Dairy direct murray february 2014 (low res) by McPherson Media Group

Country News PUBLICATION

MURRAY Issue 16, February 2015

Backpackers: the new workforce? » page 28

Getting milk components right » page 19 Better grazing management » page 25 How does your feeding system stack up? » page 41

Editor Geoff Adams editor@countrynews.com.au Writers Cathy Walker Alexandra Bathman Sophie Bruns

Cover: Katunga dairy farmer Keith Nicoll has help on the farm with French backpacker Gaelle Morice. Story page 28

Photographers Ray Sizer Julie Mercer Bianca Mibus Graphic design Teresa Lagozzino, Alysha Bathman, Bella Considine, Brendan Cain Riverine Herald production team 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

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When it all comes down to basics, you have to be able to grow good grass in northern Victoria. A friend of mine, Chris Hunter from Kyabram, had a reputation as a dedicated pasture enthusiast and I think he was on the right track. Some of the best dairy operators in the region seem to have the knack of combining a pasture-based system with fine-tuned supplementary feeding, in a combination that works efficiently and economically. This edition contains some useful advice on getting the best from your pasture. We also have some news on a research project at Tatura and two on-farm trials aimed at finding out whether drying off perennial pastures in summer is profitable. Also, feast your eyes on the immaculately presented cows in the International Dairy Week coverage — what I like to call the bovine equivalent of Fashion Week. — Geoff Adams Dairy Direct

contents

We must embrace change Welcome to another edition of Dairy Direct. As we start the year it is a good time for reflection. At the time of writing this column, I am casting my mind back to the recent rain throughout midJanuary, which saw some parts receive reasonable rainfall across the region. In the lead-up to the event I was watching four weather sites — two were indicating 150 mm, one 30 mm and the other 16 mm — yet we ended up with 52 mm and then another 28 mm four days later! It is fascinating that with all the technology around we still have the diversity of outputs from these sites. As farmers we need to make the call of how we respond and live by the decision based on our judgement at the time with the information we have from a whole range of sources. It is clear that we can’t rely on just one source of information. The one thing we can rely on is continual change and that is certainly true of the year ahead at Murray Dairy. This year we embark on delivering the new Accelerating Change project with $1.45 million secured through the Victorian Government. It is pleasing to note that Dairy Australia’s Amy Fay will join us to take up the important role of project manager. The closing date for Accelerating Change Partner Farm applications is fast approaching. This is an

Doing Dairy with Sophie Bruns

Dairy news

4–7

Animal health

exceptional opportunity to access the latest research and innovations in dairy and apply this on-farm. A further change ahead is the recruitment of a new chief executive officer for Murray Dairy. As part of the transition, an acting chief executive officer is on board for three months. Tony Tranter has worked with the Murray Dairy Board to facilitate the development of our strategic plan. Inside this edition outgoing chief executive officer Leanne Mulcahy reflects on her time at Murray Dairy. During the past two years, Leanne has been a key driver in transforming Murray Dairy into a stronger organisation which is able to adapt to our changing environment and thus provide better outcomes for the region’s dairy farmers. We look forward to working with her in her new role with Moira Shire Council. The partnership with Dairy Australia continues to strengthen and allows for increased efficiencies to further boost service delivery and reduce operational costs.

Camp grooms future farmers

Farm open to ideas from others

The four Rs of forage planning

Vet floats water treatment past farmers

Make more money out of cows

Should you withhold watering?

Transition feeding cows is crucial

Ensure your farm is an attractive investment 23 Better grazing management increases profit 25 Focusing on functionality and productivity

Backpackers fill farm gaps

Milk fever — know what works

Results are ULTRA good

‘Sweat equity’ explained

Moving onto new position

New system saves time and water

Does your feeding system stack up?

Keep an eye out for FMD symptoms

Dookie dairy adjusts to its robots

International Dairy Week

Calendar of events

— Malcolm Holm Chairman, Murray Dairy 24 M -H SE OB OU RV IL R IC E E

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Doing Dairy

with SOPHIE BRUNS

Sophie Bruns is a dairy farmer from Gunbower with a husband, two daughters and a mortgage.

Sleep-in, what’s that? Body clock refuses to run on holiday time. What is it with holidays and sleeping? When you are in the normal routine of milking, dragging yourself out of bed when the alarm goes off — in my case — is not the easiest thing to do. That alarm at 5.15 every morning is never a welcome sound — but come holiday time with no blinking alarm in sight, I am lying wide awake at 6 am with no hope at all of going back to sleep. I am sure this is a phenomenon that affects many of my fellow farmers. When we are working, all we dream about is a restful sleeping-in kind of holiday; but when we finally get it, it’s like you can’t turn your internal alarm off — and the longed-for sleep-in becomes impossible. Whingeing aside, we did have a good break and have come back to some surprisingly cool weather. We received just over an inch of rain and while it was nowhere near the forecasted falls (surprise, surprise), it did

take the pressure off things at home. The cows are currently grazing on millet and summer pasture, with a bit of hay thrown in. We are just about to dry off the start of our autumn calvers, and so the cycle begins for 2015. This autumn will see our first lot of heifers joined to AI. I am feeling a little nervous about this but the bull is meant to be easy calving and our heifers are in pretty good nick so hopefully it all goes according to plan and without a drama. I will miss my cute little cross-bred calves, though. This year our priority job is to fix the effluent system at the dairy, which has been a cause of much heartache and swearing since we moved here in 2012. A new pump on a pontoon, with some sort of agitator, should see the job fixed and save a few man-hours each week.

dairy news Project aims to speed industry change

The other priority job we have is to improve the standing area for the cows at the dairy. This area always bogs up over winter so building the area up and laying some Rochie rock is also on the agenda. We tried this last year but our timing was out and it didn’t set properly, and in the end it wasn’t as successful as we’d hoped. But, because we are farmers and eternal optimists, we will give it another go this year. Hopefully weather conditions will be kind to us in 2015 and we will receive a good autumn break. I must admit I still remain a little confused about the high price of temporary water, but there is always someone out there who seems to be able to justify why it is so. All I know is a reasonable price for temporary water creates wealth in our industry which is then shared among the community, while an unsustainable price doesn’t benefit anyone.

Amy Fay is a new manager with Murray Dairy.

Pushing for adoption of research and technology on-farm in localised conditions. Murray Dairy has appointed a manager for its new accelerating change project. The $2.9 million Accelerated Change program was launched last year and will see two partner farms established with the help of project partner Dairy Australia to accelerate the adoption of the latest dairy research and technology in localised conditions. The two yet-to-be-selected partner farms will be chosen as leading-edge operations that show existing on-farm modernisation and infrastructure investment. The farms will be supported by 30 satellite 4

FEBRUARY 2015

farms that will support decision-making, verify findings and enable direct engagement with farmers who are planning investment in research and technology. During the past few years Ms Fay has led the delivery of the $1.7 million Smarter Energy Use on Australian Dairy Farms initiative through Dairy Australia. Prior to that, Ms Fay worked with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) as a policy officer providing

advice on a range of issues affecting the sustainability of agriculture. She has also worked on large grains farms in Canada and western Victoria. Extension and communication of project findings to farmers is a key part of the project and will see workshops, partner farm open days and farm walks offered as well as regular updates.

dairy news

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Warning on dangers of raw milk Consumer watchdog to review marketing of product in effort to prevent consumption. One child death and four cases of serious illness have been linked to the consumption of raw milk in Victoria. The state’s health department has issued a warning about drinking the milk that is being sold in health food shops for cosmetic purposes. Five children have fallen seriously ill after drinking the product, while the death of a three-yearold has been referred to the coroner. Chief health officer Rosemary Lester says raw milk, which is marketed as bath milk, can affect the kidneys and the bloodstream and cause watery diarrhoea if consumed. “Only a small number of these pathogens are needed to cause illness,” she said. She said unpasteurised milk could make anyone sick but risks were greatest for young children, elderly, pregnant or otherwise unhealthy people.

“Since the 1940s it has been compulsory to pasteurise cows’ milk in Australia,” Dr Lester said. “Milk is heated for a very short period of time, effectively destroying any disease-causing bacteria which may be present in raw milk.” Dr Lester has referred the matter to Consumer Affairs Victoria and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), saying bath milk packaging was very similar to drinking milk and they could be easily confused. Consumer Affairs Victoria director Dr Claire Noone says the watchdog will review the marketing of raw milk and work with the ACCC to establish whether there had been a breach of consumer law. “In Victoria it is illegal to package, deliver or provide raw milk for human consumption, however it still may be labelled and sold for cosmetic use,” she said.

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consumers can use to authenticate the brand. Norco has signed a three-year agreement with the company, Authenticateit, which will allow consumers in China to scan a product’s barcode using an app. The app also verifies if the product has not been recalled, via a live integration with the global product recall portals. The app also automatically detects the language settings on the mobile phone and presents all the information in Chinese to the consumer in China. GS1 Australia’s chief executive officer Maria Palazzolo said Authenticateit had a business alliance partnership with GS1 Australia that had seen Authenticateit become a fully compliant industry system. “GS1 Australia is proud to support this local business with an inventive, cost-effective option to address counterfeiting,” she said.

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dairy news How prepared are you for this fire season? Many of Australia’s dairy regions sit in some manage any emergency situation (fire, flood or of the most fire-prone areas in the world and storm). with the heat of summer upon us and fire emergencies already flaring, now is a good “The goal is to reduce time to review your fire plans and preparations. disruption to your dairy business and keep you, your “Dairy farmers have plans in place, but they family, staff and animals safe,” may not be up to date,” Dairy Australia’s Dr. Iommi said. issues manager, Dr. Julie Iommi said. “When was the last time you tested your backKey questions to up equipment? Having a practice run to check consider fire-fighting equipment, generators for milking • Identify a suitable refuge paddock — and water pumping will mean if the worst where will you move the milking herd happens you won’t be caught unprepared,” and young stock if a fire is imminent Dr. Iommi said. in your area? Consider marking the Dairy Australia has resources available with milkers to make it easier to sort the tips on how to best protect family, staff, herd after the fire has passed through. livestock, dairy and machinery from grass and • How can you find out about fires near bushfire threats. you? Who is responsible for monitoring the Fire Authority Apps, listening A ‘Prepare your dairy farm for fire threat’ to the ABC, keeping a watch on the toolkit and video prepared with input from weather conditions and wind patterns? farmers are available. Have you signed up for the Dairy The Dairy Farm Fire Plan, can help you better

Australia SMS locational heat alerts? • How will you milk and cool if the power goes out? Can you test your back-up plan tonight/tomorrow — just in case? • Is your inventory up to date? Take photos of your stored feed and machinery. Are chemicals recorded and stored properly and safely? • Are all your insurance documents, key contacts list, farm records and laptop together and easy to grab if you need to leave quickly? And remember to keep your mobile phone fully charged.

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• 1250 acre dairy farm situated in the Perricoota within 15 minutes from Moama. • 50 bale rotary dairy complete with auto cup removers, adf, auto draft and cow ID, multi-head feed dispenser, two feedpads, two vats and 650 cow yard. Great on farm grain storage. • Good quality silt loam soils, 400 ha lasered. Sown to 100 ha permanent pastures, 100 ha Lucerne, 200 ha annuals and 100 in dry land crops. • 450 megs of water pumped direct from the Murray River. 200 megs turkey nest 100% recyclable. • Two x three-bedroom family homes in good condition and set amongst treed surrounds. Excellent shedding and stock handling facilities. • Milking 630 cows and producing in excess of 5 million litres. This farm earns serious cash and lifestyle that could be yours.

• Situated at Yarroweyah is this well maintained 158 acre property. 95% lasered with a mix of irrigation set up and still waters well. • Well laid out with one central laneway that dissects the farm in half, making it very easy to manage. • Very good 15 a side dairy with in bail feeding, 200 cow yard, well located and in very good condition. • Four-bedroom family home with renovated kitchen and bathroom. Nice outdoor BBQ area with some lovely mature trees. • Currently sown to a mixture of permanent pasture and annuals with good fertility and growing well. • Outstanding calf rearing facilities and a machinery shed with power. • A productive farm that offers a huge opportunity to get started in dairy farming. Get started now.

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dairy news Looking to overseas labour to fill gaps Fonterra Australia wants to see more seasonal labour available through the expansion of programs for seasonal workers. The company has argued for changes to rules governing holidaymakers and overseas seasonal workers in order to help fill labour gaps for agriculture. In a submission to the Agricultural Competitive Taskforce, Fonterra Australia welcomed the idea of expanding the working holiday visa program to allow the visitors to extend their time with one regional employer from six to 12 months. Fonterra wants to see an expansion of the seasonal worker program and to include the dairy industry as a seasonal industry during times of peak milk production. Fonterra, in its response to the Agricultural Competitiveness green paper, says immigrant labour can help fill dairy’s acute skills shortage.

New brand brings milk from state’s south-west In what might be likened to “selling coal to Newcastle”, fresh milk from the Otways in southwest Victoria is now for sale in Goulburn Valley supermarkets. Three farms south of Colac at Carlisle River, Yeo and Irrewillipe are supplying Woolworths for its new Farmers’ Own brand. “It’s being processed for us at Camperdown under a feefor-service arrangement. The difference between this system and buying the milk from a processor such as Fonterra is that we pay the farmer direct,” Woolworths communications manager Russell Mahoney said. “And the farmers are pretty happy with the deal.” Farmer David Tanis from Carlisle River agreed. He described the price as a premium one and said the certainty of a three-year contract gave the business the ability to plan ahead.

“To bring the milk from farm to such a big market across Victoria was something too good to pass up,” Mr Tanis said.

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“As farmers we want to see a fair price for our milk. Customers in Woolworths want to see farmers getting a fair go as well.” Mr Mahoney said Victoria was the third state after NSW and Western Australia to join the Farmers’ Own “farm to fridge” concept.

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“It’s a nice product and as far as the unhomogenised milk goes there’s a nostalgic element when people think of their childhood or holidays on the family farm,” Mr Mahoney said. The Farmers’ Own products are available in 240 stores. Full cream and reduced fat lines retail for $3.45 for a two-litre bottle while non-homogenised (cream on top) is $3.29.

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animal health

A regular column from Rochester Vet Practice

Cows feel stress when the heat is on A heat-stressed herd is a less productive one, so take steps to ensure your cows keep their cool.

FEBRUARY 2015

prevent or minimise heat stress aim to address these factors and therefore include providing shade and increasing evaporative cooling through the use of sprinklers and fans. The provision of shade can have a significant impact by protecting cows from direct sunlight and significantly reducing radiant heat. Shade can be provided by trees or by portable or permanent structures; typically, cows prefer natural shade provided by trees. If a portable or permanent structure is used for the provision of shade, it is important to ensure the structure is of a sufficient height to ensure that heat is not reflected from the roof back onto the cows. This may be addressed in the case of low structures with a ridge opening.

“

Signs of heat stress will be commonly first seen in high producing cows because of the extra heat these animals generate due to higher milk production.

“

Like us, cows are affected by hot weather and can suffer significantly in the summer months. Core body temperature or heat load is determined by the amount of heat a cow is producing from processes such as metabolism and lactation and the amount of heat that is gained or lost to the external environment. Due to the presence of a large fermentation vat (80 litres) in the form of the rumen, cows produce a significant amount of internal heat. Dairy cows are most comfortable when the ambient temperature sits between 5º C and 25º C. This is known as their thermal neutral zone. At temperatures outside of this zone cows must actively regulate their body temperature by either decreasing or increasing internal heat production and the amount of heat lost or gained from the environment. Unfortunately summer temperatures are commonly well in excess of 2º C and significant effects on production can result. These can include a decrease in dry matter intake and a resulting decrease in milk yield, milk fat and protein. Somatic cell counts and bacterial counts commonly also increase during hot, humid weather. In addition to adverse effects on production, reproductive performance can be adversely affected as well as general cow health, with an increased risk of acidosis, laminitis and mastitis. For these reasons monitoring your herd for signs of heat stress and taking early action is critical. Early signs of mild heat stress include an increase in breathing rate (greater than 60 breaths per minute) and rectal temperature, decreased activity, a reduction in food intake, an increase in water intake and shade-seeking behaviour. Signs of more severe heat stress include increased levels of agitation and restlessness, crowding around water troughs and/or wet areas, open-mouth breathing and excessive salivation. In extreme cases cows can become ataxic, collapse and experience convulsions, with coma and death being the final result. Signs of heat stress will be commonly first seen in high producing cows because of the extra heat these animals generate due to higher milk production. Heat is primarily gained from the environment through direct radiation from the sun, elevations in ambient temperature, high humidity and a lack of air movement. Consequently strategies to

Most heat is lost through evaporation from sweating and breathing. To increase heat lost through these mechanisms cows should be wet effectively with a sprinkler system. Sprinklers can be run on a cycle i.e. two minutes on and 10 minutes off, to ensure cows are wet effectively but not completely soaked, thereby avoiding water run off onto the udder. This also increases cooling efficiency by allowing evaporation to occur when sprinklers are off. This most commonly will take place in the holding yard prior to milking. To increase cooling via this method fans may also be used to increase air flow. When sprinklers are used cows must not be packed into the yard or other designated area to such an extent that air movement is reduced; if this occurs, evaporative cooling

will not occur. Instead an area of high humidity will be created and consequently heat stress will increase. Cows should have access to cool drinking water throughout the day. This is particularly important in hot weather when water intake can reach 200–250 litres per animal. Ideally large volume troughs in which water remains cool will be located in areas which are easily accessible and that do not require animals to travel a great distance. The flow rate and water pressure should be sufficient to deal with periods of high demand. Changing milking times so that they occur earlier in the morning and/or later in the afternoon in order to avoid the heat of the day is another strategy that maybe employed. This ensures that cows are not moving in the hottest part of the day. Alternatively, cows may be returned to the milking yard for the hottest part of the day, if a sprinkler system is set up in the milking yard. Cows are then stood under the sprinklers until late in the afternoon when milking is undertaken, and returned to pasture as the day ends and temperatures begin to drop. The distance the herd must travel between the paddock and dairy should also be minimised in hot weather. This is particularly applicable to afternoon milking if it cannot be shifted to later in the day. For severely heat stressed animals specific treatments may include cold hosing, drenching with cold fluids and/or the provision of IV fluids for severe dehydration. For further information regarding heat stress visit the website provided by Dairy Australia: “Cool Cows: Dealing with Heat Stress in Australian Dairy Herds” at http://www. coolcows.com.au/hot-season-strategies/ hot-season.htm — Sarah Stewart For Rochester Veterinary Practice

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Camp grooms future farmers Young handlers learn the ins and outs of the show ring. A group of 38 young people from Victoria, NSW, South Australia and Western Australia participated in the annual National All Breeds Dairy Youth Camp run by the National Centre for Dairy Education. Although largely based at the Melbourne Showgrounds, the five-day training event spends a day on a farm to get some practical experience judging cattle, and this year Michael Tuhan’s Tatura dairy farm hosted the field trip. During the camp participants develop confidence in handling dairy heifers; learn judging, showing and clipping skills; and discuss breeding and new technology. Each participant is supplied with a heifer and throughout the week they learn how to care for the animal in the lead-up to competition day, including daily feeding, watering, washing and grooming, clipping and monitoring. Assistant co-ordinator Sue Bird said the youth camp was aimed at post-secondary participants and was open to people between 16 and 20 years of age. “Some are doing traineeships on-farm,” Ms Bird said. The program uses National Centre for Dairy Education staff and 12 volunteer leaders who have industry experience, including time in the show ring. Scholarship winners from previous camps also participate as leaders. The location for on-farm field trips is rotated around the major dairy areas and this year was northern Victoria’s turn. Host Michael Tuhan provided three rings of cattle for simulated judging and, because he is a qualified nutritionist, spoke about the needs of dairy cattle through their different life stages. Reid’s Stockfeeds sponsored the barbecue. The philosophy behind the camp is to encourage young people from all backgrounds to foster their interest in the dairy cow and the dairy industry.

IT’S

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up her mind if this was where Erika Quinn was one of 38 her future will be. young people who spent a week at the National All Breeds “If I get a good ATAR score I Dairy Youth Camp held at the would like to do something in Melbourne Showgrounds. agriculture at uni.” This is the second year for Erika, Nutrition was one of the key 17, who is considering a career themes at this year’s camp and in agriculture. Erika said she had learned about the importance of colostrum “I’m learning more about cattle. for newborn calves, how long I enjoy meeting new people at the colostrum was viable, how the shows,” Erika said, when to freeze it and how to thaw it asked what she enjoys about the while retaining the nutrients. camps. She has the opportunity to work “I’ll check up on Dad to make sure he’s handling it the right on her family’s farm at Cohuna, way,” Erika said with a smile. n but said she had not yet made

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Farm open to ideas from others

Susan and Peter Wearden and Focus Farm facilitator Cameron Smith answer questions during the farm walk.

Group’s focus on dairy issues helps couple move forward. Taripta Dairy at Kyabram opened its gates late in December for the first public open day of the Wearden family’s Murray Dairy Focus Farm. Facilitator Cameron Smith told an attentive group of farmers and suppliers that for the 2014–15 season the herd would peak at 315 spring-calvers and 350 autumn calvers. “Four hundred (cows) is possible but the shed may need modifications to make it more staff friendly,” Mr Smith said. In describing the day-to-day operations of Taripta, Mr Wearden said his two reliable staff members were very important to the business. The home dairy is a 30 unit swing-over, but normally milks 26 cows. The farm totals about 187.4 ha which includes the original dairy farm (84 ha purchased in 1993), Joe’s Block (a 33.4 ha outblock 6 km away,

FEBRUARY 2015

purchased in 2008) and Tippets (70 ha purchased in 2012) that has newly upgraded irrigation infrastructure to incorporate it into the milking area. A stated aim for the Weardens by joining the Focus Farm program is to work towards their goal to transition the dairy business so that it potentially will provide passive income streams into the future and place them in a position to step back from the operation of the business. Among their plans is to put in a feed pad at home to help manage the heat and the wet, and make a decision on the use of the outblock, Joe’s.

One of the planning issues is whether Joe’s Block should be a dedicated young stock farm, or if the the business double crop for fodder production and keep young stock out on agistment. It’s a decision the Weardens’ support group that comprises business, agronomy, animal health and nutrition experts, a solicitor and, of course, fellow dairy farmers, will offer their ideas on. Shyamal Das, senior nutritionist at Coprice,Tongala, sees the value in the support group because of its title — it is a group activity

“

A hot day didn’t deter a large group of people from taking a walk over the Taripta dairy property at Kyabram.

Every time we meet and discuss the issue of the month it helps them to fine-tune as they progress. Shyamal Das

and from that flows a diversity of ideas. “Issues are discussed in a very open fashion. I think it gives Peter and Susan an opportunity to look at the business in a 360-degree fashion rather than compartmentalising the different aspects,” Mr Das said. “Every time we meet and discuss the issue of the month it helps them to fine-tune as they progress.’’ Mrs Wearden said the diversity of opinions offered choices, “and that’s a good thing”. With the first part of the day conducted in the shade of the hayshed, the group then went out to the paddocks to scrutinise pasture and crops. The home farm pastures are roughly two-thirds perennial under an automated irrigation lay-out and the remaining third grows annuals. The open day visitors heard this season 75 ha of cereal hay grown across the three properties had yielded 1300 bales or 520t/DM, an increase of 76 t/DM on the yield of 2013-14. n

Support group member Shyamal Das with Peter and Susan.

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The four Rs of forage planning A forage plan must encompass four areas in order to be of maximum benefit. The Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR) Forage Planning for Dairy Farms program follows the four Rs of forage planning to help farmers develop a robust forage plan — choosing the right crop, sown at the right time, for the right reasons, while taking risk into account. Right crop The right crop or pasture is one that is best suited to achieve production goals on your farm. To ensure the selection of the right crops for your farm, consider the following: • When does your herd have feed gaps? • Which crop or pasture types will perform best under your growing conditions? • What are the feed requirements for your herd? • What other feeds, including purchased fodder, are available to you? • How are you going to feed it? • What is your experience in managing the selected crop? Right time Timing of sowing and crop management preand post-germination are crucial for good crop growth and development. Sowing too early or too late in the season can substantially affect crop success.

If soil temperatures and soil moisture are not suitable, germination rates and crop establishment will be significantly affected. Strategic use of fertilisers and water, along with managing pests and weeds, will assist in maximising yields and returns. Remember, the crop will only perform as well as its most limiting factor allows. Right reasons What is the purpose of the crop? Generally, the most common reason for sowing a crop is to fill a genuine feed gap, or form part of the pasture renovation process. Consider the total cost of the crop when comparing this against the cost of purchased feed of a similar quality. Could you buy feed of similar quality cheaper than the cost of producing it? Matching the supply of grazeable forage to the herd’s feed demands during a genuine feed gap has the potential to reduce conservation costs and maximise financial returns. Risk Within any farming system there are many risks, some outside your control, but some you may be able to influence or minimise. The impact of the risks you can influence can be

minimised through management decisions. There are a number of types of risk, including: • Financial e.g. milk price, feed price, water price, cash flow; • Seasonal e.g. late autumn break, short spring, wet winter, dry summer; • Personal e.g. attitude to risk, stress, experience, labour availability; • Crop failure e.g. poor establishment, pests/diseases/weeds. Considering the four Rs and assessing your feeding strategy will help you develop a more robust forage plan, increasing the success and maximising the profitability of your crop. If you want to learn more about forage planning, the Forage Planning for Dairy Farms program is a good place to start, and will be running late January/early February in the Lockington area. To express your interest for the Forage Planning for Dairy Farms program which began in January phone Brendan Ley, DED Tatura, on (03) 5833 5244. — Sarah Brown Dairy Project Officer, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (formerly Department of Environment and Primary Industries).

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DAIRY GROOVING SERVICES FEBRUARY 2015

2015 short term ryegrass EBV Guide For a proven performer, choose a Seed Force variety not a brand. Annual ryegrass Forage EBVs based on replicated trials 2006-2014

Culitivar

Ploidy

Variety or brand

Mean Winter yield

Spring yield

Total yield

Flowering Days from Tetila NSW

ME MJ/kg DM

CP %

NDF %

Extra meat value $/ha

Extra milk value $/ha

No. of trials

LATE FLOWERING (>+8 days) SF Adrenalin

tetraploid

variety

109

126

116

+16

11.08

23.95

45.88

+$404

+$1020

SF Speedyl

tetraploid

variety

109

131

118

+12

+18

11.08

26.31

46.27

+$421

+$998

SF Pinnacle

tetraploid

variety

110

142

122

+10

+18

10.87

26.78

48.05

+$349

+$812

SF Sultan

diploid

variety

107

132

117

+10

+11

10.94

25.17

47.91

+$328

+$746

Zoom

tetraploid

variety

126

107

+14

10.84

23.57

46.64

+$208

+$575

Winter Star II

tetraploid

variety

103

124

112

10.74

23.14

48.47

+$186

+$483

10.68

23.10

48.45

+$212

+$464

Arnie

diploid

variety

108

119

114

Jivet

tetraploid

variety

120

106

+16

7 4

MID FLOWERING (+5 days to +8 days) SF Catalyst

tetraploid

variety

103

107

10.66

21.47

45.24

+$221

+$580

SF CatapulT

tetraploid

variety

106

113

110

10.70

22.79

46.91

+$215

+$525

10.83

23.82

48.13

+$201

+$506

Tama

tetraploid

variety

104

117

110

Abundant

tetraploid

variety

108

109

108

+11

4 12

Mach 1

tetraploid

variety

122

108

Aristocrat 2

tetraploid

variety

104

103

106

T Rex

tetraploid

brand

103

110

105

Burst

tetraploid

variety

102

12 2

Progrow

diploid

variety

102

EARLY FLOWERING (-2 days to +4 days) Winter Hawk

diploid

variety

114

112

114

SF Flyer

diploid

variety

108

109

108

SF Sprinter

tetraploid

variety

109

112

111

+4 0

OreTet

tetraploid

brand

104

Sungrazer T

tetraploid

brand

103

105

103

Maximus

tetraploid

variety

102

107

105

Atomic

tetraploid

brand

105

101

102

0 0

10.86

23.16

47.45

+$299

+$681

10.84

23.57

46.64

+$225

+$586

10.66

23.66

48.32

+$171

+$417

10.73

22.32

47.85

+$164

+$390

10.64

25.17

49.46

+$38

+$134

10.45

22.86

49.70

+$12

+$53

Surrey 2

diploid

variety

102

105

103

Grassmax

diploid

brand

104

109

102

-1

5 8 6

Tetila

tetraploid

brand

100

Rocket

tetraploid

brand

101

106

Tetrone

tetraploid

brand

107

102

tetraploid

brand

118

Double Crop (Dargo)

tetraploid

variety

104

10.40

22.40

49.23

2 2

Relative rankings have been undertaken by comparing all yields as a percentage of Tetila. Feed quality data undertaken prior to all grazings from trials at Gundagai and Lismore (NSW) with hundedised means reported. Variety or brand? The Australian Seed Federation has spent considerable effort over the past few years helping producers better understand the origins of varieties or brands that they are considering planting. Products in blue font are for brands which have not met the ASF criteria - source ASF Seeds database January 2015. To be confirmed as a variety on the ASF site, companies must have either Plant Breeders Rights or seed certification under OECD or ASA schemes. A brand is largely a name that may or may not be trademarked. The seed may be fit for purpose but there is no scheme to let buyers know much about it. It may or may not be the same product at any time.

FEBRUARY 2015

Italian ryegrass Forage EBVs based on replicated trials 2006-2014

Cultivar

Ploidy

Variety Winter Spring Summer or yield yield yield brand

Total yield

Flowering Days from Tetila

ME MJ/kg DM

CP %

NDF %

Extra meat value $/ha

Extra milk value $/ha

no. of trials

11.35

21.87

43.45

+$163

+$446

11.39

22.82

43.70

+$158

+$424

11.32

24.67

45.34

+$132

+$362

+18

11.33

22.50

44.00

+$101

+$308

11.20

22.51

44.44

+$67

+$224

+21

11.07

21.65

45.39

+$90

+$215

NSW

WA +21

LATE MATURITY (>+11days) SF Indulgence

diploid

variety

106

103

102

+14

Momentum

diploid

Asset AR37

diploid

variety

104

107

101

+14

variety

106

107

102

106

SF Emmerson

tetraploid variety

104

100

Feast II

tetraploid

variety

101

103

104

102

+12

SF Accelerate

diploid

variety

104

107

113

105

+12

Tonuss

diploid

variety

104

109

101

+15

11.22

23.85

45.77

+$50

+$130

Maverick GII

diploid

variety

103

106

100

+14

11.14

22.05

44.95

+$35

+$114

Nourish

tetraploid

variety

105

+14

11.23

20.55

44.23

+$7

+$110

+13

Concord 2

diploid

variety

113

108

110

10.91

20.11

46.91

+$47

+$75

Jeanne

tetraploid

variety

+14

11.26

20.65

44.12

-$15

+$52

Hulk

diploid

variety

100

+12

11.09

21.49

45.15

+$11

+$44

Crusader

diploid

variety

100

+12

11.10

22.29

46.08

Icon

diploid

variety

105

+11

11.02

21.31

45.44

-$12

-$15

Warrior

diploid

variety

101

+12

11.08

21.39

45.58

-$20

-$31

Aston

tetraploid

variety

11.22

22.74

45.14

+$1

-$32

Knight

diploid

variety

106

104

10.83

20.94

47.64

-$52

-$152

Emmerson/ Indulgence

4n/2n

blend

103

112

Thumpa

tetraploid

variety

111

Turbo

diploid

variety

Awesome

diploid

brand

Denver

tetraploid brand

96 98

+18

105 107

+18

+13

103 104

MID MATURITY (< +11 days) Sonik

diploid

variety

101

100

+10

11.03

23.45

45.98

-$21

-$42

Diplex

diploid

brand

107

101

10.85

24.65

46.50

-$22

-$99

Charger

diploid

brand

106

10.78

21.00

47.28

-$188

-$449

Notes for Annual and Italian ryegrass: Yield data is hundredised means from a minimum of 2 and up to 42 trials per variety/brand. Feed quality analysis undertaken by NSW DPI Feed Quality Service at Wagga Wagga. Meat and milk values estimated using Seed Force’s. Animal Performance Calculator™ based on the following assumptions: • Meat at 65% feed utilisation, based on 300kg steer with 44MJ for maintenance and 45MJ/kg lwg at $1.70/kg • Milk at 75% feed utilisation, based on 600kg cow with 100MJ for maintenance/exercise/pregnancy and 5.5MJ/litre at $0.45 per litre No summer data means that those varieties have only been trialed by Seed Force in areas that finish in early December in annual growing regions. Where cells have no data it means that tests have not been undertaken on those varieties or brands. Extra meat and milk values are estimated differences per ha compared to control cultivars with numbers in red being negative to control.

RRA/SDF15353

Relative rankings have been undertaken by comparing all yields as a percentage of Crusader. Feed quality data undertaken prior to all grazings from trials at Shepparton (VIC), Gundagai and Lismore (NSW) with hundedised means reported.

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Story: Cathy Walker Pictures: Julie Mercer

Vet floats water treatment past farmers Tank keeps downer cows on their feet for faster recovery. Standing in water stops cows from struggling, provides a feeling of security, and assists in the recovery process from compromised blood flow during calving, or nerve damage from falls in the dairy. They are among the reasons why Warragulbased veterinarian John Steinfort researched and invented a flotation tank for dairy farmers with downer cows. At a seminar during International Dairy Week, Dr Steinfort said while the water technique had been used internationally for 15 years, his Riser Tank system, developed with the help and feedback of his farmer clients, was an Australian first because cows were lifted in and out with a specially developed frame that supported the cow’s pelvis and back end. “When an injured cow is down (on the ground) struggling to get up she will injure herself more,” Dr Steinfort said. “When they stop trying to get up, that’s when the healing starts.” He outlined the diagnostic procedures such

as using a pin prick on the cow’s coronet to test for feeling, or a hammer tap on the leg to check John Steinfort’s seminar on downer cow management was reflexes, to help dairy farmers in well received at International Dairy Week. their decision-making process and management choices. “But it doesn’t matter if she doesn’t get milked But even before that, he said it was vital to for a couple of days.” bring the downer cow in and “do something” A downer cow can have femoral nerve as quickly as possible. dysfunction — damaged muscular neural Dr Steinfort had an interested audience at connections from struggling to get up. the Tatura seminar with farmers from all over Keeping the cows confined and still is vital, Australia taking the opportunity to drop in and Dr Steinfort said, because trying to get up set learn something while they were exhibiting them back even further. cattle or attending as spectators. They asked “When you get them standing up in the tank questions such as what the risk of mastitis was they will eat and drink, which also helps with from standing in water, or could the cows be a faster recovery.” milked as they were supported in the tank. A gas heater is set at 40°C and the water The three tank choices are economy, standard temperature is 35°C which he described as and stud. The stud model has a half gate that perfect. allows the water level to be lowered and the “The Riser tank equals security; it allows them cow to be milked in the tank while a cover to stand in water for six hours, lower the water can be zipped over the top of all the units to and see if they can stand,” Dr Steinfort said. keep the cow warmer in winter. “When a cow stands for one hour, she walks “I’ve even seen someone milk the cow under out.” n water,” Dr Steinfort said.

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Make more money out of cows Learn to manipulate fat and protein ratios to optimise returns. most milk during lactation, they produced intake decreased, or fibre level increased, milk the lowest fat and protein percentages. protein was reduced by 0.1 to 0.4 per cent and milk fat was increased. “So you can adjust the cow’s diet to maximise the solid percentages,” he said. In the end, he said, it was all about creating balance by maintaining cows with a “It’s about manipulating the cow to produce more solids when you get into later lactation.” correct body score of 5.5 (out of 8) so high producing cows could draw on reserves to Mr Harrington said dairy farmers could have support milk production. major influences on nutritional factors but Mr Harrington said fat cows produced more the challenge was that high energy, low-fibre milk but had metabolic problems and calving rations – while increasing milk protein – problems. could reduce milk fat. “We don’t want full fed cows; we want them “It’s about taking the feed and putting the full of nutrients. right stuff with it.” “Look at what the diet change is but do look at He said forage rations should ideally be 40 to your payment structure. Look at those sums 45 per cent forage and that low forage created every month and see how you can capitalise low-fibre diets that produced low milk fat. on the milk price.” Low-fibre forage (young grass) was a high Milk fat depression can be corrected in seven energy food source that produced higher milk to 21 days and be changed by 0.1 to 1.0 per protein, but ran the risk of cows developing cent, and milk protein changes take 21 to 42 acidosis and laminitis. Added fat and oil days to show and can be changed by 0.1 to were good energy sources, but not the best 0.4 per cent. for rumen bacteria. It can be used but in controlled amounts. Mr Harrington said dairy farmers should Mr Harrington said as energy intake or ration consult a nutritionist if they were having energy density increased, milk fat was reduced issues manipulating their fat and protein ratios. n and milk protein was increased. As energy

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It is possible to make more money out of cows by manipulating the fat and protein composition they are genetically capable of. To optimise the return per cow, dairy farmers need to understand the factors affecting milk fat and protein ratios. Speaking at International Dairy Week, Ridley national ruminant technical manager Tim Harrington said these factors were divided into nutritional and non-nutritional/feeding categories. Dairy farmers have significant control over nutritional and feeding factors such as source of milk components, rumen function, feeding management, body condition score, forage level and form, supplementary feed intake, cow energy levels, protein intake and added fat and oil. Non-nutritional factors such as the stage of lactation, cow age, season, mastitis infection, mechanics in the dairy (cooling problems in bulk tank, poor mixing in bulk tank, excessive agitation in the pipeline and sampling problems) and genetics and inheritance, were often difficult to manage but still possible to influence. Mr Harrington said when cows produced the

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FEBRUARY 2015

Should you

withhold watering? Study seeks benefits of drying off perennial rye-grass during summer.

New research projects at Tatura and two onfarm trials will determine whether drying off perennial pastures in summer is profitable. The high cost of water and the cost of resowing perennial pastures are driving strong interest into this research. Farmers in northern Victoria have been trying a concept of not irrigating perennial rye-grass pastures during the hottest parts of summer, and then re-irrigating these pastures from late February-March onwards. The aim of this practice is to save water and money. The success of drying off perennial rye-grass pastures during summer has been varied, with some pastures having to be re-sown, while others remained fairly productive without re-sowing. Some research evidence suggests that rye-grass cultivars that contain a large amount of Spanish genetic material are more likely to survive hot dry summers when not irrigated, than cultivars from other sources. Other evidence suggests that good irrigation management and layout, as well as the maintenance of good plant residual cover during the summer when the pasture is not being irrigated, can all contribute to ryegrass survival. Some research conducted outside the Murray dairying region shows that endophytes (fungi that live between plant cells) may also assist plant survival, but the role of endophytes in the region is still not clear. Following the drought years of 2002–09, farmers started growing more perennial pastures. These young pastures contained little paspalum and were dominated by perennial rye-grass and, during hot summer periods, dairy farmers used a large volume of irrigation water with often a disappointing return of dry matter. In the past, most perennial pastures contained a 20

FEBRUARY 2015

lot of paspalum and good summer production was usually assured. If farmers can avoid irrigating during summer and then not have to re-sow in autumn, there can be significant savings in terms of irrigation water, and resowing costs. There is also a potential for earlier autumn feed, compared to newly sown annual pastures. The new research began at Tatura during autumn 2014 (with funds from the Victorian Government and Dairy Australia), to Kevin Kelly. try to understand the dynamics involved and the circumstances in which this management practice can be viable for dairy farmers across the region. At Tatura, there are 15 different cultivars of perennial rye-grass and tall fescue, with contrasting genetic backgrounds that are established in replicated plots. The plots will have three different irrigation treatments: fully irrigated (control); not irrigated after the seed heading phase (about mid-late December); and irrigated about once a month (every 150 mm, evapotranspiration minus rainfall). All treatments will be watered as required (45–50 mm evapotranspiration minus rainfall), between mid-March and mid to late December. Two on-farm trials under grazing will begin in autumn 2015, with a more limited range of cultivars and irrigation treatments. There will also be a number of grazing strategies during summer to ensure a range of pasture

residuals are maintained. The Tatura site trials will be mown, whereas the on-farm studies will be grazed. Both will have the same measurements conducted: • Dry matter production, both seasonal and total; • Nutrient characteristics (energy, protein and fibre) for the first few harvests following the recommencement of irrigation in autumn; • Endophyte presence; • Pasture composition (weeds, clover, rye-grass); • Heading dates; and • Plant survival. The researchers involved in the project are Kevin Kelly, Dr Mary-Jane Rogers and Dr Alister Lawson, all based at DEDJTR Tatura. The whole project is expected to conclude in 2017. — Brendan Ley Dairy Extension Officer, DEDJTR Tatura

Chicory offers grazing potential Chicory is a deep rooted summer-active, short-term (two to four years) perennial herb with good nutritive characteristics. There has been renewed interest in chicory’s potential to provide high-quality summer forage for grazing on southern Australian dairy farms. Experimental studies, at both a plot and paddock scales and implementation on partner farms as part of the 3030 Project have generated valuable information, particularly about potential production, seasonality, grazing management, agronomic requirements and potential system fit. Key features • Reliable summer growth, even with low rainfall, due to its deep taproot system. • High nutritive characteristics when grazed (+12 MJ ME/kg DM and up to 25 per cent DM crude protein). • Grazing frequency and intensity guidelines should be strictly observed to optimise DM yield, nutritive characteristics and persistence beyond the second year. • Role as one or two-year summer crop

in pasture renovation programs that allows a seamless return to grazing. • Role as two to four-year perennial crop (or more if allowed to self-seed) that can be oversown with cereals, annual or perennial grasses. • Less susceptible to insect damage than many other forages. Typical pasture pests such as lucerne flea, slugs and red-legged earth mite could have some impact during early establishment. • No major risks to animal health, although at very high feeding rates there is anecdotal evidence of chicory having caused acidosis and bitter taint in milk. • Has a number of desirable features in common with lucerne, but is adapted to a much broader range of soil types. Feeding chicory to dairy cows It is accepted that up to 25 per cent of a dairy cow’s total daily diet can be chicory without causing bitter taint in milk. However, estimated intakes of up to 40 per cent of the total daily diet have been

observed on commercial farms with no evidence of detrimental impacts. In these cases, chicory was grazed for about half the day and a different pasture was fed for the rest of the day. There is little experience feeding high intakes of chicory over an extended period on commercial farms. Chicory leaves normally contain high ME and low fibre — 12–13 MJ/ kg DM and 18 per cent neutral detergent fibre (NDF) — while the reproductive stems normally have low ME (7 MJ/ kg DM) and high fibre content. — Dairy Australia

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Transition feeding cows three weeks either side of calving is crucial to a successful lactation. That was the message from Cows R Us managing director Ian Lean, delivered to a packed room of farmers and dairy industry representatives at an International Dairy Week seminar in January. Dr Lean said calving was the peak period for cow deaths and disease leading to involuntary culling, and effective feeding at this critical time could significantly decrease losses. He said Australia was leading the way with research into effective transition feeding which involved getting the balance right to include adequate levels of energy, protein and minerals. Large Holstein cows required 12–14 kg of feed per day during the transition period

Ian Lean from Cows R Us discusses the importance of transition feeding at International Dairy Week. Photo by Wayne Cousins.

with 120 MJ of energy to maintain optimum health and condition and allow for the requirements of the growing calf. Dr Lean explained the importance of feeding higher density feeds prior to calving to eliminate disruption to the rumen when cows entered the milking herd and had access to high quality lactating cow fodder. “It’s vital there is no disruption to the rumen, it leads to all sorts of problems,” Dr Lean said. Other important benefits of transition feeding were an increase in disease prevention of up to 90 per cent, the production of a live calf, and increased fertility and productivity during the cow’s lactation. Dr Lean said an adequate feeding regime could reduce the incidence of milk fever, retained placenta, metritis, mastitis,

ketosis, acidosis, pregnancy toxemia and reproductive failure. He presented startling figures that proved cows that suffered milk fever at calving were eight times more likely to have mastitis, two to three times more susceptible to retaining their placenta and up to four times more likely to suffer a displaced abomasum. Healthy cows at calving had a higher conception rate and a 30 per cent greater chance of getting in calf during the mating period, Dr Lean said. While transition feeding is an additional cost to farmers, Dr Lean said the returns were conservatively estimated at 10:1 with profit markedly increased. He emphasised the importance of ActandII™™ maintaining animal health Afi protocols Afi Act IIsolut ion ensuring vaccinationsThe andnext-generat parasite controls ion accurateion heat detect were up-to-date. nfor the Themost next-generat solut ion ion

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Ensure your farm is an attractive investment Dairy farms are becoming a good proposition for international and local investors. Secure returns and steady capital growth are driving interest from investors in Australian dairy farms. Dairy Australia’s farm business capability program manager Neil Lane said all dairy farmers should be investment-ready. Mr Lane was speaking at an interactive seminar during International Dairy Week in January. He said it was good business management to understand the drivers of profit and risk on individual farms to ensure all parties had a clear understanding when potential investment opportunities arose. He said the emerging trend of corporate investment gave farmers an alternative to traditional sources of funding when attracting capital into their businesses. But there are strict guidelines which should be adhered to. Firstly, Mr Lane said, owners should provide a

Dairy Australia’s Neil Lane believes all farmers should prepare their businesses for investment. Photo by Wayne Cousins.

comprehensive prospectus. “If you can’t answer ‘yes’ toboth of those, don’t It should list key features of the business including do it.” all assets and liabilities, three to five years of The final step is to draft a “heads of agreement”, management accounts detailing cow numbers, a written document that clearly defines the roles tonnes of grain fed and fertiliser applications, and and responsibilities of each party. three to five years of budget forecasts. Mr Lane said the document should detail An analysis of the business sensitivities — feed, what the investor was actually buying, milk price and seasonal conditions — and who paid for what in terms of repairs and the strategies in place to deal with changes to maintenance and capital expenditure, and these, is crucial along with any future capital whether or not the investor would be requirements such as a new dairy or bore passive or actively involved in the day-to-day construction. management of the farm business. The second step was to conduct effective due He said a time-line of the length of the diligence. Both the owner and investor should investment proposal and a clear exit strategy for offer full disclosure of their past business all parties needed to be determined and recorded. performance and history, current financial Mr Lane said Australia had a competitive position, and have clear expectations of what advantage to attract investors with land relatively any deal might deliver. cheap in relation to the cost of production, a “There are two key questions: ‘Is the business plentiful supply of grain and fodder and a proposition right?’ and ‘Are the people right?”’ temperate climate which allowed cows to graze Mr Lane said. pastures for long periods of the year. n

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Better grazing management increases profit Home-grown forage is the cheapest feed source for dairy farms, and there is always room for improvement. The aim of grazing management is to balance the requirements of your pasture and cows.

The DEDJTR Feeding Pastures for Profit (FPFP) program uses a number of key principles along with some easy-to-use tools to help unleash the potential of pastures. If farmers are able to better manage their pastures and increase pasture production and consumption, they can reduce the amount of relatively expensive feeds in the herd’s diet. This reduces the total cost of production and increases profit. Your grazing management can be what is holding you back. The aim of grazing management is to balance the requirements of your pasture and cows. For perennial rye-grass, leaf stage grazing is the best method to achieve this. Grazing at the two- to three-leaf stage allows the pasture to restore its energy reserves that were used to grow the new leaf after grazing. Ensuring the energy reserves are restored assists to maintain pasture density and persistence. Allowing pastures to grow beyond three leaves has little benefit because a rye-grass tiller is

only capable of supporting three living leaves; as the fourth leaf emerges the oldest leaf dies. Going beyond three leaves will result in a decline in nutritional quality of the pasture, with the dying fourth leaf having a lower nutritional quality. Post-grazing residuals should aim to be 4–6 cm between clumps. The plant stores the energy reserves it needs to regrow after a grazing in the first 4–6 cm of stem from the ground. Grazing below 4 cm will reduce the amount of energy available, resulting in smaller leaves. Grazing above 6 cm has little benefit to growth and wastes pasture that could have been eaten. This will become tough between grazings and the cows will only eat down to where they grazed before. The FPFP program helps farmers to increase their farm profitability by helping them grow and consume more pasture and utilise supplements effectively. A recent survey of past FPFP participants showed an average

benefit of $43 000 per year. Using a principles-based approach, as opposed to a recipe-based approach, allows farmers to work with their dairy extension officer to apply the principles to their system. The program includes two in-class days where farmers learn about the FPFP principles. These are followed by six on-farm days, focusing on the implementation of the principles throughout the growing season to help farmers at different times of the year and different stages of plant growth. The 2015 FPFP course will begin in late April or early May. If you are interested in attending or would like more information phone Sarah Brown at DEDJTR Tatura on 0417 316 345 or email: sarah.brown@depi.vic.gov.au — Sarah Brown Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR) Tatura

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Focusing on functionality and productivity The purchase of a ‘green’ farm meant there was much to be done, but the underlying features were sound and showed promise for the future.

Brad Adams slips back to imperial measurements to describe his Koonoomoo farm when he purchased it 12 months ago. “The thistles were two to four feet high,” he says, raising his arm to indicate. How things have changed. Mr Adams is host for his first Murray Dairy Focus Farm open day and consultants Phil Shannon and Don Cook are leading a farm walk where less than a year ago the thistles reigned supreme. The day drew an interested crowd of local

Brad Adams’ support group includes (from left) Paul Gontier from Rural Finance and farmers John Cockerell and Steve Griffiths.

farmers, Focus Farm support group members and agribusiness professionals who were shown the herd — 40 per cent Jersey, 40 per cent Jersey Holstein cross and the remainder Holstein — and the pastures they graze. While to Mr Cook’s mind the pasture establishment still wasn’t perfect, to the novice there was lush grass everywhere and the thistles had retreated to a few channel banks. Earlier, soil expert Mr Cook had conceded he had been frankly “amazed” at the amount of fodder Mr Adams had grown on the property.

Focus farm host Brad Adams is busy with his main farm and hopes once the Koonoomoo farm is up and running he can take a step back.

Young Dairy Network Steering Committee Seeks Members Expressions of interest are sought from enthusiastic and motivated individuals to join the Murray Dairy Young Dairy Network Steering Committee. The Young Dairy Network was established to meet the needs of the ‘younger generation’ of dairy farmers, employees and service providers within the Murray Dairy region. All interested people are welcome, including those, ‘young at heart’. If you have the interest, energy and leadership to help drive this important network please contact Murray Dairy on (03) 5833 5312 or visit www.murraydairy.com.au

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Visit www.murraydairy.com.au

A cow munches on silage; most of the milking herd sits in the shade.

“It’s grown a power of feed,” Mr Cook said. “Don thought he was walking into a bomb site with the fertiliser tests,” Mr Adams said. Unusually for a Focus Farm, there is little historical data to compare. Mr Adams purchased the formerly family-owned farm after one family member ran it as a dairy farm for a short time; before that, cows had not been milked there for years. Despite the somewhat rundown appearance, Mr Adams saw lots of promise in the Maidment Rd property: he liked the “excellent” irrigation infrastructure and farm layout, he really liked the 200 Ml turkey-nest drainage dam and saw good re-sale value and a convenient location to attract staff. Mr Adams said in choosing to buy the place “we saw it was well set up and there was no need to spend a lot of capital”. “We considered this to be a green site, with quite a lot to do to bring it up to a good standard,” Mr Adams said. There is a 15 double-up dairy, now with new ADF automatic cup removers and autodraft, and in October Mr Adams employed a new manager as well as an Israeli backpacker who was getting a great Australiana fix: driving the quadbike with a kelpie on the back.

Farmright soil expert Don Cook has been impressed by the amount of fodder the farm has produced.

The dairy is functional and easily operated by one person.

Mr Adams said he and the staff enjoyed working in the dairy. “It’s not the flashest dairy you’ll ever see but it’s very functional and very easy for one person.” By autumn this year there will be 300 cows being milked on the 204 ha property with a milking platform of 160ha. The focus group’s target for Mr Adams is 500+MS/cow. A primary aim for Mr Adams is to have efficient staff to work the farm, which deliberately has little machinery; jobs such as fertiliser spreading are performed by contractors. Mr Shannon stressed the business must focus on the cost of production. “If you spend another dollar, will you make more than that dollar?” Mr Shannon said. “Cost-cutting will hurt you in the long run.” A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis in August by the support team identified capital improvement, better pasture and more fodder production as well as managing water price risks as opportunities on the property. And for Mr Adams’ team to work on, threats included: • Wet conditions (heavy soils, no

formal ‘dry’ formed feeding area); • Water security (as with many northern Victorian farms); • Milk price volatility; • Climatic conditions and availability of “relatively cheap” feed sources including purchased temporary water allocation; • Equity level (exposure to interest rate rises, and associated cash-flow pressure); • Dependence on paid labour (Mr Adams is already committed to managing and working on his first farm); • Dairy size if the business grows beyond 300 cows. n

Brad Adam’s farm 206 ha — perennial pasture 60 ha; irrigated annual 100 ha Soil: clay, heavy clay, loam Water: 500 Ml LRWS; 400 Ml drainage licence Milking herd: 300

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Applications close Monday 23 February 2015 at 5.00 pm. For details on how to apply visit www.murraydairy.com.au/accelerating-change-eoi For more info please contact Murray Dairy on (03) 5833 5312 or email admin@murraydairy.com.au

FEBRUARY 2015

Story: Alexandra Bathman Pictures: Ray Sizer

Katunga dairy farmer and French backpacker Gaelle Morice.

Backpackers fill farm gaps Short-term seasonal work suits international travellers and famers alike. Arriving at her first dairy farm job in Australia, French backpacker Gaelle Morice could only say “Hi, how are you?” — now she loves to say “no worries”. While backpackers are known to work as fruit-pickers, some dairy farmers are employing international travellers. Ms Morice has been working for Katunga dairy farmer Keith Nicoll for two months but has worked on cattle stations and feed-lots

across the nation before working on two dairy farms in Cohuna and visiting International Dairy Week (IDW) last January. “I prefer to stay here in the country (Goulburn Valley) — here is very country,” she said. “Here is local Australian people — it is amazing.” Mr Nicoll has hired at least 10 backpackers during the past two years through the

Gumtree website. “I’ve got about five full-time staff on the farm, but when it’s really busy no-one wants two or three months’ work,” he said. “Instead of everyone doing lots and lots of overtime, we hire someone for seasonal work.” Mr Nicoll, who milks 800 cows on his farm, said the people he’d hired were well-educated and adapted well to life on the farm.

Congratulations Country News A

Murray Dairy would like to congratulate Geoff Adams and the Country News team on the creation of the new Dairy Direct publication for GippsDairy.

Country News PUBLICATION

GIPPSLAND Issue 1, December 2014

First Edition

New focus farmers have equity goal » page 16

We hope that their publication is as successful as ours and look forward to seeing it on a bi-monthly basis. Malcolm Holm Chairman Murray Dairy

FEBRUARY 2015

Variable weather impacts Gippsland farms » page 12 Preparing for a hot summer » page 18

Worm internet turns » page 20

Visit www.murraydairy.com.au

French backpacker Gaelle Morice has a passion for the dairy industry.

While Ms Morice studied agriculture and grew up on a beef farm in France, Mr Nicoll has also hired an Irish medical student and a civil engineer from Germany. “They are very easy to train — although sometimes there is a language barrier — but there are very few mess-ups because they concentrate and listen to their instructions well,” Mr Nicoll said. He said a Danish couple who had never set foot on a farm before and were asked to monitor cows calving at night, “were assisting

cows calve themselves at two o’clock in the morning”.

Another Katunga dairy farmer, Rod McCracken, also hires backpackers.

Mr Nicoll said it was important to check backpackers had a valid Tax File Number, a current Australian working visa and a driver’s licence.

Mr McCracken milks about 800 cows and employs four full-time workers and said he employed backpackers during the autumn and spring calving seasons.

“It’s easy to assume someone has a driver’s licence when they are already driving a vehicle,” he said.

“Some (backpackers) aren’t as committed as others but if you get the right person it works very well,” he said.

“Everyone has to go through the books. That way everything is open and transparent.”

“And it just adds a different dynamic to the farm.” n

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Story and pictures: Alexandra Bathman

Milk fever

– know what works Treat each case as an emergency and use the best treatment you can buy.

Between three and 10 per cent of cows in dairy herds are affected by milk fever each year and oral remedies vary in safety and efficacy. Milk fever (hypocalcaemia) can cause many other problems such as difficulty calving, retained afterbirth, uterine infection, reduced fertility, mastitis and ketosis. New Zealand Ethical Agents International’s Dennis Scott said the cost of milk fever on the average farm was about $8000/100 cows.

and while cows would recover from milk fever, they wouldn’t eat for days. Dr Scott recommended the scientifically proven oil-based calcium chloride product Calol, rather than gels, to effectively treat milk fever. The product is rapidly absorbed following oral administration; within 45 minutes blood calcium levels are significantly elevated and maintained for up to 14 hours.

“Calol is more expensive than gels because it’s “What appears to be a simple case of milk fever an oil-based product and oil is more expensive should be treated as an emergency,” Dr Scott than water — but oil is better than water,” he said. said. “The emphasis is quality. It doesn’t matter He said there had been a lot of misinformation about the use of oral remedies. what I say about a product — it has to work He said oral salts were the first treatment used in the field.” on affected cattle but it was very irritating

Speaking at International Dairy Week, Dr

100%. . . Checking bull fertility is a logical exercise. 20% of bulls are infertile or subfertile. This is a disaster if the infertile bull is the dominant one in a group, or worse still if he is supposed to be doing the job himself.

Scott said some people had flagged having difficulty with the product. He said one dairy farmer had questioned why he had trouble getting the product out of the bottle. Dr Scott said that sticking point was Calol’s “number one negative — but that’s why it works”. He said Calol was thick to encourage swallowing. He said it was also designed to be fluid at nomal temperatures and dairy farmers were encouraged to shake the bottle well and warm it in warm water if necessary. Calol can also be given to cows that are prone to milk fever as a preventative measure. Dr Scott said sometimes milk fever could be something more sinister. “If she doesn’t get up, don’t mess around — that’s when you call the vet,” he said. n

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Results are ULTRA good A new era for sexed semen as ULTRA hits the market. Sexed semen technology has improved more in the past eight months than it has during the past decade. In 1995, sperm was processed at 200 to 400 cells per second, with an 83 per cent chance of producing a female and a conception rate that was 70 per cent of conventional. By 2012, this had improved to 5000 cells per second, with 85 per cent purity and 80 per cent fertility of conventional semen. By early 2015, sperm can be processed at 18 000 to 20 000 cells per second with 93 per cent purity and a conception rate potentially approaching 97 to 100 per cent of conventional semen — an enormous improvement. The case for sexed semen — which previously came into question due to inconsistency with results and poorer conception rates — is rapidly strengthening as the technology catches up with demand and we develop a

better understanding of its use. The first article in this series covered advances in fresh sexed semen, and focused on two large-scale research trials in New Zealand and Ireland. While no controlled fresh sexed semen trial has been undertaken in Australia yet, anecdotally farmers have been reporting good results. Several groups have been collecting data on farms using the technology and Dr Jon Kelly from the Warrnambool Veterinary Clinic had the following results as of early November 2014. • From 852 heifers on six farms over nine joinings, using five different sires: an average 55 per cent heifer conception rate (ranging from 44 to 69 per cent). • From 293 cows on four farms, using two different sires: an average

37 per cent cow conception rate (ranging from 30 to 45 per cent). The number of animals involved and the absence of a common protocol means that caution should be used when interpreting these results. However the preliminary numbers indicate it is possible to obtain very good results using fresh sexed semen, particularly in heifers. Results are also more consistent — with less of the ‘bull effect’ seen in frozen sexed semen, where some bulls’ semen copes poorly with the sexing process at an unpredictable rate. Separate to fresh sexed semen, there have also been three changes to the overall sexed semen manufacturing process that affects both fresh and frozen sexed. This has resulted in a new line of sexed semen, known as ‘SexedULTRA’, used in cattle industries all over the world.

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The first change has been to the semen extender (or diluent) used. Extenders are liquids added to the semen in order to protect and nourish the sperm after collection (the exact change is proprietary and has not been specified by the company). The second and third changes were to the sorting process (protecting sperm cell membranes), and reducing the time required to sort the ejaculate. The new generation machines sort a collection in just over an hour, rather than the usual six-plus hours, which should improve the overall viability of the product. The upgrades were made to the four sorting machines in Western Victoria earlier this year, meaning that any sexed semen produced within the past six months or so has been processed under the SexedULTRA technology, and should have benefited from these changes. Again, similar to fresh sexed semen, hard data from controlled trials is not available. The best information we have comes from data

P.A.

collected by groups and individuals. Dr Jon Kelly (Warrnambool Veterinary Clinic) found the following results: • From 77 heifer joinings on two farms, using two sires: an average 57 per cent heifer conception rate (ranging from 48 to 63 per cent). • From 110 cows on two farms, using two sires: an average 46 per cent cow conception rate (ranging from 25 to 55 per cent). As usual, for those who are considering the use of this new variety of sexed semen, the following recommendations apply: for heifers, only use if they’re well-grown and cycling at joining; make calving ease a high priority; be on top of your heat detection game; and make sure that best-practice artificial insemination techniques are used. Additionally, for use in mature cows, ensure you pick only the most fertile individuals — any animal that has been calved less than 40 days, been induced, experienced past problems with uterine

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infections or calving, or has proven difficult to impregnate in the past, should be excluded from the program. These field trials indicate that sexed semen may be a viable option for more farms — particularly those that have wanted to use the technology in the past but found the lowered conception rate unacceptable. For farmers who have tried sexed semen before 2014 and found it wanting, now could be a good time to re-visit the technology as both our knowledge of how to use it and the maturity of the technology have improved. For more information phone Dairy Extension Officer Ee Cheng Ooi at DEDJTR Tatura, on (03) 5833 5916 or email ee.cheng.ooi@depi.vic.gov.au — Ee Cheng Ooi Dairy Extension Officer, DEDJTR Tatura

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‘Sweat equity’ explained Expert explains placing dollar values on children’s contributions to farm. One of the tough questions when looking at succession planning is how to recognise the on-farm contribution of children who’ve stayed working in the business. For National Australia Bank’s Agribusiness Wealth national manager Bill Adams, putting a dollar value on this ‘sweat equity’ can help to explain estate planning decisions to the children who’ve left to pursue other careers. “It’s common for at least one child to reach a level of involvement in the farm where they’re contributing to the growth and development of the business,” Mr Adams said. “Let’s say that happened 10 years ago. Since then, the fair market value net worth of the business has increased from $2 million to $3 million. “If the estate was to be divided equally between three children, $1 million would be left to each. “However, the contributions from the three

children towards the success of the farm receive a share worth $1.4 million, while business over the past 10 years may not have the other two children would each receive been equal.” $800 000. Mr Adams said the family could recognise the “This is a basic example to explain the ‘sweat contribution of the on-farm family member to equity’ concept, but there are many other the increased value of the business by placing things to consider, especially maintaining an arbitrary dollar value on it. On top of that, farm viability and ensuring on-farm children recognition could be given to foregone wages have the business skills to manage the farming of the on-farm children. operation.” “Each family situation will be different. One Mr Adams said the current business owners family may decide that their successor had were in the best position to evaluate the contributed to only 10 per cent of the growth, contribution of the on-farm and off-farm while another may put a value of children and to adjust the compensation 80 or 90 per cent. accordingly. “Once you’ve worked out how much the ‘sweat “As long as everyone in the next generation equity’ has contributed to the growth of the understands the method and calculations used farm, you can allocate that amount to the and how the estate is to be distributed, then on-farm child, and divide the rest between all hopefully family harmony will prevail,” Mr of the children. Adams said. “In the example above, if the on-farm child’s contribution to growth and forgone wages are “The most important thing is to get started, 60 per cent of the increased value, they would and the earlier the better.” n

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Moving on to new position Murray Dairy chief executive officer has appreciated chance to be part of a strong regional dairy industry approach to productivity and profitability. International Dairy Week has book-ended Leanne Mulcahy’s position as chief executive officer with Murray Dairy. Just prior to Christmas she announced she was leaving the development organisation for a position as corporate general manager with Moira Shire. When she arrived in the job in 2013, Ms Mulcahy was off to Dairy Week and only recently she spent her final time at the event. “I originally thought of this as a three-year job. But this new position became available and it was an exceptionally good one. Plus it has links to the industry which I have been in, the dairy industry, and it’s close to where I live, so I won’t have to relocate.” Ms Mulcahy will be moving to a shire that produces 450 million litres of milk annually, second in the northern region only to Campaspe Shire. She believes dairy’s dominance in the Moira economy means she will continue to have some connection with the industry and will be able to put her knowledge to good use. Since joining Murray Dairy the organisation has worked through a strategic plan. “We have a very clear vision around productivity and profitability,” she said. “It provides a very good foundation for

Leanne Mulcahy is leaving Murray Dairy.

delivery of services. Everything we do is driven by that.” She believes the goal of regional development programs like Murray Dairy should continue to be about profitability and productivity. “It’s not necessarily about growth. Not everyone wants to milk 400 or 500 cows, but profitability is important.” But one sector will become larger and she believes one of the continuing issues for farmers will be managing employees. Ms Mulcahy was pleased to be able to bring the Accelerating Change program to fruition. “It was the brainchild of my predecessors but it is good to see that getting started,” she said. “The expressions of interest that have already come in indicate how collaborative the industry is. “When everyone comes together we can address a very specific industry need. “The Young Dairy Network is a good example. There is a good steering committee in place representing the five sub-regions. “The attendance at those young dairy events indicates how well that is going.” Ms Mulcahy is also happy to see four Focus Farms operating in the region, attracting interest, and to see the dairy business networks being so active.

“There are some really innovative ideas getting up in those discussion groups.” She believes the peer-to-peer approach will continue to be important in adopting research as farmers learn from each other, adopt successful ideas and ditch what doesn’t work. Ms Mulcahy came to the Murray Dariy job after working in local government, but was surprised by the politics in the dairy industry and wasn’t aware of the impact it had. “In hindsight I should have been (aware of the impact), because it’s about people’s livelihoods and passions. So it is understandable that it is political, the industry. “I suppose there are finite resources to go around, so it’s inevitable,” she said. “I will be leaving with mixed emotions as I have very much enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to be part of a strong regional dairy industry approach to help progress opportunities for profitable dairying across the Murray Dairy region.” Ms Mulcahy will finish work at Murray Dairy on Friday, February 13. The Murray Dairy Board is interviewing applicants with support from Dairy Australia. n

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FEBRUARY 2015

Story and pictures: Alexandra Bathman DED Echuca’s Robert O’Conner, Nathan Shannon and Bryan Shannon.

New system saves time and water Katunga property is reaping benefits from On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program.

Nathan Shannon was working for DEPI before he realised he could make money in dairy farming.

dairy you have to have good hectare efficiency, good cow efficiency and good water efficiency,” Nathan said.

He decided to come home to his parents Bryan and Lyndy’s farm in Katunga and “have a crack”.

But the Shannons didn’t have good water efficiency and it was taking them up to 15 hours to water just one bay. Today, however, their new irrigation system is saving them labour and producing more feed.

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FEBRUARY 2015

The new pipe-and-riser system with computer-based automation was part of the On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program and the Goulburn-Murray Water Connections project and cost more than $830 000. “It’s been a long and challenging process and it’s taken a lot of planning — but the rewards at the early stages are there,” Nathan said.

One of the new pipes and risers.

Katunga dairy farmer Nathan Shannon discusses the new system during a field day on the property in January.

“

I believe the labour savings and productivity are providing the farm return on investment to justify the upgrade.

“I believe the labour savings and productivity are providing the farm return on investment to justify the upgrade.” The Shannons milk about 600 cows on the 400 ha property. The irrigation upgrade provided a new outlet on the backbone channel capable of delivering up to 20 Ml/day. The water is sourced through the outlet and directed through a 1.5 km farm channel to a 7 Ml farm drainage reuse sump where water is then effectively pumped to the pipes and risers.

“

— Nathan Shannon

The new system will allow them to expand their herd to 700, produce an extra 415 tonnes of dry matter a year, save 176 Ml of water a year and a lot of time. Nathan said with the new system it took him 400 minutes a year to irrigate 80 ha; the OnFarm Irrigation Efficiency Program estimated the system would save him 180 hours a year in chasing water. Pumping water throughout the system will cost the Shannons $7090 a year more. Planning of the new system began in 2010 and the first excavator came to the property

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in December 2011. Nathan remembered the 2011 floods that devastated the area in March the same year and said it took a while to dry out. Water finally started pumping to the new system in May 2013. “Every project has teething problems and there has been a few issues with it,” Nathan said. “But just before Christmas we had the system we had envisioned.” The On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program predicted the Shannons would see a full return on their investment in eight years. n

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Does your feeding system stack up? Every feeding system has its strengths and opportunities. With a hectic workload, it is often difficult to find the time to sit back and have a closer look at the opportunities to improve your feeding system. Yet it is these very opportunities that can better reward you for all your hard work. We are in an era when information is power. Every dairy farmer has the power, but it is often buried somewhere. Farm information on feeding can tell us how well we are using our resource. Maybe you wish to grow milk production. Should you increase the number of cows milked or should you feed the cows better? How exposed is your business to a change in seasonal conditions, feed price and milk price? How might you respond to a change, because every year is different? Using farmers’ own data, it is possible to address these questions. Do the opportunities lie with diet quality, feed supply/budgeting, feed purchasing, stocking rate or pasture management? With this in mind, DEPI has been running Feeding Impact to help farmers unlock more of the potential of their feeding system to increase profit and decrease volatility.

Farmers participating in the new DEPI Feeding Impact activity had different approaches to feeding. Annual pasture consumption ranged from 5.6 to 10.1 tonnes/ha, concentrate feeding was between 0.76 and 2.2 tonnes/cow, silage and hay fed was between 0.7 and 3.2 tonnes/cow and milk production was between 359 and 632 kg MS per cow. There is no right feeding system, with a wide range of successful approaches to feeding being used by dairy farmers. However, this range indicates that there is something that each farm can learn from the others, and this could be used to improve the bottom line of their own business. Research Project 3030 provided a taste of how things can improve over time. Cows grazing rye-grass pasture and being fed supplements consisting of home grown silage, purchased hay and purchased concentrate produced 520 kg MS per cow in the first year of the research project with significant reliance on purchased feed (1.75 tonne concentrate/cow and a similar amount as hay). By the third year, 600 kg MS per cow was

produced and concentrate feeding had decreased to 1.27 tonnes per cow. This was achieved with the same cows and same pastures. The difference this made to the bottom line was enormous. By the end of the project the Partner Farms supporting the research were also able to identify better quality lower-cost forage sources better suited to their production systems. Better feed conversion, better quality feed, better availability and at a lower cost per unit of energy meant the farmers had greater control over their farm feeding system and greater knowledge. It was these key learnings that contributed most to the improvement in the bottom line and supported the key findings of the research. There is a story behind every feeding system. Understanding this is the key to unlocking the potential of your own feeding system. If you are interested in being one of 10 farm businesses in the next round of Feeding Impact, phone Greg O’Brien at DEPI on (03) 5624 2288. — DEDJTR FEBRUARY 2015

Keep an eye out for FMD symptoms Disease had potential to devastate livestock industry in Australia. Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease of animals. If there was an outbreak of FMD the impact on our livestock industries would be devastating. The likely cost is estimated to be around $52 billion to the Australian livestock industry and meat processing sector over 10 years. The beef industry alone could lose an estimated $31 billion. Livestock prices may collapse to 20 per cent of their current value and most livestock businesses would find it difficult to recover from that sort of drop in price. Australia is particularly vulnerable because more than 60 per cent of our beef and 58 per cent of our sheep meat is exported and most of this product would end up on the domestic market. Countries without the disease, which include many of Australia’s major trading partners, do not import from, or severely restrict imports from, FMDinfected countries. FMD affects cloven-hoofed animals (those with divided hooves), including cattle, buffalo, camels, sheep, goats, deer and pigs. It has been reported in countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and South America. FMD spreads rapidly between animals. The virus is excreted in breath, saliva, mucus, milk and faeces. The virus can be excreted by animals for up to four days before clinical signs appear. Animals can become infected through inhalation, ingestion and direct contact. The disease spreads most commonly

involve all levels of government and the through the movement of infected animals. In sheep the symptoms can be absent or livestock industries. Those procedures are very mild, and undetected infected sheep regularly tested, updated and improved. can be an important source of infection. The most important people in identifying The FMD virus can also be spread on wool, and notifying FMD are usually stock hair, grass or straw; by the wind; or by mud owners and others who work with livestock. or manure sticking to footwear, clothing, They should report suspicious symptoms livestock equipment or vehicle tyres. immediately to their local vet so that Infected pigs can breathe out very large appropriate biosecurity arrangements to quantities of the virus. Cattle are susceptible contain the spread of disease are instigated to, and able to be infected by, breathing in as quickly as possible. small quantities of the virus. Australia has an extensive network In some animals (carriers), the virus can of government and private vets who continue to be carried for long periods can identify the disease. This network (months or years) after apparent recovery. includes 160 people who gained first-hand FMD does not usually kill animals but it experience of FMD from experience in the is a debilitating disease that causes serious United Kingdom in 2001. production losses and animal welfare issues. Where a vet confirms a suspicion of FMD The clinical signs are fever followed by the they will immediately take samples and appearance of blisters between the toes send these to the Australian Animal Health and on the heels, on mammary glands and Laboratory at Geelong for diagnosis. especially on the lips, tongue and palate. These blisters often erupt to leave raw, Diagnosis takes 24 hours. Meanwhile the painful ulcers that take up to 10 days property will be quarantined and plans to heal. activated so the response can be initiated as soon as the results are known. Foot lesions leave animals lame and unable to walk to feed or water. Tongue and mouth Be aware of symptoms such as severe lesions are very painful and cause animals to lameness, blisters and fever in livestock. drool and stop eating. Adults usually begin If in doubt, phone your vet, the eating again after a few days, but young Department of Environment and Primary animals may weaken and die, or be left with Industries Hotline on 136 186, or the foot deformities or damage to the mammary Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 657 888. glands. — Phil Franklin However, well-developed exotic disease outbreak procedures are in place and DEDJTR Ballarat

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“

It’s made rotating grazing and managing pasture so much easier

“

Connections Project

Switching to aa fully fully automated automatedpipe pipe and riser and riser system system has has been been“life “life changing” say changing” say Waaia Waaiadairy dairyfarmers farmers Tony Tony and and MetteDe Mette DeNittis. Nittis. “Before the Connections Project we had five wheels, “Before work we had wheels, one with a one withthe a maximum flowfive of 10ML and the other maximum flow of 10ML and the other four with a four with a maximum flow of 6ML,” Tony said. maximum flow of 6ML,” Tony said. “Irrigating was very slow, to water (our whole “Irrigating was very slow - tofour water everywhere property) everywhere took days. Now we took four days. Now we average about 12ML and lot can average about 12ML and can get the whole get the whole lot done in about 72 hours.” done in about 72 hours.”

The couple couple has The has already already noticed noticed improvements improvementsinin pasture quality and quantity. “We’re pasture quality and quantity. “We’renow nowcutting cutting more and feeding more cows than ever before,” more and feeding more cows than ever before,” Tony said. Tony said. “Looking “Looking to to the the long-term long-term we’ve we’ve set setup up a profitable fully modernised farm that will make it a profitable fully modernised farm that will make it easier for us to continue to manage it ourselves or, easierthe for track, us to continue to manage it ourselves or, down sell.” down the track, sell.” For For more more information, information,please pleasego goto tothe theConnections Connections webpage www.gmwconnectionsproject.com.au website www.gmwconnections.com.au FEBRUARY 2015

The Dookie farm is building to a herd of 180.

Dookie dairy adjusts to its robots New manager has the job of pulling it all together. Dairy farm manager Kenny Oluboyede smiles when anyone tells him that, with three robotic milkers, he has the easiest job in farming. “You still have the normal dairy farming issues to deal with,” he said. “But basically you take away the issue of someone putting the cups on.” Mr Oluboyede has been the manager of University of Melbourne’s rebuilt dairy at Dookie since it was reopened about six months ago with the three Lely automated milkers. A Masters in Agribusiness graduate from the University of Queensland, he has the job of kick-starting the dairy operation which was closed down while the new dairy was built and the irrigation system upgraded to include solar-powered moisture probes designed to produce optimum growth with the least amount of water. The 43 ha farm has 118 head and the goal is to move towards 180 cows, which is the 44

FEBRUARY 2015

more at two sales. We sold three and lost capacity of the three milking units. two, but thankfully not lost any in calving.” The dairy’s hot water units are solarpowered, wash-down is accomplished with a Curiously, he found the older stock grew 250 000 litre rainwater tank, and a closedaccustomed to volunteer milking quicker loop system disposes of the waste. than the young two-year-olds he purchased. Solar panels produce about 30 kW “It took a lot of effort in the first stage.” of electricity, which is about half the Getting the feed balance is crucial. If the consumption of the three milking stalls. cows eat too much in the paddock, they Mr Oluboyede expects the robotic system are less likely to volunteer for milking. Too will cut down on herd mastitis, because little and production drops off. washing after every cup removal will reduce “But we’ve not had any trouble with the cross-contamination. robots. So far it seems to be working.” The goal is to achieve three milkings a day In January the 118-cow herd, about 200 at the peak time; in January the average days into lactation, was producing an figure was about 2.5. average of 25.5 litres/day. The introduction of new cattle to a new farm and a new system of milking was The herd was being fed about 7 kg of “challenging”. concentrates daily and getting about 6.3 kg “I’ve had the benefit of local knowledge from of dry matter (silage) plus about 6.5 kg of dry matter (pasture). a lot of people who helped me with the irrigation and the pastures. In mid-January, the herd started on some “We started with 40 cows and I bought 40 summer crops, including millet. n

Kenny Oluboyede at the Dookie robotic dairy with the link to the milking computers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; his mobile phone.

FEBRUARY 2015

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International Dairy Week Day 1: Youth Show

Goulburn-Murray Water’s head of customer relations, Shannon Lancaster, presents Girgarre’s Zoe Hayes with the cheque for most successful handler, which she also took out in 2014. Zoe said she saved the $500 prize money from last year and will bank the cheque again this year because she’s saving up to study agriculture at Charles Sturt University in Wagga next year. The Hayes family was later awarded Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor in the Illawarra Show.

Cohuna’s Erika Quinn with Grand Champion Heifer and Senior Champion in Milk Heifer, Beclah Park Dempsey Nola.

Tatura’s Jett Easterbrook leads his cow Wyndell HG Bonny to win her heifer class and later be titled Reserve Junior Champion Heifer.

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FEBRUARY 2015

Australian grand champion dairy cow at International Dairy Week was won by a partnership of three mates from northern Victoria. Daniel Bacon from Tennyson, Glen Gordon from Cohuna and Ben Govett from Dingee, pictured with their Illawarra cow, which was also the first coloured breed cow to win the title.

International Dairy Week (continued) Day 2

The Grand Champion Brown Swiss led by Dingee’s Ben Govett. Mr Govett’s stud Tandara Brown Swiss also won Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor in the Brown Swiss Show.

Murchison’s James Peck won the Exhibitor’s Encouragement Award at the Guernsey Show. Mr Peck survived a five-car collision on Peter Ross-Edwards Causeway between Shepparton and Mooroopna after IDW last year.

International Dairy Week Dairy and Machinery Field Days kicked off with a twilight event this year.

The Hore family exhibited the Holstein Grand Champion, Senior Champion, Reserve and Honourable Mention winners. With the Jessica cows are (from left) judge Ken Proctor, Kelsie Hore, • Deanne Hore, ur milk t yoSteve Protec Hore, Brady Hore, fitter Mitchell Flemming, Marty Hore ity al qu and Roger Turner.

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calendar of events

Please check www.murraydairy.com.au for updates or phone (03) 5833 5312.

February/March 2015 Quad Bike Operations (NCDEA) Mondays, February 2, 9 and 23 Calf Rearing (NCDEA) Numurkah — Tuesday and Wednesday, February 24 and 25 Cups On Cups Off – 2 Day (NCDEA) Kyabram — Tuesday and Wednesday, February 3 and 4 Shepparton — Thursday and Friday, February 5 and 6 Echuca — Thursday and Friday, February 26 and 27 Rochester — Wednesday and Thursday, February 10 and 11 Cohuna — Thursday and Friday, February 12 and 13 Annual Murray Dairy Business Forum (Murray Dairy) Moama — Wednesday, February 11 In Charge Fertility Workshops — 5 Day (DEPI) Kiewa — Tuesdays, February 3, 10, 17, 24 and March 3 Echuca — Thursdays, February 5, 12, 19, 26 and March 5 Nutrient Planning Day (Murray Dairy) Calivil — Tuesday, March 17 Nutrient Planning Day (Murray Dairy) Tongala — Wednesday, March 18

Nutrient Planning Day (Murray Dairy) Katunga — Thursday, March 19 Blighty Focus Farm Open Day (Murray Dairy) Blighty — Tuesday, April 28 Murray Dairy — www.murraydairy.com.au Phone: (03) 5833 5312 NCDEA — www.ncdeagotafe.vic.edu.au Phone: 1300 468 233 DEPI — www.depi.vic.gov.au Phone: 136 186

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