Rabobank Farm Exchange Programme

It was a pleasure to take on the role of host family this week to 2 students from the Corinda State High School in Brisbane as part of the Rabobank initiative…the FX Programme.

Nine students , along with their teacher, Stuart Halsey, Head of Science Dept, were placed with 5 different farming operations in the Monto area for the week.

Pick up day in Monto…….. we are thrilled to see our girls, Sarah and Amity, and accept their gifts direct from the Corinda State High Bee Programme…. Natural honey and wax candles

We, in turn, had some small gifts for Sarah and Amity on their arrival at “Boogalgopal”

Sarah and Amity were placed with us at Boogal Cattle Co as they were keen to experience life on a property that raised livestock. The girls were thrown right in the deep end….. as the first experience for them was to be the collection of bull semen and the observation of bull testing procedures with our local vet Stacey Rae who was testing at our “Glenleigh Bull Depot” the afternoon of their arrival from Brisbane . Here they were able to look in to the microscope and pose questions to Stacey. Some of the other students, Chris, Tony and Hayden, also availed themselves of the opportunity to observe the vet at work and to view sale bulls, pat working sires and the mustering horses.

Weaning was well underway at ‘Boogalgopal’ this week, so it was straight to the Main Yards as soon as the girls had settled in, to start checking the weaners and to fill the feeders etc .On their own admission the girls revealed they knew NOTHING about livestock but they acquitted themselves well by listening quietly and asking many questions. It was a big step forward from knowing only the term”COW” ! …… to recognizing bulls, steers, heifers, cows , calves and weaners !!……. and to being confronted by so many animals at one time !

With the sun setting in the hills, there was time to experience a tractor ride for Amity and Sarah….. much to their delight

The following day we were scheduled to muster the commercial herd at the top end of the creek, so the girls had quite a long drive to the yards where we were to meet the musterers.

Sarah was first to spot this old dingo in the creek before he ambled off up in to the hills.

Along the way we took the opportunity to look at a few grasses, legumes ,improved pasture and native spear grass as pictured here …… and to discuss the use of windmills and solar power

Cattle were already yarded when we arrived and the girls took an eagle-eye view from the top of the loading ramp

With one paddock in , it was time for smoko before the boys headed out to muster the next.

Loading the horses, ready to head out to start the next paddock.

Yarding up the last few cows of the next mob

With the drafting of calves all finished, we stopped for lunch before moving camp up to the next set of yards.

(Tex, Sarah, Amity, Dan and Lance)

We catch a bit of the action from the Toyota …..

…… before going to check a few waters and check out a rocky lookout over the country we have just driven through.

Cattle are almost yarded when we arrive back………

……. and we find a black headed python quietly sunning himself before disappearing back down in to the ground.

Calves drafted off again and we call it a day…… a long one but a good one!

Students were all reunited mid-week to take a tour of the ‘Monto and Cattle Country’ Saleyards, visit the local Monto High School, visit the Monto Vet Surgery and undertake a tour of the Bailey Creek Piggery. A day of varied farming aspects and meeting the locals !

Birthday Tea for Amity that night on her return to ‘Boogalgopal’… Oh yes, just water in the wine glass !

Back to work for the girls bright and early on Thursday as Tex led them quietly around the weaners as they were yarded up to start processing……. drafting of bulls from heifers and steers,weighing and vaccinating for Tick Fever.

“Steady” …. !!

The girls did a great job, letting cattle out and synchronizing NLIS tags with property tags.

Young Max …. also pulling his weight on the slide gates !

Janelle runs through some of the features of the HerdMaster programme for recording our stud details

It was a day of mixed jobs …. branding a few extra that were too young at branding time

Horses were a favourite ……as were the dogs

After lunch, stud weaners were ‘droved’ over to the Home Yards while the girls watched on from a few vantage points along the way.

These weaners behaved beautifully as Tex led them out of the yards for the first time since being weaned.

Last day of the visit dawns …. and the girls are back up to the home yards working with the stud weaners

….. and time for a quick drive on the old Case Tractor (with Tex guiding the way)

Mr Halsey arrives in the bus at ‘Boogalgopal’ where we meet up with students ,Matilda and Emily, who were staying down the road at ‘Bimbadeen Brangus’ before having smoko and a chat in the yards…