GIPPSLAND REGION
Sean Allen with his 40-stand rotary dairy.
Well-reared equals quality THE FIRST step to achieving premium milk
quality starts almost two years before a heifer is first milked, according to Drouin South farmers Sean Allen and Jen Clough. Sean and Jen were named in the Top 100 suppliers in the country with the lowest bulk milk cell count in the recent Dairy Australia Countdown Milk Quality Awards. Although Mr Allen maintains a close eye on his herd when milking, the couple said raising each calf correctly was fundamental to achieving the best milk quality and quantity possible. Mr Allen milks between 160 and 200 Holsteins off a milking area of 65 ha, with an additional 65 ha, support area. A 40-stand rotary dairy was installed four years ago and is fitted with automatic cup removers, mastitis detectors and an auto teat sprayer. The annual bill for iodine is
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Wagyus provide income stream PAGE 6
AUGUST 2017
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Climate forces pasture change PAGE 16
ISSUE 83 // www.dairy
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$5000 but this is considered money well spent. With no additional staff, Mr Allen milks every day and says one person monitoring a small herd twice a day provides a distinct advantage in limiting mastitis and maintaining a low cell count. Milking takes “a bit over an hour”. He could shave off more time but prefers to be cautious. “I’m particular at each milking because I want to ensure each cow is milked out properly and I monitor for mastitis with the mastitis detectors.” If the window is cloudy, Sean will check the quarter of that cow next milking then treat it. Cups come off as flow decreases, or are taken off after eight minutes. In peak production, 20 per cent of the cows, which produce 39 litres, go around twice. Continued page 3 >
Between 160 and 200 Holsteins are milked each year.
Wellcome to the new expanded regional section of Welcome Dairy Dairry News New Australia, which now incorporates Dairy Direct. We wil will ll continue contin nu to provide specialised dairy stories to keep Gippsland region Gippsla and reg gio farmers up to date in this new supplement, months in Dairy News. Readers of Dairy News every two t mon n Australia now Austral lia will n o have the benefit of a national approach information, as well as the local stories about t dairy to y inform m farming fa arm r in ng in Gippsland. Gip pp Although Altho ough the he format has changed, we will continue to be e working worrking with wit ith the regional dairy development body,
GippsDairy and look forward to continuing our relationship with the industry. We are interested in feedback on our new publication and hearing any ideas for the future. Feel free to contact Dairy News Australia editor Stephen Cooke on editor@ dairynewsaustralia.com.au or regional editor, Geoff Adams at news@dairynewsaustralia.com.au — Geoff Adams, regional editor
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
2 // GIPPSLAND REGION
Chairman’s message Another communication milestone THIS FIRST Gippsland edition of Dairy News
Australia is another milestone for an industry that continually seeks to improve the way it communicates. The communication channels available to Gippsland dairy farmers in 2017 are very different to what many of us remember from a couple of decades ago. Back then, industry magazines, local newspapers and How Now Gippy Cow were the main ways to keep farmers informed. These platforms are valuable, but now we are able to complement traditional media with an array of digital communication tools. I’m on Facebook and — after some initial scepticism — have found it to be useful in keep-
ing me up-to-date with what’s happening in the dairy industry. Others I know are Twitter users and swear by its ability to send relevant and timely information straight to their phones. GippsDairy has embraced both these platforms, as well as producing the weekly eNews and sending out direct texts to specific farmer groups where needed. While some will argue that traditional or electronic media is more useful to farmers, I believe they all have their place. The electronic world is fantastic for getting information out quickly. A magazine like Dairy News Australia is a different beast altogether. We hope it will sit on the kitchen table for a week
or two, allowing its full contents to be digested along with your morning cuppa. The important thing is that we can communicate with all farmers, not just those who read the local paper or those who follow Twitter. Whether it’s the latest programs available in the local area or highly technical information for improving the farm business, GippsDairy is trying to connect with every farmer. Communication for GippsDairy is more than just sending information out to levy payers — it’s also about the response we get back from farmers. We need to know what you think of our programs so we can continually improve the service we offer. Whether it’s an evaluation sheet at a workshop, filling in an
online survey or just a phone call or email to a board member, feedback from farmers is vital if we are to offer a relevant and effective service. There’s one more communication method that I believe is vastly underrated in the 21st century: Having a chat to a neighbour, friend or fellow farmer is still one of the best ways to learn what’s happening in the local district and how other farmers are tackling the problems that we inevitably face. Facebook, magazines and emails all have their place, but none of them replace talking face-to-face with another human being. – Grant Williams GippsDairy chair
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GIPPSLAND REGION // 3
Milk quality starts with well-reared calves < Continued from page 1
Clinical mastitis is treated prior to Christmas, but later in the lactation Mr Allen will give a cow the opportunity to overcome it herself, only treating if the condition is detrimental to the cow. If Mr Allen believes a cow has sub-clinical mastitis, he will apply the detergent test. Milk from these cows is used for calves. Repeat offenders are sold. His computer system allows him to autodraft cows with mastitis and any cups used on a cow with a high cell count aren’t used again for that milking. “Milking 160–200 cows on my own, I know them well, so visual detection is important. “You can detect if a cow is a bit swollen in one quarter, or if cows are displaying unusual behaviour; coming in at the back of the lane, or the last on, if that’s out of character. “These are all tell-tale signs and it helps to be aware of everything.” Mr Allen accepts the Milk Quality Award with pride, but more importantly, a low cell count herd brings more money from the processor, and less hassle in the dairy, as cows with lower cell counts “milk better”.
Jen Clough, Sean Allen and their son, Fletcher.
Calving Mr Allen and Ms Clough are preparing for calving and know that correct management in the next 3–4 months will pay dividends when each calf starts milking almost two years later. Calves are moved into a reconfigured calf shed within 12 hours of birth. All calves are placed in clean pens and the shed will include a sick pen and bull pen this season. The addition of running water has also saved time. Once in the shed, calves are fed colostrum. They receive two litres of milk twice a day for a few days before being fed once a day. Calves build up to 4–5 litres once a day and once that is completed, begin to nibble on roughage provided — cereal hay or straw, and highprotein pellets. Weaned calves are moved into a paddock at 100 kg (anywhere from 8–12 weeks old), where they also receive high-protein pellets and access to canola, barley and lupins in troughs. “Canola drives appetite, which increases dry matter intake, which helps develop the gut,” Mr Allen said. “Lupins break down fibre but they don’t get lupins every year. We use canola every year and they just boom.”
The dairy is fitted with automatic cup removers, mastitis detectors and an auto teat sprayer.
Joining The attention to detail when rearing calves is also critical for joining, as heifers must weigh 330 kg by June 1, enabling them to calve down at 22 months. Having heifers calve in June helps workload and pasture management. The rest of the herd calves in July-August. “I am milking 55 cows at the moment, which gives me time to recharge my batteries and get jobs done around the place.”
The new calving shed will be reconfigured this calving season.
Cows are dried off six weeks prior to calving, receiving a mid-range dry cow antibiotic, and teat seal. Last year 70 per cent of calves were born in the first four weeks, a result Mr Allen said was a couple of years in the making. The entire herd is synchronised with PG the day before joining. Mr Allen checks all cows when milking and can draft those ready for AI, with 50 cows joined on one day last year. Cows not in calf after 21 days receive another injection of PG, a process repeated every 11 days until a certain point when
bulls are put in with empty cows. Last year’s incalf rate was 91 per cent. Thirty per cent of the herd is culled each year on milk quality, temperament and age to accommodate replacement heifers. The farm produced 1.55 million litres last season, with 112 500 kg of milk solids, or 625 kg/ MS per cow annually. “We are rapt with that, and we’ll see if we can do it this year. We are getting better at nutrition and cow management and subtle changes should keep us in good stead.”
CHICORY A SUMMER DELIGHT Chicory has become important to the farm’s feed management. Between 9–12 ha is planted every year and direct grazed, starting in summer when pasture growth starts to slow. It is sown around the start of October and is grazed from midDecember through to the end of April/ mid-May. Cereal hay from Nhill, in Victoria’s Wimmera, is also provided to the herd to balance protein levels. As chicory doesn’t grow through Sean Allen with his herd.
winter, Italian rye-grass is sown in the same paddocks in April-May. Chicory will come through again in spring. The second season of chicory can be marginal and Mr Allen plans to experiment and plant it every year to assess whether that is more beneficial. “If you can irrigate chicory it’s quite efficient. We apply a small dose of nitrogen to it in the beginning then spray effluent water on it when needed.”
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
4 // GIPPSLAND REGION
RURAL RUMENATIONS with Katie MacAuley Columnist Katie MacAulay lives in South Gippsland, and has been married to a dairy farmer long enough to appreciate the smell of good silage. She loves chooks, enjoys stacking hay bales with the tractor and wonders why the lawn grows twice as quickly as the grass in the paddocks.
The Big Opportunity RECENTLY WE took the kids on a Big Roadtrip. Everywhere we went, there were Big Tourist Attractions: The Big Merino, The Big Banana, even The Big Golden Guitar. People posed in front of these objects and took photos. Then they headed for the surrounding museums, cafes and gift shops. We saw other big things but these weren’t considered tourist attractions. I started to wonder — what is the difference between big and Big? What was it about large fake objects that made people stop and spend money? I still don’t have an answer. Then I realised maybe one doesn’t need an answer to embrace the concept.
There has been talk in the dairy industry of value-adding. Let’s face it; milk is considered a common, cheap product. Maybe it’s time to Big It Up? Gippsland is known for dairying and is a beautiful place to visit. Surely we too could draw in the tourist dollar with A Big Object made from cement or fibreglass? What to choose? The most obvious choice was The Big Cow, until I remembered the abundance of Dairy Australia’s life-sized Picasso Cows and the twosided cow at Koonwarra Sale Yards. Maybe I could round them all up and create The Big Herd? Although, I suspect that filling a paddock with The Big Herd would be less profitable than
a paddock full of live cows. The Big Udder was quickly ruled out as Aussie slang would soon see it re-christened The Big Boobs. Who knows what sort of people its gift shop would attract? I thought about the product we produce. How could I make a large quantity of white liquid stay in place? A Big Milk Carton would look suspiciously like a Big Juice Carton if the label faded. The Big Cheese? There are enough of those in society already. The Big Yoghurt? My artistic skills lack culture — people would probably misinterpret my design as a badly made silo or tank.
The Big Icecream? I volunteer for sampling duty in the gift shop! But then I remembered icecream vans — why would visitors travel all this way when Reasonably Large Icecreams on top of vans come to them? I was temporarily stumped. Still enthusiastic about my Big Idea but needing someone else’s input, I hunted down hubby. He was sitting in our office, paying bills. I explained we needed a Big Object that was ubiquitous to our local industry yet easy to create. Hubby was silent for a moment, then he turned his back on the internet banking screen and looked at me thoughtfully. “How about The Big Overdraft?”
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
GIPPSLAND REGION // 5 It’s been a tough period for Gippsland dairy farmers, who have been doing everything in their power to make the most of challenging seasonal and industry conditions. GippsDairy has seen a strong response by farmers wanting to improve their skills and knowledge, with well-attended events including Cups On Cups Off, Women in Dairy Discussion Groups, InCharge Fertility, transition cow management workshops, DairyBase training, farm safety days and Feeding Pastures for Profit courses, just to name a few.
Focus Farm facilitator John Mulvany with Focus Farmer Graeme Cope during the support group meeting’s farm walk.
GippsDairy workplace co-ordinator Leah Maslen with Westbury once-a-day milker Belinda Griffin, who brought along daughter Eloise to the Women in Dairy Discussion Group once-a-day milking event in Leongatha.
West Gippsland farmers David Johnson, Olivia Lineham and Dale Serong completed the second and final day of GippsDairy’s Dairy Farm Business Analysis workshops at Warragul.
Loch’s Lisa Dawes, Jodi Loughridge from Poowong and Mountain View’s Kelli Olsen enjoyed the Women in Dairy Discussion Group workshop on healthy calves in Warragul.
GippsDairy workforce co-ordinator Leah Maslen at the Caldermeade safety day with farm employee Jane Kennedy, GOTAFE’s Gillian Goudie and farm employee Jo Thompson.
Day one of the Maffra Cups On Cups Off (COCO) course saw participants including Boisdale brothers Luke and Blake Randle get a hands-on education in the latest milking practices.
GippsDairy extension office Donna Gibson (centre) leads the Feeding Pastures for Profit discussion with (from left) facilitator Tom Farren, Richie McGrath from Ridleys and Shaun, Graeme and Jenny Cope.
UDV deputy president and Longwarry dairy farmer John Versteden (left) with Dairy Australia Industry Workforce Planning and Action Program manager Bill Youl and Warragul dairy farmer Chris Bagot at the GippsDairy safety day at Longwarry.
The Bairnsdale Discussion Group at Goon Nure included (former) GippsDairy regional extension officer Louise Sundermann, Ron Cornall, Reinie Kennedy and Brett Keily.
Willow Grove once-a-day milker Veronica Penfold with dairy farmers Stef Gallagher from Welshpool and Paula Hughes from Inverloch at the Women in Dairy Discussion Group event at Leongatha.
Dairy Australia Industry Workforce Planning and Action Program manager Bill Youl catches up with Caldermeade farm owner and Pound Creek dairy farmer Tim Jelbart.
Every three months, GippsDairy’s Donna Gibson (second from left) brings together key stakeholders to discuss the big issues surrounding natural resource management (NRM). The winter meeting at Ellinbank saw representatives from milk companies, the EPA, Southern Rural Water, Melbourne Water, CMAs, AgVic and dairy farmers discussing land, water and carbon initiatives and effluent issues, among other topics.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
6 // GIPPSLAND REGION
Attention to detail pays off for young sharefarmers ROKEBY SHAREFARMERS Kevin and Siahn Lebrocq, and John and Gwen Foord, have been named in the Top 100 farmers in the 2017 Dairy Australia Countdown Milk Quality Awards for the second successive year. They are among the Top 100 suppliers across the nation with the lowest aggregate bulk milk cell count. The 52 ha farm has been owned by the Foords for 47 years. Their granddaughter, Siahn, and husband, Kevin, now manage the milking of 120 cows on a milking area of 52 ha. The Aussie Red-cross herd averaged 6500 litres this past season, producing 480 kg of milk solids per head. The average rainfall is 700 mm but when we caught up with Mr Lebrocq in July, he said it had been a dry start to the season. “It can dry off quickly in spring so I prefer a wet winter,” he said. The herd is regularly between 27 000 and 50 000 for BMCC — a result Mr Lebrocq takes just as much pride in as the public recognition the award bestows. “We’ve worked hard to get it here,” he said. The bonus paid by processor Fonterra for
supplying in the premium range is particularly important for a small farm, he said. “That’s a big incentive. It can add up to an extra few thousand dollars a year, which helps a lot.” As Kevin does every milking in the 16-head swing-over dairy, he can quickly detect any potential issues in the herd, but says they rarely have mastitis. “We concentrate on doing the basics well, whether that’s lead feeding, ensuring a good transition, or keeping our cows in good condition. “We also blanket dry cow the herd, which works well for us.” The herd is currently run on a 50:50 split calving but this will change to three calvings next year. “We were 70:30 and we carried a lot over to maintain cow numbers and realised it worked for us and this farm. “Next year we will do three calvings — March/ April six weeks, 21 days in June, then from August 1 to September 12.” This change will enable them to produce more fresh milk in winter and carry less emp-
Rokeby sharefarmers Siahn and Kevin Lebrocq.
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GIPPSLAND REGION // 7
The Foords have been loyal Fonterra and Bonlac suppliers for decades.
Milk Quality Awards on the dairy door.
ties through to spring. “It may mean we’ll only have seven per cent of the herd calve in that middle period, but I’m here every day anyway, so it’s a good chance to try something different.” Herd nutrition is prioritised, even when Fonterra dropped prices to $1.91 /kg MS at the end of the 2015–16 season. “If they needed extra maize in their feed or protein, we made sure they got it. Cows took priority.” Cows and heifers receive 5 kg of pellets from Riverbank each day (1.5 tonnes a year) in addition to home-grown silage and hay. Additional silage and hay will be bought in if necessary. Significant pasture renovation across the
farm — with 40 ha improved over the past two years — has also seen improvement in cow quality and production. “We’ve seen a big result in the vat already — as well as the condition on the cows and how quick they are getting in calf. When you see that in-calf rate of 93 per cent at six week joinings, it speaks for itself.” They recorded a 95 per cent submission rate in 21 days, without using PG. That result was achieved on top of bringing them back a month — calving in March this year, compared to April last year. “Again, I believe if you feed them well, the cows reward you".
The Aussie Red-cross herd in the pasture.
Mr Lebrocq said it was the first year this year that all calves were from AI. Once calves are placed in the calving shed, they receive 2 ½ litres of milk twice a day, then 6–7 litres once a day at 5–6 weeks till 12 to 16 weeks old. Hay and grain is also provided and he said they had not lost a heifer calf for two years. The poorest-yielding paddocks have been renovated first. A summer crop mix of rape, millet and paja is planted first to prevent weeds. Zoom annual rye-grass is then planted (return-
..
ing almost 12 bales to the hectare last harvest) before sowing a perennial rye-grass, usually Matrix and Vic with a bit of clover. Mr Lebrocq also drilled about 8 ha to chicory and millet for summer feed and may plant turnips this year if spring isn’t too dry. Attention to detail has enabled the Lebrocqs to achieve the results they have to date. With this dedication, they have every chance to add a third milk quality award to the dairy shed next year.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
8 // GIPPSLAND REGION
Ready to capitalise on herd, farm expansion IT’S FAIR to say Jindivick farmer Ben Elliott
has had a bit on his plate and he’s now looking forward to capitalising on his work. Mr Elliott sharefarms for Sam and Paddy Linklater, and receives help from his partner, Tess Butler, a working vet, and a full-time worker, Steve. He now manages the adjoining farm, previously run by another sharefarmer for the Linklaters, and has overseen an extensive renovation. The addition of the second farm of 144 ha has taken total land under Mr Elliott’s management to 360 ha and the new farm required significant work. A 50-stand rotary dairy was built and all paddocks had to be reversed. New laneways were built, all fencing was removed and replaced, a new water system was installed and 100 000 tonnes of rock was purchased to install new laneways. “We’re all done now,” Mr Elliott said. “We just have to recoup the money doing it. “Over the last three or four years, we’ve focused on getting the farm right. You just can’t afford to have lazy paddocks on a farm, you need every paddock growing. “With milk prices the way they were last year,
the best way to make a dollar is to grow grass.” About 160 ha have been seed drilled and power harrowed during the past few years, planting mainly perennials but adding some bi-annuals to boost growth. Anything power harrowed has been sown to Matrix, which Mr Elliott says lasts better than alternatives they’ve tried. “We’ve already noticed the difference in production in the cows and on the farm.” Mr Elliott is also planning to sow about 30 ha of summer feed, probably millet, pazya, and rape, in early November. “Hopefully we get enough summer rain to keep it going.” Poor milk prices during the past 18 months led Mr Elliott to conduct soil tests around the farm with pleasing results. He found that regular applications of fertiliser in the past meant they could reduce the amount applied last season. “We cut fertiliser back from 250 kg/ha to 150 kg/ha in the autumn and winter last year, and maintained nitrogen rates. We applied eight applications of nitrogen for the year at 100 kg/ha. “We saved a fair bit of money, and still got good spring growth, grew hay and silage and the cows milked well. We tested again this year and
Ben Elliott and the 50-stand rotary dairy.
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GIPPSLAND REGION // 9 results are still good.” They also used a muck runner in autumn to distribute a thick layer of solids from the effluent pond over 14 ha that wasn’t fertilised. Mr Elliott said they would resume regular application rates this year as they would be milking more cows. The extra land has also seen a doubling of the herd in the past four years, with Mr Elliott now milking 520 cows at their peak. All heifer calves have been retained, with 150 heifers brought into the herd, enabling him to cull older cows. Mr Elliott works with Leading Edge Genetics in Warragul to target the next generation. “If I wasn’t milking so many cows I’d do it myself but unfortunately I don’t have the time. Working with Leading Edge takes the guess work out and we’ve had good results so far.” The calving is split, with 100 calved in autumn and the rest in spring. This split suits the farm and the flush of grass, avoiding feed constraints; improves cash flow; and avoids excessive pasture damage through the traditionally wet winters. Calving used to occur in May/June but is now in August/September because of the wet winter. Any cow that does not get in calf in spring is granted one more chance in autumn. Springers receive 3 kg of Ridley’s lead feed (with extra magnesium for the Jerseys) for 21 days, with ad lib oaten hay and grass in the springer paddock. Mr Elliott and Ms Butler raise the calves in a new calf shed that was built alongside the new rotary dairy. Mr Elliott said Jersey calves required additional care for the first three weeks.
Springing cows are placed in this paddock close to the dairy and calving shed.
The dairy built four years ago has made life simpler for Ben Elliott.
Jersey cows on the cusp of calving.
Continued page 10 >
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
10 // GIPPSLAND REGION < Continued from page 9
They ensure calves get a first drink from their mum before feeding them 1 ½ to 2 litres twice a day in the shed. It’s been a mild season this year in an area that traditionally gets very wet. “We need run-off rain to fill dams, which are getting pretty low,” Mr Elliott said. “They filled up a bit in the past week but we’ve been pumping water from another dam until now. We need a good spring rain.” The pasture renovations have raised the quality and quantity of their home grown silage,
with a target of 2200 tonnes of wet silage each year. About 600 tonnes of wet silage has been carried over from last year. “If we do have a dry spring we have a fair bit up our sleeve,” Mr Elliott said. Cows receive 1.5 tonnes of grain each year, as well as Ridley pellets in the bail. Last year, the herd averaged 495 kg MS a cow and, with the addition of better pastures, Mr Elliott has set the bar higher, looking to produce 520–550 kg MS. That would be just reward for effort.
Ben Elliott on the Jindivick farm he sharefarms.
GRAIN FEEDING THIS SPRING FOR A MARGIN When the grain price and milk price change, the opportunity to make milk from grain for a margin also changes. Grain prices vary depending on the type of grain fed, additives used and volume delivered. The price is currently between $280/ tonne and $400/ tonne as fed. Considering the major processors picking milk up in Gippsland, based on a litre of milk at 4.15 per cent fat and 3.3 per cent protein, opening milk prices for the month of September 2017 are between $3.93/kg MS (29.3c/litre) and $5.11/kg MS (38c/litre). To work out the grain price and milk price ratio (GP/MP Ratio) that determines the amount of milk that must be produced by a cow to break even on income and the cost of the grain when feeding a kilogram is as follows: ■ Grain Price (c/kg) divided by milk price (c/litres) = Litres of milk required to break even (income on cost of grain) ■
Using the September 2017 extremes of grain price and milk price as examples:
■
40c/kg divided by 29.3 c/litres = 1.37litres/kg of grain fed.
■
28c/kg divided by 38 c/litres = 0.74litres/kg of grain fed.
■
Consider the things that will determine your milk produced for a kilogram of grain fed, pasture availability, stage of lactation, diet balance, animal health, cow condition etc.
■
Remember, when feeding grain the last kilogram fed is likely to get the lowest marginal response in production; it’s the law of diminishing returns. In addition to this, perfect pasture management is key to higher pasture consumption and a more profitable dairy system.
– Farm consultant Matt Hall.
Choosing grain and at what price requires some calculations to see how it stacks up against milk price.
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GippsDairy and Dairy Australia are offering the fully-funded three to four hour consultations as part of the Tactics for Tight Times program. Taking Stock helps the dairy farm business assess its current financial and physical position including:
For more information, please contact:
• understanding and managing your budget • identifying cost saving options • calculating pasture consumption • managing debt and your balance sheet • understanding additional support services that can be accessed, including counselling and health services • creating an action plan
Tania Guaran
Territory Manager for Sth NSW, Nth Vic & Gippsland
0417 396 637 Rod Hancock: Gippsland
0455 071 711
To register for Taking Stock contact GippsDairy at info@gippsdairy.com.au or call (03) 5624 3900.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
12 // GIPPSLAND REGION
August reminders Pasture management • Begin planning for silage you may cut in late September or October. Silage quality is critical for better production and profit as silage is costed per tonne and higher quality silage means less tonnes to pay for and more energy density. • Consider fertiliser applications with nitrogen included as part of your annual program. • It may still be cold enough to get profitable responses to Gibberellic acid; if so and you need the feed, consider using it to grow additional pasture quickly. • If wet conditions are prevailing take the opportunity to repair pugging damage with a roller. If it’s not repairable with a roller consider a spring planted summer crop for some areas. • Don’t forget to manage your milking support area (out blocks) as they can produce valuable feed to be made into silage for feeding later.
Feeding • Following the difficult milk price in 2016–17, many people have reduced levels of additive
or changed additives for lower cost options. This practice has been very successful in many cases, although it may be a good time for a review of additives including all contents, their role, rate and cost to ensure cows are well protected for animal health and that it is affordable, meaning you can still have an acceptable margin when feeding. • The opening milk prices for 2017–18 show a spring milk price range of 28 to 38 cents/ litre for the standard litre 4.15 per cent fat and 3.35 per cent protein depending on the factory you supply and the payment system you opt for. The current typical grain/pellet prices are between 28 and 35 cents/kg as fed, depending on the mix and the additives used. This is an average ratio of 0.95, meaning if milk averaged 33 cents/litre and grain/pellets averaged 31.5 cents/litre a cow would need to produce 0.95 litres of milk when fed 1 kg of grain as fed to break even.
Cows • Spring calving cows are susceptible to metabolic disorder (milk fever) around calving; this is best avoided with good transition cow management feeding. Details
are available at the Dairy Australia website. • Early lactation acidosis is an issue in most herds in Gippsland, especially in heifers, and should be managed with additives in concentrates fed to cows and additional fibre in the diet if fibre levels are low. Check cows are chewing their cud and check cow manure for signs of cow with low fibre diets. • Allow the cows time to walk at their own pace to the dairy, this will reduce the possibility of lameness. Lame cows should not go with the herd as walking will make them worse. A close paddock and good feeding will give them the best chance of recovery. • Plan your spring joining after you have reviewed the results of your autumn joining.
Calves/heifers • Jersey calves should be at least 75 kg liveweight and Friesian calves 100 kg at weaning. Calves should be eating at least 1 kg of concentrates, straw and drinking fresh water prior to weaning off milk. The energy in the concentrate and fibre in the straw and water helps in the early development of calves’ rumens thus allowing for early weaning. For more information on calf
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rearing see http://www.dairyaustralia.com. au/Animal-management/Animal-welfare/Calfwelfare/Rearing-healthy-calves-manual.aspx Prepare the yearling heifers ready for joining at 15 months; if possible weigh them to check suitability for joining and growth rates. If they are not ideal joining weight, review your young stock rearing process. Prepare bulls for joining. Get them tested before you get them working and ensure you have enough bull power (enough bulls for your expected cows on heat after AI). For more information on joining cows http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/Animalmanagement/Fertility/ Badly damaged they could be renovated with pasture or cropped depending on the paddock characteristics, farm system, location and its characteristics. Estimate your silage and hay requirements for the coming year, spring can be a good time to source extra feed for good quality silage. Watch for pasture pests such as lucerne flea and consider control if you think they are damaging pasture. This may look like slower pasture growth than expected and/or a dull looking pasture. Applications of fertiliser may significantly boost pasture and crop growth rates if your last application was in autumn.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
14 // GIPPSLAND REGION
September reminders Pasture management
Cows
Calves
• Pasture intake per cow depends on having high quality pasture and enough pasture available per hectare, this is a very challenging balance in most spring conditions but is possible to achieve. • Rotation lengths need to be long enough to get critical volume and residuals need to be low enough to get quality next time the pasture is grazed. • Set aside paddocks for silage, when residuals are getting higher, and cut as close as possible to grazing height. • Consider the use of nitrogen to boost pasture production and potentially minimise the use of expensive supplements, pasture responses of 10 – 20kg DM/ha for every kilogram of nitrogen/ha are common in spring and represent very good value for money if you need, and you can utilise the additional feed grown. • Some paddocks may still need repairing due to pugging damage and can be rolled if soil moisture allows, or if particularly badly damaged they could be renovated with pasture or cropped depending on the paddock characteristics, farm system, location and its characteristics.
• Take the opportunity to feed cows as well as possible, check the margin between milk price and grain price, consider the likely milk response to feeding an extra kilogram of grain to cows to assist your decision. • Record details of any non-cycling cows or cows with calving difficulties pre-mating and have a plan for how to deal with them. Don’t wait for the end of the mating period. • Make a decision on your mating program design to maintain calving pattern and dates. • Choose semen or bulls that will assist in developing the type of cow that suits your farm system. The efficient conversion of feed inputs into milk solids will come more easily from cows that are well bred and suit the system. • Prepare bulls for joining. Get them tested before you get them working and ensure you have enough bull power, (enough bulls for your expected cows on heat after AI). For more information on joining cows visit http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/Animalmanagement/Fertility/
• Calves should be given access to clean water, pellets and a fibre source from day one. They can be weaned when they are eating 1kg per day of pellets for two or three consecutive days. This usually occurs by about six to eight weeks of age if all is going well. • Weaned calves should weigh at least 75kg for Jerseys and 100 kg for Friesians, at two to three months of age. For more information on calf rearing see http://www. dairyaustralia.com.au/Animal-management/ Animal-welfare/Calf-welfare/Rearinghealthy-calves-manual.aspx
• Estimate your silage and hay requirements for the coming year, spring can be a good time to source extra feed for good quality silage. • Watch for pasture pests such as lucerne flea and consider control if you think they are damaging pasture. This may look like slower pasture growth than expected and/or a dulllooking pasture. • Applications of fertiliser may significantly boost pasture and crop growth rates if your last application was in autumn.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
GIPPSLAND REGION // 15
Diary dates September South Gippsland Dairy Expo GippsDairy will once again be at the South Gippsland Dairy Expo in Korumburra. The event offers a chance for farmers to have a chat to GippsDairy staff and board members about our programs and activities. We’d love to hear how we can service dairy farmers even better, so come along to the tent and say hello. Location: Korumburra Showgrounds Date: Wednesday and Thursday, September 27 and 28 from 9am to 3pm. Cost: Adults $10 and free for children under 16.
Gippsland confidence down GIPPSLAND FARM confidence in the indus-
try’s future is at its lowest levels since 2014, the latest Dairy Australia Situation and Outlook report has found. Confidence was significantly down from 2016 and less than half of respondents expect a profit this financial year. The majority are anticipating profit to be less than the average of the past five years. Farmers were also investing less and only a third are likely to invest during the next 12 months. More than half of GippsDairy respondents
have extended, refinanced or deferred debt over the past year. On a more positive note, by 2019–20 two -thirds of respondents expect production to increase. While significant cash flow and trust challenges remain for many south eastern dairy farmers, improved farm gate prices and affordable input costs are expected to provide some respite to many across Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. “Many farmers across a number of regions continue to struggle financially and the wider
Focus Farm Open Days Focus Farm Open Days will be held at Jindivick, Fish Creek and Won Wron during September. The days will demonstrate changes made to respective businesses during the first year of the two-year Focus Farm period. All welcome. Location: Mumford farm, Greigs Creek Rd, Won Wron Date: Tuesday, September 12 RSVP: GippsDairy phone 5624 3900 or email info@gippsdairy.com.au Location: Ronalds farm, 335 Main Jindivick Rd, Jindivick Date: Friday, September 22 RSVP: GippsDairy phone 5624 3900 or email info@gippsdairy.com.au Location: Cope farm, 195 Kerrs Rd, Fish Creek Date: Tuesday, September 26 RSVP: GippsDairy phone 5624 3900 or email info@gippsdairy.com.au All Focus Farm Open Days are from 10.15am (for 10.30am start) until 2.30pm.
industry is facing ongoing frustration and distrust in particular parts of the supply chain,” Dairy Australia senior analyst John Droppert said. “This is also being seen in the form of a much greater proportion of farmers switching milk processor over the past year, or wanting to.” With strong grain harvests in Australia and an ample supply of low-cost hay available coupled with upward movement in farm gate prices, there are some positive signs on the horizon. However, confidence levels for farmers have fallen in Victoria and Tasmania. The National Dairy Farmer Survey (NDFS) is carried out to gauge behaviour and attitudes of farmers across
Australia. At the time of the 2017 NDFS, conducted in February and March, the proportion of farmers feeling positive about the future of the industry dropped from 67 per cent last year to 53 per cent. Along with a dip in confidence, Mr Droppert said overall margins had been significantly tighter through 2016–17. Anticipated on-farm profit is expected to be down significantly. Victorian farmers in the Murray (25 per cent), Western Victoria (52 per cent) and Gippsland (47 per cent) regions as well as those in Tasmania (44 per cent) were most pessimistic in terms of 2016–17 profit expectations. Capital investment on farm is down across all the southern regions.
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