Dairy News Australia - April 2020 - With Murray Region

APRIL 2020 ISSUE 114

MURRAY REGION

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2020

2 // MURRAY REGION

Adapting in uncertain times Chair’s “Everything we imagine is real” — Pablo Picasso.

THIS QUOTE really resonated with me when

I think about the conditions that are presently prevailing.

Some of the situations we may have imagined, fired by movies we have watched, or conversations we may have had seem to now be manifesting in real life.

It is normal and healthy to feel stress and anxiety sometimes and very understandable to feel it in these unprecedented times.

Across Australia and the globe, there is deep uncertainty about what the COVID-19 pandemic might mean for us — as individuals, families, workers and our communities.

Clearly, we are seeing panic and watching the unprecedented frenzied buying from toilet paper to canned and frozen foods we would never have contemplated even a month ago. And now we are hearing about rural and regional towns having to screen shoppers so that city people coming in car/bus loads, aren’t cleaning out all our groceries.

Speaking with my own mother the other day, who lived through the uncertainty of wartorn Europe in the 1940s, she said: “The scenes I am seeing now bring back memories of those uncertain and frightening times I remember as a 12-year-old girl; I did not expect to see

this again in my lifetime, albeit under different circumstances.”

As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, the health and wellbeing of our employees at Murray Dairy and our farming communities remains our highest priority. In this unprecedented situation please be assured that we continue to implement phases of our Business Continuity Program while taking guidance from government.

Murray Dairy is still very much operational and here to support people with inquiries related to COVID-19 but also day-to-day farm business operations.

Murray Dairy has suspended (as at writing) face-to-face extension activities but we continue to provide information and resources to the local dairy industry through direct correspondence and digital platforms such as web, video, podcast and webinar formats.

These will all be advertised through the Murray Dairy website and eNews.

I want to stress that social distancing should not mean isolation. In fact the silver lining is it may create the time and space to catch up on articles and books we have set aside for when we have time to catch up, or indeed, to up-scale our IT skills as we move to virtual meetings and other forms of digital connectivity.

For farmers, the environments we work in are isolated for much of the day by the nature of

what we do and the locations we live in.

Dairy Australia and the regional teams have developed a Dairy Industry COVID-19 directory which contains information for people working on farm, people working with farm businesses and the broader supply chain. This can be found at dairyaustralia.com.au/c19 Please use this valuable resource.

During these difficult times, the dairy industry remains a valued provider of nutritious food and there is broad support from government that, as an essential service, it should continue operating during this time.

To that end, Dairy Australia/Murray Dairy are working with industry partners and the government to ensure that, whatever decisions are made, the dairy supply chain is well supported.

On another positive note, a good read is the Progress Report about Australian Dairy in 2019.

It gives key facts and figures on our progress against our Industry 2030 sustainability targets.

For a snapshot, visit www.sustainabledairyoz. com.au/progress-snapshot In closing, Murray Dairy and the dairy community wish to extend their heartfelt condolences to Jeff and Robyn Odgers and their family, on the recent loss of their beloved son Jonathan.

Jonathan was a valued member of our local dairy industry, the team at Lagoona Farms and the wider community.

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He actively participated in dairy discussion groups and industry development programs to enhance his knowledge and skills.

Last year Jonathan was part of a group that travelled to Israel to learn from their dairy and fodder industries.

He will be remembered as a young, keen and progressive farmer and a great loss to our industry and the broader community.

Stay safe and well. · Karen Moroney Murray Dairy chair

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2020

MURRAY REGION // 3

Tatura Milk results impacted EARNINGS FOR Tatura Milk have been hit by

reduced milk supply and a weakening in Chinese infant formula demand, the factory’s owner, Bega Cheese, has reported. “Severe drought across many dairy production regions has resulted in an increased cost of farm inputs and national milk production has continued to decline, putting sustained pressure on farm-gate prices and availability of milk for processing,� the company reported. “This has particularly impacted our Tatura operations in northern Victoria. “Total milk processed from direct supply and through toll manufacturing arrangements was 4.6 per cent below the prior year.�

Bega Cheese reported earnings of $39 million in the first half of 2020, impacted by falling milk supply and reduced margins in the dairy industry.

The company also pointed to reduced Chinese demand for infant formula as having an effect on its dairy processing results.

On the positive side, the company’s Vegemite brand grew slightly and Bega peanut butter increased market share.

Bega Cheese pointed to its purchase of the Koroit factory and the construction of a new lactoferrin plant, due for commissioning in April, and the signing of a three-year supply agreement.

Overall, revenue is up by about 14 per cent compared to the same period in 2019 and earnings before income tax is down 12 per cent, to $17z million. “Bega Cheese remains in constant discussions with domestic and international suppliers and customers regarding the potential impact of COVID-19 on ours and their businesses,� Bega Cheese said in a statement.

Bega executive chairman Barry Irvin at Tatura.

Deni show winners

Deniliquin’s Inga Steenholdt with Champion Cow ‘Silhouette TBone Extra’, Judge Emmalea Wishart, Deniliquin’s Anthony Michael with Senior Champion Heifer and Supreme Cow Mayberry Crystal 3 and Finley’s Melina Tidcombe with Junior Champion Heifer Hawova Jacot Jean 2nd.

DENILIQUIN’S ANTHONY Michael and his wife Felicity left the 2020 Deniliquin Show proud of their prize Jersey cow, Mayberry Crystal 3, who was named the Supreme Dairy Exhibit.

Judge Emmalea Wishart spent a long time deciding the Supreme winner, a tough decision with three quality cows up for the award.

They were Junior Champion Heifer, Hawova Jacot Jean 2nd, from Finley High School; Senior Champion Heifer, Mayberry Crystal 3, from A. and F. Michael and family; and Champion Cow, Silhouette TBone Extra, from the Steenholdt family.

“I placed the Jersey cow my Supreme today (March 7) just for her overall capacity and strength,� Miss Wishart said. “She is ready to calve, she’s calving on the 20th of this month, and I just find that she has got that potential to go on to be an awesome cow. “I really like the Holstein heifer as well, she was a very close second, but it was just the maturity of the Jersey that put her where she was today.�

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Always adapting to change AN IMPORTANT and successful part of

management for dairy farmers Ian and Karen Litchfield has been their ability to adapt to change — change in all forms from embracing technological advancements to ground roots farming and herd management.

Purchasing their farm in 2000 with a milking herd of 170 cows, the last two decades have certainly been busy as they have pushed herd numbers up around 800, built a new rotary dairy and developed a sustainable dairy farm model they hope will take them forward with a long future in the dairy industry.

At the corner stone of their success has been housing the herd under a dry lot system with shade sheds, a system they implemented after travelling to Arizona in 2007.

“We had already purchased a mixer and were supplementary feeding at the time. After the trip we worked out a dry lot was the cheapest of the intensive operations to set up, so we decided to go with that and we think we now have a sustainable model,” Ian said.

Within five months of returning from the trip, the first shed was up and running and a second was built three months later.

The system currently consists of four milking herd sheds, a springer shed, and a hospital shed.

Ian Litchfield from Mayrung is steering his farm through a conversion to A2.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2020

MURRAY REGION // 5

Each shed is 9–12 m wide, 150 m long and 4–5 m high which allows 4 sq m of shade per cow — a loafing area of 50 sq m per cow is also allowed per pen. The pens are rotary hoed in the morning and harrowed in the evening but if things get wet, they are hoed twice a day.

Wet weather can be a problem especially over the winter months, although Ian has worked hard over the years to minimise the impacts as much as possible.

He runs a maximum of 250 cows in each pen, but he prefers numbers to sit around 220 for cow comfort.

“It is a specialised system, but it makes management easy especially when you are employing backpackers. We have three people in the dairy and two people on the mixer wagon.”

Ian is hoping to take the system to the next level and build what he hopes will be the first of a barn type set-up with concrete laneways for the milking herd, within the next two years.

“The hardest thing we have found is financing infrastructure and getting the banks to think the same way as us because they don’t value concrete and sheds like they do land and water,” Karen said.

Under the old grazing system, the Litchfields believe the farm under its current land size of 700 ha would be pushing things milking around 350 cows, so the system has allowed them to expand numbers relatively quickly and easily.

Ian admits it was difficult to move away from the idea of grazing.

“In the early days we tried to do a bit of both and the hardest thing for me was to totally get rid of rye grass as I consider myself a grazing man,” he said.

“When we had a shortage of water over summer it was reasonably easy to stop grazing but it was a bit harder to convince myself to take out perennials in autumn and it did take a fair bit to get my head around.”

Ultimately it was vat that convinced him to give away grazing altogether.

“I would put the milking herd back on grass and the test would drop away whereas now it’s just so constant we don’t even check half the time.”

Ian said since taking away grazing, the health of topsoil in the paddocks has improved dramatically which is something he attributes to less ground compaction — corn yields have gone

Even on a 20-degree day the milking herd take advantage of the shade.

from 20 tonne/ha to 25 tonne/ha.

The herd average sits around 10 500 litres/cow with a fat test of 3.9 and protein of 2.4.

“It is just constant day in day out because there are no variables in the system. The cows are milked, fed, they sit down and that’s on repeat day in day out.”

The TMR mix consists of 2.5 kg lucerne, 2.3 kg corn silage, 3.8 kg wheat silage, 1.3 kg wheat grain per cow fed twice a day, while the cows are fed 4 kg of grain in the dairy a day which includes 1.9 kg of canola and 0.4 kg of a mineral mix.

Ian currently runs six milking herds because he is transitioning to A2 milk — a choice made about 14 months ago when the processor was looking for additional milk to fill the truck.

The premium price for A2 milk was also a drawcard.

The A2 cows are identified by a blue ear tag and an A freeze brand to prevent mix ups.

The A2 herd is always milked first with the milk going into its own vat.

Ian said he chose to test every animal in the herd and breed the gene in over five years rather than sell the current herd and buy in A2 animals for a premium price. Thirty-four per cent of the original herd already had the gene.

The business has 2000 Ml of NSW water and a 300 Ml bore allocation.

This season Ian carried over 150 Ml which was used to grow 33 ha of corn to support the cereal cropping program.

In a reasonable year with a 50 per cent water allocation Ian estimates he can grow about 4000 tonne of homegrown feed but in years with no water the housed system offers flexibility when allocation is non-existent.

“We are starting to look at water allocation as something that is opportunistic and while we would love to have the security of water every year, reality is starting to tell us this is no longer the case.”

Ian said living in the Riverina he had easy access to fodder and establishing permanent relationships with growers was something he would continue to focus on in the future.

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Deniliquin show results FINLEY HIGH School was named the

most successful exhibitor in the Deniliquin Show dairy cattle section.

The school also walked away with junior and reserve champion heifer titles, and its students were well represented in the handler classes.

Also getting in on the action was Finley Public School, which found success in the handler’s competition.

Results: Heifer born on or after November 1, 2019 Finley High School, Hawova Jethro Velvet, 1; Finley High School, LP Kingdoc NellieNova, 2.

Heifer born August 1, 2019 to October 31, 2019 Finley High School, Hawova Jacot Jean 2nd, 1; Griffiths family, Aroona Jacot Netta 3607, 2; Finley High School, LP Ammo NeaveNikola, 3.

Heifer born May 21, 019 to July 31, 2019 Finley High School, Hawova Mario Tide, 1; Griffiths family, Aroona Atwood Jana 3587, 2; A & F Michael & family, Mayberry Odette 2, 3.

Heifer born January 1, 2019 to April 30, 2019 Griffiths family, Aroona Mario Ada 3547, 1; Finley High School, Lochgelly Park Onslow Carnation, 2; Finley High School, Mayberry Grace 6, 3.

Junior Champion Heifer Finley High School, Hawova Jacot Jean 2nd.

Reserve Junior Champion Heifer Finley High School, Hawova Mario Tide.

Honourable Mention Junior Champion Heifer Finley High School, Lochgelly Park Onslow Carnation.

All Australian Heifer Holstein Calf under 12 months Finley High School, Hawova Jacot Jean 2nd, 1; Finley High School, Hawova Mario Tide, 2; Griffiths family, Aroona Jacot Netta 3607, 3.

Rising Star Jersey Calf under 12 months age A & F Michael & family, Mayberry Odette 2, 1; Finley High School, Mayberry Grace 6, 2; A & F Michael & family, Mayberry Noeline 4, 3.

Heifer born July 1 to December 31, 2018 Griffiths family, Aroona Dempsey Desiree 3521, 1; A & F Michael & family, Mayberry Sox 5, 2; Steenholdt family, Wyoming Tequila Coco, 3.

Heifer (dry) born 2017 A & F Michael & family, Mayberry Crystal 3, 1.

Senior Champion Heifer A & F Michael & family, Mayberry Crystal 3.

Reserve Senior Champion Heifer Griffiths family, Aroona Dempsey Desiree 3521.

Honourable Mention Senior Champion Heifer A & F Michael & family, Mayberry Sox 5.

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Mature Cow in milk Steenholdt family, Silhouette Tbone Extra, 1.

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Most Successful Exhibitor Finley High School.

Handler results: Up to Year 3 Oliver Waters, St Michael’s Primary School Deniliquin, 1; Samuel Strong, Deniliquin North Public School, 2.

Year 4 to 6 Chloe Alexander, Finley Public School, 1; Patrick Hibberd, Finley Public School, 2; Catherine Michael, Edward Public School, 3.

Year 7 to 10 Tamzin Bell, Finley High School, 1; Chelsea Alexander, Finley High School, 2; Melina Tidcomb, Finley High School, 3.

Year 11 and over Kelsey Hislop, St Mary of the Angels Secondary College Nathalia, 1; Jack Michael, Deniliquin High School, 2; Dela Gargaro, Finley High School, 3.

Champion Junior Parader Kelsey Hislop.

Northern Victorian dairy farmers needing to evaluate their future in the industry now have access to a dedicated dairy support program, run by AgBiz Assist.

Access to the program, which is supported by the Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria–North East, is free and offers fast, confidential and specific technical support from a range of highly experienced farm business and dairy specialists.

“More than 30 dairy farmers are now experiencing the value of the program since its launch late last year as it addresses some of the worries relating to the current high costs of dairying in northern Victoria and helps farmers clarify their decision making,” AgBiz Assist leading agribusiness specialist Jim Moll said.

“Every farm business situation is unique so once the current financial position has been established the prospects of other ventures or areas of interest can be identified and financially tested.

“Succession planning, exploring the viability of alternative enterprises, even looking at expansion opportunities or exiting the industry altogether may be the next step in a more positive future.”

In addition to helping with financial analysis and detailed budgeting, the service is also able to direct farmers with specific technical needs, such as cow nutrition, to associated agencies Murray Dairy and Agriculture Victoria.

“It’s encouraging to see the level of interest our dairy clients have in expanding their business interests or assessing the viability of alternative enterprises to dairying,” Mr Moll, who is based in Benalla, said.

“Our role is to provide the support they need to make it all happen as smoothly as possible.”

To arrange an on-farm appointment or to book an appointment at offices in Shepparton, Numurkah, Benalla or Swan Hill, phone 1300 834 775.

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8 // MURRAY REGION

Farming dream finally a reality AFTER 22 years of blood, sweat and tears, Kelvin

Shelley and Kelvin Matthews with children Abraham, Matilda and Jacob are all excited about the purchase of their new dairy farm.

and Shelley Matthews are finally living their dairy farming dream after recently purchasing a 100 ha farm named Pete’s Park, just outside of Cohuna.

Kelvin first started working on a dairy farm when he was just 16 (he is now 39) and along with Shelley, have finally worked their way up to where they are today — farm ownership.

They are excited about the prospect of making their own decisions, running their own farm and building an asset base in an industry they love.

“We are passionate about the dairy industry and farm purchase has always been our end goal, Kelvin said.”

“We have both given a lot up over the years to get here and it is really exciting to be finally on our own farm.”

The couple moved onto the farm in November and settled in December.

On their previous farm seven years ago, the couple entered into a lease purchase arrangement for half the 440-cow herd, with any herd growth split 50-50 between the two couples.

It was the perfect starting point and gave them a much-needed foot in the door of farm ownership.

“We started out purchasing 220 cows and they have been our greatest asset growth,” Shelley said.

By the time it came to find their own farm, they had the herd and all the machinery including tractors and silage gear.

“Our machinery owes us nothing now which is great, but it was still pretty hard to get a bank on board because we don’t own water,” Kelvin said.

“It wasn’t until we found a bank that actually understood farming that we had some success — one bank was more concerned about the income we could generate from renting out the second house than what the farm could actually do.”

Kelvin said while they may not have any water, they do have an established relationship with fodder grower Adam Gould which they feel will be a key aspect of future management.

“We need to find ways to work around water and I think long-term relationships with fodder growers is a good start.”

It was a bit of a gamble, but the Matthews had already sourced 740 tonnes of silage delivered to their farm for $240 tonne before they even had the finance for the farm secured.

“Having eight-months’ worth of feed for the cows has been an important start for us and once we found the right bank manager, he could see the value in the silage as well,” he said.

Kelvin said working with growers who

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2020

MURRAY REGION // 9

Seven years ago the couple entered into a lease/ purchase arrangement to buy half the herd of their previous employer — the decision helped them achieve their goal of farm ownership.

understood the nature of your own business and cash flow restrictions was also important.

The couple looked at five or six farms in the area before finally settling on Pete’s Park.

“Some of the farms had been out of dairying while others were still going, it was a bit of a buyers’ market and we certainly had plenty of choice, but we had our eye on the Cohuna area because that’s where we wanted to farm and raise our family,” Shelley said.

Kelvin said once finances were sorted the process of purchasing the farm was seamless.

“It helped our stock agent Al Mitchell was an ex dairy farmer, so he was really good to liaise with, as were the previous owners and it has been very helpful having them around to ask where water lines run and any other questions we have.”

Around 70 per cent of their farm is irrigated by a gravity fed pipe-and-riser system which was a huge drawcard when it came to making the final decision for farm purchase.

The couple also liked the possibility of the opportunity to expand in the future and is currently looking at leasing a nearby property.

The 12 double-up dairy is adequate but will be restrictive when it comes to increasing numbers down the track. On the positive side it means only one person is required in the dairy, freeing up the other person to get on with other jobs.

“We had a shed test on the day the cows were being trucked over for their first milking and we found out we had no vacuum, so that was a little bit interesting for a while until we ended up with a loan one from National Herd so we could at least start milking,” Shelley said.

The herd came from a rotary, so the first milking was a little challenging; four hours and a mountain of poo later it was complete.

Today the cows move effortlessly through the shed and both Kelvin and Shelley have got used to a slower pace around the dairy.

“We will keep plodding along with the shed and we do like it is a one-person operation, it’s nice not to have the hassle of finding milking staff and just get on with the job ourselves.”

When it came to milk processors the couple chose to supply Lactalis who were $100 000 better on the bottom line than any other company.

“We are locked in until July 1 and then we can walk away and find someone else if we want to, but milk price is looking pretty positive moving forward,” Kelvin said.

The couple is determined to support the local retail sector and was recently told by the local vet that it was nice to see a new farming family come into the area.

Looking to the future, the Matthews are planning on growing annuals on the old permanent pasture and maybe some vetch on the land across the road. If they are lucky enough to lease the block next door, they will grow cereals there.

They have a simple plan — to grow as much fodder as they possibly can and adjust the plan with each season as it comes along.

The one man 12 double up dairy is doing the job for the 240-cow herd.

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10 // MURRAY REGION

Rain signals water recovery WIDESPREAD RAINFALL in March has been

a welcome relief for everyone, H2OX business development manager, Craig Feuerherdt has observed.

“The Darling River is reinvigorated, which is good news for NSW entitlement holders and everyone who relies on the water market.

“The water is making its way to the Murray River, and more than 200 Gl is expected to enter the Menindee Lakes,” Mr Feuerherdt said.

He noted temporary water prices in the Murray hit a high of $1000/Ml before settling back to around $800/Ml. As of early March, prices had softened back to $500/Ml, and the volume-weighted price of temporary water in the Victorian Murray was $700/Ml at February’s end.

The Northern Victoria Resource Manager (nvrm.net.au) released outlooks for the 2020– 21 season earlier this year—average inflows should result in Victorian High Reliability entitlements receiving 100 per cent. However, if

the dry inflows continue, determinations will be around 45 per cent.

At the turn of the seasons, when crucial decisions are being made about water, Mr Feuerherdt said irrigators should take into account the following questions: What is my gross margin for water?

What water assets do I own?

How much water do I require and when?

What are the determination outlooks for next season?

How will my water availability be impacted under various inflow scenarios?

What options are there to ensure my water is secure?

Mr Feuerherdt said the water market is constantly evolving — that’s why guidance from experienced water-market intermediaries is essential to formulating a water plan that ensures you’re prepared for whatever may come.

H20X is an independent water exchange based in Bendigo.

2020 01 28 Dairy News February copy.pdf 1 24/01/2020 5:45:21 PM

Damian DRUM MP FEDERAL MEMBER FOR NICHOLLS

Contact my office for assistance with Federal Government issues 426 Wyndham Street, Shepparton, VIC 3630 damian.drum.mp@aph.gov.au damiandrum.com.au

DamianDrumMP 03 5821 5371

Authorised by D. Drum, National Party of Australia, Shepparton.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2020

MURRAY REGION // 11 KEELTY VISITS FARMER Dairy farmer Bridget Goulding hosted Murray-Darling Basin Water Resources interim inspector-general Mick Keelty on her Katunga property, to share her experiences of industry issues, including drought and the rise in water costs.

A dairy farmer for 33 years, Mrs Goulding has attended every meeting she could in the hope it would one day lead to positive change.

Mrs Goulding was part of a group of four from Northern Victorian Irrigation Communities who put forward a submission to Mr Keelty in early February.

“At that meeting, dairying came up and what is required water-wise with dairying, and Mr Keelty said he’d like to have a look at a farm at some stage,” Mrs Goulding said.

“Until we get full transparency in the water market, we won’t know by how much the water market is being manipulated.”

She offered to give Mr Keelty a tour of her farm, which took place the day prior to a meeting held by Mr Keelty at Shepparton RSL on February 27.

“It was nice to be able to meet him and explain the situation of what’s happening on a first-generation farm,” Mrs Goulding said.

Mr Keelty spent about two-and-ahalf hours walking through the farm, where Mrs Goulding showed him the stock and lack of pasture, from no irrigation.

Comparison photos were presented to Mr Keelty of the present day paddocks on the farm, compared to the paddocks in 2013, when there were “no water problems”.

“We shifted from New Zealand in 1997 because northern Victoria was one of the best dairying regions in the world, and it was a case of add water and grow grass,” Mrs Goulding said.

At the end of the millennial drought, the Northern Victorian Irrigation Renewal Project included water being bought from farms in return for upgrades of irrigation infrastructure.

The Gouldings sold their water in 2008, based on what was best for their business at the time.

“We were one of those farms and successfully traded temporary water from 2008 until May 2016 for an average of $101 per meg, and I have to say had some of our best years,” Mrs Goulding said.

Since then, the average price per megalitre has risen to $500, which Mrs Goulding said was attributed to off-farm investors and a lack of water.

“Until we get full transparency in the water market, we won’t know by how much the water market is being manipulated.”

Mrs Goulding said she felt Mr Keelty listened attentively during the visit to her farm and genuinely cared about the dairy industry.

“I have a good feeling about him, from that meeting in Shepparton; I really, truly feel he was listening to people.”

Shepparton sale tips $7000 A MULTI-VENDOR sale that featured the dis-

persal of autumn-calving Holstein heifers from two master breeder herds topped at $7100 on March 6.

Held at Shepparton Regional Saleyards, the Eagle Ridge herd, owned by Russell and Kerry Eagle, of Finley, and Ingoldale herd, owned by Jim and Dot Gilmore, from Pyramid Hill, sold a complete clearance of 85 heifers combined for an average of $2 990.

The top price was for Eagle Ridge Eric GC Pauline, a daughter of a third generation EX

Goldchip dam with more than 510 kg of fat.

K. and H. Jones, of Foster, bought this heifer and also took home the dam at a sale last year.

The same buyers also selected Eagle Ridge Saturn Con Polka for $5200, a freshly-calved daughter of the EX 93 Red cow, Contender L Polka, who had records to 605 kg of fat.

The second highest price of the sale was Eagle Ridge Beemer B Kitty, which sold for $5250 to Spunner Pastoral, of Berrigan.

The Ingoldale line topped at $4250 for Ingoldale Sweet Tossette, a very correct fresh

calved old daughter selling to Eloora Pastoral Company, from Mayrung, while the next top of $4000 was reached twice.

The Eagle Ridge stud sold 55 heifers, which averaged $3250, while the Ingoldale stud sold 30 heifers, which averaged $2 520.

The sale was conducted by Dairy Livestock Services and, with both vendors leaving dairying, they will have a further heifer dispersal sale mid-year.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2020

12 // MURRAY REGION

The family dairy business Matt Searle runs with his brother and parents near Barham is struggling with the impacts of a second year on zero water allocation.

Frustrated farmers living on the edge THE SEARLE family can’t do too much more

to streamline its dairy operation without access to affordable irrigation water.

The family, parents Geoff and Tracey along with sons Michael, 29, and Matt, 35, who farm just outside Barham in NSW, are on its second year of zero allocation and it is decimating a once thriving business.

“We have a pretty good dairy set up and we are just watching it dwindle away to dust,” Matt said.

He said the family has tried to make things work with minimal water and for the last two years a zero allocation.

“Everything we are feeding the herd has been bought in and we can no longer be self-sufficient for feed which was a key part of our original business management,” Matt said.

Matt said with irrigation the family had been able to grow a large percentage of its own fodder and establish a sustainable feed rotation which consisted of grazing lucerne over summer and feeding conserved home-grown corn silage over winter.

“We were able to cut corn for silage in 2019 but we have none this year,” he said.

“Our lucerne is hanging in there but it wouldn’t have been irrigated for at least 12 months and everywhere we look there are dry and dusty paddocks,” he said.

The family milk 480 cows on 445 ha — 80 per cent is irrigatable and the herd can graze around 220ha.

Matt said government and politicians, poor water policy and the effects of the MurrayDarling Basin Plan are simply killing the area.

“It is just so frustrating, and the problem is a lot bigger than just needing rain, we need policy change and we need it now. We can’t produce dairy unless we have some sort of water allocation, we continually point out why it’s not working, and it continually falls on deaf ears.

“We can’t adapt without water and we are told to be more efficient, but we can’t do that with both hands tied behind our back.”

Matt said while milk price was good, it was certainly not good enough to make up for the high cost of inputs.

“It has been draining and mentally tough for our family, especially Mum and Dad who have had to keep increasing their debt level to stay in.

“It really takes it out of you, and we have had

some horrible days where we have gone home at the end of the day pretty upset.”

The Searles recently sold 70 heifer calves to help with cash flow but even that has been a double-edged sword, because they know this

will affect breeding stock numbers in the future.

Cows are now calved three times a year to help with milk flow and last joining they used the beef bulls to mop up the herd, something they have never done before.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2020

MURRAY REGION // 13

Dry paddock after dry paddock on the 445 ha farm at Barham.

“We are tired from all the mental stress and worry that seems to be never ending. There used to be four dairy farms along this road and now we are the only ones left.”

Matt said the cows are fed a mix of vetch, cereal hay, barley and canola.

“We have been able to maintain a consistent level of milk, but the really hot days did knock the cows around, and they didn’t want to eat anything.

“Every day we are feeding cows with fodder we could have grown ourselves instead we have to pay for it. There is dust continually blowing in our faces and it can be a long day driving around a desolate farm stuck inside your own head.”

Matt said it was also depressing to look

around the farm and see the little pockets of wetlands dried up and gone.

“We don’t have any of the ducks and birdlife we used to have.

“We got a load of canola meal delivered the other day and I couldn’t believe all the bees buzzing around the truck — there is no longer flowering lucerne for them on the farm.”

Matt said the family was going to take a gamble on dry sowing some crop this autumn but not the 200 ha it would normally put in the ground.

“We will dry sow the whole farm again this year though with low rainfall last year and no irrigation water to follow up with, 80 per cent of our crop had failed by August last year,” he said.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2020

14 // MURRAY REGION

Infrastructure with best bang for buck WHEN IT comes to investing in infrastructure

dairy farmer Rob Singleton has always looked for the best bang for his buck.

“The bucket of money is only ever so big so getting the best value out of the bucket is very important,” Rob said.

Rob and his wife Gai along with their children Ellie and Sam milk 800 cows on 1000 ha.

They have access to 2400 Ml of water including bore water, but like most Southern Riverina irrigators they are sitting on their second year of zero allocation.

Access to water allocation has changed the way the family operates, and management is a lot different to what it was when they first bought the original 400 ha farm with Rob’s brother in 1994 (taking over sole ownership a decade later).

It was a dairy conversion which Rob said at the time didn’t seem too challenging, although he laughs as he said he wouldn’t like to go through the same process ever again.

The Singleton farm is very much a family affair with two of the three children taking on shared

management roles within the business.

Rob first started to look at the overall management of his herd when he began lot feeding over the summer months back in the millennium drought — 15 years later the system is vastly different to what it once was.

A trip overseas to Arizona looking at dry lot dairy set-ups became the inspiration for change on the Singleton farm.

“When we got back from the trip, we began construction pretty much straightaway,” Rob said.

The sheds face north-south, are 130 m long and 9 m wide, pens are about 70 m to 80 m wide and 200 m long which allows around 50 sq m a cow. The dirt floor and concrete troughs were made with minimal earthworks and set up for about $250 a cow.

“The shade tracks through the day and the cows basically follow it. Creating shade for the cows has been the best money we have spent with complete blockout of UV light; shade cloth or trees don’t offer the same total blockout,” Rob said.

The Singleton family, siblings Sam and Ellie with baby Frederick and parents Gai and Rob.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2020

MURRAY REGION // 15 The herd is fed a total mixed ration twice a day after each milking and grazing has become a thing of the past — the only time Rob foresees any would be after silage harvest, and that would only be with heifers.

Fences are ripped out as the business focuses on growing high yielding, water efficient crops on what was former grazing pasture.

A small amount of grain (2 kg a day) is fed in the dairy but only to encourage the cows onto the platform and this is something the family would like to phase out at some point.

“This type of system makes it very easy to look after and manage the herd because a lot of the variability is taken out. I look back at the grazing routine and think how bloody hard that all was to manage, and we also fed a lot of grain in the dairy while under that system.”

The herd calves year-round to create a flat milk supply.

The jersey herd accounts for 40 per cent of the herd and averages 9000 litres and 700 kg milk solids.

Milkers are run in three herds — early pregnant and fresh, late pregnant and mating.

It takes around four hours to milk and the family have a target that no cow is on the yard for any longer than an hour and a half.

Current developments include building of a new calf shed and heifer pens.

“The calves will be put into groups and stay with the same animals all the way through. Both Ellie and Sam have been very involved in the building and designing process and it is nice to see them start making some of the big future decisions on farm and it is exciting to see them

direct it into the next generation.”

Rob said the biggest challenge to the system in its current form is weather variability and wet conditions, which is why he sees further development centring around the pouring of concrete.

“The design struggles in wet weather, 25 mm is absorbed easily enough by 40 mm it starts to get a bit sticky, we just concentrate on getting things as dry as quickly as possible under the sheds.”

Half of the silage sits on concrete, with the plan to eventually have it all on concrete to help keep some of the mud at bay during wet weather and reduce wastage.

The farm employs eight labour units including the family and all harvesting and planting of crops is completed by contractors.

Crops are planted according to the calendar and not soil moisture.

Corn and lucerne are grown and pitted over the summer months and cereals over winter.

“We have a 60 ha dry lucerne stand which has been keeping 150 heifers going. Our oldest stand is five years old and we find without grazing we can usually get a bit longer out of each of them.”

“We stopped grazing rye grass two years ago and everything now is TMR,” he said.

Rob said when he set up his system, he only had a certain amount of money to play with and if he had his time again and if he had a bigger bucket of money, he would invest in better earthworks and concrete feed lanes.

“The beauty of this system is you can just keep expanding by building another shed,” he said.

The feed area has been cemented to help keep the area clean and dry.

The rotary dairy is central to the shade sheds.

THE MURRAY MUSTER 2020

Digging Deeper Exploring how we can conserve water through soil management, cropping rotations and regenerative agriculture, The Murray Muster 2020 will give you a new perspective on what lies beneath your feet. Featuring international speakers and exclusive local site visits, you won’t want to miss it!

DAY FORUM Wednesday 20 May 2020 POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

FARM TOURS Wednesday 21 May 2020

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Less worms, more milk.

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In tough years, the high cost of inputs in relation to farm revenue sees many producers adopt a lean businesses model, as it is less risky to cut spending than it is to increase productivity. As a

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One such input that is commonly overlooked is treating cows with an effective drench to control worm burdens throughout lactation.

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*Milk price of 44.2c per L ^300 days of lactation #Milk production of 20 L per day References: 1. Coop. R & Holmes. P., (1996) Nutrition and parasite interaction, International Journal for Parasitology, (26), Issues 8–9, pp 951-962, ISSN 0020-7519, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0020-7519(96)80070-1. 2. Little et al., (2000) Effect of Eprinomectin at Calving on Milk Production of Dairy Herds. Proceedings of 17th Annual Seminar of Society of Dairy Cattle Vets, NZVA. 3. McPherson et al., (1999) The Impact of Eprinomectin Treatment on Dairy Cattle Reproductive Performance. AAVP Proceedings, 44th Annual Meeting, New Orleans 1999; 44th Annual Meeting: 41 See product label for full claim details and directions for use. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Australia Pty. Ltd., Level 1, 78 Waterloo Road, North Ryde, NSW 2113 Australia. ABN 53 071 187285. Epricare® is a registered trademarks of the Boehringer Ingelheim Group. All rights reserved. AUS-EPRI-191001