed Calga West Pty. Ltd, with himself and his three children; Vivienne, Charlie and Bill, each holding 10 equal shares. ‘Calga West’ became well established as the family farm, predominantly running a Santa Gertrudis and Merino operation and as Tony approached retirement, his son Bill and daughter in law Margie, who had spent 10 years Northwest of Jerilderie as owner operators of a 16,000 acre sheep grazing property Delta Station, returned in 1992 to take over the farm management. In 1994 Bill bought neighbouring Quanda station (8000 acres) which was in-fact part of the original Calga Station holdings. ‘Calga West’ was renamed ‘Calga’ and in subsequent years additional smaller neighbouring properties, all part of the original Calga station, were acquired. In 2004 Bill bought Calga from his father and siblings and today, after several additional acquisitions, Calga station stands at an impressive 40,626 acres in size. In the early 2000’s Bill made the decision to move towards a large dryland cropping operation and to also replace the traditional Merino flock in favour of Dohnes. In conjunction with taking ownership of the property and with the pivot to Dohne and Dryland cropping operations well underway, Bill embarked on a significant improvement program. Resilience and independence are recurring themes in the actions taken by Bill throughout his life and this is evident in the sheer scale and outcomes of the improvement program undertaken at Calga. Extensive fencing was completed to optimise the zero till cropping paddocks and separate these from grazing, which was confined to land on the property in which large scale cropping was inefficient. To maximise the return on the cropping operations, a considerable investment was made in plant and machinery, including on farm storage for 15,000 T of grain. Two 1,100T drying silos were also installed along with a certified weighbridge with road train capacity. These improvements allow the farm to maximise yield and take advantage of seasonal fluctuations in grain prices. To maximise the certainty of a successful harvest, the farm invested in four CLAAS Lexion 770T harvesters with 45ft fronts, which minimised the reliance on contract harvesters.

The Dohne operations at Calga are considerable in both their scale and accomplishment. 2002 marked the commencement of the Calga Dohne Stud, with the AI of 50 breeding age ewes. In 2012 the Uardry Dohne trademark and 740 special stud Dohnes where acquired when the Uardry stud was disbursed. Subsequently, 640 of the best ewes from DD Dohnes were acquired in 2017. Each stud line is operated independently but follow the same breeding objectives.

The family was shell shocked when Bills tragic accident occurred. Operating on autopilot, everyone did what had to be done to keep both Calga and Caroonboon operating. Georgie put her work as a Project Manager in Brisbane on hold for 6 months and for harvest that year, Margie, Georgie and Sandy were all on headers at Calga, bringing in the harvest.

- CAROONBOONThe success of the Dohne stud program at Calga led to the search for a strategic acquisition of a commercial sheep operation to complement the objectives of the livestock side of the business. Historic Caroonboon, purchased in 2014 and located 70km from Margie’s hometown of Deniliquin, fit the bill.

Caroonboon commenced operations in 1851 and saw its first commercial success with sheep in 1865 when the Dickinson family, who had purchased the property in 1861, sold 40 bales of merino wool in England. It was an austere start for the family of John Dickinson, his wife and four boys, who lived in a basic log cabin in those early years as they eked out a living. The farm was to stay in the Dickinson family until their sale to the Pye’s in 2014. Today Caroonboon carries 12,000 breeding ewes and has undergone a massive improvement program that commenced under Bill's initial guidance. 240km of fencing has been completed since 2015; a new ram selling complex and additional ram sheds have been built, old timber yards have been replaced with new steel yards, new silos and an extensive drought containment program have been completed. Old dams have been de-silted, new dams have been dug, and multiple watering points have been run to less accessible parts of the property. Essentially the property has been redesigned for maximum efficiency when handling sheep, with a Northern and Southern laneway through the centre which allows for the efficient movement of flocks between paddocks. A runway and aircraft hangar completes the improvements and allows for ease of movement between the two stations when required. All building and improvement works have been built by the Caroonboon staff. John Stephens is the invaluable manager of the Caroonboon Station operation. His experience as an owner operator of country in the area, along with his family previously owning the Oaklands property on the northern boundary of Caroonboon, plus 5 years of jackarooing at Caroonboon and the Dicksons being family friends, meant he was more than well qualified to manage a property like Caroonboon. He is a highly regarded friend to the Pye family. His team at Caroonboon are Jack and Harry.

2015: THE ANNUS HORRIBILIS -

Tony Pye died at the age of 89 on the 28th of June 2015. Having purchased the (at the time) 16,625 acre Calga West in 1948, he had overseen its extensive development, expansion, its subsequent transfer to Bill and Margie, and then witnessed its further expansion and development again under Bill’s hand. Tony had his hand in many properties over his lifetime, but without doubt Calga was his ‘family’ farm and is a significant part of his legacy.

Tragically, Bill Pye was to die just a month later, at the age of only 54 as the pilot of a single fatality aircraft accident which occurred whilst he was mustering sheep at Caroonboon. He left behind his wife Margie,24-year-old daughter Georgie and his 20-year-old Son Sandy.

has supplied our chemical for many years. Our agronomist in the past was Graeme Callaghan form Delta Ag, who had been with us for 23 years. He wanted to reduce his workload to 3 days a week and this was when we moved our agronomy to the services of Pursehouse Rural also. John Redden from Pursehouse Rural has been amazing over the years; delivering chemical, taking parts to Coonabarabran to be repaired and then bring them back out the next day and so on”. 2015 was also the beginning of the El Nino –the long unseasonably hot days of that tragic spring for the Pye family, whilst they did lead to a fantastic harvest for 2016, soon turned into a prolonged drought in 2017 that decimated rural and regional Australia and didn’t officially break until 2021. If the Pye family could have been called “lucky” up to that point in 2015, it was the type of luck that is earned as a result of intergenerational hard work, determination and savvy business decisions. In 2015, the luck ran out, but it’s clear that the hard work, stoic determination and savvy business decisions that are ingrained in this family remained.

ABOUT BILL -

Bill’s decisions were firm and rarely if ever done by consultation or committee. Once he made his mind up on something, it was final. He worked to get everything he could out of everything he had, with all decisions made with the objective to maximise the returns and minimise the risks.

Left, Bill Pye, holding trophy for 1st place in the Targa Tasmania Handicap 2007. Right, navigator Grant Geelan, holding trophy for 2nd place overall, also won by Bill in the Targa Tasmania 2007.

Bill’s passion for motorsport led him on many quests to find his next race car. One such car, a Porsche, was found as a repairable wreck in a barn in the UK and he imported it to Australia. This was far from any Porsche though, it was the highly coveted and super rare Porsche 959, the fastest Porsche of its era, of which less than 300 production cars were ever built. Once restored to its former glory, it was deemed too rare and expensive to race, and bill sold the car on. Today it would be conservatively valued at over $2.5 million AUD.

Self-reliance, independence and a fierce sense of competitiveness were his strongest traits. Given his competitive nature, it’s no surprise that his idea of time off was to engage in competitive motor sports.

It must be said that the endurance of the family and the continuation of Bill’s legacy is the result of the stoic determination of his wife Margie. Quick to laugh and instantly good company, Margie is an artist, sculptor and passionate advocate for the Dohne studs and flock under her care. In 2017 Margie oversaw a family decision to purchase 640 of the best ewes from DD Dohnes when the stud was up for dispersal. She is a regular on the show circuit, as the representative of Calga Dohnes.

Highly regarded as a committed and competitive racer, he had great success with Porsche Cup Marque Sports / Production Sports Car and GT3 Cup Challenge competition over the years.

Bill debuted in the Touring Car Masters series in 2010 in a 1969 Chev Camaro, which had been previously owned and successfully raced by John Bowe in 2009. The following year he entered a Porsche 911 and in 2012 he was back again in a Camaro, in livery that paid tribute to Bob Jane.

Bill had grown a highly successful enterprise, with his sudden death the baton was passed and with great credit to all involved, the family enterprise has endured.

Famously, Bill won a race against the legendary John Bowe at the Muscle Car Masters Round in 2013, where he in a Porsche 911 RS and Bowe in his V8, fought repeatedly for the lead, with Bill narrowly winning in a tight finish.

Bill was also heavily involved in Group C and A Heritage touring series, where he notably raced one of Dick Johnsons Ford Mustangs from the 85-86 Group A era.

Friends, family and close associates all rallied to help. Maggie recounts “We were very lucky with our support crew; our bank, accountant, agronomist and some very close friends, including the Webbs, Skinners, Mackays, Raes and Hannafords, who helped to get the family though with advice, an ear to listen or to put a shoulder to the wheel for many and varied tasks. Stuart Davidson, a Scotsman that came as a back packer took over the reins at Calga and did a great job as a farm manager until returning home in 2020. John Stephens stepped forward to take on the role of manager at Caroonboon within days of us losing Bill and he has been an invaluable “Pursehousesupport”.Rural

The Pye family story doesn’t end here. With the next generation on the way it is clear that they will endure long into the future. It’s a quintessential Australian farming family story that we look forward to watching unfold over the years to come.

Aside from the difficulty in building a team, there are of course the daily challenges, like when the trailer carrying 35,000 litres of diesel onto the farm recently got bogged in the soft black soils and could not be retrieved. The only solution was to take a 2 hour round trip each day to bring the tractors to the fuel trailer until such time as it was light enough to move.

Sandy has taken residence on Calga in the original 1870’s Calga homestead. He is joined by his wife Holly, who is due with their first child as this magazine goes to publication.

More recently, Sandy has had to contend with 6,000 tonnes of barley in conjunction with the constant flooding of the grain yard complex, which has made the organisation of logistics very difficult. He muses that “these problems are all better than the drought though” and sets about putting solutions in place.

John Stephens helped a lot with this and was instrumental with his fencing experience. A month later the first of the drought breaking rains Withoutcame.doubt there is a lot on the mind and shoulders of a man at 27 with his responsibilities, but when he drops his guard, he is quick to smile as easily as his mum. Good natured and outwardly calm, the biggest challenge as he works to get Calga back to maximum capacity has been in respect to building his team. This problem has been exacerbated by the shortage of staff in cropping and livestock at the moment.

- ABOUT SANDYLike his father and his grandfather before him, Sandy was raised on the farm and educated as a junior boarder at Tudor house in the Southern Highlands, followed by six years as a boarding student at Kings College in Parramatta. Both he and his father went on to ag college and all three men spent several years as a Jackeroos on completion of their formal education. When Sandy left College he spent a year on Carlton Hill, a CPC property north of Kununurra. He then spent 6 months at Caroonboon with Bill in early 2015, which was very valuable as Sandy became aware of Bills hopes and dreams for Caroonboon. The following 12 months, following the loss of Bill, Sandy, Georgie (for 6 months), and Margie all commuted between both properties. In June 2016 Sandy then spent 3 months in the Pilbara with contract musterer Pat Barrett, and returned to Calga in time for harvest.

2017 was a year spent at Marcus Oldham and in 2018 Sandy was the overseer and the only person on 80,000 acres at Ulonga, near One Tree north of Hay for Paraway. In 2019, four years after his father had passed and with the country exhausted under the weight of a crippling drought, Sandy left his jackerooing position and returned to Calga and Caroonboon to assist with the drought containment build.

Sandys team today consists of Olly, Craig, Cory and Luke, Share farmer and friend Tim Cain, and Shane who is a local tractor driver from town.

In unfavourable conditions, up to 23%^ of the nitrogen in conventional urea will be lost to the atmosphere in Wintercrop, before it’s had the chance to do its job. That’s a disappearance we put our brightest minds to solving. The result is Green Urea NV® with a patented coating that reduces nitrogen losses by up to 89%*, making it better for your soil health, your yield potential and your pocket. Talk to your agronomist or dealer today about upgrading your Urea order to Green Urea NV.

®Green Urea NV is a registered trademark of Incitec Pivot Limited. Incitec Pivot Fertilisers is a registered trademark of Incitec Fertilisers Limited ABN 56 103 709 155. Incitec Pivot Fertilisers is a business of Incitec Pivot Limited ABN 42 004 080 264. ®Fertcare is a registered trademark of Australian Fertiliser Services Association, Inc. ^ Turner, D.A., et al., (2012) Ammonium volatilisation from urea fertilizers applied to cereals in two cropping areas of southern Australia. Plant and Soil 93, 113-126.* Turner, D.A., et al., Determination and mitigation of ammonia loss from urea applied to winter wheat with N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. (2010), doi:10.1016/j. agee.2010.02.011. 44

“Research has shown volatilisation losses from urea vary greatly between production systems and environments and can be significant. In areas where volatilisation may occur, growers and producers can use Green Urea NV, a granular urea treated with a urease inhibitor to reduce volatilisation for up to 14 days after application to ensure nitrogen is still present for the next rainfall “Thisevent.process ensures nitrogen is available for the plants and reduces ammonia emissions,” said Mr Laycock. The active ingredient is NBPT – N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT). It slows down the conversion of urea to ammonium.

“Other key factors include crop residue on the soil surface, temperatures above 18°C, alkaline soils, wind, lighter sandy loams, and application to a moist soil that dries after application.

Following a record winter crop last year and with strong growing conditions this season, cereal and canola growers and livestock producers can maximise the return on their fertiliser investment by using a urease inhibitor to reduce nitrogen losses from Volatilisationvolatilisation.isthe

Incitec Pivot Fertilisers (IPF) Senior Technical Agronomist, Jim Laycock, said how much N is lost to NH3 depends on a range of factors.

“N is essential for dry matter production, shoot density and potential yield in cereals,” Mr Laycock “Factorssaid. which favour NH3 losses from top dressed urea include light rain post application where there is enough to dissolve the urea granule but not enough to wash the dissolved granule into the soil.

process of nitrogen (N) being lost from the soil surface as ammonia (NH3) gas. In dryland winter crop environments, volatilisation losses from urea can be anywhere from 3% to 23% and in pastures losses can be as high as 30%.

IPF has developed a patented NBPT formulation known as Lockdown®, which improves the active ingredient’s stability when applied to urea. A range of field studies have demonstrated the benefits of NBPT. Wheat productivity and nitrogen use efficiency was measured at three sites in the Wimmera region of Victoria between 2012 and 2014. At those sites NBPT increased yield (+ 7–11%) in two of three years compared to unamended urea. In other field studies, the N management strategy significantly affected losses of fertiliser N depending on seasonal conditions, with NBPT producing significant benefits in reducing losses of topdressed urea under dry seasonal conditions.

“N loss effects cans be widespread and cost the grower with lost production and/or lower return on investment for applied fertiliser.

45 h elp prevent nitrogen loss this se A son

IPF’s trial work in the Mallee in 2014 also demonstrated the effectiveness of Green Urea NV® over urea with an early September topdress and 17 days before a welcome rainfall event of 35mm. The Green Urea NV treatment returned a significant grain yield response over urea (0.41t/ha), protein response (0.7%) and improved nitrogen use efficiency from 33.7% for urea to 60.5% for Green Urea NV. By reducing N loss from volatilisation, applying Green Urea NV may allow growers to reduce urea “Whenrates. topdressing large acreages, topdressing can commence four to six days before a significant rainfall event with confidence that all the nitrogen is still available for incorporation into the soil profile when that rain front comes through,” Mr Laycock said. “All farming systems should aim to maximise nutrient use efficiency. When choosing the most appropriate product to apply, consideration should be given to the rate of application, the frequency of application, the timing of the application, the economic objectives, and any environmental consequences.”

Agricultural Inputs

Our domestic manufacturing capacity provides Australian quality products at competitive prices. We’re the only local crop protection manufacturer that is focused on Australia because it’s our home. By supporting Nufarm as your local partner, you’re helping to secure onshore solutions for the tough times and the good. To learn more, visit: nufarm.com.au NUFARM.CHOOSELOCAL.CHOOSE We continue to invest into Australian agriculture like no other crop protection company here. 46

A specialist chemist who works in our formulation team, Ari was responsible for developing Nufarm Amicide® Advance 700 in a three-year project involving thousands of experiments and lots of Nevertheless,patience.

“It’s a big investment by Nufarm in local R&D and manufacturing to create this unique product for the Australian market,” Ari said.

47 Agricultural Inputs

While farmers and spray contractors keep a close watch on this season’s Winter crops for early signs of weeds and diseases, local experts behind the scenes like Ari Panayi are working hard from Nufarm’s Centre of Excellence Laboratory in Victoria, to ensure our products deliver every use. As Australian Through & Through, Nufarm is now a global crop protection and seeds company still headquartered right in Australia. With a focus on the right solutions for Australian conditions, Nufarm employs hundreds of Australians through our local manufacturing sites, our development salesforce in regional and rural communities across the country, and our significant R&D and Laboratory teams.

his perseverance has helped create a world first – a fully patented, 700 g/L 2,4-D formulation which performs under the most extreme conditions. Which is important for this dry season. It’s a coup for Australian farmers who are benefiting from a better, more stable formulation which controls broadleaf weeds in both in-crop and fallow situations. Even better, Nufarm Amicide Advance 700 is compatible with a wide range of Nufarm product formulations, bringing peace of mind and valuable time savings to farmers when they are tank mixing products. Another benefit is the trust and peace of mind of Ari2,4-D.explained that farmers have been using 2,4-D for decades and it still ranks as one of the most widely used herbicides for controlling broadleaf weeds in cereals, pastures, fallows, sugar cane and Whilebananas.we have been a leading supplier of 2,4D brands such as Amine 625 and Cobber® 475 for years, the development of this latest Nufarm Amicide Advance 700 formulation has required three years in the laboratory and another three years of glasshouse and field trials.

When Ari was first approached to explore ways of improving the 625 g/L formulation several years ago as a result of our customer’s feedback, the wish list included a stable product that could withstand temperatures as low as 0°C without crystallising and breaking down. And so began three years of laboratory investigations, involving experiments with many different mixtures and combinations to identify a unique formulation which met all the specified requirements that Australian farmers need.

latest-news loc A

“The higher loading – 700 g/L of active ingredient instead of 625 g/L – means less packaging and less storage space in the store and the shed, so Nufarm Amicide Advance 700 is better for the environment,” Ari said. “It also means farmers can obtain fallow and incrop weed control with this one formulation which can be mixed with a wide range of other Nufarm Onceproducts.”theformulation improvements were made, Ari handed over to other members of Nufarm’s R&D team for glasshouse and field testing involving more than 80 field trials over another three years. “Farmers and agronomists can be confident that any claims made on Nufarm product labels have been fully tested in the company’s laboratories, glasshouses and field trials, so we know they perform in Australian conditions,” Ari said. To read more go to www.pursehouserural.com.au/

deliverschemistrylWorldfirstforfArmers

The company has a focus on assuring seed supply to the market to meet demand through professional seed production and inventory management strategies. “Pioneer Seeds is invested in production and processing principles and processes that result in seed the bag that aims for maximum achievable quality, and doesn’t just meet minimum standards” Peter “Simplysaid. said, the Yates family encourages us to get on with better business, and they are committed to resourcing the Pioneer Seeds to do that. This sharpens our focus on identifying the needs of farmers and the supply chain as they arise, and developing the best products and processes to meet those needs,” said Peter.

Peter Kleinhanss is the CEO of Pioneer Seeds in Australia, and he notes that the company has a n extensive knowledge and understanding of what is required to meet the demands of Australian corn, grain sorghum, forage sorghum and canola “Infarmers.2016, a New Zealand company owned by experienced and respected multi-generational seedsmen, the Yates family, established a company called GenTech Seeds to acquire the rights to produce and distribute Pioneer brand seeds and products in Australia. Since then, the Pioneer Seeds brand in Australia has continued to grow under the family’s ownership which maintains strong international linkages to the global Pioneer business, and Corteva, the company which is the owner of the Pioneer brand worldwide” he said.

In the 2022-23 summer planting season, Pioneer Seeds has an extensive range of corn, grain sorghum and summer forage hybrid seed available, including new grain sorghum and corn hybrids to complement the existing range grown throughout Australia. “Growers considering including any of these hybrids in their spring sowing program are urged to work with their sales agronomist or local Pioneer Seeds representative to secure hybrids that have the right attributes for their property and plan a program of complementary product sowing to manage risk on their farms,” said Peter.

For almost 50 years, Australian farmers have grown to trust the iconic PIONEER® brand on their bag of seed. Backed up by a display of uniquely shaped crop signs highlighting Pioneer Seeds crops grown throughout the countryside, growers know this image is a signpost to quality crop performance and yields.

Agricultural Inputs Peter Kleinhanss, CEO Pioneer Seeds Australia (left), at Pioneer Seeds 5ha 2021 summer crop breeding nursery at Glenore Grove with Will Yates, Managing Director of GenTech Seeds.

Peter continued “With our in-house research team and partners, we access global genetics and implement what could be argued is the most extensive, rigorous, and complex breeding and testing program in Australia for the seed lines that we supply to the market.”

s eed success W ith pioneer s eeds

A key to the success that growers enjoy with Pioneer seed products, is that Pioneer Seeds makes a multi-million dollar investment into seed research each year in Australia. This investment continues to be spread throughout all key growing regions for each seed line, so Australian farmers can rely on Pioneer brand seeds to perform in their paddocks, with confidence that hybrids are proven in their local area under a range of environmental influences prior to being commercialised.

There are few fields as dynamic as cotton, with Syngenta herbicide solutions evolving to meet new needs. For fallow weeds GRAMOXONE® 360 Pro herbicide is now registered for optical spray application. DUAL GOLD® herbicide has also evolved, with over-the-top use now on the label. For further information talk to your local Syngenta representative or visit inEvolvingSyngenta.com.auInnovationaFieldofPotential. ® Registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. © 2022 Syngenta. AD22-275 50

“Developed over 40 years ago, the active ingredients paraquat and diquat have continued to benefit from our ongoing investment in innovation, resulting in two of the best formulations in the market; GRAMOXONE® 360 Pro and SPRAY.SEED®,” he said. “This dedication to innovation has been met in equal parts performance and safety, including the successful development of tamper proof drums and anti-glug technology with GRAMOXONE® 360 Pro. The high AI loading in GRAMOXONE® 360 Pro meanwhile means transporting and storing fewer drums.”

In other label extension news, Syngenta Technical Services Lead Ant Mitchell said DUAL GOLD® was recently made available for over-the-top use in cotton “Growerscrops.can still choose to apply DUAL GOLD® post-plant, pre-emergence, if desired,” he said. “However, the over-the-top registration means applications can be made from 4 to 18 node, giving cotton growers welcome flexibility. “This new use pattern is a welcome addition particularly if earlier applications might present a crop safety concern.”

Good stewardship doesn’t stop with herbicides in cotton, Syngenta also continues to invest in better outcomes for growers through the FastStart™ Cotton TheProgram.program was founded over 10 years ago as a partnership between Cotton Seed Distributors (CSD) and Syngenta. For every bag of cotton seed sold, treated with Syngenta insecticide and fungicide Seedcare™ products, funds are reinvested in research and tools for the benefit of growers. Among the tools they have developed is a network of soil temperature monitoring stations covering all the cotton growing valleys. This information is then translated into clear, simple signals, with the FastStart™ Traffic Light Indicator helping give growers the green light once soil temperatures reach 14 degrees centigrade at 8am, for four consecutive Syngentadays.

51 Agricultural Inputs

“Being part of the Roundup Ready PLUS* program gives growers the opportunity to use the highest quality herbicides on the market and use alternative modes of action to help reduce the development of resistance, and in turn be eligible for significant rebates on their purchases.”

Using quality herbicides to help establish cotton crops can offer added peace of mind and value, without necessarily costing more.

c otton her Bicide investment key to results

“Herbicide applications are an investment –especially in time – so when things are so busy on farm it’s important to use quality products to help achieve the best results possible,” Syngenta Territory Sales Manager and Cotton Lead Andrew Dayas said. “Using quality Syngenta products, is a huge step in the right direction to achieve the best results possible.

A recent label extension also means GRAMOXONE® 360 Pro can be used with green-on-brown optical sprayers at robust rates to manage hard-to-control weeds in-fallow.

is also partners with CSD in the Industry Support Program, to provide peace of mind to dryland cotton growers. By purchasing qualifying varieties from CSD, growers are reimbursed for the seed should the crop not be able to be picked, for any seasonal reason other than hail. This means growers can also plant with greater confidence, when it comes to chewing and sucking pests, with CRUISER® 600FS or CRUISER® Extreme offering greater convenience than granular, in-furrow options.

Ready PLUS* program was developed by Bayer, in conjunction with Syngenta and is designed to reward cotton growers who are using herbicides sustainably.

Growers in the Roundup Ready PLUS* program can also qualify for cash rebates on participating herbicides from Syngenta, including GRAMOXONE® 360 Pro, SPRAY.SEED®, DUAL GOLD® and TheGESAGARD®.Roundup

The benefits begin to stack up when growers are able to observe more consistent returns for their effort, while driving down their weed burden and slowing resistance development.

From fallow and pre-plant knockdown, through to canopy development, Syngenta has cotton herbicide options that Syngenta Portfolio Lead James Hotten said were tried, tested and trusted.

BAR3033_Custom Tropical Pasture Ad_148x210_V3_FA.indd 1 23/6/2022 5:35 pm 52

AGRONOMYREPORTS Darling Downs Nick Park Agronomist Pursehouse Rural Melrose Liverpool Plains Lochlan Lancaster Agronomist Pursehouse Rural Gunnedah Hunter Valley Andrew Thomson Agronomist Pursehouse Rural Muswellbrook New England Pursehouse Rural Uralla Central West James Fleming Agronomist Pursehouse Rural Coonabarabran 53

Darling Downs

The summer season of 2021-2022 is nearly complete once all summer crops have been harvested and picked. A wetter than average summer has affected management techniques this summer. A lot of aerial spraying was required for applying products where it was not possible to use ground rigs. Sorghum and cotton yields have been better than average and prices have been a lot higher than previous years. The mung beans have had varying results depending on how much weather they received. Summer crop harvesting has been frustrating with wet weather delaying harvest progress. The quality of crops has been variable depending on weather damage. There has been some downgrading of certain summer crops for example Fungi in sorghum and sprouted grain in mung beans. While in cotton, the prolonged wet weather has caused the fibre colour to be downgraded below Base, whereas most other fibre parameters have been little affected. Picking is well behind schedule for this time of the year with weather Consequently,holdups. with the wet weather, the Winter crop planting has also been delayed. Early crops such as Fababeans and barley have been planted along with some early season wheat. High wheat prices and good moisture has prompted some double crop opportunities. The Chickpea area has basically been reduced to zero as prices are not favourable and the continued forecast of wet weather not giving growers confidence with the possibility of a high disease situation. Early planted oats have been infected with Rust, so options have been controlled grazing and fungicides have been added into herbicide programs to reduce the incidence of Growersdisease. have been ordering starter fertiliser treated with Flutriafol to control diseases such as Stripe Rust and Powdery mildew. A lot of wheat and barley seed retained by farmers has been treated with seed dressings to control insects and diseases in the early growth stages of the crop. Fallows have been a challenge to control the usual weeds in between multiple wet weather events. Flaxleaf Fleabane, Feather Top Rhodes Grass and Common Sowthistle have been the most difficult to bring under control. From mid-July there will be some residual herbicides such as Dual Gold, Valor, Pendamethalin, Terbyne Xtreme and Atrazine applied in fallows pre-plant to stop the emergence of summer weeds as the soil temperature warms up. Jeffrey Stone and Jack Hyem have planted a winter cereal variety site demonstrating some of the newer commercial varieties available in 2022, data will be provided in due Soilcourse.testing for summer crops has been carried out with fertiliser programs to be undertaken once the ground is dry enough and capable of carrying a fertilizer rig. Big N and Granular urea are the most popular forms of Nitrogen for the Downs. Phosphorous and Potassium will also be applied pre-plant for some summer crops where required. With a wet summer predicted, Nitrogen will more than likely be leached deeper into the soil profile. Some winter crops will be sprayed soon to control broadleaf, grass weeds and diseases. Contact your local Pursehouse Rural Branch to discuss your options with a friendly and experienced team Rural Melrose - 0428 618 570

QLD

AgronomistBymember.NickPark Pursehouse

Liverpool Plains With above average rainfall predicted for northern NSW during August & September, prevention of diseases in your crops will be critical to ensure high yields are achieved. Nutrition programs developed through soil tests, fallow weed control, varietal selection, seed treatments, planting date, in-crop herbicides and insect monitoring have all occurred in the lead up to ensure your targeted yield can be attained. Fungicides are just one important component that protect your crops yield when conditions are conducive to disease Highdevelopment.commodity prices of canola have seen another large area planted across the Liverpool Plains and with above average rainfall predicted for the Spring, Sclerotinia management will be pivotal again this year. There’s a wide range of broadleaf crops that are a host of sclerotinia. When plants are infected, they produce a small black fruiting body called sclerotia, which can survive in the soil for up to 5 years. Apothecia, which are very small mushroom like fungi emerge from the sclerotia in the soil when favourable conditions arise. Apothecia release millions of spores into the crop canopy which then land on the plants flowers. When petals drop in the leaf apex an infection occurs due to extended periods of leaf wetness and temperatures between 15-25°C. This infection will cause the stem to rot and cause lodging and plant death. Aviator Xpro application/s should be made between 20-50% flowering, trials have consistently shown the best results are recorded from early applications of Prosaro at 20-30% flowering. However, weather conditions & flowering length of your variety must be considered, remembering sclerotinia infection won’t develop or increase in severity when the canopy is dry. Please note Aviator Xpro has new registrations that have been added to label this year. These are, control of upper canopy Blackleg and suppression of Powdery mildew and Alternaria Durumblackspot.wheat is another popular choice in customers rotations, due to strong commodity prices. Stripe rust prevention has been imperative in Durum the last two seasons with above average rainfall & new pathotypes evolving and changing varieties susceptibility ratings. You can check up to date susceptibility ratings in the NSW DPI Sowing Guide 2022. Ideal conditions for the development of stripe rust in wheat are leaf wetness or high humidity for 5-6 hours at temperatures between 9-18°C, with its optimal cycling temp being 12-20°C. Before applying a fungicide consider the weather conditions and if they look to be conducive for disease development prior to spraying. Look at the variety’s resistance rating for stripe rust. Consider maximum residue limits as this can have an influence on what product & rate you use if you need to spray. The flag leaf in wheat is the highest contributing leaf to yield so it’s imperative that this stays green and photosynthesising for as long as possible to maintain yield potential. Our strategy the pass two seasons with the new pathotype change and conducive conditions has been a Propiconazole application at GS32 (2nd node) and a low-rate application of Veritas Opti at GS39 (flag leaf fully emerged). If wet conditions are looking to persist into flowering, consider an application of Prosaro at the beginning of flowering to prevent the onset of Fusarium head Remember,blight. fungicides don’t increase your crops yield, but will protect it from diminishing if conditions are conducive to disease development. If this has raised any questions, please feel free to contact your local Pursehouse Rural Agronomist. By Lochlan AgronomistLancasterPursehouse Rural Gunnedah - 0437 210 204 NSW 55

Rural Muswellbrook - 0428 400 202 56

Typically, they are sown from midDecember onwards, 18C soil temp and rising, with a starter fertiliser containing phosphorus, sulphur and zinc. Under irrigation or with sufficient summer rain, they can produce a high yield of protein-rich feed to benefit grazing animals and a stubble that breaks down quickly in the autumn. For all summer forage crops, careful planning based on paddock conditions, calculated feed requirements and good quality seed and fertiliser are critical to success. For any further details, please contact your local Pursehouse Rural AgronomistByAgronomist.AndrewThomsonPursehouse

Legume crops like cowpeas and dolichos lablab are another summer option gaining popularity on paddocks free of broadleaf weeds and with no residual chemical history. Correctly inoculated, they can produce their own nitrogen to boost their yield and improve that of cereal crops that follow in the winter.

Another good winter season with abundant feed on most farms in the district, after a patchy start for some growers in paddocks with high stubble loads following the wet summer. Once winter rains arrived, paddocks thickened up and there were some great results with newer oats varieties like Warlock and Overland, Severn grazing wheat and new Kraken barley. Well fertilized ryegrass pastures grew a bulk of feed and mixed pastures battled through the colder conditions and continue on with impressive yields in the Floodsspring. in late June / early July posed a challenge for those in lower lying areas, with a dependence on hay and silage until paddocks could recover enough to be grazed again. Weeds seeds will have been spread by flood waters, so be on the lookout as the warmer weather approaches. Many growers will be putting some thought into summer sowing options. Forage millet is first cab off the rank from late September, once soil temperatures reach 12C and rising. Rebound, Japanese and Shirohie have all been popular varieties in recent years, sown into clean fallow paddocks with a good starter fertiliser. Getting an early start is important with millet, as it can struggle if sown in the heat of Foragesummer.sorghum

NSW Hunter Valley

hybrids are popular from late-October onwards, once soil temps are 16C and rising. These suit blocks with some weed history, as there are more broadleaf and grass herbicide options compared to millet. There are many different types including sweet sorghum crosses for silage or stand-over feed into autumn, sorghum-sudan grass crosses including brown midrib (BMR) varieties that have good bulk and higher digestibility, and sudan x sudan types which are leafy with thinner stems, still yield well but have lower risk of prussic acid. Correct fertiliser management and timing is critical to optimize yield and to avoid any nitrate issues. Ideally graze or cut when the crop is at least 1m tall and not under heat or moisture stress. If in doubt collect samples and send off for testing.

NSW 57

New England

Sown pastures are doing well with the long autumn with moderately warm temperatures and great rainfall. With the feed actively growing and high water content, metabolic issues may become an issue such a staggers, pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia. Come in store to discuss preventative measures for these metabolic disorders. Higher pasture cover will make winter weeds such as thistles less easily seen. Closer inspection and reducing the pasture cover to get an effective spray on these weeds will be important. Spraying with the large cover will reduce the spray coverage on the thistles and result is a poor thistle control. This potential spray issue to continue into spring and summer weeds such as Bathurst DueBurr.to autumn rain not all paddocks were sown. A sound spring/summer feed option is millet and hybrid leafy turnip. Sown at a 15 0C soil temperature and rising this mix can give you good quality feed generally 10 weeks after planting. Set the paddock up in a rotation to maximize livestock intake and utilization, this mix can be a great feed source for steers out of winter heading for the Christmas market spike. Additionally to the spring feed, spraying out and re-sowing gives you to opportunity to control your Rats Tail Fescue (Vulpia myuros). Rails Tail Fescue sets seed in early summer and causes smoothing or competition for the newly sown pasture the following autumn. Rats Tail Fescue is easily killed with glyphosate, ready for spring sowing and reducing seed populations in your paddocks destin for autumn sown pasture. Early planning for next autumn’s sowing should start in spring with soil testing and getting a plan on what area you would like to sow. Organizing seed and fertilizer in early summer will guarantee supply for when you would like it and not hold up your sowing.

NSW

Oncerotations.paddocks dried out and rain eased, planting continued. Germination and establishment of these later crops have been ideal, if mild conditions continue throughout the growing season, the delay in sowing hopefully won’t result in a large yield loss, especially for our western growers where it can warm up quickly from late winter. Summer crop harvest extended beyond the anticipated dates, due to mild summer temperatures and wet conditions, pushing the operation well into the winter crop planting window, which added an additional layer of complexity to farming Withlogistics.planting now slowing winding up, many are turning to, in crop weed control, while the ground is still trafficable and before weeds and crop become too advanced. As winter slowly disappears and spring approaches, winter crop foliar diseases will flourish with the higher temperatures and moist conditions, ensure fungicides are available to manage Managingthem.crop nutrition, mainly nitrogen is an ongoing issue for many in our area, especially given the current high fertiliser prices. Soil tests and budgets will assist to determine if a profit could result from any nitrogen applications where required and to maximise yields, for many it will, especially given current good moisture conditions and the removal of above average crop yields last Anyoneseason.thinking of planting summer crops or pastures, if you haven’t already, speak to your local branch about securing your seed and other agricultural inputs. Summer crops will be a popular option for those unable to plant a winter crop due to wet conditions. By James AgronomistFlemingPursehouse Rural Coonabarabran - 0417 668 754 58

Central West Autumn 2022 in Central West NSW, once winter crop planting commenced, varieties started to be planted in their correct sowing windows. As rain continued, paddocks become wet, very wet then exceptionally wet. Sowing times had been pushed beyond ideal timings and the operation consisted of many stops and starts, while moving machinery around to find the driest paddocks to continue planting, without getting too bogged. Given the previous wet harvest and some poor seed quality, many growers found it difficult sourcing seed, especially for later sowing options. Small areas of crops and some complete paddocks were re-sown due to high rainfall conditions soon after planting, some due to soil surface compaction, preventing seedling emergence on hard setting soils, and other areas related to water logging of freshly planted/ germinating seed, supplying too much moisture and for too long. Once areas dried out, some time later, resowing commenced. A few even tried aerial sowing and ground spreading with mixed results, success really depended on amount and timing of rainfall post spreading. Areas sown to canola are slightly higher than previous years; Faba beans and Lupin areas are lower; Wheat and Barley areas slightly higher, while chickpea areas have been scaled back. Due to limited chickpea and other pulse markets, restrictions in these crop plantings resulted this season, while high canola prices enticed canola plantings, these will all impact on current and future season’s crop

pittsWorth Qld

Pursehouse Rural Pittsworth is located in the heart of the Darling Downs. Just 40 minutes south of the city of Toowoomba, the rural township of Pittsworth caters to the needs of farmers across the Downs, from the cattle and horse country of the hills, to the rich soils of the plains primed for cropping inputs. The team at Pursehouse Rural Pittsworth is led by branch manager Peter Denning, who has worked for the Pursehouse Rural business for twelve years. Peter brings professionalism and knowledge to his role and is supported by an enthusiastic team at the Pittsworth branch, from merchandise manager Ben Woodland, to an in house Agronomy team with countless years of experience in the field. The knowledge shared through the Agronomy team at Pittsworth is invaluable to operations in the branch, whether that be assisting in customer requirements or giving advance notice to what they’re seeing out in the paddock and what may be required by customers in the coming months.

Pursehouse Rural Pittsworth employees are trained in using the FecPak system as well as receiving regular training in a wide range of animal health products and services.

Pursehouse Rural Pittsworth supports customer livestock enterprises with their FecPak faecal egg count testing, available in branch. FecPak is an internet connected, image based diagnostic platform, scientifically validated to conduct faecal egg count tests on animals. FecPak testing can save you time and money, improve animal health and performance and ensure you are using worming treatments effectively and sustainably.

59 From Pursehouse Rural

Pursehouse Rural is also home to the only bulk fertiliser facility in Pittsworth. Customers can stop by the Pursehouse Rural branch at Pittsworth and pick up their requirements there and then, ensuring operations on farm continue to run smoothly and efficiently.

Peter BranchDenningManagerBen ManagerMerchandiseWoodland

Br A nch profile :

Photography by Jessica Rea ‘Each member of the team at Pursehouse Rural Pittsworth brings their own set of skills, knowledge and understanding of agriculture and farming on the Darling Downs,’ says Branch Manager, Peter Denning. ‘In and around the Pittsworth area you will find some of the richest farming land in Australia, where we are lucky enough to be able to grow a wide variety of summer and winter crops as well as run cattle, horses and chickens on the hills. It keeps us busy in the branch, and we do everything we can to make sure are customers have just what they need, when they need it.’

Pursehouse Rural Pittsworth Cnr Mallard & Box St. 07 4693 680060

Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 8am to 5pm

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