Dairy direct gippsland december 2015 (low res)

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Country News PUBLICATION

GIPPSLAND Issue 7, December 2015

An eye on the environment » page 20

Countering the dry season » page 28

Battling a scourge of the MID » page 32

Building a better herd » page 10

Editor Geoff Adams editor@countrynews.com.au

Reminders for December Pastures • Plan your autumn application of fertiliser in advance and investigate the cost of various options. Include dairy effluent applications in the fertiliser plan and ensure you apply it in a way that keeps it on the farm. Effluent contains high quantities of nitrogen and potassium and can be quite effective fertiliser, if used well. It could be used on late-sown crops or areas of the farm with low nutrient levels.

• Monitor any crops that you have in for pests and manage the crop for best feed utilisation by cows or young stock. Timing of crop grazing should ensure the paddock can be planted back to pasture at the optimum time in addition to feeding cows well.

• Once the pasture on the farm has been eaten back to the best residual, consider using stand-off paddocks to protect pastures from over-grazing.

• Identify areas of the farm that would benefit from over-sowing or renovation, plan the best approach and timing for success.

Another look at the pastures should be planned for March as in hot dry summers pastures can thin out.

• Regularly monitor wrapped silage bales for the presence of holes and repair as soon as possible.

Stock • Be on the lookout for the effects of mycotoxins such as facial eczema (looks similar to photosensitisation), affecting exposed areas of pale skin. If facial eczema is suspected contact a veterinary practitioner for advice on prevention or treatment.

Information is available on the Dairy Australia website http:// www.dairyaustralia.com.au/Animal-management/Animalhealth/Facial-Eczema-Monitoring.aspx Production and feeding • At the time these reminders where written (mid-November) most of the drier farms in Gippsland had conserved about 50 per cent of their required silage for the year and did not look like getting any more. Purchased hay is of variable quality and costly, spring planted crops look okay but will need reasonable rainfall during the next eight weeks to yield well.

• Feed tests on silage and purchased hay are a great way of understanding what you are feeding to cows. You already have the feed and will feed it anyway but understanding the quality of the feed and its limitations may change your fodder making and feeding decisions in the future.

• A feed budget for the late summer and autumn will help with estimated feed requirements for the herd (including dry cows) and young stock.

• As summer progresses, manage heat stress for your dairy herd.

See www.dairyaustralia.com.au and search for cool cows.

Young stock • Monitor the replacement heifers’ growth. They will require high quality supplementary feeds as available pasture is reduced. They need feeds containing a minimum of 10 MJ/kg DM and 13 per cent crude protein to grow adequately. When feeding them consider silage, hay and grain as options.

• Poorly fed young stock will impact your business when they calve down and become milking cows with low in-calf rates, higher mortality rates and generally are likely to produce less milk.

• Monitor young stock for pink eye and other seasonal issues which will effect animal health and growth rates.

Business/whole farm • Now is a good time to get another income estimation done based on the season so far and the predicted trend for the rest of the year.

• Purchased feeds (due to a dry spring) are likely to impact your production and costs for the year. Review your annual budget and talk to the bank about your predicted cash flow.

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DECEMBER 2015

Writers Danny Buttler and Geoff Adams Graphic designers Teresa Lagozzino, Brendan Cain, Alysha Bathman and Bella Considine

Cover: Building a better herd. Russ and Les White with Les’ grandson Rhys.

Story page 10

Advertising James MacGibbon james.macgibbon@ countrynews.com.au Published by Country News PO Box 204, Shepparton, Victoria 3632 (03) 5831 2312 www.countrynews.com.au

Country News Reaching Australia’s richest agricultural region

Supported by:

Are you reading someone else’s copy of Dairy Direct?

If you are dairy farming and want to make sure you get your own copy phone GippsDairy on 5624 3900. Please call as well, if you are getting more than you need.

Dairy Direct Environmental considerations can sometimes seem like an add-on when there is such a strong focus on financial outcomes in farming.

In this issue we hear from a Westbury farmer who pays more than just deference to the impact his farm has on the landscape.

Stuart Griffin tells an interesting story about the principles driving his business.

Also this month we hear from a scientist about her work in trying to understand how a notorious parasite gets a foothold in herds, and there is some useful information about steps to deal with what appears to be an unusually dry season unfolding.

Readers will also note there is a new era starting for the regional development body, GippsDairy, with a new chairman, new regional manager and several new board members.

So the region will be kicking off 2016 with renewed energy and focus.

All the best for the new year.

— Geoff Adams Dairy Direct

contents Rural Rumenations

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Dairy news

When I started considering what to write for my first Dairy Direct chair’s report, I didn’t have to think for too long.

There were two stand-out topics that deserved attention in this column — the recent Gippsland Dairy – Leveraging the Opportunities event in Warragul and a series of seasonal conditions sessions that are currently being held across Gippsland.

Leveraging Opportunities showcased the benefits of the industry to key decision makers in the region, telling the remarkable story of a $3 billion industry that sees more than 80 per cent of its milk turned into value-added dairy products.

Having so many people from different levels of government and private enterprise in the same room at the same time was a unique opportunity to sell dairy as an integral part of Gippsland’s society and economy.

Those people would have left the event knowing that dairy was the lifeblood of the region which must be considered when decisions are made on water, roads, the environment, education, social services and communications.

They would have also taken with them a sense of optimism about an industry that has steadily built itself into an export powerhouse that has markets around the globe clamouring for its products.

Leveraging Opportunities was all about creating an environment in which the industry can prosper and fill that demand from Shanghai to Saigon or Sharjah.

The current round of Tactics for Dry Times sessions is less big-picture thinking and more about grassroots assistance.

A tough spring (much tougher for some than others) has left many farmers wondering how they manage their way through a potentially difficult time ahead.

GippsDairy and Dairy Australia have responded swiftly by setting up the ‘Tactics’ events in Leongatha, Inverloch, Calrossi, Lardner, Drouin South and Denison.

Whether it is a summer feeding plan, water supply issues, animal health or farm financials, these sessions are designed to bring farmers together to discuss practical solutions to the problems they are currently facing.

No industry shares knowledge and offers support better than dairy does, with the seasonal conditions events another example of the co-operative spirit that makes Gippsland such a great place to milk cows.

Having just started in the role of GippsDairy chair, I couldn’t have asked for two better examples of why this industry has plenty to be proud of and much to be optimistic about.

When the world wants to buy your product and there’s a genuine helping hand back at home during tough times, then I reckon we might all be heading in the right direction.

— Graeme Nicoll GippsDairy chairman

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Keep heat stress down

8

Not all green pastures

9

All about breeding

10

Joint venture to benefit Fonterra 12 Groundwater website introduced 12 Intake measured

13

Pushing effluent uphill

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Compact and concise

16

Cattle society lends hand to goat breeders 18 From land to lakes

20

Mastitis app saves time and money 23 Small window of opportunity

24

How much pasture?

27

Rye-grass pasture establishment checklist 30 Aiming to break the cycle

32

New team to engage youth in agriculture 34 Calendar of events

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3

Rural Rumenations

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.

with KATIE MACAULAY

Raining paperwork It never rains but it pours, at our place.

Figuratively speaking. (Literally speaking our farm hasn’t seen any decent rain for a while.)

Less than three months since we welcomed our gorgeous little girl, we bought Hubby’s family farm and became VIPs in our bank’s eyes — Very Indebted People.

While Hubby’s day job running the practical side of things remains largely unchanged, a whole new world of paperwork has rained down upon us.

If only the clouds were as plentiful as the bureaucrats.

It began with a downpour of solicitors’ contracts, bank loan contracts and Express Post envelopes, despite the fact that there is no Express Post service where we live.

Between caring for a small baby, reading the fine print and answering an endless stream of

emails and phone calls, I found myself in a constant fog.

Finally the downpour slowed to a drizzle and we started to make some headway. I also got some sleep — it wasn’t only the baby that had been keeping me awake at night: Our Dairy Food Safety Licence arrived.

The bore transfer documentation was filed.

VFF and UDV membership application forms were sent off. Electricity contracts were signed.

WorkCover application forms were filled in.

The milk company’s supplier handbook and HR folders were added to my already sky-high pile of reading material for a rainy day. If the pile gets any higher, it will become an OHS hazard.

As I was searching for a Band-Aid for a paper cut, I was reminded of two things. One, I need to stop procrastinating about writing more OHS policies.

Hubby hates paperwork so I’ve volunteered to be the paperwork pusher in our partnership.

Two, this whole ownership enterprise relies on Hubby’s physical ability to run the show. What if something bad happened to him? How would we manage?

We decided to research life insurance. The first company we rang emailed us a questionnaire so long that Hubby would die of old age before he completed it.

Then there was the accompanying Amazon rainforest of policy terms and conditions. The premiums were so high we wondered if we needed to ring the bank manager before we signed up. Hubby truly is worth a fortune. I have it in writing.

Finally the paperwork deluge soaked in and it soon felt normal to have every flat surface of the house covered in farm paperwork.

Let’s just hope that paper isn’t like seeds and won’t sprout enthusiastically in a few weeks’ time.

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DECEMBER 2015

dairy news On board at GippsDairy Graeme Nicoll has taken on the role as new GippsDairy chair.

GippsDairy has elected a new chair and three new directors to its board.

The annual general meeting saw Fish Creek dairy farmer Graeme Nicoll chosen to replace Matt Gleeson as GippsDairy chair for the next two years.

Denison farmers Brad Missen and Ross Anderson will fill two other board vacancies, while Leongatha agribusiness manager Brian Gannon will become a specialist director.

Matt Gleeson, Judy Johnson and Mark Dunsmuir stepped down from the board at the AGM, which was held at Traralgon’s Century Inn on October 12.

The new chair said he wanted to continue the work done by GippsDairy in developing the skills and business acumen of the region’s dairy farmers.

“During my time on the board I’ve seen our industry change in its significance to both the national dairy industry and the Gippsland community,” he said.

“The industry and farm businesses are becoming more and more professional all the time and GippsDairy needs to continue

to lead further development.”

Mr Nicoll, who has been deputy chair for the past two years, paid tribute to his predecessors, saying they had set a great example of what can be achieved at the head of the GippsDairy board table.

“I’m humbled to be taking on the role after such strong chairs as Matt and (preceding him) John Versteden,” he said.

“Matt has put an enormous amount of time into the role — and not just at GippsDairy.

“He has hosted industry groups on his farm and has done a huge amount of work for Gippsland dairy farmers during his whole time on the board.”

The 44-year-old also praised the contribution of the two other departing board members.

“Judy (Johnson) has brought her own special view of the world to the GippsDairy board,” he said.

“And Mark (Dunsmuir) has been extremely valuable in bringing his business and accounting skills to the board. The three new board members will bring new perspectives

and different skills to GippsDairy.

“Brad Missen and Ross Anderson are both from the Macalister Irrigation District adding to the board’s depth of understanding of issues among the irrigation sector.

“It’s great to have Brad on board, with his experience in the water industry,” Mr Nicoll said.

“Ross brings a unique perspective, having worked outside the dairy industry for a number of years and will bring a whole lot of extra skills into the dairy industry.

“Brian Gannon joins the board as a nonfarming specialist director, bringing his skills as an agribusiness manager for NAB in Leongatha.

“GippsDairy is funded through the dairy service levy, so it’s vital we have the financial knowhow to make every dollar spent a worthwhile investment for the farmers we serve.”

The GippsDairy board comprises Graeme Nicoll (chair), Grant Williams (deputy chair), Iain Stewart, Sinead de Gooyer, Joanne Bills, Lauren Finger, Edwin Vandenberg, Brad Missen, Ross Anderson and Brian Gannon.

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dairy news

Focused on dairy performance New regional manager has growth in mind.

GippsDairy’s newly appointed regional manager wants farmers to get value for their dairy service levy dollar.

Allan Cameron said improving the performance of Gippsland dairy farms would always be at the forefront of his thinking when dealing with the challenges and opportunities of the Gippsland dairy industry.

“The fundamental thing is whether we can help farmers improve their productivity and profitability,” he said.

“At the end of the day, GippsDairy receives a significant portion of its funding from the levies paid by dairy farmers.

“So the tagline of ‘your levy at work’ is critical.

We need to listen to dairy farmers to make sure we are continually justifying the trust they have in paying over a levy to us.”

Mr Cameron, who has an agricultural science degree from Melbourne University as well as graduate diplomas in applied finance and financial planning, has most recently been working as a key account manager with Elders looking after corporate agribusiness clients and high net worth family farming businesses.

Growing up on a sheep and beef property 6

DECEMBER 2015

on Phillip Island (where he still lives), the 43-year-old said he would admire his dairy farmer neighbours for their willingness to innovate in the way they operated their businesses.

“Over a long period time, I’ve always thought dairy farmers have been the ones who are proactive and always looking to improve. There is an immediacy about their performance — each evening and morning they can measure their performance in the volume of milk in the vat.

“I think that has meant they can be very proactive with what they do. I’ve always appreciated watching over the fence at dairy farmer productivity.”

With a strong financial background, Mr Cameron is keen to use GippsDairy’s resources to further improve the financial literacy of dairy farmers, while also helping improve their capacity to grow grass and produce milk.

“It’s about building on the capability of those who are looking to improve by looking at who is best practice and highlighting what they are doing,” he said.

“The benchmarking side of things and financial literacy is very important.

“Looking at what are the things that are the key drivers for farm profitability, drilling down into those issues and then being able to get that message across.”

GippsDairy chair Graeme Nicoll said an exhaustive search had been conducted to find the right person for the regional manager position, with the board delighted to have selected Mr Cameron, who started his new role on November 23.

“This is a key position in the Gippsland dairy industry, so we needed someone who could tick the boxes of understanding farming, financial acumen and having a drive to improve the industry in the region,” he said.

“Allan has the ability to listen, learn and use that knowledge to ensure GippsDairy leads the way in providing services and support for dairy farmers, building relationships and ensuring the Gippsland dairy industry continues to evolve as a professional and efficient sector.

“The board and staff at GippsDairy are genuinely excited to have Allan on the team to help us continue to improve on the great work already being done.”

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Entry and exit gates can be operated through a solenoid control box with a red cord for exit and a blue cord for entry right through the full length of the pit.

Other options are a hand lever for gate controls.

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animal health

from Yarram Veterinary Centre

Keep heat stress down As you sit back on a balmy summer’s evening with a cold one after a long, hot day, spare a thought for our bovine friends.

Of all the ruminants, dairy cattle are the most susceptible to heat stress, due to their high metabolic rate, poor ability to retain fluids via the kidneys and intestinal tract, and underdeveloped sweating system.

Various factors play a role in how susceptible a herd is to heat stress.

These include temperament (cool, calm and collected versus hot-headed), exercise (short distances of walking versus long, hilly walking), diet (highly fermentable feeds will increase internal heat production), water access, breed (Jerseys and Brown Swiss are more resilient than cross breeds, which in turn are more resilient than HolsteinFriesians), stage of lactation (lactating cows are less resilient than dry cows, high production cows are more susceptible than moderate production cows) and acclimatisation (up to three weeks of preconditioning is needed to enable cows to cope with heat better). Some of these factors we can control, others we can’t.

The bovine body likes to keep itself around 39ºC. To do this the body generates heat via metabolism (food digestion) as well as gaining heat from the external environment (such as the sun).

Excess body heat (heat load) is then lost via convection, radiation, conduction or evaporation.

Once the environmental temperature exceeds the cow’s body temperature, heat loss can only occur by evaporation.

Evaporation is also the most efficient way cows can reduce their heat load, by sweating, panting (respiration) and salivation.

However if humidity increases, the cow’s ability to lose heat via evaporation decreases and effects of heat stress can be seen at temperatures as low as 26ºC if humidity is 40 per cent.

As the temperature and humidity rises, cows become lethargic and are less likely to walk more than 250 m for water (think dehydration and gut impaction), they reduce their dry matter intake, often eating less roughage (leading to increase risks of LDAs later on).

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DECEMBER 2015

Blood flow to internal organs is altered to enable better heat loss through the skin.

This in combination with hormonal changes will decrease fertility days before ovulation, reduce libido, shorten oestrus cycles and increase the risk of early embryonic death in the first few weeks.

With reduced feed intake, there will be a drop in milk production and with losses of electrolytes through sweating, panting and salivating, milk quality will drop as well. As much as a 20 per cent drop in milk yield can occur.

These electrolyte imbalances also cause the rumen pH to drop, thus predisposing to ruminal acidosis and laminitis.

Ironically, as the temperature climbs, cows will tend to group together to create shade, respiration rates will increase to rates above 70 breaths per minute with eventual collapse and death occurring.

Much as we would love to, we can’t control the weather so what can we do?

Water — enable close access to water, ideally a trough close to the dairy exit and water troughs in every paddock. Large volume concrete troughs will keep drinking water cooler.

Bury water pipes as black poly pipe sitting on the ground will heat the water.

A hot cow will drink up to 250 litres of water a day.

Time — milk earlier, milk later.

It will probably be more comfortable for your milkers too.

Avoiding walking cows during the heat of the day (around 3 pm) as this will increase their heat load.

Feeding — Feed consumption can decrease by up to 35 per cent on a 35ºC day.

Reduced intake means less milk.

Encourage an increase or maintenance of energy intake by several options.

Feed forage feeds during the cooler times of the day.

Or increase the energy density of the feed (such as increase grain or pellet intake or

leafier forage over stalky forage).

Be aware that intake still needs to be balanced with high quality fibre, extra buffers if increasing grain/pellet rations, as well as electrolytes such as potassium, sodium and magnesium to replace those lost.

Feeding a slow-fermenting carbohydrate source such as corn/maize will also help reduce internal heat production.

Shade — it’s the most obvious but possibly the one most overlooked.

Consider having hot weather paddocks — those which are close to the dairy, have adequate water supply and shade.

Whether it be in the form or natural shade (tree belts along northern and western borders and laneways, close to water sources); portable shade (cheap, portable structures covered with corrugated iron or shade cloth) or permanent shade (well ventilated, covered feed pads), shade is the most effective method of increasing heat loss (and reducing heat absorption).

Consider covering the holding yard as well.

Evaporative cooling — yard sprinklers are fine if there is air movement, otherwise they need to be combined with fans.

Water needs to be able to wet the cow’s skin for cooling to occur so cows shouldn’t be packed too tightly and droplet size and wetting time needs to be sufficient.

Wetting the yards will also help dissipate heat.

When considering your hot weather paddock, one which is under pivot or cannon irrigation is a bonus.

If in doubt, monitor your cows.

If we get a gradual increase in temperature then cows can adapt but sudden spikes in temperatures (and humidity) can cause problems.

Monitoring respiratory rates is a simple and helpful tool.

If your cows are taking more than 60 breaths a minute then consider taking action. It’s a lot to consider but in the end it will result in cooler, happier, productive cows.

— Amy Ruby, Yarram Veterinary Centre

Not all green pastures Report shows some farmers are struggling.

A new report by the University of Canberra shows that while Australian farmers are economically efficient producers, they also experience unique challenges to their wellbeing.

Farmers and Agriculture report author Jacki Schirmer drew on data from 3700 Australian farmers who took part in the 2014 Regional Wellbeing Survey to produce a snapshot of how those who work the land for a living are coping.

“While many Australian farmers are going well, with positive wellbeing and experiencing good farming conditions, that’s not the case for everyone,” Dr Schirmer said.

“What is particularly concerning is that farmers are twice as likely as those outside farming to be experiencing moderate to high levels of psychological distress.

“The data shows that farmers in Queensland, much of which is currently experiencing severe drought — as well as crop growers, wine grape and other fruit and vegetable

growers and those making a loss on the farm — are more likely to be suffering high psychological distress.”

Dr Schirmer said the financial Here is an unorthodox view of the South Gippsland Dairy Expo, captured situation on the by an aerial drone by Notman Pasture Seeds in September. The event, held at the Korumburra Showgrounds, celebrated its 16th year. farm was important to wellbeing.

“Just under half of all our farmers surveyed • Drought (70 per cent). are profitable and another 20 per cent is • Lack of adequate telecommunications covering their costs, but about 32 per cent is infrastructure (63 per cent). losing money each year and finding it hard • Red tape (62 per cent). to service their debts,” she said.

• Rising electricity costs (62 per cent).

The report shows farmers commonly report The 2015 Regional Wellbeing Survey is now facing numerous barriers to the successful open, and Australians living in rural and development of their farm, including: regional areas can take part by completing the survey at www.regionalwellbeing.org.

• Rising input costs (82 per cent of au or by phoning 1800 981 499 to have a Australian farmers). copy of the survey posted to them.

• Falling prices (74 per cent).

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9

Russ and Les White with Les’ grandson Rhys, who is completing a school-based apprenticeship on the farm.

All about breeding The 340 milkers are the real stars of the show at Les and Russ White’s Leongatha South dairy farm.

For the Whites of Leongatha South, it’s all about the breeding.

Recently named as Master Breeders

by Holstein Australia, the family has a bloodline of its own that is rich in dairy history.

Les and his son Russ are descendants of one of the original Krowera settlers, who literally cut a path for today’s dairy industry to follow.

“I was fourth generation on the Krowera hills,” Les said.

“My great-great-great grandfather (Joseph White) selected there in 1882. He came out from England at 46 with a wooden leg and went up into the hills of Krowera with just an axe.”

While old Joseph might think the current generation “soft” for farming on the flats of Leongatha South (and doing it with two legs), he’d no doubt be casting an admiring glance over a farm that is clearly a top class operation.

10

DECEMBER 2015

From the well maintained laneways, to the tidy sheds and spotless rotary dairy, the White farm is a picture of a modern dairy business.

But the real stars of the show are the 340 milkers, whose shining coats suggest a herd in rude health.

The good condition of the cows translates to high performance in the milk shed, where years of hard work on improving genetics pays off each morning and afternoon.

“We’re here to make money and by taking the best quality bulls that come through, we should produce the best quality cattle,” Russ said.

“If you have better quality cattle you should produce more milk. More milks more money.”

The registered Holstein herd produced 10 400 litres last year, including an average of 352 kg of fat and 346 kg of protein.

They’re numbers to be proud of, as are the

figures behind the Master Breeders Award that Les said they could have had five years ago if they had filled in the paperwork.

Points are awarded in the judging system for cow condition, production levels and lifetime production output.

To achieve Master status, the breeder needs to have more points than cows bred, with the Whites breeding 1011 females and earning 1992 points.

While the award is no doubt satisfying, the family doesn’t invest time and money in genetics so they can hang a certificate on the wall.

Les started the breeding program 28 years ago when he was still farming up in Kongwak, with Russ continuing to make genetic improvement a priority for the herd.

“It’s the future,” Russ said.

“You try and better your herd so you try and get a better bull. Nowadays with all the genomics going around, we use genomic bulls — they’re

Russ and Les White in front of their 50 rotary dairy.

One of the Whites prize winning cows called Dilee Esquire 433 VG88.

the youngest and best bulls coming through.

We just keep climbing the tree.”

Les can only marvel at the changes in genomic technology that has seen his breeding program transformed from educated guesswork to a scientific sure thing.

“It’s just unreal what’s available now compared to what was available years ago,” he said.

“You would just have to pick your bulls, which was pretty much guesswork. And I probably picked the wrong bull a few times. But now with genomics you just get the best bull.”

While using 100 per cent AI means no bulls are needed for the herd, Russ is still keeping

young males on the farm for resale.

“They (bulls) are a pain in the ass — but I still breed bulls to sell. We’re trying to breed to get them into the AI centre,” Russ said.

“Heifer-wise, we’ve been putting a lot on the boat, which has been good money in recent years.

“It’s come back a little bit in the last 12 months but we seem to think it might kick again by Christmas.

“It’s a bit of cream on the top really. I look at it as excess cattle. You are selling your bottom line cows to the Chinese and getting good money.”

The tea-tree country of Leongatha South can be a different world to other parts of Gippsland — even to farms a few kilometres away.

The wet winters that many Gippsland farmers rely on for ground moisture can produce sodden paddocks that are unusable for long periods.

Conversely, a drier spring can be good news for local farmers, producing good growing conditions for springtime pastures.

“I like the dry winters, and it’s been good up until now,” Russ said in early November.

“An inch of rain now would be perfect for us. It would top us off up until Christmas.”

Les said it’s the first time they have had silage done by the end of October.

“We’d normally start to think about cutting about now but we did our first cut on 15th September which is unheard of. It’s six weeks early for us.”

Plenty of hard work in the past 14 years has seen the winter problems reduced, with a major hump and hollow project allowing water to drain out of the paddocks.

“Since we’ve been here we’ve gained in production,” Russ said.

“We’ve done a lot of work around the place and it’s just about how we want it now.”

DECEMBER 2015

11

Joint venture to benefit Fonterra The Beingmate Baby and “By working with Beingmate, we Child Food Company board are creating additional demand has approved a joint venture to for ingredients and highpurchase Fonterra Co-operative value paediatric and maternal Group Darnum plant in nutrition products made Australia. from our New Zealand milk, The joint venture represents complemented by milk drawn another milestone in the global from other international milk partnership, announced in pools,” Mr Spierings said.

August 2014, to help meet “Beingmate has an extensive China’s growing demand for distribution and sales network infant formula. with significant growth potential In March, Fonterra acquired and the company continues to 18.8 per cent of Beingmate — a pursue a leading position in the food production company in China infant formula market.”

China within the dry, condensed If Beingmate shareholders vote and evaporated products sector. in favour of the joint venture at Fonterra’s chief executive Theo an annual general meeting on Spierings said China was a key November 16, Beingmate will strategic market for Fonterra own 51 per cent of the Darnum and the global partnership with plant, while Fonterra will retain Beingmate provided significant a 49 per cent stake and run the growth potential for both plant operation. companies.

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Groundwater website introduced Southern Rural Water has launched a new website which forms a hub for all things groundwater in southern Victoria.

The Groundwater Hub of Southern Victoria (gwhub. srw.com.au) gives visitors the capacity to explore groundwater information in their local area via interactive maps, as well as clear and easy-to-understand information about the ways groundwater is used and managed across southern Victoria.

The hub was launched by Professor John Thwaites of Monash University and ClimateWorks Australia. He is also a former water minister.

“Groundwater is a valuable resource, but its great potential is hidden,” he said.

“Across the globe, about 30 per cent of fresh water is underground, compared to less than one per cent flowing in rivers and streams.

“Currently, less than one per cent of usable groundwater is taken in southern Victoria.

“Groundwater contributes about $275 million to Victoria’s economy every year.

“It’s used for a wide range of purposes and many ecosystems also rely on it to stay healthy and survive including rivers, streams, wetlands, plants and caves.”

Southern Rural Water managing director Clinton Rodda said the hub had been developed to provide people with a “one-stop shop” when it came to southern Victoria’s groundwater.

“It provides a central place for anyone interested in groundwater for any reason — whether for a licence, for environmental interest, for research — to find information 24 hours a day,” Mr Rodda said.

“You’ll also find some great graphics that provide simple information about complex issues, like who manages groundwater, and how much groundwater southern Victoria actually has.”

For more information, phone Southern Rural Water on 1300 139 510 or visit gwhub.srw.com.au

Intake measured Implications for partial mixed ration herds.

Deficits in pasture dry matter production and nutrient supply are often alleviated with supplementary feeds, typically in the form of concentrates fed in the bail during milking.

Feeding supplements this way allows cows to be fed individually resulting in controlled supplement intake.

However, feeding supplements as a partial mixed ration (PMR) on a feed pad between periods of grazing is becoming more common in Australia.

Cows in PMR feeding systems are groupfed both the pasture and supplement component of the diet, which may result in a large variation in feed intake between cows, thus making it difficult for farmers to assess the overall efficiency of their herd.

A research project at Ellinbank is focusing on this variation in individual cow intake in the PMR feeding system.

A recent experiment conducted by research scientist and PhD student Marlie Wright investigated the variation between cows in terms A cow wearing an automated feeding behaviour device that detects every jaw movement the cow of feeding behaviour, which can makes which then can be identified as picking up be used as a proxy for individual feed, chewing the feed and chewing the cud, to enable intake. the determination of feeding and ruminating times.

The major discovery from this research was that the variation investigated variation in individual intake between individual cows doubled when in Ireland. the amount of total supplement increased Collaborators on the project were The from 6 to 13 kg DM/cow/day (range: University of Melbourne and Teagasc: The 303–475 and 218–450 mins/cow/day for Irish Agriculture and Food Development the low and high amounts of supplement, Authority. Dairy Australia and the Victorian respectively).

Government have funded the research.

This research is defining best feeding For more information contact Marlie management practices for reducing the Wright, marlie.wright@ecodev.vic.gov. variation between cows in a PMR-fed au at the Department of Economic herd, primarily through optimising the Development, Jobs, Transport and ratio of pasture to PMR to increase Resources. milk production. Ms Wright has also

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DECEMBER 2015

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Pushing effluent uphill Andrew Holman installed a mainline last year to meet the challenge of effluent application on a steeper property.

The management of dairy effluent provides many opportunities for dairy businesses.

The Holman family met the challenge of effluent application on a steeper property by expanding their application area through installing a mainline last year.

The family is now starting to see the benefits of improved pasture growth.

The family’s property is located at Loch in the Strzelecki Ranges, and has some steep slopes across part of the farm which makes the pumping of effluent particularly challenging.

The dairy operation milks about 400 springcalving cows.

Manure from the yards is collected into a solids trap and a 50 000 litre sump.

The sump is pumped daily to pasture using an effluent pump via a 1300 m-long mainline and a gun irrigator.

Expanding the effluent application area has enabled better use of the nutrients in the effluent, particularly potassium and nitrogen.

The gun irrigator is moved around every couple of days.

“I’m able to apply nutrients now to areas of the farm that were difficult to drive over and apply fertiliser to: and we’re really able to see a response,” Andrew Holman said.

The effluent was tested and in one Ml contained 232 kg of potassium, 95 kg of phosphorus, 22 kg of sulphur and 200 kg of nitrogen.

This is equivalent to around 0.46 tonnes of

potash, 0.43 tonnes of urea and one tonne of single superphosphate with an approximate value of $1015/Ml (prices are a rough guide to illustrate value of effluent).

Each year about 7.4 Ml is generated on the property with a fertiliser equivalence value of about $7511.

Reducing the on-going maintenance cost of the effluent system is also needed to gain the most value from the nutrients in the effluent.

Management challenges for the Holmans’ effluent system include being able to generate enough pressure at the irrigator and managing solids so they don’t create blockages in the pipes.

Mr Holman used a plumber to size the mainline to ensure it was the right pressure rating for the steeper property to ensure

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been placed around the hydrants pumping efficiency and reduce the risk of splitting pipes. to protect them from stock and machinery.

Solid material from the effluent is removed by a trap but some Mr Holman prefers managing the solid material does enter the sump effluent on a daily basis. which gets agitated and applied “At the end of each milking the daily to pasture. effluent is gone; it’s not another Mr Holman said having the job that I have to do,” he said. ability to flush the mainline was “There are no excavators, tankers or important to remove solid material weeds on dams to deal with later.” if it did get pumped through.

These are the benefits of a direct Placing hydrants at 50 m intervals application system; however it for the first 200 m of the mainline, can be difficult to manage these then at 100 m intervals after that, systems when conditions are wetter. is something Mr Holman said he It is therefore essential to have would do differently next time to some back-up storage capacity for enable ease of flushing. these conditions.

Mr Holman also removed the foot The Holmans have a back-up valve on the effluent pump, which is immersed on a pontoon, to allow storage dam where effluent can go effluent in the line to drain back to if conditions become too wet. the sump when turned off to flush The Melbourne Water Rural the pipe.

Land program has supported the installation of the effluent The mainline has also been buried mainline through a 50 per cent coto protect it from stock trampling, contribution financial incentive. and to help reduce blockages by keeping the pipe cool over summer, For more information about the reducing the baking of manure program and eligibility, visit www. inside. melbournewater.com.au and Two posts and horizontal rails have search ‘rural land program’.

Andrew Holman has reaped the benefits of dairy effluent management.

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Compact and concise Dirk Veldhuizen’s farm proves that good things can come in small packages.

Milking just 72 cows, Meeniyan farmer Dirk Veldhuizen has a Friesian cross herd that would be the envy of any farmer in the district.

His 56 ha property runs onto the Tarwin River and takes in some of the best land in the region.

With a generous cow per hectare ratio, Mr Veldhuizen has the luxury of plenty of home grown feed, as well as being able to produce high quality fodder.

It’s a set-up that allows him to make a fair living, without a lot of the pressure that comes with running a big operation.

He also believes that the smaller farms (although not as small as his) allow for greater movement within the industry, with the transfer of bigger farms a looming issue.

“I think the problems will come later on when the farm has to be sold,” he said.

“Who can afford to buy a 1000-cow dairy farm? Only the Chinese or big companies.

“Anyway, I think smaller farms do better 16

DECEMBER 2015

than the 800-cow farmers because you don’t need to have people running around — you can do it all yourself. ” While a tanker driver once told him of a 50-cow farm somewhere in Gippsland, Mr Veldhuizen has never met a farmer milking as few cows as he does.

But being small doesn’t mean there are any short cuts in the way the farm is operated.

One look at Mr Veldhuizen’s herd shows animals in peak health — they are some of the finest looking Friesians in Gippsland.

The reason — according to their owner — is a regime of mineral supplements that has almost done away with vet bills and seen calving and mastitis problems reduced to negligible levels.

“They are a lot healthier than they were before,” Mr Veldhuizen said.

“Years ago they fell down on the track. The vet came and took blood samples and they were low in selenium. So then I started with this Mineral Plus. Since then the vet bills

have dropped.”

Along with the Mineral Plus additives in their feed, Mr Veldhuizen allows his cows to dry off in their own time and lets them join the rest of the herd in taking a feed in the dairy, even when they aren’t producing any milk.

It’s an unusual system, but one that he believes helps promote better health in his herd.

“For years I would dry the cows at six to eight weeks but now I try not to dry them off and let nature do it itself,” he said.

“Three weeks before calving the cows dry by themselves. They calve all over the farm — they just stay in the herd.

“With the minerals they look like they are a lot stronger with calving, they have very few problems. The only problem is milk fever, so I use calcium for that.”

It’s a recipe that keeps Mr Veldhuizen’s small farm punching well above its weight when it comes to animal health.

Small scale tradition In Australia, Dirk Veldhuizen’s farm is considered a very small-scale operation, but where he comes from, it’s an above-average dairy enterprise.

His native Holland, like many European dairy producing countries, fosters small-scale farming, with the average Netherlands dairy herd consisting of just 55 cows.

When he was growing up, Mr Veldhuizen’s mother and brother milked 40 cows and he still has friends in his homeland milking similar sized herds to his.

Changes to land ownership in Holland saw Mr Veldhuizen, his brother and mother move to Australia in 1983 in the hope of finding better — and bigger — opportunities.

“This is the best country,” he said.

Mr Veldhuizen and his faithful one-eyed companion Milly with the 72-strong herd.

“It was still quite good (when he left Holland) because of the subsidies over there. But they are all gone now.”

Moving from the central Netherlands area of Utrecht, the 21-year-old hardly spoke a word of English, making the transition to Australian farming a tricky proposition.

He endured the hard years, however, and eventually ran his own farm when his brother moved to nearby Kongwak.

Now, with a self-sustaining farm where he can produce his fodder needs and afford a once-a-day milker to lend a hand, Mr Veldhuizen is relishing the rewards of all his hard work.

“I love it,” he said.

“I love the freedom and I’m my own boss.”

Mr Veldhuizen in his 15 swing-over dairy.

DECEMBER 2015

17

Cattle society lends hand to goat breeders Sharing access to databases and services.

“ADG is a Dairy goat producers can now access a commercially-focused range of herd management services through Holstein Australia, the country’s largest dairy organisation offering breeders genetic cattle breed society. improvement facilities, Chris Lamin, secretary of newly-formed Australian Dairy Goats, said the arrangement including classification, estimated breed values, DNA profiling and progeny testing, estimated breeding values would also allow members’ herd data to stud registration.” and DNA (genomic) services. be professionally managed and integrated, The availability of breeding values will particularly data from herd recording, Holstein Australia’s chief executive officer mean that, for the first time, goat buyers registration and classification.

Graeme Gillan said the alliance was a ‘winwill be able to see objective performance win’.

“Being such as small industry, it is not information about members’ animals for sale. “For Holstein Australia, this is an opportunity economically viable for us to develop “At the moment if you want to buy a stud databases and services from scratch. The to add value to the dairy goat industry buck the best available information is likely alliance with Holstein Australia enables us through services that we are already wellto be its dam’s 24-hour production figures. to piggy-back on their experience, staff and placed to provide. At the farm level, there’s a With dairy cows it’s the norm to expect systems in place,” she said. big difference between cows and goats but in production figures for a whole lactation terms of genetics and records management, Dairy farmer and owner of Allawoona Dairy the needs are very similar so it’s relatively Goats at Briagalong in Gippsland, Ms Lamin and that’s the direction we want to head.

Holstein Australia has the tools and the straightforward for us to provide the services said Australian Dairy Goats Inc was formed people to take us there,” she said. to promote genetic improvement of all dairy that Australian Dairy Goats are looking for,” Ultimately the organisation aims to provide goats in Australia. he said.

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Keeping cows cool THE predicted hot summer means farmers need to be ready to look after their cows in the event of extreme conditions.

The following provides a guide for how to deal with animal welfare while keeping production as high as possible during the peak of summer: • Allow for 200–250 L/cow/day of drinking water in hot weather. Make sure cows have access to plenty of cool drinking water.

• Walking cows to the dairy during the hottest part of the day (about 3 pm) adds to their heat loads. Delaying afternoon milking until 5 pm may increase milk yield by up to 1.5 L/day.

• Watch the forecast and plan to have cows in sheltered paddocks on hot days, in the morning’s milk and feed cows as early as possible.

• On heat wave days where there is little shade in paddocks, consider standing the cows on a sacrifice paddock or feed pad close to the dairy with access to shade and sprinklers, and feed them a high-quality forage or partial mixed ration (PMR), and allocating your best paddocks for grazing overnight.

Seasonal conditions Tactics for dry times To assist in navigating the challenging season, GippsDairy has been hosting a number of free events across Gippsland.

The next one will be held in the Macalister Irrigation District on Fri 11th December at the farm of Mike and Sarah O’Brien, 618 Maffra-Rosedale Road, Denison (500 metres north of the Denison school).

The field day will run from 10 am (10.30 am start) to 1 pm.

Topics covered will include: • Summer feeding plans, feed options and cost • Farm water supply • Grazing and protecting pastures • Young stock feeding strategies • Animal health • Working with farm financials and debt • Government farmer assistance Lunch is provided. Please RSVP to John Gallienne on 0407 863 493.

If you would like a session held in your area please contact: John Gallienne 0407 863 493 or GippsDairy on 5624 3900 or executiveassistant@gippsdairy.com.au

• Good nutrition is particularly important during hot weather. Remember, hot weather reduces cows’ appetites and less feed means less production.

More information from Dairy Australia at www.coolcows.com.au Water supplies can also be an issue for many farmers.

If you have a number of shallow dams, reduce evaporation by pumping all water to one dam.

Recycle and reuse dairy shed water and reduce yard wash where possible.

Understanding all your water needs can help minimise usage, while checking all taps, troughs and pipes will ensure water is not being lost Also consider moving young stock off farm if possible, making more water available for milking cows.

More info Dairy Australia website http://www. dairyaustralia.com.au/Environment-andresources/Water/Saving

Charting a course to success The Standard Chart of Accounts has been developed by Dairy Australia to drive consistency across the Australian dairy industry in how we discuss, describe, calculate and report farm business performance.

The Standard Chart of Accounts enables dairy farmers to manage the flow of financial information through their business and establish an efficient system for paying bills and complying with Australian tax regulations.

While ensuring tax compliance, the Standard Chart of Accounts can also be converted to management accounts with relative ease to enable farmers to make informed decisions in their businesses.

The management accounts enable farmers to complete end of year and comparative analysis on their business by ensuring a consistent approach to the allocation of financial information and financial terminology used within the dairy industry.

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

It will also enable conversion to a regular cashflow and could be utilised for budgeting within businesses.

As well as providing farmers with data to make informed financial and farm management decisions, the Chart of Accounts will allow farmers to effectively benchmark their business.

The use of “benchmarks” by some sectors of the dairy industry can only be accurate if each business doing the comparisons have put their income and expenses in the same category in their financial recording system.

The Chart of Accounts has been developed in conjunction with the Dairy Base, which is a web-based tool developed by Dairy Australia, that allows farmers to measure and compare their performance over time.

For more information got to www. dairyaustralia.com.au and click on the Farm Business Management tab.

From land

to lakes

Farming for the environment.

20

DECEMBER 2015

When he’s at work, Stuart Griffin always has the Gippsland Lakes on his mind — but he’s not just dreaming of a weekend relaxing on the iconic waterways.

Mr Griffin is constantly monitoring every decision he makes on his dairy farm north of Moe to ensure he is doing the right thing for the downstream environment.

With the Moe River running though his Westbury property, the fourth generation farmer knows every drop that leaves the historic family farm will have an impact on the Gippsland Lakes system.

It’s a responsibility he takes seriously — and not just because he and his family love the lakes themselves.

“We spend time down towards the Gippsland Lakes every year and it’s a beautiful part of the world,” Mr Griffin said.

“It’s extremely popular and important economically from both a tourism and fishing point of view.

“We wouldn’t want anyone putting anything in the water upstream from us, so why should we be sending our potential problems down to them?”

Dairy farms cycle large amounts of nutrient that, if released into waterways, can cause problems for the aquatic environment.

The modern dairy farmer is well aware of these potential issues and works hard to keep nutrients on-farm where they can be utilised as valuable fertiliser.

“It benefits us because there’s no point in putting nutrients down the drain. And we know that those nutrients can have an impact on the lakes and waterways downstream,” Mr Griffin said.

“We need to do not only what’s right for us, but make sure we’re doing the right thing by everyone.”

Two concrete examples of the work that has been done on the Griffin farm are an expanded effluent pond at the dairy shed and an underpass pumping system, both of which collect waste effluent and distribute it back to paddocks before it has a chance to escape into waterways.

Projects such as these are both timeconsuming and expensive, so farmers like Mr Griffin have been involved in programs including Core 4, which was a Federal Government-funded program managed

by West Gippsland CMA, designed to assist farmers in the upper regions of the Gippsland Lakes catchment to undertake action that would reduce the risk of nutrients leaving the farm.

“What the Core 4 program allowed us to do was invest in some infrastructure projects to better manage our effluent around the dairy and underpass, which had a number of benefits to us,” Mr Griffin said.

“It made it easier for us to be compliant and even ahead of the regulations and saved us time and headaches.”

Southern Rural Water, West Gippsland CMA, GippsDairy, Dairy Australia and the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources all work together to offer support for environmental improvements by dairy farmers.

Tony Platt from GippsDairy said dairy farmers should be applauded for taking the initiative in protecting the Gippsland Lakes environment.

“The bottom line is, these farmers use the lakes, they live in the community and they want to do the right thing by everybody,” Mr Griffin said.

“With the assistance of support agencies, there have been huge improvements in how dairy farms interact with the environment and look after waterways.”

For Mr Griffin, protecting the environment is just part of the job description for a dairy farmer working in the Gippsland Lakes catchment.

“We need to be able to justify what we do, so we can have that social licence to farm,” he said.

“We need the wider community to understand what we do and why we do it … if we want to continue to farm we need to take the wider community with us.”

For more farmers’ stories from the Gippsland Lakes catchment, go to www.loveourlakes. net.au/living-here/farming/snapshot/

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Mastitis app saves time and money Farmers are using the Countdown app to tackle cow health in their herds.

Dairy Australia’s Countdown Mastitis Toolkit app is not only improving cow health and milk quality but also helping farmers saves thousands of dollars every year.

The app, which has had more than 3000 downloads since it was first released in September 2013, was designed in consultation with dairy farmers, advisers and vets and is based on the Countdown 2020 mastitis control program and associated resources.

South-west Victorian farmers Stephen and Tania Luckin said mastitis had been a major challenge on their 500-cow farm but by using the app as a control mechanism to monitor udder health and teat condition, they were saving up to $70 000 a year.

The app had proven its worth not only for the information and ease-of-use but for getting the problem out of the dairy and from their minds onto paper so they could analyse and fix it, Mr Luckin said.

“What I like about the app is that it takes a lot of stuff out of your head you can just access it instantly and come up with an answer,” he said.

“You don’t have to rush home and look it up or think about it, and that’s worth a lot when you are milking.”

Divided into four sections, the app offers a range of the latest information and resources farmers need to manage mastitis in their herd including: • Tools.

• Topics specific to common mastitis control scenarios.

• Countdown farm guidelines.

• A library featuring related articles, tips and traps.

South-west Victorian farmer and veterinarian Zoe Vogels was part of the team that created the app. She said the app was easy to use and an invaluable resource, particularly for newcomers.

“It’s pretty much everything you need to know from calving to drying off,” Dr Vogels said.

“It gives you access on your phone straight away to the most up-to-date information on mastitis control and milk quality.

“The app is invaluable for anybody new to the dairy industry and also for milkers in the dairy, advisers, milk factory field officers, vet students and vets. I just think it’s really useful for anyone in the dairy industry.”

The Countdown Mastitis Toolkit app is available for iPhone and Android mobile devices (including tablets).

For details on how to download the app visit www. dairyaustralia.com.au/ countdown-app DECEMBER 2015

23

Small window of

opportunity

The pressure is on Damien Elliott and fellow contractors in the spring.

Contractors in high demand. wheel for most of his working life and Like taxi drivers, there are always plenty of understands that when one person wants hay and silage contractors around when you don’t need one, but they’re hard to find when him, everyone else does too. you’re desperate.

“As soon as everyone hears the weather report that it’s going to be right to go, my phone The contracting equivalent to late Saturday will just go crazy. Everyone wants the same night outside a city pub is mid spring, when the paddocks are dry enough to get onto and thing on the same day,” Mr Elliott said. the grass is growing like a teenage boy.

“When they see fine weather coming, they all want the grass off to try and get some Damien Elliott has been behind the tractor 24

DECEMBER 2015

regrowth while they still have the conditions to grow grass. It gets pretty full-on some days.”

He’s not complaining, mind you. If a contractor’s phone isn’t red hot in spring then he’s probably not too good at the job.

Hailing from Shady Creek just north of Warragul, Mr Elliott doesn’t travel more than 30 km away from his home base.

“

When you get a wet weather run like we have had for the last few days, you end up with a massive backlog . . .

Damien Elliott

“

He concentrates on dairy farmers, believing their level of professionalism allows him to do his job with the surety of a cashable cheque at the end.

Small land-holders and part-time farmers offer plenty of work, they just don’t always want to pay for it.

“There is a market for smaller bales, except we found we were never getting paid for them, so we just avoid them now,” he said.

“We’ve just about weeded out all of that smaller side and stick with the dairy farmers now.”

The 36-year-old has two Welger round balers, including a combination baler, as well as a Massey Ferguson square baler which can produce 2.4 m long bales.

Demand is always high at this time of year, with long hours behind the wheel just part of life for a contractor in an area where grass often grows as fast as it can be cut.

Mr Elliott won’t say what his record time in the tractor seat is, but in days before strict WorkSafe regulations it was fair to say he mightn’t have always made it home for dinner — or even breakfast and lunch.

during busy times, as long as farmers are willing to have some understanding about the pressures they are under.

“Generally most of our clients will wait — they’ll give us a few days’ grace,” he said.

“We’ve just about got rid of all the blokes who don’t want to work with us. We are only human too, so if everyone can’t work together at that time of year, it makes it quite difficult.

“We need some sleep — we’re not robots.”

“Some days it’s really hard, you almost have to work around the clock to get it done,” he said.

“When you get a wet weather run like we have had for the last few days, you end up with a massive backlog where you have to try and fit four or five days’ work into two or three days to try and catch up again.”

Like the taxi industry, the peak-time pressure on contractors is evened out by the slower periods when demand is low.

Mr Elliott reckons there are enough contractors around to get the job done

Apart from the weather, the biggest challenge during spring is machinery failure, which can cost time and money in a big way.

Mr Elliott believes that knowing your own equipment is the only way to keep costs down and keep the tractors moving through the paddocks.

“I do 90 per cent of my own repairs,” he said.

“If something goes wrong you can usually fix it, but if you don’t know the machines then you can’t. It’s often just a tweak here or there, but if you don’t know the machine you won’t know how to do that.”

DECEMBER 2015

25

IRWIN STOCKFEEDS

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How much pasture?

If asked how much pasture is harvested (directly grazed by cows or cut with machinery) on your farm over a year, could you answer the question?

And if you could, what would it mean for your farm?

By estimating the amount of home-grown feed harvested on your farm you’ll be able to benchmark your farm’s performance over time.

This will allow you to quantify the impacts of management practices and seasonal conditions on the amount of pasture harvested on-farm each year.

It can also help determine how much additional feed you may need to purchase.

This is particularly valuable when developing budgets and planning for feed purchases.

A robust, scientifically sound tool for backcalculating pasture harvest (tonne DM/ha) is available online at http://dairypastureconsumptioncalculator. com.au/ This tool is easy to use on your computer or mobile and has three versions of complexity designed to suit your needs.

The “Ask a question” is a three-step process The calculator delivers results on how designed to generate a quick estimation of much home-grown pasture has been annual pasture consumption: consumed, either by cows directly grazing or mechanically harvested, and how much 1. Ask a question of the calculator, such as energy this represents.

‘How much home-grown feed was eaten and conserved last year?’

It can also answer questions like: “How much feed did my herd eat last year?” and 2. Enter details about your farm milking “Based on last year’s rainfall and irrigation, area, herd, feed produced on the farm and how much home-grown feed did I use or ‘brought in’ feeds. conserve?”

3. Allow the calculator to provide answers The true value in this calculator is reflecting to the selected question based on entered on the results over time. details and industry averages.

You are then able to see how your Data can be saved by creating an account. production of home-grown feed changes You can also elect to ‘upgrade’ to the from year to year, and how your herd’s feed intermediate version of the calculator which requirements vary. minimises duplication of data entry.

The Pasture Consumption Calculator is The more detailed versions of the calculator delivered through a partnership between require additional information but can Dairy Australia and DEDJTR. provide greater precision because calculations For further information, visit http:// are based on farm data rather than industry dairypastureconsumptioncalculator.com.au/ averages.

DECEMBER 2015

27

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28

DECEMBER 2015

Countering the dry season An extremely dry spring has farmers rethinking their management to counter the lack of pasture growth and low silage yields.

Without some significant changes, it is likely many Gippsland farms will face the prospect of running out of feed before the autumn break.

Some farms also face the prospect of running into problems with water supply.

Feed and water Past experience gives us confidence we will get through and making decisions early opens up the most options.

A feed plan is essential.

How much feed is required to get through? How much is on hand? What needs to be done to balance the budget?

A water budget is also necessary.

How much water is required (for stock and dairy)?

Will I have enough to get through and is the supply reliable?

What can be done to secure or conserve water to limit the need to cart water in or destock?

Feed budgeting From a feed budgeting point of view, it is about working out how much feed your stock need, how much you might grow (the hard bit) and how much fodder you have on hand.

For example, assuming there is enough pasture plus grain to get through November, my feed plan starts in December (you may need to feed fodder earlier).

I am not planning on growing much pasture or crop between December and March; maybe 15 per cent of the feed requirements, so my feed budget will look to have supplements at 15 kg of dry matter per cow per day for four months.

This is about 2.2 tonnes per cow.

I will then need to guesstimate the timing and strength of the

autumn break, but am hoping to reduce purchased feed in the diet reasonably significantly.

I will also need some dry cow hay, say 10 kg hay as fed per day, for 60 days (maybe less if I have pasture or if I feed lead feed in the diet).

Have a monthly feed plan and check your feed inventory to make sure you have enough feed reserves to get through.

Feed purchasing When it comes to feed purchasing, it is about the cheapest feed that will achieve the result.

A milker and heifer diet needs to be about 11 ME of energy and 14–16 per cent protein.

Top quality hay (such as vetch and lucerne) is a good feed, but this year it is probably going to be dearer than concentrates by the time you look at cartage, wastage and energy density. Do your own sums.

Assuming this is right, then the diet might consist of some moderate quality fodder (such as leafy cereal hay) and concentrates that might need a bit of extra protein to balance the diet.

It might be the diet ends up containing 8 kg per cow per day as concentrates — perhaps more at some point in summer (assuming that concentrates are cheaper per unit of energy and protein).

Logistically, feeding this much concentrate might be a challenge on many farms.

One suggestion is to consider feeding some concentrates on the ground between milkings.

People matter In a tough season, there is always the need put time aside to look after yourselves and those around you.

Make sure you stay in contact with family and friends and seek help if you’re struggling.

— Greg O’Brien Dairy extension officer, Ellinbank, DEDJTR

Kick Off 2016 with Australia’s Dairy & Farm Machinery Field Days

a u s t r a l i a

19 to 21 January, Tatura, Victoria Your chance to see and hear the latest on: • calf rearing equipment

A good place to do business and a good place to socialise.

Follow us on

and

#IDWaustralia

• feeding, milking & dairy machinery, matting & flooring and free stall barn equipment • animal health products • tractors, airseeders and planters • hay, silage, mowers, slashers and fodder equipment • pastures, seeds & additives • hay and feed supplies • irrigation equipment, pumps & water storage and treatment systems • tanks, cartage and storage • artificial breeding systems • solar technology and solutions, air-conditioning & heating • farm supplies & merchandise

Gates: Open from 9.00 am.

Proudly Supported By

Entry: $10.00 adults, children free. Free Seminars & Workshops to attend Venue: Tatura Park Exhibition Centre, Hastie Street, Tatura, Victoria. www.internationaldairyweek.com.au Commercial exhibition space is available for the field day event, proudly supported by Dairy News Australia.

See www.internationaldairyweek.com.au for booking forms; call Robyn on 0418 656 082 or email info@internationaldairyweek.com.au.

Rye-grass pasture establishment checklist

Farms achieving higher pasture consumption tend to be a lot more profitable than those with lower consumption.

Dense, productive pasture is essential for high pasture consumption, and establishment is an important step in achieving this.

Good pasture establishment should be plant densities of at least 600 seedlings/m2.

In achieving this, there are several points to consider: seed selection, soil temperature, sowing depth, fertiliser, weed and pest control and first grazing management.

If establishment is poor the paddocks will need to be resown, if nothing is done, a weedy, unproductive pasture may result.

When selecting a variety to sow consider its purpose in your feedbase.

Short-season annuals and Italians tend to be cheaper than long-season, but what is the value of the late spring/summer feed to you?

Long-season varieties may be more expensive but provide flexibility in the system with the ability to produce until late November/early December, allowing an extra grazing or two.

If water is short, watering can be finished early.

Perennial rye-grass is slower to establish than annuals or Italian rye-grass though it provides feed in the shoulder periods from late spring through to mid-autumn.

The ideal soil temperature at sowing is 20–25°C. While it is best to measure soil temperature directly, a good indicator is when daily 30

DECEMBER 2015

maximum air temperatures have averaged less than 25°C for five days.

Hot conditions in conjunction with irrigation during the establishment period can reduce germination by 90 per cent.

The sowing depth of seed is proportional to the seed size: in general, sowing depth should be twice the length of the seed, which for rye-grass means 1–2 cm.

The seed should be surrounded by moist, firm and fine soil to maximise germination.

If seed is sown too deep it will take longer to emerge or may not emerge at all, resulting in poor plant densities.

Sowing with fertiliser such as superphosphate, superphosphate/lime or DAP can help seedling root development, but fertilisers containing potassium, copper or large amounts of nitrogen (over 20 kg N/ha) can reduce germination if they are in contact with the seed and should not be added at sowing.

Direct drilling places fertiliser close to the seed allowing the plant quick access to nutrients when compared to broadcasted fertiliser.

Apply any follow-up fertiliser blends (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur) prior to or soon after the first grazing.

Effective pre-and post-emergence weed control will reduce competition from weeds.

Newly sown pastures should be monitored for pests such as crickets, red-legged earth mites and lucerne flea and sprayed if required.

If oversowing, competition from the existing sward can be reduced by grazing pastures down to less than 4 cm just prior to sowing.

This will reduce the rate of regrowth of the existing pasture, minimising shading and allowing the new seedlings a chance to grow.

Before the first grazing, check if the root system is developed enough by using the pull test.

If it breaks without pulling the plant out of the ground, it is ready to graze.

The pasture should be at least 10 cm high and at or past the two-leaf stage.

Graze to a residual height of 4–6 cm.

This will help promote tillering, minimise damage to the pasture and set the residual height for future grazings.

For subsequent grazings, graze the pastures at the two-to-three-leaf stage or canopy closure, whichever comes first, down to a residual of 4–6 cm to gain the best balance between quantity and quality and maintain a residual to support growth for the next grazing.

Establishing dense productive pastures requires good management, so select the right variety for your needs, wait until temperatures are cool enough for establishment, check your sowing depths, check you have good seed soil contact, control weeds and pests, fertilise and make sure your grazing management is right, and make the most of your investment in pastures.

— Sarah Brown, Dairy Services, DEDJTR, Tatura

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Aiming to break

the cycle Young scientist hopes to solve liver fluke problem.

Scientist Jane Kelley

A young scientist working in a northern Melbourne laboratory might be making a major difference to Macalister Irrigation District dairy farmers.

Jane Kelley, who grew up on a beef and fodder production farm at Cowwarr, is conducting research at Latrobe University Bundoora into liver fluke, which would appear to be a growing problem for the district’s farmers.

Liver fluke is caused by a parasitic trematode which enters a cow’s digestive system when they eat snails attached to grass.

Once in the animal’s gut it moves to the liver, causing damage to the organ and spreading eggs back through the digestive system, allowing its breeding cycle to continue.

MID cattle are particularly vulnerable to the parasites because snails thrive in the moist environment caused by irrigation on pastures.

The problem also occurs in the Upper Murray and, to a lesser extent, in the Goulburn Valley dairying areas.

While liver fluke issues have been controlled over recent decades by the use of triclabendazole-based treatments, Ms Kelley’s research has reported an alarming increase in resistance to the treatment, with a resulting spike in liver fluke cases per herd.

“In MID last year we tested 400 cows across 20 farms and found that 73 per cent of those were infected, which is really high,” she said.

“When we get prevalence above 25 per cent, that is our cut-off for production loss. So when you get an overall regional prevalence of 75 per cent it is a real concern to me.”

Some farms being studied in the PhD student’s research have seen 100 per cent of animals suffering liver fluke infections, which will inevitably result in serious production loss for the dairy farmer.

While similar conditions exist in the Goulburn Valley, prevalence of the condition is much lower than in the MID. Ms Kelley believes that finding the reason for the different rates of liver fluke occurrence could be a key in helping MID farmers control the issue in their cattle.

“We believe it may have something to do with salinity in the Goulburn Valley which is killing off the intermediate host (the snail),” she said.

“We will be doing more work in the Goulburn Valley to see if there’s a management strategy there that we can implement in the MID to maybe reduce that prevalence.

“In the Upper Murray, 120 cows were tested and 66 per cent of those were infected, but we will be expanding that out further and testing more animals on more farms.”

The PhD research, which is entitled Epidemiology and management of liver fluke in irrigated dairy regions of Victoria, hopes to build on the liver fluke knowledge base, which has remained fairly static for

Jane Kelley explains the life cycle of liver fluke and how it affects cattle.

“The eggs are in the faeces, where the eggs hatch, infect the snail, and that snail will release infected cysts. One egg can release about 4000 infected cysts.

“The period in the cow is about 14 weeks long. They have a migratory phase in which they burrow through the stomach into the liver.

“They sit there in the liver and migrate back and forth for about six to seven weeks causing cirrhosis, general damage and calcification of the ducts in the liver.

“Then they sit there as adults and continue to breed and that cycle continues.

“The damage to the liver reduces the animal’s ability to put on weight. In young cows it can be a 28 per cent reduction in weight gain, which is huge.

32

DECEMBER 2015

more than 30 years.

“The last big survey in Victoria looking at the prevalence of liver fluke was in 1980 and nothing has been done since,” Ms Kelley said.

The release of Fasinex onto the market helped control the parasite, but if resistance indications are true, a new control method may need to be developed.

Ms Kelley said the potential flare-up of liver fluke was no-one’s fault, but work needed to be done to stop it affecting production levels on farms.

“I don’t blame the farmers and I don’t blame the veterinarians, they’ve done a fantastic job and there hasn’t been an issue so they assumed it was under control,” she said.

“We now have the situation where on one of those farms where there is drug resistance we’ve had clinical deaths, which is very uncommon in cattle. They died from having huge numbers of liver fluke in their liver and egg counts that were extreme.”

The 26-year-old has just received a Rural Finance scholarship to help with her research, which has been funded in the past

by Dairy Australia.

With the disease costing, in rough estimates, about $28 000 per infected farm each year, investment in the research would seem to be money well spent.

Ms Kelley is also working with DEDJTR and vets including Maffra’s Jakob Malmo.

“It also has milk production issues, so you can get production loss of around five to 15 per cent.

“Also, it can have an effect on fertility because they’re not reaching their joining weight. So from a farmer’s point of view it is an impact it has on the well-being of an animal rather than the life cycle itself.”

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

Email: executiveassistant@ gippsdairy.com.au

Tactics for Dry Times — MID

Friday, December 11 10 am to 1 pm Seasonal response — Tactics for Dry Times — summer feeding, farm water, young stock, animal health, debt management, farmer panel and farm walk.

Venue: Mike and Sarah O’Brien, 618 MaffraRosedale Rd, Denison RSVP John Gallienne, phone 0407 863 493, email gallienne@dcsi.net.au Australia’s International Dairy Week + Dairy & Farm Machinery Field Days, Tatura, northern Victoria.

January 17 to 21, 2016

34

DECEMBER 2015

New team to engage youth in agriculture Victorian Government is keen to attract and keep young people in agriculture.

The Victorian Government has appointed young agri-business professionals to lead the development of initiatives to attract and retain young people in agriculture.

The Young Farmers Ministerial Advisory Council will advise Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford on the critical factors for young people in agriculture and on opportunities for attracting youth to the food and fibre sector.

To extend the ideas and suggestions for the advisory council to consider, a series of online forums will run during the next two years on topics relating to the big issues for young people in agriculture.

The advisory council members have already provided some of their thoughts on this topic to get the conversation started at www.oursay.org The Young Farmers Ministerial Advisory Council members are: • Caitlin Scholfield, chair — Geoffrey Gardiner

Sarah Thompson from Kialla is on a new advisory board.

Dairy Foundation, business manager, Geelong.

• Andrew Bulmer, deputy chair — horticulture business managing director, Calulu.

• Skye Vermaas — Victorian Young Farmers representative, Newlyn.

• Will Ryan — Young Agribusiness Professionals representative, Dumbalk.

• Prue Milgate — sheep meat/wool and mixed grains business farm manager, Salisbury West.

• Thomas McGrath — mixed meat and wool/ cropping farmer, Murtoa.

• James Terry — integrated grower, packer and exporter, Koo Wee Rup. • Sarah Thompson — Murray Dairy engagement and workforce development officer, Kialla.

• Leila Sweeney-McDougall — farmer and secondary school teacher, Tatyoon.

• Maida Anderson — Baw Baw Shire communications officer, Warragul.

• Ashlee Hammond — UDV project and policy officer, Melbourne.

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I reckon he’s been at it himself.