Information and Articles

Sheep and goat producers in Western Australia are now required to record mob-based movements on the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database.

Department of Agriculture and Food Brands Registrar Farran Dixon said the new recording requirements were designed to accelerate the tracing of sheep and goats in the case of a disease outbreak or the detection of a residue in meat, milk or fibre.

Have you ever asked yourself: What is the difference between organic and non-organic honey? Milk? Meat? Clothing?

Advice and information for people looking to buy a small farming property can now be found in the Department of Agriculture and Food publication ‘Tips for Purchasing Small Rural Landholdings’.

The information booklet, developed by the department’s Small Landholder Information Service (SLIS) aims to improve prospective small landholders’ understanding of the importance of selecting a property best suited to their needs and expectations.

Farm manager is an app designed by a farmer for farmers. It allows small farmers to record cropping, livestock, machinery procedures and access this information with ease.

The Regional Relocation (Home Buyers Grant) Act 2011 will operate for four years, commencing 1 July 2011. The scheme will provide applicants with a one-off payment of $7,000 to assist them with the cost of relocating from their metropolitan home to a regional home.

The metropolitan area means the local government areas of the Sydney metropolitan area, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Gosford, Wyong, Wollondilly, Wollongong and Newcastle.

The regional areas are participating local government areas which are located outside of the metropolitan area.

The Department of Agriculture and Food is reminding sheep farmers to check all new rams for ovine brucellosis.
The best time to check rams is before they come onto the farm, but if this is not possible they should be isolated until appropriate checks are performed.

Merredin district veterinary officer Roy Butler said that ovine brucellosis was present in a small number of Western Australian flocks, and ram buyers should take care not to buy infected rams and infect their own flocks.

With concrete being one of the most useful building materials, there are countless applications for its use on-farm. The most common uses of concrete are for shed floors and footings, bunkers, post footings and stockyards. 

While the process of laying concrete can be expensive, there are several options for those wishing to carry out the work themselves and save money.

While there are many brands of stationary engine on the market, troubleshooting tips will apply to most models.
 
This article explains how to fault-find in an engine that refuses to start and outlines some of the more unusual problems that might be difficult to determine.

Air-cooled stationary engines power a range of farm equipment and are often called into duty after sitting idle for long periods.

Farmers including those that manage small areas can overcome the frustrating job of loosening a nut or bolt in a tight spot with a range of specialist hand tools.

Sometimes it seems manufacturers fail to consider service access when designing machinery. Difficult-to-access areas are often too tight to fit a hand, let alone a spanner as well.

Specialist hand tools may seem expensive but they can prove invaluable of a wide range of servicing tasks. In some cases, manufacturers may even supply specialist service tools for their particular machinery.

High on the list of priorities for many small farmers who don't already own one is the purchase of a suitable tractor. A tractor is the ultimate piece of machinery, its versatility means it can be applied to a wide range of jobs, irrespective of farming venture. Some small farmers may not even need the services of a tractor; contracting out any work may be the cheaper option compared to the purchase and maintenance of a tractor and implements.