MCU14/0028 Vision Statement

                                             A mobile broiler tractor, in fresh pasture.


Point of lay Laying hens will be purchased for free range egg production, weed and pest control. The chickens ideally will be free
ranging; however we may employ the use of electric fence netting during the day as a form of protection from the wild dogs in
the area. They will be locked in at night for their protection from the wild dogs. The ‘chicken caravan’ will be their home, it has a
mesh floor, rollaway laying boxes and roosts. Side flaps will open to allow the chickens access through the day and provide extra
shade through the heat of the day. It will be moved daily to ensure that their manure does not ‘burn’ the pasture and the
netting will also be moved regularly following the rotation of the cattle for greatest impact. This allows for manure to be
distributed straight onto the pasture, reducing odour and environmental harm from run-off. Foraging chickens will reduce
weeds (they eat up to 200 weed seeds per day), break up and spread the manure from cattle there by reducing parasites and
aiding in the breaking of the tick cycle and improving biodiversity. Water will come from the ‘caravan’s own collection and the
numerous dams that are on the property. Eventually the chicken waterers will be joined into the cattle watering system. Grain
will initially be brought in by a ute and stored in sealed containers. As chicken numbers increase it will be brought in by a rigid
body truck and stored in silos. Long term it would be ideal to get the pasture balance right so that no grain needs to be brought
onto Melsted Park. The collection, grading, stamping and packing of egg will happen on the farm, in existing buildings and then
these eggs will be delivered to customers (including farmers markets and local shops and businesses). There will be no increase
in traffic for the distribution of eggs as due to the small scale of production they can be transported in a van or car. Discarded
eggs and any dead poultry will be composted or disposed of offsite according to S10 below(page7 ) .
An example of a ‘chicken caravan’ (chickencaravan.com.au) and the surrounding electric netting -




Pigs are great rooters, so their skills will be utilised in the ploughing of areas, especially where weeds with rhizome root systems
(like bracken fern) occur. Their manure will also assist with reduction of bracken fern particularly as it tends to grow in areas that
are depleted in nutrients. Pigs will be free ranging within electric fenced paddocks. Their housing will be mobile so that they can
be moved to areas that their skills are required. When there is no specific ploughing job for the pigs they will be rotated through
the pasture with the other animals, taking into consideration appropriate setbacks stated in The Noosa Plan.

Crops will be cared for by measuring and predicting their needs, ensuring correct applications of microbes and minerals
primarily through foliar spray or fertigation. There may be times when compost will be added to the soil or cover crops grown.
They will be watered with one of the two water licences on the property. This is an area that will be developed further in the
future, currently we are concentrating on feeding our own family.




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