To cull or not to cull... that is the question...

[Mayo]

Other things can be done over the long term, but in the short term something needs to be done. Many farms are under drought conditions and although the farms have been passed down through the generations they don't have much money. How about you foot the bill for these changes.

Quote Ice Time
As I have maintained the culling of roos has nothing to do with protection of the environment and all to do with protecting money and hunting wildlife for money. Saying they are culled for their own health is a cop out, aimed at placating the anti-cull crowd. I'd rather nature take its action as sad as it may be.

Yes I'm sure that money is a factor, but the environmental impact of not doing cull's is far worse. They are eating other wildlife out of existance. And as for letting nature take it's course, humans are meat eaters there for nature dictates that we eat the Roo's. Do you eat meat? What is the difference between eating a roast lamb, than a roast Roo? If you think Roo's are going to go extinct in this day and age from 40 million + your joking. There is no legal farming of roo in australia, but if there was a change in law I think more than a few people would be looking into it.

Unless a practical solution can be found things will continue the way they are. Touting that it is a national icon, it's all about money , and deny that they are in plague praportions does nothing to help the matter. Untill people take in all the facts and put forward a practical, and economic solution culls will continue. To do it right will take many years, if you don't like what has to be done go stick your head back in the sand and pretend it's not happening.

 

[Elfir]

the estimations of roo populations used to be done by driving down the highway counting the road kill and then multiplying by a set figure. The estimations on how many roo are in this country are a mile under the real figure.

 

[christo]

Originally posted by slim6y:
If this was the case people would be actively farming roos now!

They are. Macro Meats in SA are making great money by harvesting kangaroos. Unlike most conventional farmers, the drought hasn't affected their productivity or prices at all.

That nice steak dinner you had may cost over $50 per kg!!! Instead of the $15 per kg we pay now.

I don't eat beef. But roo meat currently sells for between $6.00 to $12.00 a kilo in Melbourne. And if we harvested more of it, it would get even cheaper.

Most people complain about the price of petrol when it goes up 2 cents per litre. Imagine what they'll say when beef products (including milk, cheese, chocolate... yes chocolate...) goes up 3 x at least!!!

I was referring more to beef cattle than dairy, but I wasn't really clear on that I guess. Dairy farming doesn't take up any where near as much land as beef cattle.

Orignally posted by Cris:
I dont think complete replacement is realistic or needed but apart from that its a great idea.

Neither do I. I guess I should have said "get rid of most of the cattle". I don't believe, for example, that we should be growing beef for the export market - it is just too unprofitable in the long term when you weigh up the environmental costs.

Originally posted by Slim6y:
I think what I said was written in reply to someone else who said we shouldn't have any farms...

I don't think I said that. Where did I mention a complete eradication of farming?

 

[Mayo]

Elfir- Roo counts are done by independent auditors, and from a chopper these days.

Christo- I can't see where Macro Meats say's that they are farming Roo's ( From my understanding that is illegal) They refer to the product as "Gourmet Game" which to me sounds like wild kill. Would like to see there product up here though as I love a good skippy steak. And I think the "complete eradication of farming" was aimed at Ice Time.

 

[christo]

Elfir- Roo counts are done by independent auditors, and from a chopper these days.

Christo- I can't see where Macro Meats say's that they are farming Roo's ( From my understanding that is illegal) They refer to the product as "Gourmet Game" which to me sounds like wild kill. Would like to see there product up here though as I love a good skippy steak. And I think the "complete eradication of farming" was aimed at Ice Time.

True, macro meats uses wild killed roos. I guess "harvesting" is a better word.

Sorry, I thought the last line was aimed at me - my mistake.

 

[slim6y]

Thanks mayo for sticking up for me... And it's ok to confuse what i said, I speak about as clearly as a feral pig on heat sometimes.. so my typing may not be any better... on the other hand you should just read properly the way i was thinking it

I have been talking to farmers in Tassy who use roo fencing etc... The successfully keep the roos, possums, wallabies etc out and has never seen or heard of a dead roo in one of these fences. He believes they get hammered frequently by the electric fence but are unable to clear the fence.

So by that reckoning, surely there must be the option to farm roo!!! And profitably.

I don't see the difference in land use, methane emissions etc that cows for milking do compared to a beef cattle... Both are not overly environmentally sound!

But without knowing exact comparrisons or without seeing it in black and white I am unable to make comments. But I do agree that ferral animals should be the first to go before we start looking at livestock replacements. Or maybe we should all come tree hugging tofu eating mung beans?

I still don't agree on the need to kill roos if fencing options are available!!! And that's all there is to it.. I don't care about the cost (try saying that when I pay $50 for a kg of beef I know) but our closest civilised country... Not Norfolk Island, NZ, can export beef and lamb to Aussie for about 1/4 the price you get it over here!

You will find that NZ beef is expensive in NZ, but cheap overseas... which, ironically, is why beef is actually not to expensive here, because the quality isn't meant to be as good... But... I haven't noticed the difference!

There is no reason why our two countries couldn't co-operate to have a more ecologically sustainable future - and why roos and humans can't just 'get along' without the need for culling...

Hard words for some to hear.. and words deserving of a flame... but hey... hehe... That's cause it's pride that's stinging you... haha... Eat NZ lamb and Beef (you probably already do!)