Australian Talk.

[wbvs58]

Jilleroo, that grass in front is the sort that never needs mowing which certainly suits Grant. It does look very realistic though.
Yeh Dale that house cow sounds real good. John and Julie on the eastern corner of Dalcouth and Sugarloaf Rd have a couple of Dexters, I think they plan to borrow a bull soon so could be a good contact if you want to put her to a small bull.
I have had Pam up the last couple of days, she is very excited and keen about the purchase of her unit and the renovation of it. It settles on the 1st of Feb. I have always been the one to do all the realestate transactions and worry about things going right. Since we have been seperated she has had to do that her self, it teaches her a bit more responsibility and the reality of it all, like where to dig the money up for deposits, stamp duty etc. In the past I would do all that, juggling money around and Pam just new it would all happen. I have always said that you always need a bit of debt to keep you honest and working forward, not that I have any now, nor do I want any, but it is going to be good for Pam, she will look after her money better and not waste it now that she has responsibility.
I got a few pictures of the cattle tonight, not as many as I would have liked, the cows thought I was going to let them in a new paddock and ended up just in one big mob in the laneway to the front paddock. Also photobucket would not let me into the old site so I don't know if I can get it to work.
I can't remember what this first one is if it did work so I might do it twice.

This heifer is by The Grange Iconic, I have a couple more G heifers by him and I am pretty impressed. I might get some more semen for next year.

This is my heaviest calf a heifer, weighed 276kg yesterday, still another 3 months until weaning.

A pretty fast growing bull calf, not a good photo.

The heaviest calf's mother, just a moderate size cow by 9074, just a real good worker.

That will do for now. Jilleroo, we ran 30 cows 30 calves 2 bulls and 7 heifers through the yards just to weigh them yesterday and that was enough for us, on a nice mild day 24C.
Ken

 

[wbvs58]

Oh, and happy new year to everyone, I hope it is a good one and that everyone takes all the right turns.
Ken

 

[Suzie Q]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

[ANAZAZI]

Happy new year all Aussies!

 

[jilleroo]

Here we are, another year has begun - I always feel like I'm at the top of a big slippery slide and...whoosh...we're away!!
Your cattle look excellent in the photos Ken, they must be a great source of satisfaction.
We've got a local couple coming for smoko this morning so I've just made a batch of scones, my signature dish so to speak....
Once they've gone, we'll head off mustering. This paddock is 7000 acs and about 30kms away so I float my bike over there so that I can take the branding gear, our hats and some tucker, saving the need to ride all the way home again. We've got another set of yards there. Ridiculous having 3 sets of yards on 40,000 acs but hey - they are slow old charolais and it saves us a lot of painful miles. Son might come over in the morning to help us brand - hope so. We're pulling up then until this next heatwave has passed - they keep muttering 45 degrees for later in the week, too hot for harrassing cattle.
What suburb did Pam buy the unit in Ken?

 

[burglar]

That is good to know Ken, JIlleroo, the cow hasn't been milked before, but we think she will adapt pretty easy. I literally walked up to this cow, patted her head and she didn't move. She will be perfect for my younger kids who have little experience with larger animals. Bought a ute last week. Nice little Ford Ranger, 2009 4x4, 4 door with the back tray. Hard to find this combination so was happy when this one appeared with just 58,000 ks.

Happy new year all....

 

[wbvs58]

30km Jilleroo. I think I would be camping out there.
My goal with this place was to be able to walk around nice cattle in nice paddocks. I feel as though I am getting there, although we have been lucky with the storms so far I feel that we are in need of a major rain event pretty soon.
I tried to get some photos of some bull calves again this arvo but as I was approaching them the neighbour drove out and they all followed him down the laneway again. Not having much luck there.
The Ford Ranger sounds good Dale. You sound like you have been in the US too long, calling it little, you must be used to all their big V8 pickups or whatever they call them.
Jilleroo, Pam's unit is in Morningside, on the Bulimba side of Wynnum Rd.
Ken

 

[diana55]

Happy New year to all. 39C yesterday so after feeding up, went to my parents for lunch and then to my sister and BIL for a poolside dinner and a swim. Back to the heat and dust today. Tagged calves last week at the second property and discovered a month old set of twin bulls. Fortunately we don't get many twins.

Love your H heifer Ken-she's a beauty. I AI'd 3 heifers and a cow on NYE and then had guests for the evening. We were sitting around drinking tea when the fireworks started on TV- must be getting old.
Ken, your sisters house is amazing- I originally thought they owned the whole thing, then I realized it was only one level. I am definitely out of the loop on real estate prices.

Jilleroo, had to smile to myself about Chevy Chase and Christmas Vacation ritual. We have watched it for last 12 or so years on Christmas day as well- still good for a laugh. I don't envy you working and branding cattle in the heat. Supposed to get to 41C in coming week here. I'll have to work on the BAS as an excuse to stay indoors. Burglar, you will have to get a blue heeler to go with your 'new' ute.

 

[jilleroo]

Diana, you'd be surprised how many ppl I know that watch Christmas Vacation every year!

We were about to head out at 4.30 this morning when the phone rang - a truckie to say some of our char cows were on the highway up near where we mustered yesterday. We found this surprising as we thought we had all of them in the yard and anyway they've never been on the road before. The men went in the truck to the yards and I drove up and down the highway in the toyota - saw a couple of big shorn ewes of the neighbours but no cattle. I think the truckie must have been popping something! Checked the road again after we finished cattlework - nothing. Confirmed this with other roadusers on the radio too so who knows.

We branded 80 calves, then drafted the second smaller mob and branded 40. Trucked the weaners and a few old/unsound cows home. We were done and dusted by 9.30 so all went smoothly. So much better when our big strong son is here to help! He slams the cradle on those big fat micks and they stay caught. We all work well together - hubby and our sons never have a cross word - hard to believe I know. (I taught them their primary schooling so I've had a few with them!!)

It just ticked over 42 degrees on the nice cool verandah here, supposed to be hotter tomorrow. Our next cattlework will be at Winton after this heatwave and then we'll resume here. Hopefully there'll be some nice rain to stop us somewhere along the way!

I'd better get back to the BAS - we've got until the end of Feb to do it I know but its nice to get it out of the way while things are still a little fresh in my mind. Do you lodge yours online with an Auskey Diana?

Ken, a unit in Morningside will always hold its value I'd imagine, so handy to the city.

 

[diana55]

No, don't use Auskey Jilleroo. Just fill in the paper return but I pay any money owing to ATO by internet banking. If I owe them I do it at last minute but if ATO owes me I lodge the return earlier. It isn't as if Wayne, the world's greatest treasurer, makes wise use of the money anyway.

 

[jilleroo]

We think the same Diana....if a refund is due, the BAS is done pronto. If its the other way around, I lodge a future-dated B-pay so they get it at the last minute!
Enough officework for one day, I'm out of here....

 

[wbvs58]

Jilleroo, does your outlying yards have a roof over the working area? I wish I had your son here, I have a mickey that I tried to castrate over Xmas with drugs, the buggar just would not go down, he is 274kg and too big to go up my calf race to the cradle, plus I don't think I could handle him in it anyhow. I left him entire as I had a fellow that was interested in a couple of bull calves when weaned, he was supposed to come out about a month ago and didn't then wouldn't answer his phone. This calf is not registered but out of a very good commercial cow that always produces one of the heaviest calves. I think this bloke will still take him so will probably leave him for now or get a loan of a burdizzo, is that how you spell it and do him in the crush.
Pam's unit is costing her $285000, asking price for similar ones in the area is around the $320,000. It is in very original condition, carpet, 70's wall paper etc so will benefit from a good make over and not cost a lot to do. Here is a link to it so you can see what I mean http://www.realestate.com.au/property-u ... -112583315 it has been well maintained and is very clean, just the decor a bit old and tired. A paint job, floor coverings and a new kitchen will have it looking pretty good. Anyhow I think it is a great project for her and I will be going down to help her out.
I had one of the last cows I inseminated return to the bull today, it has been 7 weeks, a bit of a bummer, really annoying. Just when you think you have everything stitched up, there is always one that disappoints.
Talking about your BAS. The government is very welcome to their 10% on everything I buy just to not have to worry about filling those things out. Just as long as they don't put their hand out when I sell things. I think they come out well on top anyhow, just because I am lazy.
Ken

 

[melking]

Happy New Year to all of my Australian friends. You folks sure do work hard. I am fascinated with the "Outback Hunters" show here. Them boys are he77 on them crocs. Ken, I need to come there and sell real estate. Suffice it to say your prices are about 7 or 8 times higher than ours. I did so little over the long weekend. I was just wore out, so I spent a lot of time sitting in the shade.

 

[melking]

Didn't know if I had shown you all this picture. Sorry if I did. Took this big un out of the pond before the kiddies came out to fish. 1 inch shy of 7 feet.

 

[jilleroo]

Wow that's an impressive gator you got there Melking! Are they aggressive? A young fellow we know raids croc nests each year for the eggs. I forget what they do with them then, break them hopefully but I fear that they hatch them at a croc farm. They lower Andrew down from the chopper in a basket. He steps around the crocs, if they get aggro he hits them with a stick, if they keep coming he sticks a milk crate in their jaws! He's been on TV doing it. He and the other guy alternate flying the chopper and getting the eggs. His poor parents are not the adventurous type at all and don't know how they managed to breed Andrew.

Melking, that's amazing that our prices are so much higher than yours....what does an average three-bedroom home bring over there, just for curiosity? We're selling (cheaply) our house at Moranbah to our son and his wife who live in it.
BMA rent it from us, handsomely, for them to live in - we bought it for them two or three years ago so that they didnt have to move around, and it has a nice shed and yard. Anyway, now that son has his plant hire business, he wants to do some things there and would prefer to own the house, which is fair enough. We'll need to get it valued for stamp duty purposes and, with the high prices there, I don't know how its going to work out yet.
Ken, why didnt you put the RAU on the bull you wanted to cut? Are you not having much success with it? We carted a big pure char cow home yesterday with a bung udder. She has just calved over at the yards so, unless calfie has managed to hook on overnight, the RAU will be getting a run. The cow tried to clean me up through the rails when I walked by so I'm really hoping that calf does the right thing!
The unit looks a prime candidate for a reno job. Will you do a flat-pack kitchen? My parents built a block in Edith St at Wynnum which look similar to those. Mum sold them after Dad died but she still has another smaller block they built in Ronald St. Its an interest for her.
Very hot today - would you believe that they're now talking 48 degs for two days next week?! I think I'll catch a plane out.
The pool is no good, too hot to swim in.

 

[wbvs58]

That's a nice lizard Mel. Do you just sit there and wait for them to surface and then bang? Do you eat them? Do many people get taken by them? Tonight I watch Gator Boys after Turtle Man, then Swamp People all very entertaining.
Jilleroo the unit gives her a blank canvas to work on, all solid masonry walls.
I never think of the RAU until after the event. I must admit that I have not built up a lot of confidence in it yet, a fair bit of variability, bulls going down. I am going to hook it up to an external battery next time I use it, just wondering if the internal batteries are not up to scratch. I will probably have another go at that fellow next time I can easily get him in the yards and do him standing in the crush with a bit of immobilising with the RAU or some Ketstun. Usually if I do them by myself I just give them a bit of Xylazine then let them out and when they go down I tie up their legs and go to work. This bloke will go down initially but gets up when I start tying up and is very determined even with a large amount of extra. I am not up to wrestling him.
I have Kerri, Darren and the kids up for a few days at the moment.
Today I went around to the shed and started on the mulcher, putting adjustable skids on it at the moment, didn't get a lot done but got it sorted pretty well in my mind.
Ken

 

[melking]

Hey guys, The alligators are not agressive. They will however lay and wait for something to come down to the pond and drink. Then they strike. That is why I try to keep my ponds free of them as I do not want the dogs to become alligator lunch. Jilleroo, our current average price for a 3 bed 2 bat house is $ 122,000. Obviously since that is an average we have houses rangin from 30,000 to millions.

 

[jilleroo]

Melking, you wouldnt get anything livable in Aust for $122,000, certainly not a 3 bed 2 bath house, no matter where it was.
Houses in Winton, the little outback town west of us, make more than that. And our real estate is on a downer at the moment, like most places. I would stick my neck out and say that a 3 bed 2 bath house in Qld would average about $350,000 or more? I wonder if Suzie and Ken would agree with that. In the mining towns like Moranbah they are much dearer.
The calf didnt get on the cow overnight so up the crush she went. The calf had a gutful of water from the trough and wasnt interested in sucking so milked her and tubed him (only thanks to the RAU - she was very cranky about the whole deal.)
Oh well off to town to do some jobs now.

 

[melking]

I can tell what you mean Jilleroo from the pictures Ken posted. How is Burglar doing with his home? Ready to move in yet? Ken, if you get inside that silo to patch, do you have to wear a respirator? I got word early this morning that there were 7 or 8 Brangus cows out on one of the main roads. I went looking for mine and of course could not find them. Then I went out to the main road and took a look for the alleged loose ones. Never saw them. Went back into one of our little pastures and found ours in the very back corner in a little wooded area. When I drove up on the 4 wheeler they looked at me like "what the heck are you doing out here"? I gave them a bucket of sweet feed and they went back to their business. Then I got to come into work for the day.

 

[burglar]

Hoping to move in on January 30th Melking, and Yes realestate is crazy here, but you wouldn't like the broker fees. No 6% deals down here. You get 2.5% for the first $18k of the price and 1% after that, lots of $5-$6k flat deal companies here as well.