Dairy News Australia January 2022

Outlook remains profitable. PAGE 4 NEW RESEARCH

Finding value in older cows PAGE 30

ANIMAL HEALTH Selective dry cow therapy PAGE 31

JANUARY 2022 ISSUE 135 // www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au

BACK IN THE RING International Dairy Week is back at Tatura Park, Victoria, and Isabella, Ruby and Lachie Polson (inset) from near Taree, NSW can't wait. PAGE 5

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

IDW PREVIEW // 3

Full steam ahead for IDW 2022 PROGRAM

It never rains but it pours. PG.6

All the familiar shows and presentations are back for International Dairy Week 2022. Pictured is the Intermediate Interbreed line up from 2020.

THE EXCITEMENT is building for the 2022 International Dairy Week, which after being cancelled in 2021 due to COVID-19, is back at Tatura Park, Victoria, from January 16 to 20.

As well as a re-jigged program, a new format for presenting the Australian Grand Champion exhibit, farm tours, seminars, the youth challenges and the Power of Women in Dairying event, there's plenty more to see and do.

Farm trespass bill welcomed. PG. 14

Latest ABVs. PGS.26 & 32

NEWS .....................................................3-29 ANIMAL HEALTH ...........................30-31 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS ... 34-35

Get more with less this calving season

Judges • Ayrshire judge — Mark Patullo.

• Brown Swiss judge — Brian Leslie.

• Guernsey judge — Pat Nicholson.

• Holstein judge — Warren Ferguson.

• Holstein associate — Cameron Yarnold.

• Illawarra judge — John Gardiner.

• Jersey judge — Brian Wilson.

• Jersey associate — Lachlan Fry. • Showmanship judge — Zoe Hayes.

Seminars Seminars include: Tuesday, January 18 • 9.30 am: Feed them and breed them — Jefo solutions for increasing your cow's fertility and performance and your profits.

Hosted by: Jefo Australia.

• 10.30 am: Using genetics to create the modern-day dairy cow. Hosted by: STG Australia.

• 11.30 am: Antibiotics and dairy cows: a happy marriage for how long? Hosted by: Apiam.

• 12.30 pm: Air flow. Hosted by: Eagle Direct.

• 2 pm: Jersey — Most profitable and sustainable cow. Hosted by: Jersey Australia.

• 3 pm: Marketing within the agricultural industry. Hosted by: Cullen Marketing.

Wednesday, January 19 • 11.30 am: The effects of probiotics in dairy cows and calves. Hosted by: Terragen.

• 12.30 pm: Implementing successful beef on dairy strategies — are you ready for the future? Hosted by: Semex.

• 3 pm: Animal health in sheds. Hosted by: Entegra.

Thursday, January 20 • 9.30 am: Various challenges and opportunities and an overview of the current research happening in pasture based AMS. Hosted by: Lely.

• 10.30 am: Your cows are B–elievers. Are you? The role of B vitamins in improving the health and performance of your cows.

Hosted by Jefo.

• 12.30 am: Using genetics to create the modern-day dairy cow. Hosted by STG Australia.

* Seminar topics and times correct at the time of going to print.

For up-to-date news and details visit www.internationaldairyweek.com.au

Sunday, January 16 • 9.30 am: Non-denominational church service and morning tea.

• 12.00 pm: Holstein Australia Victoria Youth Challenge trials.

• 3 pm: VASA State Junior Judging final.

• 6 pm: Welcome to IDW barbecue.

Monday, January 17 • 8 am: ABS Australia/Ridley All Breeds National Youth Show.

• 9.30 am: The Sherri Martin Youth Showmanship classes.

• 3 pm: AFL Footy Clinic.

Tuesday, January 18 • 8 am: Australia's National Ayrshire Show.

• 8 am: Australia's National Guernsey Show.

• 9.30 am: IDW seminars.

• 11.30 am: Australia's National Illawarra Show.

• 11.30 am: Australia's National Brown Swiss Show.

• 3 pm: Australia's National Jersey Heifer Show.

• 6.30 pm: IDW National Herd Improvement Association dinner.

• 7.30 pm: Power of Women in Dairying function.

Wednesday, January 19 • 8 am: Australia's National Jersey Cow Show.

• 9.30 am: IDW seminars.

• 1 pm: The MaxCare Challenge.

• 1.30 pm: Australia's National Holstein Heifer Show.

• 5 pm: IDW Interbreed — Junior Champion presentation.

• 7 pm: STG Australia "Create the Future" sale .

Thursday, January 20 • 8 am: Australia's National Holstein Cow Show.

• 8.30 am: Dairy industry leaders breakfast.

• 11.30 am: IDW Interbreed — Intermediate Champion presentation.

• 2 pm: Presentation of Lex Bunn Memorial Award.

• 3 pm: IDW Interbreed — Grand Champion presentation.

• 7.30 pm: Final wrap-up celebration.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

4 // MARKETS

Outlook remains profitable FOLLOWING A year of close to record returns,

overall conditions remain supportive for farm profitability.

Farm gate milk prices are generally higher compared to last season and global dairy markets dynamics are favourable.

Additionally, as most Australian COVID-19 restrictions ease ahead of summer, consumers are taking advantage of newfound freedoms, further buoying the domestic market.

However, rain continues to fall in record amounts, and while positive for dam levels and pasture growth, it has resulted in several challenges on-farm this season.

Market fundamentals look well supported going forward.

Globally, less supply and strong demand has continued to push commodity values upwards and prices of most dairy products are now above the five-year average.

Back home, consumer confidence has edged upwards with the end of lockdowns. Shoppers have returned in force as the economy reopens, and Dairy Australia’s foodservice index shows that café and restaurant spending has recovered since last year.

Takeaway products are growing in popularity and retail demand for dairy remains strong, with sales of yellow spreads and milk outpacing prepandemic volumes.

Combined with an increase in the average retail price of private label milk, the domestic market is well placed to deliver additional value growth for the industry going forward.

While dairy market dynamics remain supportive, seasonal conditions have made the path to profit less clear.

Above average rain, storms and cold fronts have caused flooding in some regions and disrupted harvest proceedings.

This has particularly been the case in Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia, where silagemaking efforts have been delayed or abandoned due to ground conditions.

At the same time, the wet weather also replenished water storage sites and the cost of temporary irrigation water has continued to fall in northern Victoria and southern NSW. The lowered demand for purchased feed and strong water availability is likely to con-

As such, competition for milk remains fierce among processors, evidenced by the latest milk price stepups. This competition for milk supplies bodes well for the season ahead and is likely to underpin farm profit expectations. tinue suppressing these input costs for a little while longer.

Contrastingly, prices of other inputs are on a separate trajectory.

A global shortage of fertilisers, combined with some countries limiting exports, is expected to restrict supply for the foreseeable future.

International pressures have also been impacting Australia’s grain prices.

While a significant amount of grain has been harvested so far, wet weather has not only delayed proceedings but worsened the quality of some crops.

While Australian grain prices currently remain below international values, eastern wheat and barley future markets have surged in response to recent weather impacts.

Other input costs, like energy and fuel, have also been mounting recently, adding to price pressures on-farm.

While wet and cold conditions have weighed on per-cow yields, the ongoing labour shortage has also contributed to a slowdown in Australian milk production this season.

The shortage of farm workers in Australia has resulted in severe competition between agricultural industries to secure staff. This is pushing up labour costs at a time when finding staff remains challenging.

While the re-opening of international borders may provide some relief next year, several farmers have for now chosen to diversify away from dairy or reduce stocking rates to navigate this issue.

At the same time, beef prices continue to surge, making culling more attractive. With prices reaching new records, farmers continue to make the choice to cull, taking advantage of strong returns. This will delay any rebuild

of the national dairy herd.

Combined, these factors have made any growth in Australia’s national milk pool look fairly unlikely.

As such, competition for milk remains fierce among processors, evidenced by the latest milk price step-ups. This competition for milk supplies bodes well for the season ahead and is likely to underpin farm profit expectations.

According to the Dairy Farm Monitor Project, last year proved to be one of the most profitable in recent times, as most dairy regions reported their highest average returns since 2013–14.

Strong market fundamentals and lower fodder and water costs, suggest this momentum can be maintained.

While increasing costs of some key inputs may weigh on margins this season, a generally higher farm gate milk price is expected to help insulate against rising prices.

As Australia’s national milk pool is unlikely to grow this season, strong competition for milk is also expected to remain a feature of the processing landscape going forward.

Please visit us on our stand in the main pavilion at IDW 2022, to discuss the benefits that feeding Megalac can have on your herd’s production and fertility.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

IDW PREVIEW // 5

Floods fail to dampen spirits Week was last held, and for many exhibitors the 2021 break provided a chance to recharge and refocus.

With the 2022 event now looming in January, there are many exhibitors across the country starting to get excited.

That includes the Polson family from Mario Park Holsteins at Oxley Island in NSW. Murray and Jane — and their children Ruby, Lachie, Isabella and Hugh — have their team of four heifers and one cow ready to go.

A team that includes the 2021 Winter Fair Champion Heifer Mario Park Crushabull Fanny and Red Heifer Reserve Champion Mario Park Unstoppable Alicia.

Murray said while the break was good, he was looking forward to getting among the action again in 2022.

“The kids are getting to an age where they are really into showing and I guess that’s what keeps us doing what we are doing,” he said.

“They are the next generation and we want to continue to foster their passion and give them the same opportunities I was given when I was young.”

Murray said the family were lucky to cross the border and make it to the Bendigo Winter Fair in June, and they have also attended a couple of local shows.

“Showing cattle gives us an opportunity to catch up and talk to fellow breeders and see where our cows are sitting against the best in the industry,” Murray said.

But it could very well have been a different story for the family this year.

Living on the mid-north coast near Taree, Murray has seen his fair share of floods — but nothing prepared him for what happened in March.

“We are used to floods but I have never seen such a volume of water come up so quickly,” he said.

“Everyone around here talks about the 1978 floods as the benchmark and these were just as bad.”

Murray said on the day of the floods he had moved the herd to what he thought was a safe paddock and when he returned an hour later the cows were in water and had to be swum across to the dairy.

“It was like a sinking ship and we just had to keep plugging the holes and moving the stock to higher ground; we really were in unknown territory.”

The 350-cow herd ending up spending four days on a 100 m by 50 m strip at the dairy.

“We were able to get some feed into them and thankfully all our motors were up high and we were able to milk even though the pit was half full of water,” Murray said.

Initially Murray had no idea whether the young stock, which were spread across a few farms, were even okay.

“It was bloody stressful and because we couldn’t get to them we didn’t know if they were alive or had been washed away.”

Murray said in the end he was grateful they only lost 15 heifers because it could have been a lot worse.

“It was heartbreaking to see stock caught in fences and in trees. We found 46 of our heifers had floated 3 km down the river so it could have been much worse — they could have floated out to sea and never been seen again.”

Murray said it was surreal to motor around in the boat and see the damage the flood inflicted.

“We went past a front yard and there were five cattle in there hoeing into a bale of silage that must have washed up there as well.”

Leading up to the floods had been an exceptionally wet period, and the cows were already struggling with a few foot issues. The floods just topped it off.

“Cow health was pretty hard there for a while, especially for the young stock,” Murray said.

A good mate in Victoria offered to take some of the Mario Park show heifers to take a bit of pressure off as the family attempted to recover.

They had lost all their hay and a stand of corn, which had yet to be harvested.

They had to resow the whole farm.

“The best thing we did was resow pastures with the aid of a helicopter,” Murray said.

“I had a good mate who was an agronomist and my sister stepped in and looked after that — a week after the flood we had about 70 per cent of the farm over-sown.”

And to top it all off, five days after the floods baby Hugh arrived.

Murray said it was well into May before the family felt like things were back on track.

“We worked our butts off for three months but managed to be able to sneak down to the Winter Fair in Bendigo, which was the break we really needed.”

Back in March, Murray didn’t think IDW would even be a possibility — now they are all just looking forward to getting out in the ring in Tatura.

The kids will be keenly contesting youth day and Murray will be helping his mates Brad and Jess Gavenlock from Cherrylock Cattle Co. “The two-year break has certainly made us a little more enthusiastic and we can’t wait.”

Lachie Polson with Mario Park Atwood Midas.

The Polsons will also bring 2021 Winter Fair Champion Heifer Mario Park Crushabull Fanny and Red Heifer Reserve Champion Mario Park Unstoppable Alicia to IDW in Tatura.

Lachie Polson with Mario Park Sidekick Piebe at Nabiac all-breeds calf show.

BY SOPHIE BALDWIN

IT HAS been two years since International Dairy

Jemima Burney, Ruby Polson, Jackson Schubert and Lachie Polson. The Polsons are looking forward to the IDW youth show.

Isabella, Ruby and Lachie Polson at Winter Fair 2021 in Bendigo.

POLARIS ad 129x186 DEC21.indd 1

15/12/21 3:47 pm

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

6 // NEWS

It never rains but it pours

BY JEANETTE SEVERS

FARMERS AT the lower end of the Snowy River

are coping with flooding from a combination of Jindabyne Dam environmental flow releases into the system every couple of weeks during spring and heavy rainfall in successive weeks during the same period.

More heavy rain in December fell into an already soaked environment.

For dairy farmers Alastair Steel and Dennis Reynolds, from Orbost in south-eastern Victoria, it has pushed back harvest season and means more pasture renovation, as well as some lost crops.

Alastair uses contractors to harvest silage, so between the successive rain and flood events and a high demand for silage harvest, he has had to wait.

Dennis moved his cows to higher ground as about 100 hectares of his farm went under and stayed under floodwater.

He has found it stressful dealing with the fortnightly releases from Jindabyne Dam as well as the regular heavy rain. Releases from the dam reach Orbost four days later, which has often been during or immediately after heavy rain.

“Basically, from July to now we’ve had water on the flats at Orbost,” Dennis said in mid-December.

“We’ve had to keep cattle on high ground, and we didn’t cut any hay or silage off the flats this year. We’ve had to cut that off our hill country.”

He estimated he will have to over-sow 50 per cent of his farm at Orbost, after flooding stops happening.

In the latest event, his farm at Jarrahmond was also inundated with floodwater from the Snowy River, and he will have to replace some boundary and internal fencing.

The same conditions have been replicated throughout Gippsland, as the rain tap hasn’t turned off and creeks and rivers have flooded successively well into December.

In the Macalister Irrigation District, with little head space in Lake Glenmaggie because of ongoing rain, water was still being released into rivers and creeks in mid-December, with flood levels up to 2.71 metres in the Macalister River catchment.

It has made high ground and hills premium real estate for dairy farmers coping with mud and an increased risk of lameness and mastitis in their herds. Silage has been cut from higher ground and opportunistically.

This on the back of long-term drought.

For irrigators it has meant a huge saving in resources, as they haven’t had to access irrigation yet.

For Macalister Irrigation District dairy farmers like Justin Johnston and Alex McArthur, who

Justin Johnston, of Bundalaguah, has been making silage between rain events, counting the cost savings of not needing to irrigate, and dealing with mastitis in his herd.

Rohan Bingley, of Goon Nure, is celebrating not having to irrigate so far this season. He has had to deal with some lameness in his herd because of standing water in some of his paddocks.

Celeste and Craig Calvert, at Mossiface, have seen 75 per cent of their pasture underwater during spring and early summer and lost $20,000 in milk production.

Successive spills out of Jindabyne Dam along with regular heavy rain have flooded the lower Snowy River catchment, including at Dennis Reynolds' Jarrahmond farm.

Looking at the Snowy River spread over dairy farms between Orbost and Marlo.

haven’t had to irrigate pastures since the season opened in August, they have water in the bank for when the hot weather sets in. They have also saved on pumping costs.

“The centre pivot irrigates 243ha,” Justin said.

“If you’re talking figures, two-thirds of our power cost is in pumping irrigation water. We’ve saved a lot of money so far this season.

“We’ll use the irrigation when it gets warmer and at the back of the season, but it’s a good cost saving.”

He has opportunistically harvested silage on some dryland country between rain events. He estimated 15 per cent of the farm was inundated by floodwater.

Unfortunately, he also had to deal with increased levels of mastitis in the herd.

Alex has his own machinery, like Justin, and has also opportunistically harvested silage between rain events.

He has also been in close contact with Southern Rural Water to identify when he could expect floodwater from weir releases to affect his farm.

“They’ve been very good about letting me know what’s going on,” Alex said in mid-December.

“About 24 hours after the spill from Lake Glenmaggie’s Maffra Weir it hits our country.

Advertising Max Hyde 0408 558 938 max.hyde@dairynewsaustralia.com.au Editor Fiona Lloyd (03) 5820 3254 editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au Dairy News Australia is published by Shepparton Newspapers Pty Ltd. All editorial copy and photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions or comments expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the staff, management or directors of Shepparton Newspapers Pty Ltd.

Regional editor news@dairynewsaustralia.com.au

Publisher Shepparton Newspapers Pty Ltd Printed by Newsprinters Pty Ltd Head Office 7940 Goulburn Valley Highway Shepparton, VIC 3630 Phone (03) 5831 2312 Postal address PO Box 204 Shepparton, Victoria 3632 Australia

WWW.DAIRYNEWSAUSTRALIA.COM.AU

“We’re very lucky there’s only been about 10 per cent of the farm underwater four or five times. But we’ve classified that country years ago as opportunity country.

“That country was planted to annual ryegrass and died. We resowed it to grazing millet and we’ll just have to wait and see how much of it survives being covered by water.”

He managed to cut silage early in the season.

“I probably just took risks on cutting and ­pulling it off. We have all our own gear so we could go for it in short windows.”

Alex has had some mastitis and lameness among the cows and tried to manage that by being flexible about the grazing rotation — in particular, reducing the amount of walking the cows must do.

“About 15 cows out of the 500 got some lameness, with bruised feet, so we cut that and let it drain and put a block on it,” he said.

Craig Calvert at Mossiface has been dealing with lameness in some of his cows the same way.

“We’ve had five floods this year and they have cost us a lot of money,” Craig said.

“I’ve spent a lot of time fixing river crossings and fencing; a flood causes a lot of damage. And then there’s obviously issues of moving cattle onto higher ground.

“The loss in production has probably lost us $20,000 of milk for the year.”

Craig was able to cut silage early in the season, which is just as well, with 75 per cent of pasture underwater during spring and early summer.

Not far away, but in different country at Goon Nure, Rohan Bingley harvested three cuts of silage — a mix of rye-grass, clover and lucerne — and was contemplating a fourth cut in mid-December.

The regular rain means he hasn’t used ­irrigation yet, and he isn’t close to a river system.

“We had a bit of wet country in May/June, and we had more lameness than usual because the cows were standing in water. We had to regrade a few laneways to make sure the water ran off,” Rohan said.

He also fed oaten hay and cut back the grain portion fed in the dairy. Production stayed up to 26 litres until he started drying cows off in November.

“The rest of the season’s been pretty good.

We haven’t used any irrigation. It’s rained all through spring and we were able to get the ­harvest c­ ontractor here between rainfall events.

“We probably could push out to a fourth cut of silage, except we don’t know how hot and dry it’s going to become.

“We cut and wrapped a year-and-a-half of silage above ground, and about a year of silage underground.”

Dairy News Australia welcomes contributions from stakeholders in the dairy industry, and particularly from organisations wishing to advance the industry.

Contributions and photos can be sent to: editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au Letters to the editor on topical issues are also welcome.

Letters should be concise and carry the name and town address of the author, as well as a contact phone number, not for publication.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

DAIRY // 7

Better For Your Herd.

“Ease of Use and Accuracy of Heat Detection are Major Benefits For Us” CowManager is the only cow monitoring system to efficiently combine ear temperature with activity and rumination information.

Jared King, fom Wattle Flat, on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula: “As we grow, heat detection has become a bigger job.

With CowManager we can simplify the process. There’s obviously cost savings in labour, scratchies, and tail paint.

But I’d say the ease of use and accuracy of heat detection are the major benefits for us.”

Scan the QR code to discover more business benefits, and to read Jared’s full story.

www.cowmanager.com/Australia Paul Quinlan T 0447 047 425 E pquinlan@wwsaustralia.com

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

8 // IDW NEWS

Automation makes life easier THE USE of an innovative bolus-based heat

detection and cow health monitoring system has boosted first and second round conception rates by up to 25 per cent in one Gippsland dairy herd.

Rodney and Steph Goode, who milk about 380 registered Jersey and Holstein cows at Poowong North, in south-eastern Victoria, adopted the smaXtec system about two years ago.

Developed in Europe, it uses rumen boluses to monitor body temperature, animal activity and water/feed intake around-the-clock as a means of predicting heat, calving, heat stress and a range of illnesses, such as mastitis, lameness or pneumonia.

Data is collected by sensors mounted in the dairy or around the farm and then transferred to a base station via repeaters, and ultimately, to a cloud database.

Individual cow and herd reports, including alerts and recommended actions, are then forwarded to authorised users instantly via smartphone, tablet or computer.

A second bolus can be administered to a smaller sample of cows to monitor rumen pH as an indicator of subclinical acidosis.

Rodney and Steph were quick to adopt the system once it became available in Australia.

Their split autumn-spring calving herd has an average production of 580 kg milk solids, achieved from an intensive grain-based ration and a silage-based PMR in summer and autumn.

Like many high production herds, achieving high levels of conception early in the lactation can be difficult.

“We were looking to improve our heat detection,” Rodney said.

“We employ a lot of backpackers and it's not realistic to be relying on them for heat detection.

“Automation makes the process incredibly accurate and as easy as possible.

“The data for each cow is uploaded to our Easy Dairy herd management system as soon as it comes into the dairy.

“Any cow that is on heat is automatically drafted after milking so there is no chance of missing a heat.

“I'd say we've increased our 60-day pregnancy rates by 25 per cent.”

The smaXtec system also plays a major role in the Goodes' mastitis program.

The Goodes' front-line defence is an automatic teat dipping and flushing system installed in their 25-a-side swing-over herringbone dairy.

“This system has had an obvious improvement in the health of our cows,” Rodney said.

“Teat condition has improved, with very little cracking; there has been a significant reduction in somatic cell count; and we have nearly halved our clinical cases of mastitis.

“This has direct economic benefits — we have reduced our use of antibiotics, the need for veterinary intervention and our cows are staying in the herd longer.

Poowong North’s Rodney and Steph Goode adopted the smaXtec cow health monitoring system about two years ago.

“Plus, it saves time. There are only two of us working here full-time so having fewer cases of mastitis means we can get other things done.

“I reckon we save about 20 minutes each milking and that adds up to more than four hours every week.

“Like our heat detection system, it's fully automatic so we get the same result no matter who's working in the dairy each day.” smaXtec forms the second line of defence against mastitis by detecting any cows with an elevated temperature.

“Whenever we get a temperature alert, mastitis is the first thing we test for and that means we can treat before there are any clinical symptoms,” Rodney said.

“Overall, smaXtec has easily paid for itself several times over.

“We are about to install a second sensor down in the paddock so we can get a better handle on the heat status of our cows in real time rather than twice daily.

“Sometimes the mating window can be only a matter of hours, so being able to detect heat earlier will allow us to get cows mated at the best time.”

How can you manage rumen health, ionophore free?

Contact Ajay Agarwal – 0455 773 707 ajay.agarwal@ew-nutrition.com Visit us at Site 37 at the International Dairy Week 2022 to find out more! ew-nutrition.com

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1:37 PM

CYCLE - Reproduction

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

10 // IDW NEWS

Get to know your bacteria SILAGE INOCULANTS are an invest-

Growers wanting to understand their inoculant bacteria should speak with silage specialist Jason Scott and the Pioneer Seeds team at IDW to learn more about investing in good inoculant for silage quality benefits.

ment, not an expense, and the benefits of using the best silage inoculants on the market are considerable and wide ranging, says Pioneer Seeds silage specialist Jason Scott.

Mr Scott said it could be difficult to know which was a good inoculant product.

“This is simply because the product label lists just the same genus/species information such as Lactobacillus buchneri,” he said.

“However, a listing that does this, doesn’t take into account the tremendous genetic differences between individual strains within a species.”

He likened the differences to the ­variances in cattle breeds.

“While product labels may read similarly, there are differences in bacterial stains just like there are differences in the milk production potential of Friesian and Hereford cattle (both of which have the zoological classification Bos Taurus).

“So, when you are buying an inoculant that doesn’t identify the bacterial strain, you don’t always know what you are getting.”

Mr Scott encouraged farmers to make inoculant comparisons by asking inoculant suppliers for their animal data against

an untreated control so they could be confident they were comparing data properly, and to know that they were investing in a strain that would deliver the best quality silage possible.

“Many companies have no animal data, and often very little fermentation data as well, even against an untreated control, which then leaves farmers and contractors unclear about performance expectations for their investment in the inoculant they choose.”

He said Pioneer supported the advancement in inoculant technology with the development of an application system designed and calibrated specifically for Pioneer brand inoculant products.

“The unique design of the Appli-Pro application system reduces water requirements and offers a high level of application precision and convenience.”

The Appli-Pro has been designed to work with all major brands of forage ­harvesting equipment, and allows the operator to use the cab-mounted control panel to turn the applicator on and off to precisely control the application rate.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

12 // IDW NEWS

Sexed genetics push profits BREEDING WITH sexed genetics doesn’t mean

compromising vital dairy productivity and health traits.

ABS’s biggest selling Sexcel sires 29HO18698 ABS Jeronimo-P, 29HO18182 Rosylane-LLC Spock and 29HO18490 De-Su 13530 Seville are all sitting at the top of the nation’s ABV proven Holstein list, while the next generation — 29HO18878 Pine-Tree Howler — is taking fertility to the next level.

“Howler is sitting on the Interbull list — his proof includes overseas data — but he’s in our top four selling bulls in Australia and his daughters will start calving here next year,” ABS’s Bruce Ronalds said.

Howler’s semen fertility is 3.54 per cent across 2000 matings, ranking him the highest in the country by far — and driving his Sexcel popularity.

Holstein breeder, Anthony Eccles from Purnim in western Victoria, believes Howler is at least 10 per cent more fertile than other Holstein sires and he has the calves on the ground and pregnancies to prove it.

Initially Howler was used to join heifers, but his fertility was so good, they used his Sexcel semen in a reproduction program on the milking herd — using second-hand CIDRS — and he got 49 out of 100 cows pregnant.

Using Howler, Mr Eccles has bred more calves and got cows in calf earlier — all important contributors to dairy farm profitability.

Paul and Lisa Mumford, Won Wron, Gippsland, with CSC Woodside dam, Gelbeado Park Tahbilk Cowslip.

Anthony Eccles believes Howler is at least 10 per cent more fertile than other Holstein sires.

“Some cows that we know we are going to have a reproduction problem with, we wouldn’t normally join them until they get to 100 days in milk, but with Howler we can join them at 65 days,” he said.

“At the end of the day, thanks to Howler, we don’t have as many empty or late calving cows, and we have extra heifer calves on the ground.”

Mr Ronalds said farmers were breeding heifers from their “genetically superior animals, but most importantly, combining this with Beef InFocus is ensuring profit from the rest of the herd”.

Consistent Holstein sire Jeronimo-P remains at the top of the Holstein proven ABV rankings this December, with 539 Balanced Performance Index (BPI) and more than 250 daughters in his proof.

After dominating the genomic proofs, he has settled as a proven sire, adding more milk, fat and protein to improve his Australian Selection Index (ASI).

A farmer favourite, his temperament is 104 and likeability 105. Jeronimo-P sired half of the top 10 December ABV cows, including number one and two.

ABS's Onstad-P remains at the top of the Australian Red breed ABV proven rankings and ABS has the most homozygous polled sires on the Red breeds genomic ABV list.

For those wanting to avoid disbudding, ABS has plenty of high-quality Red breed sires — including the top polled sire Sausvatn PP — who was released in August and is now 252 BPI$.

The other top homozygous or ‘double P’ sires are Aland PP and Horverid PP.

Ofstad — not to be confused with the number one proven Red breed bull, Onstad-P — is on the genomic Interbull list at 392 BPI$. The single P and A2 sire is ranked number one for mastitis resistance at 106 and number one for ASI at 302.

Of the 13 sires on the Red breed ABV Daughter Fertility list, 11 are from the ABS stable.

Mr Ronalds said Red breeders were combining the ABS sexed genetics product Redx with dairy-beef Beef InFocus to deliver the most profitable return from their herds.

Northern Victorian-bred Kaarmona Balenti sits at number two on the Jersey ABV proven rankings this December, with a BPI$ of 283.

This sire, bred by the Sprunt family, rose 32 BPI$ points from August with the addition of 25 Australian milking daughters to a total of 90.

“He's 107 for likeability and 106 for temperament — his workability is outstanding — and he is positive for daughter fertility,” Mr Ronalds said.

Gippsland-bred Gelbeado Park Woodside sits at the top of the Jersey genomic ABV list with semen production in full swing. He is one of three new young Central Sires Co‑op sires now producing semen and farmers have been jumping at the chance to inject some new genetics into their herds.

Semen production from top polled sire Brookbora Bushfield has also geared-up, with straws sold throughout the country to breeders using him in embryo flush programs.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

14 // NEWS

Farm trespass bill welcomed

BY JEANETTE SEVERS

FARMERS WILL be expected to have a bios-

John Gommans and Melina Bath on the day he tendered his view of animal activism to the Victorian Parliament.

Animal Justice Party MP Andy Reddick (centre) with supporters, feels the bill supports farmers rather than animal activists.

ecurity plan and appropriate signage in place, if the Livestock Management Amendment (Animal Activism) Bill 2021 is passed by the Victorian Parliament later this year.

The bill was tabled for its first reading on December 1, just weeks after an intensive rabbit farm was investigated by Agriculture Victoria.

AgVic was tasked with investigating after animal activists illegally filmed animal production methods on the farm. AgVic has since indicated the farm’s owners complied with, or were working towards complying with, appropriate animal welfare standards.

The proposed legislation is in response to animal activism activities that peaked in 2018 and 2019 in Victoria, with illegal raids by activists on livestock businesses, and included a website identifying thousands of Australian farms and inciting people to invade them.

This eventually led to an official inquiry into the impact of animal rights activism on Victorian agriculture.

The inquiry heard from industry bodies, individual farmers, animal rights activists and organisations such as the RSPCA and Law Institute of Victoria.

The report from this inquiry was published in February 2020 and made a large number

of recommendations about animal welfare standards.

The Livestock Management Amendment (Animal Activism) Bill 2021, currently before Victoria's parliament, recommends deterring trespassing on farms in the name of animal activism and a scale of infringements that can be prosecuted.

The onus will be on farmers to implement biosecurity management plans (BMP), which can include measures such as requiring consent from farmers before entering a property covered by a BMP, according to Premier Daniel Andrews.

John Gommans, the man who became well-known in 2018 and early 2019 because animal activists stole livestock from his farm at Yarragon, is pleased to see harsher penalties proposed and hopes the final bill will include them. One animal activist was fined $1 for invading his property.

Harsher penalties were part of the recommendations in a proposal he presented to Victoria’s parliamentarians in August 2019.

“I think if this legislation was here a couple of years ago, we would have been protected,” Mr Gommans said.

He was surprised the bill had been presented to parliament.

“I thought the state government had neglected to follow through with the inquiry’s recommendations.”

Mr Gommans cautioned there was a long way to go before the second reading and the bill is presented to the upper house near the middle of 2022.

“There are various interested parties who are going to have their say. But the first reading of the bill is hopeful,” he said.

“We’re hopeful the legislation will have all the teeth that’s needed. The bill promises to include the bulk of the recommendations we made.

“We’ll take a conservative view, no doubt there’ll be a bit of politics and horse trading.

There are other parties with vested interests.”

Mr Gommans continues to farm milking goats at Yarragon and Jersey cows on his dairy farm at Caldermeade, where he also operates a processing facility. In both businesses, his focus is on educating people about the paddock-to-plate experience of farming food.

He still feels victimised by animal activists and is aware there was recent footage published of his farm and business.

“There was some covert footage of our farming operations released to the mainstream media last year. I suspect animal activists used longrange cameras and drones to gather footage.

“The constant vilification is horrendous. It’s rather a brutal strategy. But we haven’t been beaten as a consequence of the actions of animal activists.

“The inquiry outcomes were unexpected.

It was important to stand up for the fight. We

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

NEWS // 15 didn’t realise how many other farmers were affected by animal activists.”

State Member for Eastern Victoria Melina Bath was a key driver of updating the Victorian legislation to protect livestock farmers.

“The key thing is that legislation is applicable to the circumstances,” the upper house Nationals MP said.

“In this case, livestock farmers need to have a biosecurity sign at the gate to identify biosecurity processes need to be complied with.

“That’s a very reasonable thing to do. Then the legislation applies.”

Ms Bath is concerned livestock farmers are feeling anxious about being victimised.

Her concerns are supported by research out of the University of New England, led by Dr Kyle Mulrooney, that concludes farmers are victimised repeatedly by trespassers.

“There’s been no real deterrent for animal activists trespassing on farms,” Ms Bath said.

“Farmers have been looking for protection and it’s overdue. The government should ­continue to condemn actions where animal activists go on farm and use cameras to record activities.”

The bill strengthens penalties. Mr Andrews said penalties included on-the-spot fines of $1272 for an individual or $8178 for an organisation; and further penalties of up to $10,904 for an individual and up to $54,522 for an organisation could apply for more serious offending.

In the United States, an animal activist who stole a baby goat from a farm was charged in December with burglary and larceny, carrying potentially more than three years in prison.

The Victorian Government has introduced a bill into state parliament that puts the onus on farmers to identify their biosecurity plans and protocols, as a deterrent to animal activists.

Victoria’s farmers will be expected to have a biosecurity management plan and appropriate signage on their farms, in the hope stronger laws against animal activists are realised.

Ms Bath supports applicable penalties for the crime, but also cautions that judiciary are trained and familiar with the value of agriculture to a region.

Animal Justice Party MP Andy Reddick is not happy with the contents of the bill.

He feels two recommendations by the Animal Justice Party weren’t included in the bill, which protects livestock farmers rather than animal activists.

“We need laws to stop animal cruelty yet today the government introduced a bill to

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increase on-the-spot fines for exposing animal cruelty,” Mr Reddick said.

“We will obviously be fighting it at every turn.”

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

IDW NEWS // 17

Top nutrition grows winners THE BEST genetics can only be fully displayed if

the animal has had every opportunity to develop to its genetic potential.

The animal’s nutrient requirements must be met through each phase of growth to ensure they achieve their genetic potential size by first calving.

Giving a calf the opportunity to develop into a prize-winning cow starts even before birth.

Providing the dam with a well-balanced Lead-up diet prior to calving ensures a greater chance of the calf being born live. Calves will also have greater vitality being born with a good reserve of vitamins and minerals.

Colostrum feeding is critical for early development and cows that have received Lead-up are more likely to produce high-quality colostrum.

Milk, or milk replacer, are the main sources of nutrients for young calves but getting them eating grain early is essential to develop the digestive system.

Starting on a highly palatable textured feed like Calf Muesli can encourage intake early before moving onto a Calf Rearer Pellet.

The feeding of pellets or grain mix should continue until the calf’s rumen size is sufficient to sustain growth from forage alone, this is around 160 kg for Holsteins and 130 kg for Jerseys.

However, when forage quality is low pellets may need to be reintroduced to maintain target growth rates.

Diets need to be balanced to achieve optimum frame development.

Insufficient energy can stunt growth but high level of fat deposition due to excess energy can bring on early puberty limiting the time available for frame growth.

Protein needs to be of high quality and in the appropriate ratio to energy to encourage muscle growth rather than fattening.

Minerals are important for bone growth to provide the skeletal development required for muscle to attach to. While pellets are being fed mineral supply is usually adequate, but when the diet consists only of pasture or conserved forage, a mineral lick is beneficial.

Purchasing high-quality genetics is a major investment, and a well-designed nutrition program is essential to ensure you optimise the return on this investment.

Contact your local Ridley nutrition specialist if you would like assistance in developing a program.

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In recent trial work, calves showed a high immune response to both MH and IBR after receiving colostrum from Bovilis MH+IBR vaccinated cows. Calves maintain a high level of antibodies against Mannheimia haemolytica (MH) for a least 28 days and against Bovine Herpes Virus Type 1 (IBR) for at least 112 days.

Fig 1: Evolution of mean (± sd) IBR blocking % in newborn calves fed colostrum from cows vaccinated with Bovilis MH+IBR1

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Fig 2: Evolution of mean (± sd) MH titre in newborn calves fed colostrum from cows vaccinated with Bovilis MH+IBR1

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5

0 05 14 28

56

84

112

140

158

196

224

252

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Sampling day

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

20 // IDW NEWS

Innovative solutions showcased EW NUTRITION is looking forward to attend-

produces, sells and services most of the products

ing International Dairy Week 2022, the company's Oceania commercial director David Sherwood says.

EW Nutrition offers animal nutrition solutions to the feed industry. The company's focus is on gut health, supported by other product lines. EW Nutrition researches, develops,

it commercialises.

“This is a great opportunity for us to showcase our cutting-edge dairy solutions. We look forward to connecting and working with our valued customers to enhance ruminant health and performance,” David said.

Located at Site 37, EW Nutrition is inviting attendees to explore topics such as toxin risk management and respiratory issues.

Among the Pasturefed Cattle Assurance System certified products are: Activo Premium, which contains standardised amounts of selected phytomolecules;

• Mastersorb Gold, part of EW Nutrition's Toxin Risk Management Program, which also includes services, on-site advice, and expert consultancy; and • Prote-N, a slow-release source of nonprotein nitrogen.

For more information, please visit ew-nutrition.com

“Make it quick, easy, & safe & staff will happily do hooves.”

Talk to EW Nutrition at IDW 2022.

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Due to expansion of our Agricultural Publishing business, we are looking for a Media Sales Consultant with a talent for building lasting customer relationships and a drive to help our clients grow their businesses while maximising your own sales.

You will be working with local and national businesses across some of Australia’s largest agricultural publications, including our regional flagship masthead, presenting clients with the best-suited marketing/ advertising solutions and products — both in print and online.

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Quality Quality silage silage begins begins with with ®® the right Pioneer the right Pioneer brand brand corn corn seed seed and and inoculant. inoculant.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

22 // IDW NEWS

Track animal performance GALLAGHER HAS boosted its suite of animal

management technology solutions.

Building upon the Animal Performance Everyday app, which can be downloaded and used free of charge, Animal Performance Plus gives customers more in-depth analysis to help track performance towards targets.

Designed to provide customers with meaningful animal performance insights, the cloud-based web and mobile app allows farmers to make more informed business decisions with an aim of improving on-farm productivity.

Gallagher Animal Performance gives users access to the same animal data stored on the cloud-based software from in the yards using their weighing and EID hardware, anywhere on or off farm using a smartphone or in the office on a computer.

For customers wanting to do more than just make good buying, selling and culling decisions, Animal Performance Plus gives farmers the additional ability to create groups, mobs or draft lists, to track the outcomes of management decisions on performance.

“The tool is much more than a weighing system,” Gallagher animal management product manager apps and software Keinen Wyatt said.

“It is helping farmers make more accurate assessments about a whole range of key factors that can influence the way they run their farm.

Even more animal management information is available with the Animal Performance Plus app.

At the end of the day, if you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it.

“It can help you get your stock to the right weight for breeding, transition them to weaning or manage animal health. The system can also help you record animal traits you might want to breed into your herd over time.

“Farmers can also measure their animals’ performance on different feeds or pasture, which over time will help make decisions about what feed they will need to buy in or what forage ­varieties work best in their environment.”

The introduction of Animal Performance Plus offers customers who want to drill down into

their data the opportunity get the full benefit of the total weighing and EID system for a reasonable monthly cost.

Customers can subscribe to Animal Performance Plus online or purchase a 12-month subscription at their local Gallagher stockist.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

24 // IDW NEWS

On-farm quality ‘impressive’ THE 2021 Leading Edge Genetics On-Farm Competition saw the accolades being shared among some first-time winners of the event.

The competition, now in its 12th year, is one of the largest of its kind in Australia.

This Year 427 head were entered from 58 different farms across Gippsland, in south-eastern Victorian.

Taking out the highest honour of Overall Champion and winning the threeyear-old class was entry 5986, sired by Mogul and owned by Bill, Faye, Brett and Jodi Loughridge of Poowong North. This well-balanced dairy cow on her second lactation was a standout for judge Lindsay Marshall.

The two-year-old class was won by Warren Lace and Carrie Ralston with their Jersey entry 2569 sired by Grant.

A Guthrie daughter, entry 927, won the four- to five-year-old class. Owned by the Thomson family at Fish Creek, she amazed Mr Marshall with her tremendous balance and unbelievable udder.

One of the most coveted prizes is the Group class (three animals by the one sire). This year the winning pen was owned by the Loughridge family, with a threeyear-old Mogul daughter group.

The Loughridges also took out Most Successful Exhibitor.

The highest placed non-registered Holstein breeder was a tie between Peter, Helen and Michael Thomson at Fish Creek and Ben Elliott of Jindivick.

For Mr Marshall, it was a busy four days of judging across Gippsland. He visited 58 farms and judged 427 animals from most breeds.

“It was certainly a competition of great depth,” he said.

“Each farm had animals of tremendous quality.

“There could only be one winner in each class unfortunately. But for me I was looking for the most correct well-balanced cow.”

Winners received their awards at a lunch at Drouin Golf Club on December 3.

Leading Edge Genetics owner/manager Brad Aitken said each year he was impressed by the quality of cows presented.

“It truly has become one of the leading on-farm competitions here in Australia,” he said.

“Based on the large attendance today, there is no doubting there is not only great fellowship in our dairy cattle industry, but also great pride that everyone has in their animals.”

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

IDW NEWS // 25

B vitamins boost fertility DESPITE THE advancement in genetics and

production systems, fertility is still challenging in modern dairy cows.

Although many factors may be responsible, the underlying reason for low fertility is associated with nutrition and overall management of the cow.

According to researchers from across the globe, both high and low producing cows are affected by low fertility.

So, with the right nutritional tools, it is possible to maintain high production and reproductive capacity in dairy herds. Therefore, this article will focus only on how nutrition and, in particular, B vitamins can help to improve fertility in dairy cows.

Two of the nutrition-related factors that will be discussed are body condition and negative energy balance, both of which have significant impact on the reproductive performance of dairy cows.

Why B vitamins?

First, let us briefly highlight the importance of B vitamins in dairy cows.

The B vitamins are part of various enzyme systems that facilitate different metabolic processes, for example, energy (glucose) and protein metabolisms.

They are important in immune systems and play a major role in metabolising fat and keeping the liver healthy. The liver metabolises almost all nutrients before they are used by the cow, so a healthy liver is key to a healthy and highperforming cow.

Research has shown that B vitamins in feeds are easily degraded in the rumen, between 60 per cent and 99 per cent can be lost in the rumen as a result. We also know that bacteria in the rumen synthesise B vitamins, but it is likely that a deficit may exist between an animal’s need and microbial synthesis.

Recent research evidence shows that supplementation with B vitamins improved the health, production and reproduction of dairy cows, suggesting that B vitamins may indeed be essential, and should be added to modern dairy cows’ diet.

Body condition and negative energy balance Body condition and energy balance are closely linked. A cow with good energy balance is likely to be in good body condition.

Figure 1: Vicious cycle of severe negative energy balance.

Around four weeks before and after calv- Figure 2: Supplementation with B vitamins improved conception rate. ing (transition period), dairy cows’ energy requirement dramatically increases due to and embryo survival, were switched on when the increasing demand from the developing vitamins B12 and folic acid were supplemented foetus and milk production while intake is in early lactation cows. still low.

If cows conceive early and maintain To meet this increasing energy demand, the p ­ regnancy, they will produce more milk dairy cow mobilises its body reserve (mainly profitably. fat), and she gets into what we call negative While poor body condition (skinny cow) is energy balance. not desired, excessive condition (fatty cow) While negative energy balance is a natural is equally undesirable; both conditions pose a process, its severity can have a negative impact on cow health and increase the risk of meta- high risk of low feed intake, increased metabolic bolic disorders, reduce immune function and disorders and the subsequently low fertility. fertility (Figure 1).

While negative energy balance is a physMetabolic disorders during transition can iological adaption during transition, excelreduce fertility because affected cows are seven lent ­n utrition — including the use of B to 10 per cent less likely to get pregnant. vitamins — will help cows to achieve a positive Research has shown that negative energy energy balance sooner and thereby improve balance negatively affects the development of reproductive performance. ovarian function, resulting in a decrease in the Cows that are in good body condition are proportion of follicles that ovulate.

Cows in negative energy balance have low less likely to be in severe negative energy ballevels of insulin and a substance called insulin- ance, are more resilient, less likely to have like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), causing a delay in post-calving disorders, and will ultimately • 450kg (0.6m3) hopper (or lack of ) ovulation and resumption • the 4” pencil auger of have a high chance of getting pregnant withoestrous. A cow that does• not ovulate out &delay.

Heavy duty cannot 12volt motor gearbox conceive; it is that simple!• Sight glass in hopper • Simple opening with slide-and-tilt Reducing negative energy balance will ProvidinglidB vitamins • Builtoftough a solid & robust design improve reproductive function dairywith cows.

Feeding rumen-protected B vitamins ensure • Fully-welded frame Five B vitamins, including folic acid and B12, the vitamins will be utilised effectively by • Heavy duty ATV tyres & axle are involved in glucose production in the liver, the cow.

• Bolted galvanised hopper and their supplementation• can improve energy 50mm tow hitch Unprotected B vitamins are readily degraded balance and subsequently•increase Fitted the withnumber 120ah 12vinbattery in heavy box the rumen, andduty it isbattery not guaranteed that cows of cows that conceived to insemination • first All wiring enclosed in sealed electrical housing with will get what is needed.

Injectables are mainly relay & circuit breaker (Figure 2). for treatment, and not practicable and sustain• Bluetooth remote Supplementation with B vitamins alsoon/off switch with key fob • Fold up jockey wheel reduced metabolic disorders (Figure 3) and able as a preventative measure.

• Flowrate : 10.5kg per 10 secs 63.5kgeffective per Min and easier to suppleIt is /more subsequently improved fertility.

Genomic research also showed that cer- ment B vitamins via supplementary feed and in tain genes responsible for follicle growth and a rumen-protected form. Prevention is better development, resumption of oestrous activity than treatment.

Figure 3: Supplementation with B vitamins reduced metabolic disorders. B vitamins supplemented in pre-, post- or pre- and postcalving.

Making a difference Maintaining optimum level of fertility in dairy cows is challenging due to the physiological changes and increased metabolic demand during transition. Improved nutrition and management using innovative technologies will help to improve reproductive performance of dairy cows.

Many of the issues affecting fertility are related to severe and prolonged negative energy balance and poor body condition.

Farmers and nutritionists must ensure that nutritional solutions are aimed at reducing the severity of negative energy balance during transition period.

B vitamins play a vital role in various metabolic processes that support reproductive functions. Supplementation with B vitamins have resulted in improved fertility in a consistent manner and should be incorporated into the nutritional solutions for modern dairy cows.

Finally, B vitamins must be supplemented in rumen-protected form to ensure they are effectively used. When next you talk to your nutritionist, ask how rumen-protected B vitamins can help improve the fertility of your herd.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

26 // NEWS

DNA picks new sires, no bull GENOMIC TESTING is helping one Aussie

Red breeder select bulls for sale into the artificial breeding industry.

And for those sold as herd bulls to fellow farmers, information from DNA testing is proving a “marketing advantage”.

Sam and Rachel Graham, with Sam's parents Ron and Brenda, milk 400 cows, calving yearround at Numbaa, near Nowra on the NSW south coast.

In August, Aussie Red genomics became available for the first time for the Australian Breeding Value traits: Milk, Fat, Protein and Cell Count.

As a DataGene Ginfo herd, for a number of years, the Grahams have submitted DNA from their Aussie Reds into the industry data pool to deliver these genomic traits.

Now they have started to capitalise on them.

“We are genomically testing our bulls — about 30 a year — and we use that information to help us determine the best ones, those we send into AI and then sell some as herd bulls,” Sam said.

“It helps us decide which ones to cull, which means we are probably running about half the bulls we used to.”

Using genomics to make earlier bull culling decisions has saved the family time and money.

Previously the Grahams retained most bulls for 12 months.

They used to select the best bulls by using “more traditional method” such as dam production, longevity, cell count and the functionality of her udder.

This data is still part of the decision-making process, but genomics is a tool that adds an extra layer of certainty around decisions.

Recently, Sam said genomics identified one bull as an 'outlier' — a discovery he did't think would have been possible without the DNA technology.

“From the group, there were a lot of bulls in the 200s (Balanced Performance Index or BPI), but this one was 330 to 340,” he said.

“Genomics just clicked for him, and he seems to be a really good bull.”

Thanks to genomics the Grahams now sell herd bulls to other farmers with more confidence.

Sam said genomics provided more certainty about the potential of the animal, which limited the risk of unwittingly selling a “stinker”.

He said genomics offered a “marketing advantage” because it provided additional information about a sire's potential.

Sam, Rachel, Ron and Brenda haven't genomically tested their heifer calves.

As a smaller breed, and relatively new to genomics, the reliability of the Aussie Red genomic ABVs isn't as high as Jerseys or Holsteins yet.

The Grahams will wait until the reliability of the genomic Aussie Red ABVs has increased.

But they have been genomically testing their two-year-old heifers.

The information gathered from this testing has helped identify potential bull dams and contributes to the Ginfo program.

DataGene's Peter Thurn said the reliability of genomic ABVs was determined by the volume and quality of the data in the system.

“The Aussie Red breeders have done well to genotype enough animals to develop the four traits DataGene launched this year, but the challenge is to get more data,” he said.

“Any additional data would increase the reliability of those traits and potentially add new ones.”

Farmers who use Aussie Red sires as part of a crossbreeding strategy can also add genomic data to the national pool to increase ABV reliabilities.

“In addition to helping the industry improve the offering of Aussie Red genomic ABVs, there are various ways these farmers could use their genomic information on-farm,” Peter said.

“The data could help them make more informed and better breeding decisions. For example, more accurately determining high genetic merit heifers as calves, potentially saving farmers money by ensuring they only retain and rear their best.”

Describing genomics as a “game changer … that's still developing”, Sam said genomics was another development for a breed that's already got plenty of positive attributes.

His family started breeding Aussie Reds in 1985 — when the breed began — and they have benefited from the Aussie Red health, fertility and production traits.

“Low feed cost” cows, Sam said they performed well in pasture-based systems — making them perfect for Australian conditions.

NSW farmer and Aussie Red breeder Sam Graham is using genomics to make earlier bull culling decisions, which has saved his family time and money.

At the Grahams' Numbaa farm, the herd's diet is dominated by pasture, with corn silage filling feed gaps and an average of about 4 kg of grain/ cow/day fed in the bail.

Their 400 cows produce 3.1 million litres a year at 4.1 per cent fat and 3.5 per cent protein from an average 315-day lactation.

YOUNG BULLS MIX IT WITH THE BEST The DataGene Australian Breeding Values release on December 13 is proof of the reliability of genomics.

Bulls across many breeds have graduated from the genomic ABV rankings to become proven sires and developed just as their genomics predicted.

DataGene stakeholder relations specialist Peter Thurn said over time there had been a lot more stability in the breeding values of bulls as they transitioned from genomic to proven status, but warned the ride could be bumpy in the early stages.

“There are a number of factors in play when a bull’s daughters start lactating

that can affect the bull’s breeding value,” he said.

“Sometimes the incorporation of overseas performance data via Interbull can move a bull’s proof.

“But what we are seeing over time is an increase in stability as the volume of data increases.”

This is good news for farmers as it is further proof of the reliability of genomics, providing them with the reassurance of knowing young sires selected from the Good Bulls Guide will improve the genetic merit of their herd.

DairyBio research has demonstrated that genetics contributes to about a

third of on-farm productivity gains, with these gains permanent and cumulative.

Last financial year, nearly one million doses of genomic semen were sold to Australian dairy farmers, representing 57 per cent of the dairy semen market. Four years ago, genomic semen made up 41 per cent of this market.

December’s ABV release had many examples of stability in bull rankings.

“In the Holstein breed we see bulls like Jeronimo, Perseus and Fedora settling down, with the high daughter proven ratings reflecting their earlier genomic ratings,” Mr Thurn said.

“Other examples are the young Jersey sires from Con and Michelle Glennen’s White Star herd: Douggan, Dobson and Publican.

“Some are still on the genomic list while others are recently proven, and they are all adding daughters and continuing to mix it with the best Jersey sires available.

Especially Douggan, who leads the Jersey BPI list.

“We need to remind ourselves that in this high-paced genomic era, bulls get overtaken by new bulls quickly and we need to look at the ABVs not the ranking to truly appreciate the stability of the system.”

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

NEWS // 29

Students creating careers INVESTIGATOR COLLEGE in Victor Harbor,

South Australia, has won this year's Cows Create Careers advertising competition, winning $1000 to be spent on educational programs for the school.

Every year, Cows Create Careers, in partnership with MaxCare, invite schools across Australia to create an advertisement for the dairy industry.

The competition is part of an educational program to encourage the best and brightest students to pursue a career in the dairy industry.

Competing against 204 schools across Australia, Investigator College teacher Natalie Gilbert said they were “over the moon” with the win.

“Ebony, one of our talented Year 10 students, put so much effort in her submission, and the students were so engaged in the program,” Ms Gilbert said.

This Year 11,220 students from across Australia took part in the program.

“Every year we bring two calves into schools across Australia, giving students a hands-on approach into the dairy industry, by feeding and caring for the calves for three weeks,” Cows Create Careers program manager Deanne Kennedy said.

“The program educates students on all the different career opportunities available to them in the dairy industry, from working directly with the cows to marketing and advertising,” she said.

“It's important to introduce this program into schools at a time when students are thinking about their future.

“We could not do the program without the support of MaxCare, who have been instrumental in providing feed stock for our in-school calves and financially supporting the program.”

MaxCare business manager Tom Newton said they were pleased to be part of the initiative.

“It looks like the students at Investigator College had lots of fun participating in the program, which shines through in their humorous advertisement,” he said.

The winning school was selected via a public voting system, receiving 44 per cent of the1400 votes received.

“We think the Cows Create Careers program is a fantastic initiative, as it shines a light on the industry and the career opportunities that exist for young people in the dairy industry,” Mr Newton said.

The program involves each school hosting two dairy calves loaned by local farmers, which they must care for and raise. MaxCare supplies the calf milk replacer, used by the students to hand feed to the calves over a three-week period.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

30 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Finding value in older cows NEW RESEARCH shows that holding onto

mature-aged cows in dairy herds could increase milk production - and it’s not a point that is lost on northern Victorian farmer David Beer.

He has 13-year-old Holsteins in his herd at Katunga and is holding on to them, simply because they are producing so well.

Like many other dairy farmers, Mr Beer holds no prejudice against the age of the cow if she can continue to make a contribution.

One of the 13-year-olds is producing 32 litres In her current lactation and is coming close to a lifetime total of 100,000 litres.

“She’s not very attractive, but she is holding her own with production.”

Mr Beer said one of the biggest challenges for older cows was fertility, and when they didn’t get in-calf for successive years they would be moved out.

He and wife Sue run a 170-head herd on 128 hectares of pasture with 6 kg/day of supplementary feed in the bail.

At Stanhope, farmer Craig Emmett lost a great cow from his herd earlier this year, at the age of 17.

“She was a beautiful type,” Mr Emmett said of the Jersey.

“She just kept on getting in-calf.

“She calved in February and was looking good.

But she developed toxic mastitis and died within 24 hours. It was a shame; she was a ripper.”

Adjunct Professor Ian Lean shared the potential of the ‘geriatric cow’ as part of the online Dairy Research Foundation 2021 Symposium highlighting the work of Dairy UP. Dairy UP is a new collaborative body established in NSW for industry research, development and extension.

The managing director of livestock consulting firm Scibus, Prof Lean is leading a team researching the ability to predict and prevent disease in dairy herds.

The aim of this work is to reduce the ‘wastage’ of old cows, while enhancing the potential to improve production and reproduction.

This work will draw on a dataset of more than 36,000 cows, with detailed health and production data, from more than 13 studies across Australia, Canada and the United States.

“Farmers will be able to be more selective about what animals they retain because they won’t have to bring as many replacements

Chevy Rose 45, with her last calf on the Emmett property. She was 17.

through, because this work is controlling the risk of removal,” Prof Lean said.

“It can be a game-changer and if it’s used with sexed semen and beef then there’s the opportunity to get crossbred steers and heifer sales, a chance for income diversification.”

With only 10 per cent of cows milking for five lactations or more, dairy herds are now younger.

Prof Lean said this was potentially robbing farmers of production and costing money.

He blamed disease and reproduction failure for this industry trend.

“The idea that dairy farmers are getting paid very well for older (cull) cows, and then bringing in potentially new genetics, that just doesn’t add up,” he said.

“A first lactation heifer, even if she’s smokinghot, will only produce around 85 per cent of third lactation cows.”

Working towards reducing disease and other factors that result in the culling of an older cow would not only result in a consistently higher yielding herd, but this would also reduce costs.

Cost reduction opportunities include rearing fewer replacements and less time and money spent treating sick animals.

Prof Lean said this research would take the 36,000-cow dataset and break it down by age to quantify the risk factor for illness and reproduction failure.

Researchers would drill down to an individual cow level searching for the key risk factors.

David Beer with one of his mature-aged cows.

This 13-year-old is still producing 32 litres a day on David Beer's Katunga dairy farm.

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ANIMAL HEALTH // 31

Selective dry cow therapy LUCY COLLINS

WHILE MANY of us prepare to dry off for

autumn, it seems a prudent time to discuss selective (part-herd) dry cow therapy.

Worldwide, we are experiencing an antimicrobial resistance (AMR) problem whereby years of incorrect or inappropriate use of antibiotics has caused bacteria that were previously susceptible to antibiotic treatments to become resistant, rendering our treatments ineffective and posing significant risk to human health.

Globally, human and animal health teams have a responsibility to develop effective strategies to help slow the progress of AMR and reduce the risk to our communities. Farmers too, have an important role to play.

In Ireland, new regulations mean antibiotics can no longer be used as a preventative, and therefore blanket dry cow therapy is no longer allowed. Vets will not be able to prescribe dairy farmers antibiotics without the necessary proof.

Dry cow tubes can only be used to treat existing intra-mammary infections, and farmers will need to provide evidence via milk recording and herd health data that they have a requirement for antibiotic usage on their farm.

The New Zealand Vet Association has set similar targets by 2030, and the Netherlands banned blanket dry cow in 2012.

Here in Australia, where mastitis control (including dry cow therapy) accounts for about 66 per cent of antibiotics used on dairy farms, Dairy Australia has supported the Australian Veterinary Association and Animal Medicines Australia to develop Antimicrobial Prescribing Guidelines for Dairy Cattle.

In my mind, it's important we don't see these changes as “drugs being taken away from us” but rather as “making sure we still have drugs available when we really, truly need them”.

Regardless of what our regulations are here in Australia, antibiotics shouldn't be relied upon where improvements in management could achieve the same outcome.

So, how can we do our part? Selective dry cow therapy is a good place to start.

Although it won't be appropriate for all herds, many farms are well-placed to implement a selective dry cow program, and already a number have voluntarily moved away from blanket treatments.

Selective dry cow programs work best when herds have: Cows with an average individual somatic cell count of less than 100,000 for the year with no test more than 200,000 and no cases of mastitis during the current lactation period, would be eligible for selective dry cow therapy, whereby only an internal teat sealant is administered hygienically at dry-off.

The World Health Organization has classified antibiotics into three categories based on their importance to human health, and subsequently an importance rating or 'traffic light' system has been introduced in many countries, including Australia.

Under the Australian Dairy Sustainability Framework, the industry has committed to the responsible use of antibiotics, including using antibiotics of critical importance to human health only in exceptional circumstances where no other alternative exists. We still have a duty

of care to protect the health and welfare of our animals.

If you're interested in exploring how selective dry cow therapy might be implemented on your farm, make sure you have the appropriate records available (including treatment records, culture results and herd test or milk meter data)

and get together with your vet and field officer for a dry cow consult.

For further information and resources (including a great podcast link), visit: www. dairyaustralia.com.au/animal-managementand-milk-quality/antimicrobial-stewardship#.

YbET27UzZPY

Lucy Collins is completing her Dairy Residency with the University of Melbourne.

She works as part of the ProDairy veterinary team for Apiam Animal Health, and alongside her partner on his family's dairy farm in southwest Victoria. She is a 2021 Nuffield Scholar supported by Gardiner Dairy Foundation.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

32 // NEWS

Jerseys strengthen their place JERSEYS HAVE strengthened their place in the Australian dairy market with solid results in the December ABV release.

“It's very positive to see bulls moving from genomic to proven list and maintaining proofs,” Jersey Australia general manager Glen Barrett said.

On the critical Balanced Performance Index (BPI), Jerseys maintained a strong average 385 BPI for the top 10 bulls.

Key bull movements included Douggan

increasing 30 BPI with improved overall type, mastitis resistance and fertility, and Dobson up31 BPI with improved fertility, overall type (OT) up six points and Mammary up four points.

The BPI for the top 50 bulls increased from 340 BPI on average in August to 352BPI, while OT remained steady at 105.

Herd lists also improved on their BPI, with Robert and Sandra Bacon's Brookbora Jerseys at Tennyson in northern Victoria maintaining

its top ranking with 204 BPI, up from 190 in August, followed by Con and Michelle Glennen's White Star Jerseys at Noorat in western Victoria with 202 BPI, up from 175 in August.

Warrain, Kings Ville and Kaarmona Jerseys rounded out the top five.

Heifers and cows were stable and in line with December reports. There are now only 24 cows in the top 100 in milk cows which are not genomic tested, with Jersey Australia's test project starting to have an impact.

The top young cow with a BPI of 389 is owned by Matthew Hoffman at Timboon, Victoria, the top genomic-tested cow with a BPI of 471 is Cairnbrae Valentino Daisy 11EX 94 recently purchased at the record breaking Cairnbrae dispersal sale by DHGRS Singh from Collins Creek NSW and the top not genomic-tested cow with a BPI of 495 is owned by Cameron Green of Casino

NSW.

POLARIS SHINES EVER SO BRIGHTLY There are now 23 young genomic bulls with a Balanced Performance Index (BPI) of 500 or greater spread across seven different semen suppliers.

Progenesis Polaris from Semex heads the list with a BPI of 564.

Offering a new sire stack to many of the popular BPI pedigrees, sired by Stantons Epoxy from a Progenesis Prosperous dam, Polaris will gain attention from breeders for his leading combination of production, type and health traits.

A complementary mating option for the many Westcoast Perseus and Westcoast

River daughters in Australia, Polaris is an exciting new addition to Semex's sire line up.

Ranking at number two with +471 BPI on the Australian BPI proven list is Westcoast Perseus.

Now with close to 200 daughters milking in more than 20 Australian herds, an A2A2 sire and calving ease specialist, Perseus is a popular sexed semen sire and an ideal heifer mating option.

A very popular Genomax® sire in the spring was Westcoast Rocknroll.

Remaining a high-ranking BPI genomic

sire in December at +483 BPI genomics Rocknroll's stature to strength ratio has been the attraction for many breeders.

Full brothers Westcoast River and Westcoast Reverso continue to be popular sexed semen sires in Semex's BPI line up.

With breed leading health and fertility traits both sires rank amongst the highest Health Weighted Index (HWI) sires in the breed with Reverso at +573 HWI and River +569 HWI. For more information visit: www.semex. com.au

Progenesis Polaris.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

NEWS // 33

Pursuing leadership goals BRONTE GORRINGE has always aspired to be

a leader in the agricultural industry, and sponsorship to attend a renowned development program will bring her closer to her goal.

Ms Gorringe is being sponsored by the DemoDAIRY Foundation to attend the Marcus Oldham Rural Leadership Program in May 2022.

Participants are encouraged to have industry support via sponsorship and DemoDAIRY Foundation would consider supporting additional applicants.

Ms Gorringe had expected to complete the five-day intensive workshop in 2021, but it was delayed due to COVID-19.

As she forges forward with her career in agriculture, Ms Gorringe is keen to undertake formal training in leadership.

“It’s a very well-respected program; I’m so thankful for DemoDAIRY Foundation’s support,” she said.

“I’ve always had that drive to lead, even at school where I was school captain.”

The program aims to provide participants with the tools to excel as an innovative, engaged and passionate industry and community leader.

Ms Gorringe is on the Career Advisory Panel for the Great South West Food and Fibre Council and hopes the leadership program will assist her with additional skills for that role and open the door to new opportunities within the agricultural industry.

“The program will help to further develop my leadership, planning and communication skills,” she said.

“I hope it will help with my Food and Fibre role where we will be given the opportunity to encourage other people to understand and consider the amount of diversity in careers available in the agricultural industry and the different pathways you can follow to get into those roles.

“To be in agriculture, you don’t have to be the farm owner or the farm manager — there are a lot of supporting service roles available.

“Agriculture is going to need more people and the right people to help the industry grow successfully.”

Ms Gorringe would also like to get more involved with school and education programs around agriculture and training, and give back to the industry she is so passionate about.

“I hope the leadership course will help me to identify my strengths and weaknesses. I’ve been in the workforce for six years so it’s a great time to reflect on where I would like to go and what I would like to achieve.†Ms Gorringe has recently changed jobs from being a senior agribusiness consultant for a Ballarat-based firm to an assistant agribusiness manager with ANZ in Hamilton.

The location of her previous role and her new role have been outside the dairying regions, with

a larger focus on broadacre cropping, sheep and beef operations.

During her school years Ms Gorringe worked on a dairy farm and in her gap year was the assistant manager for the dairy before completing her Bachelor of Business (Agriculture).

Her dairy connections remain strong, with her parents having a contracting business based out of Timboon; she assists with the business and continues to support customers in the dairy industry.

“The dairy industry and the people I worked for in the industry taught me a lot about responsibility, work ethic, animal husbandry and pasture management that are transferable to any agricultural operation.”

Ms Gorringe hopes the leadership program will help her to become an influential leader in the agricultural industry and potentially create new opportunities for herself.

“There are great things happening in agriculture at the moment, and you don’t want to miss out.

“There are a lot opportunities available if you look for them, reach out and talk to different people.”

DemoDAIRY Foundation’s 2022 scholarships are now open.

More information can be found at www. demodairy.com.au/scholarships-and-grants/ or from DDF board member Ian Teese on 0427 358 987 or itag@bigpond.com

DemoDAIRY Foundation is supporting Bronte Gorringe to attend the Marcus Oldham Rural Leadership Program.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

34 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

AdBlue action welcomed TRUCKING BODIES have welcomed news a

task force will be set up to tackle the AdBlue shortage.

Australian Trucking Association chair David Smith said the decision to establish the task force showed the AdBlue issue was now at the top of the Federal Government’s agenda.

“We think this is a good outcome. We have been calling for government to make resolving this issue a priority,” Mr Smith said.

“We were disappointed when talks at a government-convened roundtable (on December 8) broke down and issued a media release calling for urgent government action.

“It appears that (Federal Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction) Minister Angus Taylor has listened to our calls and is putting the AdBlue shortage at the top of government’s priority list.”

Mr Smith said Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association was in discussions with members, engine manufacturers and fuel suppliers to explore the extent of the problem and what can be done in the short and longer term.

Truck Industry Council CEO Tony McMullan said the biggest threat to the industry was from potential hoarding of supplies.

“A clear message to come from the roundtable was a call for calm within the industry,” Mr McMullan said.

“Attempts to secure long term supply and production, beyond the current stocks

available, were well in hand by Diesel Exhaust Fluid/AdBlue suppliers, also, it is noted that increased support has been offered by the Federal Government in sourcing from new markets across the world.

“The real risk is, and has always been, the potential for operators to start hoarding DEF/ AdBlue, which ultimately could result in an unnecessary shortfall in supply.”

One issue surrounding the hoarding of DEF/ AdBlue is its relatively short shelf life, especially in summer.

“Hoarding DEF/AdBlue will be counterproductive for operators,” Mr Hammond said.

“DEF/AdBlue should not be stockpiled. It has a shelf life of approximately one year if stored under the right conditions, however, in hot summer months, its shelf life is more than halved.

“Stockpiling DEF/AdBlue beyond standard business use requirements could lead to the DEF/AdBlue spoiling and becoming unusable, ensuing financial losses for operators.”

He said the current commentary around DEF/AdBlue highlighted a significant issue that the TIC had raised with government for more than a decade.

“TIC is again calling upon the Federal Government to ensure this critical substance is controlled by Australian law.”

The trucking sector has welcomed moves to address the AdBlue shortage.

Background AdBlue is made up of 32 per cent urea and 68 per cent de-ionised water. It is injected into the exhaust system to reduce the amount of NOx entering the atmosphere.

Australia is a substantial importer of urea, although Incitec Pivot has a plant in Brisbane.

Eighty per cent of the Asia-Pacific’s supply of DEF-grade urea comes from China.

Fertiliser grade urea is not suitable for manufacturing DEF as the resulting product does not meet the ISO standard China has almost halted urea exports as part of an attempt to cool down local fertiliser prices.

Supply of AdBlue is uncertain beyond February 2022.

Source: ALTRA

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA JANUARY 2022

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 35

Inquiry backs right to repair

BY DANEKA HILL

A PRODUCTIVITY Commission inquiry into

the ‘right to repair’ issue has sided with farmers and mechanics.

For years agricultural machinery companies have voided a product’s warranty if a mechanic not employed by them fixes a machine, or a spare part not made by them is fitted.

The Productivity Commission report, handed down on December 1, recommends the ­introduction of a repair supplies obligation on ­agricultural machinery, allowing independent repairers and farmers to undertake repairs themselves.

If this measure is put into place it will lower the price of spare parts and diagnostic tools, and create competition within the dealership network for repair services.

Farmer bodies welcomed the commission’s report.

National Farmers’ Federation chief executive Tony Mahar said farmers shouldn’t be locked into “needlessly exorbitant repairs” and spare part prices by dealership networks.

“Farmers, as small business owners, should have the same right as anyone else to have their machinery repaired by a suitable qualified repairer, without the fear of losing their warranty,” Mr Mahar said.

The NFF is pushing for what it calls “true competition” in the after-sales market.

“A right to repair (obligation) will capture some of the good practice already demonstrated by some machinery suppliers and dealerships,” Mr Mahar said.

NSW Farmers’ Andrew Martel agreed.

“Farmers know the value of their machinery and the business impacts when these are not operational — a more open and competitive after-sales market outcome is critical,” Mr Martel said.

“The importance of access to machinery diagnostics, codes, schematics and parts to enable increased access to local, third-party repairers to enable faster, more convenient and affordable repairs, particularly where they are minor, is essential.”

The commission recommends the right to repair obligation is designed and implemented immediately with a deadline of 2022.

A Productivity Commission inquiry report recommends a right to repair for farm machinery.

The report also recommends software updates be included in consumer guarantees as software continues to become essential to products remaining in working order.

The report also recommends the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

INTRODUCING EZFEED

undertake a mobile phone and tablet market study and a review be conducted into the medical device market.

The report can be read at: pc.gov.au/ inquiries/completed/repair/report

UNIBODY DESIGN Our all steel, welded Unibody design combines strength with simplicity thanks to clever engineering that provides a greater stength to weight ratio and less fatigue than other wagon designs.

Hustler’s brand new Silage Wagon Range... has silage feeding sorted!

REASONS WHY

EZFEED IS BEST-IN-CLASS INDUSTRY

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PUCKBOARD FLOORS Proven on our Combi RX range, the massive impact resistance of our ultra high-density 15mm thick Puckboard floors never corrode, handle the heaviest root-crops with ease, and out last any other floor system on the market.

1 100% Roller Chains >> With EzFeed, gone are the days of troublesome link chains and conveyor belts which require constant adjustment, fine-tuning and are often slipping or breaking, disrupting your feeding program. EzFeed is the first wagon on the market to run a 100% roller-chain design to overcome this. And the chains are covered to prevent feed material building up in chains, sprockets and driver, ensuring longer life and less wear or stretch.

2 Hungry Boards >> Virtually indestructable, our replacable roto-moulded hungry boards can take a beating from your front-loader without turning to splinters or dinging up your nice new EzFeed silage wagon. Another industry first from Hustler.

3 TwinFeed >> The first silage wagon to feature left or right hand feed discharge for more feeding versatility. And with 5 positions for the discharge floor allows for easy setup when feeding into troughs. Coming soon is an electric in-cab controller option for on the fly feed direction change and hydraulic side-shift.

4 Simple operation >> As the name suggests EzFeed makes feeding silage easier than ever before. As standard, only one set of hydraulics is all it takes to connect and power the whole machine and our clever adjustable load-sensing hydraulics take care of the rest, making EzFeed the ideal wagon for low-skilled staff.

5 Proven Platform >> Built utilising our proven Combi wagon platform EzFeed has the toughest axle design on the market by a country mile, large suspension travel, comes scale ready for our industry first FeedLink feed management system which weighs on both the jack/skid and drawbar, impact resistant puck-board floors, toughest bars and more.

For more information Contact your local Hustler rep 0435 371 311 or visit hustlerequipment.com/ezfeed

100% ROLLER CHAINS Say good-bye to troublesome link chains and conveyor belts! EzFeed utilises 12,000lb roller chains on all floors, combined with the toughest bars on the market to reduce maintenance and downtime. We’ve also covered the main chains to prevent feed material from getting in sprockets or chains for even longer life.

TWIN FEED The first silage wagon to feature left or right hand feed discharge for more feeding versatility. And with 5 positions for the discharge floor allows for easy setup when feeding into troughs.

BE INFORMED Ø15h BEFORE CALVING.

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