A STEADY stream of cattle and goats have been leaving Dick and Vicci Cribb’s Isisford property for the past 12 months but the evacuation has nearly ended, with the trucking of 12 decks of cattle to Tambo in the last fortnight.
The Cribbs are one of many graziers emptying their properties as general rain fails to eventuate.
Although they have only 50 cattle left on Gydia Park, along with 500 Boer goats, Dick is not overwhelmed by the position the couple has found themselves in.
“We wouldn’t need a hell of a lot of rain to bring our cattle home,” he said.
“We probably had a couple of weeks feed left but you’ve got to protect your country.”
After selling 1100 cattle throughout 2014, averaging $346 a head, “hammering” the goat herd, selling half of them, and spending dollars on cotton seed from September onwards, 40mm of rain at the start of December was very welcome.
It was followed by another 30mm at the start of January but all the green pick did was strengthen stock enough that they could be trucked away.
Dick is adamant that he will not go back to feeding his stock.
“We can’t go back to feeding. Last year we had black grass for roughage but there’s nothing there now.”
Instead, they sent nine decks of breeders and three decks of heifers away on agistment.
It will either get them strong enough to sell or save them for a return to the property; Dick isn’t sure what the future holds for them or for he and Vicci.
“Even with the good prices being received, I really don’t want to sell them,” he said.
“Because the cattle prices are good, if we’ve got to sell and then restock, we can do it.
“It just might be a bit tough.”
Sally Cripps
Journalist
Journalist
