The new Forbes sheep and lamb selling complex, located several kilometres out of town, has been affirmed by Cowra mayor and Saleyards Committee chairman Bill West as not having a major impact of the Cowra facility.

Cr West said the current Forbes yards faced issues associated with older complexes, located close to town centres.

Forbes is already home to a state-of-the-art cattle selling complex.

Aphids hit Hillston area

Hillston farmers, already battling a lack of reasonable rainfall, have been affected recently by aphids.

Department of Primary Industries agronomist for Hillston Barry Haskins confirmed that crops have been seriously affected by aphids, reducing yields.

Rabbit control project

NSW scientists will research new strains of the Calicivirus, in a bid to further control the increasing rabbit population.

The research will be conducted by scientists from Industry and Investment’s Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute at Camden and the Orange Agricultural Institute.

Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said rabbits cause around $200 million worth of damage across Australia each year, competing for pasture and reduce the quality and productivity of land for crops and livestock.

“This important project could benefit all landowners in NSW.

“Anything we can do to reduce the number of rabbits is a good thing,” he said.

Currently Australia has only one strain of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus, which was released in 1995 and has kept rabbit numbers low.

However, rabbits have developed genetic resistance to the virus and it is not as effective in cooler regions, so rabbit numbers have been steadily increasing.

Minister Macdonald said the research project would involve selecting new strains, screening and testing potential viruses.

“Scientists from Industry and Investment NSW will also be joined by a number of scientists from the CSIRO who will work together on the project,” he said.