The Case for Kunekune: A Pig for Every Small Farm
If you have half an acre and a dream of keeping pigs, the Kunekune might be the only breed you ever need.
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VelvetFields
Articles & Guides
Why We Chose Free-Range for Our Entire Poultry Operation
The decision to go entirely free-range was not just ethical — it transformed the quality of every product we raise.
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Lambing Season at VelvetFields: What to Expect
Discover how we prepare our ewes for lambing season and the care we give to each new arrival on the farm.
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How Many Alpacas Per Acre in Australia? Stocking Rates Explained
How many alpacas can your Australian property carry? A practical guide to stocking rates by climate zone, pasture type and season.
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Beginner's Guide to Sheep Farming in Australia
So you want to start farming sheep in Australia. Maybe you've just bought a small rural property. Maybe you've spent your whole life dreaming of paddocks full of wool and lambs. Maybe you simply want to produce your own meat…
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What Do Sheep Eat in Australia?
Understanding what sheep eat — and what they should eat — is fundamental to running a productive, healthy flock. Nutrition drives everything: reproductive performance, wool growth, lamb growth rates, immune function, body condition, and longevity. Get the feeding right, and…
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Sheep Worming Schedule Australia – Complete Guide
Internal parasites are one of the most significant health threats to sheep in Australia. Every year, worm burdens cost the Australian sheep industry hundreds of millions of dollars in lost production, treatment costs, and animal deaths. For individual farmers, unchecked…
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Lambing Season in Australia – What Farmers Need to Know
Lambing season is simultaneously the most exciting and most demanding time of the sheep farming year. The birth of new lambs represents the year's productivity potential — and the decisions you make in the weeks before, during, and after lambing…
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How Much Does It Cost to Start Sheep Farming in Australia?
Sheep farming is one of Australia's most accessible agricultural enterprises for new entrants — but "accessible" is relative. Starting a sheep operation, even a modest one, requires significant upfront capital, a realistic understanding of ongoing costs, and a clear-eyed view…
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Selling Alpaca Fibre in Australia: A Practical Guide to Your Options
From fibre co-operatives to artisan markets — a clear breakdown of every alpaca fibre marketing channel available to Australian producers, with realistic price expectations.
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Dorper vs Merino Sheep – Which Is Better?
Ask this question in a room full of Australian sheep farmers and you'll get a lively debate. The Dorper and the Merino represent two very different philosophies of sheep farming — one built for simplicity and meat production, the other…
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Best Sheep Breeds in Australia for Small Farms
Choosing the right sheep breed is one of the most consequential decisions you'll make when setting up a small farm. Get it right, and your sheep will thrive with relatively low inputs, produce well, and suit your land and lifestyle.…
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How Many Sheep Per Acre in Australia?
If you're thinking about running sheep on your property, one of the first questions you'll ask is: how many sheep can I actually fit on my land? It's a deceptively simple question with a surprisingly complex answer. Stocking rate —…
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How to Start a Goat Farm in Australia (Step by Step)
Starting a goat farm in Australia is one of the more accessible pathways into livestock farming — the capital requirements are lower than cattle, the animals are manageable in size, and there are viable markets for meat, milk, fibre, and…
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Alpaca Heat Stress in Australia: Prevention, Recognition and Emergency Response
Heat stress is the leading cause of sudden alpaca death in Australian summers. How to prevent it, recognise early signs, and respond when it happens.
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Common Goat Diseases in Australia
Keeping your goats healthy is both a welfare obligation and a financial imperative. Disease losses — whether from deaths, reduced production, veterinary costs, or poor growth — can quickly erode the profitability of any goat enterprise. The good news is…
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What Do Goats Eat in Australia?
Goats are often described as animals that "eat anything" — and while this reputation has some basis in truth (they are far more adventurous eaters than sheep or cattle), it's also misleading. Goats have specific nutritional needs, preferences, and sensitivities.…
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Goat Fencing Requirements in Australia: The Complete Guide
Ask any experienced goat farmer what their biggest regret was when starting out, and a good portion will say the same thing: they underestimated the fencing. Goats have an almost supernatural ability to find weaknesses in a fence. They will…
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Dairy Goats in Australia – What You Need to Know
Goat milk has moved well beyond a niche health food into the mainstream of Australian dairy. From supermarket shelves stocked with goat milk formula and cheese to artisan producers selling at farmers markets, the demand for goat dairy products in…
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Boer Goat Farming in Australia: The Complete Guide
The Boer goat is Australia's most popular meat goat breed, and for good reason. Developed in South Africa specifically for meat production, the Boer is fast-growing, docile, adaptable, and produces a high-quality carcase. Since being introduced to Australia in the…
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Huacaya vs Suri Alpacas: Which Is Right for Your Australian Property?
Huacaya or suri — the most important decision for any new alpaca keeper. A practical comparison of fleece, temperament, market access and management for Australian conditions.
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Best Goat Breeds for Beginners in Australia
Choosing the right goat breed is one of the most important decisions you'll make as a new goat keeper. The wrong breed for your purpose, climate, or management style can make goat keeping frustrating and expensive. The right breed makes…
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How Many Goats Per Acre in Australia?
One of the most important decisions in goat farming is stocking rate — how many animals you run on a given area of land. Get it right and your pasture thrives, your goats grow well, and your costs stay manageable.…
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Are Goats Profitable in Australia?
Australia has one of the largest goat industries in the world. With over 4 million managed goats and millions more rangeland animals harvested each year, it's clearly an industry with commercial legs. But are goats profitable for the average Australian…
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How Much Does It Cost to Keep Goats in Australia?
If you're thinking about raising goats in Australia — whether for meat, milk, fibre, or simply as hobby farm animals — one of the first questions you'll ask is: how much is this actually going to cost me? The answer…
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Quail vs Chickens – Which Is Better for Small Farms in Australia?
If you're setting up a small farm or backyard food production system in Australia, at some point you'll face the question: quail or chickens? Both produce eggs. Both can be raised for meat. Both are relatively accessible and well-suited to…
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How Much Does It Cost to Keep Alpacas in Australia?
A realistic breakdown of alpaca costs in Australia — purchase price, fencing, shearing, feed and ongoing health expenses for hobby and commercial herds.
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Are Quails Easy to Keep in Australia?
Quail are quietly becoming one of the most popular backyard birds in Australia — and it's not hard to understand why. They're small, quiet, require minimal space, produce eggs that punch far above their weight, and are often permitted in…
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How to Keep Ducks in Your Backyard in Australia
Ducks are having a moment in Australian backyards — and it's easy to see why. They're entertaining, hardy, productive, and they earn their keep by devouring slugs, snails, and garden pests that would otherwise devastate your vegetable beds. They lay…
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Best Duck Breeds for Eggs in Australia
If you've ever cracked open a duck egg, you'll know immediately why so many Australian backyard keepers and small-scale farmers are making the switch from chickens. Duck eggs are larger, richer, and have a higher yolk-to-white ratio that makes them…
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What Do Chickens Eat in Australia?
Understanding what chickens eat — and what they should eat — is fundamental to keeping a healthy, productive flock. Nutrition drives everything: egg production, eggshell quality, feather condition, immune function, growth rates, and overall vitality. A well-fed hen in peak…
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Chicken Coop Requirements Australia – Legal and Practical Guide
Setting up a chicken coop in Australia involves navigating a surprisingly detailed landscape of rules, regulations, and practical considerations. Get it right and you'll have a flock that's legally compliant, predator-proof, and a pleasure to manage. Get it wrong and…
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How to Raise Chickens for Beginners in Australia
Keeping chickens is one of the most rewarding things you can do with a backyard — and one of the most accessible forms of food production available to suburban Australians. But like any livestock, chickens have real needs, real vulnerabilities,…
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Backyard Chicken Setup Cost Australia
One of the first questions people ask when they're considering backyard chickens is: "What will it actually cost me to get started?" It's a smart question — and one that deserves an honest, detailed answer rather than the optimistic figures…
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Best Chicken Breeds for Eggs in Australia
Walk into any backyard chicken forum, show up at an agricultural show, or ask at your local produce store, and you'll quickly discover that Australian chicken keepers have very strong opinions about which breeds lay best. The truth is that…
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How Much Does It Cost to Keep Chickens in Australia?
Chickens are one of the most popular backyard livestock choices in Australia, and it's easy to see why. They produce fresh eggs, help manage kitchen scraps and garden pests, make surprisingly engaging pets, and — in theory — save you…
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