PRESIDENTS REPORT
AGM July 2007
The first year of my presidency has been a non event for AFBA with no half yearly meeting and a long dry summer. Personally our family like most of our members have been faced with lack of feed and limited stock water but we have survived and got some stock on hand for breed-up.
The challenge to our association is again to look closely at how best to promote our Finnsheep which I personally have great faith in their role to improve the fertility of our first cross ewes. This means we must look to our genetic pool by importing semen from other countries. Several of our members have bought some semen from New Zealand with mixed results and this new genetics has to be exploited to its fullest.
There is a chance to import semen from Sweden or Finland but it means selecting a proven ram of 4 – 5 years, collecting the semen then having the animal slaughtered, and then have the semen approved for semen to come to Australia. This may cost a considerable amount to those interested.
Advertising our breed is of utmost importance, so we need to check our option of where we get the best result from dollars spent. The advertising in the Weekly Times Stud Book has brought a client enquiry from Tasmania. So do we look at WA, Qld and NSW (especially North) fro our breed adverts or stay with the Weekly Times plus Stock & Land for our advertising?
Our presence at the Bendigo Sheep & Wool Show this year at a new site has been promising. With the better seasons upon us and lamb prices it seems that now is the right time to expand our knowledge of Finnsheep to the broader Community.
I personally would like to thank Jean for her work as Secretary and Bruce for organising the new venue at Bendigo Sheep & Wool Show.
2007 – 2008 is starting to show signs of these better seasons and prices and trust all our members and their clients enjoy the “fruits” of Mother Nature.
Peter Blenkiron
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