Best rainfall received produces bumper wheat and barley crop

The couple, situated south-west of Chinchilla, made the decision to plant 450 hectares of Shepherd barley variety and 400ha of Borlaug variety of wheat after receiving great summer rain since last November.

"We have received over 1150 millimetres and now pushing to the 1200mm mark," Mr Lloyd said.

Prior to planting the barley in April, Mr Lloyd said they applied 100 kilograms/ha of urea and 50 tonne/ha of manure.

"We add the urea every three years, and the manure is from our feedlot," he said.

He said it has been just the great growing season, and even though they sprayed for fungicides and weeds, the crop is presenting itself without any diseases.

"The barley is really the best crop I have ever seen and has been maintenance free," he said.

The Lloyds are anticipating their barley crop will return five to seven tonnes to the hectare.

Mr Lloyd said they planted their wheat in the middle of June.

They also applied the 50 tonnes of manure/ha, but didn't apply any urea as the soil tests showed it wasn't necessary due to build-up previous applications of the years.

"The wheat crop has been "blessed" the whole way through, from planting onwards and will be ready for harvest in late October," he said.

"We are looking a returning five tonnes /hectare.

"With the constant rain falling every couple of weeks, it really was better than planting an irrigated crop."

"Our rainfall have been the best since my parents parents John and Anne moved to Wieambilla in 1968."

He said in previous years they hade focussed on just growing sileage, but have built up their reserves and the pits are full.

Wieambilla is set on 3500ha and has a 9500 head feedlot, but feeding numbers are back to 8500, head due to the market conditions.

The Lloyds supply 150 steers weekly to Woolworths, and 400 export steers to Kilcoy Pastoral, and Oakey Beef.

Once harvested the crops will supplement the couple's feed requirements for their feedlot.