A farming neighbour whose family have farmed the area for close to 100 years told us that this drought is the worst they have ever experienced. They milk 600 cows all year round.

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This month, we have had our herd tested for TB and we remained clear for another year, our status is now C7. We have also had our herd tested for Lepto and remain clear.

This month we are sending tail hairs from our 2007 calves off to Genemark for Parentage Verification. The next task will be to clean up the feet of some of our older cows, with all the wet weather last winter it did not allow us an opportunity to do this.

Other jobs on the farm have been spraying the dam surrounds as they are at low levels, gorse spraying a never ending problem and we hope to tidy up the fences after our drainage program which is now completed. Time will tell if we have made the best of the incurred drainage expenditure. Pruning pine trees is on the agenda but its very slippery and dry on the needle drop and dangerous with chain saw pruners, but we are getting it done with the help of Trisha's brother in-law.

Other observations this month we have been looking at the website of the American Lowline Registry, it's a link on this website. What has surprised me is the popularity of the Lowline Breed in America, they now have a lot of breeders in most States. They also have on their website a Breed Standard for the Lowline's. This is something that a lot of Lowline Breeders in NZ & Australia have been asking for from ALCA for sometime. The Council has been reluctant to make a firm stand on this in print for all members. A time might come in the future when we will have Breed Inspectors who would look at animals for registration and approve that they meet the Breed Standard?

Soon we will be preparing for our in-take of 60 F1 4 day old calves. We have already taken orders for 20. We are a bit worried about the price of calf milk replacer so may have to increase our prices of the weaned calves.

We now need more rain and some grass growth for the winter. On the bright side we have had a bumper mushroom crop this year and are really enjoying them.

Committed to the Promotion of the Australian Lowline Beef Breed