THIS WEEK IN AGRICULTURE
There’s always something happening in the Ag area, and this week has been no exception! Students have been busy with daily animal husbandry tasks—cleaning yards, topping up feeders, and caring for our show animals.
Both our dedicated Show Teams and students in Ag practical classes are hands-on with the animals. They’ve been learning to wash, dry, halter, and lead them in preparation for upcoming shows. The more familiar the animals become with these routines, the more confident and polished they’ll be in the ring.
MEET OUR 2026 SHOW LIVESTOCK
We’re excited to introduce the animals and generous supporters behind our show team this year:
“Warrior” – Black Limousin steer from Warrawindi Farms (Galpin Family, Penola)
“Wildfire” – Charolais steer from Caithness Charolais (Shirley Barker & Emma Kerrigan, Mt Barker)
“Wilber” – Simmental x Angus steer from Lancaster Simmentals (Cartledge Family, Meningie)
“Wally” – Murray Grey steer from Mallbrae Stud (Jackie Haebich, Whitehorse Plains/Birdwood)
5 Merino Wethers – Lucernbrae Poll Merinos (Keith & Judy Paech, Callington)
5 Merino Wethers – Glenlea Park (Joe Murdoch, Keith)
10 Goat Wethers (meat crossbreeds, named after Fish species like Hammerhead, Guppy, Sardine) from Nick van den Berg (Keith)
“Pride & Fuchsia” – Illawarra heifers from Springvale Illawarra (Doecke Family, Woods Point)
“Gillian” – Holstein heifer from Mason Farms (Mason Family, Ashville)
AROUND THE AG PLOTS
JS Ag Classes: Students have enjoyed getting to know Mrs Ulcoq, who has stepped into the role while Mrs Van Paridon is on maternity leave.
Year 5 Projects: Students successfully completed their Cows Create Careers projects, with calves Kimchi and Chipotle moving to the Schillings property in Tintinara at the end of Term 1.
Year 5 Certificate of Agriculture: Students have been busy during Thursday lunch breaks participating in a roster to prepare bags of Chubby Chicken grain, which are available for purchase through the TryBooking link.
Year 6 Goat Production: Students in the current rotation have been working closely with the goats following their arrival, helping them become accustomed to being haltered and tied up. Some goats even enjoyed a well-deserved wash!
Year 7 and 9 Gardens: Students have continued to maintain and harvest the garden beds, with fresh produce being distributed throughout the school community.
Ag Produce Stall: The Ag Produce Stall was a popular feature of Grandparents and Special Friends Day. Students sold vegetables, citrus, and pumpkins while also promoting our Chubby Chicken grain. Funds raised will support future agriculture resources and infrastructure.
Year 7 Poultry: The Year 7 Poultry class has done an excellent job caring for 32 Isa Brown pullets. Now at point-of-lay, the pullets have moved on to their new homes, where they will soon begin producing eggs.
Year 8 Dairy: Students have undertaken additional work with the heifers, including haltering, weighing, and washing, further developing their livestock handling skills.
Year 9 Sheep Production: Students have been learning how to visually assess sheep and have assisted with weighing and haltering animals in preparation for show team training.
Year 10 Cropping: Students travelled to Callington to inspect dryland cropping trial plots. During the visit, two agronomists from CropSmart discussed crop rotation, herbicide resistance, and tillage practices, providing valuable insights into modern cropping systems.
