Dairy News Australia - October 2020 - With Murray Region

OCTOBER 2020 ISSUE 120

MURRAY REGION

BREAKING NEW GROUND Stanhope dairy farm tackles challenge of shifting from conventional to organic production. More on page 4 and 5.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA OCTOBER 2020

2 // MURRAY REGION

Good season ahead WEATHER-WISE, WHAT a cracker of a start

to spring we have had through the Murray Dairy region.

The seasonal climate forecasts continue to indicate a wetter than average October to December, while September is proving to be less productive than first anticipated.

In the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District, dry conditions at the beginning of September saw an increase in irrigation demand and users were anxious for further and larger improvements in seasonal determinations.

Allocations against both Victorian Murray high-reliability water shares and NSW Murray general security entitlements are slowly improving.

While the allocations are still relatively low, the current availability and the seasonal outlook is more promising than in recent years.

If I reflect on the same period this time last year the story was quite different.

With the second wave of COVID-19 impacting on us starting to move around our regions and recommence face-to-face delivery, we have again found ourselves re-instating procedures to cope with the second wave.

We have encountered some issues around our farmers living on the state border, mainly around moving cattle and fodder, but thankfully with negotiations facilitated by our advocacy bodies these issues have been largely resolved.

As farmers, even though interruptions created

by COVID-19 are minimal in our everyday work life, it has been important that each of us plays our part - and development of a COVID management plan has been encouraged, as we have a responsibility to protect our employees, our service providers and our communities.

The season and our farmers With our inability to move around the region, I took the opportunity to check in on a couple of our farmers to provide a snapshot of what is happening on-farm.

Rachel Napier, along with her partner Craig, farm in the Riverina.

“We have had a well-deserved wet winter with rain falling at the right time. It has created a lot of optimism of a reasonable allocation after what has been two years of zero allocation and dehydrated bank accounts,” Ms Napier said.

“Some farmers took the opportunity to cut cereal silage in July with minor concerns over frost damage to cereal stubble but the re-growth was prolific resulting in a second cut, which was of a higher quality.

“It’s great to see cattle in good condition with still plenty of feed in front of them and Murray Irrigation have upgraded their allocation to 15 per cent; that, along with grain price finally trending down from the highs of last season, sees us breathing easier for the first time in a while.”

Over in Dhurringile, Tony McCarthy reports a similar situation with winter not too wet or cold which meant they had grass growth that made up a good percentage of their cow’s diet through winter and early spring, helping to keep feed costs down.

“With good soil moisture coming into spring and a predicted La Niña weather event, I am hopeful of more rain,” Mr McCarthy said.

He said in general farmers had carried over water from autumn and this water was now being used to keep annual grasses producing.

Our Goulburn allocation is at 51 per cent and hoping it will increase to 100 per cent by February 2021, subject to inflows.

Mr McCarthy said with temporary water coming right back from $500/Ml this time last year to $170 (as Dairy News went to press), farmers’ optimism and confidence was improving.

“Our cows have calved down and are in great condition, so we are set up to produce well for the season ahead,” he said.

It is very heartening indeed to hear similar stories across our region.

Our programs At this time the Murray Dairy team continues to deliver programs remotely, with some of the current offerings of note being: Our Farm Our Plan and Farm Business Fundamentals, or if a YouTube presentation is more your style, look at the timely articles and podcasts that are very relevant for now such as: Making Quality Pasture Silage - Five Easy Steps, Fert$mart and Nutrient Management and Calf Management.

More details can be found on our eNews produced each fortnight so please make use of this great information resource. If you are not getting eNews ring the office and get yourself listed.

Where is the Australian Dairy Plan at?

This time of year is also busy for the board and management, as we finalise the Annual Operating Plan for the coming year, prepare the necessary reports for our AGM in October, and bed down the details on the new Strategic Plan for Murray Dairy.

During this period, the reform of our dairy industry structures on a national basis—known as the Australian Dairy Plan—has been continuing quietly in the background.

Many of you will recall either attending or contributing to the consultation and engagement process where all views—on our industry structures and how we work together—were under the spotlight.

We saw the formation of the Joint Transition Team (JTT) who were tasked with considering all options for reform.

These options were released in January this year and we are now at the point where a design of an improved industry structure—which is a priority commitment of the Australian Dairy Plan—is about to be released.

Murray Dairy has had consistent input into the process during this time, as we recognise the importance for continued regional representation and accountability in any new industry structure.

As chair, I have spent considerable time contributing to the process and it is not easy to create unity when considering the complexity of our industry and ensuring all views are heard.

No doubt, it has been an enormous investment of time for those tasked in designing a new industry structure.

I for one am really looking forward to reading the document that I hope will deliver meaningful change to our industry with a focus on supporting the consistent profitability of our farmers.

Reflections on seven years It is with mixed feelings that I write this column, as it is my last as chair of Murray Dairy, with my term expiring at October’s AGM. I have been asked to give some reflections on my seven years serving as a director on the board, the last two as chair, and I have to say they have been both extraordinary and rewarding, filled with optimism of what we have achieved together

and dotted with challenges as we have navigated, drought, water issues, floods, bushfires and a global pandemic thrown in for good measure!

A lot has transpired since my commencement on the board in 2013.

I feel very proud of how our organisation has matured in that time, to the point where we embody some of the best practices around governance, delivery of extension and working collaboratively and efficiently with our state farmer organisations, our political bodies, our service sectors and, most importantly, our farmers—for whom we continue to deliver those programs and resources that enable them to make important decisions concerning their own farm businesses.

One of the most telling changes is the number of farms now in the Murray Dairy region.

In 2013-14 there were 1592 farms. By 2018-19, we are down to 1201.

Much of these changes to farming numbers and the corresponding drop in production can be attributed to the challenges our region has experienced around drought, lack of and affordability of water, the demise of Australia’s largest milk co-operative and the pain that followed with a milk price crash, coupled with rising input costs.

Murray Dairy has responded to the needs of our region on the back of these challenges and while there have been many smaller projects of note, and not to be diminished in anyway by not mentioning them, there are a few major projects, which I feel have been highlights during my term, as they are delivering huge return on investment which is great for our farmers and the wider industry sector and as a board, the result we want to see.

■ Accelerating Change (AC) was in the scoping stages when I commenced in 2013 and became a fully resourced project which ran from 2015 to 2018, in partnership with Regional Development Victoria, Dairy Australia and AgVic (in the then Victorian Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources).

Dairy farming in the Murray region was in a state of transformation since the millennium drought (1997-2009).

The operating environment was and still is changing on-farm. Some of those change drivers included the 2012 Murray-Darling Basin Plan and state policy reforms that included increased water market competition, irrigation district modernisation, advances in research and technology, climate change, rising input costs, volatile seasonal conditions and volatile commodity markets.

In short, three key recommendations came out of this project which would be the forerunner for more investment, with a focus on the divergence of farming systems away from predominately irrigated pasture towards a more diverse feedbase and farming systems.

I would encourage farmers to go back and read the AC report and how current projects such as Feedbase will be building on this investment in the coming year.

■ Future Focus 2019 was a dairy industry strategy for the Murray region which brought together a single plan, a plan that industry would collectively focus on to achieve its goals and encompasses the key themes of profit, systems, water, people and planning.

Speaking as an individual having insight and leadership over the process, it shone a light on

Chair’s message

what our region needed to focus on to not only survive but thrive.

This document has been pivotal in Murray Dairy strengthening its partnerships with industry and, for every farmer levy, we have been able to leverage a further $4 which has enabled us to bring essential resources and technical expertise to our region to support our dairy farmers.

■ At an organisational level, Murray Dairy has run a tremendous amount of projects that have been timely in supporting our farmers and it has been very rewarding to see the increased engagement with the programs offered and very difficult to single out just a few so I am not going to attempt that.

Last year our board formed a sub-committee to develop a strategy around future leadership.

It is an area that I am passionate about and so very important that we can identify, nurture and encourage new leaders to our industry to provide new insights and fresh ideas while including diversity of age and gender.

It will be completed around about the time I am writing these reflections and is a development that I hope will serve the organisation well going forward.

Our farmers and our people In closing, I want to thank our farmers in the Murray Dairy region.

It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work alongside you for these past seven years and I hope that our efforts have touched your business in a meaningful way and continue to do so, through our various extension and education programs.

I also want to express my immense gratitude to my board colleagues for their contributions throughout the past two years while I have been chair—your insight and skills have made our board discussions meaningful and at times passionate, as we have endeavoured to deliver on the strategy that has been set for the organisation through some challenging times.

To Jenny Wilson, our chief executive officer, you have led an effective and united team every step of the way and it has been a pleasure to work with you and the talented Murray Dairy team. Thank you all, for the important work we have done together.

Karen Moroney Murray Dairy chair

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA OCTOBER 2020

MURRAY REGION // 3

Paper outlines impact of water scarcity on industry THE NORTHERN Victorian dairy industry is

at “pressure point” and water availability will be significantly impacted by increased demand from the horticultural industry according to a discussion paper.

Compiled by Marsden Jacob Associates, the report was prepared as part of the Sefton report into the socio-economic conditions in the Murray-Darling Basin and found pressure is increasing on the dairy industry.

The paper said an increase in horticultural crops was one factor why water availability was declining and that dairy farmers on the Murray River, below the Barmah Choke, in towns such as Cohuna, Leitchville and Kerang, would be most affected because of trade factors resulting in greater competition for water.

It also said larger dairy farms with high security entitlements and access to domestic market contracts that operated new sustainable systems would be significantly more viable than smaller farmers operating less-sophisticated feed systems and who were more vulnerable to international commodity price volatility.

But the discussion paper said there was some upside for farmers who were offered supply contracts from processors that offered premium returns and reduced price volatility.

“These premiums and stable contract prices increase the opportunities for some dairy farmers to develop more intensive annual-based feed systems that incorporate mixed cropping and the ability to build significant feed buffers to reduce the risks of low water availability,” the paper said.

“These opportunities will not exist for all dairy farmers in the GMID, nor will all existing dairy farmers have the skills and capacity to manage these more complex farm systems.”

The paper said those who did not have access to the opportunities would continue to face highly volatile commodity prices.

“In more traditional farm systems, where low prices also correspond with low water availability, the scope that farm systems can be sustained will depend on the length and depth of future milk price falls and the scarcity of water,” the paper said.

A discussion paper on the dairy industry in northern Victoria has said horticulture will be dairy's biggest challenger in the water market.

User group

High reliability water share volume

Location

30 June 2001

% increase

30 June 2018

LMW diverters

203

209

3%

LMW districts

189

111

-41%

GMW diverters

243

159

-35%

Torrumbarry

378

209

-45%

Loddon Valley

230

118

-49%

Rochester/Campaspe 208

103

-50%

Irrigator

GMW districts Central Goulburn

208

213

-46%

Shepparton

181

106

-41%

Murray Valley

259

138

-47%

Subtotal

1,648

887

-46%

Not tied to land

0

298

N/A

Water corporation

Not tied to land

0

63

N/A

Environment

Not tied to land

0

661

N/A

2,283

2,388

5%

Total Source: Victorian Government (2019)

The report showed between 2001 and 2018 the volume of high reliability water share volume almost halved in the Goulburn-Murray districts.

App helps on-the-job learning RECENTLY HIRED dairy industry workers

will be able to learn the skills and knowledge needed in their new field in an easier way, with the launch of an app supported by the Victorian Government’s Agriculture Workforce Plan.

Victorian Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes launched the updated Dairy Passport app developed by Dairy Australia, which is now available on desktop, iPhone and Android devices.

Dairy Passport provides coaching guides, learning modules and support resources as employees are inducted during their first 90 days on the job.

Victorian dairy farmers will also have access to a capability coach to provide additional training support.

The app provides an easier way for employers looking to quickly and safely develop workers’ skills, while providing the knowledge and capabilities needed for on-farm roles.

Topics covered include farm safety, animal handling and essential tasks such as milking.

“The Victorian Government’s support has enabled us to rapidly develop new induction and training resources for Dairy Passport, designed to help farmers safely employ newcomers to the industry at short notice,” Dairy Australia managing director David Nation said.

Dairy Australia’s development of the Dairy Passport app has been supported by $715,000 from the Victorian Government.

Dairy Australia managing director David Nation says a Victorian Government investment has allowed the organisation to rapidly develop new induction and training resources for its app.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA OCTOBER 2020

4 // MURRAY REGION

Old farm not stuck in past DANEKA HILL

THE EMMETT family farm in Stanhope,

Victoria has successfully moved into organics after 102 years as a Jersey stud and conventional dairy.

Current principal farmer Craig Emmett made the decision to go organic four years ago, influenced by the premium milk price and sustainable methods.

“We were in the in-conversion period for a while, which is where you are operating organically but are getting the conventional milk price still. That hit us really hard last year with the

The 12-a-side herringbone dairy on the Emmett farm.

high water price and cost of production, but now we’re fully organic and things are looking good,” the 34-year-old fourth generation farmer said.

“I’m very happy and excited about the coming season. We’ve had a good winter and nice autumn, and if this spring keeps up it will be a wet one. We are on track to get 100 per cent water rights so all our running costs should be right down.”

The 90 ha farm is fully lasered, irrigated, and is productive enough to keep the 210-head milking herd fed year-round.

The property’s smaller size is a reflection of its origin as a soldier settlement, given to the Emmett family after World War I.

“Pretty much 100 per cent of our feed is home grown, which it essentially has to be because buying in organic feed is impossible,” Mr Emmett said.

Jerseys in the calving paddock along Girgarre Rd.

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MURRAY REGION // 5

“We got it in 1918 but the dairy didn’t start until 1929. There was a bit of mucking around with fruit trees and the family had a shop in town called Emmett’s Hardware,” Mr Emmett said.

The family’s multi-generational affinity for Jerseys began back in the days of hand milking.

“The Jersey was the original house cow, back when you only had 10 or 12 of them, and in those days it was all about the cream content and not the high litres,” Mr Emmett said.

The original milking shed still stands on the farm, complete with a handful of stalls where workers milked by hand.

“We use the old shed as a place to do AI and keep the crush chute now,” Mr Emmett said.

“It’s in a bit of a state.”

The Jersey stud, started by Mr Emmett’s great-grandfather, is less central to the farm’s operation these days, and Mr Emmett said he hardly used bulls anymore.

“They can be such a headache and a hazard,” he said.

“The mop-up bull I had last season was terrible. I didn’t trust him at all and sold him after two or three days. He was always holding cows up at the gate and turning to you looking like he was going to have a go. The bull I got after him was just like one of the cows — and that’s how I like it.”

Now that he is farming under organic principals, Mr Emmett said he was focusing more on health traits in his herd over milk production.

“On organic farms if you use antibiotics you can’t use the milk from that cow for six

months, so I’m focusing on getting robust and hardy cows and moving away from high production,” he said.

Mr Emmett’s parents Gordon and Lyn still live on the property and dabble in farm affairs, but are becoming more and more hands-off.

“Dad still does some irrigation and tractor work, and Mum does a bit of bookwork,” Mr Emmett said.

“But they are doing their own things as well.

They just bought a new caravan; it looks pretty good, too. Now they just need something to tow it.”

Outside the family, one full-time worker is employed to staff the farm’s 19-year-old herringbone dairy which is on track to receive a slight facelift.

“We’ve gotten a $18,000 grant from the Victorian Government to make the dairy more energy-efficient,” Mr Emmett said.

This includes a variable speed drive on the vacuum pump, a 13 kW solar system to heat hot water, and a 16 kW solar system to run a bore pump.

“We’ve currently got 25-year-old solar panels on the dairy’s roof. It’s a buzz box of a 6 kW system,” Mr Emmett said.

“It’s been handy over the years.”

The next step for the farm is the introduction of dung beetles which Mr Emmett hopes will improve soil quality, and experimentation with biochar, a natural feed additive recorded to increase milk productivity by 1.5 litres.

Mr Emmett is certified by NASAA Certified Organic and supplies ACM.

Craig Emmett with several 6- to 8-week-old calves. The farm runs a March and August calving system.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA OCTOBER 2020

MURRAY REGION // 7

Murray Dairy to launch new plan MURRAY DAIRY is set to release its new

three-year strategic plan in October, which will outline the direction to achieve the organisation’s vision, mission and objectives to better assist the industry.

The plan aligns with Dairy Australia’s Strategy, the Australian Dairy Plan and Future Focus and outlines Murray Dairy’s new vision.

The strategic plan will focus on fostering a confident, valued and profitable dairy industry, with a mission to lead in the development and delivery of trusted, timely and relevant dairy services to meet farmer and broader industry needs.

Murray Dairy chief executive officer Jenny Wilson said the plan would focus on a number of areas.

“The Murray Dairy Board is looking forward to releasing the new strategic plan, which emphasises the need to drive a regionally targeted focus and investment in supporting farmers to adapt to climate, market and water policy drivers,” Ms Wilson said.

“The plan’s priorities focus on promoting the adoption of innovation and industry best practices; fostering partnerships, networks and increasing industry recognition; and attracting, retaining and developing quality people.

“Particular emphasis has been placed on safety and responsiveness to drivers such as climate change and continued water policy reform.

“Delivering services and projects that meet the region’s diverse production systems and evolving feedbase needs remains a high priority, along with ensuring the industry is well recognised, well resourced, engaged and valued.

Murray Dairy chief executive officer Jenny Wilson.

“Underpinning the industry’s success into the future will be ensuring the industry has a perpetual supply of diverse, highly skilled and talented people, which forms the third strategic priority in the plan.”

The 2016-17 to 2019-20 strategy focused on supporting the region in building a profitable and valued dairy business.

This plan outlined three strategic priorities of growing skills and capability in the Murray Dairy region, protecting and promoting the dairy industry in the Murray Dairy region, and strengthening Murray Dairy’s partnerships.

Final call for outreach project AFTER THREE years providing assistance to

local dairy farmers, the Murray Dairy Community Champion Project dairy liaison officers are hanging up the phone.

Instigated in 2016 in response to the impact of the milk price drop on top of a dry 201516 season, which was significant for the dairy industry across south-east Australia and in particular the Murray Dairy region, the Community Champions Project employed dairy farmers to help raise awareness of the support available to dairy farm businesses from both government and industry in the region.

The project also highlighted the various programs and events on offer through Murray Dairy and other organisations.

Cindy Lucas, Karen Rowlands, Jodie Hay, Rob Schloss and, early in the project, Andrew Hipwell were part of the team that made more than 3000 connections with farm businesses and associated farm workers over the four-year period.

“In addition to promoting support services, information collected has been used to update database information, tailor extension programs and deliver relevant services in a more

meaningful way,” Murray Dairy regional extension officer Lisa Menhenett said.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank each of our DLOs for all the hard work they have done during the life of this project.”

Dairy liaison officer Karen Rowlands said response was overwhelmingly positive.

“When we began the project we found we had some farmers who were definitely calling out for such support and we were pleased to be able to guide them toward the assistance that was available at the time,” she said.

“For most people it was helpful because we were able to continually outline new opportunities for assistance and provide them with information on farm programs that offered them support in the areas they needed.”

The project has received a total $350,000 from multiple investors over its life cycle, including Dairy Australia, the Gardiner Foundation, UDV ( W illiam Buckland Foundation), Goulburn Campaspe Dairy Farmers Charitable Trust, Murray Dairy, Building Better Regions Fund and more recently the Gardiner Dairy Foundation.

Authorised by D. Drum, National Party of Australia, Shepparton.

Damian DRUM MP

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR NICHOLLS

Contact my office for assistance with Federal government issues 426 Wyndham Street, Shepparton, VIC 3630 damian.drum.mp@aph.gov.au damiandrum.com.au DamianDrumMP 03 5821 5371

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA OCTOBER 2020

8 // MURRAY REGION

Farmer relies on network for support DANEKA HILL

HAMISH CRAWFORD’S farm is no stranger

Tatura dairy farmer Hamish Crawford uses his local Dairy Business Network to improve his operation.

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to battling.

The land is sloped, the 30-a-side herringbone dairy is too small, the chiller fights to keep milk cold in summer, the government hasn’t made anything easy and the family is outgrowing the old farmhouse.

Some Dairy News readers might find all these challenges very relatable.

“I’m trying to be a modern farmer and keep the milk safe, I’m not trying to make excuses,” Mr Crawford said.

Custodian of nearly 800 cattle, Mr Crawford is kept busy managing the farm and five workers.

The northern Victorian farmer attributed his success so far to his local Dairy Business Network.

“It has been very helpful and it keeps me disciplined. It helps me spend money right,” Mr Crawford said.

Dairy Business Networks (DBNs) are closed groups of farmers and a consultant who meet to discuss farm finances and business strategies.

“We get to compare each other’s figures. It’s been really good over the years, because whenever I get a bright idea it brings me back to reality,” Mr Crawford said.

Recently Mr Crawford received a $29,735 Victorian Government grant to improve his farm’s energy efficiency.

“The process was a nightmare, quite honestly,” he said.

“I’m going to have to spend $58,000 to get the $29,000. I wasn’t even sure I was going to get it because it’s been so long since I heard anything from them.”

Mr Crawford’s main goal when applying for the grant was to improve his milk chilling system and install a capable solar system on the dairy.

The Victorian Government watered down both projects because they didn’t directly improve the energy efficiency on-farm.

“I applied for a $80,000 chiller because I’ve been having issues cooling the milk over summer and Freedom Foods is strict about getting the milk down immediately,” Mr Crawford said.

“But it got rejected because it was no more energy efficient than a sub-standard milk mister.

From my perspective a milk chiller would have given me piece of mind and gotten the milk to 18 degrees instead of 24, but I understand.”

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA OCTOBER 2020

MURRAY REGION // 9

Another upgrade was a variable speed drive on the vacuum pump, which will allow the farmer and his staff to slow down the milk as it flows into the vat pump instead of “going like a rocket all the time”, according to Mr Crawford.

The solar power system was originally going to be 33 kilowatts but got knocked back to six.

“Six kilowatts is barely big enough for a house, but they wouldn’t go with 33 kilowatts because they calculated something like 71 per cent of the energy generated would be going back to the grid,” Mr Crawford said.

“They decided putting power into the grid wasn’t a good use of taxpayer money.”

Mr Crawford bought his current farm, near the dairy town of Tatura, in 2010.

“Previously I was working on my parents’ farm, which is next door. I levered that connection as much as I could,” he said.

“At purchase it was pretty run down. None of it was lasered and now it’s all lasered.”

Some of the land is “heavy country”, which Mr Crawford is currently spreading gypsum on to lessen the impact of the loam clay.

“It is well drained but slopey,” he said.

Over the past decade, the 125 ha farm has accumulated another 113 ha from neighbouring properties.

Mr Crawford’s wife works in nearby Shepparton as a physiotherapist and wisely keeps herself out of most farm matters.

“She is 90 per cent work, 10 per cent farm I would say, and on top of that she’s a mother,” Mr Crawford said.

“She’s started talking about a new house since the old farmhouse is in a bit of a state.”

The farm’s 2001-built dairy is “a bit small, but a good dairy”.

“We’ve added an auto-drafting gate and it has three-phase power but at the end of the day we’re trying to milk 500 cows in a 300-cow dairy,” Mr Crawford said.

The herd is 85 per cent Holstein and 15 per cent Jersey, an equation with no rhyme or reason.

“I don’t really know why I have the Jerseys, they’re just there. I don’t think about them much and so they get to stay,” Mr Crawford said.

“They say your best cows are the ones you never notice, so I’m going to steal that line.”

The farm runs an autumn and spring calving system, spring being its busier season.

“I have 11 bulls on the property, most of them Jersey, who do mop-up and are kept with the heifers,” Mr Crawford said.

In terms of herd goals, Mr Crawford is all about “trouble-free cows”.

“I look for cows who calve easy. I spend lots of money on genetics, I use a fair bit of genomic semen and that’s been worth the risk I think.”

Over the past few seasons, the farm has been buying in more feed than it grows, mostly vetch hay, due to the high water price making it too expensive to irrigate.

The upcoming seasons are looking far better for Mr Crawford, with a good winter done and a wet spring under way alongside 100 per cent water rights looking more and more likely.

In a normal year Hamish uses one tonne of feed per cow.

Tatura dairy farmer Hamish Crawford milks 500 head of mostly Holstein Friesians.

Pictures: Rodney Braithwaite

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA OCTOBER 2020

10 // MURRAY REGION

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Conditions for chopping and baling have been optimal, with a drier July meaning later rainfall has drained freely, still allowing good Murray Dairy regional extension officer Australia’s most potent probiotic helps access to paddocks.

Lisa Birrell inspects hay in a shed Australia’s most potent helps balanceprobiotic microflora in the rumen – Murray Dairy strategic project manager Amy at Tatura. Image courtesy of Dairy balance microflora in the rumen – naturally boosting immunity and recovery.

Hilary Walker Fay said farmers were reporting that quality Australia. Photo: naturally boosting immunity and recovery. remained, and was best achieved by having or wrapped as soon as possible. a clear goal and clearly communicating with “Hay yields look to be as equally promiscontractors. ing, but forecasts for a wetter spring may make “Many farmers are ensiling winter cereals baling a little more difficult. helps in addition to pasture,” she Australia’s said. most potent probiotic “Surrounding dryland and irrigation areas “It isAustralia’s important to remember that particu-probiotic helps most potent balance microflora in the rumen naturally larly in whole crop cereal silage, there is a trade- are providing great opportunities for supplebalance microflora in the rumen naturally and silage for dairy farmers, but off between yield quality depending on the mentary boosting immunity andhayrecovery.

May aidand in the control of it will be critical for farmers to ask for quality stage of boosting growth the crop is cut, and farmers are immunity and recovery. encouraged to closely monitor their crops to tests and negotiate prices correspondingly.”

Cereal hay is currently fetching $190 to in calves achieve their desired cutting time.

“In addition, in contrast to pasture, cereal $220/tonne, while lucerne hay is being sold for silage expands much more quickly due its of$450 to $500/tonne and pasture hay for $250 May aid in theto control hollow stems and needs to be packed and sealed to $330/tonne.

May aid in the control of

the silage season, Murray Dairy has developed Rapid response an eight-part series of videos to help local farm& recovery businesses best manage their silage.

Promotes immunity Produced as a joint initiative of Murray Dairy and Lallemand Australia, the videos range from between one and four-and-a-half minutes in length and cover the fundamentals of site selection, sealing, measuring silage pile density, Murray Dairy has collaborated with face management and nutrition, measuring and Lallemand Australia’s David Lewis Rapid response & recovery right) tothan produce an eightStronger competing managing silage at harvest, harvest timing and (pictured Promotes immunity part video seriesproducts to help local irrigators Rapid response & recovery chop length and kernel processing. best manage their maize silage.

Promotes immunity The first five videos are now available, with a further three planned to coincide with the quantity to ensure you don’t end up with com2021 corn harvest. post instead.

Murray Dairy regional extension officer Lisa “Measuring Corn Silage Pile Density demonBioBoost – perfect for calves who are and assess the density Birrell said the videos were comprehensive. strates how to than measure Stronger competing sick, and after dehorning/ “The first of the five stressed initial videos introyour silageproducts stack, which is critical for effecStronger thanofcompeting duces the series, vaccinating/weaning highlighting an increaseproducts in tive fermentation. conserved feeds and the need for practical tips “Face Management offers techniques to preto improve knowledge, skills and outcomes,” serve the quality and nutritional value of difMs Birrell said. ferent types of silage.

BioBoost – perfect for calves who are “Site Selection provides details on selecting “We will release the final three videos in late BioBoost – perfect forstressed calves who sick, andare after dehorning/ a silage site that suits your current and future summer next year, so we encourage farmers sick, stressed andvaccinating/weaning after dehorning/ needs, which is critical for good drainage and to keep an eye on our social media, YouTube vaccinating/weaning access to deliver clean feed to animals. channel.”

“Sealing runs through methods of effecTo view the first five videos visit: tively sealing to maximise silage quality and tinyurl.com/silage-videos

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA OCTOBER 2020

MURRAY REGION // 11

Looking forward to a strong season BERRIGAN DAIRY farmer Graeme Spunner

liked the sound of a young cow doing 15,000 litres in her second lactation; and once he saw her in the paddock, knew he had to have her.

This month the young cow joined a select list which had delivered more than 20,000 litres in one lactation.

She was bred by Mr Spunner’s friends and master breeders Russell and Kerry Eagle of Finley, and Mr Spunner is quick to point out he can’t take credit for the genetics.

But he does know a good cow when he sees one and the Spunners know how to feed them.

“I went through Russell’s catalogue and picked this one out. I went to the farm several days before the sale, and when I saw her I said to myself: ‘That’s one hell of a cow.’”

A few days and $4400 later, Eagle Ridge Bradnick Legume has made her home on the 500 ha dairy farm at Berrigan with about 300 other Holsteins in the herd.

In her third lactation she produced 21,598 litres in a 294-day lactation. In that time she accounted for 536 kg of fat and 633 kg of protein.

This places her third on the Holstein Australia list recording cows which have produced more than 20,000 litres.

The Spunners also have a second cow on the list, Sharett Park Natalia Lulu, who produced 21,229 litres in 305 days.

The Spunners have a number of high-performing cows in the commercial herd and put it down to feeding them right.

They take advice from Lancefield nutritionist, Daniel Huggins from Animal Mineral Solutions and the Dairy Business Centre and feed a tailored mix in the bails, using cow ID technology; and they measure the outputs through a program developed by Easy Dairy.

“We can tell exactly what they are doing and if they are sick or need attention,” Heather Spunner said.

They don’t bother with summer pastures, but feed the herd from a mixer wagon on a sacrifice paddock.

The Spunners also purchased Bradnick Legume’s daughter from the Eagle Ridge dispersal sale in Echuca in July, because they don’t know how many heifers the cow will give them.

They will also be keeping the last bull to be born to Bradnick Legume because of his excellent genetic background.

Berrigan dairy farmer Graeme Spunner.

The young cow which produced more than 20,000 litres in one lactation.

WE NEED YOU! Are you a former dairy farmer, or somebody who possess skills that are valuable within the Dairy Industry?

Murray Dairy is compiling a list of experienced Dairy Farm Operators who are prepared to assist in the operation of a diary farm that has been impacted by COVID-19. While the list may not need to be activated, we would like to be prepared.

Contact Murray Dairy’s Lachlan Barnes on 0438 092 352 or at lachlanb@murraydairy.com.au On behalf of the nation’s dairy industry, we thank you!

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