Hereford and Angus

Today we left the hotel bright and early at 7 30 for a long line at McDonalds for breakfast and it was a little more difficult to wake up today! Lol it rained all morning and was still kind of chilly while we visited with Lawson Angus ranch owners first. Then we travelled on to eat lunch and met with a Hereford and crossbred sheep rancher at Lima Park. He was very informative about the processes they go through to EU certify their animals. He described how they run their small operation as a tight ship; culling cattle quickly if they have problems that affect calving or other things, and then how meat and wool production both are a part of their operation.  Now we are headed to the town of Albury for one night. And tomorrow we visit a Shorthorn farm, Emu farm, and White Suffolk and Bond Merino stud farm. I'm actually very interested in the Emu farm and all that goes into that operation. We also eat lunch with our hosts from there so....does that mean we'll try Emu meat? We will see!  The afternoon turned out to be a nicer day and the sun decided to shine! On the bus rides today several people saw random kangaroo in the fields, but so far I've missed it every time. :( I have another goal...to get a picture of a wild kangaroo! The sunset was also beautiful tonight, but i couldn't get a picture past all the trees.  

JBS Tour

First off, we woke this morning to chilly weather and rain...which has not stopped! What do you need for a day of rain? A rain jacket, one thing which I can't find in my bag! Lol.

Anyway we started the day touring the JBS processing plant. It was amazing to see the inner workings of such an important aspect of safe meat consumption. They slaughter over 5000 head of sheep a day and 1000 head of cattle that is then processed, packaged, and shipped within 2 to 3 days of arrival. With over 1100 employees in the Brooklynn Abattoir, the process is fast, efficient, and nothing is missed. To explain how cool/interesting it was to learn and see would be impossible. The gentlemen that gave us the tour were very knowledgable and helpful with answering all our questions. I was thoroughly impressed with how we were able to see so much of their work.

Next up is the Webb Black Simmental ranch. This ranch was really fun to visit! Two brothers and one of their wives and a friend run the ranch that they own for Black Simmental bulls. That is not a very prominent breed there because the red Simmental is more known. They spent the day explaining how they started, what their goals are, and how they are marketing their ranch as well as the Black Simmental breed. Their goal is to one day be sought out by America and Canada instead of the other way around as it is now, which is a great thing to strive for. Something that stood out to me was when Phillip, one of the brothers, said a statement he has tried to keep in mind as he builds his ranch is "be daring, be different, be first." That's a catchy motto and very encouraging when you think of a situation such as this. All in all that was a very good stop! We finally made it to the hotel after getting a bit lost lol but off to bed for an early start tomorrow! Very excited to learn about the Lawson Angus Ranch tomorrow and see more beautiful things! And....it stopped raining FINALLY! :)

Melbourne day 2

Alright, after solving some of the Internet difficulties lol i have become a learning blogger from Australia! As in my post yesterday, we went to the Department of Primary Industries of Victoria about the NLIS system they use throughout Victoria. The beef system is mandatory for all farms that exceed 500 head. They have ear tags that have an electronic Sensor. With that they can scan the tag at the feedlot, sale yard, and abattoir that pulls up any information about that animal from birth. Such information includes where it has ever been, tracks pregnancy, and other information the rancher keeps track of. For the sheep industry, it is on a voluntary basis and they are working on implementing a mandatory system within the next few years. The NLIS is very efficient for all phases of production in terms of keeping track of animals, disease control, and constantly knowing the progress you make.

After, we went for a lighter few hours and toured Melbourne with a few stops at the Shrine of Remembrance, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and the Botanical Gardens. They were all beautiful and well worth the time to see!

Finally, the Carlton United Brewery was amazing! I didn't know the whole process of beer making until yesterday! They brew over 2 million liters daily of many famous Australian beer such as the Fosters beer we often hear about at home. As promised, we were able to taste test 4 kinds. Many different flavors were in each, but I think my favorite is the pear cider!

Winding down, we went for dinner then split off for our own night out. A few of us decided to check out a place called the Chill Out Bar which was AWESOME! We got huge coats, gloves, and a pair of UGG boots to wear in a bar made entirely of ice! After one cocktail, a couple of pictures, and 25 minutes we couldn't last in the -10C cold..lol. First night out and....success.

Melbourne

Well, we finally made it to Australia after a 1.5 hour, 3 hour, and a 15 hour flight! Although I didn't sleep very much, I did catch up on the tv show "How I Met Your Mother" by watching the entire fifth season on the personal TV on the long flight, lol. And I saw Pake lose several Street Fighting video game matches which reminded me of the Super Nintendo version when I was younger lol. After surviving customs, we met with our tour guide, Mr. Mitchell, and our bus driver, Richie at 8:30am. Straight from the airport we started our journey with an $8 sausage biscuit and coffee at McDonald's...There was no dollar menu! :( After that, we took an hour drive to the animal sanctuary in Healsville where we saw several types of birds, platypus, snakes, and of course kangaroo. Now we are headed to the hotel to finally get to shower (which we all want and need!) and catch up on our itinerary. Right now, it's fall here so the weather is cooler in Melbourne and the trees are changing colors which makes it a beautiful place! The cars are the same except complete opposite driving sides in the car and driving lanes..luckily we have a bus to take us around, lol. After getting here I'm even more excited to explore Australia and learn all the new things we have the opportunity to see. To all who know me well, I always forget to take pictures on trips or at important events so...my goal for the next 9 days is to take and post numerous pictures :) Tomorrow will include even more news!Sorry this is late,but it is from the first day. Enjoy

Technical difficulties

I have a blog from yesterday to post however we are struggling with our Internet so I'm posting this until I can find mine and post for yesterday and today with pictures! It should be later tonight and I promise they will be fantastic! So far today is awesome we have learned about the livestock identification system here which is amazingly efficient and impressive to me. We are about to head to tour the brewery which we are told is amazing! I'm excited to see what all this Aussie beer is all about. I will post more hopefully very soon!

Australia in a Nut Shell

Australian Coat of Arms

Throughout the semester, everyone has contributed to our education about Australia in a variety of aspects; from the Great Barrier Reef to feedlots. From the presentations, I have learned Aboriginal people are natives to the land and live a nomadic lifestyle based off the “Dreamtime.” Then, Australia was used as an outlet for convicts to live and work away from their criminal land. It was established in 1901 with a formal constitution and prime minister. Today the prime minister is a female, Julia Gillard. They have six states and two territories and the currency is one U.S. dollar equals 0.935 AUS dollars. Each note features an honorable individual.

Australian agriculture is a major part of the economy and overall development as it contributes to three percent of the GDP with 134000 farms. Some major food products are barley, grapes, wheat, avocado, and nuts. In addition wine production makes AU the fourth largest wine exporter in the world with $5.5 billion in exports. Australia’s economy is constructed of the service industry and the agriculture and mining industries with agriculture being 57 percent of the total exports. Each year their GDP grows an average of 3.3 percent making them the 13^th largest economy.

Merino Sheep

We learned about the different aspects of their agriculture that contribute the most to the economy. Sheep are a major production source with over 72 million head on 134 million ha area. Between live sheep and the products, the gross value is $2.9 billion and eight percent of the world’s lamb and mutton supply. Major breeds include Merino and Suffolk breeds.

Merino sheep are widely used for their high quality wool. Peepin Merino, South Australian Merino, Saxon Merino, and Spanish Merino are different strains of Merinos. Ninety percent of wool produced is exported. Suffolks are mainly bred for meat production. They are a cross between the Norfolk Horned Ewes and Southdown Rams. This breed is popular in the United States as well and is known for their adaptability, lambing ease, and strong crossbreeding.

Simmental

Along with sheep, cattle production is a large part of their agriculture industry with 27 million head and 332 million ha of land. It is the most popular fresh meat in Australia. Herefords, Angus, Shorthorn, and Simmental breeds are the few produced. Each originated in different countries and came to Australia over a century ago. A majority of the beef is grass fed and that is the desirable product by consumers there.

Another side of agriculture is the thriving Emu industry. These farms raise emus for products such as their low fat meat, emu oils, and leather.

Finally, here is some Australian lingo:

Stubby-beer bottle

Chips-french fries
Macca’s-McDonald’s

Barbie-BBQ

After this class, I am most excited about the culture in Australia in comparison to the United States. It will be interesting to learn about the agriculture differences such as production and how the consumer’s desires differ from here. On another note, the Great Barrier Reef will be amazing to visit too!

Canberra, Australia

Canberra, meaning “meeting place” is the capital and power city of Australia, with a population of 400,000. Designed by architect Walter Burley Griffin with the idea that it would be the focal point of the country, Canberra is known for its peaceful surroundings and many attractions. It is home to the main attractions of Australia. Most of them sit on the northern half around Lake Burley Griffin and the Parliamentary Triangle. Sitting at the top is the Parliamentary House as the center for Australia’s democracy. The symbolic architecture demonstrates simplicity and openness for their government. Further through the Triangle is the five story building designed by Walter Bunning in 1968; the National Library of Australia. Displaying more than 7 million books, it is the nation’s leading research and reference centre. Near the library, Queen Elizabeth II opened the High Court of Australia in 1980. It contains three court rooms with six High Court judges and many art components symbolize respect and commitment to the justice system.

On through to a suburb, Yarralumla, is the Australian War Museum with monuments and tributes to those fallen in the war, including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Another great attraction is the National Gallery of Australia. Included in the nearly 100,000 pieces of art are the sculpture gardens, Aboriginal art collections, and other famous artists’ work. It was opened in 1982 with early European to present day art to show the cultural diversity of the country. 

One tourist favorite is the 195m Black Mountain Tower. On the slopes are the Australian National Botanic Gardens which has nearly 90,000 plants and story-telling Aboriginal trails.

In addition to the gardens is the National Zoo and Aquarium. Throughout the 22 acre zoo a tourist would see koalas, wombats, cheetahs, and giraffes. Connected to the zoo is the Aquarium which houses a variety of Australia’s native fish and coral species.

Among other attractions is the Australian Institute of Sport where some of Australia’s top Olympic Medalists train and guide tourists through their interactive sport facilities. Also the National museum of Australia is near and shares a location with the Australian institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. With a jigsaw puzzle type architecture the building attracts tourists interested in the many different artifacts of the Aboriginal people and other pieces of art that symbolize the culture from past to present.

The southern half of the Capital Territory is home to the native animals of the Namadgi National Park 22 miles south of Canaberra and covers nearly half of the Capital Territory. It’s popular for its solidarity and naturalistic views. The Murrumbidgee River is one of the favorite places to fish, canoe, and picnic. Locals and tourists enjoy the many activities this city offers along with the amazing sites.