The Upper Hunter may have been one of the first districts to enter the 2017/18 drought, which now sadly engulfs more than 90 per cent of the state, and as a result many cattle producers have already been forced to heavily or totally destock their properties.
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Even on prime irrigation country the unrelenting dry is now taking its toll as Scone district auctioneer and stud and commercial cattle breeder Jim MacCallum can affirm.
At his family’s Darbrook property, just west of town, centre pivot irrigators sit idle because there is simply not enough water pressure to operate them.
“Dad was here in the 1982 drought and it was tough but he says the water situation is far worse this time and that is a problem across the region not only for irrigators but on-farm stock water has or is running out,” Jim said.
The MacCallums breed stud Limousins and Lim-Flex bulls which for the past six years they have sold at their annual on-property bulls sale in July.
But this year due to the drought they have cancelled the sale and are hoping to sell their 2016 drop bulls in the paddock.
“We took the tough decision because 75 per cent of our clients come from this region and they won’t need bulls because they have sold their cows,” said Jim.
“Its a grim situation and its getting worse with every passing day.”
As the drought spread out from the Hunter cattle prices have also taken a hit which is another blow for producers and feedlots operators.