Barossa Improved Grazing Group

BIGG AGM
2024-11-14 18:00 - 19:00 (Australia/Adelaide) | SA
New Date!
RSVPs & Board Nominations to alexi.kentish@biggroup.org.au
Venue TBC.

BIGG Pasture Walk
2024-10-24 14:00 - 17:00 | SA
Join researchers, seed industry leaders, and local farmers to learn about:
• New and upcoming ryegrass lines.
• Grazing brassicas for lamb production.
• Options for multi-species perennial pastures.
RSVP: brett.nietschke@biggroup.org.au or 0432 804 389
Download the flyer for more information.

Coopers Farm Supplies Pasture Demo Day
2024-10-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Coopers Pasture Plots, 3211 Eden Valley Road, Mt Pleasant
View annual, perennial, and multi-species pasture options and learn about soil health.
Contact: Adam Krahnert, Coopers Farm Supplies.
8568 2611, enquiries@coopersmp.com.au

Drought Resilient Pasture Legumes Trial site visit
2024-10-18 09:00 - 09:40 | Barossa Angus, 55 Dawson Road, Mount Crawford, South Australia, Australia
University of Adelaide researchers (Hannah Griffiths, Tshewang Dorji) will showcase and discuss the results of a trial evaluating drought resilient pasture legumes.
• View the performance of serradellas compared to clover and medics on sandy soils
• See the effect of grazing on these species
• Learn how the feed quality of these species stack up
RSVP:
Brett Nietschke: brett.nietschke@biggroup.org.au or 0432 804 389

BIGG Annual General Meeting
2024-10-17 17:00 - 19:30 | Stockwell Hotel
5pm start, followed by dinner.
All Welcome!
Enquires, RSVPs and Board Nominations to:
Alexi Kentish, Executive Officer
alexi.kentish@biggroup.org.au

Angaston Agricultural Bureau meeting
2024-09-10 19:30 | Barossa Vets
Join us for a visit to Barossa Vets.
All welcome, please RSVP to Secretary Mark Grossman (phone number below).

Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Meeting: Annual social & guest speaker Tim Lynas
2024-07-03 19:30 | Ebenezer Community Centre
Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Meeting: Annual social and guest speaker Tim Lynas.
Ebenezer Community Centre.
Contact: Brenton Mengerson, Secretary, 0409 282708.

Livestock strategies for the next 100 days
2024-06-27 14:00 - 17:30 | Angaston Bowling Club, Newcastle Street, Angaston, South Australia, Australia
With a challenging start to the season hear from topic experts on developing strategies going forward including:

Felicity Turner, Turner Agribusiness: Looking after your livestock and feedbase – the importance of decision making tools to forecast and make decisions.
Deb Scammell, Talking Livestock: Early weaning lambs & calves – when and how?

Ken Solly: Coping better with dry times.
Mary Chirgwin: Vaccine coverage in dry times.

Followed by dinner and drinks.
RSVP Monday 24 June: Deb Scammell 0407 790 622, deb@talkinglivestock.com.au

Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Meeting: AGM & Crop Reports
2024-06-05 19:30 | Ebenezer Community Centre
Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Meeting: AGM & Crop Reports
Ebenezer Community Centre
Contact: Brenton Mengerson, Secretary, 0409 282708.

Angaston Agricultural Bureau meeting
2024-06-04 19:30 | The Barossa Leader
Join us for a visit to The Barossa Leader newspaper.
All welcome. please RSVP to Secretary Mark Grossman (phone number below).

Free Webinar: Barossa seasonal climate outlook & BIGG water ag-tech update
2024-05-29 19:30 - 20:00 | Online
Hear from Seasonal Risk Agronomist Dale Grey on the Barossa region’s seasonal climate outlook and learn more on water ag-tech with BIGG’s Janie Evans.
Dale Grey will look into the major climate influences unfolding throughout 2024, interpreting seasonal climate models and weather analysis for primary producers and the Barossa region.
Jane will present insights into BIGG’s On-farm Water Monitoring Innovations Project – Phase 2.
The presentations will be followed by a Q&A session.
7.30-8pm Wednesday 29th May 2024
For further enquiries please call 0412 500 752 or email: jane.evans@biggroup.org.au
REGISTER NOW

Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Meeting: Yourtech Services tour
2024-05-01 19:30 | SA
Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Meeting: Yourtech Services (3D printing) tour
Ebenezer Community Centre
Contact: Brenton Mengerson, Secretary, 0409 282 708.

Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Meeting: Sheep EID & Biosecurity
2024-04-03 19:30 | Ebenezer Community Centre
Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Meeting: Sheep EID and Biosecurity
Ebenezer Community Centre
Contact: Brenton Mengerson, Secretary, 0409 282708.

Koonunga Agricultural Bureau: Vineyard Walk
2024-03-09 13:00 - 17:00 | SA
Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Meeting: Vineyard Walk
Ebenezer Community Centre.
Contact: Brenton Mengerson, Secretary, 0409 282708.

Angaston Agricultural Bureau meeting
2024-03-05 19:30 | Faith College
Join us for a visit to Faith College Ag Centre.
All welcome, please RSVP to Secretary Mark Grossman (phone number below)

Farming Ahead: A Changing Landscape
2024-02-08 12:30 - 22:00 | Lambert Estate, Angaston, 55 Long Gully Road, Angaston, SA, Australia
BIGG Conference 2024 – Farming Ahead: A Changing Landscape
Tickets Available HERE
This year’s theme Farming Ahead: A Changing Landscape centres on adapting and responding to today’s changing environment.
BIGG has confirmed keynote speaker ‘The Unbreakable Farmer’ Warren Davies. Warren’s story is one of resilience, persistence, and determination as he faced the challenges of farming. Warren’s authentic, inspiring and sometimes confronting presentation is filled with take home strategies developed from his business and life journey, that can be implemented in day-to-day life.
The BIGG Conference program also features presentations from:

Graham Clothier, Lucindale sheep farmer: Insights into sheep production and management, farm diversification, and succession planning.
Felicity Turner, Field farmer: Carbon accounting opportunities and challenges, developing a farm sustainability framework inclusive of natural capital.
Mark Inglis, TFI: A review of the livestock market, market specifications for beef and sheep, and processing technologies.
Brett Nietschke, BIGG Technical Facilitator: Optimising livestock performance with mixed species pastures.
Janie Evans, BIGG Technical Facilitator: On-Farm innovations to improved water security.

A dinner will follow the afternoon session featuring best selling South Australian fiction author Fiona McIntosh. Fiona hit the world stage through her popular fantasy novels but is now known for her deeply researched historical adventures and her crime dramas including the recent popular titles Dead Tide and The Sugar Palace.
This in-person event will be held at Lambert Estate Wines, Angaston.

Full Details available on the FLYER

PLEASE NOTE:
BIGG Members receive one FREE ticket per membership to attend the conference. Members also benefit from:
– Free entry to all other BIGG pasture walks, field days and workshops
– Monthly e-newsletter including project updates, event notifications and technical information
– Eligible to nominate for the BIGG Board and to vote at the AGM
For further information and to become a BIGG Member please visit the BIGG website: www.biggroup.org.au

Get your ticket NOW!

Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Road Trip
2024-02-07 08:00 - 17:00 | Ebenezer Community Centre
Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Moonta region road trip.
Contact: Brenton Mengerson, Secretary, 0409 282708.

Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Meeting: Barossa Australia guest speaker
2024-01-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Ebenezer Community Centre
Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Meeting
Guest speaker: Barossa Australia
Ebenezer Community Centre
Contact: Brenton Mengerson, Secretary, 0409 282708.

Koonunga Agricultural Bureau Christmas Function
2023-12-06 18:00 - 21:00 | Vine Inn, Nuriootpa
Christmas Function with speaker from Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Please RSVP to Secretary Brenton Mengersen 0409 282 708

BredWell FedWell: An Introduction to breeding and feeding cattle to maximise profit
2023-11-17 08:30 - 16:30 | “Bottlesford”, 95 Hobbs Road, Tungkillo, SA, 5236, Australia
BIGG is proud to be supporting Meat and Livestock Australia’s practical, one-day introductory BredWell FedWell workshop on how productivity and profitability can be improved through good breeding and feeding over the livestock production cycle, with a specific focus on profit drivers.
Hosted by: Darren Koopman
Delivered by: Jake Phillips – Angus Australia
Open to all producers but places limited.
To register and for further information view the full flyer: 20231117-BWFW-Tungkillo-Rego2[13869]

Angaston Agricultural Bureau Meeting
2023-11-07 19:30 | Levrier Wines
Guest speaker Jo Irvine from Levrier Wines.
All welcome, please RSVP to Secretary Mark Grossman (phone number below)

BIGG AGM & Celebration
2023-10-26 18:00 - 22:00 | Wanera Wine Bar, 65 Murray Street, Angaston, SA, 5353, Australia
BIGG Annual General Meeting and Celebration
6pm Thursday 26 October
Wanera Wine Bar, Angaston
Featuring special guest speaker Peta Brettig, A/Manager Water Security, Department of Environment and Water.
All welcome to stay for a casual dinner and drinks (at your own cost).
RSVP & Board Nominations by 20 October to:
Diane Stewart, Executive Officer. diane.stewart@biggroup.org.au 0429 090443
or
Peter Mitchell, Chairperson, mitchell_pj@hotmail.com 0411 434 906

Coopers Farm Pasture Walk
2023-10-13 10:30 - 12:30 | Coopers Pasture Plots, 3211 Eden Valley Road, Mt Pleasant
Join Coopers Agronomist Adam Krahnert and Barenbrug’s Territory Manager Aston Barr for a guided walk of Coopers pasture plots.

View perennial pasture blends vs annual pasture blends vs clover only blends.
View multi species pastures vs monocultures
Discuss options for increasing pasture production and quality

Includes free BBQ lunch supplied by Coopers.
For further information view the full flyer

Trigger Point Workshop and Pasture Walk
2023-09-26 10:30 - 17:00 | Vine Inn Hotel (Hoopman Room), Nuriootpa
With the season forecast to cut out early, BIGG will be running a workshop to help manage this risk and develop strategies going forward including:

Seasonal conditions and making decisions.
Trigger points to determine if and when to containment feed.
Forecasting of ration costs.

Workshop will be followed by a free lunch and pasture walks:

Multi species pasture vs ryegrass pasture.
Croc Trough Pumping System to increase water intake through aeration.
Oats/ryegrass/ clover pasture for grazing and hay.

See Full Flyer and Program
RSVP essential for catering purposes by 12pm Monday 25 September to:deb@talkinglivestock.com.au or 0407 790 622brett.nietschke@biggroup.org.au or 0432 804 389jane.evans@biggroup.org.au or 0412 500 752

Preg Scanning Sticky Beak
2023-09-01 10:00 - 11:30 | SA

Bred Well Fed Well
2023-08-28 08:30 - 16:30 | Pepperwell Poll Merinos, 84 North Rhine Road, Keyneton, South Australia, 5353, Australia
An Introduction to Breeding and Feeding Sheep to Maximise Profit

Develop a customised breeding plan for your sheep enterprise aligned to your profit drivers
Identify sires and select animals that help you meet your objectives
Learn about feeding flocks well to achieve your objective and maximise your genetic investment

Delivered by Deb Scammell- Talking Livestock
>>View the Full FLYER

Winter Beef Snapshot
2023-06-21 18:30 - 21:30 | Wanera Restaurant, 65 Murray Street, Angaston, South Australia, 5353, Australia
Providing graziers with decisional support tools / economics on seasonal health and production issues to support graziers to hear today-use tomorrow, or trial on-farm around;

Seasonal Herd health – grass tetany, weak calf syndrome / calving difficulties,
Cow & heifer nutrition in winter with 2022’s poor quality hay & silage,
Seaweed trials to reduce methane emissions,
Cattle Preg testing – manual palpation and ultrasound scan” Why, how, when.

>>See the Full Flyer and Program
>>Register for the Event HERE

Water Innovations Farm Tour
2023-06-08 13:30 - 17:00 | SA
This BIGG event will showcase various water supply and monitoring strategies that have been implemented on three farms in the Flaxman and Eden Valley district. These include a desalination plant which has produced optimal water quality for irrigation, an electronic device to monitor tank water levels, a Hydrosmart unit to manage water quality, and the installation of a bore and associated water infrastructure to improve farm water security.

>> See the FULL FLYER

Time
Itinerary

Meet at “Max and Me”: 34 Murray Road, Eden Valley

1.45-2.30pm

– Welcome & introduction: Jane Evans and Brett Nietschke, BIGG Technical Facilitators
– Water quality regulation: Desalination plant, Phil Lehmann “Max and Me”

2.45-3.30pm
82 Seven Steps Road, Flaxman Valley: Barbara and Warren Fargher
– Farmbot tank level monitor
– Hydrosmart water conditioning system (including discussion with representative from Hydrosmart)

3.30-4.15pm
Corner of Flaxman Valley Road & Mirooloo Road, Flaxman Valley: Janie and Michael Evans
– Bore construction and reticulated water system.

4.15pm
Drinks in the Evans woolshed

Cost: Free for BIGG members and non-members
RSVP: By 6th June 2023
jane.evans@biggroup.org.au / 0412 500 752
brett.nietschke@biggroup.org.au / 0432 804 389

Angaston Ag Bureau visit to Barossa Pilates
2023-06-06 19:30 - 21:00 | SA
All welcome!

We’re going to visit the new Pilates Barossa : Barossa Valley PT studios
21 Murray St, Nuriootpa
Tuesday 6th June
7:30pm (Bring a chair for the meeting)

WEBINAR: Local climatic outlook for this season
2023-05-04 07:30 - 20:00 | SA
Presented by Dale Grey

The last few years has seen challenging extremes in Australian climate – from drought to floods.

Dale will look at the major climate influences unfolding throughout 2023, interpreting seasonal climate models, and weather analysis for primary producers and the Barossa region.
