The Project – Background

Moving from Melbourne to Mansfield in 2017, I had little understanding about farming. Overnight, cattle or sheep appeared in previously empty paddocks, crops sprung from the ground, and the colours of the landscape were everchanging. 

The Mansfield Farm Project was born out of a desire to educate myself about farming and to capture images that could inform a wider audience.

I am indebted to Rodda and Anna for taking a leap of faith in allowing me full access to the farm, its operations and their family. 

Statistics

·      41 farm visits

·      12,000+ images captured

Things I Learnt

·      Farming is relentless – seven days a week, 365 days per year, in all weather

·      Work boots are a great investment

·      4WDs are a must

·      Close the gates!

·      Farming terminology – there is a difference between a heifer and a steer

·      Farmers are highly educated and skilled at their craft

·      Farming is not just a job, it’s a lifestyle 

Farm Statistics

·      1800 head of cattle across nine farms

·      5000 acres freehold and approximately 1000 acres leasehold

The exhibition consists of 46 photographs taken over 12 months (May 16, 2019 to May 15, 2020) at Davilak Pastoral Company, a cattle farm in Mansfield, Victoria. It tells the story of a farming family, the Mannings, through images of farming activities, landscapes and portraits.

Each image was expertly edited and printed by Master Photographer and Printer Rocco Ancora from Capture to Print and printed on Canson Infinity Fine Art Paper.

We are proud to support Are You Bogged Mate?, an organisation that “is all about helping country blokes talk about mental health and suicide while spreading awareness about depression in the bush.”

Founder, Mary O’Brien, says, “Depression in the bush is a lot like getting bogged in the mud. It might be just a sticky patch on the road or paddock where the vehicle stopped moving, maybe you needed low range or to winch yourself out. But what happens when you get properly bogged? When it’s down to the running boards, sitting on the chassis, you’re not getting out of this one easily – that’s the kind of bogged we mean.”

Her unique approach of replacing psychological terms with farming ones resonates with farmers and breaks down the stigma and barriers to men seeking help in rural communities. 

To find out more or to make an online donation visit www.areyouboggedmate.com.au. 

From age four, Rod Manning knew he wanted to become a farmer.

After graduating with honours in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Melbourne in 1972, he worked at large animal practises in Wangaratta and Seymour. He met his wife Maryke during this time. Over the years, they raised three children together, Sally, Kate and Roderick (Rodda).

With savings and a gift from his grandfather, Rod’s purchased 320 acres in Merton at a cost of $33,000. Rod says, “I didn’t think I’d every pay for it.” He also purchased the Mansfield Vet Practise, where he worked seven days a week for 10 years. The vet clinic carried the debt on the land. “We sacrificed everything to accumulate land and at times didn’t know how we were going to feed ourselves.”

In 1975, they sold the Merton property for $100k to buy a home on 240 acres in Mansfield, establishing Davilak. Purchasing land strategically, Rod secured Woodlands, a 400+ hectare parcel of land in Maindample.

A leader in his field, Rod’s work has changed the way beef farming looks. He wrote the operating manuals for Meat and Livestock Australia, and vets use his research to inform their practises. 

To be successful in the industry, he says, “You need to be an Animal Productionist (animal health), a pasture agronomist, have financial skills, an understanding of chemistry and physics, be IT savvy and have an understanding of what the profit drivers are.”

Despite handing over the reigns to son Rodda in 2013, Rod still plays an active role around the farm. 

Day one on the farm – 7.30am, 4 degrees, foggy.

Woodlands is a 1500+ hectare property in Maindample. Part of it was once the Maindample Racetrack that closed in 1931. The original asking price was $1200 per acre, but Rod offered them half, which they accepted. The land has since been used as a base to purchase more land.

Calf marking includes ear tagging (a management tag and National Livestock Identification System NLIS tag), ear notching, castration of the male calves, and vaccination. The operation runs like a well-oiled machine, each efficient worker having their own role.

For supplementary feeding, Harry drives a tractor rolling out two hay bales, and Rodda tows a trailer to top the hay with grain. Overfeeding cattle with grain can create an acidic environment that burns the stomach lining, leading to injury and in extreme cases, death. To prevent this, the amount of grain is calculated based on the number of cattle.

Rod heads off on the quad bike with his working dogs while the silos are being filled with grain.

1. Rodda works in the mud before pregnancy testing takes place. 

2. Anna, Rodda’s wife and vet/owner at Delatite Veterinary Clinic, pregnancy tests around 350 heifers to determine whether they conceived ‘early’ or ‘late’ in the coupling period or if they were ‘empty’. 

The cows are grouped based on foetal age, so all the cows in one paddock give birth at roughly the same time. A cow cycles every 21 days and coupling lasts 6 weeks. The aim is to have two thirds pregnant during the first cycle with the remaining pregnant during the second cycle. The benchmark for heifers is 85% pregnancy rate with cows at 90%.

3. Anna treats a heifer with an injured hoof while son Alex watches on. 

The serenity – a lone cow stands in silhouette against a pink sunset. ‘The Paps’ in the background make this unmistakeably a Mansfield scene.

Capturing this image is anything but serene. Desperate to find the perfect position to capture the setting sun as the colours lit up the sky, I leave the roadway, trapesing through paddocks in the dark while attempting – unsuccessfully – to avoid cowpats. Slowly but surely, a single cow moves from the shadows. I move closer as the cow turns to face me. A series of image later, I retrace my steps, smiling all the way to the car.

Growing up at Davilak in open spaces, with plenty of fresh air and of course cows, involves playing in the river, campfires, BBQ’s, riding horses, puppet shows using the burnout hollow of the ‘puppet tree’, catching yabbies in the dam, climbing the ‘pirate tree’, and playing in the mud

The weaner calves are separated from their mothers for seven days, then weighed and transported to the main yards at Davilak, where they adapt to a new social group. This stage is the most stressful time for calves, who become susceptible to BRD (Bovine Respiratory Disease). To minimize the risk, they are vaccinated before transport, and the feeding pen is watered down to minimise dust. 

The calves, which all weigh in over 300kgs, are held in the yards. They are introduced to the tractor and the working dogs, so when they are released into the paddocks, they are more comfortable with humans.

Dogs make working with the cattle a whole lot easier

Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Hons) La Trobe University.

Second generation farmer and current manager of Davilak, Rodda was a key player in the success of Mansfield Farm Project. Resistant to being photographed but keen to share his knowledge of farming and the history of his farm, I spent many days scribbling notes about pests, controlling cape weed, economies of scale, nutrition, cow behaviour, Bovine Respiratory Disease, “Coles Cows”, bull fertility, pregnancy testing and growing up at Davilak.

Rodda took over the farm management from his dad six years ago. His father, Rod, reflects, “I was really conscious of the number of farms where Dad still holds onto the cheque book and doesn’t let go. I said to my kids, don’t come back home until you’re 30 and have a tertiary degree. When Rodda returned,the first three to four years were difficult – everything I’d built up, I just handed over and allowed him to make his own decisions. Rodda has put everything into it. Our farm is in the top 10-15% of best practice in return on assets.”

Rod describes their lifestyle as simple. He doesn’t want for material things – just his motorbike, 4WD, dogs and family.

New Year’s Day, but there’s no rest for the farmers with the Barnawatha Auctions set for tomorrow. At 7.30am, 600 steers are brought into the yards. Any that are lame, have pink eye or have patches of colour are removed.

There’s tension in the air as six B-double trucks arrive at 9am, half an hour early. The trucks are keen to get underway, but sorting has a long way to go.

Photographing in cattle yards has its challenges. High metal fencing makes it difficult to shoot from outside the perimeter. I perch on an internal railing high above a water trough, surrounded by cattle but out of reach. Once there, I am stuck until the first truck leaves.

The auctions are one of the biggest events on the calendar. In 2020, 570 Weaner steers and 30 heifers, averaging 320kgs, are up for sale, but after the devastation from the fires in NSW and Victoria there was uncertainty over the results.

“I didn’t sleep for a week before the auction,” Rodda says. “Past auctions relied heavily on support from the Upper Murray buyers ... however due to the fires, there is no buyer support from NSW.” The fires also impact the number of calves for sale, down from 7000 to 4000. “It’s a disaster at Corryong, where 13,000 cattle were burnt. But we have been really lucky.” The reduced supply helps Davilak, averaging $1015 per head.

I had a prebooked wedding, so Briony of Briony Hardinge Photography and Jason of Jason Robins Photography, Albury-based photographers kindly offered to shoot the auctions. The exhibition would be incomplete without these images, and I am grateful for their talent, support, friendship.

A protective mum looks on as her newborn calf is tagged. The tag is scanned and cross-referenced to its mother.

Heifers (first-time mothers) are more likely to have complications during delivery than cows, so they are checked three times a day during calving. Cows/heifers having a prolonged labour are taken to the yards for an assisted delivery. 

A familiar sight in country Victoria, cows graze on the sides of the road. The haze is a result of smoke from bushfires raging in NSW and East/NE Victoria.

Covid-19 restrictions are introduced in Victoria, but the farm is exempt as an essential service. Bulls are being brought into the yards for their hoof trimming. I capture this image from the back of a ute, a place which becomes familiar to me during the project.

Approximately six weeks prior to joining (mating), the bulls’ hooves are trimmed to minimise injury and ensure good hoof health. Dave, from Boltons Hoof Trimming Service, tilts each bull using a hydraulic tipping machine before giving their pedicure with an angle grinder.

Anna and the children bring morning tea down to the yards during calf marking. Rod demonstrates a castration to Alex and Henry.

Thirty cows graze on a leased 300-acre bush property at Merrijig. The high altitude brings the occasional dusting of snow, but the cows have adapted to a cooler climate and grow a thick winter coat. 

Wild dogs are a serious threat to calves, and one is seen crossing the property while we are there. The dogs work in packs, getting the mob on the move, until inevitably, a calf trips. By the time its mother realises her calf is not beside her, the dogs have attacked.

This land was purchased in the early 1970s by Dr. Edmund Himmelreich, who came to Australia from Poland after the war. A leading Radiologist at the Epworth hospital, Himmelreich spent 20 years building a mud brick house here. He passed away in 2016. This picturesque acreage continues to be farmed more for the emotional connection than any fiscal benefit. 

Rodda often talks about Burnt Creek as being his favourite. A long, thin parcel of land, it comprises rolling hills and valleys along with plenty of childhood memories. I perch myself atop a hill aiming to capture the setting sun (Burnt Creek 1), but with 360-degree views, I capture all three images

A seeder attached to the tractor cuts into the ground, seeds, fertilises and covers it up with soil all in one run.

Rod Manning established Davilak and passed the reigns to his son Rodda in 2013. Alex is one of a number of grandchildren who may continue the legacy. This intergenerational nature was one of the attractions of choosing Davilak for the Mansfield Farm Project.

Maryke prepares lunch for her husband, family and farm workers, one of many meals over the years. Maryke jokes that they saved hundreds of dollars buying food when isolated from family and friends during Covid.

Vital for the success of the business and family, Maryke describes her role as “to support my husband and bring up the children.” But her responsibilities extended to farm work when Rod ran the Vet Clinic. She regularly checked on the cows with the children in tow.

One cow stays back with the calves while the other mothers feed. The following day, they rotate who looks after the calves. While most calves stay close, there is always one who pushes the boundaries.

Around 16 new bulls are purchased every year. The older bulls are joined with the cows, the younger bulls with the heifers. 

Twice a year, the cows are brought down from the plateau into neighbouring yards. Accessing the plateau requires a 4WD and chainsaw to remove fallen trees. The steep terrain calls for a horseback muster.

Pictured – Adam ‘Jack’ McCormack. 

After completing the Mansfield Farm Project, Sandra now offers farm photography to other farming families.  To find our more about how Sandra can tell your farming story click here - Find out more about farm photography