AUTRALIA
SHEEP FEEDLOTS BEAT THE DROUGHT
South Australian farmer Gregor Wilkens, built a feedlot for his 2300 merino ewes in 1988 which was in his words "a real bad drought year".
The feedlot was expanded in 2006,with storage for 200 tonnes of grain and prevented Gregor having to sell 30pc of his flock, due to the drought.
With a wool clip of 35 euros per sheep, meant a wool cheque of 80,500 euros before the sale of lambs. Whilst the exercise was a costly one, Mr Wilkens said it meant he kept his flock.
The feed lots for lambs will come into their own this year, as long as the grain prices stay low. The US trade for cutting lambs 25 kilos plus is preferable the feed lots are here to stay, according to Gregor.