Blog
August 2019;
Brooding of chickens...natural vs artificial...
With Treva Turner
Brooding refers to the period immediately after a chicken hatches, when special care and attention must be given to ensure their health and survival. There are two types of brooding; natural and artificial. Let's look at the difference...
Natural brooding is when a hens sets on eggs for up to 21days and then continues to hatch, rear and protect the chickens until they are old enough to fend for themselves. This type of brooding however, inhibits the ability of the hen to lay more eggs...
May 2019;
Electric fence earthing...
With Tom Little
The earth system is the most important component of an electric fence. When the current produced by an energizer completes a full circuit; moving from the energizer, along the wire, to the animal and back through the ground to the energizer, a shock is created. Without an effective earth system, the electric fence will fail to create enough voltage to shock an animal.
Dry, sandy and volcanic soils can cause ineffective earthing, so for these soil types it’s a good idea to use additional earth stakes/rods...
February 2019;
Natural control of poultry pests...
With Darren Wolski
Have you noticed your poultry digging/scratching holes in their pen or in the yard?
They could be digging up a stray worm or a bug… however did you know that they are usually making a hole to lie in so that they can fluff soil all over themselves?! They are trying to create their very own dust bath!
When poultry have a dust bath, they cover their coat with amorphous silica...
Why wean early??
With Tom Little
Early weaning is a logical option for many cattle producers experiencing dry conditions, so they can reduce total feed requirements by allowing more feed to be allocated to growing stock, rather than for milk production.
The main objective of early weaning is to run more cows and achieve higher reproductive performance from them, or to ease the pressure on feed resources while maintaining the body condition score of the herd...
January 2019;
Buffalo Fly management...
With Jessica Weeks
With Buffalo Fly season upon us, it is time we discuss effective fly prevention and treatment methods. If left untreated, these small yet serious pests can be detrimental to a cattle producer's stock and result in significant economic loss.
So what are they? Buffalo Flies are small, external, blood sucking insects that irritate cattle, interrupt feeding and quite often result in skin lesions...
WOW... what an impressive Centre Pivot!
With Laird Selkirk
Are you interested in installing a centre pivot?
I was lucky enough to travel around New Zealand over the Christmas holidays and was able to enjoy the beautiful (green) scenery they have on offer. As I drove along Arthur's Pass into Christchurch, I came across a dairy farm that had 3 Bauer pivots set up for cell grazing. The middle pivot caught my attention as the centre tower really stood out...
November 2018;
2,4-D regulations and WEEDit Demo Day summary...
With Jeremy Jones
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Summer spraying is well under way as growers are once again faced with the challenges presented by hard-to-kill weeds such as feathertop and fleabane. Alongside summer weeds, we are also presented with serious summer spraying challenges, specifically drift onto sensitive crops.
With this in mind, the agronomy team at DRS felt it was important to discuss the new label requirements for the application of 2,4-D this season...
DSHS 2018 Cattle Show Team
With Ben Otto
During the 2018 show season, the Dalby State High School Cattle Show Team became the first school to win the interschool competition at CRT FarmFest, Toogoolawah Show, the Brisbane Ekka and Elders Hoof and Hook, all in the same year!
Winning these 4 major competitions was an outstanding achievement for the school...
October 2018;
The Waratah flood post
With Mark O'Neill
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Are your fences being washed away or damaged by water debris when it rains?
Australia is a land of extreme weather events and particularly dry conditions, however in the case of wet weather – when it rains, it pours! As much as we love a bit of rain, farmers are often left with significant damage and costly repair bills following a large amount of rain.
Traditional fencing is a great property and livestock barrier, however it doesn’t allow for any movement or self-protection when there is serious rain. Enter the Waratah flood post…
Looking after guinea pigs...
With Sam Johnston
Guinea pigs, also known as cavies, are very common household pets in Australia due to their sociable and inquisitive nature and their ability to be easily tamed.
If cared for correctly guinea pigs can live for up to ten years, however they are often cared for poorly and die at a young age, as a result of preventable problems. To care for and keep your guinea pigs happy and healthy, there are multiple aspects to be considered...
September 2018;
Pipe & Tube Measurement; Understanding the differences and proper terminology
With Mark O'Neill
Did you know that there are numerous differences between pipe (circular hollow section – CHS) and rectangular hollow section (RHS)/square hollow section (SHS)?
Aside from the obvious - one being round and the other being square or rectangle - the main difference is in the terminology used to describe the sizing of each. This is commonly misunderstood and becomes confusing when trying to choose the correct materials for your project...
Summer fallow moisture and nitrogen loss due to weeds...
With Steve Muller
Fallow weed control has been a common farming practice for quite some time now through use of herbicides, cultivation or grazing.
The main aim has always been the same - to control weeds, however timing of weed control can be difficult, and at the moment given the current weather conditions, sometimes the decision to control weeds can be quite tough...
August 2018;
How can our Irrigation team help you??
With Laird Selkirk & Candy Lomman
From stock watering, to domestic & rural irrigation, to system maintenance - efficiency matters. That's why our field technicians are committed to ensuring a high standard, no matter how big (or small) the project, or how different the task may be. Our teams' combined knowledge in the field has enabled us to achieve some exceptional results for our customers...
Raising chickens & happy laying chooks...
With Sam Johnston
It is quite likely that at some point in your life you have had chickens, chooks or some type of poultry in your backyard.
Chickens and chooks are a fantastic family pet as they teach kids to be responsible carers, encourage them to be compassionate for animals and teach them about sustainable farming practices. You can involve kids in the day-to-day care of chooks by asking them to help take out food scraps, fill up their water and collect their eggs...
July 2018;
Diamond round the trough!
With Daniel Holcombe
Access to water is crucial to any farming operation, especially when livestock are involved.
Whether it is for a new installation or just to clean up an existing water point, Diamond Grid creates a permeable and hard surface to eliminate muddy areas and erosion. Used around feed and water troughs, it maintains a tidy aesthetic ensuring the ground around the trough does not erode and...
Overview of a recent stock watering project completed by Dalby Rural Supplies...
With Laird Selkirk
Stage 1;
The Irrigation team at Dalby Rural Supplies assisted in engaging a drilling company and a bore was drilled to a total depth of 132m. The borehole had several quality aquifers and flow testing revealed a flow rate of 3,500L/hr (786 gal/hr). Using this knowledge, our team sized and installed the most suitable submersible solar pump for the job...
June 2018;
Make your job a whole lot easier at marking time with Vetmarker cradles!
With Jess Weeks
Vetmarker lamb cradles are a state of the art product that make your job a whole lot easier and more efficient at marking time!
The cradle consists of a v-shaped chute made from rollers that slide the lambs along in a convoy type line, with adjustable guides to hold their legs in place. The lambs are able to slide down the chute when they are having procedures performed on them...
The history of ye olde humble pig...
With Darren Wolski
The pig we know and love today actually originated from the wild pigs of old Europe/Asia…and we are talking B.C!
They were introduced to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788, where 49 pigs were brought over as a food source. Once they arrived, they were farmed and bred, increasing in numbers primarily around Sydney. Over the years many escaped from their holdings, travelling far and breeding profusely...
May 2018;
What is 'Big Head' in horses?
With Jessica Weeks
Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism, more commonly known as 'Big Head' in horses, is a disease that is caused by calcium deficiency.
The deficiency can be due to a lack of calcium intake, an excess of phosphorous intake or an imbalance in the calcium to phosphorous ratio, which is usually caused by an unbalanced diet or from the horse grazing oxalate pastures...
April 2018;
What is exclusion fencing?
With Mark O'Neill
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There are many factors which will influence how you construct a fence on your property, with the primary focus being to contain stock.
A growing number of farmers frustrated by stock losses or reduced grazing capacity, are however turning to exclusion or feral fencing. One reason in favour of exclusion fencing is to reduce kangaroo grazing...
March 2018;
Cotton season 2017/18 update...
With Belinda Chase
Well it has been another interesting cotton season for 2017/18!
We started off quite nicely but once again mother nature turned the tap off on us for the majority of January and some of February, which is a critical period of growth and development of the crop. This caused a significant amount of fruit shedding and yield loss, and when the rain did finally eventuate, unfortunately it was mostly too late...
Winter cereal seed treatments...
With Steve Muller
In today's grain industry, the margin between making a dollar and not being able to cover expenses is getting tighter and tighter. We are forever trying to procure that little bit extra yield which is essentially pure profit once all expenses have been covered. This is where a good seed treatment can make a significant difference.
Join us for our Seed Treatment Plant Launch on Friday 13th April at 3pm in the back shed at Dalby Rural Supplies to see our new USC seed treatment machine in action!
February 2018;
Caring for ducklings & ducks...
With John Collins
When feeding baby ducklings, it is critical that the correct amount of nutrients, mineral and vitamins are part of their diet to assist in their healthy growth and development.
Recommended food for ducklings according to their age;
Up to 10weeks - Riverina Chick Starter (20% Crude Protein) or Complete Duck Mash (18% Crude Protein)
Tips for cattle yard design...
With Mark O'Neill
Regardless of the number of cattle you run - whether it be 15 or 150 - a well-designed, functional set of yards is essential for good management.
The yards should allow safe and efficient handling of cattle for drafting and loading-out, as well as restraining the animals for husbandry procedures such as drenching, vaccination, ear tagging and pregnancy testing...
January 2018;
Maintaining your household water supply and garden irrigation systems...
With Candy Lomman
With the heat of summer upon us, we are using our water supplies more and more, running our sprinklers for longer and even using more water inside (for cold showers!). It is important during these times to check our filters and clean or replace them when necessary. You may even notice a drop in pressure, which indicates they are due for maintenance. Did you know that pop up sprinklers also have small filter screens in them? If they are not throwing water as far as they once did, you may need to check these as well...
Electric fencing and the importance of earthing...
With Ben Cullen
Why is proper earthing important? How do you make a good earth rod/stake?
When setting up your new electric fence system, a good earth rod can often be overlooked. Earthing is a key component of your electric fence system, as a well-established earth ensures the electric shock will reach the animal when it touches the fence. Without a good earth rod, the ground connection simply doesn't work and the electric shock will either not reach the animal, or the joules stored to hit the animal will be significantly reduced...
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