Animal health - Positive producer response to mulesing sessions
The benefits of the National Mulesing Assurance Program can be boosted by growers hosting their own training sessions
Woolgrowers who mules their own sheep are taking steps to become accredited with the National Mulesing Assurance Program (NMAP), with 394 woolgrowers contacting NMAP since January. As well as requesting the free manual, woolgrowers are offering to host training and accreditation sessions.
NMAP coordinator Charles de Fegely says he is pleased with the response of woolgrowers requesting manuals, and continues to get overwhelming feedback from the training and accreditation process. “More than 750 contractors and woolgrowers have undertaken the training and accreditation, with all participants commenting that they have come away with an improved technique,” he says.
Woolgrowers who mules their own sheep need to contact NMAP on 1800 221 076 and ask for the free manual; they can also enquire about hosting a training and accreditation session on their farm.
“You don’t have to mules your own sheep to host a workshop,” Mr de Fegely says. “There are requirements as to the number and condition of your lambs available, and also the number of people able to fill a workshop, but if you think you might be able to assist with this program, we’d welcome your call to the office.
“We only have a small window of opportunity to put together training and accreditation sessions in each of the woolgrowing regions, so we want to coordinate these as far in advance as possible, to give people the best option to complete the training and accreditation at the same time and in a convenient location.”
St Arnaud woolgrower Bryan Small and his son Tom hosted two workshops at their 2200-hectare property ‘Tottington’ in Victoria’s Wimmera district.
“It was a pretty seamless couple of days,” Mr Small says. “Kondinin Group gave us the specifications for the lambs and we were able to supply them in good condition on the days required, and we had about 20 people come and do their training and accreditation.
“We have contractors come in and help us with mulesing and marking, but both my son Tom and I did the training and accreditation and found it to be beneficial. It’s important as Tom takes over more and more of the business that he has the best experience and skills available, and the benefit of NMAP and accreditation is that the next generation is learning a skill according to world’s best-practice guidelines.
“Gordon Godson from the Livestock Contractors Association is extremely experienced and his session on the preparation of materials, especially the shears, was excellent.”
The Smalls hosted contractors and woolgrowers, with some people travelling 50 kilometres to attend. “We’re only about 20km out of town, so it wasn’t too difficult to arrange the numbers to host a workshop in this area,” he says. By hosting the workshop, the Smalls had their training and accreditation fees waived by Kondinin Group.
The NMAP manual is free to woolgrowers and the cost of training and accreditation has been discounted. The Kondinin Group has negotiated with state farming organisations and Bayer Animal Health for considerable rebates, as well as the NMAP rebate, which has substantially reduced the cost to producers.
Members of state farming organisations and the Livestock Contractors Association are eligible for the Kondinin membership rate of $530 (non-members $660), and the first 300 enrolments for training and accreditation will also receive $100 sponsorship from Bayer Animal Health. Wool levy payers are also eligible for the NMAP rebate of $100.
The national mulesing guidelines and training and accreditation program were developed in conjunction with the Kondinin Group and the Livestock Contractors Association, and are the national standard for best practice.
Mulesing contractors must have been accredited by 31 December 2006; woolgrowers who mules need to be accredited by 31 December 2008. People obtaining accreditation will be registered through NMAP, and woolgrowers seeking accredited contractors will be able to access their contact details through the hotline.
More information: National Mulesing Assurance Program, 1800 221 076, www.nmap.com.au.
See also: Mulesing alternatives: become involved.
Return to Beyond the Bale Issue 28 index page.