Southern farmer

Page 1

South Central and West Gippsland

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OCTOBER, 2013

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Farms’ gun security left wanting: police :DUQLQJ LVVXHG WR ¿ UHDUPV RZQHUV after a spate of concerning thefts By DAVID PALMER

S REDUCE SE OU GREENH SION IS GAS EM

SHANBROOKE is one of the nation’s top alpaca breeders, which is now hoping to add more color to their operaton. After reaching the top of the stud-breeding tree, Shanbrooke is now aiming to improve the genes of grey and black alpacas. Picured is Lyn McNicol with a fine alpaca. See full story on pages 4 - 5.

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POLICE in the Yarra Ranges are urging the community to be more vigilant when it comes to securing ďŹ rearms, after a spate of thefts across the police service area in recent months. The thefts are occurring from residential properties and vehicles. Detective Sergeant Mark Smithwick, from the Yarra Ranges Crime Investigation Unit, said many of the thefts appeared to be opportunistic and could be easily avoided if more care was taken. “A lot of people have gun safes, but the safes aren’t secure,â€? he said. “Make sure the safe has strong locks and is bolted to a wall or oor. “In a lot of the recent home burglaries, entire safes have been stolen, as they weren’t properly secured. “Don’t store keys to the safe in the home; keep these in a safe place, hidden from others. “And don’t forget about the back shed; make sure you lock it up and don’t lure

thieves in by leaving things like motorbikes and ride-on-mowers just lying around,â€? he said. Meanwhile, a police report, dated November 2012, has shown the number of guns stolen from Victorian farms rose almost 50 per cent in 12 months. It shows that 344 guns were stolen between October 2011 and September 2012, up from 110 in the previous ďŹ nancial year. The report prepared by the police’s State Intelligence Unit included all rural police service areas except Geelong. “It is likely that offenders will increasingly target farms for ďŹ rearm theft due to (inadequate storage) vulnerabilities and a predicted shortfall in the grey (unregistered) ďŹ rearms market,â€? the report said. Rural property gun theft was less likely to be solved either, because thefts often were not detected and reported, until well after the crime occurred, the report added.

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Page 2, Southern Farmer

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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

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.

Š 2012

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

October, 2013

CONFIDENCE among Australian dairy farmers has jumped nearly 30 per cent in six months, with nearly three-quarters of them feeling positive about the industry. The latest National Dairy Farmer Survey, conducted independently as part of Dairy Australia’s Situation & Outlook report, found 73 per cent of farmers were positive about the dairy industry’s future. Dairy Australia’s commercial research and analysis manager, Norm Repacholi, said; “This represents a signiďŹ cant improvement in sentiment from the February survey results – up 29 per cent, driven by increases in farm gate milk prices, a lower Australian dollar and generally more favorable weather conditions. The August survey of 300 farmers – chosen randomly and weighted to represent all dairying regions – found the proportion who felt very positive increased from 5 to 12 per cent while 61 per cent are now fairly positive, compared to 39 per cent in February. The survey was part of the September update of the Situation & Outlook report, online at http:// www.dairyaustralia.com. au/s-and-o. It revealed that farmers’

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investment intentions in the next 12 months have also increased significantly since the February survey. In August, 40 per cent of farmers surveyed said they were planning on farm investment, compared to 29 per cent in February. “This positive view on investment is widespread across all regions,� Mr Repacholi said. “Improved cashflow and seasonal conditions have rebooted investment plans for many farmers.� He warned, however,

that “the ability of individual farmers to proďŹ tably ramp up production given favorable margins will vary widelyâ€?. “Many need to pay down accumulated debt and recover herd condition before they can resume growth,â€? he said. Southern farmers supplying the export market have enjoyed a 20-25 per cent lift in farmgate prices for 2013-14. Australia’s milk production ďŹ nished the season down 3 per cent at 9.2 billion litres.

Mr Repacholi said “the combination of lower milk prices, high feed costs, difficulties in fodder sourcing and unfavorable weather conditions, conspired to erode farmer conďŹ dence and constrain milk output in most regionsâ€?. Dairy Australia said the outlook for national milk production is mixed, predicting growth of around 2 per cent to 9.3-9.5 billion litres for 2013-14. While domestic sales continue to be sluggish, the Situation & Outlook

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„ From page 1 Sporting Shooters Association of Victoria spokesman, Colin Wood, said it was harder for farmers to have their guns secured as they were tools of trade and often carried with them. “Ideally (rural property owners) need to be more careful, but they are just using it as a tool.� The report showed nine regions had more than 11 firearms stolen and Moorabool, near Ballarat, had the highest at 16. This was followed by Mornington Peninsula and Southern Coast, both 14, and Mitchell, Shepparton and Warrnambool, 13 each. Anyone with information about a theft in the state is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Suspicious behavior should be reported to local police or to triple-0.

NEWS

October, 2013

Southern Farmer, Page 3

Research opporunity NUFFIELD Australia Farming Scholars has awarded Mirboo North farmer, Emma Germano, a NufďŹ eld scholarship to research global export opportunities for vegetables and other primary produce. The award was presented to her at the NufďŹ eld organisation’s national conference dinner at Crown Perth on September 20. Ms Germano is business development and operations manager for Germano Produce, a family business supplying cauliower and cabbage crops for the Australian eastern seaboard fresh market and Woolworths Australia. The family farm is around 120ha, with about 50 per cent planted to vegetable crops. The business currently

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and government needs to support the Australian industry’s competitive advantage in food production. “We produce an abundance of high quality fresh produce, but this works against the Australian grower,� she said. “Put simply, we produce in excess of domestic consumption. “As a nation, we need to capitalise on our productivity and create export opportunities for growers and processors. “Australia is capable of becoming the food bowl of Asia as envisioned in the government’s national food plan, but increased support is necessary for us to take advantage of this,� she said. She plans to visit Europe, Israel, Brazil and

China to complete her studies. Horticulture Australia Ltd (HAL) CEO John Lloyd said HAL is a proud supporter of the NufďŹ eld Scholarship program using funds from the National Vegetable R&D Levy and matched funds from the Australian Government. “Emma is one of the rising stars in the next generation ofAustralian vegetable

growers,â€? said AUSVEG CEO, Richard Mulcahy. “She is enthusiastic and heavily involved with a broad range of activities. “Her contributions to our industry are highly commended andAUSVEG congratulates her on being awarded the NufďŹ eld Scholarship for 2014,â€? Visit www.nuffield. com.au/gallery2/main. php.

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AT the end of August, AUSVEG opened new national headquarters in Camberwell. At the opening, chairman, John Brent, summed up the five years of his time in the chair, “as nothing short of extraordinary�. “The organisation has grown from a troubled peak industry body, to become the largest and most successful industry body in horticulture and one of the most effective industry groups in Australia,� he said. He said when he took over the role of chairman of AUSVEG, he would only be interim chair “and did so with a deal of reluctance�. “But now we have a strong balance sheet, very capable and wellqualified staff, a board that has overseen and supported our process of reform, a determined CEO and access to every political grouping in the nation,� he said.

grows about 50,000 cauliower plants a week for six months of the year and periodically also grows broad beans, cabbages and Chinese cabbages during the six-month harvest period. She will research how different countries approach exports, including what government programs are available to growers, as well as market opportunities for Australian produce. “I expect this will involve the study of tariffs and free trade agreements, and also how subsidies have an effect on global trade; to complement this, I would also like to investigate how Australia is able to compete in the global food market,â€? she said. Ms Germano believes the Australian vegetable industry is at a critical point

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FARMER IN FOCUS

Page 4, Southern Farmer

October, 2013

Genes focus: breeder By DAVID PALMER

RARE BIRD: Lyn McNicol’s hobby is breeding rare hens. This one she is holding will impart a frizzle gene, demonstrated by its ‘hairstyle’, into rare Aracana hens.

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AFTER nearly a quarter of a century breeding white alpacas and taking Shanbrooke to the top of the stud breeding tree in Australia, principal Ron Condon is now concentrating on improving the genes of grey and black alpacas. “We never previously had color, so are diversifying now into colored animals, because I need a new interest,� he said. “Also, the quality of greys and blacks is not as high as that achieved with white animals. “We have already embryoed some grey ones, although we won’t get the results until April or May next year.�

Mr Condon said he and his wife, Dianne, who died early last year from cancer, obtained their original alpacas from a group in South Australia in 1989, which brought 20 or 30 alpacas from Chile into New Zealand and then into South Australia. “We bought six and then I went to NZ and bought some more from people there, who are the biggest importers of alpacas into this part of the world. “We then became agents for them and I still select animals in Chile and Peru for them.� He said it required many people in South America to ensure sales and shipments went through. But he has never learnt

much Spanish, “although I should have - I’ve been lazy really - because we have always had interpreters�. Mr Condon said Shanbrooke was a worldwide name because it sells at the top end of the market to Europe and New Zealand as well as local breeders. The stud’s top sale price was a massive $200,000 for a stud male, which went to Germany where he is reportedly performing well. Locally, the stud sold another male for $190,000 but he died after one breeding season. Mr Condon said in the last year or so he had sold several top stud animals for between $40,000 and $50,000; average alpacas

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sell in the range of $3000 to $10,000 each. “We were the second or third breeders in Australia to have alpacas in 1989 and have been at the top end from the beginning. “My wife was a triple-A judge and was on the original committees setting up the association, so we’ve been at the forefront all the way through. “Before that, we had angora goats so we had an idea of where we were going and what we were looking for.â€? Mr Condon said people did not put enough emphasis on females because top females make males better. “You always ďŹ nd your best animals come out of certain females and they are special because no matter what sire they are joined to, they produce exceptional offspring,â€? he said. Shanbrooke’s success had come from having top stud females to go with the males, all of which had been home bred for years. “So quality is always

the only way to go,� he said. Mr Condon said a major improvement Australian breeders had made with the progeny of imported animals was to quieten them down considerably; “the original Chilean ones were reasonably aggressive�, he said. The other main improvement has been to produce a squarer, sheeplike type, rather than the more rangy animals which comprised most of the imports from Chile, although not so much from Peru. Lynn McNicol is Ron Condon’s partner in human terms and in Shanbrooke. As well, she has operated the Evolution Alpaca stud in her own right for some years at Berwick. A part time project of hers is to breed rare Aracana hens and insert the attractive frizzle gene to enhance their appearance. Eggs from the small hens are an aqua color and slightly smaller than those from mainstream hens. „ Continued page 5

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FARMER IN FOCUS

October, 2013

Southern Farmer, Page 5

aims to improve on perfection From page 4

Despite the reputation of alpacas for protecting hens from maulings by foxes, Ms McNicol must lock the hens away every night because the alpacas are not always present in an adjacent paddock. Shanbrooke has been located for about six years 10km south of Yea on 116 acres (47ha) of Yea River flats. In that time the river has never dried up and in fact has flooded every year. Mr Condon said “they are only quick floods and we get extra fertility every time, with the result we have only put lime and super out once”. “In fact we run about 400 alpacas reasonably comfortably here,” he said. Carrying capacity is about the same as sheep and in his case at Yea, it was about four to the acre or about 10 to the hectare. Showing When Southern Farmer visited Shanbrooke, Warramunga alpaca stud owners, Ian Earle and his wife, Carol, were trimming animals from both studs for the Royal Melbourne Alpaca Show in early July.

Mr Condon’s Shanbrooke Pure Evolution later gained the supreme champion huacaya ribbon at the show. The Earles have specialised in breeding stud quality black huacaya alpacas and keep some on the Yea property. Mr Earle said Shanbrooke had in recent years cut back to showing at four main shows: Sydney’s Royal Easter Show, the Royal Melbourne Alpaca Show, the main national alpaca show and perhaps a sheep show. He said “we go to the Sydney Royal every year and it is the best alpaca event in the country”. However, show patrons there are a particular problem, because they think the animals are cute and keep trying to feed them; “they are fussy little buggers where food is concerned anyway”, he said. As a result, he said jokingly he had to “stand guard with a stick, beating some visitors off”. “One Asian show visitor was so persistent in trying to feed a hot dog in a roll to one of our animals that I

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EARLY VEGES: Lyn McNicol checks greenhouse vegetables she was growing on the Yea farm.

had to escort him from the pavilion and I was told off by show officials for doing that,” he said. However, being fussy eaters must pay off because Shanbrooke has a number of stud females aged between 15 and 20 years old.

Shearing At Shanbrooke, they only shear their alpacas to meet with show requirements for a maximum fleece length of 50mm or to provide for the comfort and well being of the animals. That is because the fleec-

es are generally worth so little they are not worth bothering with. Mr Earle said you could go to a Sunday market and maybe get $100 a fleece by selling it to a spinner and weaver. “But if I sent it to the

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cooperative I’d probably get just 15 bucks or so for it.” Mr Condon said “you might get $1000 a year for fleeces so it can’t be your living”. “Some farms do value add by making garments, but I’m only interested in breeding an animal I can sell as a breeder,” he said. Mr Earle said the problem was that we do not have manufacturers in Australia, which can process alpaca fibre adequately, because there is insufficient volume available from the 250,000 or so animals, which make up the national herd. That is compounded by the fact that it would take four or five years to accumulate one bale of one color 18 micron fleece, he said. At Shanbrooke, twice a year, in October and January, they pay an American shearer – Eddie from Oklahoma - $12 an animal to shear their alpacas. He brings two rouseabouts who at $2 a time, lay them on the concrete, tie off their legs and stretch them out for him to shear. Mr Earle said they would like to get some young

Australian sheep shearers interested in alpacas, because although their shearer still does them on the floor, half of them now use tables and they do not have to bend over. He said an average tally was between 50 and 65 in a day and that is about $700 a day a shearer can earn. Family involvement Dianne (dec) and Ron Condon have four children, who are also involved in Shanbrooke’s activities. Their eldest son, originally a vineyard developer, has been able to assist with fencing and tractor work around the farm. Second son, Trent, has alpacas of his own and has worked in Germany and Ireland, managing herds of up to 300 head. Mr Condon said daughter, Brooke, has been a help over the years in showing and helping with classing of fibre at shearing time. She is working on the farm, learning all aspects of the industry, and has her own small herd, too. Youngest son, Tyson, has been a help in the husbandry, feeding and shearing of the animals.

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Page 6, Southern Farmer

October, 2013

Online presence sparks interest By GEOFF COOK FARMERS can take control when selling their farms and assist their agents to tell the story about why “you might like to live here by people who do”. Many will have experienced the jargon filled, “once in a lifetime opportunities” and “a rare and unique property” or “brilliant lifestyle opportunities” of real estate speak. To stand out from the crowd and give potential buyers a detailed insight, it is better to create your own sense of place, purpose and pleasure. You can then paint a picture of the lifestyle that buyers are thinking of embracing. We were faced with this very issue, when we decided to sell our farm on the Bellarine Peninsula and, as farmers, our marketing skills were limited. After speaking to a number of people and being made aware of experts who can help you create a website without costing a fortune, it was time to take the next step and create our own website. Fortunately, we had taken many pictures over the years and through the seasons.

How to increase chance of successfully selling story of a rural property These pictures really do tell a story; and when shared with our friends, always generated interest. They became an important and critical part of the new website. Getting started was hard and understanding the process was a little complicated, but ‘doing it’ forces you to concentrate, and after a while things started to fall into place. Most online website builders offer a number of templates to get you started, and provided you use Australian based operators, the site ends up looking Australian; this is critical when talking property. Online support, once you have some understanding of the process, is good, quick and comprehensive. The providers I selected are very good, but there are some things that I did not understand such as SEO (search engine optimisation) and registering domain names. For a fee, they completed the technical requirements and had me up and running. I started small, with four pages and the basic information, and slowly constructed

more pages to a point where I now have 32 pages. I presented the critical information on the home page and providing this stimulated interest, it was easy for searchers to explore the other pages. One page that created interest was the blog or, as I renamed it, “our news”. This allowed buyers to live a year on the farm and not just have a snapshot of a particular view, season or story. We included information on interesting and exciting activities on the Bellarine Peninsula; it is a great place to live and bring up the family. In selecting a domain name and key words, my research confirmed that most buyers know where they want to buy. This was confirmed in Neil Jenman’s interesting real estate book, ‘Don’t sign anything’. He also included some sage advice on the type and scope of advertising. I registered four domain names and everything I did and the words I used, all pinpointed the location. I needed to make sure that

I appeared on page one of the search engines, because the experts said, “If you are not on page one, your chances of being found are limited”. Therefore, I highlighted “tax effective lifestyle farm” with “sea views” on “rural acres” and the fact the property was for sale in Victoria. I have with some assistance been able to appear on page one when a few of these key words are selected as a search option. The interesting thing is that you can monitor the visits to your site each day so if you make changes or create a new page or option, you quickly find out if this is attracting interest. Now, with over 1000 hits a week and 30,000 in total, we know people are looking. While we have not sold yet, our agent and ourselves have received numerous phone calls and visits. The level of enquiry has increased in recent weeks (spring) so we are confident of a result soon. The website I used was “create a website” (www.createawebsite. com.au) which charges a monthly fee of $30 to

ROOMS WITH A VIEW: An earlier year’s hay crop dominates the foreground shot of the Cooks’ homestead.

host my information. I have access to add and make changes without charge at any time and if I need special assistance, they check exactly what is required and give me an estimate of the cost and generally process within 48 hours. My cost, apart from my time and monthly hosting, is less than $1000 which I think is pretty good value.

TIME OUT: Pelicans consider their options on the edge of one of the Cooks’ dams.

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NEWS

October, 2013

Southern Farmer, Page 7

EVENTA

STABLE SOLUTIONS

REVOLUTIONARY: With lines of H45 are Mark Dieters, GrainSearch’s Philip Joblin, Inverleigh wheat grower Roan Peel and Lee Hickey.

H45 hopes boosted As with all wheat varieties in Australia, H45 also lacks adequate grain dormancy to protect against pre-harvesting sprouting. Now the University of Queensland is working with Ballarat based grower-owned seed company GrainSearch, to field trial the new elite H45 wheat lines in Victoria and NSW. UQ researcher Lee Hickey said pending their performance, the best line could be named and available to Victorian growers in less than four years. In collaboration with his PhD supervisor Mark Dieters, the research duo used a novel approach to transfer multiple genes for resistance to stripe rust and grain dormancy, into H45.

“We developed 84 wheat lines, each 90 to 95 per cent genetically similar to the H45 variety, but with multiple genes for resistance to rust and pre-harvest sprouting,” he said. “Currently, there are no wheat varieties available to Australian growers that offer adequate protection against pre-harvest sprouting, so this would be a first. “The population also displays useful variation in physiological characteristics, including days to flowering, maturity, spike length, leaf width, seedling vigor and grain size.” The team at the University of Queensland have used the same techniques to rapidly produce disease resistant strains of barley.

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FARMER IN FOCUS

Page 8, Southern Farmer

October, 2013

Land of milk and By DAVID PALMER

HERD INSTINCT: Peter and Wendy Wallace with some of their 160 strong organic herd. To milk year round, they join half the herd every six months.

IN 1866, the Wallace family trekked from Ballarat to Ellinbank, south of Warragul, started clearing trees and have been dairying there ever since. But Peter and Wendy Wallace, and sons Ashley and Toby, say their

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NERVE CENTRE: A view of the Wallaces’ farm, which trades as Elderslie Organics.

does not allow organic farmers to use sexed semen because it does not regard it as natural: AI is only just allowed, the Wallaces said. Southern Farmer asked the family how much milk the herd was producing and how much they aimed to produce in the next couple of years. Mr Wallace said the herd was averaging more than 7000 litres per cow per year off pasture alone, a goal they had recently achieved. But son Ashley thought 8000 litres per cow per year was achievable. Mrs Wallace said the genetics were there to achieve that, “but the (cows) just had to have adequate pasture and not be pumped with grainâ€?. Ashley and Tony have stud Holsteins which gives them a hobby, she said. Ashley has been home on the farm for eight years but breeding his own since he was 10 or 12 and Toby, although not active in the dairy, works part time on the farm looking after a free range hen enterprise. Mrs Wallace said the two have quite a competition come herd testing day to see who has the top cow. “But that changes every monthâ€?. The latest results were due the day Southern Farmer called in. Mrs Wallace said they were not inclined to embrace robotic milking because the boys like to have the opportunity to see their cows up close and personal every day. One spring the Wallaces milked their best cows three times a day. But the gain was only about ďŹ ve litres a cow.

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steep and not grazed by the herd. NASAA has certiďŹ ed the Wallaces’ farm organic for eight years, although their organic milk business has been going for a decade. It took them three years to become organic, a not uncommon period, because soil pollution caused by years of chemical fertiliser, herbicide and insecticide applications, had to be leached from the soil before full organic certiďŹ cation came into force. Mr Wallace said they were looking at buying more land next to their out block to make their own hay and silage and carry more young stock. Some of that land is already certiďŹ ed organic, so that is a huge bonus Mrs Wallace said, when you are paying around $10,000 an acre for land in that area; the people who own the land have already put the uncertiďŹ ed area back into the three year certiďŹ cation process. The Wallaces calve half their 160 cow herd in autumn and half in spring so they can milk all year round. Most of the herd is artificially inseminated to Holstein sires, although heifers are joined to Jerseys because they calve easier and inject hybrid vigor. Mr Wallace said they had tried some other breeds like Mont Belliard and Ayrshire, but neither worked out particularly well. He said in selecting sires, they were particularly keen to have ones which produced females with low cell counts, because a fair bit of that was hereditary. Interestingly, NASAA

FARMER IN FOCUS

October, 2013

Southern Farmer, Page 9

honey for the Wallace family From page 8

“We’d never do it again; we never want to push ourselves or our cows that hard again,” Mrs Wallace said. Free range hens Under the watchful eyes of nine Maremma dogs, the Wallaces run about 1100 layers, who roost and lay their eggs in old caravans, converted to the purpose. About 200 hens can be accommodated in each caravan and each van load gets five litres of fresh organic milk fed to them each day. Like the dairy, the hens are NASAA certified organic.

The Wallaces always hoped to get the vans for about $500 to $600 each although recently they had been bringing more like $700 to $800.

ORGANIC: Peter and Wendy Wallace.

Eggs go to Warragul, Leongatha, Moe, Beaconsfield and half a dozen Melbourne restaurants for about $6 a dozen.

Through the roof, then the floor To forestall having to put a new one in every couple of years, the Wallaces installed a 21,600L milk tank – through the roof because of its size about 10 years ago. So far they haven’t filled it and in fact they say they should never need another because the best they have achieved so far, is getting it about two thirds full. But soon after they got it, a spring milking produced 11,500L and the tank almost went through the concrete floor. “I don’t think the concreter put enough reo in it,” Mrs Wallace said.

Food variety is the spice of cow’s life WHITE clover and ryegrass play a subservient role in the pastures the Wallace family grows for their organic dairy herd. Diversity is what counts and chicory, plantain, lucerne, red clover and “as many other herbs and grasses that we can get in there count, because every plant brings up different minerals from the soil”, Wendy Wallace said. They started planting chicory and plantain in one paddock about 15 years ago and the chicory has only now died out there. Although “a bit messy”, the answer is to let the chicory flower and set seed so that it regenerates itself. While they do supply a range of

ad lib, mainly powdered minerals for the herd to utilise as they wish, the Wallaces would much prefer to have pasture plants supply those minerals. They provide dolomite, kelp, salt, a zinc and salt mix, cod liver oil, copper sulphate and salt and sulphur in a roofed self service area. The cows wander past twice a day and salt and seaweed licks are the most popular with the herd. Mr Wallace said the licks were a useful barometer of the herd’s health, because “you can pick out crook cows; they are the ones that tend to eat more salt than any of the others”. Grain for an organic herd can

be a problem to source and at the time of Southern Farmer’s visit, it was coming 1200km from Casino on the NSW north coast. Freight alone was costing $5500. Normally the Wallaces make about 300 bales of hay and silage, but like practically every other dairy farm this year, it ran out early because the spring dried up so quickly and there was little summer rain. Rape, plantain and chicory they grew for summer feed grew knee high but only provided one grazing because there was no follow up rain. But after four or five inches of rain in autumn, it grew again and gave them another grazing.

Supply, demand a balancing act for the organic industry cally inclined, that has to be better for everybody,” she said. “So whether it’s using garlic tincture instead of penicillin for mastitis, or putting on different fertilisers, there is a take home message for nearly everyone.” ODFAC has 22 suppliers around the state: eight are in the north, three in the Western District and about seven are in Gippsland. To make up the 22, about four are in conversion towards becoming organic. The Wallaces’ milk is collected and processed by Pauls Parmalat and marketed through the cooperative as branded organic milk. As well, ODFAC has recently had three cheese makers come on board to specialise in making different organic cheeses. They are Floridia, Melbourne, making organic the Bega Cooperative, Bega making organic cheddar and the cooperative has joined up with a French cheese maker

at Timboon to produce. Also new is the cooperative’s first organic butter, being produced at the rate of about 150t a year by Aussie Farmers’ Direct, Camperdown. Mrs Wallace said ODFAC had its organic butter made in New Zealand for a couple of years, because for the last four years until now, it had not been able to find an Australian factory which would handle their comparatively small volume.

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SOUTHERN Farmer met Wendy Wallace on the Organic Dairy Farmers of Australia Cooperative’s site at the Farm World field days at Lardner near Warragul in March, where she was promoting organic milk production to field day visitors. Mrs Wallace, a director of ODFAC, said the cooperative was being careful about the way it grows its supplier base so it matched demand as closely as possible. “It is a fragile balancing act, although at the moment demand is growing quite rapidly and the coop is out there looking for new suppliers, truly interested in farming organically and producing a good product,” Mrs Wallace said. “What quite a few visitors did not seem to realise was that they farm almost organically at the moment and they don’t always know there is an organic option out there. “You don’t expect every farmer who walks in to produce certified organic milk, but if you can give them some things to do that are more organi-

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NEWS

Page 10, Southern Farmer

Food Park best in middle-market

In brief Cardinia emergency tanks FOUR new emergency water tanks have been installed in high fire-risk areas across Cardinia Shire, after the 30,000 litre concrete tanks were secured. They are located in Beaconsfield (Payne Road), Upper Beaconsfield (corner of Dicke and Carpenter roads), Cardinia (E Guntan Recreation Reserve) and Cora Lynn (Cora Lynn Recreation Reserve).

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BRW has named the Longwarry Food Park, near Warragul, as the best mid-market business in regional Australia. The prestigious inaugural Mid Market Awards, which are sponsored by GE Capital and form part of BRW’s annual Momentum series, focused on businesses between $10m and $250m. While not generally acknowledged, mid-market businesses make up 1.4 per cent of all Australian commerce, contributing $425bn annually to the economy and providing one in four full-time jobs. Managing director Rakesh Aggarwal established Longwarry Food Park in 2001, to produce and export milk powder. Since its inception, the company has proved its adaptability and resilience through various chal-

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tion, previously 95 per cent export, is now 75 per cent export to 30 countries and 25 per cent domestic business. Saurabh Aggarwal, who is general manager of the company, said the award meant recognition of the recovery Longwarry has made since the fire. “It was a very challenging seven weeks for our staff and our suppliers due to such a substantial hit to the company’s main product line being the full cream milk powder and the spray drier,” he said. “No one really knew whether the business would survive, so it’s testament to the huge effort by all our employees to get the business back up and running and contributing to its ongoing success.” Rakesh said their plans are well poised to take care of any challenges that come their way.

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REGIONAL SUCCESS: Saurabh Aggarwal, general manager of Longwarry Food Park, with the company’s BRW award for best mid-market business in regional Australia.

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lenges, the most devastating being a factory fire in February 2012 when the plant was closed for seven weeks. After losing one third of supply and being left with a damage bill of $5m, the company has fully recovered and is again experiencing 30 per cent annual growth, which Mr Aggarwal believes will continue for the next three years. Part of the company’s strength is the diversification of its product range that now includes the manufacture of full cream milk powder, fresh milk, UHT milk and cream cheese. This year each product has received a quality award from the Victorian division and national division of the Dairy Association of Australia. The company’s produc-

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In brief Flavor wins over judges GIPPSLAND Natural Meats won a silver medal in the grass fed beef category of the Royal Melbourne Show’s branded lamb and branded beef competition fine food awards, at this year’s annual show. Victorian judges commented they were won over by the flavorsome free-range and hormone-free beef. Victorian producers performed well, receiving four medals, two in each category. Entries into both categories featured grass fed, grain fed and open classes, with additional classes for Wagyu beef.

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NEWS

Page 12, Southern Farmer

October, 2013

Aussie growth amazes Pump initiative is now highly valued right across the globe WHEN a edgling Australian Pump Industries started on a rural block at Arcadia, near Sydney, around 18 years ago, no one imagined it would evolve into the dynamic and entrepreneurial business it is today. The company now ships product worldwide and is at the cutting edge of design in lightweight, portable ďŹ re pumps, pressure cleaners, hydrostatic testers and irrigation pumps. Just as Australian farmers lead the world in technology and creativity, Australian pump manufacturers, like Australian Pump Industries, are capable of taking the lessons learnt in “the dry continentâ€? and applying them around the world. The most exciting part of this company’s growth is the opportunity it has provided people for a career in a business they never imagined was possible. The real bonus is the great opportunities it provides in what will emerge to be the most important industry in Australia. “Water is fundamental

to the existence of life on the planet, and our job is to facilitate water usage in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way,� said Australian Pump Industries’ chief engineer, John Hales. API has scored big contracts in France, has drain cleaning machines in New York and supplied equipment into the Middle East and Africa. The company works closely with world leader, Honda, which recently named them as a global partner. This was a real boost for the company as it recognises the commitment to world class quality evident in every area of production, Mr Hales said. The company has responded to urgent requests from World Vision and similar NGOs and has supplied product below cost, to clean out ooded and contaminated wells and remove infection laden water. It has provided selfpriming pumps for water tankers in refugee camps throughout the Middle East, too.

PUMPED UP: Phoebe Michaels is enjoying her cadetship at Aussie Pumps.

The company has forecast a period of continuing rapid growth over the next two years. This will offer great career opportunities for young people. The company is looking for sales and marketing cadets, mechanics and engineers and even admin and finance people, to be trained as cadets in a

company that has already made its mark, not just in Australia, but around the world. The company provides full training and wants to foster young people seeking cadetships in an ongoing career, where they can grow their own skills, with the full knowledge that what they do is totally positive.

The company stresses its sincere environmental policy where staff make commitments to observe strict laws and standards in terms of environmental protection. For more information, contact Valerie Kudzielko, (02) 9894 4144, wlorenz@aussiepumps.com. au or www.aussiepumps. com.au.

Sprinkle granular herbicide gently for maximum effect SERRATED tussock generally proliferates in steep, hard-to-access areas, difficult to acess with traditional hose reel or knapsack sprayers. But granule control agent GP Flupropanate has a coverage to weight ratio of 5:1 compared to liquids, so will cover five times more country. “A granule shaker on a bike or in a ute allows farmers to act instantly to control the tussock,� said Jon Kay, from Jon Kay Agricultural Services, Melton. Application rate are 1.5g/m2 or about one level teaspoon. Typical infested areas are usually vulnerable to overgrazing and are slow to recruit beneficial pasture species, making invasive species like serrated tussock well-adapted. The vulnerability of these sites also makes management decisions harder while access, herbicide selection, pasture composition and grazing, all significantly influence long-term outcomes. Killing serrated tussock is easy; keeping it out is the hard bit, said Granular Products Pty Ltd’s Hamish Munro. With a two- to three-year residual window, applicators need to consider just where the seed bank is. Just treating the parent plants is not using the chemistry fully and allows seeds to re-establish within non-treated areas, Mr Munro said. Considering prevailing winds and plant height generally suggests that each medium to large tussock should have roughly 1m2 of granules scattered around it. Flupropanate as a chemistry is slow-acting and loses its selectivity as application rates increase. This means that if graziers are seeing bare patches up to a year after applications, they are overdosing. Serrated tussock is very sensitive to GP Flupropanate and many beneficial pasture species have much higher toleranes to survive and flourish. Larger infestations are also easily controlled by helicopter and Granular Products is planning aerial applications.

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REGIONAL SHOWS & FESTIVALS

Page 14, Southern Farmer

October, 2013

Clunes ready to take centre stage

FIND US ON Proudly Supported by

royalgeelongshow.com.au Tickets available at participating Australia Post outlets.

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THE Clunes and District Agricultural Society will celebrate its 153rd annual spring show on Saturday, November 16, with the promise of a fun-ďŹ lled, action-packed day for the family. Being an agricultural show, they have the traditional animal events of a full horse program on the arena all day, while in the cattle rings the show is hosting a state Highland cattle breed championship show. Various sheep breeds will be on show and there will be a prime lamb and a eece competition, which will include a heritage eece contest for the best produced in the region. During all this, bladeversus-machine shearing demonstrations will take place, with commentaries provided. Participation events will include pony rides, two person tug-o-war, keg throwing, gumboot throwing, ladies wood splitting, speed knitting, rural ambassador and junior show ambassador, and show girl and show

boy competitions, or just bring along your pet for the pet parade. At Jamie and Kim’s mobile zoo, visitors will be able to get up close to a wombat, dingo and crocodile, as well as frogs, snakes, turtles and more. Regular ferret racing demonstrations, too, will provide another competitive element. Returning by popular demand is the V8 racing car simulator, which allows visitors to experience what it is like to drive a V8 Supercar around some of the best racing circuits in the world. A Bute Ute competition is deďŹ nitely worth a look, as each year this event gets bigger and better, say show organisers. A band will be performing throughout the day in the rotunda; after 3pm the Wesley College band will feature. Professor Wallace’s puppet show and pony rides are always a hit for the children. Grand parade At 3pm, all events will stop for the grand

BEAUT UTES: Utes marshalled for the Bute Ute competition at last year’s Clunes Show.

parade, when the arena will come alive with all prize-winning animals. The Clunes showgirls, show boy and young citizen and junior ambassador, also join the grand parade along with vintage vehicles and Bute utes. In the evening, the No Banana Ruby live band will be entertaining for all ages. A bar and barbecue will be operating at reasonable prices and running until late. Homecrafts The Homecrafts and Art and Photography Pa-

Clunes & District Agricultural Society Inc. Proudly Presents

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Heaps of Attractions plus Animals, Utes Homecrafts, Arts & Show Night Entertainment

Held at the Clunes Showgrounds Contact: President: Peter Clarke Secretary: Barb Adam Homecrafts: Julie Spittle Horse Secretary: Ange Flowers Grounds Manager: Robert Campbell

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vilions always have excellent displays and the show expects about 1800 entries overall; local school art and competitions are extremely popular with students. Public judging of the carrot cake competition will take place on show day, judged by the sponsor of this event. The entrance to the showgrounds will be as inviting as usual with an excellent display of vintage engines and vehicles. For the early starters, breakfast will be available from 7am.

Later in the day, local wineries will serve locally produced wines to accompany the great variety of foods on offer. Gates open from 7am and admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children under 16 and $22 for family memberships, which admit two adults, and children under 16. More information at www.show.clunes.org, secretary Barb Adam on 5345 3042, horse secretary Angela Flowers on 5345 4000, or homecrafts and garden section secretary Julie Spittle on 5343 4201.

Show history vast THE Clunes and District Agricultural Society started out as the Glendaruel Agricultural Society, conducting ploughing matches and grain shows, but by 1865 it became the Glendaruel, Beckwith and Clunes Agricultural Society. It underwent several other name changes until in the 1960s it became the name it is known by today. Throughout this time, the society has had many highs and lows, as expected with an organisation of this age. There were several occasions when a vote was taken to decide whether to continue holding a show or disband altogether. But the community has always rallied and common sense prevailed and the show still continues to go from strength to strength. The Clunes Show has always shown a wonderful exhibition, from local and surrounding districts, of stock, machinery and homecraft exhibits.

9&10 November 2013

130th Alexandra

Spring Show

Annual

TWO DAYS of COUNTRY SHOW Over the 2 days compete or just enjoy: working dogs horse events dairy goats poultry horticulture cooking handcrafts photography

0477 002 051 www.alexandrashow.com

DANCE t/05d06434/36-13

t/05d06498/41-13

FREE KIDS ENTERTAINMENT & ACTIVITIES DAILY

Featuring‌.

Entry $20 Family, $10 Adults $5 Children/Concession

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Spring into top event for family activities

your socks off Saturday Night (9 Nov)

Alexandra Showgrounds William Street. Alexandra T/05D06500/41-13

October, 2013

REGIONAL SHOWS & FESTIVALS

Southern Farmer, Page 15

130 good reasons to celebrate Anniversary excites as fantastic schedule of events planned for guests to Alexandra show By DENIA FORD THE Alexandra spring show will celebrate its 130th anniversary on Saturday, November 9, and Sunday, November 10, and we are planning a big celebration. With many other agricultural shows folding in recent years, Alexandra reaching its 130th year is an occasion to celebrate. One major change will be extending the show to include the Sunday – a family oriented day with a new dairy goat exhibition, a gymkhana for younger riders, adult riding club classes and a second day of working dog trials. Of course a celebration must include a party of sorts so a community bush dance is planned for the Saturday evening. Fronted by the fivepiece Benalla band, Couchgrass, there will be no excuse for young or old saying they don’t know the moves, because the band will be calling the moves as they play.

Roast beef rolls and corn on the cob will be on offer to supply energy for a night full of dancing and the Alexandra Football and Netball Club will volunteer their time to provide beverages to dance patrons. The event will be free, thanks to many generous sponsors from the local community, including Hedger Constructions, Shrublands Estate Angus and Thirsty Camel Alexandra. Prizes will be awarded for most energetic and best-dressed dancers, so we look forward to seeing young and old dressed in their bush dancing finest. We will once again have an interactive animal nursery and for those with pets, we hope to continue the success of the pet parade in 2013. Kids will enjoy free entertainment from Windy Wizard throughout the day and of course, demos of working draught horses and sheep shearing will continue over both days.

ROAD SHOW: It is show time most days in Alexandra’s main street, Grant Street.

SHOW TIME: The spring show is an event for the entire family, no matter how old you are.

In 2013, the ringleader of the ‘Guns of Alexandra’ shearing team, Jimmy Young, plans to celebrate our 130th show with an ‘Old Time Shearers Jamboree’ with a few words written by Jim himself. As always, there will be games and rides in sideshow alley to test your skills and stomachs. I don’t believe you can

go past the ladies’ pavilion at any agricultural show and our entries there have been steadily growing in the last few years; we would love to see this continue in leaps and bounds. It is an occasion for tireless country women to obtain more than a shearer’s smoko worth of accolades for a plate of scones.

2013 in your diaries; for more information check out www.alexandrashow. com or send an email to pna. alexandra@gmail.com.

Denia Ford is the secretary of the Alexandra Pastoral and Agricultural Association

154th

Alexandra show to be bigger, and better

Show Whittlesea2013

Farming

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THE Alexandra Pastoral and Agricultural Association Inc has been an integral part of the community of Alexandra for over a century. The committee is predominantly comprised of volunteers residing in Alexandra and surrounds. Each year the committee works towards building a bigger and better Annual Spring Show, with each member of the committee dedicated to a particular aspect of show day organisation. They are ever welcoming of new ideas for the show and are enthusiastic for you to contribute to this great local event. Always held on the second Saturday in November, the Alexandra Annual Spring Show has something for everyone. Competitions on show day aim to show off the best local (and surrounding) talent horses, commercial cattle, poultry, working dog trials, arts, craft, cooking and photography. Winners of competitions can go on to compete at regional and state level.

There is a huge range of open and children’s age group classes - they even have a men’s cooking section - so the ladies’ pavilion competition isn’t just for mums and nans. In particular, it is a great opportunity to get your kids involved in their local community. Mark Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 of November

“It is an occasion for tireless country women to obtain more than a shearer’s ‘smoko’ worth of accolades for a plate of scones.”

ts $15 Adul $5 Kids ) (6-14y.o.

8th, 9th & 10th November - 147th Ballarat Show Director: Gerard Ballinger PH: 03 5338 1877 Fax: 03 5338 1608 P.O. Box 401, Ballarat, Vic. 3353 Email: info@ballaratshow.org.au Website: www.ballaratshow.org.au

Whittlesea Showgrounds Yea Rd, Whittlesea (Melways Ref 246 J7) www.whittleseashow.org.au Ph: (03) 9716 2835 info@whittleseashow.org.au t/05d06406/41-13

DAIRY

Page 16, Southern Farmer

October, 2013

Traps for unwary By FRANK MICKAN

FORAGE SPECIALIST: Frank Mickan tackles the variables of costing standing feed.

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Frank Mickan is a DEPI pasture and fodder conservation specialist.

ALEXANDR BROADFOR

AT LAR BAL

losses of fermentation. This could range from as low as eight per cent to well over 15 per cent depending on many factors such as crop type, chop length, DM content, compaction, effectiveness of sealing, fermentation type, etc. A well compacted stack of silage of two to four centimetre chop length, should contain about 220kg DM per cubic metre (approximately 660kg fresh weight at 33 per cent DM as a very rough guide to the amount in storage). The ultimate costing should be on cents per megajoule of metabolisable energy (¢/MJ ME) or dollar per kilogram crude protein ($/kg CP) basis. This allows a comparison to other suitable alternatives which may be available. Some sellers send a sample for testing out of the freshly cut crop or windrow as it enters the machine or when coming out of the chopper for silage. The crop will generally be of higher quality at this stage than later as the baled

H UT SO SERVING

! e r e h w y r e v E

If buying for harvesting as silage into a stack or as bales, the dry matter content needs to be fairly and accurately assessed regularly throughout the harvest period. Costing should be on a cents per kilogram dry matter (¢/kg DM) or dollars per tonne dry matter ($/t DM) basis, at the very least. If being harvested as silage, how do you know how much is in the stack and how is the final yield calculated? Many contractors will arrange to weigh loads regularly and take grab samples for DM content estimation. These samples should be kept in a cooled Esky to avoid drying out throughout the day. How variable is the DM content if harvesting different paddocks of different crop types, or wilted to different DM contents such as light versus heavy crops or paddocks cut on separate days? Be aware that ‘forage in’ versus ‘silage out’ will be lower in yield due to DM

When you advertise in the Southern Farmer, your message is delivered FREE via Australia Post to farmer and horticulturalist throughout South Central Victoria and West Gippsland

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LEAFY PROBLEM: Loss of leaves at raking would have to be carefully considered for this pure clover crop.

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COSTING and selling ‘standing feed’ before actual harvest, in terms of dollars per tonne of hay or on a per bale basis, can be a nightmare. If it’s to be done accurately and fairly, costing a standing crop is a complicated exercise and there are many traps for the unwary. Here are just a few questions and considerations to think about. Who wears the cost if the weather turns bad, just when the paddock is about to be, or is being, baled; or has been on the ground when rain occurs? In all these scenarios the result will be forage with reduced quality and dry matter (DM) yields. Be very clear as to when the crop is yours. Is it when the handshake occurs some time period before cutting, when cutting starts or after the crop has been harvested? Whose responsibility is it after baling? Whose problem is it if a stack in the paddock is rained upon? All these can affect the final DM yield and quality outcomes, especially if bad weather delays harvesting, or rain occurs during mowing. Is the yield (and nutritive value) calculated before or after harvest? If buying on bales basis after harvest, how heavy are the bales? Don’t work on three bales to the tonne. A 25kg per bale difference over 100 bales is 2.5t; at $150 per tonne it is $375.

(hay) or fermented (silage) product. There will be some loss of leaves in hay at raking and baling and fermentation losses to turn forage into silage, both leading to DM and quality losses. Silage should not be tested, ideally, for at least six weeks, assuming it has undergone a good fermentation, longer if too wet or if wilting was too long. What about arrangements where you may own the standing crop but someone else harvests the entire area? If the agreement involves estimating what is in the paddock before harvesting, best of luck. Many quad cuts would need to be taken and even then, is only a very rough estimation of yield. The ‘best guesstimate’ is the number of bales produced or number of loads taken off for silage, sampled for DM content and quality (if a factor in the purchase/sale price). Unfortunately, many standing crops are up for sale before the season starts or very early. The season as it eventuates and the availability of last season’s fodder makes setting a price very difficult. If buying, the price should be based on what you are prepared to pay for the crop to give a profitable return in your business. For more information contact Frank Mickan, Department of Environment and Primary Industries on (03) 5624 2259.

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HAY & SILAGE

October, 2013

Southern Farmer, Page 19

Fermentation quality supreme By JOHN LYNE Dairytech dairy production specialist

In brief Food on the online map

Heating caramelises protein and burns up energy to do so, effectively reducing the energy value of the silage and binding up protein. Low pH will stop mould from further growth. Mould spores are on pasture/crop while standing in the paddock, proportional to atmospheric conditions. Their growth potential in silage is proportional to pH. They are the problems, so what are the answers? What influences fermentation and/or, what actions can we take in silage management to achieve good fermentation and low pH? Ryegrass is inherently low is plant sugars. Sugars are directly related to sunlight and reach their peak mid to late afternoon. Obviously, the closer we can cut to this peak the higher the sugar content. Sugars are very necessary for bacteria to break down and convert to lactic acid, hence pH capacity. Sugars are rapidly burnt up in plant respiration after

cutting and are converted to water and carbon dioxide, which is lost to the atmosphere. Solution: bale/ensile as rapidly as possible after cutting to retain as much sugar as possible. Next, and the question on your tongue: moisture. Silage should be around 65 per cent moisture. The vast majority of samples I test are 50 per cent or less which is too dry because too much sugar has been lost and there is less moisture for lactic acid production. Today’s balers can comfortably handle silage at 65 per cent moisture. This reduction in time from cutting to baling also reduces weather related risk of silage on the ground. I urge you to test moisture as you’ll be amazed how quickly after cutting pasture it will come down to 65 per cent and often it is less than one day. Moisture can easily be determined by microwave moisture test.

While on the baling question, I cannot emphasise enough, the benefits of chopping silage. Most new balers have knives now, so there is no excuse. Yes, it is slower and uses more diesel, but we get five bales into four by chopping,

high lactic acid production. Pasture/crops are extremely variable in naturally occurring bacteria beneficial to ensiling/fermentation. Simply, do not risk your substantial silage investment to random fermentation. On the inoculant quality issue, there are very cheap inoculants on the market. Fermentation tests we have done highlight, you get what you pay for; cheap inoculant fermentation results were no better than no inoculant. Feed-out and face management are not, in ryegrass silage, as critical as we have been led to believe. John Lyne is a dairy production specialist with Dairytech Nutrition. www.dairytechnutrition. com.au

Good Quality Hay For Sale in small squares, large squares (8x4x3) and round bales. PRIME LUCERNE/RYE & CLOVER/MEADOW GRASS WHEATEN BARLEY & PEA STRAW & TOP QUALITY OATEN HAY

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SOUTH Gippsland Shire council - in partnership with Bass Coast Shire council - and on behalf of the South Gippsland Local Food Network, is developing an interactive web-based Southern Gippsland food map. The online initiative was scheduled for its launch on September 13. The website will provide a pathway for local food producers to list products for access by wholesalers, retailers and the public. Food producers are welcome to express interest. They can be included on the food map. To find out more information, contact Chris Hamilton on 5662 9314. Alternatively, those interested can email christine.hamilton@ southgippsland.vic. gov.au.

CHOPPER BALER: Most new balers, like the Lely Welger RP445, have knives to chop incoming wilted forage. That action means less air for better fermentation in 20 per cent fewer bales.

so the baling ends up costing less. Further, if we get 20 per cent more material into the same size bale, we have expelled a lot of air. Our goal is an anaerobic environment in silage meaning no oxygen; again, for optimum fermentation in both quality and time to 4.5 pH and stability. Sealing of bales or stacks is understood and follows on closely to the above oxygen exclusion. There are new “airtight” plastics now available for bulk stacks, and I am told they will soon be available in wrap form for baled silage. Silage inoculants have been in use widely now for 10 years. Quality, and I stress quality inoculants, add large volumes of lactic acid producing bacteria, to ensure

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ALTHOUGH fermentation of feed in rumens is of no less importance, and there is a direct correlation between the two, silage is our focus for the next couple of months. I would even go as far as saying fermentation quality is more significant than nutrient quality. Again, that does not negate nutrient quality as being of no significance. Why is fermentation quality supreme? A failed fermentation will wipe out all other considerations about converting silage effectively and efficiently to milk dollars. A classic case study: my eldest son, by virtue of a paddock under water several years ago, was unable to get cows to graze it when it finally dried out. The pasture was fescue, chosen for its ability to survive heavy rain and it did survive. However, due to maturity/palatability issues, neither milkers, dry cows nor young stock liked grazing it. Therefore, he ensiled it and paid very strict attention to getting good fermentation. The feed test on the silage was, literally, horrifying; it was very low in energy/ protein and very high in indigestible fibre.

Nevertheless, the fermentation test showed very high lactic acid (low pH) and cows ravenously consuming it verified this, despite it being not much better than straw in feed value. Lesson number one: if cows will eat silage we are on a winner; if they do not, we have just blown a heap of money in both the cost of ensiling and the cost of the wasted feed material, let alone milk dollars lost from reduced production. In the case above, we were able to fortify the low energy/protein with grain, to make up a reasonable feed, at least for dry cows. Palatability determines intake, and never forget our cows are volunteers; they are not paid to eat and I mean eat to capacity. Fermentation, in particular lactic acid content, not just decides palatability, but also the pH of the silage. Shelf life of our silage is very directly correlated to pH. A pH of 4.5 or lower will prevent any further fermentation, as bacteria and other micro-organisms cannot function in low pH (acid conditions), or anaerobic conditions. If fermentation is not stopped by achieving a pH of 4.5, eventually the silage will decompose to nothing. The varying degrees of this are called shrinkage; and we have all seen it. Following on from uncontrolled fermentation, another problem is heating. Heat is a product of fermentation, especially ongoing fermentation.

HAY & SILAGE

Page 20, Southern Farmer

October, 2013

Hay, silage contractors servicing Central Southern Victoria BALLARAT: Jensan Farm Services, Invermay Park 030 5331 5710, 0418 532 808, jensan@chariot.net.au, or visit website at www.jensanfarmservices.com BROADFORD: Rod Caplehorn, Hey Lucerne Up 03 5784 3402, 0416 107 497, www. heylucerneup.com.au CALDERMEADE: Hank Meulen, 0418 546 044, leanne.meulen@bigpond.com CATANI: Phil Adams 0418 568 469, vadams@aanet.net.au DARRAWEIT GUIM: Matt Cleve, Havelock Ag Services

0408 332 059, havelockag@megalink.com.au DRIFFIELD: Nev Beecher Contracting 0402 009 344, nb.contract@bigpond. com ELMORE: Frank Harney 03 5432 6303 or 0428 511 525, fharney@bigpond. com GRUYERE: Rob Bennett and Sons, (03) 5964 9255 or 0408 175 136, news@ haysales.nte.au. LARA: BJ & JT Greaves (03) 5282 1547, 0429 942 613, bjjtgreaves@ u7mail.com

LEONGATHA: Allen Contracting Earthmoving, Silage and Hay Services, 03 5664 2326, 0417 550 568, info@ allencontracting.com.au. MACEDON RANGES AND SURROUNDS Mark Crozier, Crozier Agricultural Contracting (03) 5427 2773, 0418 511 846, MOOROODUC: P Malkin (03) 5978 8270 or 0418 990 243. Moorooduc Farm Contractors 0418 358 642, 0412 576 267, moorooducfarm@bigpond.com SCOTSBURN: Geelong Road, Len Smyth (03)

5341 3745 or 0418 503 974, info@ agcontracting.com.au. TALLAROOK: Rural Solutions Victoria 0407 938 830. TUERONG: Phil Adams (03) 5979 1591 or 0418 334 734, vadams@aanet.net.au. TYABB: Hank Meulen (03) 5977 4278 or 0418 546 044, leanne.meulen@ bigpond.com WARRAGUL: Duncan McNeil (03) 5667 2381, 0418 515 512, mcneilcon@dcsi. net.au. WINCHELSEA: Murdeduke, Lachlan Wilson (03)

5267 2381, 0417 587 387, 0417 544 402, lachie@murdeduke.com.au. WOODEND: Mark Crozier Ag Contracting, 0418 511 846, allambee@bigpond.com. YARCK: Beilken Farm Contracting, 0411 981 763, 0428 871 226, fax: (03) 9873 8944, adambeilken@ me.com, www.beilken.com. YEA: Glen McMaster (03) 5797 2921 or 0417 529 809. YELLINGO: Kim Walters Agri (03) 5964 8323 or 0418 556 051, centerfire@ optusnet.com.au

Gear keeps contractors on move

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BUXTON contractor Lewis Gianforte (pictured) has a eet of Lely mowers, balers and tedders which are critical to his busy hay and silage operation. Mr Gianforte runs his contracting business, LW Gianforte Agricultural Contracting, from his family farm in Buxton. He does hay and silage, farm fencing, cultivation and farm management, and has been running Lely gear for about 10 years. “A friend of mine that I started contracting with had Lely mowers and I just liked them,â€? he says. “They’re good; they are tough and strong and can

take the punishment of contracting.â€? Mr Gianforte has a Splendimo Classic 280 mower and a Splendimo Classic 320. The Splendimo Classic models are simple mowers with lateral drive. All are ďŹ tted with a

unique modular cutter bar. This Lely invention is made up of universal mowing units that are directly driven by a exible hexagonal shaft. Consequently, the cutter bar contains far fewer gears than any other cut-

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ter bar, which results in outstanding output and saving on fuel. “I like the modular set up – if one of the bearings goes, you can run it one disc short,â€? Mr Gianforte said. The Splendimo cutter bar consists of mowing units that rotate to the left or to the right and spacers mounted on a chromesteel torque bar. By varying the number of mowing units and direction of rotation Lely provides a wide range of working widths and models. Mr Gianforte has different sized mowers to suit different paddocks. He says he tries to update his mowers every three years. “The mowers take a bit more punishment than everything else, as they ďŹ nd everything ďŹ rst, like stones or stumps. “I’ve got two or three blokes working for me, and the mowers have been pretty foolproof; the blade system is very good and it’s quick and easy.â€? He has a Lely Welger 445 round baler that he uses for silage and a Welger 415 that he uses for hay. The 445 and 415 have a new cam-less pickup and a high-capacity crop ow which means there are fewer moving parts and less power is needed

to get efďŹ cient performance. “I use the 445 for silage because it’s got knives and a drop oor and it makes a very good bale of silage. “It handles the wet grass and there are no problems with it blocking up,â€? Mr Gianforte said. “The 415 doesn’t have the dropped oor or the knives and it’s very good for hay. “They are both easy to operate and quite simple. “I’m really happy with them; I normally do 8000 to 12,000 bales a year of hay and silage in total.â€? A Lely Lotus 520 is also a key piece of equipment. “This is the second one I’ve had and I’m very happy with it,â€? he said. “When you’ve got people working for you, you need something fairly robust and strong and it ďŹ ts the bill.â€? Due to its trailing position and innovative design, the Lotus hook tine is far more exible than conventional tedder tines. The tine follows contours of the sward to eliminate damage or contamination of the crop. Lotus tedders can be angled forward to reduce the space between the rotors to a minimum and ensure the whole crop is tedded evenly. More information call (03) 5484 4000.

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SHEEP SALES

Page 22, Southern Farmer

Time to disperse

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IN the September edition one of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious Poll Dorset studs, Colin and Jenny Harris’s Gloroy Stud, Newbridge, announced that it will disperse at a series of sales over the next 12 months. Founded in 1955 by Gloria and Roy Harris, Gloroy is now under control of the second generation of the Harris family, Colin and Jenny; in recent years, they have been joining around 600 ewes. The first of the sales will be the annual onproperty sale of about 160 2012 stud and flock rams on Thursday, October 3, at 501 Laanecoorie Road, Newbridge.

In February 2014, the first stage dispersal sale of all mature age ewes and worker stud rams will be held. The final stage sale, all 2013 drop rams will be held in October 2014. The stud’s leading sire, Gloroy White Caviar, is the number one Lambplan sire in Australia for trade index. Colin Harris says “For family reasons and after 55 years of supplying top performing genetics to the prime lamb and Poll Dorset industry, we have reluctantly come to this major decision”. Periodic updates will be posted on the Gloroy website, www.gloroy. com.au or by contacting the Harris’ on 03 5438 7473, 0427 292 348 or gloroy@bigpond.com.

SIRE POWER: Gloroy White Caviar 110541 is the number one Lambplan sire in Australia for trade index. TOUGH CALL: The family has reluctantly come to a major decision to disperse over the next 12 months.

Finest fleece exhibited for district show

ANNUAL RAM SALE Monday, 28th of October 2013 commencing at 12noon HAVEN PARK

October, 2013

A LARGE number of Southern Farmer region sheep studs exhibited with outstanding success at the 2013 Hamilton and Western District sheep show, held in conjunction with Sheepvention in early August. Once again leading the charge was the Walton family’s Wurrook Merino stud, Rokewood, which stood the grand champion

Merino ram, the champion fine wool open class ram and ewe, grand champion fine wool ram and ewe, champion superfine/fine wool Poll Merino ewe and Merino group class 74 winner. Other region Merino studs to feature among the broad ribbons were Mac and John Barty’s Beverley Stud, Redesdale, which stood the grand champion superfine ram open class

and the Merino group class 75 winner. N Hartwich and Sons’ Mount Challicum Merino stud, Ballyrogan, won grand champion superfine ewe and Norm and Ryan Weir’s Kerrilyn Merino stud, Dunluce, stood the champion medium wool open class ram and champion open class strong wool ram. Craig Trickey’s Coryule Merino stud at Willowvale, won champion restricted

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class fine wool ewe and ram awards. In the Corriedale section, Southern Farmer region studs also competed strongly with Jim and Brenda Venters’ Liberton Corriedales, Stonehaven, standing champion shorn Corriedale ewe and senior champion Corriedale ewe. The Ellis family’s Sweetfield Corriedales, Mount Moriac, won senior and supreme champion Corriedale ewe ribbons while Nick Cole and Geoff Risbey’s Stanbury Corriedales, West Cloven Hills, took home the supreme champion Corriedale ram award. Derby Downs also stood the interbreed champion short wool ram. On the second day more than 400 rams in pens of five were entered in the annual Hamilton ram sale. Jock MacRae’s Eilan Donan Merino stud, Elphinstone, was placed third in the competition for the open long wool section pen of sale five. Wurook ended on a high note, securing equal top price with a $10,000 ram sold to New Zealand. The sale had an overall gross of $753,000 with an 80 per cent clearance and an average of $2176.

Multi-Vendor Corriedale Sale and Field Day Offering stud rams, 70 flock rams & flock ewes. Stud ewes available on request Micron Tested Stockscan Figures

STANBURY at WCH Flock No 1460 Nicholas Cole (03) 5593 9278 Bruc Acc AB Score 2

COMPTON HOUSE GAMBIER VIEW & Flock No 2278 Flock No 1527 Milton Savage 0418 534 037 Bruc Acc N3V AB Score 8

LODDON PARK Flock No 2062 Peter Baker (03) 5475 2576 Bruc Acc AB Score 5

SWEETFIELD Flock No 2382 Bronwyn Ellis (03) 5266 1562 Bruc Acc AB Score 2

FAIRBURN Flock No 136 Darryl MacDonald (03) 5348 7630 Bruc Acc AB Score 4

Thursday October 31 West Cloven Hills, Bookaar Viewing from 10am Auction from 1pm Lunch provided

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October, 2013

VINES, ORCHARD MANAGEMENT & EQUIPMENT

Vineyards bio-safer WINE Grape Growers Australia (WGGA) has taken a major step towards ensuring the future security of Australia’s grapegrowing businesses by increasing the protection of Australian vineyards against biosecurity threats. This cause has been given a major boost with the appointment of Rachel Barratt to the position of national winegrape biosecurity program coordinator. Over the next 12 months, Ms Barratt will be responsible for initiating a number of important projects to secure a sound biosecurity management structure in the winegrape growing sector. In particular, she will be setting up the industry’s Winegrape Biosecurity Industry Reference Group

to drive industry policy and strategy, working with other industries and government through agencies like the National Viticulture Biosecurity Committee and establishing long-term sustainable funding for the function. WGGA chairman and long-time winegrape grower, Vic Patrick, noted WGGA was the wine sector signatory to the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed with the Federal Government and had now taken a lead role in progressing biosecurity on behalf of all grapegrowers in Australia, including winemakers with their own vineyards. He also noted WGGA had made significant progress despite resource constraints.

“We need the support of the whole sector to make this work – including from our research organisation, the GWRDC, which has identified biosecurity as a priority area in its latest five year plan,” he said. “It’s a difficult time for growers and the costs of a potential biosecurity event could be the final blow for many growers. “You only have to look at the Papaya Fruit Fly outbreak in Queensland to see just how much a major pest or disease outbreak can cost an industry.” The direct costs to growers from the Papaya Fruit Fly experience in the mid-1990s is estimated to have been $27-$46 per hectare for each of up to 12 sprays a

season and disinfestation of $79-$100 per tonne. The costs of disrupted markets were not calculated. Indirect costs through various agencies were up to $55 million covering eradication and research to develop control measures. In total, the estimated cost could have been $160 million. Executive director of WGGA, Lawrie Stanford, said Ms Barratt has a strong background in program development and strategy and is wellpositioned to establish the industry’s biosecurity arrangements. “Rachel has been working as an independent consultant providing strategic and business development advice,” he said.

Southern Farmer, Page 23

Competitive edge ‘may lie in hands of robotics technology’ ROBOTICS can offer the Australian agricultural industry the chance to regain its competitive edge in the global market place, according to the University of Sydney’s Salah Sukkarieh. The robotics expert addressed Australia’s annual growth summit late last month at NSW Parliament House, with a presentation titled Technology & Innovation: Our Newest Agriculture Export. The two-day forum reviewed the economic contribution of Australian agriculture to domestic and international markets, commercialisation of Australian products, the impact of local infrastructure on food production, as well as how to revitalise investment in long-term R&D.

Hosted by the public policy network Global Access Partners, the summit is a part of a National Economic Review series. Director of research and innovation at the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies, Australian Centre for Field Robotics, Professor Sukkarieh says: “The Asia-Pacific region is looking to Australia for farming and agriculture solutions and there are discussions on Australia becoming the food bowl of Asia.” But, says Professor Sukkarieh, a declining labor force and outdated technology, could restrict Australia’s ability to meet the demand for fresh produce. “This is where au-

tomation can help,” he said. “We can use it to increase efficiency and yield, by having many of the manual tasks of farming, performed by specially designed agricultural robotic devices. “The robots can collect vital information, estimate yield and identify pests, weeds and diseases; the units can be controlled or monitored remotely by farmers using an iPad or phone.” Professor Sukkarieh’s research team is refining the ability of robots like the Shrimp, to help perform operational tasks such as applying fertilisers and pesticides, watering, sweeping and mowing.

In brief Growers to hold AGM

TRACKING PROGRESS: The robot at work in an orchard.

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THE 2013 WGGA annual general meeting will be held on the morning of November 13 in Adelaide. Further details will be announced by mail and in wine industry media. All undustry stakeholders are welcome to attend and will hear about the past year’s achievements and future plans. Members are encouraged to attend.

‘Counting’ robot proves its worth in the orchard: study A ROBOT developed by the University of Sydney in conjunction with Horticulture Australia has just completed trials on an orchard near Melbourne, where it proved its walk alone ability to gauge soil fertility, accurately estimate yields and map the orchard. It was trialled on Kevin Sanders’ Three Springs orchard near Powelltown, 80km east of Melbourne. Mark Calleija, research engineer at the

university, told Southern Farmer that given Australia’s growing agricultural sector, the team’s aim is to develop and apply automated agricultural robotic systems to benefit both growers and consumers. He said the trialled robot took soil samples as it moved between trees and measured water conductivity and ion content to determine the fertility of the soil. Used at flowering, it counted the number of

flowers individually, estimated fruit yield and matched that count against an ideal, to see if extra fertiliser or soil moisture was needed to maximise fruit yields. The robot also “read” the trunk and general look of the tree and at the end produced a map of the orchard. “In the next phase, we will be developing algorithms that will enable robotic devices to conduct pest management patrols and harvest fruit,” Mr Calleija said.

Woolies deal is good practice the belief there can be good commercial relations between these two important parts of the value-chain”. The Australian Wine Industry Code of Conduct establishes a basic commercial code and dispute resolution mechanism for the terms under which winegrape purchasers acquire fruit from growers. Lawrie Stanford,

executive director of WGGA, was quick to note that “while the supermarkets are often cast by supplier industries as bullies in the marketplace, the willingness of a major retailer to sign up to good commercial practices with growers, sets an example to a significant part of WFA membership, who have been slow to do so”.

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WINE Grape Growers Australia (WGGA) has applauded the recent decision by Woolworths to sign up to the Australian Wine Industry Code of Conduct – as a commitment to good commercial practices with growers. The chairman of WGGA, Vic Patrick, said “this outcome between a major retailer and growers establishes

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