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Terraweena Updates
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25.01.2022 CHAPTER 8 By the end of 1995 we felt as if we were floating on air with the enormous pressure and responsibility of the SFAP behind us! So very many things could have gone wrong. Quite apart from the five and a half years ‘behind bars’ in quarantine, there had been an additional five years ‘in the making’ of the project, prior to the clock starting to tick in 1990. To summarise, following our exit from Zimbabwe in 1985, we had been fully taken up with :... * establishing ourselves in Australia * raising the Joint Venture funding * sourcing stock and collecting embryos in Africa, followed by ; * the surrogate/recipient preparation program in NZ and then ; * the implantation and birth of the African kids in NZ * simultaneously, the construction of the quarantine facility in South Australia * the transfer of the kids once weaned in NZ - to Australia * a complete audit and the lockdown of our animals for the duration and finally ; * our release and ‘End of Quarantine Sale’ in September 1995....... We had spent almost 11 years conducting our ‘not so small and not so humble venture. Although we consider ourselves ENORMOUSLY privileged to have had this opportunity, our overwhelming sentiment is the gratitude we feel to all those folk, in their various roles (they know who they are) who helped us to get over the line. It would have been an impossible mission without even one of those integral links. We choose to measure the success of the venture by the animals that walked out of the gate at Terraweena, South Australia in 1995 and the shot in the arm for the goat meat industry in Australia. Whether or not our importation could be considered a successful project in business terms, is debatable. There was certainly no big profit for any individual at the end of the day (despite various concerted efforts and ploys) but our obligations to the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service and the South Australian JV funders were fulfilled and our ‘Assured Scrapie Free Boer and Angora Goats’ commenced their work, infiltrating all the Australian states and, in the case of the Boers, many, many foreign shores. This summary of events and observations brings us to the point of ‘life in Australia, with Boer Goats - post SFAP’. 1996 had a couple of curve balls from left field for us, just when we thought ourselves clear. These will be covered in Chapters 9 and 10, after which we will consider the history finally and satisfactorily documented. Once again, we appreciate those of you still hanging in and thanks to those of you who have conveyed your interest. Back soon.
21.01.2022 CHAPTER 7 So mid 1995 drew closer, slowly but surely. This was to be our MAGIC HOUR, when the torturous process of the SFAP (Scrapie Freedom Assurance Program) would draw to a close. It felt as if it had been forever. We had a number of breeders who had purchased animals from us in quarantine and had bred them up over the years. Quite a few breeders had a smart little nucleus of breeding stock to take home with them when RELEASE DAY arrived. ...Continue reading
19.01.2022 CHAPTER 4 There was not a lot of external activity in the first phase of ‘Terraweena Quarantine’ 1990 + 1991. We spent a lot of time making sure we were complying with unbelievably stringent regulations. We lived inside 11 kilometres of double fencing and had to build a house at the only ingoing/outgoing gate of the property. In this residence we had to house and pay for an AQIS vet to monitor our own activities on a 24 hour basis. Luckily we had a couple of very pleasan...Continue reading
18.01.2022 CHAPTER 5 I am encompassing the events that occurred throughout the years 1991 - 1993/4 into a summary. They were too many and too varied to itemise individually. The major event of over-riding significance was our first foray into America. This will require a record of its own - to follow. ... Our company policy was to assess, select and breed up (multiply, through artificial insemination and embryo collection and transfer) the most superior genetics of our large importation. Before I start, I will recount my favourite ‘happening’ of all time which I think about almost daily, even now. It gives me such comfort and strength. Going back just a little.... from that original collection in Africa, from the two breeds (Angoras and Boers) that we collected for this 5.5 year SFAP quarantine importation AND notwithstanding all the interference of IV drugs, super ovulation, loss rate of embryos of 50% (embryos into kids) etc etc, that applied - 50% males and 50% females were born in the case of the Boers. In the case of the Angoras, there was one extra male as there was an odd number of kids born. Dare anyone explain this? Vets? Scientists? Doubting Thomas’?? Back on track. The years became an endless round of : (a) artificial breeding, followed by natural breeding from the same females. This caused havoc with breeding records as you can imagine. It took a long time not to be tripped up by the fact that one female could have, say 10 babes born from females we had used as surrogates/recipients for her embryos, then kid naturally herself 2 months later with a different sire! I must compliment everyone concerned for getting their heads around this. (b) kidding out the ever increasing number of kids. Thank God for Cathy and her helpers! (c) maintaining them, growing them out, caring for them and implementing regular Kidplan assessments (in those days called Lambplan) - the all important background for EBVs. This information is proving invaluable to this day. (d) complying with the SFAP. That should have been (a) ! (e) promoting and marketing. Visitors, national and international, were incessant. We thoroughly enjoyed that part. The poor bucks suffered from having to run in large groups. TBH they ‘rooted themselves ragged’. Quite a high proportion looked askance at females after that. They were obviously happy where they were, but it was very hard to get good photographs of top bucks for posterity. According to the SFAP regulations we were not allowed to cull an animal for any reason other than an accident which had to be reported and approved by Canberra. We also had to do our best to multiply each animal to maximise their exposure to testing for Scrapie. It was arduous to say the least, particularly in the case of the bucks. The females, bless them, just kept calmly yielding embryos, producing babies naturally, feeding, weaning and thriving. That’s when I fell in love with goats. More soon.
07.01.2022 CHAPTER 6 A little bit more action in this chapter, but first I want to make it clear that this is NOT an advertisement. I have had a few queries asking what we are selling? ...Continue reading
