Producers

Dean Wyatt and his wife Danica farm operate a 3500ha farm east of Pingaring, with a 60/40 cropping:livestock ratio. The Wyatts were early adopters of saltbush plantings and there are currently 230ha of saltbush plantings split over four paddocks.

Dean has set some clear production goals to increase DSE/ha; as well as reproduction goals of increasing numbers of foetuses to maiden ewes joined through genetics and management; as well as driving lamb survival rates.

He is currently running 3100 mated ewes and 1200 ewe weaner/ewe hoggets plus 1200 wether lambs finished through the feedlot.

Dean comes to the role with a farm business attitude of continual improvement and hosting the February 2023 WALRC livestock matters was the catalyst in his decision to apply to join WALRC.

Lynley runs a 2400ha mixed farm at Kojonup, with crop, wool, prime lambs and a Poll Merino and a Poll Dorset stud. The enterprise joins some 4000 ewes with wether sold as weaners. Her family has been breeding rams for three generations, aiming for robust, productive, easy care, fertile Merinos. Lynley is a board member and former chair of Southern Dirt grower group and has involvement in the Muchas Gracias and North Kojonup Production groups. She hosts on-farm trials for grower groups and has a keen interest in R&D.

Jason and his wife Renaye operate a mixed farming operation 30km Northeast of Geraldton in the shire of Chapman Valley. They run a Merino ewe flock producing Merino and first cross lambs primarily for the domestic market and offer contract management of sheep operations to other producers alongside their broad-acre cropping operations.

Jason has a keen interest in farming systems, especially the synergistic effects of livestock and cropping operations. Their livestock systems are constantly evolving to meet market requirements, increase productivity and improve system robustness with the aim of maximising returns per hectare whilst managing overhead costs to optimize profitability.

He comes to WALRC with a special interest in research having spent time as a GRDC RCSN member and having hosted numerous research trials on his farm.

Richard, along with two of his four children, runs a family farming business at Manypeaks on the south coast of WA. Operating on 4400ha and running 3000 head of cattle, including an Angus and Murray Grey commercial herd, an Angus stud and a Murray Grey Stud, as well as 2500 Dohne ewes for prime lamb production. Focused on producing quality grass-fed animals for the domestic market, Richard has previously served two years as National President of the Murray Grey Cattle Society of Australia and currently sits on the committee of the WA Angus Breed Promotion Group.

Matt is a third-generation beef producer with cattle enterprises in the Nannup and Busselton shires. He is currently running 800 breeding cows and 350 dry stock at a stocking rate in excess of 17 DSE, supported by rotational grazing principles. He runs a late autumn calving herd to produce store calves for an on-farm NFAS accredited feedlot. His 1500 head NFAS accredited feedlot utilises a tempered grain feeding system to produce domestic grain fed cattle for the Woolworths supermarket trade.

Michael is the managing partner of a mixed enterprise property at Walebing, SE of Moora, producing crops, wool, and wethers for live export. Running 8700 adult Merino sheep as well as a small Angus herd, Michael has looked to the alternative method of crop grazing to fill the seasonal feed gap and ensure year round productivity for his business. Michael considers research to be the lifeblood of farm innovation and productivity, and has been at the forefront of technology and nutrition trials with the Moora-Miling Pasture Improvement Group (MMPIG).

Debbie Dowden operates Challa Station, a 206 000 ha property in the Southern Rangelands with her husband, Ashley. They run Santa Gertrudis cattle alongside a Human Induced Regeneration Carbon Project and have a strong focus on sustainable pastoralism and quality beef.

Debbie has strong interest in research and Agtech innovation and is an early adopter, keen on exploring best practice for growing red meat in one of Australia’s most challenging agricultural environments. She has a Masters of Research in Environmental Science, a teaching qualification and a strong involvement in her local community.

Clayton runs a mixed cropping and sheep farm on 5000ha of owned and leased land 30km north east of Wagin, with wife Polly and four young boys.  He grows cereals, canola and lupins alongside a self-replacing Dohne/Merino with a focus on reproduction and lamb survival.  The sheep flock has been fully EID tagged since 2015 and has featured successfully mated 6-7month old ewe lambs for over 10 years.  Clayton has a keen interest in research and has taken on the role of Focus Farm as part of the recently launched T90 program.  Clayton is also a current member of CBH’s Growers Advisory Council.