Southern Farmer

Page 1

South Central and West Gippsland

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JERSEY HERD LEADS THE WAY

BUXTON SNAILS GAIN PACE

PAGES 4 - 5

486 Whitehorse Road, Surrey Hills, 3127

WINTER WARMTH & HEATING

PAGES 8 - 9

PAGES 16 - 17

Hope follows rain By DAVID PALMER

at Warragul’s Farm World expo last month for their annual sale. Using the Helmsman auction method, potential buyers submitted their bids over the first three days of the event. Rodwells’ Tony Hodges (left) from Pakenham, Lynford Park Blonde d�Aquitaines’ Ron Radford from Callignee and Rahnik Blondes’ Rudi Spiteri, Nagambie, lined up stock for the event. More Farm World photographs pages 6 and 7.

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farmed a 460ha property at Mount Wallace between Ballan and Geelong - with annual rainfall of 600mm - also welcomed the rain as it closely followed the weaning of their 180 six-month-old calves at the beginning of April. But they kept the calves in a weaning pen at the cattle yards for a week and fed them hay before releasing them on wellgrown winter-active lucerne. They had also luckily sown 28ha of annual ryegrass just before the rain and plan to sow oats for grazing and grain. But the steady rain of the autumn break was not fortuitous for the Passing Clouds winery at Musk, near Daylesford. Winery partner Cameron Leith Cameron said that grapes were not quite ripe when the rain arrived and picking would have started during the week-long rain if it had been dry enough. The end result was that sugar content and avor suffered “and we started to see a bit of mouldâ€?. However, it was too late to spray a fungicide and they had to live with the damaged grapes. Passing Clouds also has a vineyard of its own and buys grapes from others near Kingower north west of Bendigo. „ Continued page 2

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BLONDE INVASION: Blonde d’Aquitaine stud cattle breeders took over the yards again

LIGHT rainfall of up to 85 millimetres across three days in April marked for most farmers in the Southern Farmer region and much of southeastern Australia the best autumn break since 1974. It came at least a week ahead of the usual Anzac Day start to the winter crop-sowing season, enabling seeding into still-warm soil. The rain brought signiďŹ cant relief to father-and-son team Duncan and Tom McDonnell and their families. Their 2500-hectare farm at Darraweit Guim was almost totally burned in the MicklehamKilmore ďŹ re last February. As reported in this newspaper in March, they estimated that about 10,000 of their sheep had died in the ďŹ re and its aftermath. But fortunately they managed to save more than 4000. Tom McDonnell said the good autumn break was welcome although towards the end of last month he was employing Mansfield-based helicopter pilot Dave Empy and his sprayer-equipped machine to kill recently-germinated weeds on very steep parts of their farm.

With some difďŹ culty the McDonnells have managed to acquire about 4500 Merinos producing 19-micron wool to restock. But Mr McDonnell said that they were not interested in small lines of 300 and 400 ewes and had concentrated on clearing sales to buy big lines – one lot totalled 1800 head – in western Queensland and Western Australia. Freight alone from WA amounted to between $25 and $30 a head. He said that even with lighter stocking since the autumn break he had run the sheep feedlotstyle on hay to ensure that pastures become well-established before they are grazed. Mr McDonnell said subclover was the main pasture species in the 720-millimetre rainfall area as white clover was too susceptible to summer heat to survive for long. Lack of fencing has been a problem to properly managing the property, too. Initially the McDonnells thought that they would have to replace about 70 kilometres of fencing but that has since reduced to 40 or 50km. Maureen and John Fish, who for the last 30 years have

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Page 2, Southern Farmer

Potential farmers ‘locavore’ targets

Succession key focus RI /DQFH¿ HOG SURJUDP THE pressing issue of farm succession will be a key focus of this year’s Rabobank farm managers program next month at Lancefield. The program – designed to strengthen the operational and strategic skills of tomorrow’s farm leaders – will cover succession planning for farm businesses, along with a range of topics including leadership, business planning and financial and economic management. Now in its ninth year and modelled on a highlyrespected executive development program, the program is open to progressive young farmers Continued page 23

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Level 1, Suite 103, 486 Whitehorse Road, Surrey Hills, North VIC 3127 Phone (03) 9888 4822 Fax (03) 9888 4840 Email: sfarmer@nenews.com.au

Managing Editor

Hartley Higgins

Journalist

David Palmer

Advertising Manager

Rod Berryman

Livestock Co-ordinator

David Rizzoli

Accounts/Distribution

Cathy Johnson

COLLINGWOOD’S Field Institute, 15-25 Keele Street, will stage a workshop aimed at potential farmers on May 6. Keynote speaker Tammi Jonas (Jonai Farms) will discuss her transition from city dweller to fair food farmer. Jonai Farms is pioneering the relocalisation of its food supply chain with the set up of an onfarm butchery. Tammi will be joined by Paul Miragliotta, coordinator of Farm Incubator, a not for profit organisation, that provides pathways for new farmers to access land through disruptive and innovative models. A delicious seasonal supper of local produce will be provided. More information: stock@ locavored.com. LEONGATHA will be the venue for five In Charge Fertility Workshops, a new, comprehensive DEPI program focused on improving all key areas affecting cow reproductive performance. It will include free tools and resources, including technical manuals, farm plans and expert independent advice. The workshops will run over five Thursdays from May 8 in Leongatha. A similar series will run in Maffra over five Fridays

The Southern Farmer is published by Hartley Higgins for Reliance Press, a division of North East Newspapers Pty Ltd ACN 006 238 277 and is printed at 37 Rowan Street, Wangaratta, 3677.

© 2012

May, 2014

Print Post PP 3259990028

The Southern Farmer takes all care in compiling specification, prices and details but cannot accept responsibility for any errors. All prices are correct at time of printing and are subject to change without notice. No material, artwork or photos may be reproduced without the written permission of the publishers. Letters to the editor may be shortened because of space considerations. Every effort is made to preserve the context of letters.

A RELIANCE PRESS PUBLICATION

Covering Central South Victoria and West Gippsland

between 10:30 am and 2:30 pm (with lunch provided) starting on May 9. Numbers are limited to 15 at each centre so bookings are essential. More information: Claire Harris, DEPI Leongatha, 0448 335 479, claire.harris@depi.vic. gov.au. BUNDOORA’S AgriBio and the GRDC will host a fee-free national symposium on May 15 to explore the role of biology in plant nutrient supply, how suppressive soils function and monitoring of soil quality with new tools and technologies. Grower input will be sought into how this new information can be tailored and delivered to meet regional needs. The GRDC’s Soil Biology Initiative co-ordinator and DEPI employee Prof Pauline Mele, says the research program comprising 17 projects across the northern, southern and western cropping regions has produced some important insights that will inform growers’ future practices. More information: www. depi.vic.gov.au. GIPPSLAND students will embark on a six-day Discover Agriculture tour of Gippsland from Sunday, May 18 to Friday, May 23. A total of 21 places were

available and the cost is $330 per student. The program is available to students in years nine to 12 in 2014 from anywhere in Victoria. More information: Roger Tyshing, rogert@ruralskills. com.au. MELBOURNE showgrounds will host the 2014 Victorian Agriculture Conference & Expo on June 12 and 13. More information: Tom Whitty, VFF, (03) 9207 5543, twhitty@vff.org.au. CAIRNS will be the meeting place for the 2014 national AUSVEG convention, trade show and awards for excellence event from June 19 to 21. Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce and executive chairman of Visy Anthony Pratt will be keynote speakers. More information: Lauren Winterbottom, (03) 9882 0277, Lauren.winterbottom@ausveg. com.au. BENDIGO will again be the venue for the annual Bestwool/ Bestlamb conference. The conference dinner will be held on the evening of Tuesday, June 24, with a full day of conference proceedings the following day on Wednesday, June 25. The conference will be held at the Prince of Wales Showground in Bendigo.

2ULJLQ ODEHOV QHHG PXVFOH FRESH reports that nearly 20 per cent of China’s agricultural land is contaminated with toxic heavy metals, have further highlighted the need for strengthened country of origin labelling (CoOL), says vegetable peak industry body, AUSVEG. Data recently released by the Communist Party of China indicates that 19.4 per cent, or about 1.05 million square kilometres of China’s agricultural land, is contaminated by toxic metals such as cadmium, nickel and arsenic, which can be carcinogenic and cause kidney damage. “Considering China is the number two source of vegetable imports to Australia, these findings are mortifying” said AUSVEG spokesperson Hugh Gurney.

Best season break in 40 years From page 1

The harvest there was much earlier than at Musk and was not affected by the rain. “However, grape yields in the area ranged from significant losses to horror losses due to an earlier mini heat wave around Bendigo,” Mr Cameron said. But the fact the Musk vineyard, in an 1100mm rainfall area, is not irrigated worked to its advantage in the dry summer.

“I don’t think there is any scientific reason for that but I think the roots go much deeper and can therefore stand the heat better,” Mr Cameron said. In the meantime, Grains Research and Development Corporation entomologists Paul Umina and Garry McDonald – while acknowledging “the best break in 20 years” across much of the cropping area of Victoria and New South Wales – warned that

ravenous pests would be better prepared to feed on new crops. “Sufficient rainfall to permit early sowing, or to allow drysown beds to germinate, has been widely welcomed,” the pair said. “However, we encourage growers to be aware of the implications for different pest groups. “For example, redlegged earth mites, blue oat mites and Balaustium mites may be less of a problem for early emerging

crops this year. “But millipedes, slugs and cockchafers, which will start in autumn in their voracious adult or advanced larval forms, could pose greater risks when in large numbers.” Mr Umina and Mr McDonald said that lucerne fleas and aphids might also be a greater risk this year, particularly in areas that have received heavy February and March rainfall.

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Southern Farmer, Page 3

Hungry cows make robots work longer In Australia’s grazing based systems, the capacity of milking robots depends largely on milk production levels and the number of times cows are milked each day. FutureDairy project leader Kendra Kerrisk said a key to getting the most out of capital investment in milking robots was to minimise the amount of time the robots are idle. “High robot utilisation

is achieved when milkings are relatively evenly distributed throughout the 24 hours of a day,” Assoc Prof Kerrisk said. Most of Australia’s grazing based automatic milking systems (AMS) operate with voluntary cow movement: the cows move by themselves from the paddock to the dairy and around the farm. Grazing cows tend to be less active after midnight,

so robots are often idle during the early hours of the morning. “Voluntary cow movement has a strong influence on robot utilisation. We want to encourage cows to leave their paddock regularly throughout the day and night so that they have the opportunity to be milked. “Feed is the primary motivator used to encourage voluntary cow movement

and this is why pasture allocation is critical. “We know that better cow movement is achieved by offering cows three allocations of pasture a day rather than two which is typical of a conventional milking system.” Mr John studied two commercial dairy farms with consistently good voluntary cow movements. “On most AMS farms, cows receive about the

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CLEVER pasture allocation strategies could increase the capacity of milking robots in Australia’s grazing based systems, according to recent research conducted by FutureDairy postgraduate student, Alex John. His findings suggest some farmers may be able to milk an extra 10 cows per robot by changing the amount of feed offered in the early evening.

same amount of feed at each allocation but both of these farmers offered less during the evening.” “One of the farms achieved more evenly distributed milkings, which meant better robot utilisation and less time spent fetching cows. In addition to the labor saved in fetching cows, Mr John said the results suggest that this system may enable AMS farmers to milk more

cows per robot, achieving a better return on investment in milking equipment. While further research is needed to develop practical recommendations, this study is the first evidence of being able to achieve an evenly distributed milking pattern over a 24-hour period with a reduced need for fetching in a commercial, pasturebased automatic milking system.

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REGIONAL Cities Victoria (RCV) has welcomed the Victorian Government’s announcement of $40 million in funding to fix mobile blackspots and to deliver free Wi-Fi on a number of V/Line train services. RCV comprises the 10 largest cities outside metropolitan Melbourne – Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga.

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May, 2014

Historic Jersey herd

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By DAVID PALMER GORDON Vagg and his forebears have put more than a century’s breeding into the 350-cow Jersey herd that Gordon and his wife Sylvia run at Leongatha South. His great-great grandfather had a Jersey herd at Yinnar and his grandfather A. J. Vagg inherited the Bonnay Jersey stud at Leongatha. It was dispersed in May 1943. At that sale a five month-old heifer calf sold for $424 (202 guineas) – $5600 in today’s money – an Australian record for at the time a calf under six months old. Its imported grand sire cost 1000 guineas, or $2100. But Gordon’s father was able to retrieve some stock from the sale. “Dad got his dad’s bull and his best cow and started from there on this farm,” Mr Vagg told farmers on the ADHIS Longest Farm Walk (see story page 5). Then in 1956 his father in turn decided to sell the stud he’d developed, despite Gordon threatening to leave school to run it. But although his father

GOLDEN DESCENDANTS: The Vagg herd gives visitors the once over.

kept the heifers, “we haven’t got the herd back to the quality he had, although a cousin says it has leapt ahead in the last 10 years”. He said the herd hit 4.2 per cent protein last year, the highest yet. “So while we’ve got protein and fat we just need more volume,” he said. He added that to get more milk volume he would tend to select a bull with a slight negative for fertility.

Mr Vagg said on the structural side longevity was important with many in their herd milking until they were 12 years old or more. “So they need to be well structured with width and length and have well supported udders.” Over all they must be easy to manage and perform profitably on dryland pasture. Mr Vagg and farm manager PaulCocksedge focus on udders and type and cows must be fertile and

milk quickly and calmly. The 320 to 350 strong herd comprises 85 per cent Jerseys owned by the Vaggs, eight per cent are pure Aussie Red, two per cent are Holstein and three per cent are cross breds owned by Mr Cocksedge and leased to the Vaggs. On average they produce 490kg of milk solids per cow at 5.1 per cent fat and 3.8 per cent protein, which equates with 1283kgMS/ha across the farm’s 120ha of effective milking area.

They feed about 1.6t of concentrates to each cow, although the farm has been self sufficient in conserved fodder for the last three years. Each cow consumes about 3.5t dry matter although there is a grey area with some fodder moving from milking to non milking stock, Mr Vagg said. Calving is split into two periods with 15 per cent of the herd starting to calve on March 10 and the balance on July 20. Continued page 5

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NEWS

May, 2014

Southern Farmer, Page 5

up with the best From page 4

Mr Cocksedge said when he came to the farm there were some autumn calving cows and he wanted to keep them. “Now any cows which do not get in calf (for the winter calving) slip back to autumn although there were not many of them,” he said. Asked if this indicated a problem with fertility, Mr Cocksedge said no because there used to be a 50:50 spilt between the two calving periods. Key aims of the Vagg/ Cocksedge breeding objectives vary between the breeds. For the Jerseys they

try and avoid breeding smaller cattle and for the Holsteins the opposite is the case. The Aussie Reds, because of their inherent high fertility, demand less emphasis in that area. However the smaller Red gene pool makes sire selection harder Mr Vagg said. The farm is operated with the equivalent of three full time staff and aims to be self sufficient in terms of breeding and rearing replacements and not relying on purchased fodder. The exception was 75t of lucerne bought earlier this year as a reserve.

TEAMED UP: Paul Cocksedge (left) and Gordon Vagg make a formidable milk management team.

FENCED IN: A plan of the 260-hectare Vagg family farm at Leongatha South, on which the Vaggs hosted a ‘Longest Farm Walk’ for local dairy farmers.

Scheme walk sets priorities AUSTRALIAN Dairy Herd Improvement Scheme staff in March and April visited farms throughout the nation’s dairying regions to gather the collective breeding priorities of Australia’s dairy farmers. They visited 46 properties and met about 1000 dairy farmers. Known as the national breeding objective review, it was the first time dairy farmers have had the opportunity to influence what is known as the Australian Profit Ranking (APR). Efficient production makes up more than 60 per cent of the existing APR with production, survival/ longevity, fertility, mastitis resistance, milking speed and temperament also considered. Dairy Australia called the farm visits ‘Australia’s Longest Farm Walks’. These gave local farmers the opportunity to discuss their ideal cows in company with leading herd managers. “Love it or hate it, everyone has an opinion about the APR so the idea was to have a conversation with farmers to discover the traits that are important to the everyday business of dairy farming,” Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Scheme (ADHIS) chair Adrian Drury said. As well as the walks there was a large scale farmer-survey and consultation with industry as well as scientific review, technical analysis and

the opportunity for interested parties to provide written submissions. ADHIS managing director Daniel Abernethy said the object of the ‘Longest Farm Walk’ was to make sure farmers were involved in developing key breeding criteria. But there had been few surprises in the APR feedback to the time that Southern Farmer caught up with a walk near Leongatha South in early March. “The core focus is of course milk volume and farmers will even put up with cranky cows to achieve that; there are always trade offs,” Mr Abernethy said. Over 10 years the biggest expected change to a herd using APR was a nearly 30 per cent increase in mastitis resistance. That was followed by a 24 per cent increase in fat and a 20 per cent increase in protein yields. Liveweight would be expected to increase by about 12 per cent and longevity by 11 per cent. Daughter fertility, temperament and milking speed all fell in the two to five per cent range. The walk Southern Farmer accompanied involved about 30 district dairy farmers on Gordon and Sylvia Vagg’s 260ha dairy farm beside the Bass Highway at Leongatha South. Farm manager Paul Cocksedge said the basics they were looking for were easy milking, functional cows with good teat placements. The Vagg herd has a long history.

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By DAVID PALMER

FARM WORLD 2014 WRAP-UP

Page 6, Southern Farmer

May, 2014

Gadget heaven Southern Farmer’s David Palmer was at Farm World in Warragul with his camera to capture the latest farm gadgets and machinery that aid farm profitability and efficiency.

ONCE WAS: A farm world visitor snaps a restored Allis Chalmers HD20 dozer on display in the historic machinery section at the field days.

TINE TIME: John Murphy, Teesdale, and Tim Alcott, Kanga Farm Equipment, Dandenong, talk spring tine cultivators at Farm World.

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Southern Farmer, Page 7

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NEWS

Page 8, Southern Farmer

May, 2014

Snails gaining pace at Buxton

By DAVID PALMER WHILE sheep breeders usually have to battle the predations of foxes or wild dogs, snail breeder Robyn Schrader has to contend with water rats. It took a little while before she worked out that the pests killing her snails by biting off shell protuberances and sucking out the contents were rats from the nearby Acheron River. But it was a comparatively easy problem

to overcome. Now she sinks corrugated iron sheets bordering her 300 square metre snail run, 300mm into the soil to stop water rats burrowing their way in and carving a path of destruction. “Snails should be attractive too to currawongs, kookaburras and ducks but I’ve not seen one in the enclosure,” she said. However, she had to relocate a fat blue tongue lizard found gorging on snails.

EVENTA

‘People say it must be a slow business, but when you have a bucket of 200 or 300 of them it is hard to keep them contained’ – Robyn Schrader She divided the enclosure into four with canola, kale and forage brassicas planted for the snails to eat.

“Normally if I get the watering right it is quite a lush area for them to wander around in.”

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She has a more than adequate 6ML water right for her two acres. Ms Schrader said her snails “took a bit of a hit on Black Saturday” when she lost her house to the massive blaze. “Even though they were in galvanised rings and the fire was all around them a lot survived,” she said. Beside the Maroondah Highway between Taggerty and Buxton, Ms Schrader has just been nominated for a produce award by the ABC’s Delicious magazine for the snails she supplies leading restaurants. For judging she has posted snails to the Lake House restaurant, Daylesford, Dan Hunter’s Bray restaurant, Birregurra,

and to the Station Hotel, Footscray. “People say it must be a slow business but when you have a bucket of 200 or 300 of them it is hard to keep them contained,” she said. By profession a district nurse from Melbourne, Ms Schrader initially worked three days a week in Melbourne after she bought the Buxton property in 2004 as a weekender. “Even after I started the snail farm I was continuing to work in Melbourne as a district nurse.” Eventually she moved to Buxton full time and bought LJ Hooker franchises in Alexandra and Marysville; she no longer owns the Marysville one. She drew a parallel between nursing and selling real estate. “I loved the oldies when I was a nurse because you’re looking after someone’s health and when you are a real estate agent you’re looking after probably their biggest investment. “Ultimately it’s about being able to communicate with people so it is

not dissimilar.” Ms Schrader said her real estate business had had a very busy couple of months with house prices averaging about $275,000. She said prices were firming because Alexandra is only about one hour’s drive from say Yarra Glen or Healesville. “So young families in particular can afford to buy houses here and still commute easily to Melbourne’s eastern outskirts.” Ms Schrader started farming snails when she saw Orange, NSW, snail breeder Sonya Begg on TV in 2007 because she had become seriously ill and had put her farm up for sale. “We had snail pizza from an Orange pizzeria and that was my first taste of Australian snails; it was not a regular menu item at the pizzeria.” Ms Schrader spent time learning the business with Ms Begg and ended up buying her snail farming know-how and infrastructure including equipment. Continued page 9

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NEWS

May, 2014

Southern Farmer, Page 9

in a fast business „ From page 8

to suit their dishes whereas French snails are usually dissected, she said. She selects marketable snails when they measure 33mm across their shells and deposits them in bran for six days so they purge themselves. “I’m aiming for a consistently sized edible snail,â€? she said. On the last day she hangs them in an onion bag without water so they retract their feet. Then they go to sleep because of the lack of water and she kills them six at a time in boiling water and cooks them for about six minutes. After that they go into a mixture of iced water, lemon juice and maybe some vinegar before she turns them out of their shells. “When you take a snail out of its shell its esh is a replication of the shell pattern,â€? she said. Finally she packs them in jars in olive oil and ships them to chefs via Express Post. Ms Schrader sells the snails by the dozen for $11.50. “I’m only a very small producer so demand outweighs what I can supply,â€? she said. To that end she turned down exhibiting at a food show this month in Melbourne’s Exhibition Building where she would have been commit-

ted to giving away perhaps 30,000 snails as samples. Ms Schrader markets snails only between October and April and currently she is feeding them dry feed to take them through the winter and early spring. On dry food their esh turns a creamy white and that is not a color she wants to market anyway; bring on an old Roman perhaps. Ms Schrader has spent time developing snail recipes with notable success. At one venue she cooked them whole in a sage leaf with a bit of prosciutto on a skewer “and they went down very wellâ€?. “I’ve also done them in butter with yabbies and some garlic; the kids that time just loved them. “I’ve been trying to get my hands on some wasabi to try with them too,â€? she said. She also supplied some to the Marysville longest lunch last year with Stephanie Alexander in the chair and has supplied dinners and talked snail farming at various dinners around the region. For the future she has been looking at leasing a neighboring twohectare paddock where she aims to use a bit less than half for more snail runs.

DRY ARGUMENT: These Schrader snails are on the top half of a plastic dry food feeder.

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Ms Begg had developed a considerable reputation as a free range snail farmer being the ďŹ rst Australian inaugurated into the snail farming hall of fame in Italy and in a Vogue magazine award, her snails gained second place to David Blackmore’s Wagyu beef produced at Alexandra. Original stock, Helix aspersa Muller or the common brown snail, came from people in theYarra Valley who collected snails for her. “As well I’d wander the streets on rainy days and just pick them up,â€? Ms Schrader said. “The petit gris snail variety which Ms Begg bred and I breed – the French breed the bigger grand gris or H. pomatia – were introduced to Australia by the Dutch in the mid19th century. “People have asked why I don’t import grand gris snails from France but they are escargot and French as opposed to being Australian.â€? And there are others: this writer visited the remains of a Roman villa in Gloucestershire about six months ago and saw descendants of large white snails the Romans had imported to Britain as a food source in about 80AD . Ms Schrader’s snails are whole so chefs have the option of using them

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PASTURE AND FERTILISER

Page 10, Southern Farmer

May, 2014

Commercial deal for once-in-a-generation ‘living haystack’

STACKS UP: Tedera project leader Daniel Real (DAFWA) at the on-farm tedera trial site at Dandaragan, WA.

A LICENCE to commercialise a new forage plant that provides yearround green feed has been agreed between Future Farm Industries Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) and Seednet. The agreement licences Seednet to take tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa var albomarginata) to market. Tedera originates from the Canary Islands and is being called a “living haystack” by its breeders because of its ability to provide green feed during the summer months. The improved variety is likely to be imported back

into the Canary Islands this decade to improve farm productivity. “Our board members are saying this is a once-in-ageneration plant because of its potential to fill the summer/autumn feed gap in Mediterranean climates across southern Australia,” CRC CEO Peter Zurzolo said. “Our collaboration with Seednet is unusual,” Mr Zurzolo said. “It was more like a pre-marital agreement. “Normally, seed companies come in at the end of the research process, but Seednet and the CRC have both had trial sites and have been

sharing the R&D for the past few years.” The best traits were bred from 65 lines, according to project leader Daniel Real (Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia). Dr Real became interested in tedera in 2000 during a workshop in Italy, when he learned that it had been used for centuries in the Canary Islands. Dr Real said in the middle of summer when everything else has dropped its leaves, tedera was a sea of green. “It virtually hibernates but retains its leaves, and we think this plant is unique;

it will allow farmers in Mediterranean climates of Australia and Europe to use tedera instead of hand-feeding sheep and cattle. “It’s much simpler,” Dr Real said. Computer modelling has shown tedera will increase farm profit by up to 20 per cent. Further research will continue on the plant after the CRC’s closure on June 30, 2014. Tedera is expected to be commercially available within three or four years. More information: futurefarmonline.com.au.

Italian ryegrass proves a knight PRODUCTIVE pastures are at the heart of the de Pury family’s historic 580-hectare (1430-acre) Yeringberg grazing and grape business at Coldstream in the Yarra Valley By focusing on growing highly productive improved pastures, David de Pury makes the most of the farm’s high annual average rainfall and covers the cost of the higher rates that come with his location. That’s why he was one of the first graziers to try the new diploid Italian ryegrass, Knight. “I aim to work the farm intensively with lots of improved pastures and good fertiliser rates to maximise productivity,” Mr de Pury said. The Yeringberg property has been in the de Pury family for 150 years and is currently run as a mixed farm with prime lambs and crossbred cattle, along with 11ha of grapes. His sister Sandra, runs the winery, producing 1500 dozen bottles of wine a year. Right now, Mr de Pury is fattening the last of this season’s 2700 lambs on Winfred brassicas and Lawrence pearl millet before their pasture renovation program kicks in again in autumn. Yeringberg’s sheep flock has been based on first cross ewes joined to Poll Dorset rams, but is now moving towards a

composite ewe flock. They run around 2000 ewes, lambing on perennial ryegrass in spring. Through the winter, steers and heifers graze the Italian ryegrass and annual ryegrass, to achieve growth rates of over 1kg/head/day. When the lambs are weaned in late spring, they move on to the Italian ryegrass. “Some lambs are sold as suckers to Coles and the rest are finished to 45kg liveweight through to March,” he said. In terms of cattle, steers and surplus heifers are sold at 16 to 18 months. “We focus on fertility running cross-bred Angus, Shorthorn and Charolais and keeping our own replacements,” he said. “The mix works well here because the cattle tend to graze the river flats and can cope with it flooding, while the sheep can go up on the hills.” Yeringberg’s productive pasture system starts with a pasture renovation program. New pastures are sown each year to ensure productivity remains high and weeds, particularly bent grass, are kept at bay. “I start with a crop of annual ryegrass, followed by Winfred rape andLawrence pearl millet over summer, then sow Italian ryegrass and clover, which may

FRESH GREENS: Stephen Pasture Seeds’ Simon Hunt (left), visited David de Pury at Coldstream to see his first paddock of Knight Italian ryegrass at establishment last autumn.

be in place for one to two years,” Mr de Pury said. After that, he sows a permanent pasture of perennial ryegrass or fescue with white clover or subclover. The majority of farm pastures are perennial ryegrasses, although fescue and lucerne are also used. “Every autumn I sow around 40ha of annual ryegrass, 40ha

of Italian ryegrass and 20ha of permanent pasture,” he said. Last year he sowed half a paddock to Knight and half to Crusader, his usual variety. “I find Italian ryegrass to be highly productive,” he said. “It always produces enormous amounts of feed through autumn and winter, much more than perennial ryegrass.” He said the new variety,

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to keep up with the best varieties,” he said. Mr de Pury suggested graziers consider Knight, but warned they’ll need to be prepared. “Do your ground preparation and sow early, but be prepared to graze it because it grows a lot of feed.” Simon Hunt, area sales manager for Stephen Pasture Seeds which markets Knight, said the variety was ideal for productive beef cattle, prime lamb, wool or dairy situations. “Knight’s speed out of the ground means the pasture is up and growing quickly to produce strong autumn and winter yields,” he said. “Home-grown winter feed is often the most valuable, as pasture growth rates generally slow in the cooler conditions and fodder stocks run low in the lead-up to spring.” Results from 12 trials in New South Wales and Victoria between 2008 and 2012 showed Knight produced an additional 907kg DM/ha over the first autumn and winter compared with Crusader. “That’s worth up to $272/ ha, if it can replace purchasing feed at current prices of around $300/t,” Mr Hunt said. More information: stephenpastureseeds.com.au, (03) 5355 8055.

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PASTURE AND FERTILISER

May, 2014

Southern Farmer, Page 11

Summer active fescue trumps Demeter ryegrass so having a weed free seedbed is vital and particularly no ryegrass because ryegrass will out compete it. If soil temperatures are as low as five to 10 degrees, 75 per cent of Hummer seed will take as long as a month to germinate.

Mr Hunt recommended a light grazing at eight to nine weeks after sowing to encourage tillering but make sure before doing so that the plants could not be easily pulled out. He said there was not much seed available this year and suggested about

one tonne would be all that was available for Hoogies customers this season. “In the next couple of years we’ll have more to sell though,” he said. It is an early flowering type and a replacement for Jesup and was persistent like other fescues with a

decade long life span likely, Mr Hunt said. MaxP, a novel tall fescue endophyte improves the ability of tall fescue pastures to handle pest attack and moisture stress and helps them live longer. Seed is only available with MaxP.

With the endophyte the plants produce the chemicals peramine which deters some insect species and lolines which is a compound which is toxic to insects and increases the plant’s drought tolerance. Tall fescues respond well to nitrogen applica-

tions, however, if soils are low in nitrogen they will noty persisit well. To maintain feed quality, it is critical to to graze tall fescues before they exceed 10cm or the sward can rapidly become unpalatable, particularly for lambs.

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A NEW summer active tall fescue with leaves of a similar softness to ryegrass, may have trouble trumping the reputation of Demeter, a hardy old perennial fescue renowned for its poor palatability, Stephens Seeds’ Simon Hunt told a pasture and agronomy day at rural retailer Hoogies,Yarra Glen recently. But when a reasonable area is sown to Hummer, the new variety, its reputation should soar, he said. “It won’t suit everyone but its ability to grow actively in the warmer weather on heavy fertile soils like river flats, will make it attractive to many people in this area,” he said. It is also resistant to moderate salinity As well it is rhizomaceous and so develops a strong mat of rhizomes which helps prevent paddock pugging in wet years. Mr Hunt said while Demeter is very tough, it is not all that palatable “and that’s put a lot of people off tall fescues”. “So while Hummer is a breakthrough, it may be a bit of a hard sell to change people’s attitudes towards it,” he said. The quickest of the fescues to establish, Hummer is a bit slower than

NEWS

Page 12, Southern Farmer

May, 2014

Angus top-performer clears herd A SMALL Angus stud with a reputation for punching above its weight has been quietly reducing its high quality herd and will continue in May with the private treaty sale of a small number of spring calved J heifers and J bulls averaging $147 on the Long Fed $Index. This is well into the top one per cent of the breed,

said Strathewen Angus stud principal Bruce Newport. With a 32-year history on the outskirts of Melbourne, the stud has been dispersing the highest EBV catalogue of Angus females yet offered in Australia. Based on nine elite female lines purchased over 30 years from top

studs including Te Mania, Merrigrange/Merridale, Banquet, Booroomooka, Lawsons/GAR (US) and Summitcrest (US), the stud maintained a herd of only 30 females. But it produced up to 80 calves each year using embryo transfers and recipients on contractors’ properties. Principal Bruce New-

port is selling most of the property, 40 kilometres from Melbourne, and reverting to a hobby farm of 2ha with a handful of his best heifers. The stud held a partial dispersal early in 2013 during which it sold F30 with a month-old bull calf at foot to Tom Lawson. The calf, registered as Paringa Judd, topped the

Lawsons’ March bull sale at $36,000. The 2014 Strathewen sale has so far had a 100 per cent clearance of 34 black females, some with calves at foot. Volume stud purchasers were Mark and Carol Gillett, GhinniGhi, near Kyogle, NSW, taking 14; John Daniels, KI Blacks, King Island, taking eight;

Brad Probert, Spring Hill Angus, near Mittagong, NSW, five; and Mark Lucas, Reiland Angus, Gundagai, NSW, four. Six buyers took the whole catalogue between them. Mr Newport said that the sale, by private treaty over January and February, was “not at the best moment� in the cattle

industry given widespread dry conditions. But he was pleased that the “no fussâ€? sale process resulted in an average price of $4603 per head across all cows and heifers. He said that the average compared favorably with recent high proďŹ le Angus stud auction sales. The stud also breeds Red Angus.

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Southern Farmer, Page 13

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Page 14, Southern Farmer

May, 2014

Post-calving nutrition needs attention WITHOUT underestimating pre-calving nutrition, Lead Feeding and dry cow nutrition,

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of transition, three weeks either side of calving, sets the stage for milk production, reproduction and overall cow health. Research has tended to focus on the first three weeks prior to calving with less attention to post-calving nutrition and its impact on overall cow performance. Negative energy balance post-calving is a common term referring to dietary energy intake being less than energy expended in milk production and maintenance, the net result being mobilisation of body fat to meet the energy deficiency. New research has shown this wreaks havoc on reproduction. Alarming figures from research in two large herds showed 40 per cent of cows lost weight and 60 per cent maintained or gained weight in the first three weeks post-calving. What was alarming about this data is that the cows that lost or maintained weight had a 35 per cent conception rate on first service, but, the cows that gained weight had an 80 per cent conception rate on first insemination. For most of us, it would be quite difficult to achieve

By JOHN LYNE Dairytech dairy production specialist a weight gain immediately post-calving, but the data is certainly ‘motivational’ when we consider fertility is now recognised as a major profit driver. Perhaps more disturbing was that there was no difference across these cows in milk production. The weight gain cows just ate more or had higher energy intake from a higher energy dense ration. This would have to be attributed to pre-calving nutrition, but why one group and not all three groups? Perhaps genetic disposition? Nevertheless, the lesson stands: energy intake immediately post-calving has major significance to milk production obviously, but also fertility and health. Elite lactation performance is the result of lack of stress; not the cause of it, either nutritional or otherwise. Early autumn calving herds have a massive chal-

RABBAIT

lenge in regard to adequate nutrition, energy intake especially. Without unlimited pasture, it is very difficult to supply the fresh cow’s needs for energy (and protein for that matter). Our most concentrated energy source and starch source is wheat. Although it must be used carefully in conjunction with adequate forage, and particularly effective fibre, wheat offers us our best option in attempting to meet the fresh cow’s energy need with less body fat mobilisation. Not discounting the risk of acidosis and displaced abomasum, yeast based additives is proving most effective in this scenario. Dr Robert Corbett, a recent and frequent visitor to Australia, published an article recently on “negative protein balance”. He said that this subject is never discussed, but is equal to and a co-factor with negative energy balance. We have been aware, from preparing dry cow rations when pasture is not available, the importance of inadequate energy, but protein especially to prevent weight loss. Only ad lib-silage can accom-

modate both. Recent work we’ve done with a client’s dry cows to try identifying the source of post-calving left displaced abomasum when the transition ration was as good as you could get – a TMR well balanced with ample access for all springing cows has verified this issue. Blood samples were taken randomly from 12 dry cows as they transferred to the transition ration (springer ration). Of the 12, five tested very high for NEFA (non esterified fatty acids), essentially, sub-clinical ketosis. Although they did not appear to lose BCS, obviously both fat and muscle tissue had been mobilised to meet the cow and calf’s needs. A calf in late gestation has a very high demand for amino acids (protein). It is around 72 per cent of the dam’s daily supply. Similarly, the calf will take 42 per cent of the dam’s glucose supply. Glucose is too often supplied by protein being converted in the liver. When energy is in short supply, protein must be utilised to support the glucose requirement.

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It is essential to also supply adequate protein in a springer ration to drive feed intake and avoid ketosis post-calving. This scenario is multiplied many fold immediately after calving with the onset of lactation. I find hay to be the worst offender in dry cow, springer and fresh cow rations. It is inherently low in energy, but even more so in protein, in the absence of abundant pasture. We simply cannot fortify hay sufficiently to produce adequate energy and protein levels. Vaccination around calving can induce an energy deficit. The immune system requires a significant amount of energy in order to mount an effective immune response to a vaccine antigen. It would be advisable to do all vaccination at dry-off. Choline is starting to surface on the pre- and post-calving nutrition agenda. All cows go through some degree of fat mobilisation at calving, and as our blood tests demonstrated, during the dry cow phase too. Continued page 15

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NEWS

May, 2014

Data boosts plan

Attend to post-calving nutrition From page 14

It is also likely many cows do likewise during the transition phase (Lead Feeding 21 days pre-calving) due to poor quality forages. This scenario is the precursor to fatty liver, and 50 per cent of cows will be in that state. Choline is es-

sential for this naturally occurring process. However, the primary symptom of fatty liver is choline deficiency. Dr Grummer reviewed several studies on supplementing choline to transition cows and found post-calving feed intake increased by 700g DM and

milk production by 2.2L. There will be a benefit even if feed for 21 days pre-calving in the Lead Feed grain mix. John Lyne is a dairy production specialist with Dairytech Nutrition. See the consultancy website at www.dairytechnutrition.com.au.

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weights are heavier now than they were back in the early 1990s. “As a consequence of that, analysis of carcase traits is now compared as 400kg instead of the 300kg previously used. “The science shows that the genetic relationship between the level of marbling at 300kg and at 400kg is very high, so the comparison at 400kg will not change breeders’ability to select to a carcase range. “This change will have very little, or no impact on the ranking of the animals or change the pressure on mature weight in the index. “But it does mean we are now using the correct baseline for benchmarking.” Mr Gubbins said the new

data also showed calving ease heritability is now higher than first thought. Which means that genetics have more influence on calving ease and as a result the calving ease EBV has a greater spread. “The base has been changed – EBVs in the April 2014 Breedplan run cannot be compared with EBVs run before that,” Mr Gubbins said. “With every advance such as this we learn more about genetics and their influence on the phenotypes of the animals which have inherited them and the relationship between recorded traits has been changed to better reflect the industry’s current understanding of them.

“It is important for breeders to understand there has been no change to the economic weights on traits in the indexes. “Also these changes in the ranking of the animals in the indexes are due to changes to the science, through heritability and correlation between traits and not economic assumptions. “Most crucially this quantum leap forward in data management for the breed and the careful and rigorous science behind it, ensures Angus will remain at the forefront of objective measurement and in providing the food chain – from conception to consumption – with a more consistent product,” he said.

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ANGUS Group Breedplan has been able to dramatically refine its measurement benchmarks with the submission of 3000 carcase records from Te Mania Angus. Te Mania director Tom Gubbins said the 3000 records – gathered through the stud’s Team Te Mania program – will also provide a significant benefit for the whole Angus industry. He said the massive data collection program in 43 Team Te Mania herds across three states, will help fast-track the next generation of Breedplan traits. “Any measurement process can only move forward in parallel with the information it receives,” Mr Gubbins said. “Angus Group Breedplan pioneered objective measurement in the Australian cattle industry, giving stud and commercial producers the science they need to boost their genetic profiles,” he said. “The information we have just given Breedplan is its largest single injection of data since Beef CRC1 in the early 1990s. “And its benefits are becoming immediately obvious by proving, for example, carcase slaughter

Southern Farmer, Page 15

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WINTER WARMTH AND HEATING

Page 16, Southern Farmer

May, 2014

Carbon-offset rebates pay for efficient By DAVID PALMER THOSE who trade in an old wood heater for a new fuel and emissions efficient one, could well be eligible for a carbon offset rebate of about $300. Greg Parker Hill, Pivot Stove, Geelong, told a wood heater seminar at the Seymour Alternative Farming Expo in February that for some heaters on the market there is a $300 carbon offset available for heater buyers. He said manufacturers making really efficient heaters with catalytic convertors and other modern technology have bought carbon offsets so that those rebates are available for some buyers. “I know our company still has $150,000 in carbon offset money available and at $300 a time that’s a lot of heaters, so asking about trade-in programs makes sense,” he said. He advised buyers to not just rush in and buy a particular brand, but stop and look at its efficiency. Effective from March this year the Australian Home Heating Association changed the way wood heaters are sold. From now on no heater can be sold which emits more than 2g of carbon dioxide for every kilogram of wood burned, which will bring Australia in line with the rest of the developed world average of 2g. But for now Mr Parker Hill said Australians were the dirtiest people in the world because for every kilogram of wood we burn our heaters emit 4g of carbon on average. “So what you want is a heater with a lower emission level

$

because we have some heaters which emit 1g,” he said. Burn times have always been important and particularly the ability of a heater to burn through the night. “The cheaper budget heaters you buy from Bunnings or Masters burn for about four hours, but better quality advanced technology heaters will burn for 12 hours. “So it is rubbish to suggest all new heaters will not burn overnight; some will and some will not but buyers just need to ask,” Mr Parker Hill said. He said his company’s website, www.pivotstove.com.au, now indicated burn times for different heaters whereas once it was just claimed that the better ones would burn overnight. Most heaters these days are 60 per cent efficient but some are as high as 80 per cent he said. However every 10 per cent difference in efficiency is one tonne of wood or a six by four trailer full over six months or so. In Melbourne this winter the experts are predicting firewood will cost $240 a tonne. “So that’s $500 a year difference in running costs between an efficient and inefficient one,” he said. Mr Parker Hill said when burn times shortened, the answer was usually to replace the door seal, because it goes hard after about three years. But it had to be replaced according to the directions for the different fibreglass seals available. “Once the old seal was removed, get rid of the remaining remnants as well. “Scrape it down with a wire

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Small kindling lights a good fire GREG Parker Hill says the key to starting a stove or a wood heater is to use small kindling and gradually build up the wood size. “Kindling should be no thicker than a finger and when it is on hand, fill the heater with a pyramid of wood over a fire lighter. But while kindling should be finger size, there should be a gradual transition and not a jump from kindling to say 200mm through pieces. “I have a saying: fingers, wrists thighs to visualise firewood sizes to start a heater, and they are designed to be filled,” he said. He said the Home Heating Association demonstrated the point on a DVD where it “used a pine cone and a match in one heater and in the other, kindling and a lot of it”. He said the filled one produced heat practically straight away and the glass in the door remained clear. “The one with the pine cone though, was like Puffing Billy.” Once a heater gets going, it is essential to let it develop a good bed of coals before putting on more wood because the new wood needs to heat up quickly if it is to burn efficiently. Many people say to Mr Parker Hill, “but I’m going to burn a lot more wood”. brush then when you pour in the heat resistant glue, you must wait 20 minutes or so until it goes tacky before putting in the new $20 seal. “When the glue was ready to attach to the new seal, it almost seemed as if it had gone off and become useless and you had wasted it. “But that was not the case; it just had to become really tacky.”

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However, you won’t, he said. Pine, cypress and red gum are all fine to use in heaters as long as they don’t have any paint or creosote associated with them. Pine pellet heaters are the most efficient because they burn at 98 per cent efficiency and put out 0.1 per cent of emissions. “But those pellets are only eight per cent moisture.”

Another seal area that deserved attention was around the glass in the door. “If you can move the glass around it is not sealing the heater properlyand if you can’t seal the door you can’t control the fire,” he said. Mr Parker Hill said he encouraged everyone who has a slow combustion stove or wood heater, to buy a moisture meter so they know the moisture con-

$

tent of their wood pile. “It’s not about wood you burn but how much moisture you burn. “Try and dry your wood to between 15 and 20 per cent moisture; if you burn wood over 20 per cent moisture the glass in your heater will turn black and you’ll burn a lot more,” he said. He said moisture content was absolutely critical for slow combustion stoves and if wood

was over 20 per cent it must not go in the stove because carbon and creosote would adhere to the fire box and it was very difficult to remove. Mr Parker Hill said he used the term ‘fuel management program’ only because it encourages people to store their wood correctly. “We need to split it and get it out of the rain where it’s dry.” He said he visited a stunning mud brick house overlooking Nelson on the top of New Zealand’s north island. In his back yard the owner had built a separate mud brick room and in this he stored his firewood. But wood from there was caking up his stove with soot. “When I opened the storage area there was this smell of mould. “So I went to his garage, got a sledge hammer and smacked two holes in the bottom and two in the top of the firewood store. “I can understand why he was a little upset with me, but in one year those holes dried that wood from 30 to 15 per cent moisture,” he said. But if it was difficult to reduce wood moisture quickly, a product called Smart Burn would help. “This guy on the ABC’s New Inventors had a Coonara and while it burned well he realised it wasn’t clean,” Mr Parker Hill said. “So he devised this thing now called Smart Burn which makes the fire burn hotter and they actually work. “They are about $50 to buy and they last for a year. Continued page 17

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May, 2014

Southern Farmer, Page 17

wood-fuel heating From page 16

“A couple of people here (at Seymour) said that without it the glass on their heaters turned black, but with it they stayed clear. “So if you can’t get the wood moisture down, little tricks like Smart Burn placed above the ash line or better still on top of a fire brick, will definitely help,” he said. Flue maintenance Mr Parker Hill said that last year his company wrote 192 reports for the CFA for house fires because people’s flues on their wood heaters caught alight. It was similar in NSW where 340 and in Tasmania 197 fouled flues caused house fires. “You will forget to clean your chimney one year and you will have a flue fire,” Mr Parker Hill said. “But we work on the theory you will only have one.” Some of those are caused by people who think that getting their flues red hot will clean

them,“but it doesn’t work like that and neither do rags impaled on sticks and shoved up a flue do much.” He said a standard bottlebrush on a handle cost about $50 and would last forever. However, it was important to match the brush to the flue so it was slightly bigger than the flue’s diameter. Then it was important to push it up and down the flue a few times. He said it was not a good idea to use a chimney brush in a flue:“you’ll get it in but you won’t get it out”. After using a flue brush hose it off and hang it on a nail because if it’s laid flat it will eventually sag and be much less effective, Mr Parker Hill said. If you’re not comfortable going on a roof to clean a flue, do not go there. “I’ve fallen off roofs and it’s not a good thing. “Then if you get a chimney sweep in, make sure he has

June firewood deadline VICTORIA’S Department of Environment and Primary Industries has confirmed that the domestic firewood collection season on public land remains open until June 30.

Firewoood collection areas are signposted and wood cannot be taken from forestry coupes. See www.depi.vic. gov.au/forestry-and-landuse/forest-management/firewood/collection-areas.

insurance; if he doesn’t and he falls he’ll sue you.” On another maintenance front, or more precisely one indicating heater replacement, Mr Parker Hill said it was almost impossible to weld up a cracked heater, because metal which has been heated and cooled many times does not weld easily. And a distorted heater would have to be replaced too. He said the best way to check was to open the door and check inside to see if the unit was still square and the metal not distorted. He said most heater retailers would provide free checks and maybe just recommend replacing firebricks. On that point Mr Parker Hill said if firebricks had cracked or crumbled, replacements only cost about $10 each and would protect the integrity of the metal on the heater. “The obvious statement is that you want to replace your heater before you replace your house,” he said. “But most should last about 15 years or 11 mobile phones if they are well maintained, although they might last 20 or 25 years,” he said. On the other hand some people run their heaters flat out, fatiguing the metal and have to replace them after six or seven years.

GAINING VALUE: Greg Parker Hill (above) talks wood-fuel heating efficiency at Seymour and cautions against leaving wood out in open weather (below).

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WATER

Page 18, Southern Farmer

May, 2014

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BETTER BEST: Furphy’s firefighting trailers combine its traditional galvanised waters cart with Aussie Fire Chiefs.

LEGENDARY Australian portable tanker maker, Shepparton based Furphy Engineering, set out to play a major role in the last ďŹ reďŹ ghting season. Teaming its traditional heavy duty galvanised ďŹ reďŹ ghting trailer with an Aussie Fire Chief ďŹ re pump provided farmers and professional ďŹ re ďŹ ghters with a superb mobile unit. The Victorian ďŹ res this year were among the worst in ďŹ ve years and with an El Nino on the way, ďŹ reďŹ ghting authorities are more concerned than ever about the potential loss of homes, livestock and even human life next year. With experience dating back to the First World War, Furphy’s water cart design has incorporated modern fabrication techniques and superior corrosion prevention systems. The unit comes with a 950L hot dipped galvanised tank for maximum corrosion resistance. Only the barrel was galvanised on the originals with the concave ends carrying the ‘good better best’ quotation being unprotected, but amazingly resilient when exposed to the elements. The current trailer unit is mounted on a robust galvanised steel trailer which in

turn sit on 410mm four wheel drive wheels cushioned with a heavy duty rubber torsion suspension. Hydraulic override brakes are standard and the trailer is rated for a towing speed of up to 110km/h. The compact, rugged and reliable trailer is designed for tough professional applications. A galvanised steel platform is built into the back of the trailer to enable personnel to operate the ďŹ reďŹ ghting nozzle while the unit is towed, making it ideal for putting out spot ďŹ res. “We built the traditional Furphy tankers just for ďŹ refighting because we know farmers and professional ďŹ reďŹ ghting authorities want units that are going to survive the tough operating conditions of a bush ďŹ re,â€? Furphy’s marketing manager Darren Leeder said. “We teamed the product with the Aussie Fire Chief because we know it is famous throughout the world as the best lightweight portable ďŹ re pump,â€? he said. Loaded with features, Aussie says it outperforms others by delivering more water at pressure, that is 200L/m at a 50m head.

Australian Pump Industries standardises on genuine Honda petrol engines with diesel options from either Kubota or Yanmar. “We like the way Aussie will only use top quality engines and won’t buy third world rubbish that could let ďŹ re ďŹ ghters down and even cost lives,â€? Mr Leeder said. “Honda engines start ďŹ rst time every time and come with Honda’s exclusive three year warranty,â€? he said. The Aussie Fire Chief delivers a 75m maximum head - that’s 689kPa (100psi) - and will move up to 500L/m at maximum ow. “We have seen the Fire Chiefs literally drown spot ďŹ res where other pumps just don’t perform,â€? Mr Leeder said. Although the primary application for the kit is for ďŹ ghting ďŹ res, it makes a very effective earth moving machinery wash down unit. “It can blast the mud off Caterpillar D10 dozer tracks, clean scrapers or even disinfect combines and bean pickers in the ďŹ eld,â€? Mr Leeder said. For more information contact API or Furphys, telephone (03) 5832 1400, or go to the ďŹ rm’s corporate website at www.furphys.com.au.

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May, 2014

Southern Farmer, Page 19 A D V E R T I S E M E N T

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WASTE MANAGEMENT

Page 20, Southern Farmer

May, 2014

Compost worms double production By DAVID PALMER

CO SE N N RV O TR IC A E CT S

CRESWICK district farmer David Davidson who has been worm farming since before the turn of the millennium, has doubled his 40ha farm’s carrying capacity. Now he has his sights set on trebling it. From a humble beginning with a few thousand compost worms converting his stable manure into vermicompost, Mr Davidson now receives up to 80t of food waste a month, in a deal which ďŹ nancially beneďŹ ts both him and supplier McCain Foods Australia, Ballarat. McCain is therefore able to divert much of its food waste from landďŹ ll and is delighted to see it ďŹ nish up back on local soils from which much of it originated he said. Mr Davidson’s composting method is quite different from traditional large scale composting facilities in that he places food waste within an enclosure formed by 120 by 90cm (four by three feet) straw bales. “It was like an on ground swimming pool ďŹ lled with lasagne. “I place a layer of worm castings on the ground followed by layers of food waste and straw, put the worms around the perimeter and cover it up for 12 months so it doesn’t smell and let the microbes perform static composting.â€? After the break in the autumn, he loads the resultant castings into a ute and every 10m or so where there is a cow pat, “we drop a shovel full of castings containing live compost wormsâ€?. “In the beginning, the big thing was, were the worms going to survive the summer? “We found that after the soil becomes moist enough, worm eggs laid

DISTINCTIVE COLOR: Compost worms en masse in a compost heap.

the previous year would hatch, even though the compost worms would disappear over the dry summer. “So I could turn up a cow pat containing half a dozen or so compost worms and when I dug under it, I found about 10 or a dozen fat normal earth worms,� he said. Mr Davidson’s interest in pasture improvement using worm castings was stimulated when he originally spread a front end loader bucket full of castings in a strip in one of his paddocks one winter.

At that stage the paddocks were severely compacted from carrying up to 30 horses and really only grew cape and onion weed. The following spring saw an amazing difference between where he had applied the castings and the immediately adjacent pasture. For many years he thought he would have to collect the manure from the farm, bring it to a central point, introduce and breed worms in manure then transport the enhanced product back onto the paddocks.

But then on a Queensland worm farm Mr Davidson saw a way of breeding worms in the paddock. “The idea came to me about ďŹ ve years ago after visiting the Kookaburra Worm Farm, one of the big worm growers in Queensland which uses half an acre or so to produce ďŹ shing worms for all over Australia. “The owner showed me this little plastic contraption he’d made which was a bit like a food tidy. “He put food scraps and compost worms into this container then put it

on the ground and after the compost worms had converted the food scraps to vermicast, the normal earthworms were coming up through holes in the bottom grabbing the castings and taking them back into the soil.â€? Not only that, but the castings were being spread over a far greater area than the size of the container. Since then he has concentrated on producing compost worms for sale, trading as Davo’s Worm Farm at BroomďŹ eld, north of Creswick. Mr Davidson is now

focusing on assisting other farmers to move away from the use of chemical fertilisers towards a self sustaining more natural form of maintaining soil fertility. He said worms doubled their numbers every two months provided they had enough feed. “So if you buy 1000 worms and put them in your paddock, in 12 months you could have 64,000 so it doesn’t take a lot to get going,� he said. Mr Davidson said he hadn’t put any normal fertiliser on his paddocks for 15 years because of

the activity of the compost worms. He said it was a much better and less expensive idea to deepen topsoil on his farm with worms than expand the actual area of the farm. “It just makes your farm more viable.â€? He said worm castings were six times more valuable to plants than compost and up to 80 times more valuable than plain manure. As a result of the combined action of worms and healthy bacteria they produce, worm castings produce seven times more phosphorus, six times more nitrogen, three times more available magnesium, twice as much carbon and 1.5 times more calcium than the parent earth. Castings change the soil pH quite signiďŹ cantly and increase available nutrients across the board. The pH of castings is neutral so theoretically, because all the nutrients are there, you don’t need to add anything, Mr Davidson said. “I keep getting farmers with big areas up north saying they have sheep or alpacas or whatever and is the system applicable to them?â€? While he believes that cow manure works best with this system, any type of manure or organic matter can be used. “I know of one farmer on broad acres in sandy soil in Western Australia who reduced his fertiliser inputs from $100,000 a year to $20,000. “He did this by employing microbial inputs produced by worms,â€? Mr Davidson said. To maximise the impact of the worms, there needs to be a considerable amount of paddock manure. “It really needs to be done with rotational grazing,â€? Mr Davidson said. „ Continued page 21

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GOOD SOLUTION: Distributing compost on a pasture paddock.

SOLDIERING ON: Common earth worms.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

May, 2014

on Creswick farm From page 20

“This is because the system works best with a lot of manure, good ground cover at all times, as well as good organic matter under the soil,” Mr Davidson said. On his farm he has 12 paddocks of about 3.2ha (8ac) and after having cattle in one for a couple of weeks, he normally has enough manure to maximise the impact of the worms. “When I look in my paddocks I’m not just looking at how my cows are doing but how my worms are doing too,” he said. Questioned about how to collect worms from a breeding windrow, Mr Davidson said controlling water to the windrow was the key. “If I’ve got a really long windrow with worms spread out in it, I’ll stop watering most of it and just water one small section; you attract virtually all the worms into that area then collect them in a container and place that in the sun. “They will move downwards away from the light so eventually, by continually scraping off the top layer of soil, you have pure

worms on the bottom.” Mr Davidson is now looking at doing trials in various parts of the state to show the system can work in all rainfall areas. He also brings in manure from the Livestock Selling Centre at Ballarat and has about 20t delivered to the farm several times a year to maintain his breeding schedule. In more recent times, he has found the Ballarat City council has mountains of shredded green waste or wood chips they give away and he is mixing that with McCain’s food waste. “It becomes a bit like treacle once it’s mixed in with wood chips.” He also mixes a bit of rock dust and clay in his compost, because rock dust tends to help the worms grind the food in their gizzard and the clay helps to bind the nitrogen in the compost. His composting system is similar to biodynamic practices, but differs from thermophilicaerobic composting which can be completed in six weeks. But the latter requires higher energy input. For information: 0418 501 525 or email info@ davoswormfarms.com.au.

RECYCLED BEDDING: Food waste mixed with wood chips used as a breeding base for compost worms.

Southern Farmer, Page 21

Keep mustering drums RURAL recycling program drumMUSTER has called on Victoria’s farmers to bring in more of their empty chemical drums to help the environment. It comes as the program continues to see the number of drums being returned for recycling stagnate in the state. Victoria drumMUSTER consultant John Knight said farmers’ lack of participation has become a big problem in the last few years. He said farmers are still buying containers fit for recycling, but are not bringing them back to be recycled into new and useful things like plastic cable covers, wheelie bins or pipes. “We have been fighting an up-hill battle to get some farmers to use the program,” he said. “A lot of farmers bring their drums in, but we’re still seeing the same people continue to do the wrong thing.” drumMuster is now calling on growers to help improve the return rate and prevent drums going into landfill or ending up in creeks or paddocks. John has been working with councils and community groups to provide more flexible options by opening convenient drop-off points and extending landfill hours. He said these partnerships are pushing the message to farmers that burning or burying drums is no longer an acceptable method of getting rid of their waste and in some cases in Victoria may be illegal. “We are constantly developing strategies on how to best approach these farmers who may not understand

RECYCLE THEM: Farmers are being urged to bring in empty chemical drums.

the program or flat-out refuse to use it,” he said. “We’re seeing drums trickle in, but we should really be seeing two or three times more drums in some areas. “I hope calls to action like these really go a long way to changing attitudes about the way waste is handled.” Since 1999, drumMuster has collected more than 23 million drums nation-wide. That represents more than 28,000t of waste avoiding landfill.

A few empty drums go a long way... Community groups like Smeaton CFA can raise funds for each drumMUSTER eligible chemical container they receive.

23 Community Groups throughout Victoria are looking for your support to raise valuable funds to support local initiatives. Support drumMUSTER and these groups by delivering your drums for recycling to your local collection sites.

www.drummuster.com.au | 1800 008 707

P/05d07085/1914

To find out more about community groups in your region visit the drumMUSTER website or give us a call.

VINE AND ORCHARD MANAGEMENT

Page 22, Southern Farmer

May, 2014

Equipment ideas stem from vines Vineyard ownership drives concepts and engineering developments

MODULAR MUSCLE: Whitco equipment is modular and this single bar configuration (above) can be added to as the need arises while (below) Pellenc’s pruning shears offer hand-pruning versatility.

WHITLANDS Engineering’s CEO and head designer David Burder began designing equipment for his own vineyard in 2001 after realising that some was overpriced and inefficient. An ‘inventor’ of sorts, Mr Burder had started out designing firewood processing machinery under the Superaxe brand. Understanding that several of his vineyard innovations had potential, Whitco Vineyard Equipment was born. And as they say the rest is history. Tried and tested in the company vineyard for over 10 years, Whitco is now distributed across Australia and New Zealand by certified dealers. One of the four brands designed and made by Mr Burder’s company Whitco has become a specialist manufacturer of hedger bars, cane rakes, masts and mounting systems.

All components for the Whitco range are sourced locally where possible and built on site at the workshop in the North East ranges. As a testament to the quality, durability and reliability of the machinery, all products are backed by a one-year warranty. Whitco hedging systems provide a versatile and innovative solution to trimming and pruning work in vineyards, olive groves, orchards etc. Available in medium duty for summer trimming and heavy duty for winter pruning, the efficient and robust cutting mechanism allows impressive ground speeds - meaning big savings on labor. Both models are available in four lengths and either right hand or left hand configuration. They are modular which allows buyers to start with a single cutter bar and add on to create either double,

triple or quadruple hedging systems to suit particular trellising systems and canopy styles. Cutter bars feature a double acting reciprocating action, allowing fast vibration free cutting and good penetration into foliage. Nitride hardened bisalloy blades stay sharp and require very little maintenance or lubrication. All cutter bars have the option of spring loaded swing back mounts to protect against damage to posts and equipment. In the quest for producing higher quality fruit, practising good canopy management and reducing labor input and costs, the Whitco range of vineyard equipment is the name you can trust for mechanical trimming, pruning and raking. For more information see www.whitcovinquip. com.au or call 1800 702 701.

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Fully continuous, with a blade opening of 53mm, they adapt perfectly to your chosen cut. Pellenc’s collaboration with Pradines blades ensures excellent cutting quality and the cutting heads are exclusive to Pellenc. Two types of interchangeable blades (Classic and Feather) mean users can get the maximum out of their tools whether they are making large cuts or dealing with smaller crowns – up to 82 cuts per minute. With a battery operating range of up to two days shears will work longer than users without recharging. The introduction of the Green Technology range in 2008 saw Pellenc add a whole range of tools all powered by ultra-high capacity lithium-ion battery.

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NEWS

May, 2014

Southern Farmer, Page 23

Saddlery takes pair past farm Horse and bush-gear business replaces grazing revenue for Boralma couple

By JAMIE KRONBORG SHARRON and George Taylor’s horse-gear and bush-gear business, like the kangaroo leather strands from which they craft the finest of whiphandles and belts, has coalesced on their Boralma farm from many elements of common history. The two are in their 12 square-metre workroom – their mini-blue heelerterrier cross, Dooley, keeping a weather-eye on the conversation from a corner milk crate – talking of the way they met. Sharron, raised at Silver Creek near Beechworth, had always made her own horse-gear. Her Beechworth grandmother, ‘Nan’ Malsem, taught her resourcefulness. “I used to live with her and she told me she used to sew her girls’ dresses with chopped-down ones of her own,” Sharron says. “She would also line my grandfather’s woollen pants with flour bags when they became handme-downs so that her sons wouldn’t find them prickly when they got to use them.” It was in the hill country between Beechworth and Stanley that Sharron learned to ride as a child. “I think of it now and it’s a wonder I didn’t end up down one of those mineshafts that are all over the place but I was completely unaware of them at the time,” Sharron says. As she grew up she became a more adventurous rider and took on more challenging country. And it was towards Bogong that Sharron and George met as young adults while George was droving cattle to the high plains for grazing, just as his great-grandfather had done. The pair discovered that their grandfathers had seen war service. George’s grandfather fought for the Australian Imperial Force in Flanders in the Great War 1914-18 and it was in the French-

FINEST HAND-MADE: George and Sharron Taylor with a rack of their SKT-brand riding crops and whips in their Boralma workroom.

FINEST HAND-MADE: George and Sharron Taylor with a rack of their SKT-brand riding crops and whips in their Boralma workroom.

Belgian borderlands that he saw Charolais cattle for the first time. It was also in Belgium where he met his future wife. It’s a salute to their memory that beyond George and Sharron’s workroom window, in a paddock behind their farmhouse, that Charolais breeders still graze, descended from cattle that George’s father bought when the breed first was imported to Australia in the 1970s. “On a farm you always scratch for a little extra,” says Sharron. “I always made my own horse and saddlery gear and never did it commercially. “But by 1990 I’d made a few pieces – belts, bridles and plaited work – and that’s how it kicked off. “I went on a trip through central Australia in 1992 and people were interested in it.”

Sharron at first bought six kangaroo hides from which to cut leather. “Then I bought 20, and thought ‘Goodness, I’ve got to work fast to make gear to pay for these’, then repeated that all over again,” Sharron says. But farming remained their priority – with Sharron using wet days to work up a business. “Then in 1997 we set up a website that we made ourselves,” says George. “We had an old dial-up and a squealing modem and we started to get online sales. “There was a lot of demand in the United States and, with the Australian dollar down at about $US0.40 at the time, we began to do a lot of business with Australia Post.” A map on the workroom wall shows just how much market recognition the pair’s hand-crafted leatherwork skills have since delivered.

It is studded with pins showing all of the world’s destinations to which SKT Leather products have been sent – North America, Britain, most European continental nations, Oman, Brazil, South Africa, Japan and, far into the North Atlantic, Iceland and Greenland. “We even sent leatherthong bracelets to a US serviceman in Iraq during the Gulf War but it had to go via military post in the US,” Sharron says. “We’ve made saddles, tool rolls for Harley-Davidson bikes, washers for pumps, knife rolls – we get orders for a lot of different stuff as well as the usual bush- and horse-gear.” The leather business has since overtaken farming. “We like to think of our workroom as the most productive 12 square metres in the country,” Sharron says. Actor Hugh Jackman has an SKT whip and

there is talk in horse circles of Sharron’s and George’s horse-gear being considered for use in a forthcoming major film about the Great War. They’ve restored war artefacts for the Bright Returned and Services League Museum. “We had pieces from most of the protagonists here at the one time,” says Sharron. “There was a German belt, a Turkish bayonet (recovered from the Bright rubbish tip), an Australian cap, a pack saddle and harness and a military saddle that we restored, an officer’s saddle bags and set of spurs that we did the straps for. “We worked to try to keep as much as possible of the original material so as to maintain the integrity of each piece. “I tracked down old military manuals to help to guide us through the restorations.”

Horses used in the Great War carried up to 152 kilograms and, in Middle East desert conditions, often went for 48 hours without water. Wholesaling, that used to take up most of SKT Leather’s production, in today’s market accounts for only about 60 per cent of business output. On-line and direct sales demand has grown dramatically, helped by the likes of Australian ‘horsewhisperer’ Guy McLean and horse shows in which he uses SKT gear. “Guy does a lot of liberty work (horses that generally are not restrained in any way when used in a performance) and is big on bush poetry,” George says. “He does a lot of his work in the US and this helps with sales there.” Local saddleries and equestrian stores also stock SKT Leather products. Sharron and George

use a range of leathers but kangaroo is best for whips and plaited belts. Kangaroo leather, for its weight, is the strongest in the world. Saddlery leathers, from cowhide, are vegetabletanned, and SKT saddles are flocked with wool and serge-lined, continuing a centuries-old tradition. Sharron finds that working with a natural product like kangaroo or cowhide is more or less intuitive. “You’ve got to have a high degree of concentration,” she says. “You’ve got to look carefully at the hide to make sure that you’re picking out the good parts when you’re making a product by hand.” Sharron’s next project is a side-saddle restoration. Women – particularly among the gentry – used these when etiquette demanded that they shouldn’t ride astride a horse, but with both legs from the knees arranged together on one side of the saddle. A fixture called a ‘leaping head’ was used to maintain balance on the saddle. “When you think that ladies when hunting would leap fences and hedges riding side-saddle – it’s amazing,” says Sharron. The pair plans to exhibit their handcrafted work at Kyneton’s Lost Trades Fair in Kyneton next year and at the Snowy River Festival in Corryong. They’ll be at a stockhorse event in Holbrook, NSW, in September, and they’re hopeful that one of their daughters, Erin, will soon start to take on SKT’s internet marketing development through its website and facebook. “I’m really proud,” says Sharron. “It would be nice to think that we could pass this business into a second generation. “I’m pretty passionate about Australian-made. “When I start talking about it George always says: ‘Wait until I go and get your (soap) box’.”

Succession key to Lancefield program From page 2 from across Australia and New Zealand from a range of agricultural commodities. Rabobank acting CEO Peter Knoblanche says the program is an excellent platform for young farmers looking to step up and take on more responsibility with their operations, giving them the confidence to add value and

have impact on-farm. “There comes a time in many families when the younger generation begins to integrate into the family farming business, taking on more responsibility with management decisions,” he said. “The aim of the program is to support the younger managers and provide them

the business knowledge and tools to succeed. “With succession planning a big focus for many agricultural families, and being the International Year of the Family Farm, the farm managers program is a great opportunity to focus on succession and ensure the next generation is in good stead to manage the challenges ahead with regard

to running the enterprise in future.” Mr Knoblanche says that farm succession is not just an issue for the farming families involved but it has a direct and long-term impact on future food production. “We need farmers to run our farms.” According to a Rabobank publication ‘The Future

of Farming’, in most productive, developed food and agriculture-producing countries, more than half of the farmers are above the age of 55. “In Australia and New Zealand – and certainly in other countries in the world – most farms are familyrun operations, owned and operated by one family and

often passed down from generation to generation,” Mr Knoblanche says. “The ‘family’ in family business is the source of its greatest strength and potential for its greatest downfall. Addressing this issue properly for the future sustainability of these operations is key.”

May, 2014

Page 24, Southern Farmer

Massey Ferguson

Dandenong Nagambie Silvan Warragul

Small Horse Tractors John Sanderson Machinery Darmac Ag Sales & Service REN Machinery

18 Lonsdale St Dandenong VIC 3175 36-38 Industrial Crescent, Nagambie VIC. 249-251 Monbulk Rd, Silvan VIC Normanby Street, Warragul VIC

(03) 9791 6414 (03) 5794 2272 (03) 9737 9255 (03) 5623 1255

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