Southern Farmer

Page 1

THE SOUTHERN

Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria Published since 1986

JULY, 2017

SHEEP & WOOL SHOW PAGES 11-14

ANGUS BREED FEATURE

www.nemedia.com.au

HYDROPONICS & GREENHOUSES

PAGES 18-20

PAGES 22-23

At Avington Merino, they’re growing luxury fibre with integrity, passion and ethics.

GIVE FLEECE A CHANCE: Avington Merino Stud principle Noel Henderson and farm managers Nathan and Kirstie Anderson believe international markets want Australia to stop mulesing.

It’s war and fleece

WHEN Noel Henderson and his wife Lyndsay founded Avington Merino in 1996 they wanted nothing less than an elite ultrafine wool stud, produced at the highest possible standards. More than 20 years later, it seems they have achieved all that and more. Avington is the result of the Hendersons passion and commitment to using ethical farming practices to produce top quality merino wool and educate, train and innovate the industry.

BY JARRAH LOH

jloh@ nemedia.com.au

But it was through a different industry that Mr Henderson found his innovation and drive. “I grew up in Melbourne and had a long career in the construction industry,” he told The Southern Farmer. The construction company he worked for, Multiplex (most famed for the building of Syd-

Trust only Bondioli & Pavesi and Bima for

ney Olympic Park for the 2000 Olympics), was chaired by Australian businessman John Roberts, who also owned the West Australian sheep operation The Grange. “My wife came from a farming background,” said Mr Henderson. “Then I started getting interested when I saw John’s stud.” The Hendersons bought their property in Sidonia – on the granite soils of the Macedon Ranges, 98km northeast of Melbourne. And with some help from

The Grange, as well as local studs Beverley and Glenara, they started stocking it with Merinos. And so, the stud was born on 450 acres with 500 merinos. After establishing themselves as a super-fine producer, Mr Henderson got his wish when by chance he was offered an ultra-fine stud that was being dispersed in Armadale, NSW. “We always wanted to be a ultra-fine producer, and that dispersal formed the basis of our ultra-fine flock.”

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Now, after two decades of farming and four decades of marriage the Hendersons oversee 7000 acres and run up to 20,000 sheep. Avington sell the majority of their wool through the auction system, but some is beginning to be exported to Japan. Lately, they have been looking to expand their exports to Italy and Europe. “I have recently been in Italy, looking to export directly,” said Mr Henderson. “That is now our focus.” During the recent trip, Mr

Henderson was confronted with a question he is all too familiar with. “All the processors asked when Australian growers were going to stop mulesing,” he said. “It is still a hot topic there.” Mulesing is the cutting of strips of wool-bearing skin from around the breech of a sheep to prevent flystrike, as the wool around the buttocks can retain faeces and urine, which attracts flies and can lead to flystrike.

Continued page 3

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NEWS

Page 2, Southern Farmer

July 2017

VFF warns of ushering in super pest THE Victorian Farmers Federation has raised concerns the State Government’s revamped Wild Dog Management Advisory Committee risks diluting any attempt to control wild dog attacks by conceding to dingo advocates. “Wild dogs are an introduced feral animal which need to be removed from the environment,”

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VFF Livestock Group president Leonard Vallance said. “If apex predators like dingoes are introduced back into the environment before we’ve successfully eliminated dogs, we risk exacerbating the problem by cross breeding; the result would be a Super Wild Dog.” “We will be seeking an

undertaking from the minister that this committee will be committed to wild dog eradication and not to the preservation of dingos. “It is vital we have a neutral, scientific approach to wild dog research.” Mr Vallance said the VFF also held concerns for ongoing social and business impacts faced by

farmers battling wild dog attacks on livestock. “The economic impact on the grazing industries has been seriously underestimated and we’re concerned about the mental health of farmers dealing with the trauma associated with wild dog attacks,” he said.

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(03) 9716 2459 THE SOUTHERN

Covering Central South Victoria and West Gippsland 37 Rowan Street, Wangaratta Victoria, 3677

Phone (03) 5723 0125 Email: sfarmer@nemedia.com.au Website: www.nemedia.com.au Calvin Purss Phone (03) 5723 0125 Fax (03) 5721 9447 cpurss@nemedia.com.au

Editorial:

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Published by Hartley Higgins for North East Media Pty Ltd, 37 Rowan Street, Wangaratta 3677. Responsibility for election comment is accepted by Editor Jeff Zeuschner. Copyright: All advertising and editorial content of this issue is the copyright of North East Media Pty Ltd and cannot be used without the company’s permission.

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Over-herd: news in brief Fonterra wants to give the appearance that they are offering a more attractive price than any of the other processors at $5.70/kgMS, but it’s simply not true and Fonterra and BSC need to make that clear.” – UDV president Adam Jenkins after Fonterra’s opening milk price announcement. It’s a fact that goes unrecognised, and farmers need to be constantly reminded of the reality that we do a dangerous job that requires precaution.” – Victorian Farmers Federation vice president Brett Hosking following a recent spike in quad bike accidents across the country, including eight fatalities in the last five months. The matter is now in the hands of the Federal Court and we’ll wait for a verdict on the judicial review.” – Victorian Farmers Federation vice president Brett Hosking as the rural mobile coverage debate goes to Federal Court.

In Australian dollar terms, export prices of wool, wine, lamb, barley, cheese and mutton are forecast to increase in 2017–18.” – Acting ABARES executive director, Peter Gooday, after the release of the Agricultural Commodities, June quarter 2017 issue.

Technology and innovation has increased the productivity of Australian agriculture in a number of ways, including new crop varieties, selective animal breeding and precision agriculture techniques.” – Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister, Luke Hartsuyker when launching the Decadal Plan for Australian Agricultural Sciences 2017–26 at Parliament House.

It is absolute hypocrisy to attack legal industries and actively campaign to shut down industries that aren’t cruel by the RSPCA’s own standards.” – VFF Egg Group vice president Brian Ahmed at a parliamentary inquiry into the animal welfare group.

Australian farmers operate in one of the most variable climates in the world and giving them the tools they need to change their management practices and better prepare for extreme events is vitally important to increasing returns at the farmgate.” – Senator for Victoria, Bridget McKenzie, after announcing a $6.2 million project to improve seasonal forecasting of extreme weather events such as drought or frost.

When it comes to surveillance for animal health or in the event of an Emergency Animal Disease it doesn’t matter if you have 10 animals or 10 000, every producer has an important role to play.” – Dr Marta Hernandez-Jover, a senior lecturer in epidemiology and veterinary public health at Charles Sturt University.

Domestically, old season crop has held its value better than we had expected with mice perhaps a bigger issue than prices in coming months.” – NAB Agribusiness economist, Phin Ziebel, after grain prices and more favourable global dairy auctions pushed the NAB Rural Commodities Index 1.5 per cent higher, with cotton, wool, and fruit and vegetables also performing well.

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NEWS

July 2017

Southern Farmer, Page 3

This is war and fleece From page 1

In 2004 the Australian wool industry, concerned by the threat to their international wool market, which was being challenged by animal rights groups like PETA, set itself a deadline of 2010 to phase out the practice. “In Australia, only about 10 per cent of farmers have stopped,” claimed Mr Henderson. “In New Zealand, it is closer to 80 per cent, and in South Africa they don’t do it. “It was supposed to be phased out here by 2010, but it didn’t happen.” Avington stopped mulesing in 2010 and hasn’t looked back. “We haven’t had any problems, so I can’t understand why others are having difficulty making that decision.” Chinese wool tycoon QingnanWen, the chairman of Tianyu Wool and the biggest buyer of Australian wool for China has recently been quoted that he wants to see the end of mulesing. “It has recently become of concern to young Chinese people,” said Mr Henderson. The husband and wife management team at Avington – Kirstie and Nathan Anderson – are also big advocates against mulesing. “It is not something that we are interested in doing when farming sheep,” said Mrs Anderson. “You need to look at how you treat an animal and ask yourself if it is the right thing to do. “And I have never felt comfortable with it.”

BEAUTY AND THE FLEECE: The Avington Merino team (from left) Kyle Cordy, Kirstie Anderson, Danni Wilson (wool classer), Nathan Anderson, and Noel Henderson.

Neither couple believe there has been any negative financial impact on switching from the traditional mulesing practice. They invested in an elctro-dip, and as a result save about twothirds of what they were spending on chemicals previously for fly protection, thus paying for itself in two years. And they still do the same amount of crutching as before. “We have two ways in dealing with the mulesing problem,” said Mrs Anderson. The first is through genetics – breeding sheep that are more resistant to flystrike and worms, with fewer wrinkles in the breech.

The second is by maintaining pasture conditions. “The sad thing is that it is 10 years on and we are still talking about it,” she said. “I would hope that as an industry we could step up. “If the customer doesn’t want it, and we don’t have to do it, let’s move on.” Last year the farm had 987mm of rain, but only had three sheep strained. “We believe the sheep are now more productive because there’s no doubt they get set back from mulesing,” said Mr Henderson. “We are actually saving money and getting a premium for our wool.”

Bulla on board with CoOL commitment to deliver the Government’s new CoOL reforms one year ahead of time on all their chilled dairy products, including ice cream, which is not mandatory under the changes,” Minister Joyce said. “It is clear that Bulla is proud to be an Australian company and wants to use the labels to show consumers where their food comes from.” Ms Henderson said it was great to see the local Australian icon, run for over 100 years by the same three families, getting behind the changes. “Australian produce has

a reputation for being safe, high quality, clean and green, and consumers have a right to know where their food comes from when doing their shopping,” Ms Henderson said. Bulla CEO, Allan Hood, said he is committed to increased labelling reform for greater transparency for all consumers. “As one of Australia’s largest family owned dairy companies, we are proud to be leading the way to the new CoOL reforms in our category, transitioning our ‘chilled products’ to the new labelling one year ahead of the mandatory timeline,” Mr Hood said.

Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria

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FAMILY owned Bulla Dairy Foods (Bulla) has announced it will adopt Australia’s new Country of Origin Labelling (CoOL) changes early, including voluntarily adopting them on ice cream products. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce, and the Member for Corangamite, Sarah Henderson, visited the Bulla factory to welcome the move, which will give consumers the extra level of information they are seeking around where their food was grown, made or packed, and how much was sourced from Australian farmers. “We welcome Bulla’s

He believes most farming problems lay in traditional systems that won’t see adjustment until a new generation takes over. “I think the Australian industry is very conservative and very slow to change,” he said. “There’s not much innovation.” Though he is of an older generation himself, his family is new to the land. “Without any shadow of a doubt, I am only different because I am a first-generation farmer.” Mr Henderson is also an advocate for better shearing practices, which he believes can be helped with better training and conditions for workers. Avington employs a young sheering team with a new attitude. “They all have a different outlook towards animals and their own health,” said Mr Henderson. “That’s another generational change.” Since 2012, they have also run the only Victorian jackaroo program, teaching young people about the entire industry. “We were frustrated that we couldn’t find young people,” said Mr Henderson. “So we started training them ourselves.” Despite things sometimes moving slower than he would hope, Mr Henderson is still excited about the future of wool and Avington was the first wool-growing property in Australia to be certified under the international sheep and wool welfare program, the Responsible Wool Standard.

THE SOUTHERN

NEWS

Page 4, Southern Farmer

July 2017

Future leaders of Australian agribusiness AGRIBUSINESS leaders from across Australia celebrated completing the Australian Agribusiness Leadership Program at a graduation in Sydney last month. Addressing and presenting certificates to the graduates, Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister, Luke Hartsuyker, said leaders like those graduating make agribusiness an exciting industry to be involved in. “Agribusiness in Australia is one the country’s defining industry pillars. “Our agriculture sector supports rural communities across Australia and contributes significantly to our national economy,” Minister Hartsuyker said. “These future leaders come from agribusinesses across Australia including Bendigo in Victoria. “They are all playing and set to play an even greater role in the agriculture sector. “The Australian Government recognises the value of leadership in the sector and this is why we provided $5 million to the Leadership in Agricultural Industries fund as an election commitment. “The Australian Agribusiness Leadership Program not only strengthens leadership capabilities; but provides valuable insight into sectoral challenges and opportunities fosters peer relationships and increases participants’ skills in communicating and collaborating. “It is the business that enables Australia and the world to grow, trade, and feed people the world over utilising our precious and finite resources. “Domestically, the agribusiness sector has been changing with greater consumer involvement, interest and attachment to food and its production. “This is one of the reasons the government has introduced new Country of Origin Labelling changes to give consumers a clear view of where their food comes from. “So too, the opening of new markets, the creation of jobs and the development of new technologies have positive flow-on effects for growth in agribusiness. “I congratulate all the 2017 graduates for taking the opportunity to increase their leadership capacity and better themselves by participating in such a worthwhile program.”

ON TRIAL: These steers are part of the only grass-based trial in Australia.

43rd steer trial begins THE 43rd Lardner Park Steer Trial began in July, with entrants from all around Australia. Compliant with the Coles QA grass-fed program, the aim is to achieve the best outcomes for both during-trial information and data collection, and purchase price on carcass meat when the trial is turned off in early December, as a domestic grade with a specification of between 210-285kg HSCW (hot standard carcass weight). As the only grass-based steer trial in Australia, producers are provided with the opportunity to assess cattle under independently controlled grazing conditions. Nicola Pero, CEO of Lardner

Park, said, “Our steer trial is of strategic importance to the cattle industry, not just in Victoria but in all of Australia, as the only grass-based trial for industry comparison. “In light of how many years this has been running, we have refreshed the entry criteria and introduced new technology engagement.” New in 2017 will be weekly video updates highlighting weather and feed conditions and the effect on cattle progression. Online video of the monthly weigh-ins will also be broadcast. Speakers will be presenting at monthly weigh-in lunches hosted

at Lardner Park and promoted in advance so attendances can be planned for both weigh-ins and presentation topics of particular interest throughout the trial. At the end of the trial an onsite visit at Lardner Park will be held featuring detailed boning demonstrations, followed by preparation and cooking demonstrations ideal for farmers, chefs and restauranteurs, livestock agents, processors and suppliers, to see in detail ‘perfect’ and ‘imperfect’ carcass components allowing you to fully appreciate what is required to achieve that top-dollar return on the best possible meat cuts.

An evening of entertainment, industry speakers and a premium meat eaters dining experience will follow. Engagement is being undertaken with school programs to help foster Victoria’s future farmers, inviting involvement from these future farmers whilst still at school, and promoting wider distribution of the trial data. To receive regular updates on the program, content sharing, opportunity to access trial data, and an invitation to the boning, preparation and cooking demonstration, together with the meat-eater gala dinner, please sign up on the website lardnerpark.com.au.

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NEWS

July 2017

Southern Farmer, Page 5

ALC says waste not, want not

NEW DAIRY: Southern Victorian couple Phil and Symone Vines are two young farmers with a lot of hope. PHOTO: Robert White

A young Victorian couple launch their dreams with Hope PHIL and Symone Vines started their farm ownership dream eight years ago with Hope and a lot of ambition. That was when Phil and Symone purchased their first cow – appropriately named Hope. Today they own nearly 800 cows, are purchasing their own 117-hectare farm and are leasing another at Simpson in south-west Victoria. “We called her Hope because we hoped she wasn’t going to be the only one,” Mrs Vines said. “It’s nice to be able to show it’s achievable – that you can go out on your own and start from scratch and do this.” They milk Friesian cows on a new robotic dairy on their farm and Jerseys on the leased farm. Both Symone and Phil come from dairying backgrounds but didn’t have any family help to set up their flourishing business. “We’d always wanted to go

out and do our own thing so when an opportunity came up to buy cows, then later a farm, we thought we’d go for it,” Mrs Vines said. Needing to replace the 50-year-old herringbone dairy, the Vines decided to look at a robotic system and travelled to inspect examples in Gippsland. “Phil fell in love the first minute he walked in,” Mrs Vines said. “The cows were the boss; they ran the system and weren’t stressed at all, and Phil said these are the type of cows I want. “I was more of an office girl but I find myself in the dairy every day now,” she said. “My interest has grown so much. “I love the fact the cows walk themselves up to be milked and they’re so calm.” With their four children, the Murray Goulburn next

generation suppliers have coped through a tough time in the industry and were recent finalists for the Young Farm Leader, the Employer and the Farm Manager awards in the 2017 Great South West Dairy Awards. “The last 12 months have been difficult,” Mrs Vines admitted. “When the price dropped, we were so busy getting the robotic dairy ready we didn’t want to make any knee-jerk reactions. “We extended the overdraft, kept our cow numbers and put in a massive harvest effort.” With the only robotic dairy in the region, the Vines are keen to help others interested in the technology and regularly host industry and school groups, and even a Men’s Shed team. “There’s a huge divide between country and city and we need to show people what we do and where their food comes from,” he said.

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THE largest single employer in the Colac region, the Australian Lamb Company (ALC), is part of a group of project partners who will benefit from $6 million in government funding to help convert animal wastes into valuable products such as fertilisers and energy, as part of a project led by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA). Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce, and Member for Corangamite, Sarah Henderson, said the innovative project was funded under the third round of the Australian Government’s Rural Research and Development (R&D) for Profit program. “MLA will develop technologies and business models with the potential to help processors, like ALC here in Colac, to convert

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Henderson said. “It is estimated that the management of wastes costs Australia’s agriculture industries as much as $200 million each year and this work has the potential to deliver exciting opportunities for many producers in the Corangamite region.” General manager for ALC, Darren Verrall said ALC is pleased to be participating in the joint project with the Federal Government and the MLA. “We are very keen to investigate how we can work with Barwon Water to better manage our waste products. “Using innovative methods, we will explore ways to turn costly waste into useful by-products like gas to produce energy to reduce our electricity costs,” Mr Verrall said.

wastes from the red meat, dairy and pork industries into fertilisers, chemicals, energy and other valuable products,” Minister Joyce said. “ALC, which employs more than 750 employees, will be involved in the project by testing whether waste from their processing plant can be converted into energy, fertiliser or nutritionally enhanced feeds. Ms Henderson said the project would see MLA work with 18 project partners, together contributing almost $8 million in cash and in-kind support for the project, with ALC committing $80,000 in cash support. “The Warrnambool and South West region of Victoria generates almost 20 per cent ($2.4 billion) of the state’s $13.1 billion agricultural production, so that’s a lot of waste,” Ms

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Page 6, Southern Farmer

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vital rainfall information with each other via social media channels because they see value in having as much data at their fingertips as possible for agronomic planning,” he said. “Easily sharing rainfall records is the first step in fundamental changes to the way the agricultural industry will extract value from its ‘big’ datasets in future to drive innovation and value-adding. “Aggregated information, whether it is about rainfall or pest or disease incidence etc, will give farmers and their advisers much better insight about what is happening in paddocks across a farm, a district, a state or nation-wide.” Mr Foley said rainfall was a fundamental requirement for growing a crop. He said recording and reviewing rainfall information could empower farmers, help with crop management in the current season, underpin planning for next season and monitor long-term trends in crop performance per millimetre of rainfall.

“Accurate rain records are stored within the context of other farm production records and agronomist recommendations – and so are easy to find and access,” he said. “For advisers, easily knowing the amount and timing of rainfall across a district is a big piece of the agronomic puzzle that allows them to better understand and make sense of what they are seeing and responding to in the paddock. “Variable yields, poor crop germination or ineffective herbicide results may be attributed to rainfall events and it is important to track these related events closely.” He said when sharing on the Agworld ‘rainfall’ function, this also allowed access to relevant local information from the BoM, including weather station feeds and historical data for the past 10 years. This facilitated analysis of longerterm trends. The app is available via Agworld on web browser or from the Apple App Store.

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A NEW app-based system for recording and sharing rain gauge data will help to create comprehensive localised rainfall maps and aid crop agronomy decisionmaking as the growing season unfolds. This unique tool is now available free-of-charge to all farmers through the Agworld collaborative farm management app. Already, Agworld ‘rainfall’ is amassing thousands of rain reports across Australia as farmers embrace the opportunity to help build a picture of where the soil moisture is in their area. Their rainfall records are inputted straight from paddock rain gauges, using iPhones or iPads in four easy ‘taps’, and can be saved and viewed as daily rain, season-to-date, month-todate and past seasons. A unique aspect of the system is that if farmers ‘opt in’, they can also share the information from their property’s rain gauges with their agronomists and neighbours via Agworld. This data is immediately available to their agronomist for including in planning crop nutrition, crop protection and grain marketing strategies. With their advisers, they can then make plans based on a more widespread and accurate database of rainfall information from across their district. Agworld Australia general manager Simon Foley said more than 95 per cent of Australian farmers who responded to a recent company survey said they relied on their own rain gauge information, rather than Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) weather station records, to underpin cropping decisions. “Farmers are already sharing

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NEWS

July 2017

Southern Farmer, Page 7

Surveillance for Tomato Psyllid wraps AGRICULTURE Victoria is wrapping up its surveillance for Tomato Potato Psyllid (TPP) as the winter months approach. Chief plant health officer Dr Gabrielle Vivian-Smith said there have been no confirmed reports of TPP in Victoria. Dr Vivian-Smith said surveillance for TPP would resume in spring and continue into summer, with a focus on field tomato and potato growers. “Our biosecurity officers have made good progress with the surveillance effort and I would like to thank all growers and industry

partners who have worked productively with us so far.” The surveillance of field crops, glasshouses and nurseries will provide assurance that Victoria remains free of TPP and will validate the state’s ‘area freedom’ certificate, supporting access to interstate markets. Agriculture Victoria is continuing to survey produce entering the Melbourne Market and Vegetable Market and the Melbourne Wholesale Flower Market, as well as targeted compliance patrol visits to businesses trading in host fruit and vegetables and nursery stock in both

metropolitan and regional Victoria. Dr Vivian-Smith said the recent detections of TPP in Western Australia should serve as a sharp reminder to all growers of the importance of best practice biosecurity protocols to protect Victoria from plant pest and disease incursions. “Victorian horticulturists are advised to implement best practice biosecurity measures and to regularly check their crops.” Victoria has imposed restrictions on importing any risk material, including plant or plant product, from Western Australia as a precaution.

TPP affects plants belonging to the Solanaceae family, which includes capsicums, tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, tamarillos, and chillies. It can also affect plants from the Convolvulaceae family, which includes sweet potato, and the Brassica family. TPP can transmit a bacterium called CLso (Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum) that is associated with the zebra chip disease in potato. The bacterium does not pose a risk to human health and it has not been detected in Victoria.

NO RED ALERT: So far, Victoria has managed to completely avoid the dreaded Tomato Potato Psyllid.

Graduation a milestone for nine new livestock consultants

CLASS OF 2017: The nine graduating interns who started the inaugural Livestock Consulting Internship program in 2015.

THE first class of interns to complete the inaugural Livestock Consulting Internship program officially graduated from the twoyear program last month, marking a significant milestone along their career path as livestock consultants. All nine interns who started the program in 2015 graduated at an event hosted by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) after completing internships with participating livestock consulting businesses throughout Australia. Supported by MLA Donor Company (MDC) and managed by Meridian Agriculture, the Internship program is designed to ensure the continuation of new consultants to the industry

through a structured program that underpins the cost of livestock consulting businesses taking on entry level employees. The project was established as a partnership between MDC and participating consulting firms in 2014 and commenced accepting interns the following year. MDC CEO Dr Christine Pitt said following the success of the first round of the Internship program, MDC is supporting a second round with a new cohort of 10 having recently commenced their internships. “A formal mentoring component has been introduced with the first round of interns who graduated, having been matched with the new interns to provide support

and guidance,” Dr Pitt said. “Livestock consultants require knowledge of the latest research and technology to help their clients remain competitive. “This program provides valuable personal development support, practical skills and access to industry networks whilst the interns undertake a graduate certificate in Agricultural Consulting. “Over the two years, they also identify, develop and implement a major industry research project, giving them a real-world understanding of the implementation of R&D. “We congratulate the nine interns who have completed the program.”

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NEWS

Page 8, Southern Farmer

Does nutrition influence profit?

Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria

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THERE are three aspects associated with dairy farming that can elevate or decimate farm profits, and individual cows especially. Feed, fertility and lameness. All three are highly related, outside environmental causes to lameness. As obvious as it may seem, feed and fertility are well researchproven limitations to farm profit. Based on the Australian 305 day lactation average milk production, clearly we are underfeeding our cows by at least 4+ kgs DM daily. We have bred cows through genetic advancement that have far greater capacity for converting feed dollars to milk dollars, yet we have not taken advantage of our investment in genetics when our national average milk production is half that of the USA. I’ve been told for 40 years we are a different industry from the USA. The problem is, we are competing on the same world markets against more efficient milk production systems. Further, cows are cows and feed is feed, irrespective of delivery systems. Producing more milk from the same fixed costs (land and cow maintenance energy cost), increases our competitiveness, but more so, our profit. Having the feed to optimise our cows’ capacity for converting it to milk dollars is a multifaceted issue we’ll look more closely at next month. Suffice to say, as all my consultancy clients know, number one is allowing cows access to feed. From there we look to planning the growing of forages that are highly digestible. We can fill a cow to contentment with hay, but she will not convert that hay to much milk. Worse still, the conversion of hay dollars to milk dollars is not profitable, due mostly to very slow digestibility rates that limit daily dry matter intakes.

By JOHN LYNE Dairytech dairy production specialist From here we look at energy and protein densities. How much energy and protein is in each kg of dry matter consumed by our cow? She has a physical limit-to-DM feed intake, so the higher the energy and protein in each kg DM of feed, the higher the total energy/protein intake will be, and obviously, how much milk she will produce daily. We run a ratio in our diet analysis program of energy to maintenance and production. This ratio is critical in determining feed cost per litre of milk produced. Further, as this ratio shifts according to feed intake, digestibility and energy density, the cost of producing a litre of milk rises or falls rapidly. There is a multiplier effect occurring in the shifts of this ratio; for better or worse. Feed intake, digestibility and energy/protein density are the ‘macros’ of dairy nutrition and production. However, the next plane is mineral nutrition. Our forages are a ‘mixed bag’ of minerals, some excessive and some deficient. For example, our forages tend to be between excessive, and highly excessive in potassium – fertiliser dependant. Our cows have a massive requirement for calcium, and pastures are very low in calcium; likewise, magnesium. It is essential we supplement our cows to regulate excesses and supply deficiencies. Cows also have a high salt requirement. Next we need to consider trace minerals. Although they are supplemented in very small amounts, they

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The one issue that can decimate all the above, is lameness. Lameness prevention has specific nutritional needs, all of which are mentioned above related to milk production and fertility. However, to highlight a few very necessary preventative measures, we ensure adequate zinc is fed for formation of sound hoof material. Limit weight loss post-calving which can reduce the fat pad and its ‘shock-absorber’ function in the heel, and of course, feed buffering agents and adequate effective fibre for good rumen health and mitigation of sub-optimal ruminal pH (SARA). Supplementing Biotin in mineral mixes added to grain has significant benefits to hoof integrity. Addressing environmental causes to lameness such as track maintenance, minimising sharp turns on concrete (exiting rotary platforms especially) or covering with rubber mats will reduce injury and ware to hooves. Applying zinc sulphate and copper sulphate solutions alternately via absorbent mats while exiting dairies are beneficial in drying and hardening soles during wet conditions, reducing risk of stone punctures and bruising. Despite our best efforts in all the above, I cannot stress enough that failed transition nutrition, which I’ve written on numerous times over the past few months, will severely reduce our ability to enhance our cows’ capacity for profitable lactations through feed, fertility and the absence of lameness. A recent report highlighted the fresh cow’s energy need as being similar to a human running two marathons daily. Nothing impacts post-calving energy (feed intake) like transition nutrition. Nutrition provides a massive ‘window of opportunity’ from dry-off to pregnancy for highly profitable dairy business.

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are highly essential to many biological functions of dairy cows, including our opening claim of feed, fertility and lameness. Trace minerals are not very bioavailable from plant tissue, and hence must be supplemented via mineral premixes in grain. Following are the critical roles of commonly supplemented trace minerals and vitamins. Copper, manganese and zinc play important roles in protein synthesis, vitamin metabolism, the growth of ligaments and immune function. Cobalt is essential to B12 vitamin production in the rumen, and if not limited, will supply all the cows’ need for B12. Vitamins A and D are commonly supplemented despite their natural availability from green forages and sunlight respectively, to ensure no compromised requirement. There are two other essential supplements that I have left until we look at fertility, as they are critical to that major profit driver. They are the trace mineral selenium, and vitamin E. Both have vital roles in uterine health the therefore fertility. Further, both are antioxidants which have important roles in stabilising fatty acids and soluble vitamins. Their role in reducing toxicity of fats is very significant in our grazing based system as pasture has very high fat. The obvious sign of excessive dietary fats from pasture is suppressed BF%. Antioxidants also prevent the formation of free radicals affecting digestion of feeds and animal health. Fertility then becomes a natural and serendipitous outcome of a fresh cow that has not suffered excessive negative energy balance from underfeeding, or pre-calving nutrition, has her mineral and vitamin requirements met, and then, a healthy and vital uterus.

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NEWS

Page 10, Southern Farmer

July 2017

wants cattle 1XI¿ HOG 6FKRODU RQ WKH FXWWLQJ CCA x-ray now HGJH RI $8 FRWWRQ SURGXFWLRQ HOW to make more from less is a question many farmers face, but particularly in regards to water for irrigation. Cotton grower and 2015 Nuffield Scholar, Tom Quigley, said ongoing issues around water availability prompted him to look at new techniques from around the world to help grow more profitable, water efficient and sustainable cotton crops using pressurised overhead sprinkler irrigation. Since the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in 2012, and as part of the Government’s incentive to modernise irrigation infrastructure, a large proportion of cotton farms swapped water rights to implement pressurised overhead sprinkler irrigation. Having invested heavily in the new infrastructure, most notably Centre Pivots and Lateral Moves (CPLM) systems, Mr Quigley said it was clear that the new technology wasn’t delivering the promised results of increased yield and reduced water use. “The initial results were promising, however we weren’t seeing the full potential of these machines using existing cotton growing methods. “We identified that we had to change our farming technique with the new infrastructure, in order to produce more, with less,” he said. “I began researching new techniques and elements employed by

WATERED DOWN: Cotton grower and 2015 Nuffield Scholar, Tom Quigley.

other farmers around the world, which ultimately led to my Nuffield Scholarship. “The scholarship enabled me to see first-hand the advances being made with similar sprinkler irrigation systems in countries like the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, New Zealand and Israel.” His findings uncovered several areas of improvement for growers, ranging from the need to have ground cover, to adopting new systems like strip tillage, which

has delivered significant gains for US farmers in corn production. “It became obvious that ground cover material must have enough lining and cellulose to resist decomposition until after row closure in the cotton crop. “Strip tillage overcomes a significant proportion of the challenges associated with groundcover, and can deliver significant yield increases as seen in the US.” Mr Quigley’s research also found that sprinkler selection

determines how water is delivered to the soil efficiently and will have the greatest influence in machine performance for minimal cost. “There is a 10 per cent reduction in water use up for grabs just from sprinkler choice, which could be a $400/ha decrease in cost,” he said. “Machine maintenance is also of the highest importance because if a machine breaks down, there is zero capacity to irrigate the crop, which directly impacts the bottom line.”

THE Cattle Council of Australia is calling for a united front between Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and the Australian Meat Processing Corporation (AMPC) to co-operatively invest and accelerate the rollout of Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) objective carcass measurement technology across the Australian red meat processing sector. The call for a collaborative approach to a wholeof-industry rollout of the technology to provide impartial and science-driven analysis of carcases comes on the back of findings of an AMPCcommissioned Ernst & Young (EY) report into the technology. “The Cattle Council of Australia looks forward to working with our value chain partners in the processing sector to develop greater transparency within industry and share the benefit of OCM technologies,” Mr Smith said. The EY report reflected findings in the recently released year-long report by Greenleaf, Miracle Dog Consulting and S. Williams Consulting – jointly commissioned by MLA and AMPC – that showed that the potential benefits of the technology relating to measuring lean meat yield were shared between producers and processors. “We have also seen objective measurement technology recommended by the ACCC, the Meat Industry Strategic Plan (MISP 2020) and MLA’s Strategic Plan 2016-2020,” Mr Smith said. Mr Smith highlighted the need to fast track the rollout of the technology in order to realise the full financial benefits for the industry. “We know that DEXA technology has been trialled and that DEXA hardware has been commercially used for both sheep and cattle processors for the past two years,” Mr Smith said. “The adoption of DEXA’s technology across industry will provide numerous market advantages and will change the way we do business for the better. “As well as paving the way for scientific measurement of saleable meat yield, there is the potential for future value based marketing and industry-wide productivity gains through processing automation, genetic improvement and data-based on-farm decision making.”

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Southern Farmer, Page 11

July 2017

140th

14th-16th July, 2017, Bendigo, Victoria

Australian Sheep & Wool Show

THE SOUTHERN

Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria

NORTH EAST AND GOULBURN MURRAY

Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria

proudly present this special feature

AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE: The annual ram sales are just one of the many attractions at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show.

The 139th Annual Australian Wool & Sheep Show is here President’s Welcome Letter By ROSS MCGAUCHIE President, Australian Sheep Breeders Association WHILE our woolgrowers enjoy some of the best international demand conditions in decades, it has never been more important that our premier, worldclass benchmarking event displays the best of the best to our consumers and a growing national and international audience. The Australian Sheepbreeders’ Association’s continuous improvement through the employment of generations of expert breeding, producing world class elite genetics and innovation has

kept us at the forefront of the premium quality that is seeing a steady rise in demand and prices. At the same time, our sheepmeat producers are enjoying an increased demand for our prime lamb and mutton, both domestically and on the export market. When we gather each July in the regional centre of Bendigo, we not only celebrate and display the incredible contribution our members make to the industry, but also to the national economy. And we catch up with friends from across the nation. The hard work and focus on excellence and innovation that has occurred on the nation’s best farms and studs year after year makes the journey from all states to form this annual epicentre of excellence as they

compete in the benchmarking show rings and display the entire supply chain. Through the industry’s good times – and bad – we have never lost focus on what it requires to keep an entire agricultural sector not only viable, strong, growing and at the forefront, but to capture and keep the attention of the world. This constant striving for excellence has called for an unwavering, consistent and collective approach to that quest. This doesn’t end with the producer’s role, but recognises the crucial value adding we see on the nation’s and the world’s fashion catwalks and the quality of what makes the journey from the paddock to the plate. We also celebrate the woolcrafts from our wonderful spinners and weavers who proudly

Lamb takes centre stage in Bendigo this July!

showcase their exquisite handcrafts. Year on year, the Australian Sheep and Wool Show attracts a broadening national and international audience. From July 14 to 16 at Bendigo’s Prince of Wales Showgrounds, the nation’s best farmers will compete for the top championship ribbons; our finest fleeces will be judged; leading wool fashion will be displayed; the growing craft market will form Australia’s largest one-stop fibre market; a major retail shopping precinct comes to life; the excitement of seeing premium stock sales and; prime lamb will be at the centre of its own taste sensation festival. We also celebrate all of the elements that are vital for the running of our industry - for the first time ever in Bendigo, this

year sees the Australian Yard Dog Championships, expert shearers, the agribusinesses and support services that provide vital employment and the ability to deliver to all of our consumers. But, careful succession planning for the future is also a crucial and central element of our quest. Showcasing the career and educational opportunities the industry offers for our young people; celebrating the best of our young farmers and agribusiness achievers; junior competitions to ensure the continuity of our international standards; staying ahead of the technologies available and; fostering the innovations that will take us dynamically forward are also an integral part of our event. And, it’s not just about life on

the farm. We need the young designers of the future who will celebrate the use of our premium natural fibre, the young chefs and restaurateurs who will continue to develop our iconic national lamb dish and showcase its popularity across all cultural groups. Year after year we also welcome our highly valued sponsors whose support ensures we can keep the largest event of its type growing and the spotlight firmly focused on the best of the best. Major sponsorship partners, Stock & Land, AWTA, Landmark, Elders, RASV, AWI, WFI, City of Greater Bendigo, O’Sullivans Transport and MLA are to be thanked for their continued support. Join us for a journey to be truly proud of.

FRIDAY, JULY 14 • Bob The Butcher Master Class on • Dr Jim Walsh (Coopers Animal breaking down a whole carcass Health) correct vaccination techniques • Bob The Butcher carving demonstration • Mama’s Gozleme -Turkish Lamb Cuisine

• Live Music • Wine grower Phillip Meehan pairs a Tempranillo with Spanish braised Shanks cooked by Chef Paul Haggett

SATURDAY, JULY 15

Food and farming are the focus at the annual Bendigo Festival of Lamb, where local chefs add their gourmet touch with three days of lamb appreciation coinciding with the Bendigo Sheep & Wool Show

• Bob The Butcher Master Class on • Country Women’s Association breaking down a whole carcass cooking demonstration • Trufflepig Catering & Events • Bob The Butcher Sausage making cooking demonstration Master Class

• Dr Jim Walsh (Coopers Animal Health) correct vaccination techniques • Live Music

SATURDAY, JULY 15

Proudly supported by:

• The Gypsy’s Lunchbox cooking demonstration • Bob the Butcher carving demonstration

• Michelle Theodore Catering cooking demonstration • My Chefs Tool Box cooking demonstration

SHEEP & WOOL SHOW

Page 2

July 2017

THE SOUTHERN

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is a great compliment.� said Ms Thwaites. Green Hip will have changing room facilities and stock on hand for all of their customers to try and buy their comfy workwear. “I’m so excited to finally have a retail space at this year’s show. “It’s the best show of its kind in the world. “My beanies are 100 per cent Australian and made from Bendigo wool.� The three day show will be held at the Bendigo showgrounds is the largest event of its type in the world. This is where the ‘best of the best’ sheep breeders compete and some of the country’s most passionate food, fashion and fibre lovers gather to celebrate the mighty Australian sheep. Since 2010, Green Hip

has supplied women around the country with modern, comfortable and stylish workwear that has grown from a few styles when launched, to now carrying 10 different styles of workwear and accessories. “After years of selling my gear with extremely positive customer feedback we have starting attending more shows. “I just love getting to know my customers and hearing their feedback is invaluable for product development and business growth.� Based in Geelong, Green Hip Workwear For Women can usually be purchased online or at selected stockists around Australia and this is the perfect opportunity for farmers and tradie ladies a-like to experience a vibrant and eventful show and walk away with some modern workwear for women.

On-Property Annual Ram Sale

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GREEN Hip will be showcasing their modern workwear for women at this year’s Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show. The owner and creator of Green Hip, Olivia Thwaites was tired of wearing men’s workwear when working as a horticulturalist so she decided to design her own work gear and has never looked back. Now, thanks to Ms Thwaites’ determination and hard work, women no longer have to wear uncomfortable and unflattering workwear. “My unique soft cotton/ stretch fabric allows movement for women while working in the trades and services industries and not only can they work in comfort but also in style. “Often our customers purchase multiple pairs of work pants, some for work and some for weekend wear which

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SHEEP & WOOL SHOW

July 2017

Page 3

MasterChef at festival

Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria

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COOK IT UP: Tregan Borg of Masterchef fame will be on hand at the Festival of Lamb at this year’s Australian Sheep & Wool Show.

IT is our iconic national dish and for generations, loving our prime lamb is as Aussie as it gets. We are also rapid embracers of what many cultures and immigrant communities have brought to our tables. This year at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show, the Festival of Lamb will take a culinary journey through the world of flavours and dishes that exists in our own backyard – from how grandma perfected the cooking of every cut, some wonderful insights into a multi-cultural approach, and even today’s school children bringing a modern twist in a junior cooking contest. It features three days of cooking challenges, programs and demonstrations. All lovers of great tasting lamb are invited to attend the Lamb Festival events, where local chefs add their gourmet touch to your plate. Follow the aromas to learn, taste and take home some top tips from the experts. One expert in attendence will be Tregan Borg, and you can come and enjoy take on lamb. Best known as the roller derby-loving, larger-than-life social worker from MasterChef 2012, Tregan shares her passion for food not only with the public, but in some phenomenal work she does in the social welfare sector. Her MasterChef highlights were preparing food for Jamie Oliver, cooking Italian antipasti for Jamie Oliver, winning the “dude food” challenge and also winning the Rick Stein world food challenge. Tregan has gone on to gain commercial cooking experience at two-hatted Maha restaurant under Shane Delia and has worked for Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food, in Geelong. For more information and other events, please visit their website: www.bendigofestivaloflamb.com.

THE SOUTHERN

SHEEP AND WOOL SHOW

Page 4

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July 2017

RIDGWAY Advance Stud owners David and Karen Ridgway, with son Devon, have tremendous faith in the merino industry and with their vision and passion, believing in the quality of their stud’s seed stock. The merino stud is situated in the south-east of South Australia, 20 to 30 km north of Bordertown, neighbouring the Victorian border with an annual rainfall of 450mm. The Advance sheep have been developing over the past three decades and are now an impacting genotype that has depth, resulting in predictable breeding. Stud principle, David Ridgway believes, “When it comes to Merinos it is a matter of striking the correct balance.â€? The stud’s aim has always been to combine fertility, with early meat development and quality ďŹ bre production. However, while maximising the production of meat and wool is important, one must not overlook the fact that the number-one proďŹ t driver is reproduction and it never should be compromised. With properly planned joining programs and pedigree selection, Ridgway Advance have created a Poll Merino that breeds predictable and of an even type, capable of adapting in all conditions. The Advance sheep display great shape and correct structure with impressive meat traits complemented with white, deep-crimped and well-aligned ďŹ bre that grows at a rapid rate. A key component of the Ridgway Advance Merino is their plain supple and highly productive skin that allows for a robust animal with great carcass attributes to produce long, soft white wool. The stud’s sheep are wellknown for their ability to reproduce at very high rates and with their distinctive carcass conformation, the stock are rewarding commercial clients with their bottom line. This is highlighted in several SA and Victorian renowned ewe sales, wool auctions and

QUALITY STOCK: Ridgway Advance Stud principle David Ridgway showing a sample of his rams to be offered at the stud’s Annual On-Property Ram Sale on Wednesday, August 16 at Bordertown.

lambs processed over hooks that have achieved outstanding results. The Advance ock has been accredited for Brucellosis and OJD since 2002, with a Gudair vaccination program commencing in 2012 resulting in the entire Ridgway Advance ock now being fully vaccinated. David, Karen and Devon Ridgway invite you to the Ridgway Advance Annual onproperty ram sale on Wednesday, August 16, at 4363 Emu Flat Road, Senior Bordertown, South Australia. The continued success of

the Ridgway Advance Sale is attributed to the outstanding quality and depth of stock penned on the day. This assurance of quality can only boost existing buyer conďŹ dence as well as attract new commercial buyers. There will be 180 Poll Merino Rams displayed with current wool, weight and EMD tests, with pedigree information available. Morning tea and ram inspection begins at 9.30am, with the sale starting at 1pm. For more information visit www.ridgwayadvancemerinos.com.au.

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Page 16, Southern Farmer

WINTER WARMTH AND HEATING

July 2017

Arm your home against the cold and energy costs WITH energy costs expected to rise, RACV is encouraging Victorians to take simple steps to reduce their energy consumption in their homes RACV has a checklist for Victorians to protect their home against the cold during the chilly winter months. Aaron Flavell, RACV general manager home services says, “Victoria and bad weather go hand-in-hand, and we know that we can do more to weather-proof and prepare our homes.

“We live in one of Australia’s coldest states and with energy costs on the rise, we want to help Victorian households be better prepared for the cold and wet days ahead,” said Mr Flavell. “We know that things can go wrong. “Last year our Emergency Home Assist team tended to over 5000 callouts for damages to roof, gutters, downpipes and heater-related issues and many of these things can often be easily prevented.

RACV’s 10 tip-checklist: 1. Clear gutters – ensure your gutters are kept clear to prevent blocked drains, leaks and overflows as the rains set in. 2. Service heaters – to help energy efficiency and prevent possible electrical or gas faults that put your home at risk, get your heaters serviced by a professional. 3. Check your home for cracks – fill holes, window cracks, gaps in the floorboards and put draught-snakes in front of doors to help keep

the warm in and the cold out. 4. Seal windows and doors – install new rubber weathersealing strips around your window frames and door surrounds to prevent heat escaping. 5. Insulate your hot water tank – bring your energy bills down with a low-cost energy blanket which insulates your hot water tank. 6. Service your hot water tank – your hot water tank needs to be serviced every three years. If it’s solar – it’s every two years.

7. Check roof tiles – before the winter storms arrive, check your roof tiles are not broken, missing or need replacing. This maintenance will minimise problems occurring down the track such as leaks and insulation loss. 8. Cover your pool – have your pool cleaned and use a pool cover to stop leaves and debris getting into the pool to prevent an algae outbreak while it’s not in use. 9. Spare keys – use this opportunity to make sure a

neighbour, relative or close friend has a set of spare keys to prevent you being locked out in the cold. 10. Create an energy savings plan – take steps to save energy at what can be an expensive time of year for utility bills. Heating only the rooms being used, reducing the temperature on your heater’s thermostat by a couple degrees, and installing an energy-saving showerhead are a few ways to reduce your energy consumption.

Keeping your crop warm THERE are essentially two methods of heating a greenhouse hot air and hot water. Hydronic heating refers to the use of a boiler to heat water which is then piped through the greenhouse. The pipes, located around the walls of the structure and/or between plant rows, radiate heat. The major costs are in the boiler and piping. A centralised hydronic heating system is generally a more efficient form of heating in greenhouses greater than 1000m2 and especially where there are several separate greenhouses. When hot water heating is used, the boilers may be situated away from the greenhouse. This flexibility provides the opportunity to locate potentially

noisy boilers away from farm boundaries to minimise disturbance to neighbours. Heated air can also be used to maintain temperatures in a greenhouse. Hot air may be directly generated in the greenhouse or the internal air can be warmed through heat exchange with an external heat source. Where combustion occurs at the source of the heat, such as in a gas fired heater, locating the heater outside the greenhouse and using a heat exchange pad to warm the internal air is recommended. This is because the combustion process can result in ethylene production and also water vapour. Ethylene can cause leaf drop and premature ripening of fruit.

FIRE IT UP: Even in non-winter months, your greenhouse can need extra heating.

NEWS

July 2017

Southern Farmer, Page 17

Avoiding mouse plague disaster

PUMPED UP: The Aussie Pump Team prepares to hit the road with a national field day program that collects farmer feedback to inspire future product development.

A MOUSE plague that is threatening much of rural Australia doesn’t need to be a disaster for hay farmers. Feed Central has released a new guide to help producers to control mice in their hay sheds and to avoid the significant damage that a plague can cause. Wet and cold weather has been forcing mice into stacks of hay and Feed Central managing director Tim Ford said the guide was designed to overcome a shortage of information on the subject for producers. “Many regions are now facing significant mice pressure but sound management can reduce the risk,” Mr Ford said. Last year, Feed Central successfully fought a mice plague in its own sheds. “We did lose product, but

it was not the disaster it could have been,” Mr Ford said. “To begin ‘the fight’ we did a lot of research and to help clients in the same situation we compiled a brief fact sheet on mice control,” he said. While advising farmers to make their own decisions, the fact sheet outlines ways to make the environment unappealing to mice. The guide said that early detection and early action is critical. It describes baiting as the most common control option and suggests farmers shouldn‘t hold back on the number of bait stations, particularly around farm buildings, fodder and grain storage. “If there’s increased mouse activity you should increase baiting numbers substantially

and immediately and check the bait stations every 24-48 hours.” Bait stations should be placed close to or against walls and should be placed closer together and more often if mice are seeking other food sources. “Baiting is worthwhile, even where there is a large amount of feed, because mice like a variety of feed sources. “They don’t want to eat hay and grain all the time. “It can be costly, so it is worth spending the time and effort in getting it right,” Mr Ford said. The guide also outlines options for fumigation and natural control measures, while adding that baiting has an advantage over fumigation in that farmers can manage it internally safely and cost effectively.

Aussie field day pump blitz THE Aussie Pumps team are psyched up and ready to support dealers in this season’s Field Day program. The company has been developing new products over the last two years, many of them originating from ideas presented by farmers at the 2015 or 2016 Field Day seasons. “Field Days are a fabulous opportunity for our team to get orientated towards what farmers want,” said Aussie Pumps’Brad Farrugia. “Our program also works hard to support the ‘Drought

Proof Australia’ program. “We are backing Barnaby Joyce all the way with a plan to provide water security for farmers across this fabulous country.” New offerings for this year include a full range of Honda powered self-priming pumps, from high pressure firefighting gear to trash pumps for piggeries, all backed by Aussie’s unique five year warranty and Honda’s four year engine warranty. “To get those special warranty deals, farmers will need to move fast! This unique joint offering of Honda and

Aussie ends, so far as Honda’s extra year of free warranty is concerned, on the September 1, 2017. “It’s a good reason for making buying decisions promptly,” said Farrugia. “We have launched a new program called ‘Big Pumps Make sense’. “We are introducing farmers to the idea of the huge benefits in fuel savings, efficiency and convenience in moving to bigger Aussie QP pumps that can deliver high pressure and high flows,” said Mr Farrugia.

LIKE WILDFIRE: Mice are flocking to hay in huge numbers across the state.

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Page 18, Southern Farmer

ANGUS

July 2017

YEARLING BULL SALE APRIL 2018 IN THE MOO-D: Dan Ivone, far left, said recent cow and calf prices set all new records for the Myrtleford sale. PHOTO: Brad Worrall

Prices on the rise

At Riga Angus the focus is to produce young bulls using best practise to maximise their ability to deliver genetic gains to the herds they are sold to a year earlier than normal. At Riga all bulls are: i50K Genomic tested

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By BRAD WORRALL A HUGE crowd and record prices were the order of the day at the Myrtleford Autumn Sale run by Paull and Scollard last month. A strong field of buyers pushed the top price of the sale to $3110 for a cow and calf raising concerns that current cattle prices are not sustainable. Prices averaged $2782 across a line-up of 149 heifers (mostly Angus with some Hereford, Simmental-cross and Charolais-cross) which had young calves aged a few weeks.

Comprehensive vaccination program Private Sales are available on enquiry. This year’s Sale topper, VKRM67 at $7250 was a son of Sydgen Black Pearl. 2018 will again see sons of Pearl, Musgrave Big Sky as well as Wattletop Franklin G188. These sire lines offer exceptional, calving ease, growth, fertility and carcase genetics.

JADE PARK ANGUS

In all more than 1100 cattle were sold. Stock agent Dan Ivone said cows and calves had been too cheap for too long. “I think they are just getting to be where they should be,” he said. “Rule of thumb suggests a cow will pay for herself in two years and that is what these prices are suggesting. “Two years ago you were probably paying $2000 for the lot that topped the sale.” Mr Ivone said buyer interest was fuelled by the perfect set of conditions. “The prices were good and the cattle, which were a bit of

a mix, were produced in great order,” he said. “But we have seen the perfect storm for a cattle sale – the export and processing market is strong, we have a good season and there has been a lack of quality females on the market for some time. “So demand was up, the cattle were good and there had been a lack of supply. “Earlier in the year we recognised that there were little or no quality females being offered for sale and so we intentionally went out and sourced them for this sale and it has paid dividends for all involved.”

1st EVER FEMALE SALE

Bulls available for inspection all year round, feel free to contact the teams at Rodwells Benalla and Wangaratta for advice and inspection opportunities.

~ 20 th OCTOBER 2017 ~ – BACKED BY 25 YEARS OF OUTSTANDING BREEDING – John and Joan Woodruff, Witherswood are offering a selection of top quality females in this Sale, Many with calves by leading industry Sires, including Millah Murrah Kingdom K35, and Klooney K42. After many years of breeding, Our accelerated Embryo programmes have increased our numbers, and this enables us to share our quality genetics with other breeders. A critical assessment of

our herd has been taken each year. Our focus has always been on fertility, structure, Temperament , longevity, and the ability for cows to raise a top quality calf every year. This is your opportunity to access these quality genetics, which have not been available ever before. Further details will be available in the month ahead. For information contact: Manager Ian Peake 0419 111 936

Feature home bull is an embryo flush son from Hingaia 469 out of donor cow from Millah Murrah G101 Jade Park focus is to breed functional, easy doing fertile cattle with great temperament, structural soundness, natural thickness and depth of body. We have invested heavily behind the success of Millah Murrah, with embryos from NZ Hingaia 469, resulting in our Stud home bull Kenny K6 - Docile, soft, thick, deep, great feet and structure, a real girl maker. The female platform consists of Donors from Banquet, Wattle Top, Ascot, Coolana, Welcome Swallow and Millah Murrah. Bulls to check out in our upcoming sales are Matauri Reality, Ef complement, Highlander of Stern, Braveheart of Stern, NAQ A214, NNM Realityk39, Clunie Range Juno J173, Kingdom k35, Ascot Hallmark H147, Clunie Range Kaluha K330 and NNMHighlander G7.

1617 Wangaratta-Kilfeera Rd Hansonville 3675

Hoysted Road, Taminick via Glenrowan John & Joan Woodruff E: joanwoodruff@bigpond.com M: 0412 002 509 | P: (03) 9826 0334

Ian Peake - Stud Manager M: 0419 111 936 P: (03) 5765 2222

Jim Bruce 0419 600 355 Stephen Street 0428 579 338

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ANGUS

July 2017

Southern Farmer, Page 19

The history of Australian Angus By ANGUS AUSTRALIA THE exact origin of the black poll cattle of Scotland is uncertain. Even the great naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-82) was unable to offer any explanation for the origin of the breed. References to black poll cattle from 1752 describe the presence of “humble� oxen and “dodded� heifers in the region of Angus, Scotland. These cattle gave rise to the Aberdeen Angus breed in the 19th century. The first record of black cattle imported into Australia was of eight black cattle that were unloaded at the Hobart Town docks 1824. These cattle were taken

to Dennistoun the property of Captain Patrick Wood, near Bothwell. They were regarded by early writers, and then by the Angus Society of Australia, as the first cattle to come to Australia of a type similar to those that formed the Angus breed in the following 60 years. The genes of these early cattle that arrived at the Hobart Town docks remain in the Edgell’s family Dennistoun Angus herd today, and it remains the oldest property to continuously run Angus cattle in Australia. James Mitchell’s Tasmanian herd originated from direct importations from Scotland. Arthur O’Connor from Tasmania brought the entire

Eastern Marshes herd at the dispersal sale following James Mitchell death. It is noted that Arthur O’Connor was the earliest exhibitor of black poll cattle at the Royal Hobart Show. WC Grubb founded the Barrowville herd of Angus cattle in 1885 with the purchase of cows from the late Arthur O’Connor. At the Barrowville stud dispersal sale following the sudden death of WC Grubb in 1919, his son in-law S Tulloch Scott purchased some cattle to found Dunedin stud. In 1838, the Docker family settled at Bontharambo, near Wangaratta. They imported cattle from New Zealand to start

a commercial herd then in the 1920s they started the Bontharambo stud. Among the next to start breeding black polls in Australia was William Hogarth from Toowoomba, Queensland, in 1882. A major impetus to the breed’s development in NSW was the establishment of Edinglassie stud at Muswellbrook, by JC White in partnership with FJ White in 1880. This partnership dissolved in 1908 with JC White retaining Edinglassie, Tucka Tucka, and the firm name of White Bros. FJ White took Saumarez, Bald Blair and other nearby properties and adopted the firm name of FJ White & Sons.

The Belltrees stud of HEA and V White, Scone, was founded in 1897. South Australia and Western Australia lagged behind the other states in introducing Angus cattle. The first cattle believed to have been imported to Western Australia from Scotland was in about 1891 by a Mr. Muir, who settled at Deeside, Manijimup. Probably the first breeder in South Australia was John Lewis of Adelaide around the 1890s. Another early breeder in South Australia was Samuel Fordham Grieve, who managed a property for the Robertson family between Penola and Naracoorte in the South East. One of the greatest

catalysts for the development of the Angus breed in Australia was the formation of a society in 1919. This happened only because of the determination of a small group of Queenslanders. When the first herd book was published in 1922, it listed 14 members from every state except South Australia. It included 65 bulls, 313 cows, and a number of cattle in the appendices, plus provided a short history of Angus studs in Australia and listed the royal show winners for the previous year. The full history of Angus in Australia can be read about in Nigel Austin’s book, ‘The story of Angus in Australia’.

THE BLACK POLL: The record breaking Millah Murrah Kingdom, owned by Witherswood Angus.

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Page 20, Southern Farmer

ANGUS

July 2017

Prime Angus: The Value Brand. Cattle producers reminded

It’s official! Prime Angus had the equal lowest average price of all on property bull sales reported to Angus Australia to date in 2017. But here is the paradox: despite our modest average price this year ($3902), the top priced bull at each of our sales for the last four years are being marketed as AI sires by various semen companies. This began four years ago with the sale of Juggernaut J15 to a syndicate of buyers. His impeccable phenotype, muscularity and temperament, combined with equally impressive EBVs have seen him become the 12th most used Angus AI sire in Australia in the past two years. He is also the youngest sire in the top 20. His semen is marketed by Alta and HCH Genetics. His sons have also topped several bull sales in 2017 including $19000 at Landfall. The following year Katapault K1, a Thunderbird son, was the top selling bull in our February sale at $8000. He was the heaviest calf ever weaned at Prime (at 522kg) and is the “meatiest” bull we have bred. As a yearling sale bull he weighed 681kg, 95kg heavier than the sale average. Now three years old, he weighs over 1000kg. He is currently ranked number 4 for calving ease and number 1 for gestation length for AI sires in Australia. Remarkably, he is also in the top 5% for all growth EBVs, making him a bit of a rarity. K1 has been used in large scale commercial AI heifer programs this year by producers looking for a low stress calving in 2018. His semen is marketed by Alta

Genetics and Prime now has a half share in the bull. Legend L77, a Stewie son, was the highest priced bull in 2016 at $8100. Out of F20, the same dam who produced the Juggernaut, L77 is a great all-rounder whose ease of calving, high growth, milk and carcase traits put him in the top 5% of the breed on all the indices. He was purchased by John Daniels of King Island and his semen is being marketed by Performance Genetics. In 2017, Maximus M7 was purchased by Clive March of Tocumwal for $10000. He is a son of Millah Murrah Equator D78. Mr March chose the bull to give a boost to the frame size of his female herd. M7 currently has the highest 600-day growth EBV of AI bulls available in Australia. At +163, M7 could be a terminal sire option for commercial producers wanting rapid growth and weight gains in their calves without the need to crossbreed. M7 semen is being marketed through Performance Genetics. There are gems to be found in this herd. Buyers will find exceptional value, year after year. Our yearling Helmsman bull sale takes place on the last Friday of February each year. All bulls are HBR by leading AI sires and tested free of the known genetic defects. All bulls sold are also above breed average on all indeces. When looking for your next Angus bull, consider Prime Angus.

to plan ahead for Johne’s

VICTORIAN cattle producers are being reminded of the need to implement an on-farm biosecurity plan if they wish to take up the voluntary Johne’s Beef Assurance Score (J-BAS) or maintain their current J-BAS. Victoria’s chief veterinary Officer Dr Charles Milne said cattle buyers may request a Cattle Health Declaration with a J-BAS before agreeing to purchase animals so maintaining the J-BAS will be of interest for anyone looking to buy or sell livestock. A farm biosecurity plan addresses all the measures used to mitigate the risk of entry or spread of weeds, pests and diseases. In many cases, the plan helps to document activities already being undertaken by livestock producers,” Dr Milne said.

“While J-BAS is voluntary, Western Australia and Northern Territory have imposed a minimum J-BAS requirement of 8 and 6 respectively for cattle entering from Victoria, along with other conditions.” “For a J-BAS of 6 or less, a property biosecurity plan is developed by the cattle producer, without the need for it to be overseen by a veterinary advisor. “However, for a J-BAS of 7 or 8, the plan needs to be overseen by the producer’s veterinarian.” Animal Health Australia has information available on its Farm Biosecurity Plan web page, including a template and other key information to assist producers with developing their biosecurity plans.

Biosecurity planning information is also available from the Livestock Biosecurity Network and veterinary practitioners. Once complete, the biosecurity plans remain with the producer and should be kept on hand for future reference. Plans do not need to be lodged with anyone. The voluntary J-BAS is managed by Animal Health Australia on behalf of the Cattle Council of Australia who represents the industry. For other information on Johne’s disease in cattle, producers are encouraged to consult their veterinary practitioner and visit Animal Health Australia’s Johne’s disease in cattle at animalhealthaustralia.com.au.

PRIME KATAPAULT K1 Peter & Annick Butterfield Mob: 0428 306 729 Web: www.primeangusstud.com.au Email: annick@skymesh.com.au

GET ON BOARD: Farmers need to implement an on-farm biosecurity plan if they wish to take up the voluntary Johne’s Beef Assurance Score .

ADVERTISEMENT

ANGUS BULLS CAN BE SOURCED ALL YEAR AROUND AT HIGH SPA

H

igh Spa Angus offers sale working age and yearling bulls privately all year around and at 2 annual open days, the first coinciding with the Victorian Beef Week Field Days (in 2018 that will be on DAY 6 Beef Week Saturday February 3rd 2018) and the other on the last Sunday of each August in Spring, this year to be held on Sunday August 27th

ANGUS

High Spa sale bulls need to tick off on the following criteria and more: performance recorded, fertility, calving ease, pedigree/genetic power, DNA Tested, growth, docility, predicted carcase performance, structural soundness, feed efficiency conversion, consistency/predictability and adaptability leading to customer satisfaction and success. A free delivery service is in place for bulls going to new homes within Victoria. All are welcome to visit High Spa on Sunday August 27th 2017 at any time between 9.30 am and 4 pm at Daylesford, see map on www.highspa.com.au for directions.

SPRING OPEN DAY, BULL SALE SUNDAY AUGUST 27th 9.30am to 4pm - Daylesford Venue SALE PERFORMANCE RECORDED WORKING AGE AND YEARLING BULLS FROM TOP SIRES

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SPRING BULL SALE WEDNESDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER 2017 AT 1PM

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Phone Brian or Wayne (03) 5348 2357 V/37D06291/2717

Details on www.highspa.com.au

Ph: (02) 6032 4124 Mob: 0429 324 124 Greg White 0417 215 883 Email: jarobee@bigpond.com

INSPECTION WELCOME ANYTIME. WE INVITE YOU TO DISCUSS YOUR BREEDING PROGRAMS WITH THE JAROBEE TEAM Jarobee Sale Complex. Robinson Road, Beechworth.

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Page 22, Southern Farmer

July 2017

Tech trends in berry production

NEW ERA: Strawberry growers around the world have been gradually considering alternatives to traditional soil growing techniques.

THE strawberry industry has experienced considerable change in the last five to 10 years. Growers around the world have been gradually considering alternatives to traditional soil growing techniques, due to many factors, including the need to sterilise soil and the withdrawal of effective soil sterilants. Other factors include the increasing incidence of soil borne diseases such as charcoal rot, increasing cost and scarcity of competent labour, environmental issues, increasing cost and availability of good quality irrigation water.

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For these, and other reasons, growers have increasingly been considering substrate production as a viable alternative to soil production. Substrate production involves growing plants on a growing media which provides a very good root growing environment but does not offer any nutritional value. There are many benefits to substrate production for the grower, including precise control of the plant root environment and plant nutrition. This allows the grower to ‘steer’ the crop vegetatively or generatively to achieve the most optimum balance of quality and production. At the same time, water and fertiliser consumption can be accurately and carefully managed so that there is minimal waste of both water and fertiliser. Growers have also been adopting increasingly sophisticated levels of technology. One example of this is the adoption of different techniques for injecting fertiliser with water. Many growers start off mixing fertilisers in a large tank before irrigation the crop. The next level is the adoption of simple water driven proportional fertiliser injectors, such as Dosatron injectors which draw from 100:1 concentrated fertiliser solutions held in stock tanks. As Calcium Nitrate will not mix well with any form Sulphate when in concentrated form, there are usually at least two dosing injectors needed, usually marked A and B, each drawing from a separate stock tanks. Apart from the need to adjust the dosing levels manually, these types of units are limited in capacity, and may wear over time causing their accuracy to diminish. The current level of technology involving fertiliser dosing involves a ‘Direct Injection’ dosing unit controlled by a suitable controller. The dosing unit features EC (Electrical Conductivity) and PH sensors, a pump, and dosing channels.

Each dosing channel draws from a separate stock tank. Often there is a separate dosing channel to draw from tank with acid or alkali used to correct PH in the irrigation water. The controller uses measured water flow measured through a flow meter, the strength in the stock tanks, the capacity of the dosing channels, and the desired EC and PH to determine the optimum level of dosing to achieve the set targets. Apart from time scheduled irrigation, many controllers these days use a light influence to automatically trigger irrigation more often during sunny periods, and less often during dull days. A more recent advance in control has been the introduction of scales to weigh a number plants in substrate. The trend in change in weight is used to determine the level of transpiration which automatically influences irrigation scheduling. Once configured, such systems free up the grower to focus on other aspects of crop management as they need to spend less time ensuring the crop is irrigated at the right frequency to the conditions on the day – this is handled automatically. Such systems are now starting to feature on properties in several states in Australia. Other advancements have been in the area of crop and labour registration/ management systems. Recent systems use cloud based services to allow the supervisor and managers to register activity both in the field and in the pack house. Such systems not only allow managers to improve staff efficiency and provide incentives for staff to perform, it also allows different crops to be tracked, the incidences of pest and diseases to be recorded, etc. To find out more about this technology and case studies contact – Powerplants Australia on 03 8795 7750 or www. powerplants.com.au.

HYDROPONICS AND GREENHOUSES

July 2017

Southern Farmer, Page 23

BRIGHT LIGHT: White film still allows plenty of light into a greenhouse while reflecting heat and reducing the UV radiation.

Sunblock for your plants A poorly constructed hothouse will also reduce the life and effectiveness of the cover. There are many other additives that can improve the performance of the greenhouse film. One such additive is antidrip or antifog. This chemical added to the film during the manufacturing process reduces moisture dripping on to the plants. This can damage plants and cause disease in the crop. The antidrip additive reduces the amount of condensation build up and allows more light into the house earlier. It works by reducing friction and allowing condensation to form larger droplets and run down the sides of the greenhouse wall. Over time this additive will

WHILE the manufacturing process of polyethylene (plastic) is complex and difficult to explain, there are some important processes applied to the film. Firstly, to allow for optimum plant growth, maximum light transmittance is required. It also needs to be UV stabilised. An additive is added during the manufacturing process to enable the film to last a reasonable amount of time outdoors. Without this additive the film would become brittle and fall apart in a matter of months. This is known as UV degradation. This is not to say a UV stabilised film will not degrade. Certain chemicals, including pesticides and fungicides used inside or near the film can dramatically reduce the life of the film.

wash away and slowly cease its effectiveness. Lastly, the film needs to be as clear as possible. This will enable your plants to get maximum light and heat (photosynthesis) in the cooler/ cloudier months. During the hot summer months a shade cover or screen will prevent the crop from burning or suffering heat stress. For most crops white is the best colour. The white still allows plenty of light into the house while reflecting heat and reducing the UV radiation – a UV sunblock for your plants. Grotuff® is an Australian made film, designed and manufactured with a strong UV stabiliser to withstand our environment. More details available at www.geoffmiller.com.au.

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Small Horse Tractors L & G Sheppard & Sons John Sanderson Machinery Darmac Ag Sales & Service REN Machinery MASSEY FERGUSON®, MF®, the triple-triangle logo® is a worldwide brand of AGCO. © 2017

18 Lonsdale Street 88 Piper Street 36-38 Industrial Crescent 249-251 Monbulk Road Normanby Street

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9791 5422 5794 9737 5623

6414 1821 2272 9255 1255

MASSEYFERGUSON.COM.AU

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