Dairy direct gippsland june 2016 (low res)

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Country News PUBLICATION

GIPPSLAND Issue 10, June 2016

Bringing world technology back to Gippsland » page 16

Checking the milk fat slide » page 23

A sharefarmer beating the odds » page 25

Condition scoring at your finger tips » page 26

contents

Stay focused in tough times

Stay focused in tough times..................3 Reminders for June and July..................4 Out of sight does not mean out of mind...............................................5

Let’s not sugar-coat things — Gippsland dairy farmers are doing it tough right now.

Factors out of the control of farmers, like milk prices and seasonal conditions, are making this a rough period.

For many farmers in the region the drop in income has combined with a struggle to build decent pasture cover going into winter, while some farms are still struggling with low water supplies.

It is very important at this critical time in the season for our farming businesses to concentrate on the things we can control.

Build a support network to help you plot the best path through the coming period. Speak to your banker, accountant, field officer and feed supplier so you know exactly where you stand financially.

Maintain a focus on growing grass. If there’s one way to keep costs down, it is growing as much feed as possible. Hopefully you can grow enough to get through winter, and Gippsland can turn on a warm and wet spring to replenish depleted fodder reserves.

GippsDairy and Dairy Australia will be rolling out Tactics for Tight Times programs across the region. These days will have an emphasis on practical information to help farmers stay on top of their financials and

Nuffield Scholarships open....................6 Cows need a holiday...............................8

get their farm in the best possible shape to maximise opportunities when they arise.

Whether you need advice on culling cows, renovating pastures or fertiliser regimes — or anything else — these days are targeted at the needs of farmers, so I’d urge you to get along and get involved in the discussion.

It’s important that we use all these resources to develop a realistic short to medium-term plan that we then stick to. It might not be the path you wanted to go down, but it sure beats having no direction at all.

Keeping a focus on farm finances is important, but so is maintaining our physical and mental health. The consistent message from health professionals is that, in times of stress, it’s important to talk to someone you trust.

The current tight times in our industry will affect each business and individual in a different way; make sure you keep an eye out for friends, family and fellow farmers.

— Graeme Nicoll GippsDairy chairman

Tactics for Gippsland .............................9 Help needed at the check-out..............10 Mitchell steps up...................................12 More grass, better cows........................13 Landcare award a Legendairy effort...15 A world of opportunity.........................16 Bigger is not always better...................18 Coming together for the dairy industry..................................20 Milk fat losses can be put right...........23 Brave battle continues..........................25 Condition scoring at your fingertips...26 Good bulls are getting better...............28 Steep learning curve.............................30 A smarter way to fertilise.....................31 High praise for gourmet cheese..........32 Original idea to help young farmers...33 Picasso Cows return to GippsDairy classrooms..............................................34

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Reminders for June and July

Cover: Aubrey Pellett on his Hill End property.

Story page 16

Editor Geoff Adams editor@countrynews.com.au Writers Danny Buttler, Emma Carinci and Geoff Adams Graphic designers Steph Bell, Brendan Cain, Alysha Bathman and Bella Considine 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 Printed by Edge Print

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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.

4

JUNE 2016

Reminders for June

Reminders for July

Pastures and feeding • Use nitrogen and pasture management to make sure you have enough pasture in front of your cows to feed them well through July and August or create a wedge of pasture for calving cows.

• Gibberellic acid may be a useful addition to increase pasture growth rates, if needed and conditions are suitable (cold air and soil temperatures).

• Now that most broadleaf weeds (like capeweed and erodium) have struck, control them with appropriate herbicides before they grow too large.

• If you farm on wet soils expect some wastage of pasture through pugging and take this into account when you allocate pasture to cows: – If you have plenty of pasture in front of cows you can speed up the rotation for short periods of wet soil conditions to protect pasture from pugging.

– You can also use on-off grazing and standoff areas such as feed pads and dairy yards if soils become very wet.

Pastures and grazing • Aim to grow as much pasture as possible while keeping costs under control. The use of nitrogen and gibberellic acid increase growth rates and, when combined with good grazing management, can increase available pasture to cows. However, this comes at a cost that needs to be calculated.

• If you have not sprayed your broadleaf weeds do so at the first opportunity to have denser, better producing pasture for the rest of the year.

• Consider aiming for higher covers of pasture if you will have an increasing feed demand from calving cows through August and into September.

• More cover now will give you more management options if wet conditions occur.

Cow health • Plan your transition diet for calving cows.

The aims are to ensure the cows’ energy and protein requirements are met, and introduce grain to the diet if it is required.

• A properly-formulated lead feed ration or the use of anionic salts in the water troughs should be considered to assist in prevention of milk fever. Even a low level of milk fever in the herd has many flow-on effects including calf losses during calving, retained foetal membrane and calving paralysis. Learn more at www.dairyaustralia.com.au in the feeding and nutrition section.

• Keep in mind your calving paddocks would be best if they are sheltered and on a welldrained soil type. Change the paddock when it becomes muddy or dirty with manure to avoid mastitis.

• Mastitis can be managed in many dairy cows.

Some don’t respond to treatment — removing cows with chronic infections reduces the bacterial challenge to other unaffected cows and helps to protect the herd.

Replacement heifers/calves • Feeding calves and young stock for a great future in the herd needs to be done well.

This money spent can be a good investment if young stock are well enough grown to produce well after calving, get back in calf and last a long time in the herd.

• Calf rearing plans are important and should be made to ensure the highest possible rate of survival and healthy growth. For more information on calf rearing refer to www.dairyaustralia.com.au/Animalmanagement/Animal-welfare/Calves/ Rearing-healthy-calves-manual.aspx

Calves/heifers • Calf losses are expensive. Having a wellplanned system for calf rearing is important: – Prevent disease by ensuring all calves receive good quality colostrum.

– Disinfect calf pens on a regular basis, including rails and bedding.

– Ensure calves have a good supply of good quality water, fibre and pellets.

– Ensure you have a good supply of drugs, vaccinations and drenches for calves on hand.

Cows • Cow deaths or production losses are expensive and can be avoided by: – Planning your transition feeding to minimise the risk of metabolic disorders in fresh or calving cows. For more information go to www.dairyaustralia.com.au – Having a plan for action when cows present with difficult calvings or metabolic disorder.

– Making sure your calving area is clean enough for cows to calve without excessive contamination of teats to better avoid mastitis.

– Preventing nitrate poisoning when grazing rye-grass pastures containing capeweed or marshmallow by avoiding grazing within 21 days of nitrogen application and by including other low-risk feeds in the diet before grazing these pastures.

– Making time to watch your cows walking on laneways to check for sore feet. If poor track surfaces are causing lameness and foot problems, consider adding sawdust, woodchips or even hay (for example, at the lead-in/lead-out from the dairy shed). The use of foot mats on the walk in to the dairy in conjunction with copper sulphate can be an effective solution to foot soreness in cows.

Dairy shed and machinery • When the cows are dry or you have a reduced number of milkers, take the opportunity to carry out your annual shed maintenance tasks.

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.

Out of sight does not mean out of mind I hate packing for holidays.

In an attempt to avoid it, I wandered down to the dairy where Hubby was discussing our vacuum pump with the electrician. Most of the words meant nothing to me but when they started discussing three-phase power, I figured they were onto something.

Our holidays have three phases, too. The first is nervous energy. Hubby worries about leaving the farm. Will things be okay? What if something goes wrong? Has he forgotten anything? (That’s why I got rid of my iron.

Although I rarely used it, I still worried about leaving it on. Now I only have the stove to worry about.)

The next phase is recharging. Initially Hubby collapses on the couch, muttering about how he shouldn’t have stopped working — he was fine until he stopped. I’d argue that he needed the break but I don’t have any energy either. We read a lot, eat a lot and leisurely explore our new surroundings.

Hubby talks about dropping a line as though

he is actually interested in fishing. He even sleeps in — sometimes as late as 7 am! Junior oscillates between an electric device-induced stupor and bouncing around like a bored kelpie. I’m hoping that this year Junior’s excess energy will entertain Tinkerbell so I can have an afternoon nap.

But just when I’m nicely relaxed, it begins.

The third phase.

All his reading of machinery magazines and browsing the local real estate agent windows have percolated in Hubby’s brain. We might not be on our farm but that’s no reason not to think about the farm, talk about the farm and plan the farm’s future.

Last year in mid-holiday, Hubby queried how much snow was on Hotham. It seemed a strange question initially, considering we were staying in a coastal town — far enough away from home to ‘get away from the farm’ and close enough that we could bolt home in event of disaster.

However, while I’m no expert on farming,

I’ve learnt how Hubby’s brain works.

“Are you thinking of a day trip? You’ve been saying for years that we should take Junior to see snow.” But I knew that wasn’t it.

Hubby just grinned and asked how long I thought it would take to reach Wagga Wagga via the Great Alpine Road.

“What’s in Wagga?” I asked suspiciously.

“A spray unit.”

Well, after a long discussion where I did most of the talking, Hubby took Junior fishing instead. But it got me thinking.

The onset of the third phase means Hubby is nearly ready for home. I usually don’t share his enthusiasm, however, I do concede that while our holiday destinations are beautiful, they aren’t home.

There’s something special about our farm and although I love going away, it’s always wonderful to return to our farm and our house. That’s provided I remembered to turn the stove off before we left.

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JUNE 2016

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dairy news Nuffield Scholarships open Opportunities are available to further farmers’ knowledge of their industry.

“

Nuffield is the leading program for primary producers in Victoria, identifying our future leaders, and helping to drive excellence in our agricultural industry, Aubrey Pellett

“

Applications are now open to all primary producers in Victoria for the largest pool ever of potential Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarships, with up to 30 prestigious opportunities available nationally in 2017.

A 2014 Victorian scholar, Aubrey Pellett, said the state’s agricultural industries had benefited from strong participation, with 56 scholarships awarded in Victoria.

“Nuffield is the leading program for primary producers in Victoria, identifying our future leaders, and helping to drive excellence in our agricultural industry,” Mr Pellett said.

“I can speak from personal experience about the impact Nuffield has on your life and your business, with lifelong friendships and professional networks being one of the great highlights.”

There are a number of Victoria-specific scholarships available, including one for a dairy producer from Victoria, one for a primary producer in Victoria, and also a

grain grower in Victoria, South Australia or Tasmania.

There are also specific opportunities for dairy, wool, livestock, pork, horticulture, egg and chicken meat producers to apply.

Successful scholars take part in the annual Nuffield Contemporary Scholars

Conference as well as one of six Global Focus Programs featuring a six-week intensive itinerary of international travel with fellow scholars to look at international trade, marketing and environmental issues.

Mr Pellett said most significant though, was the opportunity to select an individual study program through countries of a scholar’s own choice, tracking down innovation and ideas to inform their own business, industry and communities.

Nuffield Australia provides opportunities to Australian primary producers and managers between the ages of 28 and 40 to travel the globe investigating a research topic important to them and Australian agriculture.

Scholars are provided with a $30 000 bursary to embark on a 16-week program consisting of group and individual travel during a two-year period.

Applications close Thursday, June 30.

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Taking Stock of your situation With the continuing tough seasonal conditions and the recent milk price announcements, the majority of Gippsland dairy farmers will be facing challenging operating conditions for the foreseeable future.

While every farm situation is unique, this information is designed to help you understand your current position and start to plan ahead.

Pull together your support team Who can you call on to provide input into all the important aspects of your business?

Know your current situation – Take Stock There are no ‘one size fits all’ solutions, but there is a sound process to work through to better understand your situation.

The Taking Stock process considers » Animal and feed issues » The financial situation of the business; and the » Implications for your employees.

The Taking Stock process will help you:

1. Annual Cash Flow

» The first task is to understand your May and June milk price, milk income and feed expenditure and how it will impact on cash flow through until the end of July ‘16 » Having sorted out the May and June income and feed expenditure, start work on a detailed cash flow budget for 16/17.

» Start by looking at your current situation on a yearly basis and then after considering options, run this into a monthly cash flow which can be updated on a monthly basis » By using the Cash Report in DairyBase or the Taking Stock tool you can start to identify options to help manage the current conditions.

Your support team will provide important input as you develop plans that balance the needs of immediate cash flow with longer term goals.

2. Monthly milk income and feed budget » Purchased feed and home grown feed as we know are the single biggest costs: understanding them both on an annual and monthly basis relative to milk income is critical

2. Complete an annual Cash Budget July–June and understand your break-even milk price 3. Assess your balance sheet/equity position 4. Start pulling together a month by month cash flow 5. Using your initial annualised Cash Budget, start working with your team to identify opportunities to improve cash flow

» Your feed budget (annual and monthly) » What resources you have available to draw on.

» Understand the cash flow position of your business through May − July

3. Detailed Cash Budget for 16/17 » Using the Cash Report in DairyBase or the Taking Stock tool, start working on an Annual Cash Budget for 16/17 » While we don’t know the actual milk price for 16/17 by putting all your other income and expenditure into an annual budget you will start to get a clearer understanding of at what milk price your annual cash flow position is break even. » This initial Cash Budget will then form the basis for discussions with your support team as you fine tune strategies for 16/17.

Key outcomes of knowing your current situation — summary 1. Know your milk price, milk income and all expenses to complete a cash flow for the next three months

» Understand your current balance sheet position i.e. What you own (assets) versus what you owe (liabilities/loans)

DairyBase is available online www.dairybase. com.au and can help you understand your annual cash flow and balance sheet. The Taking Stock tool also helps to pull together your information for the planning process. It is available at www.tftt.dairyaustralia.com.au

Support team members will be drawn from your family and friends, farming peers, discussion group members, your accountant, your consultant, your factory field officer, your bank manager, or other service providers.

» Focus on cash (total outgoings and incomings including those associated with non farm activities)

» Start pulling together the necessary physical and financial information to fully understand your cash flow position for 2016/17 on both an annual and monthly basis

6. After evaluating all options, develop a monthby-month plan including milk production, feed budget and detailed cash flow position for the next 12 months 7. Identify any surplus or non core assets that can be converted to cash 8. Identify any other potential issues that need addressing. e.g. stock water 9. Don’t forget the ‘people’ side of your business — what they can contribute and what are their needs?

4. Monthly Cash Flow Statement As you start to settle on the plan for 16/17 a monthly cash flow will provide: » A more detailed ‘road map’ of how the annual results will be achieved » A framework to more closely track the actual performance against budget » An easy update if/when the bigger settings e.g. milk price, milk production, feed costs change throughout the year.

5. Balance sheet — What you own (assets) versus what you owe (loans/liabilities) Equity position — it is important to know your equity position using realistic values for all the assets that you own minus all your liabilities. It will influence what sources of funds are available from the bank and help identify any surplus assets. Equity should be viewed in conjunction with cash flow.

Remember: » All options are on the table and will have a potential upside and a downside » It can be easy to reduce expenditure, but harder to identify the risk of how that reduction in expenditure will impact on your overall margin.

This is where the real value of your support team kicks in. » While there are actions you can implement immediately, expect it to take some time to formulate your plans » You will need to revisit your plan as more information becomes available and/or if conditions change.

Visit www.tftt.dairyaustralia.com.au to find out more or get in touch with GippsDairy on 5624 3900

Cows need a holiday A break from milking gives hard-working udders a much-need vacation.

We all like a holiday, a break to appear to show next season’s get away from it all and relax. milk yield is the same regardless Everyone needs one at some of the method. point and cows are no different.

Timing of drying-off is perhaps A holiday for the cow will give more important. The less milk the hard-working udder a in the udder, the less the chance chance to recuperate. A break of mastitis in the true dry period of at least six weeks is needed and early lactation. for the udder to repair and form A cow producing less than new secretory tissue so it can be 7 litre/day is beginning to dry bigger and better for the next herself off regardless of the season. method. A cow producing This means that calculating 5 litre/day is just adding to your from known joining dates or cell count. start-of-calving dates, cows can As the milk production reduces, be dried-off in batches or as a chemical and cellular changes whole herd so that the earliest occur allowing the udder to deal calving cow gets at least six to with sub-clinical and persistent eight weeks’ holiday. infections as well as forming Of course, the latest calving protection for the dry period. A cows may be milked for a bit high cell count in a cow that longer or enjoy a longer holiday. is drying herself off does not A holiday less than six weeks will necessarily mean she has mastitis. impact on next season’s lactation The use of antibiotic intraresulting in a lower yield. mammary infusions not only Good drying-off techniques help with the treatment and involve reducing the milk reduction of mastitis in the dry production as rapidly as possible. period and early lactation but it The ‘dry period’ normally starts can assist in the formation of a two weeks before the ‘true dry teat plug. period’ — the time when the There are also non-antibiotic cow is not being milked. formulations that physically The teat canal can then seal, form a teat plug barrier which forming a barrier to prevent can be used solely or in infection and the udder can combination with antibiotic rejuvenate. The two main tubes. Unfortunately, the methods at drying-off is abrupt modern cow is designed to let cessation of milking (the cow milk out and may not form an is milked normally up until adequate plug. the day she is dried-off) or intermittent cessation of milking Drying-off doesn’t just begin and end with teat wipes and dry where the cow may be milked cow tubes; there is a lot more to once a day or every second day it than that. But it is a good start. until the day of drying-off.

— Amy Ruby Both methods have their pros and cons but overall studies Yarram Veterinary Centre 8

JUNE 2016

Tactics for Gippsland GippsDairy and Dairy Australia will roll out a new series of farmer information events in response to current financial pressures impacting the industry.

Tactics for Tight Times events will be held across Gippsland in coming weeks and months, and will focus on helping to manage seasonal conditions and finances during a difficult period.

The sessions follow on from the successful Tactics for Dry Times events that were held across Gippsland in the warmer months to help farmers develop strategies for dealing with low rainfall seasons.

Recent Tactics for Dry Times days have looked towards autumn and winter fodder production, with a field day at Ian, Shelley and Matthew Conn’s Hedley farm offering

plenty of food for thought.

Ian, who was at the first Dry Times event in Calrossie in November, said his Hedley farm had been hit hard by below-average rainfall, but he was hoping for better times ahead.

“We started feeding cows on the 21st of October,” he said.

“Spring didn’t happen and there’s been very little moisture which meant we have had to feed a lot of hay and silage.

“By the end of winter we will have well and truly depleted our fodder stocks, so we are trying to make sure we put ourselves in the

best place we can be for growing grass in the spring.”

Tactics for Tight Times events will also help to identify common strengths and weaknesses around cow management, and improve the approach of future extension programs targeting health and productivity.

Details of times and places for Tactics for Tight Times events will be publicised when available.

People wishing to obtain a copy of the notes provided at any of these meetings should phone GippsDairy on 5624 3900 or email executiveassistant@gippsdairy.com.au

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Help needed at the check-out Shoppers asked to buy branded milk to boost returns to struggling farmers.

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JUNE 2016

based on that figure ($5.60/kg), we made decisions to bring in more expensive feed and extra grain to feed the cattle,” Mr Paynter said.

“If we knew the price could be $5 or under we would have made different decisions.”

He said the uneven industry meant some farmers would be hit harder by the cuts than others — and Victorian farmers would be the hardest hit.

He called on consumers to show their support by purchasing branded milk rather than home-brand milk from their supermarkets, because farmers get a bigger piece of the pie with branded milk.

Another Fonterra milk supplier, Colin Ritchies from Nar Nar Goon North, said he had seen good times and bad times in his 25 years in the industry — but recently the good times weren’t good enough.

Cutting his cattle from 250 to 150 means he’ll be able to survive but he’ll have to get a job off the farm to earn a living.

Victorian Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford has met with the banks to ask

“

“

Frustrated Victorian dairy farmers struggling to cope with unexpected milk price cuts have called on shoppers to steer clear of home-brand varieties as they move to drastically cut cattle in a bid to survive.

Australia’s biggest dairy co-operative Murray Goulburn slashed the price it pays farmers for milk solids from $5.60/kg to between $4.75 and $5/kg and issued a profit downgrade, leaving farmers facing huge bills.

It’s a move its major competitor Fonterra mirrored soon after. The companies blame a slump in global prices — down about 60 per cent since early 2014 — for their decision.

Gippsland farmer and Fonterra milk supplier Ron Paynter said it was one of the worst times he had seen in his 20 years in the industry.

He said dry conditions had made it more difficult for farmers, who had made many financial decisions based on the elevated milk price.

“Environmental pressures meant that,

If we knew the price could be $5 or under we would have made different decisions.

Ron Paynter

them to work with farmers facing financial strife.

Extra counsellors will also be brought in to help devastated farmers deal with financial pressures.

A class action launched in the Victorian Supreme Court alleges Murray Goulburn misinformed investors when it partially floated on the stock market in 2015.

Three of its directors have quit the board since the price decrease announcement, which cost the jobs of Murray Goulburn managing director Gary Helou and chief financial officer Brad Hingle.

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Mitchell steps up

Mitchell Jones and sister Katie on the family’s Foster farm.

Willingness to learn stands young farmer in good stead to one day lead the way.

When Kevin and Helen Jones pack their sunscreen and suitcases to head off and enjoy retirement, they will do so safe in the knowledge that their farm is in good hands.

Their son Mitchell is preparing to step up into a management role on the Foster farm, allowing his parents to start enjoying the fruits of more than 30 years of hard work.

While it is a big challenge for a 19-yearold, it is easy to see why Mitchell is likely to make a good fist of eventually running the 297 ha farm when he and his sister — primary school teacher Katie — eventually take the reins.

He has plenty of the self-confidence that is needed to run a successful dairy farm, but that is tempered by a willingness to listen and learn from more experienced farmers.

Mitchell is a regular at industry field days in South Gippsland, where he quietly soaks up information from those who have “been there and done that”.

He has recently been seen at a couple of Tactics for Dry Times events at Calrossie and Hedley, where he was keen to learn how experienced farmers were dealing with the ongoing dry conditions.

“If you go to a day like that and you can 12

JUNE 2016

take one thing home from it, it’s well worth it,” he said.

“That’s probably the biggest thing — just talking to other local farmers and listening to their experiences.

“Everyone’s in it together and we’re all trying to improve, I guess.”

Kevin and Helen set a great example of how to make the most of the dairy industry’s cooperative spirit when they signed on as Focus Farmers in 2009.

The Focus Farm period coincided with a milk price drop that left the Joneses struggling to cope with high debt and a shrinking income.

Seven years on, the farm business has recovered and prospered, but is once again facing uncertain times with tough seasonal conditions and milk price concerns.

For Mitchell, it’s just part of the cycle of farming that he is well aware he will be facing for many years to come.

“This has been a really good eye-opener and learning curve for me,” he said about the harsh seasonal conditions.

“I’ve never seen anything like this and you talk to the old timers or Dad and it’s about the worst that they’ve seen.

“In these tough times, if you can get through

them you can learn from it and you will improve.”

That willingness to improve has seen Mitchell sign on for post-secondary school education including a Certificate IV in Agriculture.

The hands-on learning is much more to his liking than the classroom, where he achieved good marks but yearned for life on the farm.

“You’re doing it with like-minded people. It’s not like being at a secondary college where people have to be there,” he said.

“I contemplated doing a trade, but thought, ‘if I’m not going to enjoy it as much as being on the farm, why do it?’.

“At that point I started doing accounting classes so that I knew at the end of Year 11 I could leave and come straight back on the farm.”

While he continues to study and learn onfarm, Mitchell can develop his skills with the comfort of having a reliable mentor to back him up.

“The captain’s call always comes down to Dad,” he said.

“He’s had 25 or 30 years’ experience, so I can bounce things off him, which is a great support.”

— Danny Buttler

More grass, better cows Mitchell Jones has a clear strategy for improving farm performance — grow more grass and breed better cows.

“I’m very big on my animals.

I have a massive passion for them,” he said.

The 500 stud-registered Friesians on the South Gippsland farm already form an impressive-looking herd.

With a lot of the heavy lifting done by his father Kevin in turning a mixed herd into a purebred herd, Mitchell can concentrate on fine-tuning the animals for improved performance.

“To some degree we’re looking for a show cow,” he said.

“A high type with good feet, legs and udder is ideal.

“To look at, they should be sound, healthy and have a good temperament.”

When it comes to feeding the herd, Mitchell reckons the farm can sustain enough grass growth to provide the bulk of fodder needs.

Located on the flats adjacent to Corner Inlet, the farm

usually gets plenty of winter and spring rain and can also access irrigation water from the Franklin River which flows through the property.

With all that going for it, Mitchell believes it’s a no-brainer to be maximising home-grown feed.

“If we wanted to have a feedlot dairy farm we’d be up in northern Victoria or somewhere where you would buy in all your feed,” he said.

“But we make our money by growing grass in the cheapest possible way and as much of it as we can to feed our cows.”

Putting the effort in to understand the farm’s potential is something Mitchell is committed to.

“It’s just keeping up with the times,” he said.

“Whether that’s finding new varieties or finding what works best for your system, or for your soil type.”

Mitchell Jones is readying himself to take over the family farm when his parents decide to retire.

JUNE 2016

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Trevor and Anne-Marie Mills and their dog Ollie enjoy some of the more than 30 000 trees that have been planted on their dairy farm during the past 30 years.

Landcare award a

Legendairy effort

Trevor and Anne-Marie Mills are farmers who looked to the past and the future when planning their dairy business.

A Legendairy couple from Drouin have been awarded the Victorian Landcare Award for Sustainable Agricultural Practices in 2015.

Taking their cue from the past, Trevor and Anne-Marie Mills expanded a small patch of remnant vegetation by strategically planting out their farm with more than 30 000 native trees.

While they have turned back the clock to create significant bushland reserves on their 122 ha property, they have been looking towards the future in the dairy shed, where a high-tech robotic milker has transformed their lives.

“We’ve had the robotic dairy up and running for about 18 months now,” Mr Mills said.

“Prior to that we were milking in a herringbone dairy but the workload was just getting too great.”

With his 50th birthday behind him, Mr Mills was looking at various ways to ease back on the sometimes demanding workload of a dairy farmer.

“Crunch-time came and we had to make a

decision on our future,” he said.

“Do we stay on the farm through sharefarming or leasing or go with the third option of putting in a robotic dairy?”

Almost two years down the track, the robotic dairy has transformed the farm.

The 177 Holsteins and Jerseys happily wander into the milking booths where a precision-guided robotic arm cleans their teats and attaches cups — all while the cows receive a customised meal.

The streamlined milking system allows Mr Mills to pursue his long-term passion for transforming his farm into an efficient dairy business that exists in harmony with the natural surroundings.

“I’ve done it because I look upon it as a bit of a hobby and an interest. When you have a hobby you put a lot of time and effort into it,” he said.

“Early on, family members were helping me plant trees and in later years local Landcare groups came out to help, along with local school kids.”

The prestigious Landcare award was well deserved recognition of the efforts of Mr and Mrs Mills, and their children Andrew and Kelly, as well as the members of the wider community who pitched in to help.

“It’s certainly nice to get a pat on the back.

It’s not something I set out to achieve, but it’s good to be recognised for the work that we’ve done,” Mr Mills said.

“I just hope that other farmers can look at what we have done here and replicate the results that we have achieved.”

When the Mills family arrived in 1952, attitudes to land stewardship were very different to what they are today.

Mr Mills’ definition of being a successful dairy farmer means being a responsible custodian of the land that has been home to his family for more than half a century.

“We’re only here for a short time and it’s my responsibility to look after the land, waterways and those sorts of things and hopefully leave it in a much, much better condition to when I took it over.”

JUNE 2016

15

Aubrey Pellett on his Hill End property.

A world of opportunity Robotics has a certain place in farming’s future.

Netherlands, France, Ireland, Germany, Like most dairy farmers, Aubrey Pellett Sweden, the United Kingdom and his is always looking for ways to improve country of origin, New Zealand. productivity.

But unlike most farmers, he has travelled the After all the months of travel and absorbing world to discover just how farm management the massive variety in farming systems around the world, it was robotics that practices can be improved in years to come. seemed to leave the biggest impression on The Nuffield scholar set out in 2014 on an Mr Pellett. odyssey that would not only take him to “It was probably seeing the advancements in three continents, but would offer a glimpse robotics that will change the physical nature into dairy farming’s future. of being a farmer,” he said.

Speaking from the Hill End property he farms with wife Jacqui and children Anneka “My Nuffield is all about improving productivity, and to a larger degree robotics and Jackson, Mr Pellett said his studies had will help with that, whether it’s milking or opened his eyes to the potential changes that the day-to-day activities on the farm.” technology can bring.

Robotic batch milking — in which robots His two-part scholarship, which was can milk the entire herd in one session supported by the Gardiner Foundation, — is an area where Mr Pellett feels that saw him take in farming operations in the technology and Australian farming systems Philippines, China, Canada, United States,

could come together.

He believes that most robotic technology has been developed with barn-style dairying in mind, rather than the grazing system that is more effective in Australia.

“Most of the robotics systems to date have relied on a voluntary system because their ability to milk a whole heap of cows isn’t that great,” he said.

“I think for the majority of farmers, there are challenges to get that to work.

“So instead of having to put cups on and have cup removers, the whole process is automated.

“You still need to have someone there to supervise the milking, but one person could be supervising a lot of cows and that takes away the physical side of putting cups on.”

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Aubrey Pellett with fellow scholars during the Philippines leg.

A robotic batch milking system that impressed Aubrey Pellett in Germany.

forefront of dairy innovation, Mr Pellett was impressed with the potential for robotic activity outside the dairy shed.

He cited trials of robot vehicles that can move cows from one paddock to another or into the dairy, as an example of how technology could ease the workload and labour needs for Australian farmers.

“It’s actually being developed in Australia at Camden by the Future Dairy Project. It’s far from being commercially ready but it’s an example of some of the daily activities on a dairy farm that could be automated,” Mr Pellett said.

“Just have a look on the internet and you’ll find tractors that don’t require a driver or a mower that is a robot which is quite small.

“The gear we currently buy is quite big, so it’s efficient for your time as an operator

but you might have a smaller robotic piece of equipment that can operate for a longer period of time. It might take all day to mow that paddock.”

While much of this is either in the development stage or is still prohibitively expensive, Mr Pellett merely points to his smartphone and computer as examples of how quickly innovation creates affordable technology.

“I don’t worry about that because it’s just time that will change it.”

When he returned to his 190 ha farm, Mr Pellett said he couldn’t help but reflect on how his farm operations might change in years to come.

He saw fodder alternatives that excited him and left him wondering how much potential improvement there was in the productivity

Aubrey Pellett at the Netherlands headquarters of CRV breeding company.

of Australian dairy farms.

“I was looking at how we could produce more homegrown feed, and In New Zealand I saw a crop called fodder beet,” he said.

“It’s very exciting because the potential yield is enormous. It’s relatively expensive and not easy to grow. But it has a yield potential of up to three times a perennial rye-grass.”

Like most Australian travellers, Mr Pellett returned home grateful for how good we have it at home.

He sees a bright future for the industry, with the positives easily outweighing the negatives.

“I came back to Australia and realised we have huge opportunities as dairy farmers, not that we don’t have our challenges,” he said.

“In the long run, there’s plenty to be excited about as a dairy farmer.”

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Matching equipment to demand was a key issue raised in new research on automated milking systems.

Gabriel Hakim

Bigger is not always better Oversized equipment can lead to a blowout in electricity costs.

When it comes to equipment in robotic dairies, bigger is not always better, as FutureDairy energy audits have showed.

Gabriel Hakim, of AgVet Projects, undertook energy assessments on 10 farms with automatic milking systems (AMS).

One of his key findings was that most AMS

dairies were operating with equipment that was oversized for the needs of automatic milking, resulting in unnecessary electricity consumption.

“When building an AMS it can be tempting to repurpose equipment from the existing dairy but automatic milking can place

quite different demands on equipment to conventional milking,” Mr Hakim said.

For example, the milking equipment on AMS farms that use voluntary cow movement operates at a low capacity for up to 20 hours a day, compared with conventional milking which usually occurs

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in two intensive milking sessions a day.

“Operating equipment that is not sized correctly runs a real risk of loss in energy efficiency and excessive energy use,” Mr Hakim said.

He found that many of the AMS dairies in the study had an oversized compressor. Some also had vacuum pumps that were much bigger than required and most had hot water systems suitable for a conventional dairy, which was bigger than needed for an AMS. “Operating oversize or over-capacity equipment wastes a considerable amount of energy. For example, if you are running a grossly oversized vacuum pump a significant proportion of the energy can be used just driving the pump.

“The same is likely for compressors. Studies in other industries where compressed air is used have shown that as much as 30 to 50 per cent of energy consumption was used to service leaks, artificial demand and system inefficiencies. This warrants further investigation for AMS dairies.”

When planning an AMS, Mr Hakim recommended weighing up the savings made in capital outlay — by retaining existing equipment — against the longer-term operating costs.

FutureDairy project leader Kendra Kerrisk said although energy consumption was higher in AMS than conventional milking

systems, energy consumption was a relatively small part of the overall economics of robotic milking.

“Higher energy costs certainly doesn’t mean that AMS is uneconomic,” Associate Professor Kerrisk said.

“In fact although shed running costs are commonly reported to be higher, animal health and labour costs are significantly lower on many AMS farms, resulting in a favourable bottom line.”

conventional dairies,” Mr Hakim said.

He was cautious about making further conclusions from the AMS energy audits, given the small number of farms involved and the large variation in their energy use.

“I’m reasonably confident in our data for conventional milking systems as it is based on nearly 200 dairy farms across three states. But further investigation is needed to understand energy use on AMS farms.”

Shop around Mr Hakim also urged all dairy farmers to Large variation shop around for their energy supplier. In The research found significant variation between AMS farms in the amount of energy the AMS study he found a large variation in the tariff rate charges for peak (22.01 consumed and the price paid for energy, to 36.78 ¢/kWh) and off-peak electricity suggesting there are likely to be considerable (8.86 to 19.39¢/kWh). opportunities for most AMS farms to cut energy bills and reduce greenhouse emissions. “Previous studies have shown a similar variation in tariffs paid by farmers with The range in the amount of energy conventional milking systems,” he said. consumed on AMS farms was 53.72 to 132 kWh/1000 litres milk.

“Despite energy costs being a small component of whole farm operating costs, Mr Hakim said the farm with the greatest those paying at the higher end of the energy use consumed two-and-a-half times range stand to save thousands of dollars as much energy per 1000 litres of milk a year by switching to tariffs at the lower harvested as the farm with the lowest energy end.” use, and in general energy consumption tended to be higher in robotic than The AMS energy study was funded conventional dairies. through Dairy Australia’s project Smarter Energy Use on Australian Dairy Farms, “Although our data is fairly limited so far, on funded by the Department of Industry average AMS dairies appear to consume and Science as part of the Energy about one-and-a-half times as much Efficiency Information Grants Program. energy per 1000 litres milk harvested as

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Coming together

GippsDairy regional manager Allan Cameron introduces the feed panel featuring Graeme Nicoll, Matt Harms, John Gallienne and David Huggins.

for the dairy industry Forum clears the air for farmers in an uncertain financial environment.

Key stakeholders from across Gippsland have come together to provide a path forward for the dairy industry during the current financial situation.

GippsDairy’s Clearing the Air – Talking Tactics forum was held at DEDJTR Ellinbank on May 13, with representatives from the dairy industry and the wider Gippsland community seeking an understanding of what has happened already and what needs to happen from here on.

The event had a theme of ‘Finances, Feed and Friends’, with more than 50 experts from across the region discussing how best to assist dairy farmers during a tough period.

Guests at the forum included farm consultants, DEDJTR extension staff, milk company field officers, rural lenders, fertiliser and feed company representatives, local, state and federal government representatives and GippsDairy staff and board members.

“This forum had a dual purpose — to work out the best tactics for farmers to get through the current situation and to educate those outside the industry on what the actual issues are for dairy farmers,” GippsDairy regional manager Allan Cameron said.

Mr Cameron said the ‘Finances, Feed and Friends’ theme was about providing a road map to help farmers to deal with the current financial situation.

“We had farmers, rural bankers and farm consultants looking at the best way to navigate finances at the moment and how 20

JUNE 2016

best to approach feed issues,” he said.

“Just as importantly, we looked at the emotional impact on farmers and how we can all help each other get through a tough time.

“What we need to do now is to get this information out to farmers, which we will be doing through the Tactics for Tight Times program over coming weeks and months.”

GippsDairy chairman Graeme Nicoll, who sat on the feed panel during the forum, said educating people from outside the dairy industry was vital.

“It was a really good event that brought together a wide range of stakeholders from across Gippsland,” the Fish Creek dairy farmer said.

“It wasn’t just the typical dairy crowd, it was stakeholders from around the region and it highlighted the fact that the dairy industry is critical for all of Gippsland.

“When you see a forum like this, that is genuinely trying to understand the problem and trying to work out how we can help farmers and the industry, it’s really heartening as a dairy farmer.”

UDV representative Ron Paynter, who sat on the friends panel, said forums like Clearing the Air – Talking Tactics were needed to ensure the dairy industry was understood and supported by the wider community.

“The people who engage with the industry in the broader sense — like local government for instance — their understanding isn’t

always high, so it is very important they understand what is actually happening out there in the industry,” the Ellinbank dairy farmer said.

“They need to be across the issues. This is a long-term issue that won’t be resolved quickly, so we will need the support of many agencies to get through this.”

Respected farm consultant John Mulvany, who sat on the finances panel, addressed the forum on understanding milk payments and the impact they have on farmers and the industry.

Mr Mulvany said farmers needed to rest assured that, while the bigger picture of issues surrounding milk payments were being looked at, they needed to concentrate their energy on their core business.

“Right now, farmers need to be checking absolutely everything that will help them grow grass,” he said.

“Are black beetles eating the re-sows? Do I need to top-up my re-sows? Can I get some more nitrogen on? They are the most urgent things.

“The second most urgent thing is to ask: what are you being paid by your processor in May and June this year? Having worked out that, then work out what you are going to do.

“Then take a breath and say, right, we’ve got the short term organised, let’s work out the break-even milk budget. It takes a bit of time, but it will be worth the effort over the next couple of months.”

GippsDairy regional manager Allan Cameron at the Clearing the Air – Talking Tactics forum with GippsDairy chairman Graeme Nicoll and DEDJTR’s Scott McArdle.

GippsDairy directors and Macalister Irrigation District dairy farmers Iain Stewart and Brad Missen at the Clearing the Air – Talking Tactics forum with GippsDairy extension co-coordinator Tony Platt.

Poowong North dairy farmer Cliff Wallace catches up with GippsDairy board member Grant Williams at the Clearing the Air – Talking Tactics forum.

Political differences were put aside at the Clearing the Air – Talking Tactics forum where Federal Member for Narracan Gary Blackwood (Liberal) caught up with Labor candidate for McMillan Chris Buckingham. Federal Member for McMillan Russell Broadbent (Liberal) was also at the event.

Yannathan dairy farmer and former Australian Dairy Farmers president Noel Campbell at the Clearing the Air – Talking Tactics forum with Lardner dairy farmer Phillip Ould.

Farm consultant Andrew Wood caught up with GippsDairy director and finances panel member Brian Gannon at the Clearing the Air – Talking Tactics forum.

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Milk fat depression can cause income losses but it can be managed through balanced nutrition, according to Adam Lock.

Milk fat depression is an important area for profitability.

Milk fat losses can be put right Milk fat depression is a significant issue for dairy farmers that can come at a big cost.

Milk fat depression happens when the milk fat component in a daily tanker report starts to slide during autumn and does not pick up again until after the flush of spring pasture.

For a 500-cow herd, it can cost anywhere between $67 000 and $220 000.

Adam Lock from Michigan State University in the United States, who visited Australia recently, has researched the phenomenon of milk fat depression and has some solutions.

“Recent breakthroughs have advanced our understanding of the links between dietary components, digestive processes in the rumen, and the regulation of mammary synthesis of milk fat,” Professor Lock said.

One of the common causes of MFD is an increase in fat in the rumen and/or changes in rumen pH. This fat increase comes from a higher intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids, faster rumen throughput and changes to the fermentation process in the rumen.

“In pasture-based systems pasture with little fat is replaced by young, lush, high-fat, low fibre pasture in autumn,” Prof Lock said.

“The effect is magnified by the application of nitrogen.”

When autumn pasture is combined with

feeding large quantities of fast fermenting grains such as wheat, the rumen pH is reduced and the risk of MFD increases.

These changes in pH impact the microbial populations in the rumen and while these changes can be quite subtle, they can bring on MFD. “In terms of pasture management the correct point to graze in order to limit fatty acid intake coincides with what is generally regarded as the correct point of grazing for optimal agronomic outcomes.

“That is at the three-leaf stage in rye-grass,” Prof Lock said.

Part of the solution to the MFD problem is to ensure grazing rotations are managed so that cows are not getting onto pasture before the three-leaf stage, particularly where nitrogen has been used to stimulate growth.

“At this point fatty acid intake will be compounded by a lack of effective fibre in the pasture,” Prof Lock said.

“It turns out grazing at the correct point is good for the fat test as well as for cows and for land use outcomes.”

The other element of the feeding regime that has an impact on the rumen environment is the type of supplements that are fed.

“There are a variety of opportunities for different farmers,” Prof Lock said.

“Feeding less wheat and more corn or barley will slow the rate of fermentation.”

Where there is a price differential among the different grain options, an analysis of cost per tonne, available from Dairy Australia’s Hay and Grain Report, will give dairy farmers a better idea of the potential return from making these grain changes.

“Cows are very responsive so you can try different combinations,” Prof Lock said.

“Following a diet correction it will take 10 to 14 days to rescue milk fat synthesis but usually you will see a movement by seven days.”

It is easier to control and change rumen fermentation and the rumen environment by changing the grain mix fed to the cows, than it is to control fatty acid intake from pastures in a pasture-based system.

MFD is an important focus area for profitability, and getting your dairy nutritionist to advise you is highly recommended, Prof Lock said.

“Getting a balance of less fermentable grains into the ration is the number one opportunity to manage MFD in pasturebased herds.”

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Wendy Whelan wants her achievements as a dairy farmer to define her.

Brave battle continues Wendy Whelan does not believe recovering from a stroke at age 38 is her defining achievement.

For Wendy Whelan, becoming a sharefarmer on a dairy property is a notable accomplishment — and one that was not going to be stolen from her by a rare medical condition.

The Legendairy farmer from Toora in South Gippsland is back in the milking shed just six months after laying in a hospital bed unable to move or speak.

Her recovery was spurred by her desire to resume a career that she had worked long and hard to achieve.

During rehab she lifted weights to rebuild muscles needed for milking duties and practised walking on uneven ground like that found in cow paddocks.

“We based my physio on milking cows,” she said.

“I needed to build the strength in my arms and they would take me out on undulating grass mounds to practise walking.”

Just two years after achieving her goal of becoming a sharefarmer, Ms Whelan was feeling confident in her role as chief decision-maker on the 200 ha farm where 340 cows are milked at peak times.

In August last year, however, she noticed flu-like symptoms that escalated to the point where she was rushed to Monash Medical Centre in Melbourne’s south-east.

“I couldn’t remember the next two weeks. I farm costs and revenues, providing labour lost my speech, lost my vision and couldn’t and management skills, while the Bests own move,” she said. the farm and herd.

Within six weeks, Ms Whelan was allowed After starting as a relief milker 16 years ago, out of the rehabilitation centre for a Ms Whelan developed her skills to the point weekend — and she headed straight for the where the Bests were willing to hand over farm. management of the farm to their long-term employee.

“I came home on weekend leave and went and milked three cows, with a patch on my “Being a sharefarmer is more satisfying, but eye and needing help to get down the steps it’s also scary. It’s my money I’m spending into the pit. I just needed to know that I and there’s no-one else to blame for could still do it,” she said. decisions,” Ms Whelan said.

“Four weeks before that, I couldn’t even walk, While getting back on her feet and so I thought it was a pretty good effort.” resuming her career is more than enough of a challenge at the moment, Ms Whelan Ms Whelan progressed to half an hour harbours long-term ambitions to eventually of milking each day and is now able to buy her own farm. complete six milkings a week.

In the meantime, the simple pleasure of While the stroke-inducing venous sinus being her own boss and working among the thrombosis and its aftermath have dairy cows is satisfying enough. dominated the past six months, Ms Whelan is keen to ensure the rare medical condition Ms Whelan has a lot more to achieve in her does not define the rest of her life. dairy career and wants to one day look back on her stroke as just a small but significant The chances of suffering that type of blood moment in the bigger picture of her life. clot were one in 200 000, but Ms Whelan still reckons she defied larger odds to become “It’s just something that happened. Hopefully a single female sharefarmer. it’s just a small glitch in my lifetime.”

“I’m the only female sharefarmer I know of Dairy Australia’s Legendairy campaign who doesn’t have a partner,” she said. aims to highlight inspirational farmers like Ms Whelan, who form the backbone of The arrangement with Bruce and Jan Best Australia’s $4 billion dairy industry. sees Ms Whelan take a 36 per cent share of JUNE 2016

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Condition scoring at your fingertips Dairy Australia’s app scores high with farmer for ease of use.

In a hard season it’s easy to look on the negative side of just about everything around the farm.

But for Sharyn Allott, the Dairy Australia Cow Body Condition Scoring app turned out to be a bit of a morale-booster.

“I wouldn’t have done it (condition scoring) if I’d had to use a pen and paper,” she said. “But with the app I just rolled out a bale of hay and walked along behind the cows and scored about 70 in one go.”

And the morale-booster? It turned out they averaged a condition score of 4.8.

“You tend to look at the bad side when you’re going through a season like this, so knowing the cows were in such good condition going into calving was a positive in a difficult season,” Ms Allott said.

“They were in a lot better shape than we thought.”

Dairy Australia’s Feedbase program manager Richard Romano said the Cow Body Condition Scoring app helped farmers working with seasonal and split-calving herds take greater control over their herd’s feeding.

“The herd’s range in body condition score is as important as its average score,” Mr Romano said. “It gives a quick view of what proportion of cows are too thin and too fat. These cows are likely to have reduced reproductive performance and milk production, and increased risk to their health and welfare, which can ultimately impact farm profitability.”

It’s been a hard, dry season in South Gippsland, usually one of the most reliable rainfall regions in the country.

Sharyn and her husband Neil Allott found some of their cows scored as high as 5.5 while a few of the poorer ones were down around a condition score of 4.

Designed in consultation with dairy farmers and advisers, the Cow Body Condition Scoring app is easy to use, featuring large graphics that provide a standardised measure of a cow’s body energy and protein reserves at critical times of lactation.

Herd results are provided instantly after each scoring event with suggested actions to consider. A results summary including a graph can then be emailed as a permanent record.

The Allotts culled in October when they knew the milk price and the weather were going to go against them; and they culled again in February for mastitis and high cell counts, older cows and empties.

“We’ve kept condition on the milkers by feeding 5 kg of a 20 per cent protein mix in the bale.”

The Cow Body Condition Scoring app can be downloaded at www.dairyaustralia.com.au/BCS What is body condition scoring?

• It’s a visual assessment of the amount of muscle and fat covering the bones of a cow.

• It involves assessing specific locations on the cow to determine how thin or fat the cow is.

• In Australia, an eight-point scale is used for dairy cattle, which provides a quick, easy and consistent way to assess body condition.

Why body condition score?

• Body condition affects milk production and reproductive performance.

• Farmers can compare the condition of cows in their herd with recommended targets.

• Farmers can manage herd feeding better.

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And asking for And asking for Champagne with Champagne with breakfast. breakfast.

Allison Potter finds the Good Bulls App to be efficient.

Good bulls are getting better Latest ABVs show improvements across all breeding traits.

The Good Bulls App offers a fast and When it comes to finding good bulls to use over Australian dairy herds, they keep getting fun way to identify bulls to meet a herd’s breeding priorities. better and better, as demonstrated by the April release of Australian Breeding Values.

ADHIS extension and education manager Michelle Axford said the feedback since The Australian Dairy Herd Improvement the app was launched in January had been Scheme’s Daniel Abernethy said this release overwhelmingly positive. had improvements in reliabilities across all traits, giving dairy farmers even more “The app has already proven popular but it confidence in their bull choices. will be used more intensively in the coming months as farmers start selecting sires for the For example, the reliability of the Balanced coming joining season,” Mrs Axford said.

Performance Index has increased by 5.8 per cent in Holsteins and 2.5 per cent for Jerseys. The Good Bulls App allows farmers to create a short list of bulls potentially suitable for “In the world of genetics these numbers their herd. While it is based on the three represent significant improvements,” Mr breeding indices — BPI (profit), HWI Abernethy said. (health) and TWI (type) — a variety of The increases in reliability came from the filters can be used to customise the search to addition of genotypes for 30 000 females individual priorities. in 100 herds into the reference population It is updated three times a year with the through the Ginfo project, a large-scale April, August and December ABV releases. genotyping project to increase the reference population of Australian dairy cattle to Poowong North dairy farmer Allison Potter achieve more reliable genomic-based ABVs. milks 500 cows and said the app was a convenient way to have access to necessary The Ginfo project is a collaboration between information. the DairyFutures CRC, ADHIS, Holstein Australia, Jersey Australia and DEDJTR. “I like the idea of having the information at my fingertips, for example, being able to Bulls are also getting better with a new app look up a bull that could be useful over a which has been welcomed by dairy farmers particular cow when she’s standing in front around Australia.

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of me in the paddock,” Ms Potter said.

Toora dairy farmer Dan Knee said the app had made life easier.

“It makes it quicker and easier to identify bulls with the traits that are important to me.

It has turned a job that once took hours into a simple, fun task,” Mr Knee said.

The Good Bulls App can be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store.

For more information on the app, contact Michelle Axford by phoning 8621 4240 or emailing maxford@adhis.com.au

Dan Knee is saving time with the Good Bulls App.

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Steep learning curve Marrying into life on a dairy farm has spurred Kate Kirk’s ongoing interest in how it runs.

What do you do when you fall in love with a dairy farmer but you do not know one end of a cow from the other?

If you are Kate Kirk, you start educating yourself about every aspect of the farm business.

When the now Mrs Kirk met her future husband Jason Kirk, she saw the lifestyle on his Loch farm and knew she wanted to be part of it on a daily basis.

Mr Kirk, who was farming with his father Ken, needed a new milker and Kate was in the right place at the right time.

“I hated my job and I’d done a few milkings, so I asked if I could have a go and if it turned out I was useless, I told them they could sack me,” she said.

“Ken and Jason were understanding and took the time to show me what I needed to know.

They didn’t expect me to understand things without any knowledge.”

In the 10 years since, Mrs Kirk has thrown herself into dairy farming life and brought a fresh set of ideas to an already successful business.

The key to becoming an integral part of the farm operation has been ongoing learning from off-farm courses and on-farm experience.

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Described by Mr Kirk as someone who will “just jump in and try and do it”, the 30-yearold has had to learn the business from the ground up.

“I was always willing to have a go, and every year or two I try and do another course,” she said.

From a forklift licence to Feeding Pasture for Profit or Fert$mart, Mrs Kirk has built a remarkable resume of dairy skills.

“I’ve done a Certificate III in Agriculture and almost completed Certificate IV and, depending how busy we are with work, in the next couple of years I will try and do my diploma,” she said.

“Otherwise, I just look at any relevant courses that come up.”

With 310 Friesians on 120 ha on the home farm with another 140 ha in four separate blocks, life is already busy enough for Mr and Mrs Kirk and their six-year-old son Harvey.

It’s a farm that can produce plenty of grass, but it is hard work for the cows to eat it or to get the tractor onto the paddocks.

“You’d like to advertise it as undulating — but that would be a lie,” Mrs Kirk said.

“There is good land on it, but all the close stuff is the worst — it’s around the wrong

way,” Mr Kirk said.

“It’s good soil and it grows a lot of grass, but it is a lot of work.”

Hard work it might be, but the Kirks certainly aren’t complaining about their lifestyle.

Mrs Kirk’s enthusiasm for life on the dairy farm means they get to share the ups and downs of the industry (as well as the paddocks) and can enjoy developing the farm business as a team.

“It’s great because we get to see each other all the time, but it’s bad because we get to see each other all the time,” Mr Kirk joked.

“We’re a good team because we can bounce ideas off each other and it spurs me along having her here.”

For Mrs Kirk, working side-by-side with her husband means she understands the stresses and strains that are part and parcel of being a dairy farmer.

“I understand where he is coming from,” she said.

“When things aren’t going well, I can understand not to take it personally. It’s just a bad day or bad week and I except the same thoughtfulness in return.”

— Danny Buttler

A smarter way to fertilise When it came time to pay the fertiliser bills, Kate Kirk suspected they were high, but didn’t know enough about the subject to prove it.

Kate and Jason Kirk on their Loch farm.

This year, however, she has the hard evidence to argue her case after completing a Fert$mart course.

Fert$mart, which is funded by Dairy Australia, aims to challenge dairy farmers about their established methods of soil and fertiliser management.

Having completed the course, Mrs Kirk was able to challenge the existing fertiliser regime and save the farm business time and money.

“Fert$mart was really good,” she said.

“I really didn’t know much about the fertiliser here except that we were putting heaps on and putting it on three days a week.

“I was always thinking that surely there doesn’t need to be that much fertiliser, but I couldn’t really complain about something I didn’t know about.”

Having done the course, Mrs Kirk can now see better ways to use nitrogen more effectively in different parts of the farm.

“It’s not necessarily that we are using too much, but that we could use less and have the same effect,” she said.

“Our soil holds onto the nutrients very strongly, so very little would be wasted, but we are building up stores that we don’t really need to build up.”

In one instance, a paddock with low pasture growth was identified (through soil testing) to have low pH levels, which was fixed by applying lime.

“Instead of putting more fertiliser on to make it grow better, we actually needed to change the acidity by putting lime on,” Mrs Kirk said.

“It saves us money because it costs a lot to put fertiliser on.”

For Jason Kirk, having his wife asking questions about how things are done around the farm has helped him look more closely at how he approaches management issues.

“It’s an area we could focus on and save money. Looking at individual paddocks rather than just the whole farm,” he said.

JUNE 2016

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When a French expert says your cheese is as good as he’s tasted, you know you’re making a Legendairy product.

Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese is a small South Gippsland business making big waves in the food world — with Asia the next frontier for passionate cheesemakers Barry Charlton and his partner Cheryl Hulls.

The Fish Creek business was visited recently by French cheese exporters who have been watching the development of the couple’s cheeses for several years.

From their small factory overlooking Wilson’s Promontory near Fish Creek, Mr Charlton and Ms Hulls produce cheeses that have won more than 100 top awards, including multiple World Cheese Awards and just about every honour in Australian cheesemaking competitions.

They are also consistent winners at the prestigious Australian Grand Dairy Awards.

For Mr Charlton, however, the awards come second to the ultimate reward for any foodmaker.

“It’s a pleasure to watch people sit down and eat your produce and say: ‘Wow, that’s absolutely beautiful’,” he said.

“I love making cheese. It’s a challenge and that’s what I like.

“I lay awake at night thinking ‘what can I produce?’ It has to be something that people will like, but something that is a bit different.”

What doesn’t keep Mr Charlton awake is worrying about the quality of his milk supply.

Living and working among the rolling green hills of South Gippsland means cheesemakers are spoilt for choice when it comes to high quality milk with which to make their products.

Their cow’s milk come from Berrys Creek — from the same farm where Ms Hulls grew up — while their buffalo milk comes from near Woodside and their goat’s milk from Yarragon.

“The milk is very important to us, so we use hand-picked farms with high quality milk,” Mr Charlton said.

“We look at the herd and the mix of cows to see if they are going to produce the milk we need — and then you rely on the farmer to be very good at what they do.”

While they source their cow’s milk from just one farm — Hutchinson’s in Berrys Creek — they recognise they live in a region with a reputation for producing some of the world’s finest milk.

“We are really proud of what we do but also what our milk producers do,” Mr Charlton said.

“We have some of the best farming country you’d see here in Gippsland — it’s prime country.

“At the end of the day, our farmers produce great milk and that allows us to turn it into top products.”

O riginal idea to help young farmers Young dairy farmers might soon find it easier to get started in the industry, under a new proposal from the UDV. At the 2016 UDV annual conference, South Gippsland dairy farmer and UDV policy councillor Damian Murphy announced a cow loan scheme that will help young dairy farmers progress in the industry to buy dairy cattle.

Under the scheme, an established farmer acts as unsecured creditor on the young farmer’s cow loan while the UDV acts as a sponsor for the young farmer.

“The UDV is a conduit between next generation farmers and established farmers as a way of providing some security as a guarantor to that young farmer’s cow loan,” Mr Murphy said.

Currently, when purchasing a cow, young dairy farmers had to pay a 50 to 60 per cent deposit, Mr Murphy said.

The UDV wants to see that percentage lowered.

The proposal is based on the goodwill of established farmers who want to assist younger farmers to enter and succeed in dairy.

Established farmers are asked to act as an unsecured creditor on the young farmer’s cow loan.

“As an established farmer, I would nominate a someone in that area and keeps it local,” Mr cow that stays on my farm and is milked on Murphy said. my farm, then I would nominate that to the The proposal comes after one of last year’s UDV, Mr Murphy said. conference resolutions that the UDV initiate “The UDV puts it into a database and can discussion with financial institutions to allocate my cow against a next generation’s encourage them to recognise the real value of cow loan just as a security. The UDV will have dairy cattle when young farmers discuss loans.

30 per cent security.”

The UDV Policy Council said the agricultural Young farmers can then go to the bank and see industry needed sustainability and growth to if they can apply for a loan. remain competitive in an international market “If the bank wants to back that young farmer and to do this it needed regeneration, which they can say, ‘look, you don’t have enough of is what the scheme aims to do by enabling the deposit but we will go back to UDV to get young farmers to enter the market. that extra security to get you the loan’.”

The UDV is currently working with the banks Getting started in the dairy industry is difficult and on the legal representation for the scheme, for young farmers because, according to the and the banks’ response has been positive.

UDV Policy Council, major lenders will only “We think we’ve got the banks on side,” Mr finance between 25 and 33 per cent of the Murphy said. value of a cow.

“Then we go to the members and see how In order to build financial security within many cows we can get in the scheme.” regions, the scheme prefers the established Established farmers loaning cows do not need farmer and young farmer to come from the to be UDV members. same district.

Mr Murphy said feedback about the cow loan “It’s a way to ensure there’s a clear line of sight … it gives bit of confidence that you’re helping scheme at the conference was “terrific”.

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Calendar of events Please contact GippsDairy for updates.

Phone: (03) 5624 3900.

Email: executiveassistant@gippsdairy.com.au

Stepping Up Stepping Back: West Gippsland June 21 9.45 am to 3 pm (lunch provided) This workshop aims to help farmers consider their options as they transition in to or out of the dairy industry.

Stepping Up Stepping Back: South Gippsland September 1 9.45 am to 3 pm (lunch provided) This workshop aims to help farmers consider their options as they transition in to or out of the dairy industry.

Venue: TBC, Traralgon.

Venue: TBC, Leongatha.

Bookings: GippsDairy on 5624 3900 or executiveassistant@gippsdairy.com.au

Bookings: GippsDairy on 5624 3900 or executiveassistant@gippsdairy.com.au

Picasso Cows return to GippsDairy classrooms

Cows are in line for a makeover as part of a dairy education program.

A herd of life-sized fibreglass cows is mooving back inside GippsDairy classrooms to be re-decorated, as Dairy Australia’s Picasso Cows Makeover program begins again.

The colourful statues, which have enjoyed pride of place in school yards for years, were originally decorated as part of the Picasso Cows program and will now receive a makeover as Dairy Australia brings the educational makeover to a new group of students.

Picasso Cows challenges primary school students to decorate casts of dairy cows as part of a curriculum program that helps them learn about the Australian dairy industry, dairy’s health and nutrition benefits, and the importance of agriculture and food and fibre production, as recommended under the Federal Government’s National interests of each student group.

Barnes said the program was much more Food Plan. than a new lick of paint, and was about “Plus, the knowledge students gain from the continuing the narrative with a new group Six GippsDairy schools have accepted the program, including why dairy foods are of students. makeover challenge to reinvent their Picasso part of a balanced diet and how agriculture Cow with a new student cohort, in the contributes to the Australian economy, will “Each school has participated in the Picasso hope of becoming the National Makeover help them beyond their school years.”

Cows program before, and was selected Champion and recipient of a $2500 cash for their commitment to inspiring future One school will be named the National prize, which has in the past been used to generations with the nuts and bolts of Makeover Champion in November. Second upgrade school resources and facilities Australia’s dairy industry,” Ms Barnes said. place will be awarded $1000 and third place including new library books, sports gear and “Teachers are faced with the same challenge will receive $500. technology and playground equipment. every year — explaining how food is made GippsDairy schools participating in 2016 Each school group has just 12 weeks to and where it comes from — to new classes of include: Tooradin Primary School, Tooradin; makeover their school’s cow ‘canvas’ in one students with varying levels of understanding Bayan Fields Primary School, Carrum of three themes: Unbeatable Bones, Fuel for about Australia’s agricultural industry.

Downs; Korumburra Primary School, Life or Farm to Plate, while recording their Korumburra; Moe Albert St Primary “Schools selected for makeover get the best of experiences in a learning journal along the School, Moe; Northside Christian College, both worlds; they already trust the program way.

Bundoora; and Leongatha Primary School, and its learning outcomes, but can adapt its Leongatha. interactive resources to suit the needs and Dairy Australia program manager Emily

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