Symes sow early barley

The Symes grow a sorghum summer crop and barley or wheat in winter to use as part of the ration in their 100-head feedlot.

This year they had to buy in sorghum as they were unable to plant a summer crop.

"We didn't get the rain this year so that's why I've got the barley growing this time," Kevin Symes said.

"I bought the sorghum seed but it's still sitting in the agent's shed in town."

On April 6 they planted 220ha of barley into country that was long fallowed from wheat and also into country that had been set aside to plant sorghum.

Mr Symes said they planted four to six weeks earlier than usual.

"It was just after we had seven inches [175mm] of rain - it was either spray or work the country again so I thought we might as well plant," he said.

Mr Symes said the barley had come out in shot blade, which he attributed to the warm start to winter.

The season has not shaped up as strongly as he would have hoped.

"A bit more rain would be good; we seem to get 10 or 11 mm at a time but it's just not enough," he said.

"It needs a good, soaking couple of inches."

Mr Symes did not apply fertiliser prior to planting and said he had rarely fertilised since he bought the property in 1979.

An early September harvest is expected, following which the grain will be put into a ration with pellets from Riverina and hay for roughage.

The Symes aim to purchase Santa Gertrudis-cross cattle locally and through the saleyards as weaners in the 150 - 200-kilogram weight range.

Last week, Mr Symes used AuctionsPlus for the second time to purchase cattle and bought 52 Red Angus steers from the Inglewood area.

The cattle grow out for about 12 months on Brigalow Belah, Bottle Tree scrub country before entering the feedlot.

Mr Symes said all the cattle were grainfed for a minimum of 100 days - lately it has been 110 to 112 days - before they were supplied directly to the Kilcoy Pastoral Company abattoir.

AgForce grains president Wayne Newton said growers on the northern and western Darling Downs had planted barley on the back of rain in late March.

There was a demand for feed grain, he said, and most of the northern barley would be destined for feedlots.

"On the northern Darling Downs there's a lot more barley than there has been for a long time," he said.

"With the attractive prices and moisture - they have taken the opportunity and run with it."

Mr Newton said very little had been planted yet on the central Downs between Dalby and Warwick.

"We still have time on the central Downs to have a winter crop planting but there's no rain in the forecast for the next week.

"It's been a mixed few years and growers are looking forward to a return of some decent weather."