Dairy News Australia - May 2019 by Dairy News Australia

Latest genomic tables PAGE 20

MAIZE BONUS FOR FARM PAGE 12

MAY, 2019 ISSUE 103

YOUNG FARMERS PUT ON A SHOW AT NUMURKAH PAGE 10

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

NEWS // 3

East Gippsland field days. PG.32 Jeff Hastings from Naturo.

Father and son tribute. PG.07

New milk technology extends shelf life AN AUSTRALIAN company has developed

Genomic tables out. PG.20

NEWS ��3–25 OPINION �� 6 MARKETS ��27 AUSTRLIAN BREEDING VALUES TABLES �� 19–22 ANIMAL HEALTH ��29–30 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS �� 31–33

a technology for processing milk which it says will allow fresh milk to be refrigerated for up to 60 days. The development could be a major gamechanger for exporters which would be able to ship fresh milk overseas. The Naturo company, based in Coolum, Queensland, claims to have developed a process which is the most significant since pasteurisation was developed in the 19th century. Pasteurisation is a heat treatment which extends the life of fresh milk. The company also says the new process destroys a bacteria which can cause illness in humans. Naturo is seeking investment in a new plant that will be capable of producing 10 million litres of milk annually. Naturo chief executive Jeff Hastings, the inventor of the technology, says the milk tastes better and lasts longer. “The primary difference between our milk and pasteurised milk is the fact that we don’t

‘cook’ the milk to make it safe for human consumption.” Mr Hastings, an agricultural engineer, has developed processes for other food products including apples and avocadoes. Naturo has received $250 000 funding from the Queensland Government to develop the technology. Mr Hastings said the process had been independently tested and validated by an unnamed Australian scientific organisation. “The technology is a game-changer for the global export market as the product’s extended shelf life allows it to be shipped, rather than flown, to markets all over the world including Japan, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.” While the process has been applied to only cow’s milk, it has the potential to expand to other milk including camel, goat and sheep milk. Mr Hastings said traditional pasteurisation destroyed the alkaline Photosphatase activity, an essential enzyme for liver function and

bone development. “Our patented process is the only known method that kills Bacillus Cereus, a common but unwanted spore forming bacterium in milk that produces toxins causing vomiting or diarrhoea.” Asked about the new process, Dairy Australia said it supported innovation in dairy production and processing. “However, any new technologies require rigorous testing and licencing by the relevant food safety authorities, before manufacturing can be undertaken,” the spokesperson said. Dairy Food Safety Victoria has reviewed data collected by Naturo and in a media statement said it “accepts the technology developed using the process described in the validation report may be used as an alternative treatment to pasteurisation for raw milk”. The DFSV statement clarified the government agency had not approved this process to be undertaken in any commercial manufacturing facility in Victoria.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

4 // NEWS

Farmers’ views sought for National Dairy Plan DAIRY INDUSTRY leaders have announced

a nationwide consultation for the broader dairy community to have their say on what is needed to shape the future of Australian dairy, to create a more profitable, confident and united industry. Farmers have been invited to meetings in May and June to discuss the proposed national Dairy Plan. Stakeholders can also contribute through online platforms. The consultation will identify key industry priorities and deliver change for dairy over the next five years and beyond. Dairy Australia, Australian Dairy Farmers, Australian Dairy Products Federation and the Gardiner Dairy Foundation are collectively creating opportunity for people in the industry to voice their thoughts on what matters most for dairy. Australian Dairy Farmers president and Australian Dairy Industry Council chair Terry Richardson said the consultations would bring together diverse segments of the industry to have

a say on the industry’s future. “There is no doubt that the dairy industry is at a crossroads with increased market volatility, the drought, and still recovering from the pressure placed on it from the price step downs of 2016. “Now’s the time for the industry to be proactive and contribute to a national roadmap, drive new thinking, structures, programs and initiatives that have direct relevance to everyone in dairy. “The industry has a long and proud history of working together successfully through the tough times and it is critical that we renew our commitment to jointly tackle the difficulties and opportunities we face,” Mr Richardson said. Dairy Australia chair Jeff Odgers said this whole-of-industry commitment was a significant part of gathering industry wisdom and creating a future we can all believe in. “This is a defining moment for the future of Australian dairy and I believe by working closer together we can put in place a blueprint that is built on a greater understanding of the issues

and will help guide everyone in the industry to a more positive future,” Mr Odgers said. “We are a very diverse industry which can be a strength, but it has worked against us at times in terms of being cohesive and focusing on what really matters at a national level.” The Gardiner Dairy Foundation’s Bruce Kefford said the consultation was a valuable opportunity for everyone in the industry to exchange views, ideas and aspirations that will lead to us better prioritising our common challenges. “The world is run by people who show up, and I believe it is critical everyone in the supply chain has a voice and is part of the solution to create a better outcome for the industry. “Bringing together industry to have a say is key in prioritising the critical issues and will guide change that is needed to start a new era of cohesion and action for the industry,” Dr Kefford said. · For more information on the Australian Dairy Plan, visit www.dairyplan.com.au

MOVE FOR DAIRY LEADER A PROMINENT northern Victorian dairy

farmer and a passionate industry advocate has decided to depart the region as a result of high water prices and changing climate. Katunga dairy farmer Daryl Hoey said he had struggled to come to terms with the changes that had occurred in the region during recent years as climate change took hold. After making the decision to sell his property in December, Mr Hoey will relocate to south Gippsland at the start of next month after more than 25 years in the Goulburn Valley. “The main issue was the way in which this region has changed over the years, both in terms of water and climate. I’m a strong climate change believer,” he said. “With the rainfall and allocation and the extreme heat we’ve been experiencing, it just concerned me. “I knew it would just get more and more difficult and I didn’t want to go down the path of sheds or adding more infrastructure … that’s not me. That’s not where I’m comfortable and that’s

not where my skill set is.” The continued seasonal uncertainty and high cost of production was compounded by water prices that began to climb well over $400/Ml in December. “I did the budget and and we were looking at well over $200 000 just to ensure we got a decent start. I just couldn’t see the sense in paying that. That was the final straw,” Mr Hoey said. “I felt like it was going to be more of a frequent occurrence rather than a rarity.” Mr Hoey’s departure comes on the back of a spate of other departures from the area and industry. But he said the dairy industry would continue in northern Victoria — it would simply look vastly different. “There is a future in the region, but it’s going to come at a price. The ones that stay in it will be considerably bigger and a lot more reliant on feeding out, feedpads and shedding,” he said. A passionate advocate for the region and

industry through the UDV and Murray Dairy, Mr Hoey has made the decision to step back from some of his roles ahead of his move. “It’s been a hell of a rocky ride,” he said. “I’m just going to continue to try and make a profitable and prosperous industry, however that is.” Mr Hoey has long tasted success in the region with his 300-strong herd of predominately Jerseys and a number of Holsteins and Aussie Reds. In December he achieved the top Holstein, Jersey and Australian Red Breed in the Australian Breeding Values, a never before achieved feat.

SAPUTO BUYS BURNIE, KING ISLAND FACTORIES International dairy company, Saputo Inc, the owner of the former Murray Goulburn Co-operative, has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the specialty cheese business of Lion-Dairy and Drinks, which includes factories in King Island and Burnie, Tasmania for $280 million. The two manufacturing facilities employ about 400 people. The purchase price of A$280.0 million, on a cash-free and debt-free basis, will be paid in cash at closing from cash on hand and available credit facilities. The specialty cheese business produces, markets and distributes a variety of specialty cheeses under a wide portfolio of Australian brands, including South Cape, Tasmanian Heritage, Mersey Valley and King Island Dairy. For the 12-month period ended on December 31, 2018, the specialty cheese business generated revenues of about $192 million. The specialty cheese business will enable Saputo’s Dairy Division to further diversify its product offering, adding to and complementing its current activities, the company said. The transaction is subject to foreign investment approval and clearance by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, and is expected to close in the second half of this year.

The factory in Burnie, Tasmania.

Successful dairy breeder Daryl Hoey has moved from northern Victoria to Gippsland.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

NEWS // 5

Rain will be key to cow value lift: agents THERE’S OPPORTUNITY in current cow values for those who have feed, according to a cow leasing and agricultural finance company boss. This comes as livestock agents continue to report tough selling conditions, as farmers in northern Victoria battle either expensive or no irrigation water as well as rising costs, while farmers in southern regions have been reluctant to purchase, awaiting the season break. CowBank managing director Rod Banks said there’s “upside” now as good cows were selling at a discount, in some cases between $500 to $700, on previous levels. The reduced values correlate with high supply and lack of demand as dry conditions bite, forcing feed costs to skyrocket and many farmers out of the industry. This has meant demand for cattle has been quiet, but Mr Banks said, for those who have feed, the numbers stack-up. “One client completed a budget which meant 200 additional cows into their herd would deliver another $50 000 income at a cost of $16000, each cow worth $800 each,” he said. “There’s big opportunity, upside to cow values,” he said. “We’ve been parking cows with clients, a couple of hundred cows, and then you think you can buy good cows for $1000 to $1200 that would normally be $1500 to $1700.” He said there was some interest in purchasing farms with the people looking to buy the herds attached to the farm. Mr Banks said this would only increase into the future as the farmgate milk price outlook was positive.

While dairy cows are being sold off at sales, there is an opportunity to buy quality cattle at lower prices.

“The learning out of this period, farmers who are going the best are those who have not cut, they’ve kept feeding their cows and haven’t lost cow condition,” he said. “They might be milking 10 to 15 per cent less, so less numbers but the same production per cow.” Flanagan Marketing Services’ Lawrie Flanagan said the rain will make all the difference to cow demand. “It has been hard enough to sell cows at the

moment, prices are $1100 to $1400, and anything a little off-the-pace or a little older (is cheaper),” he said. “The chopper market has been keeping values up, (a good framed Friesian) has been selling $800, $900 or $1000, (so replacement cows) are not much more than chopper price really.” Charles Stewart agent at Camperdown Malcolm Hallyburton said there wasn’t much demand as local farmers didn’t have feed and everyone was waiting on rain.

“Grass would turn everything around, but farmers are also sitting back to see what the milk price does when it comes out,” he said. Charles Stewart and Dairy Livestock Services conducted a dispersal at Colac in April where 41 heifers and cows averaged $1568. The mixedage and condition offering had various calving dates from April to October. The sale clearance was 73 per cent.

Burra Foods announces opening price BURRA FOODS has announced an opening

Farmgate Milk Price (FMP) range of $6.40 to 6.70/kgMS for the new season, starting on July 1. In a letter to milk supply partners, Burra Foods chief executive Grant Crothers said this announcement was notable as it represented a 14.5 per cent increase on the opening price for the current financial year and it was released on

May 1, significantly earlier than ever before. “The price is supported by our confidence in demand for the Burra product range and current outlook for commodities,” Mr Crothers said. He said the timing of this announcement was a direct response to requests from milk supply partners for earlier ‘next season’ price signals. “This is another initiative by the Burra team

to provide our milk supply partners with superior information and increased certainty to assist them to better run their business,” Mr Crothers said. “The opening FMP range reflects the cash price received by a large majority of supply partners regardless of whether they have already received the FY20 annualised portion of their

Commitment Bonus. “It excludes any portion of milk solids committed to the Fixed Farmgate Milk Price (FFMP) and is an opening price that may increase by way of retrospective step-ups during the season.”

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

6 // OPINION

EDITORIAL

Time to stop children riding quad bikes

Selling milk at $6/litre?

A life size toy cow painted in the colours of the EU with the words 'Fair Milk' written on it is hoisted above the crowd during an EU and African dairy farmers demonstration outside EU headquarters in Brussels. Farmers protested against what they claim is an unfair price for milk.

Wietse Van den Hoecke, left, and his older brother Warre, from Ghent, Belgium, pose on toy tractors during an EU and African dairy farmers demonstration outside EU headquarters in Brussels, in April.

To most dairy farmers it sounds like a dream — milk sold for $6 a litre. But for Gelato Messina, known for gelato and sorbet, it’s a reality. Sold in its boutique stores including Fitzroy and Sydney’s Bondi, the milk is sourced from the company’s Numurkah dairy farm and billed as milk from the “good ol’ days”. Cashing in on a growing desire for clearly sourced produce or maybe just the hipster craze, the pasteurised and unhomogenised milk comes from the dairy’s 300-strong herd of “happy” Jersey cows according to the company’s website. “They are milked once a day (rather than two to three times) and are 100 per cent pasture fed which means they feed on a mixture of natural lucerne, clover and grass. We never feed them grain simply to fatten them up quickly. In fact, we don’t feed them grain at all,” a company Q&A about the dairy farm states. The company’s website said it used about 11 000 litres of milk a week for its gelato production and would gauge demand to see whether it would roll sales out across the whole country.

Advertising James MacGibbon 0409 103 745 james.macgibbon@dairynewsaustralia.com.au Editor Geoff Adams (03) 5820 3229 editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au Dairy News Australia is published by Shepparton Newspapers Pty Ltd. All editorial copy and photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions or comments expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the staff, management or directors of Shepparton Newspapers Pty Ltd.

Regional editor news@dairynewsaustralia.com.au Senior journalist Alana Christensen

(03) 5820 3237

Publisher

Perhaps only our older readers can remember the introduction of compulsory seatbelts, but a few more may recall the advent of breath testing for blood alcohol levels. Road safety measures in Australia became almost world leading due to the high number of deaths on our roads. Laws were introduced to make the safety measures mandatory, and although there were a few objections, the science was proven and the practical application soon demonstrated the efficacy of the measures. It seems as though we may be headed in the same direction with quad bike safety. Government bodies have been telling us for some time about the dangers of quad bikes on farms, and particularly the danger to our children. Further recent deaths are adding to the public discussion of the dangers of these machines. There have been some measures taken to encourage the adoption of safer machines, with roll-over protection. Victoria has offered a $600 subsidy for adding roll-over protection or up to $1200 for the purchase of a safer vehicle, such as a side-by-side vehicle (SSV) or a small utility vehicle (SUV). However, we have to wonder whether this is tinkering around the edges on an issue which is having a fatal impact on our families. It has become clear that quad bikes are inherently unsuitable for children to operate. This statement is not based on some theory or philosophy but on the stark reality of the deaths on our farms. According to Safe Work Australia there were 128 quad bike fatalities in Australia in the eight years to December last year and about 11 per cent were children aged 11 years or under. Almost half (62 fatalities) were workers. Many farmers have already awoken to the tragedy unfolding on our properties, and have either discarded the use of the machines, or implemented strict rules on who can operate them. It’s time for the rest of us to face the reality and stop sending our children out on unsafe machines, because if we don’t do something, the government will quite rightly introduce new laws to stop the carnage.

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Dairy News Australia welcomes contributions from stakeholders in the dairy industry, and particularly from organisations wishing to advance the industry. Contributions and photos can be sent to: editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au Letters to the editor on topical issues are also welcome. Letters should be concise and carry the name and town address of the author, as well as a contact phone number, not for publication.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

NEWS // 7

Father and son, Ross and Andy Powell pictured on their farm.

Tributes flow for hero lifesavers THE SOUTH — west Victorian dairy commu-

nity has lost two of its finest. The deaths of long — term dairy farmers and Port Campbell surf lifesaving volunteers Ross and Andy Powell has rocked the local town, the farming community and the national surf lifesaving fraternity. The father and son, aged 71 and 32, died on Easter Sunday trying to rescue a man in rough seas off the coast near Port Campbell. The Powells farmed at Cooriemungle, 15 km from the iconic Port Campbell National Park. They had been long - term members of the surf lifesaving club. WestVic dairy chair Simone Renyard said the region was mourning their loss. “They were incredibly savvy business owners and incredibly generous with their time,” Ms Renyard said. “That came through from Ross

and was continued by Andy, not only in surf lifesaving but in other community organisations and in farming. “As we mourn as a community and region, we have to come to terms with what a big loss they will be for all of us.” Andy was named the young farmer of the year at the 2017 Great South West Dairy Awards. Ms Renyard said she expected the community would come together to recognise the pair and ensure their legacies live on. Already more than $100 000 has been raised on a GoFundMe page for Andy’s partner Amber who is expecting their first child in August. Lifeguards around Australia also paused for a minute’s silence as a tribute to the pair, and their bravery was acknowledged by political, industry and community leaders locally and around the country.

The Powell farm — named Warraboon after Warracknabeal and Timboon, the homes of Andy’s grandparents — was settled as a sheep property. They later diversified into beef but about 50 years ago a fellow farmer told Ross that if he wanted to make money, he should go into dairy farming. They sold the beef cows and converted half the farm into a trial dairy. After the first year, dairy income almost doubled that of sheep and since then it has been totally dairy. In recent years Andy had taken over running the farm while Ross still contributed along with four staff members. In an interview last year with Dairy News Australia, Andy said he used his surf club and SES training experience to create a positive working culture on the farm.

He also spoke of how he relished the farming lifestyle, which allowed opportunities to contribute to the community. “We aim to be proactive farmers; we want to stay ahead of the game,” Andy said at the time. “We’re always looking for opportunities where we can improve the farm.” Both father and son were proactive in the dairy community, including a long — established Port Campbell dairy discussion group. Andy was also involved with the Timboon P - 12 Agriculture Project, showcasing the dairy industry to local students, and the Powells regularly hosted extension programs on their farm. Fellow lifesaver Phil Younis was seriously injured in the rescue attempt but is recovering after surgery in The Alfred hospital.

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8 // NEWS

Profitable crossbreeding ■

Jo Coombe with her cattle.

CROSSBREEDING HAS always been a little bit of an unknown in the dairy industry but a recent two-year project led by Dr Jo Coombe and funded by Dairy Australia has started to shed some light on what was once quite an underresearched subject. Crossbreed herds in Australia are on the rise, particularly a systematic three-way cross, containing a combination of Holstein/Friesian, Jersey and Australian Red cows. It was this three-way cross that was used for the basis of the study and compared to the more traditional Holstein Friesian/Jersey backcross.

“Nobody had ever really researched the threeway cross before but here in Australia we had 23 years of herd testing to provide data,” Dr Coombe said. The project looked at: ■ How many farmers were crossbreeding, including those using a three-breed rotational system. ■ Data on production, cell count, reproduction and survival which was used to answer the question: What is the best option after the first cross? ■ Farmers attitudes toward cross breeding.

An economic model to compare the performance of a purebred herd with a twobreed or three-breed crossbreeding herd.

Dr Coombe said the research showed crossbreeding is a profitable option for dairy farmers and in an economic model, crossbreds are predicted to be more profitable than purebreeds, but it can take up to six years for this to become evident (selecting good sires is an important aspect of this success). On average a crossbred cow produces less milk per cow but they are not as big so they have less fodder requirements. To maintain farm production more crossbreds may be required, so where does the margin lie? A crossbred cow is more fertile, she lives longer and depreciates less. Friesian: $2000 cow lasts four year and is sold at $800 = $300 depreciation p.a. Xbred: $1400 cpw lasts six years and sold at $650 — $125 depreciation p.a. Fewer replacements means less mating and rearing costs. Friesian: $500 cow/year in replacement costs (25 per cent replacements p.a.) Xbred: $330 cow/year in replacement costs (17 per cent replacements p.a.) “These benefits more than offset the slightly higher herd and shed costs and reduced cull cow sale income,” Dr Coombe said.

In summary Dr Coombe found: ■

■

Crossbreeding farmers tend to be younger� Farmers already crossbreeding are more likely to want to learn more about it, but all farmers are interested� Crossbreeding has increased since 1990 including farmers using three breeds� Two-breed crossbreds performed worse than Holstein/Friesians for volume and kilograms but better in several cases for components, survival and some reproduction measures� The AusRed x Holstein/Friesian/ Jersey three-breed performed better than either backcross for a number of measures� The economic model showed an advantage to crossbreeding versus purebred herds, but this assumes an increase in herd size and the benefi ts can take several years� There are real life case studies showing improved profi tability with crossbreeding in seasonal herds� Importantly, crossbreeding won’t fi x poor genetics — choosing good sires will�

Australian Dairy Plan

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Sign up for your local workshop or contribute to the discussion online at dairyplan.com.au Location and venue details available upon registration.

1575.4 Apr 2019

Dairy farmers, processors and the wider dairy community are being asked to have a say on what matters most for dairy.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

10 // NEWS

Numurkah Cattle Clubs Calf Show

Rahni Lawless, 10, from Numurkah, was judged the champion junior handler at the Numurkah Cattle Clubs calf show, held in Numurkah. She is pictured with a heifer belonging to Jake Beggs.

Lloyd Akers from Tallygaroopna was a picture of concentration when showing his young heifer at the Numurkah calf show. Sarah Lloyd from Kyabram with Lara Shottle Fusion, owned by Erin Ferguson, which won the champion junior Holstein heifer ribbon.

Sometimes they just wont go. Leading the calves and young heifers is often a battle when they have only been on the lead for a few weeks.

At left, Champion Senior Holstein, Lara 1st Class Many owned by Erin Ferguson, of Tatura was led by Erin, and reserve champion senior Holstein heifer was owned by Tammy Stone from Katunga and led by Tammy.

Organic price move GOULBURN VALLEY–BASED Australian Consolidated Milk organic suppliers will receive an opening guaranteed price of $9/kg MS next season, a lift of 12.5 per cent on this year’s opening price. Announced at the end of April, the price includes nine months of $9.40/kg MS and three spring months — September, October and November — at $8.20/kg MS. The opening price, which will come into effect for the new season starting July 1, is 10¢/ kg MS more than this year’s closing price and comes as ACM’s organic milk pool has increased by 25 per cent.

“The new season’s price reflects ACM’s continued progress in developing the jl organic business,” ACM commercial manager Peter Jones said. “With stage one of the Girgarre site complete, producing organic milk powders and organic butter, we have commenced stage two of the project, building cheese manufacturing on the same site.” Mr Jones said the organic business continued to grow. “With our own speciality factory at Girgarre and long-term agreements with businesses such as Bellamy’s Organic we are now better-placed

then ever to take advantage of this growing appetite for organic products.” He said the nine-and-three payment system would simplify milk payments and could help to reduce on-farm milk production costs without damaging suppliers’ milk incomes. “This change was something suppliers asked for and because we have a great mix of products and Girgarre is set-up to manage specialty milks, we can deliver this,” Mr Jones said. ACM has also changed the value weightdhing of protein and butterfat, bringing the ratio from 2.2:1 in favour of protein, to 1:1. “This will take the pressure off our organic

suppliers and will simplify even further our price payment system,” Mr Jones said. Although the increased pricing has been welcomed by organic suppliers, Mr Jones said the company recognised the current cost of production had “cruelled” all dairy farmers. “We are watching the weather daily and really hoping that the recent rainfall is the start of the change in luck for our suppliers and a return to profitability.” Mr Jones said ACM would support farmers interested in converting their businesses from conventional to organic milk production.

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NEWS // 11

Remarkable Milk Company adds Coach House Dairy to the stable THE REMARKABLE Milk Company has

entered into an agreement to buy the Coach House Dairy Brand from Bubs Australia for $500 000. Bubs Australia acquired Coach House as a part of its NuLac Foods acquisition in 2017. The Kyvalley Dairy Group is a shareholder in Remarkable. Remarkable Milk Company markets, sells and develops organic and conventional fresh packed dairy and nutritional products to the Asia Pacific retail markets. Coach House sources milk from Gippsland and processes for its flavoured milk products at Keysborough. The range has been carried by Coles and Woolworths.

“The brand will receive a welldeserved refresh ensuring it retains its quality and market presence.”

adding Coach House Dairy to its range and would continue to stock the products in current stockists together with new markets. “The brand will receive a well-deserved refresh ensuring it retains its quality and market presence,” Mr Martin said. Bubs Australia said the Coach House Dairy was not considered core to Bubs’ business

strategy, which centres around infant nutrition and goat dairy products. The sale will occur on June 30 and Bubs Australia will continue to supply the product until then. · Remarkable chairman, Jeff Martin, is a former managing director of Tatura Milk and operations manager of fruit company SPC.

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Remarkable Milk has exclusive supply agreements with Kyvalley Dairy Group, ASX listed Wattle Health and Organic Dairy Farmers Australia. Remarkable managing director Matthew Bailey described his company as the leading specialist dairy brand business in Asia Pacific across organic and conventional. Remarkable Milk director and chair Jeff Martin said the company was thrilled to be

CAMEL MILK WINS AWARD Kyabram camel milk producers Camel Milk Co has found joy in the toughest of times, claiming a spot among the state winners in the 2019 Delicious Harvey Norman Produce Awards. The award has come at just the right moment for the company after a tough couple of months under poor conditions. Tee Rowe from Camel Milk, said the win was a delightful surprise and were thankful to the Sydney chef, Brent Savage’s nomination. “His restaurant has been using our camel milk and feta in one of their dishes for some time now.” As one of eight winners in Victoria for their dairy products, Rowe truly believes in the quality of the company’s unique produce. “It really shows the integrity of our product; camel milk is quite new for most Australians but this has helped heighten our profile and make people more aware of us and what we do,” she said. “People can often be scared to try new things but I think we are starting to show people that it can be used as a regular product as well as in novelty or luxury items.” The state winners from each category will now progress on to a blind-tasting by a national judging panel, with the winners to be announced in Sydney on 19 August.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

12 // NEWS

Dehne, Teagen, 8, Henry, 7, Sarah, Hollee, 12, and Macey, 10, Vinnicombe with their maize silage which yielded 24tonne/ha.

Maize success as business opts for barn A BUMPER maize crop has not only provided

a feed buffer for one northern Victorian family, it will now underpin its new way of farming. Dehne and Sarah Vinnicombe with children Hollee, 12, Macey, 10, Teagen, 8, and Henry, 7, milk 420 cows year-round across 1012 ha at Calivil near Bendigo in Victoria. Their business is almost entirely self-sufficient for feed, mostly operating a cut-and-carry type system with the philosophy of expanding their land to produce as much feed as possible for every “inch of rain”.

Over 40 years of using LIC genetics has helped Dornauf Farms achieve 600kg milk solids per cow. But every year is a fresh challenge.

The family grew 58 ha of maize this season for the first time in eight years in a bid to bolster feed security and because it’s “very, very cost effective”, Dehne said. “It means we can take a bit of grain out (of the herd’s diet) and that means we are out of the market, for that,” Dehne said. “Another reason, is with wheat at such a high price, this (maize) is high in energy and we just need to mix some protein with it to make a total mixed ration. “For the protein, we still have vetch, shaftal

and rye-grass hay left over or there’s canola meal, which is bought-in.” The maize was grown with 8 Ml of water per hectare as well as one rain event in January which was about 50 mm. “We budgeted on around 8MG (a hectare) and had carryover water from last year which kind of helped,” Dehne said. The crop yielded 24 dry tonnes to the hectare with 77 per cent starch — this was recorded off the silage machine — official measurements were not returned when Dairy News Australia visited.

Grain use is set to drop with the introduction of maize to the herd’s diet. It will decline from 1.5 tonnes/cow/lactation to about 900 kg/cow/lactation when the herd receives about 10 kg/day/cow of maize silage. Dehne and Sarah said another benefit of increased maize silage in the cows’ diet was the fact they could eat it all day, unlike grain which was fed in a “slug” in the dairy and “consumed in about eight minutes”. Cows digest maize all day and they are not at risk of getting ketosis, Dehne said.

There’s always room for improvement

licnz.com.au

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

NEWS // 13

Hollee, 12, Dehne, Macey, 10, Sarah, Teagen, 8, and Henry, 7, Vinncombe have a year’s worth of feed stored for their dairy farm.

This comes as the family embarks on construction of a 720-cow free stall barn, in a bid to “control” the environment and provide a consistent diet as well as conditions for their herd. “If we put a barn in, it will be a stable delivery of corn (maize silage),” Dehne said. “It is also about the weather — the rain, heat, climate change — we would have more control,” Sarah added. “The feed would also be utilised better, less waste.” The family grow all its own feed, and this would not change with the establishment of a barn, it’s just the cows will be housed, rather than grazing. Currently they grow wheat, barley, vetch and rye-grass but they plan to phase-out rye-grass in favour of more water-efficient crops. “We will be smarter with our water,” Dehne said. “When we have annual rye-grass and permanent pasture as well as lucerne, you only get 15 tonneDM/ha. But when you double-crop with corn (maize), you can get 24 tonne/ha and then use that same land for vetch where you get 6–8 tonne/ha from 10 Ml of water. It’s about water use efficiency.” The family has 1250 Ml of permanent water but is confident the season will turn. “It does rain, it will rain again,” Dehne said. “We carried our water over; we used the rules to our advantage.” Into the future, the crops grown will depend on the seasonal conditions, water price and availability. Dehne and Sarah believe in preparing their

business, so it’s primed to take advantage of changes in trading or seasons. “For example, if water is cheap again, we will put 200 ha of corn in,” Dehne said. “If we are set-up with the barn, for example, there could be good subsoil moisture and cheap water — perfect for growing corn — we have the infrastructure in place to use what we grow, turn it on.” Using the barn, rather than grazing livestock, will mean the Vinnicombes will have a set feed requirement for their herd each year. “You will know, for example, you have to put 60 ha of corn in each year,” Dehne said. “If water is cheap, you could grow three years in one year which would take us out of the market when the pressure is on.” The Vinnicombes have set-up their farm to ensure they do not have to enter the market for feed or water when the prices are high. “Right now, we are out of the market, grain is dear and water is dear, we have 12 months of feed in in front of us, stored away.” Other benefits of the barn will include increased production, a result of a stable diet and conditions. The family is planning a 41 per cent rise in production to 12 000 litres/cow/lactation. This lift will require a slight change in breeding direction as well. “We sold all the cross-bred cows, because in a free stall barn, you need to have the same cow in every stall,” Dehne said. This means the herd will be all large framed Holsteins, the plan is to breed a cow about 700 kg liveweight producing 876 kg of milk solids/ lactation.

KNIVES TO SUIT:

The Vinnicombe family celebrates a successful maize harvest.

Delivering production in excess of body weight is nothing new for the Vinnicombes. Their current herd average weight is about 590 kg liveweight and with average per cow production of 620 kgMS/lactation. The recent herd test recorded production at 3.71 kg/cow of protein and 4.74 kg/cow of butterfat. Cow numbers will also lift and the Vinnicombe’s have their sights set on filling the 720cow barn throughout the entire year. They will continue to milk through their 30 swing-over dairy, milking the cows in groups rather than an entire herd. As Freedom Foods suppliers, the Vinnicombes have a set, long-term milk supply contract which means they know what they will be getting for their milk in coming years.

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“We haven’t felt this secure with a milk company as we do with this long-term contract,” Dehne said. “We can buy water, or whatever it is, in advance, knowing what we are going to get paid, it is a flat price.” Describing themselves as “on the outskirts” of farming in northern Victoria, they maintain confidence in the region, but stressed they had to change their business. “We feel we have to change our practice to suit our water and our climate, and this is the best way to go forward,” Dehne said. “We do feel that farming in northern Victoria is going to change.” The Vinnicombes hope to complete their barn by Christmas.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

14 // NEWS

Technology and lifestyle upgrade JEANETTE SEVERS

A VOLUNTARY automatic milking system, recently built at Yannathan in Victoria, is the focus of a succession plan for Evan and Sheriden Williams. The couple recently made major changes to its dairy and lifestyle, adopting the GEA robotic machinery. “We needed to upgrade the dairy, but we also needed to upgrade our lifestyle. We also wanted the challenge to do something new,” Mr Williams said. They also wanted to include the needs of the next generation. A lot of research led them to decide on a new build, rather than retrofit. The existing 44-bay rotary platform was recently dismantled, after the automatic milking system was installed nearby. “With the rotary, our production was 9000 litres/cow and we were breeding for increased production,” Mr Williams said. The couple milk a split-calving 280–300 head self-replacing Holstein herd. The 122 ha farm is used for grazing cows and a 72 ha outblock is utilised to produce fodder. All grain is bought in. “We want to ease back and our daughter and son-in-law have a baby and a toddler, so the decision to build a robot, or voluntary automatic milking system, is about giving them better lifestyle opportunities,” Mrs Williams said. “It has also enthused us again for the industry. I’m falling in love with dairying again.” Mr Williams said: “We were tiring of the old system; it was old when we bought the property, so it needed replacing.” They awarded the tender for the build to John Van De Burgt, Westfalia Warragul. “Robotic dairies are the future of dairying,” Mr Van De Burgt said. With weather impacts, the new dairy shed and equipment was installed between February to November last year. While all the components were imported, the Westfalia Warragul team built, mounted and welded the stainless steel brackets throughout the shed. There are currently four bays operating, with capacity to increase that by an additional two bays, when the herd size increases. Each bay includes a ‘cow toilet’, which catches faeces and flushes it to the effluent pond.

“If you have a system like this, you don’t want to have to spend all day washing the platform and milking bays,” GEA production manager Brian Monteith said. A special camera is used to locate the teats and the robot arm places the cups on the teats. The teats are then washed, stripped and milked. At the end of milking, teat dip is applied, the cups are removed and the cow is free to leave. She has also received her grain portion while being milked. Between milking each cow, the cups are cleaned and disinfected automatically. Each cow wears a collar integrated across software platforms that include monitoring how much the animal grazes, when it comes into a bay for milking and applying animal health and nutrition monitoring. That includes identifying cows in heat. “The software is set up based on pre-determined patterns of cow behaviour and then adapts to each cow in real time,” GEA’s Jan Winke said. “It takes about a week for the system to adapt the pre-determined baseline to new individual cows.” The farmer receives an alert on the main system and on mobile devices if there is no normal activity recorded for a particular cow in a 12-hour period. While there are still some teething issues, Mr and Mrs Williams are happy with the changeover so far. “The cell counts are a bit better, there’s less mastitis and better milk quality,” Mr Williams said. “Within a week, the cows adapted to come into the boxes. We’ve still got some work to do training the cows to come into the dairy. We’re still doing a bit of fetching — going out into the paddock and bringing cows up to the dairy. “The computer system is good for letting us know who’s overdue for milking.” The plan is to increase milking frequency from twice-a-day. “Going forward, we’d like to see them coming in three times a day when fresh in milk,” Mr Williams said. “With voluntary milking, the cow decides when it comes to be milked and gets grain reward and when she’s milked she gets sent to a new paddock for fresh grass,” Mr Monteith said. There is an override manual mode on the

John Van De Burgt, Westfalia Warragul, was responsible for installing the robot dairy components and equipment, including the vat and bypass vat.

The rewards to the cow for being milked include a grain portion and, on the way to fresh grazing, the opportunity for a massage and brush.

Todd Whyman, a Bega (NSW) dairy farmer, with Evan Williams. Mr Whyman has a 22-year-old GEA rotary dairy platform and was interested to see the robot system and new technology.

Yannathan neighbours Simon Finger, Henrik Frost Andersen, Lauren Finger, Maria Lovmand, Sam Barwick and Kathrine Sogaard. Mr Finger said he milked in a 34-bay herringbone dairy and wanted to see how new technology operated.

Jan Winke, GEA, talks about the herd management software.

Some of the visitors during the open field day.

milking machine if needed. The milk from freshly calved cows goes direct to the calf shed for feeding to calves; bypassing collection in the vat. When the milk in the vat is collected, the milk from cows in the dairy bypasses into the buffer tank. “This bypass is unique to robotic systems,” Mr Van De Burgt said. A field day was held in April for dairy farmers to tour the new dairy and hear about its build and management of the system.

Sheriden and Evan Williams, Yannathan, who recently replaced a rotary platform with a robot dairy.

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Dairy Research Foundation 2019 Annual Symposium 10-11 July 2019 Bega NSW

Home-Grown FEED: BASE of the dairy business Focusing on efficiency gains in FEEDBASE; the largest impacting factor on milk production costs in any system type! Day 1 (10 July): Industry Events, Symposium Day and Symposium Dinner at Bega Valley Civic Centre, Bega NSW With a unique variety of speakers including international researcher Dr David Chapman (DairyNZ) focusing on Feedbase in the future environment; Prof Yani Garcia (Sydney University) talking on Home-Grown Feed efficiency; renown dairy consultant Frank Tyndall (Victoria) showing the ABC of margin-over-feed costs on commercial farm data; and many dairy farmers from the Bega Valley, South Australia and NSW presenting their innovations in feedbase management, including: • Brodie and Kevin Game (NSW): Managing Feedbase in Pasture-Based Systems • Brad Fisher (SA): Managing Feedbase in TMR systems • Todd Whyman (NSW): Effluents, profitability and soil health • Colin Thompson (NSW): How to get over 40L/cow in summer in NSW! • Ashleigh Rood, Andrew D’Arcy & Will Russell (Bega, NSW): Young dairy farmers pushing innovation (panel)

Day 2 (11 July): Farm Day and Emerging Scientists Program (Local dairy farm) Three interactive platforms including: • Moisture right, Nitrogen right: led by Marguerite White (private consultant, NSW) • How to succeed when adopting technology: led by Pauline Brightling (private consultant, VIC) • The latest on Milking management from USA: led by Dr Edwin J. Kreykes (dairy specialist and private consultant, USA)

Each platform also features our outstanding Emerging Scientists program, showcasing the latest in research in the dairy industry!

REDUCED ADMISSION FEE FOR DAIRY FARMERS AND STUDENTS Tickets on sale soon! Email Tara Wolfson before 30th May (tara@ejmevents.com.au) to register your interest and receive a $30 discount voucher to apply at checkout later! (*conditions apply)

To Register your Interest: Phone: (02) 8089 1388 Email : tara@ejmevents.com.au Online: www.drfsymposium.com.au

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

16 // NEWS

Dry conditions tipped to continue tough outlook THERE’S LITTLE end in sight to the pain experienced this year by the region’s dairy industry, with dry conditions continuing to worsen. That was the sombre outlook from Rabobank senior dairy analyst Michael Harvey in the bank’s latest annual season outlook. He said the national milk pool was expected to finish the 2018–19 season at 8.6 billion litres — down eight per cent (year-on-year). “The Murray Dairy region has been responsible for around 70 per cent of that fall in milk supply,” Mr Harvey said. “Yet some of the industry’s most cost-efficient plants reside in that region. And this is creating a real conundrum for the industry.” The Murray Dairy region’s milk pool has fallen by 285 million litres from February 2018 to February this year as a result of high water and feed prices and ongoing hot and dry conditions. “While history has shown that, with the right settings, milk production can rebound quickly in the Murray Dairy region, the water price continues to be a key risk for the region heading into the new season,” Mr Harvey said. “Looking to the new season, water prices are likely to remain high given the low water storage levels in the southern Murray-Darling Basin,

and this could see milk production in the Murray Dairy region fall by a further 5.1 per cent — with risks mounted to the downside.” And dairy companies are not immune to the margin squeeze, according to the Thirsty Work: A journey to rebuild begins report, with the processing sector “confronted with record levels of surplus processing capacity” — in excess of two billion litres — in the new season. However, Mr Harvey said there were signs of a bottoming in the margin cycle, with farm gate milk prices improving and more upside to come in 2019–20. Releasing the bank’s milk price forecast for the 2019–20 season, Mr Harvey said Rabobank’s global market forecasts pointed to an indicative weighted average farm gate milk price in the southern export region of $6.40/kg MS — a mark only attained or exceeded once in the past. He said the ability of dairy farm operators to capitalise on the higher farm gate milk prices would be determined by seasonal conditions and the cost of purchased feed. “The importance of a timely autumn break this season cannot be overstated. “The volume of milk solids in the system is now at a 24-year low, and milk supply will drop

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— they've got the HEIFER —

RECENT FIELD TRIAL RESULTS DEMONSTRATE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN CLINICAL CASES OF MASTITIS IN EARLY LACTATION IN TEATSEALED HEIFERS Teatseal was used in herds which had never previously used Teatseal in their heifers prior to calving. Records of clinical mastitis were compared to previous calving periods, or in some herds records were compared to heifers in the same herd which were not Teatsealed that calving period.

ANIMALS AND HERDS

GRAPH 2. Spring 2016. 2 herds – Heifer clinical mastitis in 1st 30 days of lactation, before and after using Teatseal 2 n 2015 (Not Teatsealed)

n 2016 (Teatsealed)

59%

14 12

(%)

THE TRIAL

80%

reduction in clinical cases

• 16 south-eastern Australian Dairy Herds – Victoria and Tasmania • Autumn and Spring calving periods 2016 and 2017 • 79 to 530 heifers per herd per calving period • 3555 heifers in total.

6 4 2 0 Herd 1

GRAPH 1. Autumn 2016. 11 herds — Heifer clinical mastitis March to May 2016 1 n Not Teatsealed (n=1759)

GRAPH 3. Autumn 2017. 3 herds – Heifer clinical mastitis in 1st 30 days of lactation, before and after using Teatseal 3

n Teatsealed (n=926)

n 2016 (Not Teatsealed)

80%

91%

n 2017 (Teatsealed)

69%

reduction in clinical cases

Herd 1

Herd 2

100% difference in clinical cases

(%)

n 2015 (Not Teatsealed) 30

14 12

Herd 2

15 6 4

0 Herd 3

CLINICAL CASES OF MASTITIS IN EARLY LACTATION WERE REDUCED BY 59-100% ONE HERD WENT FROM 25 CASES PER 100 HEIFERS CALVED TO NO CASES AT ALL! THE RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. GET YOUR HEIFERS TEATSEALED BEFORE THEIR FIRST CALVING SPEAK TO YOUR LOCAL VET ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO ADMINISTER TEATSEAL IN YOUR HEIFERS References: 1, 2 & 3. Zoetis data on file. Zoetis Australia Pty Ltd. Level 6, 5 Rider Boulevard, Rhodes NSW 2138. © 2018 Zoetis Inc. All rights reserved. June 2018. ZL0925.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

18 // NEWS

Soil trials aim to keep carbon on the farm A SERIES of soil trials starting on an Ecklin

South dairy farm will test what types of applications are best for improving soil health and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The trials are part of an ambitious pilot program that could create significant soil, animal health and emissions improvements on farms across the region. Keeping Carbon on the Farm is testing a suite of activities that dairy farmers and other primary producers can undertake to reduce their emissions and better prepare for climate change. The pilot at the Doolan family farm will include revegetation, carbon-sequestering soil amelioration trials and energy reduction strategies. It is being driven by a project committee led by Heytesbury District Landcare Network and is funded by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning through the Virtual Centre for Climate Change Innovation program. Field trials started last week to test a mix of 10 per cent biochar and 90 per cent compost. Fifteen plots were established, consisting of three controls, three controls with fertiliser, and three each of low, medium and high biochar-compost applications with fertiliser. Farmer Sam Doolan said the trials would test which applications best improved soil health and increased carbon content.

“We will run the cows as usual and won’t fence off any of the plots so we get a true indication of the success of the applications,” Mr Doolan said. “One of the goals is to cut back fertiliser use for cost savings and better environmental results.” An energy audit has been completed at the farm and will be repeated in mid-2020 to compare improvements and three soil tests will be conducted to check carbon levels and microbial activity. A total of 5000 trees will be planted to create new shelter belts and future plans could also include solar panels and an energy monitoring system. HDLN Landcare co-ordinator Geoff Rollinson said it was an exciting program that would create a better understanding of the impact of climate change on dairy farmers and how they could reduce their energy use. “We expect to see reductions in whole-offarm greenhouse gas emissions, increased levels of carbon sequestration in soil, improved soil and paddock health and improved cow health and productivity,” Mr Rollinson said. The initial energy audit found 12 different meters being used around the farm. “We’ve gone through the report and are about to implement changes to reduce our

Claire Pritchard, DELWP, Geoff Rollinson, HDLN, Tim Tutt, Deakin University, Sam Doolan and farm employee Sam Ferguson.

energy use,” Mr Doolan said. “We hope to transform our farming practices and save money on energy and make sure everything is more efficient.” Mr Doolan’s mother Carol is taking an interest in the biodiversity projects and brother Peter, an electrician, is implementing new electricity systems. Mr Rollinson said it was hoped the results could be shared with other dairy farms and potentially beef and sheep farms. “It’s not just about reducing emissions for the sake of reducing emissions, you get improved soil health and better animal health

and production which are important to the farm’s bottom line,” Mr Rollinson said. “We’re getting baseline information now and 12 months down the track it will be an interesting story.” On-site field days are planned later in the project to share updates with the farming community. The project group includes HDLN, DELWP, the Doolan Farms family, Deakin University, Corangamite CMA, Corangamite Shire, Triple R Biochar, Camperdown Compost and Dr Jane Stanley who leads the energy audits.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

ABV TABLES // 19

VR Tokyo tops BPI index VR TOKYO is leading the Balanced Performance Index (BPI) in Australia with a BPI of $298, according to April proofs. Viking Genetics Australian business manager, Anna Norgren said there was no doubt: this sire was one of a kind and a “must have” in a herd to improve the level and quality of milk production. She said with a Total Nordic Merit of NTM +22, VR Tokyo combined a high level of production (119) with strong components with 119 for Fat Kg and 119 for Protein Kg. “Speaking of Top Type, Tokyo is the number one for Type Weighted Index (TWI) with an index of 105 Overall Type and 106 for Mammary. Also number one in Longevity in Australia. “We can add that VikingRed Tokyo has also a

remarkable health profile. “He is in the #2 position among the best bulls in Australia with a Health Weighted Index (HWI) of 198, peaking on Survival with 108 and on Daughter Fertility with 101. And on the top when it comes to maternal calving with an excellent index of 129 on NTM index.” VR Tokyo’s breeder is Göran Carlsson from Linköping, Sweden. VR Tokyo has 1496 daughters around the whole world, in ongoing production. VR Tokyo is a top performer with a complete profile where production, type and health combine to make daughters with no weaknesses. Ms Norgen said VH Sparky also performed strongly on BPI in Australia High production of solids along with excellent

hoof health, are unique trademark of VH Sparky. Ms Norgren said VH Sparky was strong on the BPI ranking with $319. The fabulous combination of high production and outstanding health is not easy to find. With a Nordic Total Merit (NTM) of +23, VH Sparky (VH Suarez x VH Salomon x T Funkis) has an unusual complete profile. VH Sparky defines perfectly the saying: “excellent health and high production is possible”. He has an outstanding production profile with 113, protein percentage 116 and fat percentage 113. On the other hand, he is a champion for Hoof Health 122 which is connected to an exceptional Longevity 109 and daughter fertility 113. The balanced breeding values are also excellent in regard to the conformation traits; VH

A VR Tokyo daughter.

Sparky daughters have well attached udders. VH Sparky has 1390 daughters and was bred at the herd of Flemming Petersen, in Ribe Denmark. VH Sparky’s mother is currently pregnant with her seventh calf and is part of the herd of the Flemming Petersen dairy farm.

FIND THE RIGHT COWS FOR YOUR FARM The new sire proofs were very exciting for the industry and LIC again had a strong showing across the various breeds, LIC Australia sales and operations manager Mike Rose said. “Instead of focusing on individual sires that are performing well, I want to take this opportunity to take a step back and get you to ask the question, ‘does the cow I currently milk, suit the farm system I want to have in the future?’,” Mr Rose said.

He said farmers were wanting to be more sustainable from a financial, people, environment and animal viewpoint. This sustainability could well see farmers move to using higher levels of home-grown forage and pasture to reduce costs. Making simple systems throughout the farm could help, and a move toward one or two times a year calving could help reduce complexity and workload, Mr Rose said. However, he said it was important to

understand that these types of changes would often require a different cow than the ones you were currently milking. Mr Rose said to cope with these changes, cows now need to be more resilient and robust so they can adapt to the ups and downs of volatile weather conditions, feeding levels, milk prices and skills of staff. “We are proud of the fact LIC genetics have proven themselves in tough

conditions around the world and feel this is an advantage over animals bred for barns on a TMR system, which calves all year round. “LIC’s focus has always been on delivering a cow that delivers more profit, not necessarily the most milk volume. “At the end of the day it’s about how much profit that’s coming from each tanker load of milk that matters, not how many tanker loads you produce.”

8,127 reasons to register your Holsteins today There’s a good reason why more Australian dairy farmers milk Holsteins than any other breed. An average of 526 kg of solids and 7,421 litres of milk makes the Holstein breed Australia’s highest production dairy cow. The only cow that averages more is a Registered Holstein at 8,127 litres and 567kg. Register your herd today. It just makes sense. *Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Report 2017, Datagene and National Herd Improvement Association of Australia Inc

Agri-Gene Pty Ltd

Ph: 03 5722 2666 Fax: 03 5722 2777 Email: info@agrigene.com.au www.agrigene.com.au

(03) 9835 7600 www.holstein.com.au

Lead Innovate Deliver

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

20 // ABV TABLES

Top genotyped Holstein Top genotyped Holstein females females Indices National ID

Long Name

Date of Birth

Owner

19-102010

Production Conformation

BPI BPI HWI TWI ASI $ Rel

ASI Rel

MCRAE SA & NM (MF) (SALE)

385

313

318

254

Survival

Overall Mam Type Type Syst Rel

Mastitis Workability Resistance

Fertility

Feed Saved Heat

Survival

Rel

Dtr Fert

Fert Rel

SCC

SCC Rel

Milk Work Feed Like Temp Spd Rel Saved

FS Heat HT Rel Tol Rel

105

111

148

101

151

Y100R0053

GALLRAE VOSAC DORA 829 (g)

Z13IX0095

GORBRO NUME- 10-042013 RO TIFFANY

GORDON RK & JR (EASY DAIRY)

382

284

390

281

108

107

105

101

136

101

105

104

-22

809005633

OMAN BIOSMA

22-062008

ECCLES AT & WJ (DPLAN)

381

288

294

272

106

112

133

101

104

101

102

C14004568

15291

22-012012

DONOVANS DAIRYING CO. (EMAIL)

378

270

374

287

106

104

106

104

134

101

103

102

-71

Y13OS0149

HINDLEE DEL26-08SANTO LOYALTY 2013 13134

Lillico JM & V

378

276

349 280

100

102

105

104

155

102

101

W15008753

CARENDA MVP GEORDIE

01-092015

KITCHEN FARMS

377

310

401

219

111

110

111

106

132

103

106

104

Y14OS0116

HINDLEE PICOLA DALLAS 14101-ET

10-082014

Lillico JM & V

377

261

389

297

106

109

106

150

102

104

102

-118

H01675808

RENGAW MANOMAN JANEA-ET

08-012011

IRELAND JARED & COURTNEY (EASYD)

376

279

332

261

101

104

108

107

159

100

103

102

-59

X13AQ0069

STEPH

15-082013

HENRY TW & TC

376

284

346 296

101

103

105

102

135

101

103

102

15-052018

VALA HOLSTEINS

373

313

370

104

107

112

105

166

102

106

103

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213

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317

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

ABV TABLES // 21

Topgenotyped genotyped Top JerseyJersey females females Indices National ID

Long Name

Date of Birth

Owner

Production Conformation

BPI BPI HWI TWI ASI $ Rel

ASI Rel

Survival

Overall Mam Type Type Syst Rel

Mastitis Workability Resistance

Fertility

Survival

Rel

Dtr Fert

Fert Rel

SCC

SCC Rel

Feed Saved Heat

Milk Work Feed Like Temp Spd Rel Saved

FS Heat HT Rel Tol Rel

315000047

GELBEADO PARK RACEWAY COCOA 4608

29-08GELBEADO 292 2014 PARK JERSEYS

219

278

240

102

104

103

123

102

101

Y14WG0046

VALENTINO DAISY 16

12-082014

CARSON AG & JA

287

226

323

180

109

111

100

127

103

106

105

-51

415160221

5840

16-082015

GLENNEN C & CO (IDARY)

282

220

303 204

107

109

107

117

102

106

104

X16AJ0022

HAT V3 PAINT

23-042016

HOEY DM & L (MOFW5) (EMAIL)

281

197

273

216

105

102

107

104

109

102

105

104

-51

813012827

WHITE STAR 5586 GP 81

18-032013

GLENNEN C & CO (IDARY)

278

194

212

235

103

104

136

100

102

101

X10AJ0036

VAL K POPPINS 5

29-072010

HOEY DM & L (MOFW5) (EMAIL)

274

184

219

232

107

104

101

104

102

-16

814017595

5718

03-082014

GLENNEN C & CO (IDARY)

273

179

253

245

102

105

122

103

105

103

-46

215023478

4656 (g)

28-072013

PARISH P, D &L

268

224

300

136

107

110

112

102

142

104

107

104

-7

416068714

5921

16-042016

GLENNEN C & CO (IDARY)

267

176

218

221

104

101

131

103

104

-73

215008961

STONYRUN AUS 10-032015 TBONE KAVA 3

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182

267

208

107

105

109

101

100

103

104

100

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

22 // ABV TABLES ABV TABLES ERROR DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2019 In the April edition of Dairy News Australia we published the wrong part of the Australian Breeding Values table for Jersey bulls. The list we printed was not the top 10 performing bulls under the Balanced Performance Index (BPI) rankings. This edition we publish the top 12 BP Australian bulls. Dairy News apologies for the error. The full lists are available from the DataGene website at: datagene.com.au

28 // ABV FEATURE

Good Bulls Bulls Guide Guide for for Jersey Jersey — Balanced Good — Balanced Performance Index Index (BPI) (BPI) Performance Indices Bull ID

0200JE00183

Bull Name

Genomics Included

SUNSET CANYON DAVID

Australian Proven Source or International

Conformation Traits

Production Traits

BPI $

BPI Rel

HWI

TWI ASI

ASI Rel

No. Dtrs

200

301

181

203

SEM

265

Daughter Fertility

No. Over Mam Type Herds Type Syst Rel

107

109

Dtr Fert

Rel

CRVMARVARIE

WALLACEDALE MARVARIE ET

CRV

185

144

211

133

110

107

CSCMELVARA

WALLACEDALE MELVARA

ABS

179

164

203

303

105

111

101

7J1163

ALL LYNNS VALENTINO IRWIN

GAC

177

157

252

340

111

7J1038

ALL LYNNS LOUIE VALENTINO

GAC

175

147

252

1,692

169

113

114

GRIFF

KAARAMONA GRIFFIN

GAC

173

118

161

141

105

104

100

TAHBILK

BEULAH TAHBILK

GAC

173

110

221

134

166

109

108

VOYAGEDALE

WALLACEDALE MELS VOYAGE

GAC

171

126

152

149

115

103

102

STACKER

BROADLIN STACKER

GAC

157

125

148

121

103

101

LEVIGENES

BROADLIN LEVI

GAC

157

125

164

110

201

103

101

AUSSIEGOLD

BROADLIN AUSSIEGOLD P ET

GAC

150

201

100

454

101

109

105

CRVVOYANT

MERSEYBANK CLAIRVOYANT

CRV

139

114

161

102

101

Good Bulls Guide for Red Breeds — Balanced Performance Index (BPI)

THE PERFECT EMPLOYEE Indices

Bull ID

Bull Name

Australian Proven or International

Source

Conformation Traits

Production Traits

BPI $

BPI Rel

HWI

TWI

ASI

ASI Rel

No. Dtrs

Daughter Fertility

No. Over Mam Type Herds Type Syst Rel

Dtr Fert

Rel

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AXBBLACKWOOD

BLACKWOOD PARK BLACKWOOD

AXB

243

202

238

179

102

108

101

ARBCYGNET

BEAULANDS SWANNIES - ET

GAC

239

195

222

150

101

106

102

VFOSKE

V FOSKE

VIK

228

151

222

182

100

2,108

158

103

104

101

ARBSCAREBEAR JOHVILLE PARK SCAREBEAR

GAC

213

165

135

166

102

VIKBALFA

VR BALFA

VIK

206

131

225

188

106

ARBABBOTT

BEAULANDS ABBOTT

GAC

179

109

150

240

218

109

107

ARBNICK

ORANA NICK

GAC

166

132

208

103

ARBSTEJAC

JOHVILLE PARK STEJAC

GAC

153

103

120

129

VIKFERGUS

VR FERGUS

VIK

150

117

149

158

101

ARBBONJOVI

BOSGOWAN BON JOVI

GAC

137

127

137

100

2,392

270

101

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

NEWS // 23

Extra value to capture in technology DAIRY FARMERS use technology on farm to assist with everyday tasks and don’t necessarily make the most of the data it collects. That’s according to the preliminary findings of research into NSW dairy farmers’ use of the technology on-farm to automate and individualise the management of dairy cows. Project leader from the Harris Park Group research team Pauline Brightling said she could see why farmers automated the day-to-day tasks, but there was a lot more opportunity to capture. “We found they were very focused on automating everyday tasks, which makes sense,” Dr Brightling said. “For example, with an automatic draft gate and collars, using it to more easily cut-out certain cows or keep them aside for mating. That’s its immediate (use), whereas not so much use is being made of the data which comes out of this technology, particularly the collars and activity metres at a herd level.” “There’s opportunity to use technology at a management level as well as an individual task level. The project was funded by the NSW Dairy Industry Fund, which funds “big picture, strategic

plans” for the state’s industry. Dr Brightling said the purpose of the research was to find out what sort of technology dairy farmers were using and then look for ways that this technology — or the use of it — could help farmers innovate to improve their profitability. Other findings from the preliminary research (the final report is due at the end of June) include, there’s been a high uptake of activity metres on NSW dairy farms but 21 per cent of NSW farms do not use any herd management software. “The exercise book is still kind on one in five farms in NSW,” the report said. The first part of the research involved developing a “tech matrix” logging all the technology available for dairy farmers. Dr Brightling said the Australian technology marketplace was “about as complex as it gets” with a lot of original equipment manufacturers providing product from the northern hemisphere, which gets altered to suit Australia’s pasture-based system, combined with local or southern hemisphere products. This project is set to provide insight into these different technologies, such as what brands

work with each other, in a bid to form a guide for farmers if or when they choose to invest. A total of 102 NSW dairy farmers responded to the survey with 83 per cent of respondents the owner or manager. The survey found about 60 per cent of dairy farms in NSW were using one or more technologies for individual cow management. Of the 40 per cent which didn’t have these technologies, they all had 300 or less cows. Autodraft was the most popular technology, on 38 per cent of farms, while activity metres and inline milk metres were installed on 26 per cent of farms. Of the 26 per cent of farms with activity metres, all have collars and 72 per cent of those with the collars measure cow rumination. “We are very cognisant that is has been a tough, awful season for farmers in NSW, and we are grateful how much farmers have been prepared to share,” Dr Brightling said of the research. “Through this research, if farmers are thinking about investing in technology, when it is right for them, they can capitalise on all the expertise and titbits farmers can bring to the table.”

Pauline Brightling has been researching how NSW dairy farmers use technology.

“Registering our herd has always been about our passion and commitment to the Holstein breed, and was a significant factor in the level of interest

”

in our sale.

Ian & MaryAnn Hortle, Panatana Holsteins Panatana Holsteins Master Breeder Holstein Australia members since 1975

Registered Holsteins add value to your herd It is well known from auction data that Registered Holsteins sell at a premium over grade animals. Just ask Holstein Australia members Ian & MaryAnn Hortle, who achieved an average sale price of $2,035 per head in highly challenging times for the dairy industry. Registration can help you make better breeding decisions, contribute to farm profitability and increase herd value, with known depth of pedigree, improved production performance and superior conformation. Call us on (03) 9835 7600 to find out how registering your Holsteins can maximise your return on investment in the breed. www.holstein.com.au

Lead Innovate Deliver

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

24 // NEWS

Ag students inspired to be community leaders NORTHERN VICTORIAN agriculture educa-

tor Leon Carter doesn’t just want students to become good farm workers; he wants to inspire them to be community leaders. Leon was sponsored by the Gardiner Dairy Foundation to participate in the Alpine Valleys Community Leadership 2018–19 program and is keen to pass on his learnings to a new generation of potential leaders. He says the new knowledge will help to get the best out of agricultural students while

29HO16888

“I want to try to get the best out of students in a different way; not just to be a farmer but to be a leader in what they do,” he said. “You can have all the passion in the world but it’s no good if you don’t have focus and direction and the leadership program has been really good for that.” Leon said that through the leadership program he learned more about what is happening in the Alpine Valley region while being inspired by the personal stories of speakers.

potentially helping him to expand his program across Victoria. The Wangaratta-based trainer’s Ag Schools Victoria program in conjunction with Wodonga TAFE is now in 23 schools between Echuca, Castlemaine, Euroa, Wodonga and Bright and has grown substantially over the past four years. Leon, who has a small farm at Tarrawingee, says the leadership program gave him a fresh perspective for his career, his farm and for his students.

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“A lot of the speakers came from nothing but had that determination and could find their direction, and that helped me focus and channel my passion,” he said. Leon hopes to show students the importance of “one-percenters” and being involved more in the community and sporting clubs and getting off the farm. “It’s amazing what a difference something like working in the canteen after football makes,” he said. After working in the thoroughbred breeding industry for 10 years and coming from a farming background, Leon saw the need for more agricultural studies in schools. “I want to get them interested before they leave school and make sure schools and students see the value in ag training. The challenge is to change people’s opinions and show there can be quality ag training available.” Leon said the school-based agriculture programs to years 10 to 12 students were having a positive impact.

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“We’re seeing students come along in leaps and bounds. Some of the quieter students are coming out of their shells and proving to be really good at the agricultural pursuits, and schools are seeing the results with students staying longer at school.” Now, thanks to the Gardiner Dairy Foundation and the Alpine Valleys Community Leadership program, Leon hopes to take that to the next level. “I’ve always seen the value in education. Since I left school there have only been two years that I haven’t studied. I’m pleased the Gardiner Dairy Foundation saw the value in what I was doing with kids in schools and provided this scholarship. “It’s definitely changed my life for the better and helped me to focus on what’s important,” he said. “I’d recommend the program to anybody.” Applications are currently open for the Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program and close on May 24. For more information visit avclp.org.au

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Leon Carter running an AI course with John Maher of M.I.B. in Tongala with a group of students from Cohuna and Kerang.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

NEWS // 25

Data broadens management options THERE HAS been a strong emphasis on data

collection for farm businesses in recent years, but ensuring it translates into real, profitable outcomes remains a key challenge for many, according to one Nuffield scholar. Tasmanian dairy farmer Duncan Macdonald works with his wife and father to run two 200 ha dairy operations, which include more than 500 cows and a young stock block. Supported by the Bonlac Supply Company and the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Foundation, Mr Macdonald used his 2017 Nuffield scholarship to investigate the practical application of data in dairy businesses. “Farmers are no longer constricted to PCbased software, with web-based software now readily available and terms like drones, big data, internet of things, machine learning and artificial intelligence becoming common place,” Mr Macdonald said. “However, a divide still exists between the plethora of these products and services, and the

actual uptake on farm, especially in the Australian dairy industry where adoption of agtech has been fairly low.” Mr MacDonald’s report focused on data collection and technology options for cow and paddock data, and cites immediate and emerging commercial options available to farmers. “It’s estimated that only 35 per cent of Australian dairy farms are keeping consistent records of breeding and medical treatments in electronic form,” he said. “In the past, keeping cow records, particularly at peak times of the year, has been an intensive, monotonous task and prone to error. “New technologies, such as the creation of a wide range of cow-wearable sensors, have recently entered the market. The most advanced are able to detect and monitor oestrus, mastitis, lameness, calving and even the onset of illness.” The second part of Mr Macdonald’s report focused on software and network options for collating information and maximising decision

Duncan Macdonald has discovered new technologies are assisting farm management.

making from the technology, in areas such as pasture management. “In terms of monitoring grass growth, farmers have access to a range of efficient and reasonably accurate techniques, but reports suggest only 20 per cent of farmers are measuring and assessing the data.” Mr Macdonald said any software developments needed to focus on helping farmers make decisions from data, and if farmers do not trust the data, they will not make decisions from it.

“They want data summarised as valuable information, displayed in customised dashboards that provide notifications on what is working well and what isn’t.” With applications for 2020 open, Mr Macdonald encouraged people to apply for a Nuffield scholarship. “I urge those with a passion for primary production to apply — it’s a global opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.”

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

MARKETS // 27

Speculation mounts on farmgate milk prices AS FARMERS nervously await a definitive autumn break, speculation is concurrently intensifying around 2018–19 farmgate milk prices. Some processors have made early announcements, and more are likely to follow suit, as the battle to secure milk from out-of-contract farmers (and those prepared to repay upfront incentives) heats up. Others may hold their cards closer, in the hope of firming up sales contracts, securing extra information to build the business case. On the information front, the global dairy market is keeping everyone guessing. To be clear, commodity prices in general are at similar or better levels to last year, and a 5 cent lower AUD/USD exchange rate adds helpfully to Australian dollar returns. The shorter-term movements are the uncertain part. As the Southern Hemisphere winds down, further tightening in Oceania supply combined with uncertainty around northern hemisphere milk production has kept dairy commodity prices firm.

European milk production trends are highly varied by country (the United Kingdom and Ireland being up, France and Germany down, for example), while the United States posted a (very slight) decrease in milk production for March. Drier conditions in New Zealand manifest as a February slowdown in milk production, after strong gains for the season to date. This in turn helped further, consecutive, gains in GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) pricing that have underscored continued market support. At the same time, Australia’s milk production continues to trail 2017–18, and the outlook for 2019–20 is heavily rain-dependent, but with the strong likelihood of an additional volume decrease. At a commodity level, butter prices have continued to increase locally, driven by extremely tight supplies in Australia and increasingly limited spot availability in New Zealand. This has posed an interesting contrast to European prices, which continue to weaken in the lead-up to the Northern Hemisphere season peak.

Imports of butter into Australia are likely to grow further, with reports of additional shipments on the water and more food manufacturers carrying out trials of European-sourced product. Having had an impressive run in the immediate post-intervention period, skim milk powder (SMP) prices appear to have approached a ceiling. Buyers who extended their forward coverage have slowed their activity, while sluggish northern hemisphere markets had stretched the ‘Oceania premium’ as local pricing increased. The modest retreat at GDT event 232 (March 19) did flag some closing of that gap, but with seasonal easing likely in Europe and the US, a premium is likely to persist. Overall, the market for SMP is in a far better place than any time in the past four years. With whole milk powder (WMP) remaining a low priority for many Australian manufacturers and New Zealand’s February milk production closing on prior year levels, pricing firmed this month. Expectations seem to favour prices

GLOBAL IMPACT JOHN DROPPERT remaining supported in the months ahead, although some additional volumes are likely to emerge from those European countries under pressure to get peak milk through plants. Cheddar pricing has edged higher, although activity seems limited and the upward pressure is primarily linked to strong numbers for other product streams. Stronger northern hemisphere pricing (in particular a recovery in US indicators) is also contributing as the market searches for direction in the lead-up to the next round of Japan negotiations. The direction that cheese prices take both before and at these negotiations will be a major information point for those building a budget to purchase milk in 2019–20. This market unknown will potentially be dwarfed by competitive factors however, as shortages push the cost of milk beyond its immediate input value. For farmers, this will mean more announcements, and provide something other than the weather app to keep an eye on.

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28 // FEATURES

Aaron’s message for farmers AARON THOMAS reckons he wouldn’t be

here today if he wasn’t a dairy farmer. Having suffered a serious mental health breakdown and endured the ravages of alcoholism, Aaron is now back on his feet and keen to share his story with other farmers who may be struggling through difficult times. “It’s about one person reading an article or hearing my story and them going to seek help,” he said. “If that could happen, it would be the greatest thing that could come of all this — more even than getting my health and life back.” Aaron’s health and life were both almost gone when he collapsed on January 20, 2017 at the Binginwarri farm he managed for Won Wron dairy farmers Paul and Lisa Mumford. From the moment that Paul bundled Aaron in his car and drove him to hospital, he was literally on the road to recovery from a decades-long spiral of depression and anxiety that started with a sometimes traumatic upbringing and ended with him drinking a slab-and-a-half of beer each day. “Everyone looking in thought I was kicking goals, smashing it, looking unstoppable. I was a finalist for Weekly Times farmer of the year, people thought I was flying. But it was all fake and it was exhausting keeping it all up.” With his partner and children moving out of the house, a drought starting to bite and his drinking increasing, Aaron’s priority was maintaining a façade of normality.

“I have always been house proud and like gardening so I thought if I kept the garden looking sweet, then no-one would ask questions I didn’t want answered.” Eventually though, the façade started to crumble as the emotional toll and physical exhaustion combined to bring Aaron to the point of collapse. “I was on the grog big-time — a functioning alcoholic. I was drinking through the day to the point that I was blind by the time I finished milking. “There were even times when I skipped afternoon milking because I just couldn’t get out of bed. I couldn’t face things.” Inevitably the walls of deceit that Aaron built collapsed and brought him down with them. From the time Paul took him to hospital until today, Aaron has endured physical and mental withdrawal from alcohol, the confronting path of dealing with his past and the shame of how he treated the Mumfords. It’s the last of these that is his hardest cross to bear. “I had an incredible feeling of guilt for what I perceived I had done to Paul and Lisa,” he said. Asked how important Paul and Lisa have been in bringing him back from the brink, Aaron’s normally swift flow of words dries up and tears well in his eyes. “Thinking about that gets me all the time; if it wasn’t for them, I’d be dead. “They don’t just talk, they walk the walk. The proof is in the pudding with what they have done for me. The only way I can repay them is to run

this place the best way I can.” When Aaron’s life collapsed, the Mumfords moved him back to the home farm, sending another farm employee, Damian “Dubba” Becker, to Binginwarri as the new manager. The swap has worked for both men, as well as Paul and Lisa. Finding an outcome that looked after the farm business as well as the people in it was always at the forefront of Paul and Lisa’s thinking. “We’ve always looked at the people who worked in our business as very important to achieving happiness for everybody,” Paul said. “There was no way known that Lisa or myself was going to throw someone out on their ear when they were dealing with those sort of issues. That’s not good business and it’s not good humanity.” Aaron now runs day-to-day operations on the Won Wron farm while Paul deals with his offfarm workload as United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president. Despite Aaron’s “implosion” of the Binginwarri farm business, the Mumfords always saw the welfare of those under their care as just as important as the bank balance. “We’re proud because it also assisted Dubba towards his future. All this chaos and turmoil was extreme at the time, but it has all worked out,” Paul said. “Maybe there’s also pride that we achieved that marriage between what was best for the business and best for the people in it. But there was also a whole lot of heartache on the way.”

That heartache is still with Aaron as, strand by strand, he has pulled the threads of his life back together. He’s maintained a good relationship with his children and former partner, cycles instead of drinks and continues to work on self-improvement. A key to rebuilding his life has been the ability to do an honest day’s work on the farm. Life as a dairy farmer and the people in the industry were among the few positive things he could cling to during dark times. “I’ve always loved it,” Aaron said. “It’s the people in the industry that saved me. It wasn’t just Paul and Lisa, there were other dairy people that saved me. Not once did anyone make me feel useless or call me an idiot. “I look back and think that I’m incredibly blessed that I have relationships with people in the industry who were willing to be there for me.” For farmers struggling with their own personal problems, Aaron urges them to make that first step by simply talking to someone. “All I can say and plead to people is just to talk,” he said. “You don’t have to open up and bare your arse on the street like I do. Just find someone to talk to.” For help or information contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, or beyondblue on 1300 224 636.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

ANIMAL HEALTH // 29

Tips to reduce mastitis risk at calving FOR MOST cows, the highest risk period for new mastitis infections will be the calving period — we consider this to be from two weeks before she calves until two weeks after she has calved. During this stressful period, cows’ natural defence mechanisms and immunity are likely to be lower, making them more prone to new infections or a flare up of existing infections that have either carried through or developed during the dry period. Most of the new mastitis infections in this period are likely to be environmental (commonly Strep uberis), and for this infection to occur, the teat must come into contact with contaminated material (generally mud and/or faeces), and the bacteria must be able to enter the udder through the teat canal and multiply into an infection. The choices that were made at drying-off will impact on these risk factors, both in terms of curing existing infections and also sealing the teat canal to prevent the entry of bacteria, but there are still some key actions that will help to reduce the risk of new infections during the calving period. Here are a few things to consider before calving comes around again.

Springing and calving cows The amount of faecal contamination in the calving area will be a direct result of how many cows in the calving area and how long they are there. Will you have sufficient clean areas for calving that have not been grazed for at least the previous few weeks? Start planning for these areas at least a month or so before the start of calving. Can you minimise the number of springers in the calving area to those very close to calving, so numbers are lower and they are there for less time? If a heifer or cow begins to drip milk as she approaches calving, the seal has been lost and she is then high risk for the entry of bacteria into the udder. Cows on the point of calving with large, tight udders that are dripping milk should usually be brought in and milked; cows and especially heifers with udder oedema (flag) are also at a higher risk of infection. Discuss with your vet if a treatment program for these cows is necessary.

Hygiene at the first milking While pre-milking teat preparation is not routinely used in most Australian herds, there is now good evidence that targeted use can be of significant benefit.

Washing and drying all teats in fresh cows and heifers at the first milking achieves several goals: ■■ Removal of contamination from the teat surface before milking. ■■ The washing action stimulates much better "let down". ■■ Post milking teat disinfectant spray will be better able to contact bacteria on the teat surface immediately after milking. ■■ The emollient in the teat disinfectant will be able to get direct contact with teat skin to aid skin condition in these fresh cows and heifers with sensitive, swollen skin. Drying teats after washing is very important, because cups going onto wet teats will likely lead to cup crawl and teat congestion; just what we don’t want in these fresh cows! This short routine will take less than a minute for most cows, yet will result in the fresh cows milking quicker and cleaner, and will substantially reduce the risk of infection, especially in wet, muddy conditions. Milking routine If you milk fresh cows "on the bucket", then unless your dairy is already a low line, you will have "converted" it to a low line for these cows.

This means you will be milking them with a higher vacuum at the teat end than normal — often significantly higher! It is quite common for us to measure these cows milking at 4 to 6 kPa higher than normal. Which cows would you least like to milk at a much higher vacuum than normal? The fresh cows and heifers, of course. Two options to consider are: ■■

■■

Milk these cows last without “the bucket”, after the vat has been disconnected. As a compromise, if you do use "the bucket", make very sure that you do not over milk these cows! Don’t go off to do other jobs while they are milking: stay close enough to remove cups as soon as they have finished milking.

On any particular farm, there are likely to be many factors that influence the risk of mastitis during the calving period, but on most farms, these simple things are likely to make a significant difference, and at an insignificant cost. ■ Rod Dyson is a veterinary surgeon and mastitis adviser at www.dairyfocus.com.au

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

30 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Farm safety: Why take the risk? EVEN EXPERIENCED farmers with good cattle handling skills and facilities cannot completely mitigate the risks associated with working with large animals and heavy-duty equipment. Dairy cattle are semi-domesticated which can sometimes lead to staff complacency during routine procedures. Farm machinery can be difficult to manoeuvre with poor visibility, making it high risk for operators and bystanders. A farm safety report card compiled by Sydney University showed there were 68 farm deaths reported by the Australian media in 2017, a slight rise from the 63 in 2016. Tractors (13) and quad bikes (11) were the leading causes of death, making up more than 40 per cent of the total. Tragically, nine of the fatal cases (13 per cent) involved children aged under 15 years, with quad bikes involved in a third of these incidents. Horse-related accidents were the leading cause of animal-related deaths in Australia. Accidents involving cows and bulls came in second, with dog-related deaths being in third place. Farm accidents often occur while doing routine tasks that have been done countless times

before. Failure to properly identify and manage workplace hazards can increase the risk of these accidents occurring. There are numerous on-line resources to assist farm owners and managers with identifying safety hazards on farm and managing the likelihood/severity of these risks. General principles to follow include: 1. Identify hazards on your farm. This is best done in consultation with staff and contractors who regularly work on site, and needs to be an ongoing process. Set up a method for those who work on your farm to report hazards as they are discovered, such as ineffective or broken equipment, live exposed electrical wires or dangerous animals. 2. Assess the risk for each hazard. A matrix can help identify which hazards are the highest priority for implementing controls. The higher the likelihood of a hazard causing harm, and the greater the severity of consequences, the higher a risk would be rated. 3. Implement controls. Once hazards have been identified and the level of risk assessed,

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controls should be put in place to prevent injury. There are numerous ways risks can be controlled. In order of effectiveness, these are: a. Eliminate the hazard if reasonably practicable. For example, remove a low beam that poses a tripping hazard in the dairy. b. Substitute for a hazard of lesser risk. An example of substitution would be to use side-by-side ATVs instead of quad bikes for farm work. c. Isolate the hazard by redesigning the work flow. For example, using a hydraulic tipper crush to administer teat sealant in heifers instead of performing this procedure in the dairy. d. Change the way people work to reduce risks. A good example is ensuring staff are adequately trained to competently use dangerous equipment. e. Use personal protective equipment to reduce the impact of hazards. For example, ensure staff wear gloves when handling hazardous chemicals or drugs. A series of detailed and valuable safety resources are available online from organisations such as: ■ Dairy Australia: Farm Safety Starter Kit at www.dairyaustralia.com.au/farm/people/ farm-safety ■ WorkSafe at http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au

APIAM ANIMAL HEALTH GEMMA CHUCK

Farmsafe at farmsafe.org.au/Resources-forFarmers ■ Safe Work Australia at www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/risk ■ Australian Centre for Agricultural Health & Safety at http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/ aghealth/ It is essential that all farm workers and contractors, and especially farm owners and managers, work to create a culture of safety by making it a priority. From a veterinarian’s perspective, to assist in keeping all staff and animals safe: ■

■

Ensure that a farm worker is on site when the vet arrives to assist if necessary. Not only will this reduce the risk of injury, it makes the veterinary work more efficient, improves the ability to make an accurate diagnosis and ultimately saves you money. Ensure your cattle handling facilities and equipment are designed with safety in mind and kept in good working order.

It’s up to all of us in the industry to work together to make sure everyone gets home safe and sound to their families. In fond memory of Ross and Andy Powell who dedicated their lives to keeping us safe. · Dr Gemma Chuck is an advisor with apiam animal health

Apiam Animal Health’s “Calving Cows” program: • Identifies risks in key management areas • Provides tailored farm medicine advice • Establishes specific written treatment protocols • Provides training for common periparturient diseases and perinatal conditions APIAM DAIRY SERVICES CLINIC NETWORK Border Veterinary Clinic: Cohuna, Leitchville, Barham, Kerang Deniliquin Veterinary Clinic Echuca Veterinary Clinic Finley Veterinary Clinic Gippsland Veterinary Hospital: Maffra, Sale

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Accidents involving horses are one of the leading cause of death on farms. Handling cows and bulls came in second.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS // 31

Aerator opens up pastures A NSW farmer is using an Alstrong aerator to develop better ways to manage pasture for longterm productivity. The Alstrong aerator is available in Australia and New Zealand through the Duncan division of Giltrap Engineering. It features a unique blade design and weight transfer system that has the ability to shatter hard pans to a depth of 30 cm with very little soil disturbance. Blades on the Alstrong aerator are set almost perpendicular to the direction of travel but at a slight angle, which adds a twisting motion that helps break soil pans. The weight of the roller is concentrated on each blade as it enters the soil, and the fast working speeds (up to 20 km/h) also help shock and fracture the soil. Alstrong aerators come in three different versions: trailed models with widths of 2.5 m wide or 3m, and a 3m-wide three-point linkage model. Duncan chief executive Craig Mulgrew said Alstrong aerators were versatile machines that could also be used to prepare a seedbed in ploughed ground or could be fitted with a broadcast seeder. “There are a number of benefits to aerating pasture,” Mr Mulgrew said. “By reducing compaction from stock and equipment it increases tolerance to drought, releases nitrogen in the soil, and improves surface drainage.” Sam Grills is a farmer-grazier near Guyra, in the New England region of NSW. The Grills family primarily produces pasture to support its cattle and sheep herds. Mr Grills bought an Alstrong aerator last year in the middle of the drought, which he said might not make sense to some. However, he made the decision to downsize sheep numbers to focus on the long-term sustainability of the family’s land, rather than push it to the extremes for short-term profit. “For many years our type of country has been over-grazed as farming families have tried to make a living. I felt it was up to this generation to do something about this. We need to change the way we manage our land. “I did some research and came across the Alstrong aerator. It was the first time I had seen this specific design, which fractures the ground when it is working at the right speed. I felt this was the key point in the use of this machine. “Although it is in the early stages of use, I think the Alstrong has a place here in certain conditions. I have found it most useful for fallow ground in that it prepares the earth before sowing a return crop. “It seems to fluff up the ground in preparation for sowing and helps the seedbed retain moisture. The conditions for growth appear to be improved. “I have not had a lot of experience with it and the results have been mixed, partly because our season has been unpredictable to say the least.” Mr Grills said an interesting side effect was that the cattle that had grazed the paddocks that had been aerated seemed to be in better health and more energetic than other stock that had

only grazed non-aerated paddocks. “I will continue to use the Alstrong aerator as I have been and I am open to other methods. I am happy to learn from farmers in New Zealand, where it has been used for a longer period.”

The Alstrong aerator comes in three versions.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

32 // EAST GIPPSLAND FIELD DAYS

Standing in the Red River large stockyard, with the force yard in the background, were Granite Rock’s Darren Webster and Melissa Ceely, with Red River’s Brooke Beveridge.

Inspecting the cattle trough and trailer feeder with cart silo, were Orbost family Kate and Jason Mekken, with children Jack and Charlotte. Graham Watt (back), of Vic Silos, Maffra, was on hand to answer their questions.

Brenton Davies, Wairewa, was checking the size of the Schinckel hay raker, against his Jersey dairy farm.

Jenna Kramme and Michael Kennedy, Sarsfield, were looking at the Kuhn round baler, hauled by the latest Massey Ferguson 7615 tractor.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA MAY 2019

EAST GIPPSLAND FIELD DAYS // 33

Ngor Yeap and Geoff Alush, Drouin, were at the East Gippsland field days with their grandson, Nathan Holm, who was attracted to the bright green John Deere Titan 2400SL.

Mick Barbour, Benambra, with Ben Rankin, Elders Bairnsdale, and the Deutz-Fahr Agrofarm tractor.

Vanessa Brown, Cobains, was asking for information about the Kioti RX8030 with 4-in-1 bucket and capacity to tow a slasher, from Elders Bairns-dale’s Brendan Tice.

Toby Painter, Vikon Precast, Bairnsdale, had concrete feed troughs, water troughs and silage bunkers on show at the East Gippsland field days.

Keen to be seen with the Tierre double skin mulcher was Edgar Owen, Budgeree, pictured with David Antonie, Vin Rowe farm machinery, Warragul.

Bella Harrington was interested in the YTO 125hp tractor, so brought her parents, Michael and Rebecca, Providence Ponds, along to discuss it with Kim Clarke, Aus Equip.

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34 // NEWS

Office to cab software FARMERS EDGE has released an app-based

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crop health change detection, the In-Cab Tool provides an additional layer of fundamental decision support enabling new levels of efficiency and profitability on the farm. The tool features wireless mixed-fleet connectivity with any modern machine and can be used to plan jobs, view live data streaming and mapping, adjust field operations, manage maintenance schedules, track supplies, and share information. Powered by the company’s telematics device, all data is collected, transferred, and processed automatically.

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BEGA WINS PEANUT BATTLE Bega Cheese has won the right to use the trademark yellow lids on its peanut butter jars, ending a long-running legal battle with American food giant Kraft. The Federal Court ruled in April that Bega owns and has exclusive rights to use the yellow lid, and red and blue labels that most Australians associate with the peanut spread. The fight over product appearance and copyright ownership was sparked by a tricky series of takeovers in which Kraft was bought by international giant Heinz and the Australian products including peanut butter moved under the Mondelez umbrella that was later bought by Bega. Kraft went to the Federal Court alleging Bega engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct over the marketing of its peanut butter. After the sale of Mondelez to Bega, the Australian dairy brand ran ads claiming “Kraft peanut butter is now Bega peanut butter” and that it was “never oily, never dry, with the same taste you’ve always loved, and is now Aussie owned by Bega”. Bega took over the former Victorian Kraft factory in Port Melbourne as part of the sale. Federal Court Justice David O’Callaghan delivered his judgment declaring that while the goodwill generated by the trademark branding had rightly benefited Kraft, and later Kraft and Mondelez, those rights had been transferred to Bega as part of the sales agreement between it and Mondelez. As a result, Bega is now “exclusively entitled” to use the yellow lid, and red and blue peanut label. Justice O’Callaghan found Bega had breached consumer law with respect to its first advertisement, but Kraft also breached the law in an October 2017 press release when it described its product as “loved since 1935.” Bega’s executive chairman Barry Irvin announced the win to shareholders with a statement to the Australian stock exchange. “Importantly, this gives Bega Cheese the right to continue to use the current packaging of its smooth and crunchy peanut butter products,” he said. The company will review the 178page judgment before making any further announcements.

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