Latest ABVs. PGS.26

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.

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 fi ve-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 diff erent 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 refl ect on where I would like to go and what I would like to achieve.â€

Ms Gorringe has recently changed jobs from being a senior agribusiness consultant for a Ballarat-based fi rm 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 infl uential 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 diff erent 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.

READY WHEN YOU ARE.

THE JOSKIN MUCK SPREADER RANGE.

www.joskin.com.au (03) 5231 6999

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

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 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

INTRODUCING EZFEED

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