WA sheep farmers deserve much better

The first meeting with Steven was in unfortunate circumstances.

We were a group of Blaze Aid volunteers from around Australia, Western Australia and former Corrigin residents who had returned to help.

The majority of Steven's property had been burnt out in the Corrigin fire on February 6-7, 2022.

He had lost his top Merino stud rams that had been put into the shearing shed for safety.

It was the ferocity of heat and wind that day that caused the shed to catch on fire.

The total devastation of farmland, infrastructure, natural and planted vegetation including road verges was hard to comprehend and how hot the fire had burnt.

Australia prosperity presently relies on the finite resources of our minerals.

For more than a century Australia's prosperity road on the back of its Merino sheep, the infinite wool they produced and all those involved in the industry, from James McArther and his wife Elizabeth 200 years ago, refined today to possibly the best fibre and food producing animal on the planet.

Just how important was the Australian Merino?

Its part in military uniforms in WWI and WWII has probably been underestimated.

The German advance and withdrawal in Russia in WWII was hampered by the quality of their uniforms.

Proof of wool's value was when the Korean War began just five years after the end of the second World War, wool was valued at one pound per 1b or $2 per 0.454g (provisional taxation was introduced by the Federal government and remains today).

Those of us 70 years and over, before tractor cabs became standard, would remember the value of old army great coats and tunics, particularly at night and early mornings.

Presently there is no alternative to the live sheep trade in WA - which provides the ability to slaughter fully grown sheep and older sheep.

Within present guidelines, I believe the sea voyage is not a problem.

If animals are treated at country of arrival similar as in Australia, it is hard to condemn the trade.

In the 1960s and 1970s, a ship sailed between Fremantle and Singapore carrying live sheep and cattle, as well as paying passengers.

The sheep were fully grown, had to weight in excess of 51kg and were known as Singapore wethers.

The western world has an obsession with eating younger birds and animal.

Being retired, the television comes on some day times and RSPCA Rescue is a program interesting to watch.

I am quite often surprised at the resources involved from first and follow-up visits and the physical and veterinary skills involved with usually what seems a minimum penalty if any.

The RSPCA, along with the Gould League which we learnt about at primary school, are given high regard in the community.

You hope the RSPCA gives a balanced and accurate account in all situations.

Not all farmland in WA is suitable for continuous cropping.

In earlier years the rotation of subterranean clovers, livestock and cropping proved profitable and sustainable.

Can it be again on some soil types?

Could some of Australia's sheep population be run in reverse to the northern hemisphere where animals are yarded and shedded in the winter (yarded and shedded in the summer and fed mainly crop residue and second quality grain?).

It is also worth remembering WA was able to help the Eastern States restock after a four-year drought.

Power to you Steven.