THE WA Livestock Research Council (WALRC) is partnering with WAMMCO and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) to showcase the high input/high output sheep management strategy in play at the Heggaton family business at Kojonup.
The event will take the shape of a morning farm tour and then afternoon seminar this Thursday, September 9.
The day will involve a trip through the large-scale sheep confinement system, the feedlot and a look at a series of pasture trials under the management of Tim Trezise, before finishing with presentations featuring Paul Omodei, Rob Davidson, Dave Pethick, David Beatty, Wayne Pech and Richard Coole.
"We are aiming to put a really strong business lens over the content, interrogating the value proposition of confinement feeding at scale and the flow-on effect that has on pasture and cropping management systems," said WALRC executive officer Esther Jones.
"This is an opportunity to ask anything of the presenting team in order to pick the eyes out of what is being done in this business that can be applied at home."
With the Heggatons now placing up to 12,000 ewes in confinement over the late summer/autumn, this has come with both its challenges and its opportunities, and the presenting team is up to sharing their warts and all learnings from the investment.
The confinement feeding system is modelled on the one that Nyabing farmer Allan Hobley introduced to his operation and Mr Hobley too will be on hand to discuss his lessons learned.
But it is the opportunities that a well-managed confinement program has brought to rev-up both the grazing and cropping program, that will be the hot topic.
Having pastures that can cope with 1000-plus mob sizes (once marking is complete) and operating on a five-day rotation, is what really will be put under a microscope.
"Without doubt this is a high input system but what we will endeavour to deliver on the day is an understanding of the costs and the profit drivers to make this work," said venue host Craig Heggaton.
The full program is available at walrc.com.au/events.
Registration is essential to manage catering (lamb chops promised at the end of the day) and RSVPS should be directed to Esther Jones on admin@walrc.com.au or via text to 0418 931 938.
