FI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VISITS SWAN INLET FARM
By J. Brock (FINN)
Mike Forrest and Drew Irvine discussing some of the business aspects presented by Alison and Andrez
This is the first in what is hoped to be a series of reports about Chamber visits to businesses.
A group of approximately 20 members of the Falkland Islands Chamber of Commerce made their way Swan Inlet on Saturday, 17 January 2009.
Andrez and Alison Short, who are also Chamber members, have conducted grass trials, worked with AI and ET programmes on their 270 hectare farm for the past 6 years and would like to branch out into exporting their genetics. They gave an excellent power point presentation about the assets they started with and how their farm has improved.
They began by giving a brief history of themselves and how they became involved in Swan Inlet Farm from the beginning through to setting up their business.
Mr Short went on to say that, because the holding is only 270 hectares, they could not run lots of sheep so they decided to start a stud. They chose the Dohne Merino - a dual purpose breed. It is larger than the Corriedale, which is the Falkland’s more traditional breed, gives 19 – 21 micron wool, as opposed to 25 – 26 micron, and can be used as a meat sheep. 100 embryos were imported from Australia in 2004 for £15,000. This resulted in 38 lambs being born at a cost of £400 each. Since then, embryo transfer programmes using local fresh embryos have reduced the costs. This year their pure bred lambs cost £17 each.
To bring his point home about Dohne Merino sheep Andrez had two fleeces on display. One was from a Corriedale sheep and the other was from a Dohne Merino sheep. Lewis Clifton inspects both fleeces. (Photos C J. Brock (FINN).
Mr Short explained that he has trained his rams to allow collection of their semen, and they have since been used in several cervical artificial insemination programmes resulting in 12,000 ewes being inseminated on local farms. Alison and Andrez are keen to continue this part of the business.
Andrez has attended courses on pasture improvement and sheep selection run by the Department of Agriculture, and they have both read extensively on the subject. Andrez rotates his stock in small paddocks, leaving them in each paddock for approximately a day before moving them on to graze other paddocks that have been rested. They have experimented with supplementing the grazing in the winter with protein in the form of lupin seeds and rape pellets. Turnips are also being grown this year ready for strip grazing in the winter. This will supply extra fodder for the ewes being used as surrogate mothers in this year’s embryo programme.
Malcolm Ashworth was contracted to ‘top and drill’ an area of lax white grass flat with lotus and clover in 2006. Lotus – a legume that fixes nitrogen into the soil – takes 2 years to establish. This encourages the sheep onto the open flats and trampling, urination and defecation then improves the quality of the pasture.
The picture at the left shows the members viewing one of these areas. © J. Brock (FINN)
Lotus, clover and finer grasses have been sown into the natural pasture. During the drive around the farm, a visible change of colour could be seen in the areas where this has happened. Andrez has tried several methods: mowing and drilling; scattering and trampling with sheep; and just scattering around.
They are presently in joint ventures with other farms and the Department of Agriculture, and are waiting to sign the lease on a small parcel of land. This will require fencing and rest before it can be used.
Before a drive around packed lunches from Shorty’s Diner were enjoyed by all. At the end of the day Roger Spink, President of the FI Chamber of Commerce Presented Thomas Short, who greeted the guests, with a well earned box of biscuits while his proud parents looked on. Photo © J. Brock (FINN)
