Angus stud - Farrer runs 130 Black Angus breeders and is managed by a member of the Agriculture staff (Jamie Thomas). We have approximately 300 Angus cattle in total with the majority of the cattle run at our leased Hillstone property at Moore Creek.
Students are actively involved in Farrer's specialised courses in beef management. In particular Year 11 and 12 students are able to complete the AQF111 Beef course. This course offers students a superior accreditation in Beef Management as the AQF111 certificate is equivalent to a first Year TAFE course. This course being unique to Farrer, allows students to be actively involved in all aspects of the management and husbandry operations from vaccinations, selection of cattle, marking, feeding regimes, breeding programs (AI and ET) and on farm sales. The on farm sale requires editorials and catalogue preparation by the students. This year Farrer proposes to sell some 40 bulls on site.
The Angus stud is the primary income earner for the farm and a significant earner for the school.
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Cropping- both summer and winter cropping.
Farrer produces about 6000bales of Lucerne per year which is fed out to livestock. We also produce oats, barley, irrigated pastures and sorghum. All of which are processed into livestock feed. This is predominantly carried out by the farm staff with the assistance of Primary Industries Grain production students when the course is run. The Grain production course allows students to gain accreditation that will assist them in gaining accreditation at the AQF111 level. This course is also unique to Farrer
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Dairy - this is operated by farm staff including all breeding programs (with sire selection assisted by Ag staff). Farrer produces in excess of 26500L per year. All data collection is carried out by the farm.
The dairy is an integral part of the education of the Farrer boys in team building, organisational skills and more importantly as an important welfare component of the school. This is because all students both dayboy's and boarders are rostered to work together in a non classroom environment. This aims to promote positive boarder and dayboy relations. There are 5 students in Year 9 rostered onto dairy 7 days per week morning and nigh).
The Dairy also has another component whereby Year 7 students are rostered on to look after the dairy calves. This provides a safe and friendly introduction to animal handling and animal welfare for the boys' (again dayboys & boarders are actively involved).
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Prime Lambs - The White Suffolk Stud is managed by Ag staff with approximately 400 sheep. All animals are recorded on Lamb- Plan; we are MN3 level Ovine Johne's disease credited. We carry out an AI program annually which is supervised by an Ag staff member (Darren Smith) but run by the students. This program involves 6 weeks of work outside school hours. Lambing occurs in August over a six week period. We have an onsite sale annually run by the sheep and wool students. This involves advertising, animal selection, sale catalogue development. The sale day occurs in September each year. Students are also involved in a number of shows and judging competitions throughout the year. All activities with the sheep including feeding (year 8 students) and lambing carried out by the Year 9 & 10 students on a rostered basis.
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Merinos- this enterprise is used as a comparative program for students as opposed to meat production (used for wool science). There are 50 sheep in this enterprise. Year 10 wool science students are in charge of all sheep operations including shearing under the guidance of Ag staff (Darren Smith).
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Poultry - Farrer runs 400 chickens as a barn laid operation (in line with the Department animal welfare regulations). Chickens are bought as day olds raised in brooder sheds and transferred to grower sheds and finally laying sheds.
Students in year 7 are rostered to look after the chooks 7 days per week on a class basis. The eggs from the barn laid shed go to the refectory and excess eggs go to Calrossy. Most Ag teachers are involved in this area.
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Piggery - Farrer runs approximately 30 weaners which are raised and cared for by the Year 8 students. Students in Year 8 are rostered on 7 days per week to manage this enterprise under the guidance of their teacher and farm staff.
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Horticulture - Farrer has a horticultural centre comprising of a hot house, a green house, work shed and a nursery area. This enterprise is purely an educational resource which was introduced to meet the needs of the syllabus and student interest. Ag staff (namely Marty Peeters) are in charge of this operation. |
