“WE’RE just a bit of a cocky shed…not a big job,” he said modestly down the phone, lightly followed by a chuckle.
Shearing 2700 Merino ewes and 900 lambs last week may have seemed like a low-key affair for wool producer Evan Palmer – his flock diminished to about one third of the 22,660-hectare property’s typical carrying capacity –but it was by no means a small achievement during a prolonged drought.
He and wife Belinda run, Offham, his 126-year-old family property near Cunnamulla.
When Queensland Country Life spoke to Mr Palmer he estimated the ewes cut 4.5 kilograms, but was still finalising the figures.
“Things are probably very similar to last year, but in a normal season we would expect to be cutting 5.5 to 6kg from the ewes,” he said.
“We had a lot of clover burr from some rain we had June so the yields are going to be right down.”
The ewes’ 12 months’ wool growth produced an average staple length of 85mm of 19-micron wool.
Mr Palmer said the wool market – which rose a few cents higher at close of trade last Thursday - provided some reprieve for the back-to-back poor seasons.
“In comparison to this time last year it’s something between 20-30 per cent above,” Mr Palmer said.
“That’ll be good because our production is way off so that’ll help us recoup some of our losses.”
Despite the harsh conditions, Mr Palmer agreed there was something special about shearing time.
“I enjoy handling the sheep and seeing how they’ve gone for the year,” he said, remarking that he “[didn’t] mind the social side of it either with all the blokes about.”
With shearing done and dusted, now comes another waiting period while the Palmers assess whether they need to reduce their 3600-head flock further.
It comes after the Palmers’ flock numbers suffered a poor lambing, on top selling of 1800 joined ewes due to lack of feed.
Since the June rainfall of 60-80 millimetres across Offham, the property has been under few showers.
“We’re desperately in need of rain. We did have some falls up to 24mm in some paddock that brought some green pick on, but the kangaroos have made the most of that,” Mr Palmer said.
“For the next six weeks or so, we’ll feed the stock with hay and grain and once the markets open again we’ll make the decision then.”
Mr Palmer said dogs also remained a challenge in the region and planned to erect an exclusion fence in the new year, with son Lachlan, 17, returned to the property after graduating high school