FARMtalk magazine - October 2021

OCTOBER 2021

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There’s a new rice variety impressing Riverina ricegrowers.

The V071 rice variety performed “excellently” in the 2020/2021 season for mixed cropping farmer Nick Morona.

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key feature of V071 is its cold-resistance, because it relies on daylight hours rather than warmth to establish and mature.

“It seemed to just grow through the cold period as if it was a normal warm year,” Mr Morona said.

The variety is often compared to similar medium grain type Reiziq, and reports on the first two years of V071’s performance indicate it outdoes the abilities of its competitor.

Results from the 2020 and 2021 commercial trials of V071, presented by the Yanco Agricultural Institute, showed it outperformed Reiziq’s yields, averaging much higher during the cold 2020-2021 season. It emphasised that regardless of durability, farmers should still aim to sow at the optimum time

of year. A compound fertiliser of phosphorous and zinc is also recommended for use when sowing.

“Sowing earlier or later than recommended increases the risk of exposure to low temperatures during microspore and flowering, which can reduce grain yield,” the report says.

V071 also has moderate resistance to lodging and is ranked moderately in grain shattering — an improvement on Reiziq.

For Mr Morona, V071 matured three weeks earlier — about the third week of April, compared to mid-May for his Reiziq crop.

“So at the end of its growth cycle, it was three weeks earlier maturing before harvesting than Reiziq,” he said.

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Information contained in this magazine is presented only after being carefully researched. However, there are differences in state and regional regulations and conditions. Farmers are asked to check with their own advisors. FARMtalk can assume no responsibility for the contents.

OCTOBER 2021

FARMtalk • 3 Mr Morona planted 20 hectares of the rice variety on October 25, 2020 and harvested in April ahead of all other crops at his farm.

He also harvested 380 hectares of Reiziq, Koshi and Sherpa in that year.

V071 also has “strong emergence and establishment vigour”, he said.

Mr Morona said V071 showed less ‘flaggy’ leaves, a beneficial component of a mature head of rice.

“Because it wasn’t flaggy it was very easy to harvest,” he said.

“We sod-sowed our crops with a disc machine, meaning you don’t plough your ground.

Lasering the paddock the summer before ensures that V071 produces even better results.

“We had a vetch crop in before which fixes quite a bit of nitrogen in the soil and saves us fertiliser.

“We set up a beautiful soft soil for it to be sown into.

“The V071 established well and grew quite well in that.”

At the end of the season, Mr Morona’s V071 crop has a yield of between 11 and 14 tonne per hectare.

He has been growing rice in the Riverina for 40 years, and he says V071 is one of the highestperforming seeds he has tried.

“That (yield result) is really high — as good as any variety I’ve ever grown, and it’s probably even exceeded it in some areas,” he said.

Based on the results he has seen to date, Mr Morona has committed to growing 200 hectares of V071 this year.

The yields have excited agronomists, and Mr Morona believes with some more testing in a variety of climates, including more temperate or hot years, V071 may take over from Reiziq as the premium medium-grain rice of choice.

This is the potential being investigated by SunRice for its Riverina-based contractors.

SunRice chairman Laurie Arthur said there was “particularly strong demand” from a number of growers for V071, which is in its final year of commercial trial.

The cold-tolerant, high yield potential, medium grain variety has so far proven popular with farmers, but SunRice’s official verdict is yet to be given.

“While V071 performed well as part of trials in the 2021 seasons, it will take a large-scale commercial trial to fully assess its ongoing suitability, which will occur in the 2022 season,” Mr Arthur said.

SunRice has confirmed 417,000 paddy tonnes of rice was harvested across its growing area in the 2021 crop year, harvested earlier this year.

And it said the uptake in fixed priced contracts before the October planting window points to an increase in crop year 2022.

“SunRice is now in the midst of processing and marketing the 2021 Riverina rice crop which we harvested earlier this year, and was close to 10 times larger than the extremely small production of 2020,” Mr Arthur said.

The company expects up to 450,000 tonnes would be processed this year.

“This has allowed us to ramp up production on our Riverina facilities, and enabled the company to be in the process of returning Australian branded rice products to our most premium markets around the world.”

The 2020 season suffered due to drought, the effect of COVID-19 on the economy, high water prices and low water availability — partially due to water reform.

In that year only 45,000 paddy tonnes of rice was harvested, which was less than the 54,000 paddy tonnes a year earlier.

Photos courtesy Rice Extension.

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OCTOBER 2021

4 • FARMtalk

Packed with flavour From its humble beginnings as a windbreak, Heather McLeod’s orchard has grown into a force of its own.

T

he organic fruit trees add something a little extra to the Finley dairy farm owned and operated by she and her husband Daryl — a fourth-generation dairy farmer.

The pair milk an average 180 head of cattle and supply the Australian Dairy Farmers Corporation with their certified organic produce.

The orchard was initially set up to feed the McLeods and their extended family, but Mrs McLeod saw an opportunity to value add.

“The dried oranges taste just like you’d imagine orange chips would taste.

They’re great to snack on and carry a big hit of flavour because they’ve been dehydrated.”

HEATHER MCLEOD

FINLEY, NSW

She came up with a plan on how to ensure the fruit produced could be enjoyed in a variety of ways.

And her dried fruit products have recently taken off, last month selling up to 30 bags in just a few hours and with sales ticking along nicely ever since.

The dried organic fruit can be enjoyed on its own, but Mrs McLeod prefers using the fruit as flavourings for drinks, particularly (though not exclusively) clear spirits such as gin.

“It just takes your drink to the next level, adding colour and a hit of flavour,” she said.

“But you can just eat the fruit as it comes too.

“For instance, the dried oranges taste just like you’d imagine orange chips would taste. They’re great to snack on and carry a big hit of flavour because they’ve been dehydrated.”

When placed in water, dried fruit will rehydrate.

This imbues the drink with subtle deliverance and a pop of colour.

Though the process is possible with any liquid, Mrs McLeod recommends a clear drink with subtle flairs — like water, soda or gin — for the best results.

“You’re not going to get the full benefits if you put it in a rum and coke,” she said.

“But then again, a touch of lemon or lime has never hurt a rum and coke in my experience.”

The fruit can also withstand multiple top ups, and could conceivably last as long as a dinner with the in-laws.

“The beauty is they hold their flavour, so you can just top up your drink without needing any extra fruit.”

The September batch of dried fruit packs took advantage of a plentiful citrus harvest on the McLeod’s farm this year.

“Fruits in this batch included a mix of blood oranges, navel oranges, lemons, limes and tangelos, and I added some juniper berries and coriander seeds.

SEPTEMBER 2021

FARMtalk • 5

“Fruits in this batch included a mix of blood oranges, navel oranges, lemons, limes and tangelos, and I added some juniper berries and coriander seeds.”

HEATHER MCLEOD

“Each pack weighs a minimum of 100 grams. “(When using in drinks) I pick three to four pieces of fruit and a few juniper and coriander seeds, and I usually get two full drinks from that.

“All the fruit is grown on the farm, by me, and our farm is organic certified.”

Mrs McLeod says her next goal will be to expand the range of fruit produced on the farm, in particular ‘bush tucker’ varieties.

This will include lilly pilly, in addition to finger limes, saltbush berries, and rye berries.

“If I have the plants in the ground soon, then they should be available in time for next year.

“Right now, I’m in phase one and I’d say it’s coming along pretty well.”

Whilst her first batch of dehydrated fruit this year sold out almost immediately, Mrs McLeod has assured interested patrons that more will be available in time for this Christmas.

“We should have our stone fruit, including cherries and apricots, in by Christmas, and around autumn we’ll start getting our citrus fruits in.”

So far Mrs McLeod’s customer base has been through social media platforms, and a page specifically designed to support local producers and makers impacted by drought conditions — One Day Closer to Rain (Drought) - Rural Cottage Crafts.

COVID-19 rules dependent, Mrs McLeod also hopes to offer her dried fruit range at regional farmers’ markets soon, including at Tocumwal, Yarrawonga and Deniliquin.

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hey were Queensland Fruit Flies bound for the first “drop” of the season at Cobram.

The sterile fruit flies will ‘breed’ with the wild fruit flies. Given they are unable to reproduce, the hope is the insect’s population will decline and thereby improve the region’s fruit harvest.

Ross Abberfield, from the Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Project, was there to oversee the flies boarding John Williams’ plane — the first time Echuca has been used as the take-off point for the three year-old program.

Shepparton was ruled out because of the COVID-19 outbreak in the community at the time.

The flies are bred in laboratory conditions at Port Augusta in South Australia before being transferred to Agriculture Victoria’s site at Tatura.

They were then transported in a van to the Echuca Aerodrome, to be released after the half hour flight to Cobram

“They are chilled off at Tatura before we load them into the van,” Mr Abberfield said.

“That way they are extremely docile and dopey before being transferred into a Tattslotto-style contraption, which sits in the plane and eventually releases them above Cobram.”

The mid-September drop was the first of the season, with the project receiving rave reviews from the fruitgrowing industry’s key players.

“Due to the increased humidity and the recent picker shortage, there has been a significant increase in the amount of fruit flies in south-eastern Australia,” Mr Abberfield said.

“The conditions have been perfect for the flies to breed and the numbers have also gone up across the Goulburn Murray Valley.

“Cobram is the exception, and this project is the reason why.”

Mr Abberfield said there had been a 75 per cent reduction in the amount of

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Fruit Flies: Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Project’s Ross Abberfield and Cobram and District Fruit Growers Association president Tony Siciliano discuss management techniques at the Boosey Fruit orchard.

OCTOBER 2021

FARMtalk • 7

How to identify Q-Fly:

Fruit Flies: Pilot John Williams and Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Project’s Ross Abberfield load the sterile fruit fly on to the place at Echuca.

fruit fly in Cobram, compared to the rest of the region.

“This is the third year of the Sterile Insect Technique trial. The flies are dispersed over the town on a designated grid, almost two square kilometres,” he said.

“The flies will breed in with the wild fruit flies and the fruit fly population will implode.”

For more information on Queensland Fruit Fly and the Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Project, go to https://gmv-qldfruitfly. com.au/.

Adult Queensland Fruit Fly are typically about 7mm long and are reddish-brown in colour, with distinct yellow markings.

Fruit fly are often not discovered until fruit is cut open and a visual inspection detects creamy – white maggots burrowing inside.

Other indicators of QFF activity include the detection of small puncture marks or stings on the skin of fruit. These marks are left from female fruit fly after the laying of eggs and prematurely ripen the fruit.

The QFF’s rapid breeding cycle can lead to significant population growth over a short period.

There are four stages in the QFF life cycle: egg, maggot (larva), pupa and adult fly.

Eggs: Female QFF puncture host fruit to lay eggs. Eggs are white in colour and banana-shaped. Eggs are generally not detected by gardeners.

Maggot (larva): It does not take long for a small maggot to emerge from each egg.

As the maggot feeds on the fruit, it grows in size. Maggots typically eat towards the centre of the fruit which promotes the rotting of the fruit, despite it appearing to be

unaffected from the outside. Once the maggot has finished growing, it will chew its way out of the fruit – which by this stage has usually fallen to the ground – and burrows into the soil.

Pupa: While burrowed into the soil, the maggot becomes inactive and changes into an oval, brown, hard pupa.

Adult fly: The adult QFF develops within the pupa and after hatching emerges from the ground. After feeding and mating, females search for suitable ripe fruit to deposit their eggs. The punctures or stings are very small and are not usually recognisable to the untrained eye.

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OCTOBER 2021

FARMtalk • 9

Befriend risk Befriend risk to make better decisions in uncertain times.

F

arming, by its very nature, is exposed to risk. It’s also very robust – otherwise, we wouldn’t have fourth and fifth-generation family farms. Previous generations endured the drought of the 1940s, wool and wheat quotas, and declining land process of the 50s and 60s. Grandpa farmed through the depression and World Wars One and Two. Great grandfather farmed through the late 19th century drought and the shearers’ strikes.

The last 50 years have involved farming through drought, flood and interest rates of 20 per cent.

New strains of stripe rust destroyed yield and left shrivelled grain; then the very next year saw downgraded low priced sprouted grain, the collapse of the wool market, the resurrection of the wool market and another mini-collapse.

Now in 2021, there are new risks and new worries as the pandemic has demonstrated. But typically, risks associated with production are top of mind not only here in Australia but across the globe. The International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA found that 66 per cent of global publication on risks in agriculture were on production risks.

Combining farm management economics and neuroscience demonstrates why making friends with risk is a good for business

Manage not minimise Farm management economist Professor Bill Malcolm of the University of Melbourne says: “Above average returns to capital are only possible if the capital is exposed to above average risk. Emphasis in farm management on risk and volatility as something to be minimized is misplaced.”

In other words, it makes economic sense to become familiar with risk and manage the consequences rather than to avoid altogether or focus only on minimising risk.

Befriend risk to manage bias Consider the case study of the risk of flooding in a low lying paddock on a property called ‘Damp Downs’.

‘Damp Downs’ lost considerable income to flood damage in one particular year. Since then,

flood damage is top of mind and influences every decision. Unknowingly, some opportunities are missed due to that fear of flood.

Analysis revealed that moderate flooding years are actually the most profitable years, despite that angst caused by flooding and severe losses in some fields. This surprised the owners because the story they’d told themselves was different.

Armed with that knowledge, floods now become the friend of ‘Damp Downs’, not the detested enemy. Some drainage work is planned in the paddock that gets flooded nine years out of 10 but there is less angst about the paddocks that only get flooded 1 in 20 years.

Risks are knowable but often feared The economic definition of risk is that the probability of occurrence is knowable. The good thing about risk is statistical techniques can be used to frame the odds. Even though production risk is largely quantifiable, it’s tempting not to go through that process because of fear.

Unpleasant memories from floods, droughts, a frost event or a grain marketing disaster create fear, and judgement becomes clouded. Fear invokes a fight or flight response from the brain.

One of the responses to fear is avoidance. So even though it makes sense to do the numbers, they don’t get done.

and knowing the probabilities, even though that information exists, the brain assumes we are dealing with uncertainty.

Take, for example, 2021 grain prices. When the risks are quantified and the brain understands that history says a price above $300/t is an historical high price, the reasoning and logic part of the brain is accessed.

Without that process, the fear can hijack the logical tactic that some analysis may reveal. Doing some numbers to quantity the risks can alleviate the fear and result in better decision making.

Risk taking is an essential part of money making. Risks are quantifiable. Facts and figures help access reasoning and logic. Befriending risk reduces fear and enables stronger decision making amidst uncertainty.

Uncertainty Uncertain future events have no known probabilities and this messes with the brain. When faced with uncertainty the brain invokes the fight or flight response and is less likely to draw on the reasoning and logical parts of the brain.

When fear and uncertainty are combined it’s very difficult to make sensible logical decisions based on reasoning. By not quantifying the risks,

Dr Kate Burke, author of Crops People Money and You: The Art of Excellent Farming and Better Returns, is an agri strategist, educator and speaker. Her book outlines a road map for sustainable profit taking and legacy making with less stress. Visit https://www.thinkagri.com. au/product/crops-people-money-you/

OCTOBER 2021

10 • FARMtalk

Subclover still the best irrigated pasture legume option

Irrigated pasture legume species: Spring production of Biserrula in the foreground and arrowleaf clover behind it.

Irrigated pasture legume species: A plot of subclover on the left competing with capeweed on the right.

NSW Government’s Covid-19 rules The NSW Government’s Covid-19 rules have been a nightmare for regional businesses and workers.

The rules are confusing and difficult to enforce.

It’s a frustrating time, but I’m doing my best to fight for you.

The NSW Government originally wanted every regional worker to be fully vaccinated by 11 October.

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P 03 5881 7034 • E murray@parliment.nsw.gov.au • 228 Cressy Street, Deniliquin NSW 2710

OCTOBER 2021

FARMtalk • 11

There are several irrigated pasture legume species that will produce as well or better than subclover in the short-term, but none seem to be better performers in the longer term.

M

urray Local Land Services is conducting pasture legume trials at several sites across the Murray Irrigation Limited footprint. These trials, now in their third year, are showing which species (and varieties within species) remain persistent and productive for the medium to long term.

Short term legume pastures Several species produce abundant quality feed in the first, and sometimes the second, year of production. Autumn production on red soil at Berrigan and on a grey clay at Noorong in the establishment year is shown in the following table.

Varieties with highest autumn growth Noorong (grey clay) Berrigan (red loam) Variety Biomass Relative Variety Biomass Relative (kg/ha) Production (kg/ha) Production Sava 2,740 100% Maral 2,467 100% snail medic Persian Antas sub 1,860 68% Prima gland 2,233 91% Seelu 1,360 50% Laser Persian 2,153 87% arrowleaf Laser 1,250 46% Sava 1,808 73% Persian snail medic Trikkala sub 1,180 43% Antas sub 1,601 65% Table 1: Highest autumn producing varieties in establishment year.

It appears that the Persian clovers (e.g. Shaftal) do best on loam soils. Laser Persian, for example, had about 40% less production on the heavy grey clay soil at Noorong compared to the loam soil at Berrigan. Snail medic however, performed better on the heavy clay, and had about 35% less autumn production on the loam.

By the third year of production however, most of these legumes did not produce thick pasture swards. The establishment numbers for the Berrigan site are indicated in the following table.

Variety Longhaul balansa Trikkala subclover Antas subclover Seelu arrowleaf Prima gland

Seedlings per square metre 1,107 957 324 240 27

Table 2: Seedling density counts Berrigan Apr 2021 (most of the other 10 varieties had too few seedlings to count).

Clovers normally require about 1,000 seedlings/m2 for optimum autumn production, though this number varies with species. Only Longhaul balansa and Trikkala subclover had adequate seedling densities in the third autumn of growth.

Subclover: Subclover is looking to be the best species for longer term (i.e. greater than two years) pastures, though it is still too early to confidently make this claim. It has certainly persisted well at sites that were well watered (i.e. several autumn and spring irrigations) and sites that were supplementary watered (usually one autumn irrigation only).

Subclover also handled broadleaf weeds, particularly capeweed, better than most other pasture legumes. This is probably due to its better tolerance of a wide range of selective broadleaf herbicides, including MCPA used as a spray-graze technique.

Spring grazing management is important to ensure adequate seed set of all clovers, including subclover. However, as subclover tends to bury its seed, it is less impacted by over-grazing in the spring than those that set their seed

aerially (such as Persian clovers, arrowleaf clover, gland clover and snail medic).

It is important however, to maintain at least 8-10cm of growth on sub once it commences flowering, especially in the establishment year. This assists seed set to ensure good re-establishment in subsequent years.

Antas subclover: Antas was the outstanding producer in the first and second year of the trials, on both heavy and lighter soils. However, in the third year it failed to adequately re-establish. Production in the third year was reasonable, even with the low plant stand, due to the strong vigour of the individual seedlings.

Production from Trikkala was significantly better than Antas in the third year.

The reason for the low seedling population in the third year is not clear. Antas does not bury its seed as well as other subclover varieties, which does mean it is more readily eaten by livestock, particularly sheep. Antas that is grazed by cattle does seem to re-establish better than that grazed by sheep. There is also some anecdotal evidence that if it is permitted to grow too prolifically in the spring (i.e. is not kept at a moderate height by grazing), it produces less seed. This will be investigated this coming spring.

Other pasture legumes worth considering Some pasture legumes have characteristics that make them suitable for specific tasks. Those of most interest from the MLLS trials are: Lucerne: Lucerne was the only perennial pasture legume to be included at all trial sites. Its production was negligible in the autumn it was sown, and only moderate in the first spring. However, it proved to be very valuable in the subsequent years.

At Noorong for instance, lucerne gave the highest autumn production in the second year. As autumn is the main feed gap period on Murray Valley mixed farms, this is quite significant. Lucerne also gave the highest annual production at this site (which is well irrigated). This result was achieved on a heavy grey clay which is usually not considered to be a suitable soil type. Lucerne also performed well at the sites that were infrequently irrigated, such as the Caldwell site.

Including a small amount of lucerne in an annual pasture mix should be considered. It will respond quickly to autumn irrigations and will help compete with weeds, such as heliotrope, after summer rain events.

Arrowleaf clover: Arrowleaf was the standout variety for spring production, which makes it an ideal candidate for quality hay production. Purple clover also had good spring production, but its feed quality is known to decline in late spring.

Also, although arrowleaf had inconsistent (or variable) regeneration in subsequent years, it was substantially superior to purple clover.

Persian clover: The trials verified the well accepted fact that Persian clovers, such as Shaftal, have good autumn and spring production in the year they are sown. Most Persian clovers do not regenerate well in subsequent years but are a good way to increase production in the establishment year.

Snail medic: The best autumn production in the establishment year, especially on grey clay soils, was achieved by snail medic. It will persist beyond the first year but only if it is very conservatively grazed the first year. It does not recover from overgrazing.

This project is supported by Murray Local Land Services through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

John Fowler is senior lands services officer – extension agronomist with Murray Local Land Services.

OCTOBER 2021

12 • FARMtalk

Add a little

speckle

Speckle Park calves weighing in.

The Comb family has bred sheep on the rugged terrain at ‘Keiross’ north of Hay, near Oxley, for four generations.

I

n that time, the different generations have also dabbled in other farming pursuits, including the odd herd of Hereford cattle. But five years ago, Doug Comb saw a new opportunity in beef that he just had to explore. With the support of his wife Leanne and daughter Dim, the Comb family farm became home to a Speckle Park cattle stud.

Finding the new pursuit both enjoyable and profitable, the family has invested heavily to enable the production of pure bred Speckle Park cattle of the highest quality. And their embryo transfer program is also so successful, they are left with excess embryos for their own use or to sell to other breeders.

“Dad developed an interest in the Speckle Park industry and purchased a number of quality females and bulls from reputable studs, including Wattle Grove Speckle Park at Oberon and Three Ways Speckle Park at Nundle,” Dim said.

“Both studs had been into Speckle Park for a while and had good names.

“In 2017, Dad purchased NGL M27 — a female Speckle Park heifer — at Scone for $32,000. She was the highest priced Speckle Park female for an extended time.

“He did not want to start with average cattle and build from there. He wanted to start with the best, and so that’s what he did.

“Dad has always said if you buy quality you should breed quality, so that’s what our objective has been from the beginning.”

DIM COMB

“Dad has always said if you buy quality you should breed quality, so that’s what our objective has been from the beginning.

“More recently we bought in a new heifer to bring some new blood in to the stud. She has pretty exclusive breeding — Ewyn 23E Sassafras — and is among the first Sassafras sold in Australia.”

The Combs’ initially started with crosses, mainly Speckle Park and Angus, but it did not take long for them to realise pure bred Speckle Park was the way to go. That’s also when the embryo transfer program began.

“After NGL M27 Dad purchased a number of other handy females and also embryos by Canadian cattle, and we began flushing our own cows and doing embryo transfer programs.

“ET vet Udo Mahne is a key part of our success in doing that. He is based in the New England region of New South Wales but has committed to helping us at the stud, and he is great.

“He has his own laboratory in one of our old shearing sheds here.

“The first couple of years saw us calf down between 20 and 30 calves each year. We registered them and they were sold through a number of Speckle Park sales.

“Some bulls were sold commercially to farmers nearby and further away.

“Last year we did four ET programs and have calved down about 85 purebred Speckle Park animals that are registered and will be sold as studs and for commercial use.

“We’re just about to do our fourth ET program with Udo this year, and we hope to have about 80 calves next year.

“We still purchase some embryos in, however now we produce a lot of our own which we are selling. We use exclusive genetics such as Ewyn 23E Sassafras R12 and Spots n Sprouts Stands Alone.

“We have about 12 key female breeders that we have in flush programs.

“We will artificially inseminate them, which forms the embryos that we put into Angus and other recipient cows to carry for the nine months.

HAY, NSW COBRAM, VIC “Our last flush was fantastic. We flushed seven donors and got at least 95 embryos, which averages more than 13 each and, according to Udo, is pretty impressive.”

Founded in Canada, Speckle Park cattle have taken Australasia’s beef industry by storm. Speckle Park International says it is the fastest growing beef breed in Australasia, and is desired globally.

The breed has been proven to suit a variety of climates, markets, and production systems.

Dim said at ‘Keiross’, the aim is to breed animals that can withstand the hot dry summers of the Riverina region. Cattle that can cope with the vast farming regions is also important.

“We need to breed them robust, because our climate is so hot compared to Canada where the breed originates,” she said.

“In our cattle we aim to hit the market for stud cattle, and also sell good commercial bulls that put some colour appeal and meat value into herds.

“Our objectives are to breed quality Speckle Park cattle that have longevity.

“We value cattle that have structural soundness and thickness, but also stand well on their feet in our part of the world where they travel further.

“We also value temperament and aim to breed cattle that are enjoyable to handle and work.

“Our hope is to provide people in our area and more remote bulls that withstand the climate here, yet still perform to their optimum.

“We have sold bulls in the Riverina, and in Mudgee, north of White Cliffs, down into Victoria and around Bathurst”.

It was the appearance of the Speckle Park cattle that first caught Doug’s eye. They have four main colour patterns — white with black points; leopard, which has slightly more speckle; speckle, which is a mix of black and white and most common; or pure black. Subsequent research sold Doug — a former butcher who appreciates the meat quality of livestock — on the breed.

“Speckle Park cattle are a breed of their own however originated from a number of other breeds,” he said.

“They are appealing to look at, however are well known for their carcass and ability to yield well as beef cattle.

“They have won carcass completions and are earning a place in the beef industry.”

And if they are not already busy enough with the Speckle Park stud, the Comb family still run about 7000 breeding Merinos, lambing down Merinos and Border Leister cross, and run a White Suffolk sheep stud. And more recently, Doug became a honey producer as well.

“A few years ago Dad bought a hive, and we now have more than six.

“We harvested some great honey last year, under our label Honey Comb, and it was sold out of a cafe in Hay. “It’s just a bit of a hobby really, but bees are fascinating and good for the environment and pollination.”

OCTOBER 2021

FARMtalk • 13

Recipient cows and pure bred Speckle Park calves.

Embryo transfer vet Udo Mahne in his makeshift lab at ‘Keiross’.

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OCTOBER 2021

Do you want flies with that?

FARMtalk • 15

Warmer days and the prediction of above average rainfall for spring means it’s time to lookout for flystrike and be thinking about flystrike prevention.

F

lies can cause significant impact in our sheep flocks, causing mortality and loss of production, particularly with breech strike and body strike. The Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, causes more than 90% of all flystrike in Australian flocks.

Maggots that dropped into the soil during autumn have been in the pre-pupa stage in the soil over winter. They have pupated and emerged as immature flies in the first few weeks of spring as the soil temperature increases above 15 degrees Celsius. By now these flies will have likely matured to adult flies and will have potentially started laying eggs on susceptible sheep, continuing the lifecycle and increasing fly numbers.

Susceptibility of sheep to flystrike is determined primarily by fleece moisture.

Moist wool can develop fleece rot and/or lumpy wool which attracts blowflies.

Urine or faecal stained wool, skin wounds, tissue damage such as footrot, weeping eyes and sweat around the base of the horns of rams also can cause moisture, making sheep susceptible to flystrike. The potential of a wetter than average spring in our area increases the risk of moisture in the fleece, and subsequently flystrike.

So, what should you do if you find a struck sheep?

Any sheep showing pulled or discoloured wool should be examined. Once identified the struck area should be clipped with wide margins, allowing the skin to dry out and expose maggot trails. The wool and maggots should then be placed in a black plastic bag and left in the sun to ensure the maggots are killed. The struck area should be dressed thoroughly with an appropriate registered chemical, preventing the area from being restruck as the wound heals.

So, what can you do to prevent flystrike in your flock?

There are a range of insecticides available which you can use for the prevention and treatment of flystrike in your flock. Rotation of the use of chemicals is important in reducing resistance in the sheep blowfly. To date, there has been some to high resistance reported in the sheep blowfly reported in products containing dicyclanil, cyromazine and diazinon. To reduce the risk of resistance developing,

you should not reapply the same chemical class for flystrike dressings, flystrike prevention as well as lice treatments within a single wool cycle.

While chemical application is an important tool in the management of flystrike in your flock, it is important to use it strategically in conjunction with breeding and other management tools such as shearing, crutching and/or breech modification to further reduce the risk of flystrike in your flock.

Flystrike can be highly repeatable, meaning that a sheep that becomes struck will likely be struck again in the future. If you have ongoing issues with flystrike, you should consider culling for strike, high wrinkle and/or fleece rot scores as part of a wider genetic selection strategy for long term prevention of flystrike in your flock.

Shearing or crutching is also a valuable tool in the management of flystrike prevention as it can provide up to six weeks protection for strike. As daggy sheep attract flies, it is also important to incorporate good worm control into management strategies to minimise dags and reduce the risk of flystrike.

When implementing shearing/crutching or chemical prevention strategies it is important to note that you should ideally undertake these strategies before soil temperatures increase and the first fly wave occurs. This will help keep fly numbers down for the rest of the season.

FlyBoss.com.au is a useful resource for all things flies and your flock. They have developed some specific tools which you can use to assess the effectiveness of a particular chemical application in reducing the risk within your flock. You can also use the tools to compare different management scenarios to optimise chemical treatments and it provides you with information on breeding to reduce the susceptibility of your flock. It is a valuable resource to have when developing your long-term strategic fly management plan for your property.

For more information regarding flystrike in your flock, you can also contact your District Vet by calling 1300 795 299 or drop into a nearby Local Land Services office.

Katelyn Braine (pictured) is a district veterinarian with Murray Local Land Services.

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OCTOBER 2021

FARMtalk • 17

R

ed legged earth mites (RLEM) (Halotydeus destructor) are significant pests of grain crops and pasture across NSW. Whilst autumn and winter are typically the times when we can see significant damage from infestations, we can still see significant numbers (and resulting damage) as we move through spring.

Warm (not hot) and moist conditions, which many are experiencing this spring, are ideal conditions for RLEM. In pastures for example where we are trying to maximise spring growth and seedset, RLEM activity can have serious impacts.

Ongoing monitoring, coupled with targeted action will help keep numbers in check, minimise impacts on crops and pastures, and importantly help to reduce egg laying so helping to reduce numbers next autumn.

What do RLEM look like?

The majority of producers will have seen RLEM in their paddocks. They are part of the mites (Acarina) family, which because of their extensive habitat and small visual size, can be difficult to identify.

Like other mites in the family, RLEM have a nymph and adult life cycle stage. They have initially 6 pinkish/orange shaded legs. They undergo three nymphal stages to reach adulthood and a full body length of 1 millimetre, which is oval shaped and velvety black in colour. During the nymphal stages they gain two more legs to have 8 distinctive red legs by maturity.

The most important distinguishing characteristic of RLEM is that they generally tend to feed in groups or clusters.

When looking for RLEM, look at the leaves of the plant first, and if mites cannot be spotted, observe the soil surface as RLEMs will often be sheltering in leaf sheaths and under soil debris when conditions are warmer. Observing the same few plants or patch of ground for 10-15 seconds should be enough time to spot mites moving around if they are present.

What are the signs of damage?

What are the control options?

Most damage is done to crops and pastures

by RLEM at establishment, which reduces the seedling development and long-term survival.

Monitoring for RLEM should occur regularly in crops three weeks after emergence. However, in spring, pastures can also be susceptible, particularly legumes.

Seed set can be impacted by heavy feeding damage if RLEM threshold control levels are not kept to a minimal level. RLEM affect a large variety of crops including canola, cereals (wheat, barley, oats), lupins, faba beans, field peas, sunflowers, lucerne, vetch, some grasses and pasture legumes.

Many weed species such as Capeweed and Paterson’s Curse are hosts for RLEM. The most noticeable features of RLEM in-crop damage is caused by their feeding and is seen as silvering or a white discolouration of leaves. The “silvering” is often mistaken for frost damage as shown in Figure 2. Where infestations are severe, plant leaf distortion and shrivelling or death of young seedlings will also occur.

The key is to get out in your paddocks and look. The best times to check for mites are in the mornings, when mites are feeding on leaves, and on overcast days. As the day warms up, the mites take shelter in the leaf sheaths of plants and in organic debris.

To help manage resistance issues of mites to some pyrethroid chemical options, producers and their advisors should use thresholds to assist with decisions around control actions and types of chemicals.

It is important to note that some crops including wheat and canola have shown, under some circumstances, to have the ability to compensate for crop damage from RLEM. Therefore, working to threshold’s becomes important before using an insecticide or miticide, and your choice of varieties is also important if you have a known paddock history of RLEM problems.

There are a range of chemical, biological and management control options.

Figure 2: Typical leaf damage “silvering” caused

by RLEM. Source: Micic, S. DPIRD 2015.

Figure 1: Red Legged Earth Mites (RLEM) Source: A Weeks – CESAR, Umina, P, Agriculture VIC, 2017.

Long-term control strategies Knowing the lifecycle of the RLEM can help to exploit its weaknesses. This gives producers control options and time from careful monitoring for early intervention to minimise the mite damage.

A long-term control strategy is to use the Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) Timerite® system developed by CSIRO. Timerite® provides the optimum spray date in spring for your property. This date is unique for each location and remains constant from year to year.

Using the Timerite® spray date will remove females before they produce their eggs, significantly reducing the number of mites hatching next autumn. Producers simply need to access the website - www.wool.com/land/timerite/ calculatedate/ - enter the precise location of your paddock(s) (Latitudes and Longitudes) into the Timerite® calculator, and ideal spray dates will be provided.

As we move into the late spring, right across the majority of the Murray LLS region, producers should now be using the Timerite® advice to select the ideal time to spray pastures (particularly).

If you have any concerns please speak to your local advisor, agronomist or members of the Agriculture team at Murray LLS. Alternatively, the GRDC has an excellent publication which producers should familiarise themselves with around managing RLEM - https://grdc. com.au/_ _ data/assets/pdf _ f ile/0020/391124/ RedleggedEarthMite_210X148_10.pdf

Adrian Smith (pictured) is senior lands services officer — mixed farming with Murray Local Land Services.

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OCTOBER 2021

FARMtalk • 19

Be Fire Danger aware The Bush Fire Danger Period started in some areas on October 1, and will be introduced in others from November 1.

N

SW Rural Fire Service Mid Murray Inspector Doug Adamson said any person wishing to light a fire will require a permit in their respective areas from these dates.

“Anybody wishing to light a fire on their property during the Bush Fire Danger Period will require a permit from their local brigade or Fire Control Centre,” Insp Adamson said.

“People burning with a fire permit must comply with standard permit conditions.

“However, even with a permit you need to check whether a Total Fire Ban is in force before lighting any fires.”

Permit conditions include: • Notifying your neighbours at least 24 hours prior to burning;

•

Notifying the RFS via the NOTIFY portal on the RFS Website — www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/ notify — 24 hours prior to burning;

•

Notifying your local brigade captain on each day you burn;

•

Installing fire breaks around the area to be burnt;

•

Firefighting equipment in working order on site;

•

A responsible person must be in attendance while the fire is alight; and

•

Only grass and stubble to be burnt, no timber to be burnt.

Make a survival plan L

ast bush fire season taught us some terrifying lessons about the importance of being prepared and having a plan.

You can make your plan online in as little as five minutes at www.myfireplan.com.au.

Or you can sit down with your family and discuss what you will do using our guide to making a bush fire survival plan.

There are four simple steps to get ready for a bush fire: Step 1: Discuss what to do if a bush fire threatens your home.

Many households find that having a discussion over dinner works best as everybody is together and focused. Get the discussion guide at https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf _ file/0015/36600/Plan-Step1-Discuss.pdf.

Step 2: Prepare your home and get it ready for bush fire season.

There are simple things you can do around your home to prepare it for a bush fire, like keeping the grass low and having a cleared area around your home. Get your checklist at https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/ pdf _ file/0005/36599/Plan-Step2-Prepare.pdf.

Step 3: Know the bush fire alert levels.

If there is a fire in your area you will find its alert level on the NSW RFS website and in the ‘Fires Near Me’ app.

You need to keep track of the alert level so you know what you should do.

Step 4: Keep all the bush fire information numbers, websites and the smartphone app.

In a bush fire, it’s important that you stay up to date on conditions in your area.

The NSW RFS encourages all residents to have a Bush Fire Survival Plan, so all members of their household know what to do on days of increased fire danger, and if their home is threatened by fire.

Residents should also continue with their hazard reduction activities.

“We have all seen the devastation that bush fires can bring to a community, so I strongly advise residents to contact their local brigades and use their expertise to assist in carrying out safe hazard reductions,” Insp Adamson said.

“Never leave a fire unattended and if a fire does escape, it is essential to call Triple Zero (000) immediately so that emergency services can respond accordingly and minimise the damage.”

For more information contact your local Fire Control Centre or visit www.rfs.nsw.gov.au.

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OCTOBER 2021

FARMtalk • 21

Reach out for help Steve Matthews is a sheep and cropping farmer from Lockhart. Like many in regional NSW, Mr Matthews’ business struggled during the Millennium drought.

“

It got really bad in 2007.

“And that’s when Riverina Bluebell was thought up,” he said.

While not part of the formation of the mental health organisation, Mr Matthews said it was created by people just like him — those struggling to cope financially and mentally with the toll of the drought.

“I’ve been through my own issues. I had a breakdown in the Millennium drought and went through a hospitalisation for three months and a 10 year recovery,” he said.

“With the right treatment, my life’s back to normal,” he said.

Based in Wagga Wagga, Riverina Bluebell is a not-for-profit organisation seeking to increase access and decrease stigma around mental health throughout the Riverina.

The door is open to “anyone who needs it” according to Matthews, who is now chair of the organisation and one of its primary event speakers.

As an awareness focused organisation, Riverina Bluebell volunteers attend community events such as local football and netball games or hold speaking events at community spaces, to let everybody know that help is out there for them when they are ready.

However, a major aspect of the work they do is reaching out to farmers who are struggling to voice their own struggles.

“I try to get people to identify with me and if you can do that then they realise they can get something, they can get help and they can speak to people.”

“There’s no shame in it.”

He said the most difficult group to reach can be young men.

“Men are the worst with speaking up, particularly young men.

“The younger guys up to 45 (years old), they pretend they’re bullet proof, and underneath they’re not, of course.

“That’s their downfall in a lot of cases because they’re not 10 feet tall and bullet proof anymore.

“They’re actually realising ‘I’m quite vulnerable’ and that’s a big step for a young fella to make,” Mr Matthews said.

While the rate of mental health issues is on average just slightly higher in regional and remote areas than in cities, the former population face a diverse range of issues which might impact their mental health, along with higher geographic or telecommunications difficulties in accessing healthcare and counselling.

Riverina Bluebell, while not a referral service, often partners with organisations which can refer people to help.

“We’re an awareness group, we just like to open the door,” Mr Matthews said.

“Really we’re the start of the process, we’re not the process itself.”

But he said with the growing awareness of the realities of mental illness, people are more willing to reach out for help than they used to be.

Riverina Bluebell works to be a visible and relatable signpost in communities which have identified there may be a growing mental health problem.

“You’ve got to prompt them to take the matter into their own hands and put the work in and make the effort to get help,” Mr Matthews said.

He’s spoken to groups as small as three and as large as 350, sometimes addressing up to 800 people in a week.

But the pandemic has slowed the ability for Riverina Bluebell to be mobile and for community groups to hold events which the organisation might usually speak at.

“We all go through our dark times. It’s a matter of getting help and persisting and usually it will come good.”

STEVE MATTHEWS

It’s this time of isolation and distance where many have struggled with mental health, and Riverina Bluebell is keen to get back in touch with communities when safe.

Since the regional lockdown lifted, Mr Matthews has spoken at Berrigan and Finley and he says the experience has been positive to return to the work.

“If I get up there and speak to 100 people and one gets help, that’ll be enough for me — one per cent is a success,” he said.

“We all go through our dark times. It’s a matter of getting help and persisting and usually it will come good.”

October is Mental Health Month. For more information about Riverina Bluebell, and how it can help increase mental health awareness in your community, email committee@riverinabluebell. org.au or visit https://www.riverinabluebell. org.au/.

■ Anyone requiring crisis support can contact MensLine on 1300 789 978, Accessline on 1800 800 944, Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14, BeyondBlue on 1300 224 636 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.

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Spring reads under $40 Sold Down the River Scott Hamilton and Stuart Kells Scott Hamilton and Stuart Kells, both experts in public policy, have interviewed irrigators, farmers, Traditional Custodians and water traders to tell this disasterous story. In doing so they bring light how we have failed to protect our most precious natural resource.

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OCTOBER 2021

FARMtalk • 23

Funding for ag shows A

n additional $25 million in additional Federal Government funding has been allocated for agricultural shows and field days cancelled by COVID. Agricultural Societies Council of NSW president Tim Capp said the funding support will provide the predominately volunteer-based show societies a “much-needed lifeline”, ensuring consideration and planning for an ag show in 2022 can begin.

“Ag shows are an iconic event providing community connections and wellbeing as well as encouraging agricultural education through competitions and benchmarking of agricultural pursuits and produce,” he said.

The funding follows the cancellation of more than 700 show and field day events across Australia over the last two years, which has seen many shows hit by significant financial losses.

The Supporting Showmen and Women program has been extended to provide an additional $4 million and will run to June 30 2022.

Further information can be found online at www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/infrastructure/supporting-ag-shows

T

wo insiders expose the shocking and shameful betrayal of Australia’s regional heartland so international bankers and traders could make a quick buck.

The Murray-Darling Basin is Australia’s greatest environmental asset. The story of water in Australia is written into its ancient rivers, creeks and wetlands. It’s home to more than forty Indigenous nations, and it covers an area bigger than France. It is the beating heart of our regions and sustains 40 per cent of our food production.

In 2012 Australia signed up to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, a scheme designed to create a market for its water and to safeguard the environment.

But the Plan has gone horribly wrong. It has sold our farmers and rural communities down the river. It has contributed to appalling environmental damage on the planet’s driest inhabited continent. It has allowed a ruthless market to form, exploited by traders who buy and sell water as if it was a currency like Bitcoin.

Scott Hamilton and Stuart Kells, both experts in public policy, have interviewed irrigators, farmers, Traditional Custodians and water traders to tell this disastrous story. Their compelling expose brings to light how we have failed to protect our most precious natural resource.

You can’t understand Australia without understanding water. Sold Down the River is compulsory reading for all of us.

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1,950each

Premium 60x30 Rail

• 2100 Wide x 1650 High • Galvanised • 5 Rail 60 x 30 Oval Rail

100each

$

Adjustable Sheep Loading Ramp • Fully Galvanised • 3.15m Long x 600m Wide (Internal) • Walkway & Handrail • Fully Sheeted Sides

• 2100 Wide x 1800 High • Galvanised • 6 Rail 60 x 30 Oval Rail

120each

$

3-Way Adjustable Sheep Race

2,015each

• 5ft x 9ft • To Suit 8ft x 4ft Square Bales • Heavy Duty. Made from 33OD Pipe & Sheeted • Fully Galvanised

$

Round Bale Feeder

665each

I-STAY 10 Foot ..................$115.00 12 Foot .................$122.00 14 Foot .................$145.00 16 Foot .................$153.00

$

C & Z Purlins

145each

$

Budget Sheep Panels

• 2100 Wide x 1800 High • Galvanised • 5 Rail 115 x 42 Oval Rail

170each

$

Heavy Duty Sheep Panels

Pic for illustration purposes only

115each

$

• 1100 x 2900 • 60 x 30 Rail • 6 Rail • With Pins

Round Bale Cradle Feeder N-STAY 10 Foot .................$129.00 12 Foot .................$143.00 14 Foot .................$159.00 16 Foot ................ $180.00

165each

$

NEW

Crazy Price

Farm Gates

• 5ft Diameter • To suit Round Bale • Heavy Duty Made from 33OD Pipe Sheeted • Fully Galvanised

$

• 2100 Wide x 1800 High • Galvanised • 6 Rail 80 x 40 Oval Rail

300mm x 8m

Bull Panel 115x42 Rail

• 2900 Long 1150 High • 7 Rail 250D Galvanised • With Pins

2,090each

$

$

Premium Heavy 80x40 Rail

• Adjustable Sides • Fully Galvanised • Australian Made

Square Bale Feeder

2,300each

$

2,660

$

2,490each

$

• 4m x 2m • Engineered 20T per axle • Heavy Duty Construction

$

Budget Cattle/Horse Panels

Crazy Price

$

Square Bale Cradle Feeder • Fully Galvanised • Australian Made

• Fully Galvanised • Heavy Duty Construction • Australian Made • Suits Round Bales

495each

710each

$

Top Hats

140each

$

• Heavy Duty Construction • Suits Big Square Bales

710each

$

Roofing Iron ALUZINC CORRUGATED STOCK LENGTHS

C/Z100 - 15 $8.40 L/M C/Z150 - 15 $11.60 L/M C/Z200 - 15 $14.70 L/M Ordered cut to Length and Punched, No extra cost or we keep Standard Lengths of C-Purlin in Stock at 6.1m, 7.62m, 9.14m

40mm x .48 - 7.5m 50mm x .75 - 7.5m 64mm x .75 - 7.5m 75mm x .75 - 7.5m 96mm x .75 - 7.5m 120mm x .75 - 7.5m

$17.50 $33.00 $39.00 $42.00 $48.00 $66.00

Stock Lengths as Listed or Order cut to your Length

2440m (8 foot) $23.20 ea 3050m (10 foot) $29.50 ea 3660m (12 foot $35.50 ea 4270m (14 foot) $41.40 ea 4880m (16 foot) $47.25 ea 5500m (18 foot) $53.25 ea 6400m (21 foot) $61.95 ea

7620m (25 foot) $73.80 ea COLORBOND $16.50 L/M Ordered cut to Length in your colour ZINCALUME $11.95 L/M Ordered Cut to Length

Cnr Wakool Road & Kelly Street

DENILIQUIN

Ph: (03) 5881 5541 Mobile: 0427 203 334 Fax: (03) 5881 6146