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Euthanasia option looms large
Hay supplies critically low
SOME Tasmanian livestock owners
may be forced to euthanise their animals as the state faces a major fodder
shortage.
Extremely dry seasonal conditions
and lower than average hay and silage
yields have seen huge demand across
the state and on King and Flinders
Islands.
Prices for large round bales of hay
and silage have soared to $100- $150
and supplies are now extremely limited.
With the worst months through winter still to come, some farmers and
small landholders are facing some
dif昀椀cult decisions.
Emma Haswell from animal rescue
operation Brightside Farm Sanctuary
in the Huon Valley said she has never
seen the situation so dire.
Ms Haswell said she is being inundated with requests from owners to surrender their animals because they are
unable to afford to feed them or simply
cannot source any hay.
“It’s just non-stop requests for people
surrender horses, sheep goats, they’re
coming in messages phone calls and texts
and I’m getting multiple requests a day,”
she said.
“I’ve never seen the Huon like this, it
looks like the Midlands.”
Ms Haswell said it was a distressing
situation.
“It’s so much worse than I’ve ever seen
it before and we’re not even into winter
yet,” she said.
“We’re in the Huon and normally we’d
be looking magni昀椀cent, but it’s just as
dry as a bone.”
Ms Haswell said even if owners can
afford to buy hay, there is none available.
Boost your
immunity this
winter
Find out more at
health.tas.gov.au/winter-wellness
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Plan
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“If you can’t give them roughage
like hay what do you do… I don’t
know what people are going to do,”
she said.
“I’ve had so many people contacting me saying what do we do with
them, what do we do with the sheep
and I don’t know what to tell them.
“You feel loath to say to people
you might have to euthanise, but I
don’t know what else they can do.”
Ms Haswell said with the colder
months now approaching a lot of
people do not realise how bad the
situation is.
“There are people everywhere
saying anyone know where I can
get some hay, and they’ve obviously
only just started looking, so they’re
in for a terrible shock,” she said.
Parkham based hay and silage
contractor Nathan Aylett said he
was receiving a number of enquires
from people wanting to buy hay and
silage.
“People just can’t 昀椀nd it,” he said.
“We locked all our stuff in early to
look after our usual ones, and when
we knew it was going to be dry we
jumped on everything we could, but
that’s all accounted for now.”
Mr Aylett said while there was
signi昀椀cant demand from dairy farmers, he was also getting calls from
smaller beef farmers who have also
run out of feed. Without any follow
up rain, Mr Aylett said the situation
could get worse.
“If we run out now it’s going be
worse next year because people will
have to build up their stocks again,”
he said.
“If we have a dry winter everyone
will chew their ground in and there
probably won’t be much in spring
anyway.”
The extremely dry conditions on
King Island have seen community
support group Need for Feed also
spring into action with a fodder drive.
This week the group sent its 昀椀rst
load of hay to the island’s farmers,
who are suffering one of the driest
periods in 143 years.
The group have also sent 昀椀ve containers of stockfeed and small hay
bales sent in the last four weeks, in
conjunction with Lions Tasmania.
In response to the dry conditions,
TasFarmers is also establishing an
online Tasmanian Fodder Hub which
will provide a central register to help
access fodder on farms for farmers
on King Island, Flinders Island and
mainland Tasmania. The hub will go
live next Wednesday.
Prepare
The cooler weather means it’s time to prepare for colds and
昀氀u-like illnesses caused by COVID-19, in昀氀uenza and other
acute respiratory infections.
Boost your immunity and make sure you are up to date with your
vaccinations, as it’s the best defence against serious illness.
A free 昀氀u vaccine is available for some groups, including those aged 65
years and older, and COVID-19 boosters remain free for those who are due.
A vaccine is also now available for older adults to protect against severe
illness from Respiratory Syncytial Virus.
To 昀椀nd out more and to get up to date with your vaccinations,
talk to your GP, pharmacist or health care provider today.
BC • 9916
KAROLIN MACGREGOR
TASMANIAN COUNTRY Friday, April 26, 2024 5