Dairy direct gippsland august 2015 (low res)

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Country News PUBLICATION

GIPPSLAND Issue 5, August 2015

Jason steps out » page 22

From ship to shore » page 18 Better bull management » page 8 University maps the future » page 35

Editor Geoff Adams editor@countrynews.com.au

REMINDERS FOR AUGUST Pastures/forages Rye-grass leaf appearance rate: Eight to 12 days per leaf.

Area of farm to graze today: One 1/24 th to 1/36 th of grazing area in 24 hours.

Average daily pasture growth rate: 35 to 50 kg DM/ha/day, the growth rates speed up with increased warmth and day length.

Recommended pre-grazing decisions for all stock: Check the pasture that is about to be grazed is at the leaf stage you are targeting. Pastures at this time of the year should be grazed with enough bulk to offer cows enough intake and to a low enough residual to offer quality in the next round.

Set aside paddocks for silage when residuals are getting higher and can be cut as close as possible to grazing height.

Recommended post-grazing decisions for all stock: Aim to graze down to 4 to 6 cm pasture height between clumps, while not compromising production.

Seasonal management tasks: Pre or post-graze top and cut paddocks for silage to maintain pasture quality for the spring if not possible with grazing management.

• Consider the use of nitrogen to boost pasture production and potentially minimise the use of expensive supplements.

Pasture responses of 10 to 20 kgDM/ha for every kilogram of nitrogen/ ha are common in spring and represent good value for money if you need and or can utilise the additional feed grown.

• Some paddocks may still need repairing due to pugging damage and can be rolled if soil moisture allows, or if particularly badly damaged, they could be renovated with pasture or cropped depending on the paddock characteristics, farm system, location and its characteristics.

• Any crop paddocks should be able to be selected soon, depending on the farm, season and crop type.

• Estimate your silage and hay requirements for the coming year.

A focus on fodder quality will lead to more milk produced by cows when they’re fed.

• Watch for pasture pests such as lucerne flea and consider control if you think they are damaging pasture.

• Applications for fertiliser may significantly boost pasture and crop growth rates if your last application was in autumn.

Cows • Take the opportunity to feed cows as well as possible; check the margin between milk price and grain price; consider the likely milk response to feeding an extra kilogram of grain to cows to assist your decision.

• Record details of any non-cycling cows or cows with calving difficulties pre-mating and have a plan for how to deal with them. Don’t wait for the end of the mating period.

• Make a decision on your mating program design to maintain calving pattern and dates.

• Choose semen or bulls that will assist in developing the type of cow that suits your farm system.

• Prepare bulls for joining. Get them tested before you get them working and ensure you have enough bull power (enough bulls for your expected cows on heat after AI).

Calves • Calves should be given access to clean water, pellets and a fibre source from day one. They can be weaned when they are eating 1 kg per day of pellets for two or three consecutive days. This usually occurs by about six to eight weeks of age if all is going well.

• Weaned calves should weigh at least 75 kg for Jerseys and 100 kg for Friesians, at two to three months old. For more information on calf rearing, visit http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/ Animal-management/Animal-welfare/Calf-welfare/Rearinghealthy-calves-manual.aspx 2

AUGUST 2015

Writers Danny Buttler and Geoff Adams Graphic designers Brendan Cain, Alysha Bathman, Bella Considine and Dave McMillan Advertising James MacGibbon james.macgibbon@ countrynews.com.au Cover: Dumbalk teenager Jason Riley has always known where he wanted to be.

Story page 22

Published by Country News PO Box 204, Shepparton, Victoria 3632 (03) 5831 2312 www.countrynews.com.au

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Dairy Direct Agriculture sometimes suffers from a poor reputation and we all have to be careful we don’t add to the negative image it sometimes gets.

Would we encourage our own children to seek a career in agriculture?

Not just “taking over the farm” but in the growing number of would be demanding high service industries that revolve quality, niche food products that around food production.

Australia can produce, and would Australia’s trade and investment require a higher level of expertise minister, Andrew Robb, played a in the industry. key role in negotiating the most recent free trade agreements from “It is estimated by the OECD that within 35 years — not 100 years, which our industry is likely to or 50 years — but within 35 years, benefit.

600 million in the middle class will Mr Robb, who grew up on a grow to some three billion people, dairy farm at Epping, recently living in the middle class in the pointed out that there are region around us.” thousands of jobs available in The potential opportunity Australian agriculture and only for the next generation is a about 500 agricultural science stimulating thought. graduates each year.

— Geoff Adams He said the growing future markets in the Asian region Dairy Direct Editor

contents Many positives for dairy in Gippsland region The skies might be grey and the mornings cold, but this is a time that should warm the hearts of Gippsland dairy farmers.

In an industry that relies on so many external factors, the past few years have been kind to the region.

For most of Gippsland, seasonal conditions have ranged from better-than-average to asgood-as-it-gets, letting farmers grow tonnes of feed for hungry cows. Every roll of homegrown fodder is a step in the right direction towards greater profitability — and sheds and silage pits have been full for a couple of years now.

The Aussie dollar has finally fallen from its lofty perch of a few years back when it soared well past the United States greenback. This has increased demand for Australian exports, and dairy is no exception.

Farm gate milk prices have been solid or better since they recovered from the last disastrous collapse. It looks like it should be another reasonable year for milk prices, which gives farmers a platform on which they can make longer-term strategic decisions for their businesses.

The final factor in the current positive outlook is the signing of a Free Trade

Agreement with China. I’m not sure that all farmers understand the significance of this deal, which was forged over many years and should impact on dairy exports for decades to come.

With dairy tariffs to be phased out during the next decade and the 15 per cent infant milk formula tariff gone in less than four years, Australian dairy farmers will finally have a fair go at selling to the world’s second-largest economy.

While this all adds up to good news for farmers, any one of these factors could change at any given time. No-one seems able to reliably predict world economic events, milk prices won’t always be our friend, and what seasonal conditions will be like is anyone’s guess.

Rural Rumenations News

4 4–7

Animal health

8

Observation the key to calving management

9

Making nitrogen fertiliser pay its way

10

Take the guesswork out of soil testing

12

Education opens doors for young farmer

14

Sometimes the back door is the best way in

16

Beating the odds

18

Star-gazing a sign of disease 21 Life of Riley

22

Protect waterlogged pastures 25 Focus on feeding 26 Managing the season ahead 28

As farmers, all we can do is what we have already been doing — work hard, farm smarter and hope for the best.

Season of growth for many 31

GippsDairy will be doing its best to provide extension and education to help build the knowledge and skills base of the industry so we can all profit in the good times and better endure when conditions aren’t so favourable.

— Matt Gleeson GippsDairy chairman

Dairying’s future is unfolding at university

35

“Hothouse” is growing healthy calves

38

Know your compost

41

Topping the dairy genetics charts 33

AUGUST 2015

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Rural Rumenations with KATIE MACAULAY

Columnist Katie MacAulay lives in South Gippsland, and has been married to a dairy farmer long enough to appreciate the smell of good silage. She loves chooks, enjoys stacking hay bales with the tractor and wonders why the lawn grows twice as quickly as the grass in the paddocks.

Baby business can be a cow sometimes In a comparison of cow pregnancy with the human kind, there’s winners and losers on both sides.

Each year we AI our cows for six weeks, and we don’t use any synchronisation programs.

Yet somehow I’ve managed to synchronise producing our family with the herd. Junior was born just before calving started and we headed home from hospital in the middle of calving. Now we’re expecting our second child in the middle of this year’s calving.

I can’t help but compare my experience with that of the cows and wonder who has it better?

In the interest of exploring the issue, I have broken it down into categories: Conception: Thankfully, no AI technicians in mucky overalls, elbow-length gloves and straws were needed for my pregnancy.

Pregnancy testing: Peeing on a stick in the comfort of my own home beats a visit by the vet and more long gloves. So far, humans seem better off.

Diet: We’ve been lead feeding for several years with good results so I decided to join

in. But extra food for two weeks couldn’t possibly be long enough for me to reap the full benefits (after all, I have a different style of gastrointestinal system). Once my nausea eventually settled, I began a delicious regime of extra kilojoules to improve my condition (white chocolate, dark chocolate and of course, milk chocolate). I win.

Glucose tolerance test: My bovine colleagues get to skip this one. Lucky creatures.

(Although it may not be a bad thing since a herd of cows throwing up would not be a pretty sight.) Cows win.

Hubby’s attention: While on the calving pad, the cows get to see Hubby three times a day (twice more than I will when I’m in hospital).

But when Hubby visits me and our bub, we won’t have to share his attention with dozens of others. It’s a tie.

Mobility: I’m not game to crouch down low enough to reach into my fridge crisper since

I’m not sure I’ll be able to get up again. (All the more reason to stick to my lead feeding regime — the chocolate in the pantry is so much easier to reach.) For the first time ever, I envy the cows’ access to hip clamps. They would be just the thing to rescue me after I try to reach a bottom shelf. Cows win.

Post-birth body: As a human, I am bombarded by images of celebrities who lose their baby weight in less time than it takes most women to give birth. The cows, however, are measured on a totally different scale. It is considered desirable for cows to maintain any weight gain post-birth. Maybe it would be good to be a cow (and if I’m allowed to continue lead feeding, even better ...).

Definite win to the cows.

But then it hits me. Cows spend threequarters of their working life pregnant. With that realisation fresh in my head, I declare myself the winner.

dairy news Confidence in long-term demand for dairy products Milk processors who have announced their opening prices for suppliers have reassured farmers that prospects for the industry remain good.

Both Murray Goulburn and Tatura Milk have announced lower starting prices of $5.60/kg.

Murray Goulburn is forecasting $6.05/kg for the full year, subject to changes in external factors such as global dairy commodity prices and prevailing exchange rates.

It assumes an average Australian dollar of $US0.76 during the next financial year and assumptions regarding commodity prices and other risk factors.

Murray Goulburn managing director Gary Helou said commodity dairy markets remained subdued and exchange rates unpredictable, but he was confident that demand growth for dairy foods would remain strong during the medium to long term.

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AUGUST 2015

‘‘Many Asian countries are not self-sufficient in dairy and will need to import dairy foods to meet growing consumer demand for premium quality ready-to-consume dairy food products,’’ Mr Helou said.

Tatura Milk executive chairman Barry Irvin said the past year had been a challenging one in international dairy markets, with commodities dropping some 34 per cent when comparing international dairy prices in June 2014 to June 2015. ‘‘The major shifts in global markets inevitably affect all markets, including the Australian market,’’ Mr Irvin said.

He said the board had endeavoured to manage and minimise the impact of the significantly changed markets.

The opening milk price of $5.60/kg milk

solids compared to the 2014–15 opening, and ultimately closing, milk price of $6/kg milk solids, he said.

Mr Irvin said the board believed it was important to deliver a farm gate milk price that was as stable as possible, reflected the market and allowed the business to continue to invest in value-added capacities that delivered pay rates over and above dairy commodity returns. ‘‘This year’s price is a very strong demonstration of the success of the business’ long-term strategy of investing in valueadded consumer products and dairy nutritionals. ‘‘Despite the current challenging market circumstances, the board remains positive about the long-term demand for high quality Australian produced dairy products.’’

dairy news

Guide to dairy improvement New resource looks at capability development opportunities in Gippsland.

Gippsland’s dairy industry has three “When used with Dairy Australia’s Stepping pilot stage, would have a major impact key organisations servicing farm on the uptake of services on offer in the Stones handbook, the Gippsland Dairy capability development.

Gippsland dairy industry.

Services Guide gives people of all ages and backgrounds a framework to plan and Determining who provides what services in “Our industry needs skilled new entrants review their career or education pathway, the region has been a challenge up coming in, and existing farmers and farm while offering employers and employees until now. employees are always looking to develop a framework to start professional their skills,” he said.

The recently released Dairy Services Guide development discussions,” NCDE/ offers Gippsland’s dairy community a “The Dairy Services Guide simplifies GOTAFE’s commercial manager Luke the process of getting started in further comprehensive resource that showcases Prime said. education or getting involved in one of the the available capability development A copy of the Gippsland Dairy Services many on-farm projects designed to help opportunities.

Guide was recently posted to Gippsland the industry increase profitability The Gippsland Dairy Services Guide is a dairy farms, with an online version and capability.”

16-page handbook that has been developed The guide uses the theme of Dairy Moving available at gippsdairy.com.au

by GippsDairy, Dairy Australia, the “While this is a working guide, we would Forward to categorise programs into: Department of Economic Development, love feedback on how we can improve the Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR), • Feedbase and nutrition next edition to better meet the needs of National Centre for Dairy Education • Animal performance Gippsland dairy farmers,” Mr Platt said.

(NCDE), and Goulburn Ovens Institute of • Farm business management TAFE (GOTAFE).

Anyone with feedback can email • Natural resources management and tplatt@dairyaustralia.com.au or phone climate change GippsDairy extension co-ordinator Tony 0477 440 339.

• Milk quality/milk harvesting Platt said the guide, which is still in a

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AUGUST 2015

5

No Waste, All Quality!

dairy news Andrew Robb

Sell services to India, says minister Roy Watson from Total Agronomy P/L at demo site, Lardner Park.

Get your silage program up and running by soil testing NOW! Receive the best data to apply the correct MACRO and TRACE MINERALS to drive MAXIMUM VOLUME! “When you break open a silage crop ready to be cut and you find yellow, rotted off leaf, you lose fodder. Get green leaf to the base. Grow and harvest 4, 5, 6 or even 7 green leaves for more silage which means more milk.”

Roy Watson

P.O. Box797, Warragul, Vic. 3820

Ph: 0428 526 581 roy@totalag.com.au

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AUGUST 2015

Dairy expertise will be a valuable commodity in future trade with the subcontinent.

A free trade agreement with India would offer agricultural services better prospects than bulk commodity sales, Australian Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb believes.

Australia is in the process of negotiating a new agreement with the subcontinent.

Speaking in Shepparton recently, Mr Robb said India already produced a lot of its own milk, but was seeking professional agricultural services to lift its production.

High end dairy products for India’s growing middle class could also represent an opportunity.

“India produces a lot more dairy than any other country,” Mr Robb said.

“So improving access for goods is going to be difficult.

“Most of their agriculture is produced in those areas of dire poverty so they have 300 million people still in poverty and many of them are small farmers.

“So we shouldn’t raise our hopes for major market access, but what we can look to, I hope, is major market opportunities for our services.

“At the moment a typical dairy cow in India produces about five litres per cow per day. You compare that with a dairy farmer in Tatura who will be talking about 25 to 30 litres per cow per day.

“What we can do is take our expertise in pasture management,

dairy genetics and processing, and convert this to opportunities in India to help them increase their production, and as their population gets wealthier, they will consume more milk themselves.

Mr Robb said the higher level, premium products were presenting more opportunities for Australia.

“The more we can help them become wealthier, the more opportunities we will create.

Our quality of services are seen as being world standard.”

Mr Robb said the deadline for an agreement with India was the end of the year.

“I have found with the other free trade agreements, if you create some momentum and political imperative, it’s amazing what it does to focus the minds of the bureaucracy. “(Indian) Prime Minister Modi, an exceptional leader, is hopefully able to bring about a far more co-operative approach and so far, so good.

“I have had four visits there in the last few months and he is as determined as he was in the first visit to get this happening. The deadline is owned by both prime ministers.”

India is Australia’s 12th largest trading partner and two-way trade between India and Australia is worth about $15 billion. Indian investment in Australia has reached almost $11 billion, with Australia investing $9.8 billion in India.

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animal health

Amy Ruby, Yarram Vet Centre

Get the best from your bull team Mop-up bulls have an important place in dairy herds.

The In Calf program has repeatedly found that many dairy herds do not have enough “mop-up” bulls to maximise pregnancy rates after a period of AI. The following are the some of the best practice guidelines for bull management in a dairy herd: 1) A minimum of three bulls per 100 cows present at the mating start date is required in seasonal or split-calving herds (four bulls per 100 cows if any form of synchronisation is used, and six bulls per 100 cows if you are not planning to use any AI).

2) Select bulls between 18 months and four years old. Younger bulls may not be fertile and older bulls are often too large or their fertility is beginning to decline.

3) Make sure bulls are on farm eight weeks before they are needed. This allows enough time for vaccination and fertility testing.

4) Ensure all bulls have a breeding soundness

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AUGUST 2015

evaluation (physical exam +/- semen testing) performed each year.

5) Ensure all bulls are tested for Pestivirus.

Cull any persistently infected animals immediately.

6) Ensure all bulls are vaccinated against: • Clostridial diseases and leptospirosis; • Pestivirus; • Vibrio.

7) Dose bulls with trace mineral supplements (oral or injectable) if needed, at least 30 days prior to use.

8) Have two bull teams of evenly sized and similar temperament bulls. Cull any overly aggressive bulls because they represent a significant workplace safety risk for you, your staff and other bulls.

9) Run each bull team with the cows for a week at a time. Run all bulls for a week if synchronised cows are returning that week, then resume weekly rotation.

10) Train bulls to remain in the paddock rather than walking to the shed twice a day.

11) Observe bulls daily for lameness, back injuries and penile injuries; remove and treat promptly.

Assessing bull reproductive performance in a dairy herd is somewhat difficult and depends on the number of weeks of AI, the six-week in-calf rate and the overall length of the mating period.

The Bulls: Power Up extension program can be found at http://www.dairyaustralia. com.au/Animal-management/Fertility/ Bull-management.aspx and contains information on assessing and calculating bull reproductive performance indices as well as more information on bull selection and managing bulls for use over heifers.

— Peter DeGaris, Tarwin Veterinary Group.

Winter fair a winner Great results for exhibitors from Finley and Zeerust at second winter fair.

The second annual National Herd Development Victorian Winter Fair was at the Bendigo Exhibition Centre on July 1 and 2.

The big winner of the fair was Finley’s Nick Flanagan from Woodlawn Holsteins, who took home a number of ribbons including Senior Champion and Supreme Senior Exhibit with Mooramba Talent Randell, which also won the Best Udder section.

Bluechip Genetics at Zeerust was also a winner, taking back-to-back Junior Champion, back-to-back Junior Reserve

Zeerust’s Bluechip Genetics owner Dianna Malcolm with the junior winners. L-R: Junior Honourable Mention Bluechip Goldust Marion, co-owned with Averill Leslie; Junior Supreme Champion Bluechip Finalcut Marion; and Junior Reserve Champion Bluechip Windbrook Noni.

Champion, Junior Honourable Mention, back-to-back Intermediate Champion and Reserve Senior Champion.

Dean Malcolm, who runs Bluechip Genetics with wife Dianna, said the results were “awesome”.

“It’s far exceeded our expectations,” he said.

Bluechip Genetics’ Junior Supreme Champion Bluechip Finalcut Marion is coowned by Peter Hurley and Debbie Palmer.

Mrs Malcolm said everyone was pleased by their success and said the Junior Honourable Mention, Bluechip Golddust Marion, was

Bluechip Finalcut Marion’s maternal sister out of the same dam.

On June 30, there was a welcome dinner to open the fair with guest speaker Nationals leader Peter Walsh.

Organiser and Gunbower dairy farmer Clare Modra said there were 60 more entries and 20 more exhibitors than last year, with more than 250 cows entering the ring.

“Last year was our first year and a lot of people came to have a look and saw just how good the facilities were,” Mrs Modra said.

“This time of year is also easy on the cows.”

AUGUST 2015

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Making nitrogen fertiliser pay its way New tool makes it simple to find the best nitrogen rate for your farm.

Applying nitrogen to boost production of home grown pasture can be a profitable strategy to fill a feed gap. However, careful consideration about when and how much nitrogen to apply is essential to ensure it is the most profitable strategy, and is not just increasing the cost of producing homegrown feed.

A new online tool, the Dairy Nitrogen Fertiliser Advisor produced by DEDJTR, makes it simple to find the best nitrogen rate for your farm and season by running scenarios with different combinations of four key factors: • pasture utilisation; • cost of alternative feed; • cost of nitrogen; and • pasture growth response to the nitrogen applied.

Pasture utilisation If you don’t use it, then it isn’t worth growing. Maintaining good pasture grazing management and efficiently consuming the extra pasture grown is essential to making nitrogen pay. Applying nitrogen up to three days before grazing or soon after grazing, then waiting until rye-grass pasture reaches the two- to three-leaf stage will give pasture time to respond to applied nitrogen fertiliser before it is grazed again. If you don’t have a feed shortage and the extra feed grown is not consumed or will need to be conserved, you substantially increase the cost of home grown feed producion. Making your nitrogen decisions in conjunction with a feed budget is a good starting point.

Cost of alternative feed The market price of alternative feeds is used to value the extra pasture grown from the application of nitrogen. If the value of the 10

AUGUST 2015

extra feed grown doesn’t cover the cost of each extra unit of nitrogen applied, then it is more cost-effective to purchase feed. As an example, if nitrogen cost $1.50/kg spread ($1500/tonne) and the market price of feed of equivalent quality to pasture is $0.30/ kg ($300/tonne consumed), a minimum pasture growth response of 5 kg DM/kg N is needed for the nitrogen to pay for itself. If the market price of feed goes down to $0.20/ kg, then you would need to grow 7.5 kg DM/kg N for the nitrogen to pay for itself.

In this case a lower rate of nitrogen would be recommended. For a fair comparison, the purchased feed should be of similar quality to pasture and the cost should take into account losses during storage and at feed-out.

Cost of nitrogen As the cost of nitrogen increases, a higher pasture growth response is required to pay for the nitrogen applied. Using the above example where nitrogen costs $1.50/kg spread ($1500/tonne) and the market price of feed of equivalent quality to pasture is $0.30/kg ($300/tonne consumed), each unit of nitrogen applied must produce a minimum of 5 kg DM /kg N to cover the nitrogen cost. If the cost of nitrogen rises to $1.60/kg spread, each unit of nitrogen applied must produce a minimum of 5.3 kg DM /kg N to cover costs.

Pasture growth response to applied nitrogen Generally in Victoria pasture growth response to nitrogen is highest in spring when the temperature is warmer and water is not limited, and lower in autumn and winter.

This is not to say that it is not economical to apply nitrogen in autumn and winter. At this time alternative feed sources can be scarce

and expensive, which means you don’t have to grow as much extra feed from each unit of nitrogen to cover costs.

Pasture growth response to nitrogen follows the ‘law of diminishing returns’. This means that for each unit of nitrogen applied, the extra pasture produced will be less than that produced by the previous unit of nitrogen applied. The cost of each additional unit of nitrogen applied is the same as the previous unit, therefore eventually a point is reached where the value of the extra pasture grown does not cover the cost of the nitrogen applied and it is no longer economically sensible to apply further nitrogen. This point depends on the four key factors described above (nitrogen cost, pasture growth response, pasture utilisation efficiency and cost of alternative feed sources). The Dairy Nitrogen Fertiliser Advisor will calculate this point for your situation.

Dairy Nitrogen Fertiliser Adviser The Dairy Nitrogen Fertiliser Advisor tool has nitrogen response curves for different Australian states and seasons, based on nearly 6000 nitrogen fertiliser experiments undertaken across Australia. The tool combines these nitrogen response curves with an economic model to find the optimal economic fertiliser application rate for your situation.

The Dairy Nitrogen Fertiliser Advisor can be found at: http://vro.depi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite. nsf/pages/nitrogen-advisor For further information contact: Dr Cameron Gourley, DEDJTR Ellinbank, Cameron.Gourley@ecodev.vic.gov.au Nick O’Halloran, DEDJTR Tatura, Nick.O’Halloran@ecodev.vic.gov.au

Getting the where and why of soil testing right can improve fertiliser-use efficiency.

Take the guesswork out of soil testing Farm management zones can objectively manage key nutrient decisions through more efficient soil testing.

Fertiliser costs typically rank as one of the highest working expenses on most dairy farms.

The dairy industry has consistently used soil testing to assist with nutrient planning (that is, fertiliser applications), but often the process used to identify where to soil test and how best to utilise all the paper records is ad hoc.

The Accounting for Nutrients on Australian Dairy Farms project concluded that only 25 per cent of the nutrients imported onto the farm (either through feed or fertiliser) were converted into ‘product’ that leaves the farm through milk, live weight or fodder.

The project highlighted clear opportunities for many dairy farmers to reduce fertiliser applications to high-nutrient level paddocks and reduce costs without compromising production, and therefore increasing profit.

The monetary value of lost nutrient inputs will increase in line with rising fertiliser costs.

From the 37 conventional dairy farms studied around Australia, the project revealed: • Twenty per cent of pasture paddocks had more than three times the required level of phosphorus required for optimum plant growth (target Olsen P: 20mg/kg).

• Phosphorus levels in paddocks close to the dairy were often two to three times higher than paddocks 2 km from the dairy.

• The average soil test levels for sulphur were twice the recommended level for optimum pasture production (target KCl40 of 10mg/kg).

• The average soil test levels for potassium were twice the recommended level for pasture production (target Colwell K of 140mg/kg).

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The Fert$mart Program recommends farmers create farm management zones (FMZs) across their properties to objectively manage key nutrient decisions such as fertiliser and manure applications.

Farms often have a large number of individual paddocks, so it is more practical to soil test from a FMZ than to soil test in every paddock.

Initially, a farm could be mapped based on the following management zones: • Different soil types may have different phosphorus buffering indexes, resulting in different amounts of phosphorus necessary for maintenance and capital applications.

Soils may also have different baseline potassium and sulphur reserves, and exhibit different leaching potentials.

• Different management practices such as day or night paddocks; areas where fodder is regularly cut or fed out; where effluent has been spread; and run-off blocks.

• New and old irrigation areas may have received higher fertiliser application rates than dryland parts of the farm.

Using an aerial photo of the farm allows a colour scale to be applied to the mapped zones based on the soil analysis results. The different colours visually indicate the soil nutrient status of the specific zone.

Typically dark colours indicate zones of high fertility and lighter shades represent zones of lower fertility. This provides the farmer and agronomist with a simple method of visually assessing the baseline nutrient status across the FMZs and assists with planning fertiliser, manure and effluent applications. Farmers should also record where soil samples are

collected (for example, with a physical marker or GPS).

Benefits of more strategic soil testing The Accounting for Nutrients on Australian Dairy Farms project showed dairy farms typically have high soil fertility levels in the paddocks adjacent to the dairy shed.

This is due in part to the use of night paddocks, convenience of silage and hay feeding pre- and post-milking and effluent irrigation infrastructure not capable of reaching far beyond the sump or holding pond.

Soil testing from each FMZ provides an accurate indication of whether paddocks have similar or highly variable soil nutrient reserves, compared to partial soil testing.

The application of FMZs at trial sites across Australia has reduced farm fertiliser costs, or at least achieved an improvement in fertiliser efficiency because zones with a low nutrient status received an adjusted higher application rate, than those zones that had optimal or excessive soil fertility.

It is recommended FMZs be monitored at least every two to three years.

The ability to treat paddocks individually or as part of FMZs, rather than treating the whole farm or areas of the farm with a traditional blanket fertiliser application, enables farmers to maximise fertiliser efficiency and reduce nutrient loss to the surrounding environment, increasing production and making the most from their hard-earned dollars.

— Mick O’Keefe, DEDJTR Rutherglen

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Get on board with GippsDairy GIPPSDAIRY is calling on people who want to better themselves and the Gippsland dairy industry to consider nominating as board members.

Funded by the dairy service levy, GippsDairy is a not-forprofit research, development and extension organisation led by a board of dairy farmers and other experts connected to the industry.

Three positions — two as farmer directors and one specialist director — will become open at the next AGM in October.

Specialist board positions have previously been filled by accountants, farm consultants,

milk processors and food industry executives.

GippsDairy chairman Matt Gleeson, who will be stepping down from the board at this year’s AGM, said prospective board members need to have a passion for the Gippsland dairy industry.

“GippsDairy is a key player in the further development of the dairy industry in Gippsland,” he said.

“We have a farmer driven board that also seeks expertise from outside the industry.”

“Those on the board have energy, a commitment to Gippsland and a willingness to embrace the challenge of driving a crucial industry for the region.”

In recent years, board members have completed courses in corporate governance and public speaking.

Current director Edwin Vandenberg said the GippsDairy

Edwin Vandenberg said the GippsDairy board is a great place to give back to the industry.

board experience has been overwhelmingly positive.

“It’s very rewarding in terms of working with interesting people and on interesting projects,” he said.

“You have the chance to look towards the future and see how we can help the industry in that respect.”

Edwin believes formal training gives directors knowledge and experience that they can take back to the wider industry and broader community when their time on the board ends.

Stepping Up Stepping Back Workshop GippsDairy, Dairy Australia and YDDP have designed a workshop to provide development opportunities for enthusiastic dairy people.

Stepping Up Stepping Back aims to help farmers consider the options available to them as they transition into or out of the dairy industry.

The 1-day workshop is designed to be interactive and content will include: • An introduction of Dairy Australia’s “Share Dairy Farming in Australia — Model Code of Practice” which assists in evaluating if you are suited to share dairy farming • Evaluating options: staying as an employee, share dairy farming, leasing, owner or equity partner

• Highlight mentor and professional support available • Real life case studies • Starting the process of succession • A resource kit to take away Location Federation Training Leongatha Campus, Nerrena Road.

Date/Time 1st September 2015 10.15 am for a 10.30 am sharp start to 3 pm.

These interactive workshops will be delivered by John Mulvany, OMJ Consulting (lunch included).

• Helping individuals sort out what they want

For more information please contact GippsDairy T: (03) 5624 3900 E: executiveassistant@gippsdairy.com.au

• Focusing on building relationships between business partners

This workshop is co-funded by Regional Development Victoria

For more information please call GippsDairy on (03) 5624 3900 or visit www.gippsdairy.com.au

“It gives you a level of professionalism that you can apply to any other committee or board roles you may have,” he said.

“There’s the potential to be involved in formal courses and the chance to be involved in various committees and participate in a high level of organisational governance”.

Anyone interested in applying for the position can contact Melanie Smith on 5624 3900 or at executiveassistant@gippsdairy. com.au

GippsDairy board director positions People motivated to enhance the Gippsland dairy industry are encouraged apply for a position on the GippsDairy board.

Selection criteria include the ability to commit the time required, networks and technical knowledge of dairy farming, or other skills needed by the board.

Diversity is important to the board.

Successful candidates will be offered training from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Applications are due by Monday 24th August 2015. Short listed applicants will be interviewed by an Independent Selection Panel at Warragul in mid-September.

Successful candidates will attend an induction session and be invited to attend the Board meeting in early October.

For a copy of the position description, phone 03 5624 3900, email executiveassistant@gippsdairy.com.au or visit www.gippsdairy.com.au

Education opens doors for young farmer This future leader is proof continued development can boost a career in the dairy industry.

Hayden Hanratty knows where he has come from and, just as importantly, knows where he is going.

The 25-year old has spent his life on farms from South Gippsland to Newry in the Macallister Irrigation District and has learned life on the land is the life for him.

The Toora farm employee, who works on Dan and Cindy Knee’s Toora North property, is seen as a future leader in the industry and a great example of how continued development can help a career prosper.

Having left school at the end of

Hayden Hanratty.

Year 9, Mr Hanratty has been gaining experience on farms while continuing his education in a more formal sense.

He was recently named as Gippsland’s Student of the Year at the National Centre for Dairy Education Australia’s Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE annual graduation ceremony at Lardner Park.

He graduated with a Certificate IV in Agriculture, having previously completed his Certificate II and III. Mr Hanratty started his studies while he was still at secondary school and was a valued team

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Hayden Hanratty (left) graduating with a Certificate IV in Agriculture with Jillian Goudie, his partner Georgina Hobson and Callum Hobson.

member at Kate Bland’s dairy in Foster, where he worked for more than a decade.

“Hayden has shown determination to succeed. In addition to his job with Blands, he operates a small cattle cartage business and leases a block where he runs a beef herd.

This level of commitment and initiative makes him an excellent role model for other students,” NCDEA district manager David Shutein said.

For Mr Hanratty, it’s a no-brainer that furthering education is a stepping stone to a better career in the dairy industry.

“You have to do further education if you want to get anywhere,” he said.

“Everything I’ve learned from the extra schooling that I have done has been beneficial to me.”

Apart from practical skills, Mr Hanratty’s schooling has giving him the chance to tour New Zealand on a UDV/Gardiner Foundation scholarship and has put him in situations he never thought he would be able to handle.

“Speaking to a room full of 200 people is something I never thought I would be able to do,” he said.

“I was never really a confident person, but I’ve found if you get out of your comfort zone, it is something you can really gain something from.

“I do see myself as becoming some sort of leader in the industry at some point.

“I enjoy it and I’m very passionate about seeing younger people getting into dairy farming and succeeding.” >> Continued on page 16

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>> Continued from page 15

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John Camilleri is still working hard on his Catani farm.

Beating the odds

Dairy farming is full of all kinds of success stories, but John Camilleri’s might just be the best of them all.

John’s late wife Dorothea pictured as a Mercy Sister.

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AUGUST 2015

Born in Malta during World War years, the family was doing much the same thing: preparing bullocks II, John Camilleri emigrated to for slaughter as well as running a few Australia with a Grade 2 education sheep, goats and growing vegetables and the weight of expectation that for market. he would help look after his parents and eight younger siblings.

It was a hard peasant life on the warravaged Mediterranean island and Now 74, he can look back at a life one that Mr Camilleri’s parents were that saw him battle his way from keen to put behind them in search of the bottom of society to become a proud chief petty officer in the Royal new opportunities on another island on the other side of the world.

Australian Navy, a highly successful Leaving his mother and youngest dairy farmer and adoptive father of siblings at home, Mr Camilleri nine children. struck out with his father and his He’s a bloke who has given much next youngest brother in 1954, more to his community than he ever buying a plot of land in rural took from it.

Springvale South.

“No life is too difficult that you can’t He worked various menial jobs, but live through it,” he said. with poor English skills he knew he Speaking at his Catani farm in West was on a fast road to nowhere unless Gippsland, Mr Camilleri looks back something changed. with more than a little pride on Enrolling at Swinburne University, his achievements.

Mr Camilleri eventually raised his Heart problems forced him to step literacy level to a point where he away from the dairy shed a few years could follow his dream of going ago, but he still fattens a few cattle to sea. and enjoys time around the farm.

“I used to see the war ships in (the Maltese port) Valetta and I always Back in Malta in the hard post-war

Mr and Mrs Camilleri with the cows in the early 1980s.

farm as part of a plan to help his parents, wanted to be in the navy,” he said. who were struggling with his father’s He joined and almost ran straight deteriorating health. into disaster.

His mum and dad were going to help Assigned to HMAS Voyager in 1963, Mr Camilleri was transferred to another ship just him run the farm while he earned a John’s 1968 navy identity card. steady wage working at the Yallourn weeks before the destroyer crashed into the power plant. aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne, killing 82 of Voyager’s men.

When his parents changed their minds, the Catholic order for health reasons and Mr Camilleri was left on his own with three For the next decade, Mr Camilleri rose married Mr Camilleri. weeks’ tuition from the departing owner on through the ranks to chief petty officer, Having struggled with his debt and battling how to run a dairy farm with spending years patrolling the hot-spots of to find his feet as a dairy farmer, Mr 80 cows. troubled South-East Asia, including stints Camilleri started to get his head above water in Vietnam.

To top it off, 1975 turned out to be one and looked to the next stage of life with of the worst drought years in Gippsland’s He loved every minute of naval life, learning his wife. to become a highly qualified mechanical history, making the move into dairying a Discovering they were unable to have engineer and taking on leadership roles in potentially disastrous one. children, the couple started adopting locally life-and-death situations.

“I suppose you pay for your mistakes so you and internationally, ending up with nine Today, he can reflect on the cost of working learn pretty quickly, but it was a terrible time children in their care — as well as a swag of in a war zone and how it impacted on the to get into the dairy game. A dreadful time,” foster children who came through their door rest of his life. he said. over the years.

“Six years in Vietnam I spent, and three in “People were slaughtering cows in big pits, With Mrs Camilleri’s death in 2013 and his Borneo,” Mr Camilleri said. but by the grace of God I survived. ongoing heart problems, Mr Camilleri is living a quieter life these days.

“You think it doesn’t affect you, but it does.

“I kept up the farm payments and did tractor You become so determined to succeed, which repair work in the meantime. You couldn’t But it’s hard to imagine him failing to put in comes from survival. keep me away from grease and nuts a solid day’s work — just the same as he has and bolts.” every day since his boyhood back in Malta.

“You can really brush aside a lot of people who aren’t like-minded.”

They say the darkest hour is right before “Dairy farming has suited my temperament, the dawn, and sunshine came in the form because I’d become intolerant to people Heeding the call of family once again, he left the navy in 1975 and bought the Catani of Dorothea, a former Mercy Sister who left who weren’t.”

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Star-gazing a sign of disease Star-gazing disease, or polioencephalomalacia, is a disease that is caused by a deficiency in thiamine.

Polioencephalomalacia, not to be confused with the human virus poliomyelitis, typically affects well-grown calves and lambs between six and 12 months of age, but can occur in ruminants of all ages and both sexes.

The name ‘star-gazing disease’ stems from the affected animal generally separating itself from other animals, appearing blind, and either wandering aimlessly or standing motionless with its head either lowered to the ground or ‘star-gazing’ with a fixed stare into the sky.

Thiamine (Vitamin B1) is essential for normal body metabolism and is produced by ruminants, including sheep, cattle and goats, within their rumen or first stomach.

There are two main ways that an animal can become thiamine deficient: by destruction of the thiamine within the rumen, or by inadequate production of rumen microbes.

Thus, thiamine deficiency can occur secondary to any condition that disrupts the rumen microbe population such as grain poisoning, low fibre diets or excess sulphur in the diet.

The first signs of polioencephalomalacia are

lethargy and loss of appetite. Later animals will convulse and go down, often with their head and neck arched and with a stiff back. If left untreated animals will become weaker and eventually sink into a coma and die within two to three days.

Signs, however, vary between different cases with some animals being found dead and others only showing mild signs and recovering without treatment.

Animals in the early stages of the condition are usually responsive to a thiamine injection, which can be obtained from a veterinarian, and it is advised that the rest of the animals be supplemented with a high-fibre diet to stimulate a healthy rumen environment for thiamine-producing microbes.

However, animals that are blind or unable to stand usually will have permanent brain damage and won’t respond well to thiamine therapy, and must be euthanased.

For further advice contact a veterinarian or DEDJTR veterinary or animal health officer, or in NSW the Local Land Services.

— Dr Jeff Cave, District Veterinary Officer DEDJTR Wodonga

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21

Jason Riley with his employer and mentor Bruce Templeton.

Life of Riley While some people spend a lifetime trying to find their place in the world, Jason Riley has known exactly where he wanted to be since he was a little boy.

At 17 years old, Jason Riley has already achieved one of his life goals by spending his working days surrounded by dairy cows and the wide open spaces of Gippsland’s beautiful farmland.

Dropping out of secondary school at the end of last year was a big decision and one that his parents Steve and Julie were reluctant to approve.

But the Dumbalk teenager — with a little help from his boss at the time — convinced them he had the passion and skills to build a bright future for himself in dairying.

“They (Jason’s parents) pushed fairly hard for me to do a trade, so I did work experience with a builder, but I just couldn’t see myself doing that,” Jason said.

“I had to convince them, and John Hepple, who I worked for, convinced them as well.”

A key to talking his parents around was a pledge to combine his work with continuing education.

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AUGUST 2015

For a kid who didn’t struggle with his schoolwork but did find sitting behind a desk hard work, the hands-on nature of agricultural schooling was much more to his liking.

Earlier this year he was named the National Centre for Dairy Education’s runner-up in the Student of the Year category.

Talking to Jason, it’s not hard to get the impression that school work is all right, so long as it relates back to his farm work.

“I learn more on the farm, but you do get different ideas at ag school,” he said.

“Working on the one place, people tend do things only one way.”

Still not able to obtain a driver’s licence or cast a vote, Jason already has five years of dairy experience behind him and has big plans for the future.

A small Friesian herd is growing slowly but surely, with the ultimate aim to expand it into a viable herd of milkers.

“I’m rearing calves at the moment,” Jason said.

“I’ve got 17 heifers running around on agistment and another 12 in the next couple of months. I’ll sell and buy until I have enough to start share-farming.”

Share-farming would be a stepping stone towards running his own farm business on a leased property.

As part of a generation brought up in a world of inflated property prices, Jason questions the value of heading down the road of farm ownership.

“I don’t know whether ownership is the way to go. It’s hard to sell a farm if something goes wrong,” he said.

The rise of the corporate farm and influx of Chinese buyers has not escaped Jason’s attention.

He knows that good jobs as farm managers will become increasingly available as more family farms become businesses run from the boardroom.

“It could be a pretty good job, just managing the farm, especially when I’m a bit older,” he said.

In the meantime, there’s still plenty to learn for a kid who didn’t grow up on a farm.

The genetics side of breeding is new territory for Jason, but he’s managed to find a good mentor in Bruce Templeton, who owns the farm he works on.

“I’m slowly learning,” he said.

“Bruce is really into that side of things so he’s taught me a fair few things and he’s teaching me how to AI at the moment.”

Working at the Templeton farm has been a stroke of good luck for Jason, with Mr Templeton known throughout the district as a good man to work for.

“Everyone talks about how good Bruce is — and he is good,” Jason said.

“He’s easy-going and lets me make some decisions as well.”

For Mr Templeton, having Jason on the farm each day gives him more than just an extra pair of hands at milking time.

He sees a bright future for a young man who is already thinking of ways

he can improve the farm.

“His ideas are good ideas. They’re constructive — not just left-field stuff,” Mr Templeton said.

“He has ideas about putting weight on calves and getting calves weaned at an earlier age with more weight on. He’s always watching the herd health and always taking the initiative to do something.”

Mr Templeton can see the changes coming in dairy ownership and believes smart young farmers like Jason could be well placed to reap the rewards.

“Dairying has been changing so quickly and the corporate farms are coming in,” he said.

“People who come in and do the certificates through the Diploma of Agriculture, there’s a great future for them. They can be in the management systems of all levels of the dairy industry.”

Whether it’s as an employee, manager or owner, Jason Riley reckons he will be happy just so long as he can come to work on a dairy farm each day.

“I don’t know how people work if they don’t enjoy what they are doing,” he said.

AUGUST 2015

23

ADVERTISEMENT

Protect waterlogged pastures Many subsoils of the Macalister Irrigation District and some in east Gippsland did become waterlogged due to heavy falls in winter. Periods of wet winter weather in recent years have hopefully taught many farmers how to manage wet pastures.

Unfortunately, pugging damage may still be a risk on some farms.

Even small amounts of pugging can lead to a reduction of 20–30 per cent in pasture production with severe pugging approaching 50–60 per cent.

With moderate pugging over large areas of the farm comes reduced milk production and higher costs.

These costs include; increased use of supplementary feeding, re-sowing, thinner cows, mastitis and lameness.

The aim is to avoid, or at least minimise, pugging damage.

For farms without infrastructure to stand animals off pastures, feed cows before going to the paddock.

Consider increasing the bale feed.

Supplement with silage or hay from troughs in the laneway or side area as the cows leave the dairy.

On entering the paddock they will tend to lie down until later in the morning and only

walk short distances to top up, minimising pugging.

The fodder should be as high in quality as possible to maintain milk production.

Plan grazing of wet versus dry areas with weather in mind. If heavy prolonged rains are forecast, consider grazing those areas prone to pugging before it arrives even if pasture is not at the ideal stage for grazing.

After the rain event, grazing should be confined to the drier paddocks while the wetter paddocks dry out. These paddocks should be added back into the rotation as soon as possible to maintain the pasture wedge.

Allow the cows to graze larger areas to reduce the stocking intensity. This should only be a short term option as it speeds up the rotation.

It is crucial that the rotation is maintained where possible to allow the grass to regrow to near its potential (2½ to three leaves) before re-grazing to avoid further pasture damage.

On-off grazing Cows graze paddocks for two to four hours and are then removed, earlier if pugging starts to occur.

Once off the paddock, the cows need to

go elsewhere to be topped up with a high quality supplement.

On-off grazing is extra work but worthwhile when the off area is well planned.

This could be a hard stand-off or loafing area, cow yards or a well-designed feedpad.

The latter is not cheap but many farmers swear by them in terms of saved feed, less wear and tear on tracks and machinery and reduced lameness.

Short term stand-off areas can be found or created on farm, however this site will probably become a bog hole unless time, thought and money is put into making it workable for a longer term.

Suitable sites can include old concreted yards, unused roads, tree lots and dead ends or wide areas in laneways.

Standing cows on a sacrifice paddock or even back on the cow yard are successful alternatives.

Long-term planning should allow for easy access, control of effluent run-off, preparation for and laying of a hard surface, and topping up with sawdust/wood chips/bark.

For more information phone Frank Mickan, DEDJTR Ellinbank on (03) 5624 2259.

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Focus on feeding A Focus Farm field day at Toora North recently took some of the focus off Dan and Cindy Knee and put it on dry and transition cow feeding.

Even the cows were interested in the feeding discussion during the farm walk at the Toora North Focus Farm.

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AUGUST 2015

Tarwin Veterinary Clinic’s Peter DeGaris was the guest speaker at a farm field day at Toora North at which about 40 farmers and service providers turned out for a fascinating insight into an important topic.

The Leongatha-based vet spoke on a range of topics regarding transitional feeding, although milk fever was an area to which the conversation constantly returned.

“There’s three main issues around the transitional period and they come back to optimising health, optimising production and optimising reproduction,” Dr DeGaris said.

“A lot of the health issues come back to controlling milk fever and metabolic diseases in particular.”

Speaking at the Focus Farm meeting at the Toora CFA, Dr DeGaris said the dairy industry had made great advances in transitional feeding, but still could improve performance.

“There’s a lot of people tinkering around the edges, but for 95 per cent of farmers there are still gains to be made,” he said.

“It’s certainly a complicated area and getting it right does take a bit of effort, but it’s very achievable.”

Following the dry and transition cow session, the Focus Farm field day moved to the Knees’ Toora North property, where the discussion on feeding options continued.

Dan and Cindy Knee, who took full ownership of the property almost a year ago, have set four Focus Farm goals, including setting up the farm business and having the cash surpluses to support it; having more profitable production or having a lower cost of production; maintaining a low cell count and continuing to grow young stock.

For Mr Knee, setting goals and striving to reach them is one of the real benefits of being a Focus Farmer.

“One of my goals is rearing good heifers,” he said.

“Right now, in winter time, is one of my downfalls in grazing management and feeding, which I have been trying to improve this year.

“The rising yearlings have been getting a bit of silage which I haven’t normally stuck in there.”

Making decisions like extra feed for young stock has been helped by the input of a support group made up of experienced farmers and service providers.

Focus Farms, which is funded by GippsDairy and Dairy Australia using dairy levy funds, also provides an experienced farm consultant as a facilitator.

“It’s been fun,” Mr Knee said.

“The main reason I did it is that I think you can always be better than what you are, and my goal is to try and improve.

“I want to improve the whole business, not just the things we’ve written down as our goals.”

Almost a year into the Focus Farm, facilitator Matt Hall said the enthusiasm for the project was still evident among everyone involved.

“The support group has been fantastic, they understand the goals brilliantly,” he said.

“Even today some of the support group members were coming to me and saying, `We want to try this record,’ so they can keep a better track of where it is all going.”

Dairy Australia extension co-ordinator Tony Platt catches up with Gippsland South MP Danny O’Brien and Focus farmer Dan Knee.

Foster’s Kelly Boyd had her hands full with son Jase at the Toora North Focus Farm field day.

Foster farmer Hayden Hanratty with GippsDairy projects and events co-ordinator Karen Romano at the field day.

AUGUST 2015

27

Managing the season ahead Expected drier than average conditions require some forward planning.

Based on the Bureau of Meteorology’s threemonth outlook, it might be worth planning around the possibility of receiving belowaverage winter rainfall.

Within the three-month outlook, the odds favour drier than average rainfall for Victorian dairy regions.

This in turn might allow for cows to be better fed on pasture.

For some farms this might result in less supplements to be fed while others might experience less of the usual winter feed pinch and milk production might be higher than normal.

Wetter farms For areas that are normally wet in winter, below-average winter rainfall could be a good thing, especially if there is good soil moisture coming out of autumn. In these wetter districts, it would be worth planning for potentially improved winter pasture growth and higher pasture utilisation (less pugging).

Drier farms For farms in drier districts, below-average rainfall might mean less pasture growth, particularly in the main irrigation districts where soil moisture was lower coming out of autumn.

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requirement for irrigation water.

Irrigation water prices are reportedly higher than they have been; however, purchasing temporary water might still be a more costeffective option than purchasing feed or reducing milk production in response to less pasture growth later in the season.

As always, it is important to do the sums for your own business.

Winter diets Supplement feeding remains a key driver of profit during the winter months. A general principle is to provide a balanced diet, selecting feeds that can do the job at least cost.

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The cheapest feed is not necessarily the most profitable feed.

For example, low quality hay might be cheap but will not do the job as far as milk production is concerned due to the reduction in feed intake that occurs when the hay is fed to milkers in significant quantities.

During the growing season protein is normally well supplied in pasture so protein is less likely to be lacking in a winter diet where around half the diet is pasture or fodder crop.

In winter, dietary fibre is often lower than desired due to the highly digestible nature of fibre in lush leafy pasture.

Concentrates (pellets and grains) are often fed in significant amounts to fill feed gaps, which will reduce the overall fibre levels in the diet while increasing the diet’s energy levels.

Hopefully there is plenty of high quality home grown silage on hand this year to keep fibre levels up and costs down.

Low milk fat tests go hand in hand with low dietary fibre levels. If cows are well adapted, they appear to be able to cope with a low fibre diet up to a point.

Just remember that there will be a tipping

point that results in cows becoming severely acidotic in the rumen, and the animals at most risk are those that are given a sudden increase in the level of concentrate feeding (for example, fresh cows).

There is a range of feed additives that can minimise the impact, so talk to your feed supplier or nutritionist.

Economics In terms of how much to feed, the general economic principle is to feed until the income from the extra milk produced by adding an extra kilogram of feed covers the cost of supplying the feed.

For example, if the cost of extra feed is 35c/kg and milk is worth 50c/litre, you would need to get 0.7 litres extra of milk (35 divide 50).

A moderately fed cow in early or midlactation would be expected to provide this level of milk response or more.

Well-fed cows in late lactation might produce an extra 0.5 litres from an extra kilogram of high quality feed but will also be putting a significant amount of the energy from the extra feed into condition.

With current milk and supplement prices, there appears to be a good economic case for filling feed gaps this winter. Grain is

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currently cheaper than hay (per unit of energy).

This being the case, purchasing fodder to fill a feed gap would only be on the basis that the diet does not have sufficient fibre.

If you are not able to feed to herd requirements, it is worth considering reducing feed demand by drying off or culling some cows early.

Cows in late lactation that will not be retained in the milking herd are the prime ones to cull. Low producing cows that will be retained are also ones to consider for early dry-off. The feed they free up is eaten by the remainder of the herd, often without a drop in the vat.

Heifers Winter is the time heifers are most likely to receive a feed pinch. The long-term benefits of achieving live-weight targets are well known.

Find some time in your busy schedule to look after the heifers — it’s an investment in your future income. It may be necessary to feed a concentrate supplement if the quality of base diet isn’t the best.

— Greg O’Brien Dairy extension officer DEDJTR Ellinbank

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AUGUST 2015

Season of growth for many Despite international dairy market changeability, Australian dairy farmers are looking forward with confidence.

Many dairy farmers across Australia have experienced a year of consolidation and growth, in contrast to a volatile international market, according to analysis undertaken

by Dairy Australia as part of the June 2015 Situation and Outlook Report.

Dairy Australia forecasts national milk production to be in the range of 9.45 to 9.50 billion litres for 2014–15, about 2.5 per cent full season growth compared to 0.4 per cent in 2013–14.

While international prices remain depressed due to abundant supply and lacklustre demand, Australian dairy farmer confidence in the future of the industry remains high.

Results from Dairy Australia’s 2015 National Dairy Farmer Survey indicate 74 per cent

of dairy farmers are feeling positive about the industry’s future, in line with 2014 sentiment. The survey, which spoke to 1000 dairy farmers across Australia, also revealed 79 per cent of farmers anticipate a profit for 2014–15.

Dairy Australia managing director Ian Halliday said there were a number of reasons why farmer confidence had weathered the global market storm.

“Farmers across many of our dairying regions have been able to take advantage of the stable production margins and favourable weather conditions over the past year,” Mr Halliday said.

“Milk processors are publicly forecasting similar farm gate prices for the upcoming

2015–16 season, and continued domestic and global demand for our products have also been encouraging for farmers.

“The more stable returns generated by the Australian domestic market, which consumes around 60 per cent of milk production, have helped cushion the industry through an internationally volatile 2014–15,” he said.

“But also having a diverse range of markets and products has paid dividends for Australian exporters this season. It spreads our exposure to the volatility the global market can present at times, hence we haven’t felt the pinch of China’s decreased bulk powder imports off the back of their domestic surplus.”

AUGUST 2015

31

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Other options are a hand lever for gate controls.

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Brian Anderson’s herd, Bundalong Holsteins, at Kongwak ranks fifth in Australia for genetic merit for profit.

He is pictured here with a bull he bred, Medallion, who is marketed by Genetics Australia.

The Moscript family at Leongatha South has bred Australia’s seventh top Jersey herd. Pictured from right are Chris, his sister Tania, and his son Callum.

Topping the dairy genetics charts Gippsland is home to some of the best dairy herds in the country, with several herds ranking in the top five per cent in Australia for their breed, based on genetic merit for profit, which is expressed as the Balanced Performance Index (BPI).

In Holsteins, Trevor and Tracy Henry from Tinamba have Australia’s fourth-best herd for BPI. Gippsland is also home to Australia’s fifth ranked herd which is owned by Brian and Bill Anderson at Kongwak.

In Jerseys, the Moscript family at Leongatha South has Australia’s seventh ranked herd.

The Leppin family at Bena has the third

top Australian Red Breed herd in the country.

Daniel Abernethy from the Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Scheme (ADHIS) congratulated the herds on their achievements.

“It takes a sustained focus over many years to breed a herd of this calibre,” Mr Abernethy said.

This year, for the first time, herds receive three breeding indices — profit (BPI), health (HWI) and type (TWI).

The three breeding indices were introduced following a review last year which found that while profit is important

Region

Owner

Location

Rank profit

Crude Protein content (% DM)

Gippsland

Henry TW & TC

Tinamba

4

Holstein

Gippsland

Anderson, WR & BL

Kongwak

5

Holstein

Gippsland

Johnston, R & L

Bundalaguah

10

Holstein

Gippsland

Macqueen, AD & GL

Yanakie

13

Holstein

Gippsland

Mcrae, SA & NM

Nambrok

15

Holstein

Gippsland

Coster, B & M

Ripplebrook

16

Holstein

Gippsland

Heywood, GA

Yarragon

17

Holstein

Gippsland

Perrett, RJ & HE

Kongwak

20

Holstein

Gippsland

White, WD & L

Carrajung

24

Holstein

Gippsland

Derix, GM & ME

Maffra

25

Holstein

Gippsland

Moscript, ME, CJ & JM

Leongatha South

7

Jersey

Gippsland

Howie, RH & JA

Dennison

13

Jersey

Gippsland

Gelbeado Park Jerseys

Won Wron

18

Jersey

Gippsland

Holloway, MJ & HP

Nerrena

16

Jersey

Gippsland

Francis, GB & KI

Yanakie

20

Jersey

Gippsland

Leppin, T & LJ

Bena

3

Australian Red Breed

Gippsland

Waltham, GV & JL

Glengarry

5

Australian Red Breed

Gippsland

Snowdon, SG & ET

Tyers

8

Australian Red Breed

to all farmers, some place more value on traits such as longevity, fertility, udder conformation and mastitis resistance.

“Having three breeding indices gives farmers the ability to choose the index that best reflects their individual breeding priorities,” Mr Abernethy said.

“Every unit gained in each trait is associated with a financial gain. But each index places slightly different emphasis on traits, and this changes the rankings of bulls, cows and herds.”

For more information contact Michelle Axford at ADHIS; phone (03) 8621 4240 or email maxford@adhis.com.au

Australia’s three new breeding indices 1. The Balanced Performance Index (BPI) is an economic index that blends production, type and health traits for maximum profit.

It reflects most farmers’ preferences.

2. The Health Weighted Index (HWI) allows farmers to fast-track traits such as fertility, mastitis resistance and feed efficiency.

3. The Type Weighted Index (TWI) allows farmers to fine-tune type traits.

AUGUST 2015

33

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Grass trials at the Dairy CRC laboratories.

Dairying’s future is unfolding at Dairy CRC Facility aims to enhance industry by breeding better bulls and better pasture.

There’s not a cow in the place, and the only pastures are in the glasshouse, but one building in the Melbourne suburbs is generating science that will change the productivity of Australia’s dairy farms.

Dairy Futures CRC’s chief executive officer David Nation describes it as “industrialscale biology”.

Big science focused on just a few key areas.

Modern, well-equipped laboratories in the impressive multi-level building at La Trobe University in Bundoora are staffed by scientists.

Funded by governments, dairy farmer levies and private industry, the $7.5 million Dairy Futures CRC occupies a large part of the Agri-Bioscience Centre.

The CRC’s resources are largely focused on two areas of genetic improvement where they believe they can achieve the biggest impact: herd improvement and growing better rye-grass pasture.

Rohan says the information provided by This is a real hot-spot of science and the CRC and its partner, the Australian innovation for the dairy industry.

Dairy Herd Improvement Scheme, enables When we think about biology and him to find out how good his heifers will bioscience we are thinking cows be, years before he could compile the and pasture. data himself.

“We are largely focused on genetics and “I am making selection decisions all the time focusing on what farmers buy every on which to keep and which to cull; and I year: cattle genetics and pasture seed for haven’t been disappointed.” resowing,” Mr Nation said.

The Sprunt herd is one of the 100 dairy “It’s about having better bulls and having herds around Australia chosen by the CRC better pasture. to be part of a a flagship project called Ginfo which will double the size of the “Some of these changes to forages will result national genomic database. in changes to management, for example, but it’s still about sowing down a perrennial Hair samples have been collected from rye-grass.” about 30 000 cows to test the DNA and match it with breeding records to expand In the bowels of the Bundoora centre, the genetic database and so improve huge computers are grinding away at evaluation of preferred traits. the calculations to process the genetic information from thousands of cattle and In another complex project the CRC is comparing that to the milk production matching genomic data with weather information supplied by farmers like Rohan records to try to predict tolerance to heat stress. and Graeme Sprunt from Bunbartha. >> Continued on page 36 AUGUST 2015

35

The Dairy futures CRC is located on the LaTrobe University campus. Group visits can be arranged for dairy farmers.

Dr Jatinder Kaur, Research Scientist, Biosciences Research Division, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, working with the Dairy Futures CRC.

The laboratories at the Agri Bioscience centre.

>> Continued from page 35 “It’s a very expensive area of bio-science so there has to be some really big targets, and you have to be focused,” Mr Nation said.

Since April, dairy farmers have been able to identify bulls that can save at least 100 kg of dry feed matter per cow, per year, while maintaining milk production.

The Feed Saved Australian Breeding Value is the culmination of eight years of research and development activity by Dairy Futures CRC and a range of local and overseas partners. It is the first feed efficiency breeding value in the world to incorporate real feed intake data, as well as a prediction 36

AUGUST 2015

of feed required for maintenance purposes, making the trait more relevant for farmers.

Mr Nation said the Feed Saved ABV allowed farmers to breed cows in a new way: by reducing their maintenance requirements for the same amount of milk produced.

One tail hair sample gives farmers knowledge of the merit of that cow as if the animal had completed seven lactations, when in fact the average cow has only about four-and-a-half.

“You will know more from that tail hair sample than you will know about the average animal’s life-time,” Mr Nation said.

“We have brought DNA science into cattle genetic evaluation in this country.”

Mr Nation said the challenge was that this was still a technology less than 10 years old.

“In the bigger scheme of things there are many avenues to improve ... to make the results more meaningful to farmers.”

Dairy Futures CRC is an unincorporated joint venture with three main participants: Dairy Australia, the Department of Economic Development, La Trobe University and a broad range of supporting partners.

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Justin Richards, his wife Janelle, baby Harley and Justin’s mother Joy Richards in their new calf shed.

“Hothouse” is growing healthy calves The hoop design had neighbours speculating if the Richards family was diversifying into horticulture.

38

AUGUST 2015

“

most obvious difference to the average calf shed, this is a customised build that had one aim in mind: raising healthy calves with as I like it for the light little fuss as possible. and the warmth, and Underfoot, large wood chips create comfortable bedding that allows the calf the structure was a lot urine to drain through rather than soak in. cheaper than buying a Beneath the woodchips, a layer of shade cloth keeps everything in place and allows shed.

Justin Richards further drainage to ag pipes set in screenings below.

The whole system, which will cope with winds up to 100 kmph, requires little “If it’s a warm day we just open the doors at maintenance during the calving season the other end. But when it’s cold outside it’s and keeps the young stock in a healthy still warm in here. environment.

The shed was completed for less than On a cold South Gippsland winter’s day, $45 000, which Mr Richards reckons would the atmosphere in the shed was warm and be well under the price of an equivalentstill — despite the end doors remaining open sized traditional building. for ventilation and large open spaces along the tops of the walls.

The plastic and shade cloth roof will need Justin Richards reckons it has everything that to be replaced within 10 years at a cost of around $3000, but the family is happy to a calf needs. wear that cost.

“I like it for the light and the warmth, and With autumn calving behind them and the structure was a lot cheaper than buying a the next batch of calves being reared, the shed,” he said.

“

This calf shed looks like a hothouse and works on pretty much the same principle.

The Richards family’s new structure is designed to nurture their youngest stock in a warm, protected environment that will promote strong and fast growth in their crucial first few weeks.

With its curved roof and shade cloth covering, it’s certainly different to the average calf shed.

As the building grew, so did the speculation about just what the Dumbalk family was doing on its Loves Lane property.

“Everyone has been asking ‘what is that hothouse thing?’ ” Mrs Richards said.

“They would say it’s a calving pad, feed pad, temporary dairy or for growing herbs — only one person guessed it was a calf shed.”

Joy’s son Justin has been driving the project, which has been undertaken at the same time as a rebuild of the dairy just a few metres away that will see the old 12-a-side double-up replaced with a 26 double-up herringbone.

While the shade cloth and plastic roof is the

Joy is in charge of the newest arrivals, who have individual pens until they are feeling strong.

Richards family is delighted with its decision — especially having a shed big enough to keep the newborn stock in the same shed as the older calves.

“I find it easier to get them going for those first few days individually,” Mrs Richards said.

“Then once they are drinking properly and get a bit more energy, they can move up to the bigger pens. It’s just to get them up and firing in those first few days.”

Expansion for historic Dumbalk operation The Richards family originally cleared the land for Somersleigh Stud and initially produced pigs.

The Richards family has been on its Loves Lane farm for almost a century — and it doesn’t look they like are going anywhere soon.

The Dumbalk clan has bought a neighbouring property that will not only increase the size of the farm, but fill some gaps between paddocks, making it an easier place to manage.

Calves seem to love life in the new shed.

contracting since the days when a horse and With the newly purchased 80 ha, the farm cart was the only way to get goods to the now stands at 226 ha with 100 ha of nearest railway station. lease blocks.

“In 2018, the farm will have been ag The larger milking area means they will contracting for 100 years,” Ian and Joy’s son milk 450 Jerseys for the first time, with Justin Richards said. the opportunity to grow even further once infrastructure work has been completed on “Back then it was as horse and carts taking the new land. loads of onions into Leongatha.”

It’s a long way from the post-World War I days when Ian Richards’ forebears ran cattle to supplement the income from their prizewinning pigs.

The shed “Ian’s grandfather Albert Richards settled here 300 sq m — 10 m x 30 m and cleared the place,” Ian’s wife Joy said.

Shade cloth and plastic roof cover “Ian’s Dad, who was also Albert but was Metal walls with open panels known as Lindsay, had pigs and cows. under roof “They were in the stud side and showed their Coarse wood chips draining into pigs in Melbourne. But being down here it ag pipe was too far away from the grain supplies, so Large doors at both ends for it got to the stage that it just wasn’t viable.” warmth/ventilation Somersleigh Stud is now breeding prizeEight pens with 10 calves winning Jerseys, although Mr Richards each — two square metres per calf. keeps a few Red Angus as well as his beloved Clydesdale horses.

The family has also been offering agricultural AUGUST 2015

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A wide range of waste materials are sourced to compost.

Know your compost Using compost on farm is a subject of increasing interest to farmers everywhere.

Interest in compost and composting comes from farmers wanting to improve soils, manage waste and reduce reliance on purchased fertilisers. On-farm composting or purchased compost products can provide a way to transform organic ‘waste’ materials into a product that can be applied to crops and pastures, returning valuable nutrients and organic matter back to the soil. But what is compost and what is in it? What can it do? What do you need to look out for?

The ins and outs of compost Compost is organic matter that has been through a controlled process of natural aerobic decomposition. A range of waste materials are sourced to compost, including manure, spoilt hay, animal bedding, council waste collection, wood chips, rice hulls and abattoir waste (eg rumen content and blood and bone). Under aerobic conditions, microbes and other organisms decompose the degradable organic material to produce a smaller volume of stabilised product with a texture that is easier to handle.

Although pasteurised mulch can be made in a three to four week period with the right amount of moisture and aeration, it typically take more than eight weeks to produce a compost product. As a general rule the older the compost, the more stable, biologically diverse and beneficial it will be. The level stability however will depend on the quality of the process used to make it. Good quality compost products are dark in colour with a sweet, natural ‘earthy’ or ‘forest floor’ smell.

They are available commercially or can be made on farm.

Composts — what they can and can’t do Composts typically contain soil-conditioning organic matter and humus, beneficial microorganisms or biota, organic carbon and some immediate and slow release nutrients.

Composts will enhance fertility but they generally have a low nutrient content and should be considered as a slow-release

wastes to not be sent to landfill, a number of commercial composting operations have become established and are looking to sell compost to agricultural enterprises as a fertiliser and/or soil conditioner. Before purchasing a compost product, you will need to assess its value to your enterprise.

For example a soil conditioner may be of little benefit if your existing organic matter levels are already high — this is likely to be the case for a permanent dairy pasture.

Have you identified your nutrient budget requirements and looked at the total and estimated available nutrient concentrations in the compost? Are you buying the compost on a volume or weight basis and what is its moisture content?

It is vital to understand what is in the product because purchased compost can be made from a broad range of domestic, commercial and industrial waste organic materials. Issues such as process quality assurance, compost maturity, level of contaminants, heavy metal concentrations, biosecurity risks, and herbicide residues all Making compost on farm — getting need to be considered. the recipe right Dairy Australia has recently released two You must be prepared to put in the time fact sheets that will assist you to better and effort to manage the process to produce understand if composting, or purchasing good quality compost on farm. Specific compost, is right for your situation: parameters that must be managed include the carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio, moisture • “Making compost on dairy farms”, and level and aeration. Composting will require • “Understanding purchased compost water be added to the piles and regular products” turning. A useful rule of thumb recipe for Both fact sheets can be found at http:// starting with the correct C:N ratio is one www.dairyingfortomorrow.com/index. third liquid manure; one third waste hay, php?id=85 or search for ‘dairying for silage, or bedding; and one third manure. tomorrow’ and ‘compost’.

An important point for those interested in The fact sheets and information used in making their own compost — be aware that this article were developed with funding location of the compost pile or windrow from Dairy Australia and the Australian must be chosen to avoid runoff leaving Government. the site.

Article edited by Scott Birchall1 and Purchasing compost Helen Murdoch based on factsheets products — know what you are produced by Graeme Ward for Dairy Australia and DEDJTR for the Australian buying As there is increasing pressure for organic Government. biofertiliser and soil conditioner rather than a conventional fertiliser.

Typically only 5 to 10 per cent of the total nitrogen content in compost is available for uptake by the plant in the year of application, with a portion of the remainder becoming available in following years. While the nutrient content of compost will vary depending on the components added and your management of the composting process, it is clear that compost cannot replace fertiliser-supplied nitrogen inputs.

Composting does enable high carbon-low nitrogen (high C:N) ratio wastes such as spoilt hay or bedding to be recycled back to land without tying up soil nitrogen.

However, direct application of low carbonhigh nitrogen (low C:N ratio) wastes such as manure and pond sludge is usually an effective and cheaper option than composting the material first and, if incorporated, will avoid the loss of valuable nitrogen that occurs during the composting process.

AUGUST 2015

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calendar of events Please contact GippsDairy for updates. Phone: (03) 5624 3900.

Email: executiveassistant@gippsdairy.com.au Continuous Business Improvement

Improve business systems, monitor performance indicators, implement best practice.

Warragul NCDE Campus (blended delivery, join from anywhere).

August 31, September 7 and 14, October 12 and 19; 10 am – 3 pm.

Five days.

Contact Tony Seymour 5624 1402. Enrolment essential.

NCDE. Stepping In/Stepping Back

Session for farmers looking to step back from the business, and farmers looking to step into more responsibility.

Leongatha. Federation training.

September 1; 10.15 am – 3 pm.

Contact Karen Romano 5624 3900.

GippsDairy.

Dairy Farm Safety

Manage OH&S on your farm, meet requirements, provide training and comply with legislation.

Sale NCDE Campus.

September 2, 9, 16 and October 14; 10 am – 3 pm.

Four days.

Contact Leanne Bunn 5667 4501. Enrolment essential.

NCDE. Establish Pastures & Crops

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Calibrate machinery, sow and monitor pastures, manage grazing, control weeds and pests.

Warragul NCDE Campus.

September 2, 9 and 16; 9.30 am – 3 pm. Three days.

Contact Louise Underhill 5624 1414. Enrolment essential.

NCDE. Soils and Fertiliser Course

Assess physical, chemical and biological components of dairy soils, understand plant requirements, nutrient planning.

Leongatha NCDE Campus.

September 3, 10 and October 17; 10 am – 3 pm. Three days.

Contact Louise Underhill 5624 1414. Enrolment essential.

NCDE. Manage Staff

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Prepare tasks, arrange employment of staff, implement OH&S. Warragul NCDE Campus.

September 8 and 15, October 13 and 20; 10 am – 3 pm.

Four days.

Contact Leanne Bunn 5667 4501. Enrolment essential.

NCDE. Conserve Forage

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Prepare paddocks for fodder conservation, harvest, prepare and store.

Sale NCDE Campus.

September 8, 15 and October 13; 9.30 am – 3 pm. Three days.

Contact Louise Underhill 56241414. Enrolment essential.

NCDE. Grazing Management

Develop a pasture management program, monitor pasture consumed against targets, monitor soil health.

Warragul NCDE Campus.

September 10, 17 and October 15, 22 and 29. 10 am – 3 pm. Five days.

Contact Louise Underhill 5624 1414. Enrolment essential.

NCDE.

Reduce cell counts.

Improve milk quality.

Automatic Dipping & Flushing.

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This reduces human error in a vital part of your milking routine helping you to improve milk quality and reduce cell counts - easily.

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