News

Six times in the last six weeks, fire ants have breached containment zones in south-east Queensland, prompting the expansion of biosecurity controls at the New South Wales border.

The imported red fire ants, considered one of the world's worst invasive species, were discovered last week at a site near Tallebudgera, about 5.5 kilometres from the NSW border. The discovery was the pest's most southern detection in Queensland.

Local Land Services is warning livestock owners in northwestern NSW to be on the lookout for toxic rock fern in their grazing paddocks.

Rock fern is a hardy plant that survives dry conditions and readily reshoots after rain. It is most toxic when new fronds are reshooting or growing, which happens in the autumn and winter.

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Farmers say it's becoming increasingly difficult to find large animal veterinarians, despite calls for increased training and targeted skilled migration.

Shane Kilby, a Dubbo cattle producer, plans to bring the issue to the NSW Farmers Annual Conference next week.

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According to NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin, millions of feral pigs are breeding and rampaging across the countryside, flourishing after years of heavy rain, attacking native animals and livestock, and wreaking havoc on crops and infrastructure.

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Pre-auction online bidding on eight fantastic charity auction items donated to raise funds for the Dolly's Dream Foundation as part of the Australian Agricultural Co's Long Lunch fundraiser on Thursday has begun.

The charity auction items include outback on-property experiences, fantastic sporting memorabilia, artwork, and bushcraft items.

In a battle over the use of drones to muster livestock, a young stockman from north-west Queensland is taking on the aviation watchdog.

Luke Chaplain of Malakoff Station near Cloncurry founded SkyKelpie in an attempt to be the first person in the world to commercialise the use of drones to herd animals.

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The value of most young steer and heifer categories increased in online trade this week.

Commercial cattle listings on AuctionsPlus fell to 10,869 head, with clearing increasing to 43 percent, a 12 percent increase from the previous week.

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Farmers in New South Wales are on the lookout for increased mouse activity, fearing a repetition of the deadly 2021 plague.
Growing damage to crops and fodder has been reported across the state, prompting the NSW Farmers Association to issue a warning.

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Imagine being able to contact emergency services even when cellular and Wi-Fi coverage is unavailable.

That capacity has now been triggered in the latest generation of Apple iPhones accessible in Australia, which has been welcomed as a potentially significant step forwards for rural safety.

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Video games and agriculture are concepts not often considered side-by-side, but Swedish game developer Giants Software aims to change that with Farming Simulator.

While counting sheep is recognised for being a tedious chore that can put even the most agitated person to sleep, returning an accurate number without making costly mistakes appears to be practically impossible for humans.

As a result, some processors have turned to artificial intelligence to achieve a more precise count of the number of sheep entering a plant. Similarly, work is being done in cattle feedlots.

Historically a showcase for New South Wales' primary and secondary industries, as well as the promotion of agricultural education and improvement, the Show has brought 'the country to the city' for decades, and it remains an important part of Sydney's cultural life, particularly for youngsters.

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