Vaccinations a cheap investment for greater sheep profitability at Collinsville

For the last 5 years, Peter Whittlesea, along with the support of his wife Margie, has had the challenging, yet stimulating task of managing the large Collinsville holdings in South Australia for owners Paddy and Helen Handbury. These holdings comprise some 420,000 hectares, with Arcoona Station (400km north west of Burra) and Collinsville Station (45km north east of Burra) making up a major proportion of the total area.

All the properties, including the Stud Park headquarters at Mt Bryan, are now run with a clear objective of contributing to overall profitability, rather than allowing sentiment to interfere in management decisions; a situation that could easily occur with such a nationally important and historic stud operation as Collinsville. Collinsville has diversified and now crops approximately 3,000 hectares per year which provides 10,000 tonnes of grain in an average year, but sheep production is still the main enterprise.  All the properties, including the Stud Park headquarters at Mt Bryan, are now run with a clear objective of contributing to overall profitability, rather than allowing sentiment to interfere in management decisions; a situation that could easily occur with such a nationally important and historic stud operation as Collinsville. Collinsville has diversified and now crops approximately 3,000 hectares per year which provides 10,000 tonnes of grain in an average year, but sheep production is still the main enterprise.

While the 6,000 strong Collinsville Merino and Poll Merino stud flocks are still the centrepiece of the operation, Peter is overseeing the management of a total of 25,000 Merino breeding ewes. A large feedlot was also established at Booborowie 2 years ago and this is being expanded to a 50,000 head, 12 month throughput capacity, with the objective of offering a value adding service to clients for their wether lambs, as well as finishing many of their own lambs. The lambs are backgrounded to an ideal entry weight of 35kg and then fed for 40 to 50 days. Some of these lambs are now being utilised through the Handburys' golf course restaurants in Victoria, but most are sold through major meat processors. Peter is now assisted in the feedlot and stud operations by Matt Willis (feedlot manager) and Tim Dalla (stud manager).

Peter's challenging task of managing the overall Collinsville operation has been successfully achieved to the point that he feels his greatest satisfaction has come from turning the direction and image of the Collinsville operation back into one of again being a leading and stable seedstock supplier to the Australian sheep industry. A recent sale of a half share in one of their leading young Poll Merino sires for $30,000 would tend to support this belief.

With livestock margins constantly being challenged, Collinsville is no different from any other sheep operation relying strongly on stock health and vitality to ensure maximum performance and profitability. To this end they use Pfizer vaccines widely in their sheep management program."We use tonnes of the stuff, ensuring all our stock are protected" Peter said. "We use Glanvac® 6 at lamb marking and the lambs also get a booster at weaning. The ewes also have annual pre-lambing boosters, while all lambs going into the feedlot get an induction dose of Glanvac® 6 B12."

"However, we are finding not all of the bought in lambs have received an initial vaccination, thus the induction vaccination has only worked as a priming dose and has not provided adequate protection. The change to high quality feed is a catalyst for the onset of the clostridial diseases, especially pulpy kidney."

"It seems we will need to establish a feedlot protocol to ensure suppliers are made aware of the benefits they can gain by vaccinating, thus presenting lambs that can go straight into the feeding program and perform without losses," Peter added.

"The use of these Pfizer vaccines is a cheap investment to not only prevent losses, but also to significantly increase animal vitality and performance, both in the paddock and in the value adding feelot situation.  This makes the running of sheep significantly more profitable for all concerned. They have certainly been a big benefit to our operation, "Peter concluded."

Glanvac 6S B12 and Clanvac 3S B12 provide proetection against Cheesy Gland, the major Clostridial diseases and help prevent Cobalt and Selenium deficiency symptoms in sheep and lambs.

For further information contact your local Glanvac stocklist or your local Pfizer Business Manager on 1800 335 374