FEBRUARY 2019 ISSUE 100
WEST VIC REGION
Growing for success RICK BAYNE
THE HOLLOWAY family farm at Mepunga
has been built around growth, not only with an expanding parcel of land but with well-fed cows and booming production. “You’ve got to keep growing, the day you stop growing your business is the day you might as well sell it,” Bruce Holloway says, and the amount of investment over the past decade shows he practises what he preaches.
The Holloways think family farms are the future, but not small family farms like in the old days. Bruce and his wife Roslyn farm with son Sam. Their daughter Tamara also helps out, along with Sam’s girlfriend Amanda. Bruce’s father Bill bought the farm in the early 1970s, but it took a serious eye injury more than 10 years ago for Bruce to change things up. “I was cutting trees with a chainsaw and cut my eye down the middle. It was stitched up but it took 12 months to get back to normal,” Bruce said.
“After that happened it made me reflect that if something happened to one of us, what would happen to the farm?” An old herringbone dairy was replaced with a new 50-unit rotary; an effluent pond and two new centre pivots were added to supplement an existing pivot; and an underpass was built. The upgrade coincided with Sam’s decision to stay on the farm and become the sixth generation of the Holloway family to pursue farming. The milking herd has since increased from about 300 to 420–480. “We’ve gone from 2 mil-
lion litres production to 4.5 million litres this year,” Bruce said. They milk off 365ha, including about 100 ha under irrigation. “What we do is no different to most people, except we’ve got irrigation,” Bruce said. The upgrades, most recently including new grain silos and mixer, have been good investments.
Continued to page 3>
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2019
2 // WEST VIC REGION
Chair’s message
Time to plan for season ahead HAPPY NEW Year to all of you in the South West. I hope everyone has managed to have some time with family and friends over the holiday period to try and recharge your batteries. We are all very busy the majority of the time, however it is important to take some time out for our own wellbeing when we can. Summer is now well and truly here, with all of the heat, dried out paddocks and flies that come with it. Hopefully, it won’t be long until the autumn break, so planning for the season ahead is what we at WestVic Dairy can help you do. The better prepared we are to make the most of growing feed going into winter, the easier the pain of buying-in supplementary fodder will be.
WestVic Dairy offers several programs to help guide your decision-making around growing and using home-grown feed, including the ever-popular Feeding Pastures For Profit course. Peter Gaffy is our Feedbase extension officer and is more than happy to answer any of your queries, as well as letting you know when and where the relevant programs will be held. 2018 was yet another challenging year for our industry in general, but our region took a particular hit with the devastating St Patrick’s Day fires. It is nearly the 12-month anniversary, but the road to recovery for many of those who were affected still continues. During those difficult times it was reassuring to see the different agencies work together to help. Our communities are very tight and strong,
and these characteristics come to the fore in the face of adversity. I would like to remind all of the region’s dairy farmers that you are still able to book a Taking Stock consultation. This is a free service, funded by the Gardiner Dairy Foundation, which gives farmers a meeting with an experienced farm consultant, and together you can formulate a plan to move your business forward. This program will finish in June, so I encourage you to enrol now while it is still available. As usual, there is much planning and preparation each week in our businesses. WestVic Dairy has a full schedule of different events and courses to assist you, so I really do encourage you to utilise them. As I often say it’s our levy at
work, so please don’t be shy in asking for help. To keep up to date with what is going on, please check our website, www.dairyaustralia. com.au/westvic-dairy or follow us on Facebook. Our team of extension officers is also available to answer any of your queries; they are very experienced in their respective areas and available by calling 5557 1000. I hope to see many of you around the district at one of our discussion groups or field days. I’m on the countdown until we start calving at the end of March, when the calf shed becomes my second home! I know many of you can relate to my annual cycle of life on a farm. Simone Renyard West Vic Chiar
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Herd focus <Continued from page 1
“Before we got the new dairy, we were milking about 300 but were spending about eight hours a day in the dairy,” Roslyn said. They now farm more than three cows to the hectare on the home farm, though the irrigation contributes to that high stocking rate. The Holloways are dedicated to their cows, not only because they like working with them but because they’re the profit makers. “We love our cows but we look at them as a business,” Roslyn said. “If they’re not producing then they’re culled.” They calve twice a year, starting in January and August, raising about 200 new stock each year. When Bill bought the farm, it was a mixed herd but Bruce and Roslyn converted to Friesians.
“Every year when the heifers come in, I say they’re getting bigger and better.” “I came from a Guernsey and Jersey background but once I started rearing Friesian cows I said, ‘As long as I’m rearing the calves, there won’t be a breed other than Holstein-Friesians,’ ” Roslyn said. “The calves are easy to rear and it’s easier to get a good herd of Holsteins. They have great temperaments, are easy to rear and they’re designed to eat plenty and make plenty of milk.” The farm has been using AI for decades and source sexed semen from a range of bulls. The herd is registered as the TamSam Holstein stud. Like all farms there have been challenging seasons, but caring for the cows and ensuring they are well fed remains a priority in even the toughest years. They now produce more than 10 000 litres a cow and attribute the success to feeding, culling lower producers and breeding good cows. “Once the cow is under 20 litres at any stage of its lactation, if they’re in-calf we’ll keep her,
if not she’ll go out,” Bruce said. Sam said herd health, mastitis rates and cell count had improved substantially over the years, stemming from the facilities’ upgrade and commitment to quality feeding. “It’s our job but also our hobby; we’re interested in what we do and want the best feed and cows to make a profit,” he said. “You’ve got to have good genetics, but at the end of the day you’ve got to feed them well and do everything at the right time to maintain momentum,” Bruce added. “If cows lose momentum, it takes a long time to get them back to where they were. It’s hard if you’re not making a profit, but you can’t afford to cut back on feed.” With irrigation and plenty of grass from regular rainfall, the farm is mostly self-sufficient. At the moment they are feeding about 1 kg of canola supplement and 6.5 kg of wheat and corn. A new crusher system was installed last year, allowing the Holloways to buy grain direct off farm to cut out the middle man. It’s already a huge success with cost savings and improved production. “The cows have increased production because the grain is fresher and better because we buy it straight off a farm and then crush it and process it here,” Sam said. “We spent about $100 000 but it opens up more options, and we can fine tune it depending on what’s available.” As grain prices escalate, they expect to repay the home-grown investment in 15 months. “That’s just the cost savings, not taking into account the extra production,” Bruce said. “We’re getting 400 000 more litres of milk compared to last year because of the better grain and we’ve upped the lead feed a bit to give them about four kilos.” “It’s all about nutrition and getting the gut right for calving. Our cows are peaking in 25 to 30 days, and if you’re not feeding them right it might take up to 50 or 60 days.” The proactive attitude to feeding starts from the beginning. “Feeding them well in their first two years is the secret,” Sam said. “A lot of the heifers do 10 000 litres in their first lactation;
A rotary dairy added 10 years ago continues to provide benefits to the Holloways.
that’s because we’re feeding them better.” “Every year when the heifers come in, I say they’re getting bigger and better,” Roslyn added. They don’t breed tall cattle, instead opting for cows with plenty of body for good production. “It’s all about the grass,” Bruce said. “We’re lucky in the south-west with pretty reliable and consistent rain and that’s our biggest asset. You don’t have too much staff and machinery costs with the cows harvesting the grass.” All silage is cut from out paddocks, the home farm is just for milking. The ACM suppliers say herd health and fertility has improved in response to better traits of new bulls. “Years ago, we’d get cows up to 40 or 50 or even 60 litres but as soon as you got them there, they’d break down,” Bruce said. “Now there are cows cracking 60 litres and we don’t have them breaking down with mastitis or bad feet or anything. “We always maintain good tracks and good clean facilities; all the one-percenters add up.”
A new crusher and silo system added last year will pay for itself within 15 months.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2019
4 // WEST VIC REGION
Grants boost drought infrastructure NEARLY 200 dairy farmers are among more
than 1600 Victorian farm businesses that have applied for On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Support Grants since October 2018. The grants, which are still open, provide eligible individual farm businesses up to $5000, with applicants required to fund at least half the project. The Victorian Government established the $13.2 million grants program to assist farm businesses implement on-farm infrastructure that improves drought management and preparedness, and puts the business in a better position for the future. Agriculture Victoria Dairy Services South East regional manager Del Delpitiya said farmers in East Gippsland had been proactive in seeking advice about using grants to help manage dry conditions. “For farmers looking to put in a feed pad, upgrading feeding systems or stock containment areas, coming up with a workable plan for managing the effluent is a priority.” Mr Delpitiya said Agriculture Victoria had expertise in managing effluent, and had been helping dairy farmers with developing effluent use plans. This process involves taking samples to determine the nutrient value of effluent and
providing on-farm application rate recommendations to address agronomic requirements. “Using effluent wisely means farmers make the most of the nutrients they already have onfarm,” Mr Delpitiya said. “By working with Agriculture Victoria and doing an effluent use plan, dairy farmers can save between $7000 – $10 000 per annum on fertiliser costs. Workshops led by Agriculture Victoria in conjunction with Dairy Australia regional development programs have taken place across the state, covering topics such as the climate, fodder shortages and global markets. But support isn’t just limited to business investments. Agriculture Victoria has several personal and family support options, including a pool of $1.25 million to help drought-affected families with kindergarten fees. There is also a camps, sports and excursion fund, as well as back-toschool support for families in the Wellington and East Gippsland shires. For more information on the assistance available, visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/ dryseasons Visit www.ruralfinance.com.au/ for application forms and guidelines, or phone Rural Finance on 1800 260 425.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2019
WEST VIC REGION // 5
Long term fire safety sought RICK BAYNE
SOUTH-WEST VICTORIAN dairy farm-
person said. “Extensive asset inspection programs are conducted throughout the year in accordance with regulated inspection timeframes. “Any maintenance that is identified is completed within designated policy timeframes to ensure our assets remain fire safe as much as possible all year round.”
ers fighting for compensation after the St Patrick’s Day fires say their campaign goes beyond a financial payout — they want to make sure it never happens again. Nearly 12 months after bushfires burnt 40 000 ha in the region, dairy farmers are continuing their battle for long-lasting changes to ensure safety across regional Victoria. An Energy Safe Victoria investigation concluded The Sisters/Garvoc fire — which damaged many dairy farms — started when a broken power pole snapped due to decay and termite infestation. Energy Safe Victoria said Powercor’s inspection regime failed to identify that the pole was compromised. Powercor has since removed eight poles on one line and nine on another and is checking a further 17 000 wooden poles across the southwest. Some farmers affected by the 2018 blaze are dealing directly with Powercor for compensation, some are working through insurance agencies and a separate class action has been launched. Most insurance companies have decided to take their own legal action, using the same legal company for a more streamlined process. Jill Porter is one of the farmers working through insurance companies and said the process was nowhere near being finalised. “Hopefully it will be timely, but it’s not going to happen in the next few weeks,” she said. Powercor has made a 50 per cent offer to victims of a fire at Terang, but has not offered compensation for the Garvoc/The Sisters fire. Mrs Porter, who farms on Terang-Framlingham Rd which was damaged by the Garvoc/ The Sisters blaze, said she was pleased potentially dangerous poles were being reviewed but it needed to be put in context. “They own 650 000 poles and they’re auditing 17 000,” she said. “They’re looking from Hamilton to Port Campbell which gives me some degree of reassurance, but what about the rest of the state?” Freecall: 1800 039 047 www.genaust.com.au Mrs Porter said farmers had been able to broker a deal to cover legal costs but the settlement process would not cover 100 per cent of losses. “That’s frustrating and we also want to make sure there’s liability. It’s horrific but you pick yourself up and get on with it; making sure this doesn’t happen again is my priority.” Mrs Porter said previous inquiries and the Royal Commission after Black Saturday had identified dangers associated with electrical infrastructure failure causing fires. “The government still refuses to take accountability for it and change what needs to happen to reduce the risk,” Mrs Porter said. “The Royal Commission report recommended replacing SWER lines and 22 kW feeder lines in • Accurate timely alerts via desktop, tablet or smartphone • 24/7 technical support high bushfire areas but that hasn’t been dealt • Automatic software updates • Remote off farm heifer monitoring with properly. • Push notifications & text messages • Long range capabilities “Regional Victoria 10 years down the track • Remote gateway for off farm & heifer management from Black Saturday is no safer.” Powercor says it invests millions of dollars into ongoing projects that help to reduce bushfire risks across Victoria. “Powercor has been implementing various Freecall: 1800 039 047 www.genaust.com.au strategies, policies and programs designed to reduce the risk of bushfires,” a Powercor spokes-
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2019
6 // WEST VIC REGION
New generation farmers set for challenge RICK BAYNE
Katrina McRae: “It’s exciting but we’ve still got a lot to learn.”
Andrew McRae: “Forty years of milking cows is enough for me.”
AT 35 Katrina McRae is taking on the biggest challenge of her life but it’s one she’s been planning for as long as she can remember. Alongside partner Kerry Cowland and their daughter Sophie, 9, Katrina is taking over management of her family farm just outside Heywood. Her parents Andrew and Loretta McRae took over from his parents in 1980 and now it’s their turn to pass on the reins when calving starts in April. Andrew and Loretta had planned to sell the herd and had cut from 280 to 140 before Katrina decided to take on the challenge. “It’s something I always wanted but it wasn’t really planned,” Katrina said. “The opportunity is there now and the cows are still here; starting up again would be too hard,” Andrew added. The herd was reduced to 140 but the addition of 38 Jerseys into the predominantly Friesian herd has brought the tally up to 178. The home farm is 190ha, but only about 175 ha is suitable for farming with native bush and swamp land. It’s a good farm for dairy with high and low ground. “The high ground in front is good because it won’t slop in the winter when it’s wet, and it’s good for growing grass on the lower ground,” Andrew said. They also have out paddocks to rear calves. The farm is largely self-sufficient with Andrew eschewing high input systems. “We only buy about a tonne of grain per cow,” Andrew said. “We made a lot of hay and silage this year because the season turned out a lot better than expected. “We didn’t get a lot of rain but we got the right amount at the right time.”
The farm achieves just under 500 kg/Ms per cow, though it’s likely to be better this year to make up for the reduced numbers. Andrew trialled a high input system for about five years but went back to his traditional methods. “I couldn’t get around spending the money,” he said. “We kept buying more and feeding more to get high production but you end up giving money to someone else and you don’t have enough for yourself. “We went back to basically what we can grow at home in silage, hay and grass with a little bit of grain to entice them into the bales, which also helps with joining in winter.” The farm uses top AI bulls, looking for high components, good legs and feet, and temperament. The focus on quality has worked and they have the number 16 BPI herd in Australia. They have used AI and herd testing for 40 years to get the best out of the best cows and to cull the lesser cows. The dairy is an 18 swingover with auto cup removers, auto draft and milk flow meters. “Having all the information means you make good decisions and can cull the cows that aren’t worth having,” Andrew said. “We’re looking into genomics to test cows but the biggest problem we face is analysing it all — you can get over-run with data sometimes.” Last year they used a new computer program to determine priorities for bulls and their preferred traits. They also aim to breed more heifers than needed and then use herd test figures to decide which to keep. Katrina is now working alongside her father to learn the farming systems, although she’s no stranger to farming. She worked for an AI company and in other
New fencing and undulating land have made this paddock a better prospect for summer crops.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2019
WEST VIC REGION // 7 jobs, but always came back to the farm to help. Kerry runs their own earth-moving business. “Dad said if you don’t do it now, you’re never going to do it, so we’re going to have a crack,” Katrina said. “It’s all set up; everything’s there and we’ve just got to make it work. It’s going to be a challenge but it’s something we are looking forward to.” Katrina will do most of the animal husbandry and Kerry will focus on pastures. Kerry recently helped to improve one of the out paddocks, now being used for a crop of rape after its rye-grass and clover was cut into hay. “It gets very wet in winter and you can’t really stock it, so last year Kerry came out with the grader and scraper and made it into lands with humps and hollows so the water runs into the hollows and runs away,” Andrew said. “We’re also changing the fencing to utilise the land properly,” Katrina added. “We planted rape for the first time last year and we got a good crop off it.” Because Andrew was planning to sell and had reduced numbers, new crops will be needed and some pastures will have to be revived. The farm has an irrigation plant but it hasn’t been used in recent years. “We’re lucky the way the farm is set up we have feed without having to use it and put on extra water,” Katrina said. However, Kerry wants to try it to see if it boosts production. Andrew, 60, is moving into semi-retirement. “Forty years of milking cows is enough for me. We want to do a bit more travel,” he said.
Katrina McRae, cousin and casual employee Joseph Phillips and Andrew McRae: “We’ve worked together as a team and made it all happen,” Andrew says.
The transition will happen over 12 months to make sure Katrina and Kerry want to continue. “You’ve got to plan ahead and make the right moves at the right time,” Andrew said. “Luck plays a part, but you’ve got to work to make it
happen.” For Katrina and Kerry, it will be a steep learning curve. They’ve already brought in Jerseys and will keep some, but will focus on their Bonniedoon Holstein stud.
They have also reversed plans to dry off over summer and will milk through. “It’s exciting to see what we can make of it,” Katrina said.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2019
8 // WEST VIC REGION
The time of our lives RICK BAYNE
GETTING THE timing right is a key to farm-
Rachelle De Haas and her partner Mathew Donovan.
ing as Rachelle De Haas and her partner Mathew Donovan are finding out on a family farm near Heywood. Rachelle and Mathew are farming with her parents Renee and Judith De Haas, who have owned the property for 30 years. Renee and Judith have semi-retired and moved into Rachelle and Mathew’s house in town, but they remain very much part of the farm. The young couple and its three children moved onto the farm in July, 2018. “We’re trying to give my dad a break,” Rachelle said. Mat, who has been working on the farm for three years, now runs the day-to-day operations while all members of the family pitch in for milking. Rachelle also works at a kindergarten in Heywood. Mat grew up on a farm, but went on to a carpentry apprenticeship and has worked in Portland for about 14 years. Adjusting to the challenge of dairy farming seven days’ a week has been daunting. “We’re not used to seven days’ a week,”
Rachelle admitted, “but we try to even it up, so we get weekends off.” Adjusting to the time demands of dairy farming has also been interesting, particularly for a self-confessed night-owl like Mat. The young couple has maintained Renee’s milking times, though will look to make adjustments in the long-term. “We still milk at the same time Dad milks; he starts getting them in at four o’çlock in the morning and then milks again at 1.30 in the afternoon,” Renee said.
“I like being my own boss and being able to do things when you want to.” “Dad did that because when we were children my mum worked at the bank, so he was finished at 3.30 to pick us up at school and then spend the afternoon with us. “Mat’s not a morning person and when Dad goes on holidays, we adjust it a little bit. Ideally, we’d like 5.30 to 6 am and then around 3.30 pm, and if we take on the farm long-term, we’ll look at that. “It’s going to be a slow process to change; it’s a big thing for the cows to adjust.”
It’s what cows
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your pasture. reidstockfeeds.com.au/meet-the-team designing feeds to complement 1300 REID FEED |feeds 1300 7343 3333 reidstockfeeds.com.au/meet-the-team designing to complement Knowledgeable nutritionists reidstockfeeds.com.au/meet-the-team your pasture. your pasture. Contact one It’s of our team today designing feeds to complement what cows 1300 REID FEED | 1300 7343 3333
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2019
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The small herd produces good results for the De Haas family.
The De Haas family has recently signed a three-year contract with Bega, and the future of the farm will become clearer during that time. At the moment, Rachelle and Mat are working on wages, but other options will be considered in the future. The farm is a relatively small operation covering about 160 ha and milking 130 Friesians, but it’s a good size for a family operation. A Friesian-Jersey herd came with the farm when Renee and Judith purchased it but over time, they decided Friesians were best suited to the land. “It’s been a good season and they’re holding pretty well and doing about 5800 litres every
A new dairy was built a few years ago in anticipation of a younger generation taking over.
second day,” Mat said. “It’s a good operation, so we haven’t needed to do much.” Unlike previous seasons, no summer crops have been planted this year. The farm receives good rainfall and almost half the land is covered by irrigation, creating enough opportunities for home-grown feed. “We don’t need extra crops this year,” Mat said. “We buy grain every 16 weeks, feeding about 1 kg to the cows, and we haven’t had to buy in anything else this year.” Rachelle said grain costs had led to a reduction in feeding. “We were feeding quite a lot of grain, but we
had to cut that back because the bills went from $6000 to $10 500,” she said. “They’re not getting the rain up north so we have to look at more home-grown feed.” The irrigation system was added more than 20 years ago and has proven to be a valuable asset. “Before that we could only water the front half of the farm,” Rachelle said. “We used to have old pipes we had to move physically but now we have post sprinklers in the ground, which is a much easier system.” A new dairy was built about four years ago — a 20-swingover not far from the site of the former 10 double-up. The walls of the old dairy — adorned with a mural painted by a family
friend — have been retained and provide a colourful image for people passing by. At the time the new dairy was being built, other family members planned to return to the farm; but when those plans fell through, it gave Rachelle and Mat the opportunity to jump in. A more formal transition arrangement will be considered in the next few years, but in the mean time they plan to continue the joint operation while enjoying family farming life. “I like being my own boss and being able to do things when you want to,” Rachelle said. “It’s good for the kids — they’re outside doing things that town kids don’t get to do.”
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2019
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Camp popular with kids PARADING, JUDGING and clipping — it was all happening at Noorat last month as part of the largest Western District Youth Camp in recent years. The three-day camp had 54 participants and concentrated on building the skills of the next generation. Topics covered included: team work, animal husbandry, animal nutrition, public speaking, clipping, handling and careers in the
dairy industry. This was the fourth — but third major camp — organised by Western Districts Dairy Youth volunteers. One of the five organisers, Fiona Hanks said the event had created so much interest there was even a waiting-list this year. The camp was open to children from eight to 16 years old.
Georgia Somerville, 10, from Boorcan listened intently to instructions explaining the best way to present her heifer at the Western District Youth Camp.
Olivia Aitken, 13, travelled from Warragul in Gippsland to learn the finer-points of leading at the Noorat Youth Camp.
Jack Gaut, 14, from Cobden had his heifer lined-up for judging at Noorat.
Clipping fun: George Sadler, 8, from Naroghid was busy preparing a heifer as part of the Western District Youth Camp at Noorat.
Cate Jago 15 from Warrnambool listens to tips about showing her heifers best attributes at Noorat. MG TradinG FerTiLiser depoTs
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2019
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Taysha Scott, 11, from Cobrico worked as part of a team to prepare the Holstein heifer.
Thomas Somerville, 13, from Boorcan worked hard on the top-line of a jersey heifer.
Nikaiah Murfett, 8, from Framlingham enjoyed the Noorat camp.
Mickayla Huth, 12, from Cobden improved her parading skills at the Western District Youth Camp.
Taking Stock Dairy farmers are still able to access a free, one-on one, session with an experienced farm consultant through the Taking Stock program. The sessions are confidential and personalised to address the specific needs of each farm business, including any physical, financial and people issues that are identified. The program will result in an Action Plan that identifies the next steps needed to navigate the season ahead.
Topics could include: › Feed options › Managing a fodder shortage › Herd health › Cash budgeting › Managing your farm team › Meeting the bank.
To register or to arrange your follow-up consult, contact:
WestVic Dairy on 5557 1000 or email amanda@westvicdairy.com.au The team will answer any queries and connect you with a consultant of your choice where possible.
Farmers that have completed an initial Taking Stock are also entitled to a follow-up consultation.
Proudly supported by:
Southwest Dairy Services