AUGUST, 2018 ISSUE 94
WEST VIC REGION
Jason and Abby Burleigh with their daughter, Chloe.
Bigger isn’t always better RICK BAYNE
KEEPING THINGS simple and fresh has been
a successful formula for Nullawarre farmers Jason and Abby Burleigh. Never inclined to go beyond their means, the
Burleighs have built a sustainable operation while successfully embracing the domestic fresh milk market. With a focus on keeping their cows well fed from mostly home-grown grass, per-cow production has hit record levels this year while numbers have also increased. For the recently ended financial year, they
achieved 698 kg of milk solids per cow, up from 669 the previous year and 644 the year before that. “I do a budget confidently on around 640 kg MS so anything above that is a bonus,” Mr Burleigh said. “To do those numbers I was very surprised, considering it has been a tough year with a ter-
rible autumn break after a long, dry summer.” He attributes the success partly to studying the Feeding Pasture for Profit program. “That’s one of the best courses that’s ever come out of Dairy Australia. It’s helped us to get the rotation length right and taught us about fully feeding cows.” Continued page 5 >
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Chair’s message
Celebrating the region’s best AS I look out the window the sun is beaming through and, while it is not warm by any measure, it has a way of making you feel that bit brighter about the day ahead. The Great South West Dairy Awards Gala Night was held in mid-July and it was a wonderful, positive night of celebration. It was terrific to see so many people celebrating their dairy careers. My highlight is seeing young people succeeding and doing what they clearly love and then being rewarded for their hard work. A very big ‘congrats’ from the board and team at WestVic
Dairy to all the finalists and awards category winners. On September 12, we will once again hold our Innovation Day, which promises to be a great showcase of the innovative thinking in the agriculture industry. This year, we are collaborating with the Great South Coast Food and Fibre Council and broadening the day to incorporate more general agriculture, technology and innovation. During the past few months, WorkSafe officers have been out and about — so it’s a good time to ensure everyone is wearing a motorbike
helmet and you have rollover protection devices on your quad bikes. Our workforce planning officer Michelle Muir can assist with any farm safety queries you have. Furthermore, Dairy Australia has developed a Farm Safety Starter Kit that covers all the obligations and procedures that will help make your farm safer. WestVic Dairy will be running sessions on farm safety that will help you get your head around the different aspects and what you need to do to make sure you are compliant. I must say I’m feeling a bit tired at the end of winter, between rearing 200 calves this year
and juggling my other day-to-day commitments. I’m certainly looking forward to some warmer weather and I’m guessing my fellow farmers can relate to what I’m saying! I’m always keen to ensure that you all know we at WestVic Dairy have so much on offer to assist you. If you can’t find what you need, please give the office a call and our friendly extension staff will be able to help. I look forward to catching up with you around the region. • Simone Renyard WestVic Dairy chair
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WEST VIC REGION // 3
South-west farmers top nation DAIRY FARMERS in Victoria’s south-west
have outperformed the rest of the nation in the 2018 Dairy Australia Milk Quality Awards. The awards recognise the farmers producing the nation’s best milk, based on annual average bulk milk cell count. Farmers in the western Victorian dairy region accounted for 37 per cent of the top-100 milk producers and 83 local farmers were ranked in the top five per cent. Gippsland ranked second, with 25 farmers in the top 100. WestVic Dairy regional manager Lindsay Ferguson said the result was a tribute to the hard work put in by the region’s farmers.
“Our farmers take a huge amount of pride in the way they care for their herds and it is terrific to see them recognised in this way,” Mr Ferguson said. A low cell count is an indicator that mastitis is well controlled in the herd, improving milk production, cow health and welfare. Dairy Australia’s Kathryn Davis said the benefits of achieving a low cell count extend far beyond the higher premium farmers receive from their processor. “Effective control of mastitis is good for animal welfare and results in significant reductions in treatment and labour costs,” she said.
BEGA BUYS KOROIT FACTORY Milk processor Bega Cheese has purchased the Koroit milk processing factory from Saputo Dairy Australia. The sale was forced upon Saputo following concerns from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that the company would control more than two-thirds of milk supply in the western Victoria region, leading to fears it would lessen competition and result in lower milk prices.
Bega will spend $250 million on the purchase, which will include average inventory, and the purchase will be fully funded by new and existing bank debt facilities. As a part of the transaction, Bega and Saputo have entered into a milk supply guarantee agreement where Saputo is required to guarantee supply of 300 Ml of milk/year until June 30, 2020. “The Koroit facility will provide us
Ms Davis said a Dairy Australia analysis found a farmer milking 300 cows who lowered their BMCC from 300 000 to 200 000 would be financially better off to the tune of $35 700 a year. She said participating in Dairy Australia’s Countdown program was a great first step for farmers looking to improve their milk quality results. The program includes a mobile app and shed guides that dairy levy payers can access for free. For more information, visit: www.dairyaustralia.com.au/countdown For Cooriemungle dairy farmer Andrew
Powell, taking advantage of Dairy Australia’s Cups On Cups Off course has paid off. A third-generation western Victoria dairy farmer, Mr Powell considers the quality of milk key to successfully managing the farm his grandparents built. He was one of the winners of the Australian 2018 Milk Quality Awards. Mr Powell has been on-farm his whole life and was the winner of the 2018 Great South West Dairy Awards Young Farm Leader. For him, the most rewarding part of dairy farming is the ability to make hands-on improvements every day with tangible outcomes.
with a significant presence in western Victoria and operational flexibility with our other milk processing sites,” Bega’s chief executive officer Paul van Heerwaarden said. “Importantly the acquisition will support the continued growth of our core dairy business and provide domestic and export customers with an expanded range of products. “We welcome the 108 employees of Koroit to Bega Cheese.” The transaction is subject to ACCC approval.
Saputo Dairy Australia has sold the Koroit dairy factory to Bega Cheese. Pictured is Bega’s executive chairman Barry Irvin outside the company’s Tatura factory.
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Optimise irrigation opportunities PETER GAFFY
A COMMON mistake made by irrigators in south-west Victoria is starting irrigation too late, namely once soil moisture levels have dropped to the point that plants’ growth rates have slowed. Significant pasture production is lost by allowing the soil to dry to a point where the plant is stressed. Even once water is applied to the stressed plant it can take weeks for the plant to recover and return to the potential growth rates that would have been achieved if the plant was not set back by moisture stress. It is difficult through simple visual inspection to tell when a plant is in the early stages of moisture stress. Investing in a tensiometer or other soil moisture monitoring technology is a wise decision to ensure you don’t miss the timing of that first vital watering. A tensiometer measures how hard the plant needs to work to draw moisture from the soil. Research in south-west Victoria has identified
that irrigation of perennial pastures needs to occur before the following critical tensiometer values are reached: at a depth of 20 cm the critical value is 35 kPa and a depth of 30 cm it is 30kPa. In a trial at Allansford during the 1996–97 season, it was found that delaying the irrigation start time on perennial rye-grass/white clover pasture by 10 days past the optimum time resulted in a 647 kg DM/ha (35 per cent) reduction in pasture yield compared to a pasture first irrigated at the optimum start-up time. Where the start-up time was delayed by 20 days, a 1154 kg DM/ha (60 per cent) reduction in pasture yield was recorded. (To see the full results, search for Making the most of irrigation water in South West Victoria, January 2006.) This season it is likely the cost of purchased stock feed is going to be above the long-term average. For every tonne of feed you don’t grow under irrigation, you will have to pay the relatively high price for feed, so it is crucial that you devote some time to making sure your irrigation infrastructure is well maintained to prevent very
expensive breakdowns. The other key consideration is scheduling your irrigation frequency to ensure your irrigation system can keep up with the water demand of the crop or pasture and evaporation levels at different times throughout the irrigation season. The current conditions should dictate irrigation frequency and the volume of water applied rather than a pre-determined irrigation interval. In the video Optimising dairy irrigation scheduling, Mark Harris and James Hill from Tasmania described that maintaining the soil moisture levels in the RAW (readily available water) zone was key to achieving high pasture production levels. They go on to discuss the results of some observations taken at the Cressy site in Tasmania. They found that even though the site was receiving regular irrigation, not enough water was being applied and the frequency of irrigations was not frequent enough to keep the soil moisture levels in the RAW zone. This was referred to as having a ‘green
Make sure irrigation infrastructure is well maintained to avoid costly breakdowns.
drought’; there was enough water to keep the grass green but not enough to optimise pasture production. To watch this video, visit the Dairying for Tomorrow website. To find out more about the Smarter Irrigation For Profit program, go to: www.dairyingfortomorrow.com.au/tacklingspecific-issues/water/smarter-irrigation-forprofit/ Another video featured on this website looks at the use of catch cans to measure the uniform application of water through centre pivots. After four to five years of operation, sprinkler heads and regulators often wear out, leading to overwatering in the spans of the centre pivot and underwatering in the outer spans of the centre pivot. WestVic Dairy is planning some extension activities about irrigation efficiency in the year ahead. Phone extension officer Peter Gaffy on 0438 345 712 if you are interested in getting involved.
Genetics Australia sells property AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST genetics supplier,
Genetics Australia Co-operative, has confirmed the $14.65 million sale of one of its major property holdings. The 125 ha Parwan Park South near Bacchus Marsh will be sold to a property developer, after the sale received strong support from shareholders. A five-year settlement will allow Genetics Australia time to plan its transition from the site. Proceeds from the sale will be used by GA to invest in new technology and research to benefit shareholders and the Australian dairy industry. The property was purchased by GA in 1986
and has been used as a quarantine facility for bulls prior to their admission to the co-operative’s main collection and European Unionapproved facility Parwan Park. The sale was overwhelmingly supported by members and endorsed by the GA Board, with 98.5 per cent of the responding shareholders voting in favour of the sale. Chief executive officer Anthony Shelly said the opportunity to sell the property emerged from land use changes in the Moorabool Shire and presented an opportunity too good to ignore. “The co-operative is in a strong position and wants to create a positive future by accessing
new technology,” Mr Shelly said. “This opportunity to reinvest in research and technology will set a positive path for the next two decades. “It will allow the co-operative to invest in developing the next generation of the best bulls and genetics to deliver profitability for our farming family members.” GA chairman Trevor Henry said he was pleased with the strong interest from shareholders. “We were very pleased with the response from shareholders who were keen to find out more details and be part of the ballot,” Mr Henry said.
Mr Shelly said GA had capacity on its remaining properties to cover the loss of Parwan Park South while it evaluated other options over the next five years. “We can manage long-term without that property but we need to transition those activities to either our Birregurra property or potentially a new greenfield site,” he said. “Nothing is locked in and we will continue to evaluate the current main farm site on the outskirts of Bacchus Marsh and other options.” Genetics Australia recently celebrated its 60th anniversary. It owns a herd of 350 bulls and is Australia’s leading dairy breeding organisation.
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WEST VIC REGION // 5
Bigger isn’t always better < Continued from page 1
Mr Burleigh is the fourth generation on the land, which was first farmed by his forebears in 1906, and five-year-old daughter Chloe already shows interest in continuing the tradition. Jason and Abby purchased half the 130 ha farm from his parents Noel and Gail in 2011 and lease the other half. They have a 36 ha out-paddock and last July invested in another 32 ha paddock, replacing a smaller leased block. “It was a big investment as it needed a total revamp,” Mr Burleigh said. “Every fence was taken down because it wasn’t set up the way I wanted with an access laneway on one side and the paddocks running off it.” They now have heifers at one block and yearlings at the other. This year they’re milking a record 245 cows, mostly Friesians, up from an average of 230 — but that’s not part of an intentional expansion. “We’ve had a lot of heifers coming in, 74 this year, and we haven’t culled as hard as we normally do,” Mr Burleigh said. “In the season it hasn’t been an ideal situation, but we’ve been able to feed them as good as any other year.” Mrs Burleigh is adamant that’s the limit. “If we go any bigger we’d have to have two in the dairy at all times. As it is now, if one of us has to do something else it’s quite easy for one person to run the shed on their own,” she said. Over the years processors have tried to encourage the Burleighs to expand, but they are happy with the steady approach. “A lot of people outgrow their farms,” Mrs Burleigh said. “For us to go to that next level of 300 our dairy wouldn’t be big enough, the yard wouldn’t hold them and we’d have to put on a worker. We’re better off staying with what we’re doing.” About five years ago they did take up one option suggested by their current processor, Fonterra, to dedicate 50 per cent of their production to the domestic fresh milk market. A premium is paid to support out-of-season production costs, extra audits and requirements needed to keep the milk under 200 000 BMC. “We said to Fonterra, if we could make $10 000 more then we’d come across,” Mr Bur-
leigh said. “It was going to be around $22 000 more so we signed and at the end of that financial year we actually ended up making a bit more than that.” The milk goes into Woolworths and Anchor milk. The milk quality awards at the dairy are testimony to the success of their product. And the fresh milk contract has helped the Burleighs to stay up-to-date with machinery and technology. They harvest using their own machinery and, since he was 16, Mr Burleigh has done silage wrapping contracting. “Harvest becomes fairly full on for us. I contract 6000 to 7000 bales a year, sometimes more. It’s a bloody good cow to have on the farm. The money I make out of it is reinvested in new machinery.” The 22-a-side dairy is set up as a one-person operation, with stall gates, automatic wash system, cup removers and Cow Manager heat detection ear tags. “We were one of the first in Australia to implement Cow Manager and it was the best thing we ever did,” Mrs Burleigh said. “We were getting data we never had before on cows,” Mr Burleigh added. “We ran heat detection scratchies for the first few weeks and they would be untouched, it was showing us cows on heat that had absolutely no other signs of being on.” In the first year joining with Cow Manager they had an extra 33 per cent calve down in the first three weeks of calving. That has been maintained. They are going all AI for the first time this year, after gradually moving away from bulls. They are also putting Wagyu bulls over the cows rather than Friesian or Jersey, as they diversify into beef as an investment for Chloe. They sold 14 Wagyu calves through BeefCorp as a trial in their first year and will expand this year, and will also look at Speckle Park and Angus. “Because we went up in land, an extra 30 acres, we decided to rear a few more calves and decided to try beef,” Mrs Burleigh said. “Exporting heifers works for some people but not us. Why should we send our cattle overseas so they can use our genetics?” “We’re targeting overseas markets with our milk but we’re sending our cattle over there.
With a focus on keeping their cows well fed from mostly home-grown grass, per-cow production has hit record levels this year while numbers have also increased.
Jason and Abby Burleigh with their daughter, Chloe, in the dairy.
We’re shooting ourselves in the foot doing that,” Mr Burleigh said. Apart from spreading fertiliser and some drilling that are contracted out, and purchasing wheat and hay, the Burleighs aim to be selfsufficient as much as they can. “We’re in a lucky area. We have irrigation which makes life easier,” Mr Burleigh said. Pastures are about 80 per cent perennials, with
the rest annuals and Italians. Over the past four years they’ve expanded to water more area from effluent and the travelling irrigator, which they believe has helped boost production. “We make everything as automated as we can,” Mrs Burleigh said. “We don’t over-spend; we spend where we need to and make investments for the farm.”
The Burleighs have been rewarded consistently for high quality milk.
The Burleighs purchase wheat and hay.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2018
6 // WEST VIC REGION
Plan for the worst and hope for the best PETER GAFFY
WATCHING THE weather and planning accordingly is second nature for many dairy farmers. Changes in climate conditions have caused much apprehension in dairy farming communities during the past few years. While the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) remains neutral, climate model outlooks and recent warming in the tropical Pacific Ocean mean there is a greater than usual chance of an El Niño forming later this year, which will impact feed production for many dairy farms. The Bureau of Meteorology’s ENSO Outlook is currently at El Niño ‘watch’, which means the likelihood of El Niño forming in 2018 is about 50 per cent — double the normal chance. El Niño weather patterns increase the likelihood of below average rainfall for eastern Australia. Generally speaking, less rain means less home-grown feed and more brought-in feed. Dairy Australia’s Hay and Grain Report, dated July 13, indicates elevated hay and grain prices compared to the same time last year, with grain $50/tonne more expensive and hay $85/tonne more expensive. High purchased-feed prices mean a higher cost of production and less profit. The Dairy Australia Hay and Grain Report can be checked for updates at: www.dairyaustralia.com.au/industry/farm-input-and-costs/
international-and-national-grain-report/ south-west-victoria The factors mentioned above are all external to your business, largely out of your control and will possibly have changed again by the time this article arrives at your farm. As the old saying goes, “plan for the worst and hope for the best”. Some farmers are reluctant to spend time planning because no sooner have they made plans than the goal posts move again. However, the value of planning is that it gives you back some control. It’s through the planning process that you gain a good handle on what impact these external factors will have on your business. A feed budget, together with a cash flow budget, are good places to start your planning and can be easily revised as the situation evolves. Also, having a working plan to refer to will assist in making well-informed, timely decisions about your farm business rather than relying on gut feeling and experience. Dairy Australia has tools that can help you plan your feedbase, including the Dairy Feed tools website at: www.dairyfeedtools.com.au This tool allows you to estimate you herd’s feed demand on a monthly basis and then choose from the feed available how you will meet the feed demand. On Dairy Australia’s Dairy Base website there is a Dairy Cash Budgeting tool: www.dairybase.com.au
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2018
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Spending money to make money RICK BAYNE
KEVIN WINES would love to have a Valiant
Charger sitting in the garage of his Ecklin farm, but how would it help his business bottom line? Obviously, it wouldn’t, so the practicalminded farmer instead drives a steady family car. “I’d love an old Valiant Charger but the prices are ridiculous and I’d probably only drive it three or four times a year,” Kevin said. “Instead, I think I could put that money into a new shed. You’ve got to know where you sit and don’t go overboard.” That sort of sound business thinking — not to mention a well-honed ability to grow grass,
milk a productive herd and farm to his challenging conditions — has earned Kevin and his wife Claire the Dairy Farm Business Management Award at the recent Great South West Dairy Awards. Kevin and Claire have been on the farm since 2010 as sharefarmers with his parents, Max and Pam. They took over ownership at the start of the 2017–18 financial year. Earlier Kevin and Claire had worked on her parents’ dairy farm at Nullawarre — where she won a Victorian Apprentice of the Year Award — while Kevin continued helping his father in a contracting business and spent time as an electrician. Kevin didn’t take much interest in the farm when he was young but once he and Claire
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helped in countless ways. Now aged 39 and active in the Ecklin group, Kevin said he learned from other farmers, young and old, and hoped he was getting to the stage where he could pass on some sage advice. The award indicates he’s already there. Kevin and Claire farm on 120 ha plus a leased out-paddock 10 minutes away at Laang. There was no pressure for Kevin and Claire to take over—initial plans to move to ownership in 2016 were put on hold for 12 months when the price crash hit. Max keeps busy with his small contracting business and helping out around the farm, along with providing sound advice. “We’d been pretty much running the farm since we got here,” Kevin said. “They had confidence in the previous sharefarmer to run it as he saw fit and in turn with us.” One of the changes Kevin and Claire instigated was to drop herd numbers to increase per-cow production, reducing the mostly Friesian herd from 230 to 210. “We didn’t want to be milking and putting pressure on the farm,” Kevin said. “If I had too many cows I’d have to rely on bought-in feed. Dad always taught me grass is the cheapest feed. We can harvest it ourselves and it’s there when we need it.” The young farmers bought calves and heifers and integrated them into the existing herd while culling those with high cell count, empty cows, cows that kick and those with recurring mastitis. Records kept via the Easy Dairy system made it simple.
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decided to take the sharefarming route they developed a huge thirst for knowledge that continues today. Their parents and the Mepunga discussion group, and more recently its Ecklin counterpart, have been great fonts of knowledge. Kevin has also completed many WestVic Dairy courses — such as Feeding Pastures for Profit, soil and nutrition, and Fert$mart — and on-farm days were also helpful. “Talking to the fellas at the Mepunga discussion group was fantastic,” Kevin said. “They happily pass on their knowledge. They’d come to our farm help us fix any problems so we could make more money.” From grazing management and stock numbers to feed and commitment to work, the group
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2018
WEST VIC REGION // 9
Because the farm gets wet with an average 900 mm rain a year, they vaccinate and avoid big cows. They have consulted with cow evaluator Amy Wright from World Wide Sires to set direction for a medium-sized herd and to improve traits; mostly mastitis resistance, good milk solids and fertility, while rectifying any problems such as bad legs. “There are still some big cows in the herd; the old pump-a-heap-of-milk, hard-to-get-incalf type, but they’re slowly breeding themselves out,” Kevin said. “This farm won’t tolerate bigger animals. We’re getting a nice-uddered herd with good stature and we’re trying to reduce mastitis, which can be a problem because we’re a wet farm.” In summer it’s a bit greener than most other places and the farm has two feed pads and a calving pad close to the dairy to help during the wet winters. “The feed pads help out immensely,” Kevin said. “We don’t really need two but the first one was a bit small and this gives us one on each side of the farm. Calving through the wettest time of the year; that’s where the feed pads and calving pad come in handy.” Previously a March-July calving farm, Max changed to chase price incentives. Heifers are due to calve in early August; cows start later in the month. Kevin and Claire continue to improve reproduction, although their 10 per cent empties is a good number for the district and the conditions. This year they’ve used all AI, avoiding problems for bulls on the wet land. The cows are producing about 600 kg of milk solids, at the higher end for their size. “We could get bigger solids out of bigger cows but if I push them harder I’d end up with mastitis and sickness because they’d be trying to do too much,” Kevin said. They’ve had regular mastitis problems but manage by moving cows, strip-grazing, using the feed pad and having a strong focus on herd health and replacing those susceptible to the condition. They use mostly home-grown feed, growing hay at the out-paddock and having mostly perennial pastures at home. Their sheds can hold 1200 rolls under cover.
Max always had a proactive but targeted approach to spending money on the farm and Kevin has kept that philosophy. “We’ve got two kids, Kora and Korbin, and we’ve got to have a bit of fun time,” Kevin said. “But we’re putting what we can back into the farm to make improvements. We spend money to make money.” Although as Warrnambool Cheese and Butter suppliers they were cushioned from the price claw-backs, they try to be prepared for when times get tough. It was business as usual during their first year as owners. “We didn’t go spending too much,” Kevin said. “DairyBase helped so we knew the figures. Now we can look at how much we made and work out what we can spend for something we really need.” Future opportunities could include shelters to protect cows and pastures during wet winters and a move to A2 milk if that became a possibility in the region. “Dad’s always been proactive, not reactive. Be prepared is what he taught to me,” Kevin said. “You don’t know what might happen because farming is always a volatile industry. I’m not afraid to spend money but I like to get a return for it.” Winning the award took the family by surprise. “I think grass growth was a big factor,” Kevin said. “Our figures using the DairyBase system stacked up. We grow about 7.3 tonnes of dry matter per milking hectare; the judges said the region average is around 5.5 tonnes DM/milking hectare.” Kevin is pleased to share his success. “I love showing off the farm and in the Ecklin discussion group I like getting off-farm to see if I can find a new idea to bring back here. “I’m still learning but I’m getting to the stage that I’d like to pass on what I’ve learnt. It’s all about sharing what we know with each other. “One of the comments I heard was there’s a thousand ways to farm, you’ve got to find one that suits your farm. Everyone’s still learning, no matter how old you are.”
Claire and Kevin Wines with their children, Kora and Korbin.
Because the farm gets wet with an average 900mm rain a year, they avoid big cows.
Kevin and Claire have been on the farm since 2010 as sharefarmers with Kevin’s parents, Max and Pam. They took over ownership at the start of the 2017-18 financial year.
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The cows are producing about 600kg/MS, at the higher end for their size.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2018
10 // WEST VIC REGION
Fleckvieh-cross latest change to evolving business STEPHEN COOKE
CROSSING AN existing Holstein herd with
Fleckviehs is the latest change to a business that has seen its fair share over the past few years. The McCarthy family at Coragulac — Shane and Ann and sons Luke and Mark — have built a rotary dairy, installed a feed pad and changed to year-round calving for a flat milk supply over the past six years. Now, they are moving towards a crossbred herd to improve health and fertility, and boost protein levels. Luke and one of the family’s employees (they also have an additional part-time employee) conduct all the AI themselves. They now have about 60 Holstein-Fleckvieh first lactation heifers in the herd but the entire herd is being crossed. “We decided to go all out, not just do 60-odd,” Luke said “So far we have found they have similar components and production but we are getting 10–15 per cent more in calf as maiden heifers. We preg-tested the other day and had six from 11 pregnant in our miking group from one joining. “It’s a small number of course, but hopefully we’ll get a similar result from more numbers in years to come.” The family is in its third year of year-round calving, which was instigated after taking on a fresh milk contract with Fonterra. “It’s a lot of work and it’s consistent, but we worked out the best return was to have the flattest milk supply possible,” Luke said. “We don’t have a period where you’re milking 120 cows and get a break.” They milk 450 every day through a 50-stand rotary built six years ago. It takes two hours to milk. Cows average 8500 litres annually (3.5 protein, up from the past few years, and 4.1 to 4.2 fat) and the farm produces more than 4 million litres a year. They join enough cows and heifers for three weeks to get around 60 cows and 25 heifers pregnant (“short and sharp,” Luke said) then have a five-week spell, all year round. Before this they calved in February for 12 weeks and then August for eight weeks.
The herd coming in for milking.
Luke McCarthy in front of the 50-stand rotary dairy built six years ago.
When they changed systems the cows did longer lactations initially. “They had a bit less milk at the time but there are no problems now,” Luke said. They built a calving shed three years ago to accommodate the winter calving and the calving pattern means they have 35 to 40 cows at once in the calving shed, and 30 to 40 heifer calves are reared each group — all under the one roof. They lead feed springers on an out-block and truck them in to the calving shed as close to calving as possible. Outside calving periods, the shed is used to house ill cows. “They come in here for a spell for a week when they’re crook and it makes a huge difference,” Luke said. A new feed pad was built next to the new dairy at the same time about six years ago. It is 110 m long with four feed lanes and can fit 500 head. “We initially wanted one long pad with two lanes but couldn’t due to space, but this works well,” Luke said. “We used to feed on the ground and the feed pad was always on the radar. “It reduces feed wastage by 15 to 20 per cent and saves paddocks as well. It took two years to pay off the feed pad through feed saved, and it
This calving and calf shed was built three years ago when the family decided to calve year-round.
saves time too. We hope to save more time by moving the silage pits and feed bunker closer to the feed pad.” Cows are on the feed pad after milking twice a day for eight to 10 months a year and once a day for the remaining months. They grow all required silage and work with a nutritionist to change the feed mix depending on availability of grass. “For the last 18 months we’ve had a good
consistent mix, but in a year like this, it’s getting difficult to get almond hulls so we may need to change it once our contract runs out.” The feed generally comprises a mixture of silage, a bale of straw, almond hulls, crushed wheat and citrus pulp. “We have a reliable source for citrus pulp. It’s a high energy co-product providing much of that energy in the form of digestible fibre, but it’s also a wet product so it holds the wheat,
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2018
WEST VIC REGION // 11
almond hulls and straw together, making it a palatable mix for the cows.” Manure from the feed pad has enabled them to grow more grass to make silage, reducing their by-product requirements. They spread effluent in autumn, which has boosted pasture growth. They over-sow between 300 and 320ha, including 50 ha under irrigation. All dryland paddocks and out-blocks are sown to annual grass and a mix of perennials and Italians are sown under irrigation. “We sow Lightning annual rye-grass, which grows extremely well in winter and early spring. There is the cost of over-sowing each year with annuals but with our dry summers only pasture under irrigation survives,” Luke said. A good season means they could get a second cut “from bits and pieces” but Luke believes annual rainfall has fallen from a long-term average of 600 mm to 500 mm, so they can’t count on it. The feed pad is scraped every morning and stored next to the pad, with manure from the calving and calf shed. Solids are spread twice a year and liquid is spread in autumn before rain. It helped the family grow an additional 1.2 tonnes of grass in autumn this year. “We are an extra grazing ahead on paddock that didn’t receive manure,” Luke said. “We use contractors and it’s dear enough to spread, but worth it. “I was driving around and thought someone had missed half a paddock when spreading urea before I realised only half the paddock got manure.”
The feed pad is 110m long and has four feed lanes. It can fit 500 head.
It has reduced the amount of urea they have to spread, as it is only applied where manure hasn’t been. Luke said they now only apply 70 to 100 kg of nitrogen per hectare after each grazing. With the infrastructure in place, Luke said the family was now focusing on improving pasture management and fine tuning all aspects of the business to reduce ever increasing costs.
Waste from the feed pad feeds into this manure pond.
Wednesday 12th September 2018
Deakin University, Warrnambool
Innovation Day is a one day event designed to equip farmers and service providers with information, contacts and skills to advance their business. Innovation Day will provide opportunities for skill development and networking with the main focus of the day being cutting edge innovation in each of our sectors including wool, cropping, dairy and red meat production; as well as showcasing synergies and cross over application across the sectors. There will be ten workshops held throughout the day in five streams, followed by an industry dinner with a special guest speaker and entertainment.
INNOVATION DAY 2018 Innovation Generation - farmers leading the way
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2018
12 // WEST VIC REGION
Celebrating what’s best in dairy THE 2018 Great South West Dairy Awards cele-
brated the achievements and commitment of the local dairy industry at a gala night on Wednesday, July 11 at the City Memorial Bowls Club in Warrnambool. This year for the first time the awards celebrated service providers in the regional dairy industry with the Service Provider Award. WestVic Dairy regional manager Lindsay Ferguson said service providers were an integral part of the dairy industry and recognising that was important. “We had a really good response to this award category, showing the high level of appreciation for our local service providers,” Mr Ferguson said. The winners were announced in an award ceremony celebrating all aspects of the dairy industry. ■ Ecklin dairy farmers Kevin and Claire Wines won the Dairy Farm Business Management Award, after impressing the judges by running a farming system that takes into account the physical limitations of the farm and the skills within the business. ■ Terry and Joanne Place from Pomborneit were recognised for their approach to creating an open and trusting engagement with their staff with the Employer Award. ■ Impressing the judges with his passion for agriculture, work ethic and his proactive approach to his day-to-day duties, Dylan Light from Weerite was rewarded with the Employee Award. ■ Clint Theodore and Brooke Lane from Alvie
received the Sharefarmer Award after the judges scored them highly for their fantastic management of a high input farm in which they have a 50:50 share. ■ The Natural Resource and Sustainability Management Award went to Robert and Belinda Morrison, from Yandoit near Ballarat, for their excellent resource management practices, including extensive protection of remnant native vegetation and good nutrient management such as effective utilisation of limited amounts of dairy wastes and irrigation water. ■ Cobden’s James Green from GreenCon received the inaugural Service Provider Award for his outstanding service to dairy farmers and his tireless dedication to the community. ■ The award for Young Dairy Leader went to Liam Allan from Framlingham, for his vision to inspire other young farmers and to continue broadening his skill and knowledge base. ■ The winning Farm Photo was snapped by Kirsty Robinson, capturing the view of many farmers on a motorbike. ■ Lew Officer and John Harlock were added to the Western Victorian Dairy Industry Honour Board for their outstanding contributions to the regional dairy industry. The night also recognised the achievements of local farmers with Dairy Australia’s Countdown 2020 Milk Quality Awards 2018 and DataGene’s Herd Improvement Category winners.
Employee winner Dylan Light with Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority’ s Adam Bester.
Sharefarmer award winners Clint Theodore and Brooke Lane with Moyne Shire councillor Daniel Meade.
WestVic Dairy chair Simone Renyard with Shirley Harlock, wife of the late Western Victorian Industry Honour Board member John Harlock.
Natural Resource and Sustainability Management winners Belinda and Robert Morrison with Fonterra’s Andrew Nevill.
Employer award winners Terry and Joanne Place with Dairy Australia’s Jeff Odgers.
Young dairy leader Liam Allen and Warrnambool Cheese and Butter’s Anthony Cook.
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