Country Today - October 6th

Let's head to Gippsland, indeed to Gifford, where Stub Marino breeder Steve Harrison farms.

Steve, Gippsland had a really mixed season, haven't you?

Yeah, look, south of South, you know, we've been feeding stock for the last three, four months and, you know, destocked.

So, yeah, it's been a bit of a challenge.

But, yeah, fortunately, we've received some very welcome rain.

Yes, let's talk about the destocking.

So what sorts of decisions did you have to make?

Oh, look, any dry sheep, cattle, you know, we sold them back in June, June, July.

But, you know, the difference was this year compared to any other dry period is that, you know, prices were very good.

You know, certainly, yeah, the money that we received for weathers and sheep and, you know, even old rams and young cattle was exceptional.

Gifford isn't that far off the coast.

I'd have thought you'd be more of a high rainfall area normally.

Gippsland's very vast there's no doubt about it so where we are I call it the Mallee of Gippsland yeah it's just a little patch not many of us farm there but yeah 525 mil rainfall average and yeah before this event we'd only had 300 mil.

So how much have you had in recent days?

Yeah, look, we've got 90 mil up at Bansdale.

They've got 150, which is quite a lot.

But we're very happy with the 90 mil and everyone in the district's upbeat now and looking forward to a bit of grass growing.

How were your pastures looking?

Just.

They were painted on green.

It was very hard.

We could drive a truck anywhere.

without a doubt.

But yeah, having fed a lot of grain and hay, yeah, they were just holding.

An expensive business feeding out like that.