Photo taken by Claudia Raleigh at Cootamundra Sale Yards

Hi I’m Claudia. My family operate a prime lamb rearing

business in Cootamundra, NSW, Australia and

today I am going to share our story with you.

Better still why not come and

visit Cootamundra.

Cootamundra

Interesting fact!!!!!!The greatest batsman the world has ever known Sir Donald Bradman was born in Cootamundra on 27th August

1908 and you can visit the small private hospital where he was born at 89 Adams Street ,Cootamundra. The

birthplace cottage contains memorabilia of Sir Don, of cricket and of the

Cootamundra district.

My town COOTAMUNDRA

• Cootamundra is a

corruption of the Aboriginal word "Gooramundra" meaning turtles, swamp or low-lying.

• Cootamundra is centrally located geographically in the South West Slopes of New South Wales - between Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide

• http://www.cootamundra.local-e.nsw.gov.au

Australia “rode” on the sheep's back •My family and I are carrying on a proud Australian tradition

•Sheep arrived in Australia with the first fleet in 1788

•They were brought by Governor Phillip from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. They had fat, long tails and their wool was like hair. Sheep are not native to Australia

http://dl.screenaustralia.gov.au/module/1592/

A year in the life of a Prime Lamb Farmer...

JANUARY: Joining. We select ewes for mothering ability and twinning and rams for qualities you want in a prime lamb such as carcase quality and growth rate.

MAY: 5 months later lambs are born.

MAY-JUNE:

We undertake lamb marking,

docking and castrating, vaccination, earmarking and tagging.

You can read all about these procedures and why we do them at this web link

www.agric.wa.gov.au

JUNE- OCT: Lambs are left to grow in peace on prime pastures supplied by grower.

OCTOBER onwards: When lambs reach ideal weight for customers, they are sold either through the auction system at sale yards or direct to processors.

Cootamundra Saleyards

Photo by Claudia Raleigh

NOVEMBER: Lambs not sold are shorn and weaned.

Raleigh family shearing shed

Photo by Fiona Raleigh

-Lean meat is important to a well balanced, healthy lifestyle It is a

source of Protein, zinc, Omega-3, Vitamin B12, Niacin, Riboflavin and

Iron. Lamb ticks all the boxes for a healthy choice.

-Lamb has a mild taste and its cuts are relatively small making it ideal

for small children or elderly people.

‘Come round and we’ll just

throw a couple of lamb chops on

the barbie’- sums up an Australian lifestyle.

Importance and Relevance to our everyday lifestyle.

Exporting Australian produced Lamb.

Lamb exports during the first nine months in 2009 totalled 119,466 tonnes. This is 12% higher than for the same period last year.

Lamb is exported to countries such as America, South Africa, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates and The Middle East.

Environmental Impact.

Prime Lamb production has a very low impact on the environment. There is an increase in growers using grazing systems that monitor the impact on the landscape and the sustainability of farming land.

Lambs and biodiversity can exist together.

Our farm has a balance of natural bushland and native pasture. It is home to wildlife such as birds and kangaroos.

Photo available from www.martinbourough.files.com.au

Cuts of lamb.

-Lamb rack-Cutlets-Shanks -Chops-Leg

Traditional cuts are being replaced by cuts that are easy to carve, cook, eat and that have the Heart Foundation tick of approval. Lamb is often value added at the butchers such as pies, kebabs and mince.

Economic Impact.

Currently lamb is the most profitable meat inAustralia to produce.

Lamb is very important to country towns.

Where would my home town of Cootamundra be without

Prime Lamb production?

Social Impact.Lamb is enjoyed by all ethnic groups.It is versatile and adaptable to many cooking styles and dishes, making it increasingly popular with local and overseas customers.It is very satisfying being a lamb farmer and watching your product grow, receiving a premium price for a top product and knowing your customers appreciate what you have produced. Photo taken by Claudia Raleigh

Our farm is a true blue Aussie partnership.

My brothers and sister and I help with lamb marking,

shearing,mustering, fencing, droving,

drafting, and generalfarm jobs.

My family allhelp out at shearing time….

Farm life …. Our sheepdogs are very important workers.

Photos by Fiona Raleigh

Waltzing Matilda – lamb our cultural heritage

“ Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong

Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,

And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag

You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,

You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,

And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag”

Jumbuck is an Australian term for sheep, made famous by Banjo Paterson's poem

"Waltzing Matilda”The word is also an Australian aboriginal word for "cloud” which is the image the

indigenous people had when sheep were first introduced in the country.

www.mla.com.au

Acknowledgements.

Thankyou to Michael Raleigh and Fiona Raleigh – Mum and Dad

Photos taken by Claudia Raleigh at the Cootamundra Sale Yards

Bibliography.www.abareeconomics.com/inteactives/08ac_Dec/htm/sheep.htm

www.qcl.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/livestock/sheep/lamb-exports.htm

www.foodsubs.com/photos/lamblg2.jpg

www.edwardsofconwy.co.uk/images/product

www.recipetips.com/images/glossary/lamb_shank

www.allproducts.com/manufacturer97.com

FEEDBACK - Meat and Livestock Industry Journal-May 2004 and September 2007 issues.

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Photo taken by Claudia Raleigh