Graziers plead for saviours
EDDIE and Zoe Lederhose are looking for a helping hand from country folk on the coast.
The graziers, who run brangus cattle across 10,000 acres of mountain country near Tenterfield, are in the thick of the drought.
Their property, Lederville, is a picturesque spot, with the Rocky River running right through it.
The couple happily welcome campers to their cattle block, so they are hoping people on the coast will repay the favour by sharing land of their own.
As the NSW drought crisis worsens, they have taken to advertising in newspapers (including the Rural Weekly ) seeking urgent agistment.
“We know there are blocks on the coast that are empty,” Eddie said.
“If people only have 10 acres spare, we might only be able to put a couple head on it – but that will help. We can rebuild fencing on the property if needed.”
They have worked hard for more than a decade improving their purebred stock’s genetics.
“We just don’t want to lose our herd of breeders,” Eddie said.
“If we get some rain come the end of March, which we might get, the ground is too cool in April so the grass won’t grow.
“We won’t get that summer flush to get us through the winter. That’s why we are chasing this other country.”
Zoe described the crippling dry and desperate hunt for agistment as being nothing short of “nerve-racking”.
She has had phone calls from other farmers in the same situation. If they end up finding too much country, they will share the agistment options with their peers.
They have lived on Lederville for almost 10 years, Eddie said.
“Our neighbours have been there for three generations, and they have never ever seen it this dry during the summer season,” she said.
“Normally we get 100ml of rain for January, but this year we have had nothing. It’s the driest we have ever seen it.”
Eddie described the spike in calls for agistment as being a reflection of the industry.
“The cattle market in the last fortnight has absolutely crashed,” he said.
“Nobody in the western country has feed, and they have very little water.
“The abattoirs are doing well because they have an oversupply of cattle but the poor old farmer – he is going broke.
“Our cattle herd right now will be worth a third of its value.
“If we were to cash them through the saleyards, we would owe the bank a lot more money than we could make from the cattle... we would simply go out the back door. That’s the bottom line.”
In the past, Lederville has welcomed up to 300 campers on long weekends.
“When the river is full, it’s a magnificent place to be,” Zoe said. “At the moment it’s been reduced to puddles and slime.”