News
Pimelea Poisoning
This year’s winter has been one for the record books; the abundance of winter rain has brought about great clover and legume growth and there are some bumper oats crops getting around. However, as great this winter rain has been, it brings about the increased risk of Pimelea growth and subsequent poisoning. Of the 110…
Grass Tetany: Prevention is better than cure
If there was ever a livestock disease that prevention is better than cure, it’s got to be grass tetany. Hypomagnesaemia, otherwise known as grass tetany, is probably one of the least understood metabolic disorders. Hypomagnesaemia is caused by a deficiency of Mg in the blood. It is an imbalance between Magnesium inputs, dictated by dietary…
Supplementation for Improved Wool Production
Australian wool is regarded among the world’s best. A leader in global wool production, Australia is the world’s largest exporter accounting for 39% of all global wool exports. Wool quality is dependent on length, staple strength, and micron. Wool length and staple strength can be influenced by both the quantity and quality of feed available,…
Mitigating the Challenges of Grazing Lush Pasture
We all know that when it rains it pours, and that precious green grass comes with that rain. However, as the green feed comes, it can contain a poor balance of nutrients which are critical to maintain optimum health and productivity to animals; but it also can significantly reduce an animal’s ability to efficiently convert…
Benefits of Early Weaning Beef Cattle
Weaning is potentially one of the most stressful, and therefore one of the most important, procedures in the production cycle of beef cattle, sheep and goats. Considering that it is logical to wean earlier (or more accurately, at lower bodyweight) under drought or conditions of feed shortage, it is therefore logical to wean calves earlier…
Queensland Bluegrass
DICHANTHIUM SERICEUM Warm Season C4 Perennial QLD Bluegrass is considered one of the most productive native grasses and is commonly baled for hay. It experiences rapid early spring growth and provides good quality feed when young and green. However, this pasture is early maturing resulting in a low autumn feed value. In high rainfall years…
Meet the Team – Anton
Innovative, unique, and compassionate – the three words that Anton Storch uses to describe Top Country could also be used to describe him just as effectively. Anton, a keen pig shooter, fiancé, and father of two, soon to be three boys, has just passed the nine-year mark here at Top Country. If you’ve been to…
General Manager’s Christmas Message 2021
As 2021 ends, I would like to take the opportunity to provide you with an overview of the year that was. Major Restructure and Staff Appointments January 2021 saw the dawn of a new chapter in Top Country’s ever evolving development. A new team of Senior and Middle management people were appointed to take the…
Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism in Horses
What is it? Nutritional Secondary Hyperparathyroidism, more commonly known as Bighead or Bran’s disease, is a severe calcium deficiency. Bighead was first noticed in horses owned by distillery workers that were fed a high proportion of wheat bran and other grain by products from the brewing process to their horses. Many cereal grains contain incorrect…
Young Beef Producers’ Forum 2021
The Young Beef Producers’ Forum is always an inspiring, empowering and highly educational event, and this year certainly lived up to expectations. I found this year’s theme ‘Managing Milestones’ very relevant to today’s global climate with the focus being on celebrating and acknowledging milestones along our way to success. We were lucky enough to kick…