![A steam-driven tractor pulling a disc plough on a Mallee farm about 100 years ago. A steam-driven tractor pulling a disc plough on a Mallee farm about 100 years ago.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/7PapGKjYPrPEgYfvAPt3Wq/dbf8fc12-e5ba-4ec9-bfaf-80a1725ca301.jpg/r0_0_4608_2591_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
WINTER 2023 has started with a string of heavy frosts and many fogs that lift around midday.
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Some pundits assure us that our climate keeps warming but they should be made to watch junior sport on a Saturday at 8.30am on the Macquarie River flats in Bathurst.
A friend assures us that he recorded three -7 degree frosts in a row near Trinity Heights last week.
Newborn animals usually handle the big frosts well and stock losses usually happen when cold, wet weather is accompanied by strong winds.
The skills of a shepherd are invaluable when sheltered paddocks are used in rough weather and the best landholders very rarely incur severe stock losses.
![This Speckle Park bully calf spent hours in this tree hole just by being inquisitive. He is running free again now. This Speckle Park bully calf spent hours in this tree hole just by being inquisitive. He is running free again now.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/7PapGKjYPrPEgYfvAPt3Wq/afcc4a45-2b20-493a-9442-36106cfb998a.jpg/r0_0_1080_1440_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Language lesson
THE Bureau of Meteorology has softened the language of Sheep Graziers' Alerts that warned of approaching cold, wet and snowy days that present a real risk to newborn lambs and freshly shorn sheep.
The former warnings always gave a mental image of a portly sheep farmer hurrying inside his house to a warm fire, complying with the alert.
Meat musings
THERE have been some pretty disappointing results from recent livestock sales and cattle that aren't well bred or are not in condition to suit trade requirements have been the most affected.
We are now seeing a lot of paddocks that won't carry cattle or sheep through until spring in mid-October and hand-feeding will become the norm.
In the back of every farmer's mind are the repeated warnings of a serious El Nino weather event that may develop through spring.
Of course, it may not, but plans must be in place if it does.
There should soon be more competition in red meat sales to household shoppers as beef cattle to the trade are selling for almost half of last year's values and lamb and mutton prices have also fallen by at least one-third.
Money matters
THE start of a new financial year brings the threat of a recession to our nation with interest rates and unemployment figures returning close to long-term averages.
Another big jump in electricity and gas energy prices will certainly affect household budgets and put much more pressure on every business, with a serious downturn in livestock and wool values and a three-year rise in most facets that affect farmers' cost of production.
With a wool Eastern Market Indicator around 1220c, lamb hovering close to 600c and cattle indicator near 360c, the balance sheet needs to be read with care.
Add in wage costs that may be seven per cent or so, council rates that will rise by a similar figure and various inflationary rises in most areas, we do have to continue to praise our Lucky Country.
If we accept that one-third of our community pay rent, one-third own their house outright and one-third are paying off a long-term home mortgage, we can see where the cost of living pressure will hit hardest.
Valuable event
THE AWI Merino Sire Evaluation in our area created plenty of interest and provided a lot of data and showed which sire nicked well with the mainly Roseville Park ewes that it bred from.
From a breeder's point of view, these projects highlight the value of Australian Sheep Breeding Values that are highly predictable for some traits and not so in others.
There are no ribbons to be won at these events and not many traditional breeding studs enter a ram for his progeny to be evaluated.
Off the agenda
I AM disappointed to read that Federal Government funding for much of the development of a second racetrack on the western slopes of Mount Panorama has been withdrawn.
Finger pointing at government or council doesn't achieve anything; suffice to say that the dream was great but did not happen.
Lots of people of the younger generation tell me that the proposed go-kart racing track on the flat summit of the Mount would have been a top-notch tourist attraction.
Apart from regular race programs, I'm told that it would have generated real interest for a buck's party, a stay at Rydges, to race a kart at the best venue in Australia, and to make lifetime memories.
Having spent most of my life working properties very close to the Mount, our family have lots of good memories of the area.
Wool report
WITH the Australian dollar strengthening by five per cent in the past two weeks and global economies looking weaker, the wool market lost three per cent during the week to finish down to a new level of 1174ac/kg.
European interests were a lot quieter coming into their summer break and there have been some reports of semi-processed wool consignments being slower in being taken up by spinners.
India continues to buy wool at these lower levels and Chinese topmakers are happy to take wool at a price without pushing the market.
The 18-micron and finer indexes were savagely hit, losing on average 130ac/kg, while the broader types were cheaper, losing 40-60ac/kg.
The world economic situation is definitely a concern to the industry as living costs rise: wool is a discretionary spend.
Week 51 sees 33,000 bales on offer. The South African market is now in recess for the next two months.
Richard Butcher, Nutrien Wool
Laugh lines
AN old mate wrote to his son in jail: "I won't grow potatoes this year because I can't dig the ground by myself. I know you'd help me if you weren't locked up."
Son wrote back: "Don't dig this time because that's where I buried the bank cash that I stole."
The warders intercepted the letter and police dug up every square inch of the paddock, but found nothing.
Son's next note read: "Now you can sow the spuds dad. That's the best I can do from in here."
***
MOTHER and daughter were at emergency.
Daughter was asked for height and weight and said 158 centimetres and 59 kilograms.
"This isn't Tinder, dear," Mum whispered.
And finally
SONG for the week: It'll All Catch You Up.