A top of the range Milk Replacer for optimal health and animal growth
Premium Calf Milk replacer medicated with Bovatec for coccidiosis management
High Protein for growth and faster adaption to calf meal
High Fat for growth
Contains unique combinations of Prebiotics, Probiotics and Post-Biotics to promote health and immunity
Contains Zinpro Performance minerals to work synergistically for health, immunity, growth and udder development
ProfeLAC GOLD is a premium speci cation, complete Calf Milk Replacer, formulated for all classes of herds. Formulated with Bovatec®, ProfeLAC GOLD is speci cally designed to aid in coccidiosis management and good gut health.
WHAT CLASS OF ANIMAL CAN I FEED PROFELAC GOLD TO?
ProfeLAC Gold is a premium-quality calf milk replacer containing Bovatec to protect against coccidiosis and improve average daily gain and feed conversion ef ciency. It’s an ideal all-purpose dairy calf milk replacer, especially where coccidiosis is perceived to be a risk.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S)
WHY ISN’T A SET MIX RATE LISTED ON THE BAG?
Like our own children, calves need more food as they grow, so accordingly, we should provide more milk to support their health. Due to the signi cant differences between various calf operations and facilities, there are many options for increasing intake, such as adjusting mix rate, feed volume, and the number of feeds per day to suit the system and the calf’s current size. If you need assistance or more information, please get in touch with your ProviCo Rural Calf Specialist.
SHOULD I FEED PROFELAC GOLD TO BEEF CALVES?
Yes, you can, however, we recommend using a lower-spec Calf Milk Replacer for beef calves such as ProfeLAC Beef.
HOW DO I CALCULATE WHOLE MILK VS. MILK REPLACER’S DRY MATTER?
The best way to measure the dry matter of whole milk is with a hydrometer or Brix meter, where the percentage shown is the Dry Matter. If you don’t have those tools available, a good rule of thumb is that vat milk contains about 125g of solids per litre, so each litre provides 125g DMI. With Calf Milk Replacer, it is much simpler; roughly 1 gram of Calf Milk Replacer is a gram of solids (technically, it is 1.03g of Calf Milk Replacer to 1 gram of solids but using a 1:1 ratio works ne).
For more information, contact your local ProviCo Rural Calf Rearing Specialist.
Birthday for triplet heifers. PG.26
Modest global growth
THE GLOBAL dairy market is poised for modest supply growth in 2025, driven by steady production expansion and export demand, according to a new report by food and agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank.
However, with the slow growth rate not expected to translate into surging stocks or general oversupply, global dairy prices look set to remain at elevated levels.
For Australia, the report says, dairy farm margins are poised to benefit from improving farm gate prices through 2025, high commodity returns and a softer currency.
In its Q1 Global Dairy Quarterly report, titled Modest growth amid trade shifts, Rabobank says it expects milk production in the ‘Big 7’ dairy export regions (the EU, US, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay) to expand by 0.8 per cent year-on-year (YOY) for 2025, with a similar gain in the first half of 2026.
This forecast is driven by a return to production growth in the EU, where production has oscillated between growth and contraction in recent quarters, and the US, where the typical annual production gains of one per cent have stagnated in recent years.
the ‘Big 7’ will reach 325.8 million metric tonnes (mt) in 2025, up from 323.2 million mt last year.”
Mr Harvey said global supply growth was likely to be stronger in the second half of 2025 than the first.
Outside of the Big 7, Mr Harvey said, China was on a different milk production path to most regions across the world, with Chinese supply set to fall further in the year ahead.
“Chinese milk production dropped in 2024, following several consecutive years of significant expansion, representing a stark break from the recent trend,” he said.
The report says Chinese dairy demand is expected to improve this year, but at a slower pace, reflecting domestic economic challenges.
Global demand
Despite China’s retreat from the global demand ‘stage’, the report says, purchasing in other key regions is encouraging.
production beginning to decline in late 2024, after seven months of the current season, overall production is 0.4 per cent higher YOY.
Mr Harvey says production is weak in western Victoria and Tasmania, but remains strong in eastern and northern Victoria and in NSW.
“The outlook for milk production heading into the seasonal spring peak this year — and for the 2025-26 season overall — will be heavily dependent on rainfall and weather conditions.” He said favourable autumn rainfall would support better feed supply outlook and support milk flows.
RaboResearch tips overall milk production growth of 0.7 per cent YOY for 2025-26.
The report says Australian dairy exports had a very strong year in 2024.
“With slightly increased farm gate milk supply last year and higher export returns, export volumes were higher across the main dairy commodities,” Mr Harvey said.
Cover photo supplied by Dairy Australia.
“US supply expansion is expected in 2025, but it’s likely to be modest at sub-one per cent,” report co-author and RaboResearch senior dairy analyst Michael Harvey said.
“Production gains are also expected from Oceania and South America, largely driven by prior year declines that are easy to surmount.
“Overall, we anticipate milk production from
“US cheese exports surged to a record high in 2024, with positive signs for this year. However, potential challenges could disrupt this outlook, primarily related to the rapidly evolving trade barrier landscape as the US shifts away from decades of global alignment,” Mr Harvey said.
With the new Trump administration, tariff implementation — and possible retaliatory tariff action from trading partners — could negatively impact US dairy exports.
Australia
For Australia, the report says, despite milk
“Of the two largest volume trade flows, Australian cheese exports jumped 30 per cent and skim milk powder exports lifted 27 per cent YOY.”
Mr Harvey said the outlook for Australia’s dairy trade will be shaped by milk availability moving into the new season and the seasonal flush.
“Export returns are likely to remain attractive, but milk supply growth (impacting supply availability for export) has slowed,” he said. ɋ Go to www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au for the full story.
Let’s talk about
Scientist is a relief milker.
Buyer for King Island Dairy
A CENTURY-OLD specialty cheesemaker based on a Bass Strait island has been given a lifeline by an eleventh-hour buyer.
King Island Dairy was slated to close in mid2025 after owner Saputo said in September it had been unable to find someone to purchase the business.
Saputo announced on Friday, March 7 it had entered into a binding agreement with a new owner.
It is understood the buyer will be a new entity named King Island Dairy 2, headed by two experienced Australian businessmen.
Gerard Lourey, Saputo Australia’s director of operations, said the buyer would acquire the dairy facility, the brand, the on-site cheese store and two farms to provide a guaranteed milk supply.
“We deeply appreciate the ongoing support of our dedicated King Island employees, suppliers, customers, the local council and the Tasmanian Government,” Mr Lourey said.
King Island Dairy operations began in the early 1900s. It is one of the biggest employers on the tiny outpost, which is home to about 1600 people.
Mr Lourey said the buyer, which is expected to make an announcement in coming days, was committed to preserving operations and jobs on the island.
Workers will receive an offer to transfer their employment to the new owner, with the sale transaction expected to be completed by mid-2025.
Saputo, which bought King Island Dairy in 2019, previously said 58 employees would be
impacted by the closure of the business.
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff had previously pledged to help find a buyer for the business.
“Not only will King Island Dairy remain
open and employing locals ... for years to come — the dairy and brand will be coming back into Australian hands,” he wrote on social media. “A big win-win for all of us.”
PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH IS A GLASS HALF FULL
National dairy productivity has continued to stall since 2010-11, achieving an average annual growth rate of -0.04 per cent from 2010-11 to 2022-23.
Yet, under the surface of these national level aggregates, the story has some positive elements, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences.
ABARES executive director Jared Greenville said Australian dairy was operating as a ‘multi-speed’ industry, with clear differences in productivity growth between dairy regions.
“While dairy farm productivity growth has slowed in some regions, it has accelerated in others,” Dr Greenville said.
“We are seeing variability in productivity
performance driven not only by climate but also differences in input use and the degree of intensive management practices.
“Large dairy farms have also been able to achieve stronger productivity growth than small- and medium-sized dairy farms.”
During the slowdown period from 2011-12 to 2022-23, the ABARES report says only two dairy regions achieved positive average annual growth rates — Western Dairy (WA) [0.84 per cent] and WestVic Dairy (southwest Victoria) [0.77 per cent].
The lowest productivity growth rates over the slowdown period were observed in Murray Dairy (Victoria) [-1.08 per cent], Dairy NSW [-0.83 per cent], and Murray Dairy (NSW) [-0.83 per cent].
The ABARES report says Victoria, the
main dairy state, stands out as having two of the regions with the lowest average annual productivity growth rate (Murray and Gippsland), but also high productivity growth rates in south-west Victoria.
It says south-west Victoria currently is the largest milk-producing region in Australia. However, other reports seen by Country News and based on a more recent timeline say the Murray (northern Victoria) region has reclaimed that title.
Dr Greenville said further incremental productivity gains are expected to stem from continued on-farm innovation, increased scale, and the gradual exit of dairy farms with marginal profitability and lower productivity.
“Continued investment in research, development and extension will also help as
it’s a well-established driver of productivity,” he said.
“We need to make sure innovation is reaching the farm gate and being adopted to ensure prosperity of this integral industry.”
Dr Greenville said differences seen across regions and between farms also point to opportunities for cross learnings to help kickstart productivity.
“Efforts to increase productivity growth will be important in offsetting any further increases in input prices, and to buffer against any future fall in milk price.”
Read the ABARES Insights Report, The ’multi-speed’ industry: Dairy productivity in the spotlight, here: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/products/insights/ australias-farm-productivity-slowdown
King Island has a unique climate based on its location and provides lush grazing for cows and unusually sweet milk. – with AAP.
A buyer has stepped up for King Island Dairy, which Saputo was due to close in mid-2025.
Photo: AAP Image/James RossG
UNDERSTAND YOUR MILK SUPPLY OPTIONS
eastAUSmilk wants to help its members gain a better understanding of milk supply options, particularly those who are coming to the end of a current Milk Supply Agreement.
“The expected benefits of this process are for the eastAUSmilk member to better understand their current milk processor supply options, historical milk flow, volume, components and quality, and how that might impact milk pricing and milk supply options,” eastAUSmilk consultant Matt Hall said.
All negotiations with milk processors are led by members and must be conducted under the dairy industry code that came into effect on January 1, 2020.
The Milk Supply Agreements offered or that are in place, determine the conditions of supply and contract arrangements are between milk processors and milk suppliers.
“If a number of eastAUSmilk members who are located in a similar geographic area and that have similar end dates to their current Milk Supply Agreements wanted to form a collective bargaining group, eastAUSmilk can also assist with this process,” Mr Hall said.
“A collective bargaining group, refers to an ACCC-approved organisation formed by dairy farmers coming together to
collectively negotiate with milk processors regarding pricing and other terms of sale, essentially giving them greater bargaining power as a united group rather than negotiating individually.
“There are some clear advantages and challenges with collective bargaining
groups that need to be considered before forming a group, if you are considering a collective bargaining group some research is recommended.”
If you are an eastAUSmilk member or considering becoming a member and you’re coming to the end date for your
current Milk
Agreement and would like to have a conversation about understanding your milk flow, including volume components and milk quality and the resulting current milk pricing and or forming a collective bargaining group, contact Matt Hall on 0459 234 720.
ADF and VFF settle dispute
THE LEGAL dispute over the Victorian Farmers Federation (United Dairyfarmers of Victoria) membership of Australian Dairy Farmers has been resolved.
The settlement will see VFF UDV remaining a member of ADF, “working collaboratively for the benefit of Victoria’s dairy farmers” the presidents of the VFF, UDV and ADF said in a joint statement on March 7.
The long-running dispute between the two advocacy groups was over the issue of $500,000 owed by the VFF to ADF, and had reached a stalemate in February 2024.
At the time, the VFF claimed ADF membership fees were ‘unfair’ and did not represent value for money for all Victorian dairy farmers and UDV members.
The VFF had told the ADF in October 2022 that it would no longer pay fees under its current membership structure.
There has been a change in leadership at the
VFF since then.
“This partnership represents the beginning of a new era for VFF where in-fighting has ended and the focus has shifted to outcomes for members,” VFF president Brett Hosking said.
“I want to thank the team at ADF for meeting collaboratively with VFF to reach this exciting opportunity.”
VFF UDV president Bernie Free said the resolution of this dispute between the VFF UDV and ADF was both welcome and long-awaited.
“During this period VFF UDV and ADF have continued to collaborate in good faith, serving farmers on ADF’s National Council and Policy Advisory Groups,” Mr Free said.
“However, it will be reassuring for all in industry to have this settled in recognition of what dairy farmers really want, which is for us to get on with the business of dealing with the issues affecting dairy farmers.”
ADF president Ben Bennett said it had been
Soluble Vitamins and Organic Trace Minerals suppliedinquantities to meet or exceed the calf’s daily requirements
Prebiotics&Probiotics to aid digestionandgutmicrobialbalance (15 billion CFU per 10 gram dose)
a challenging time, and he was relieved to finally reach an amicable resolution and agreement to work together in good faith.
“The critical issue now is to focus on our core business and the path forward,” he said.
“That includes ensuring grass roots dairy farmers have certainty regarding the financial sustainability and autonomy of their representative bodies to champion dairy farmer issues.
“Victoria represents 64 per cent of Australian milk production, so it is critical we are united and working together.
“That is especially true given the shrinking milk pool, where Australia is now a net importer of dairy.
“ADF and VFF UDV have agreed to work cooperatively and cohesively on dairy policy, representation, and membership activities.
“This will benefit both organisations and help us deliver for the dairy farmers of Victoria and, by extension, Australia as a whole.”
We changed to BEST-START THRIVE this season - it’s been an absolute game-changer for calf health and condition!
Supply
VFF UDV president Bernie Free.
Supermarket power ‘laid bare’
AUSTRALIAN DAIRY Farmers says the release of the competition watchdog’s inquiry into supermarket pricing lays bare the power imbalances, tactics and transparency issues faced in the dairy industry.
ADF president Ben Bennett said the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s inquiry shows more must be done to strengthen safeguards for dairy farmers, and the agriculture industry more broadly.
He said farmers were the most vulnerable participants in a supply chain dominated by big players.
“This report backs up what we’ve been saying for years — that the big supermarkets have increased their product margins over the past five years at the cost of our industry,” Mr Bennett said.
“With the exception of home-brand milk, which the big supermarkets use as a loss leader, we consistently see the retail price of dairy products rise.
“Yet, right now, dairy farmers are struggling to juggle high input costs with declining farm gate prices.
“The big supermarkets directly sourcing milk from farmers is further eroding market competition, compounding the issues our industry faces.”
Mr Bennett welcomed the Federal Government’s support for the report, released on March 20, and called on leaders to adopt and enforce the recommended reforms.
“We also want the government to look beyond these recommendations and consider how they can ensure retail price increases flow to farmers.
“Government
also implement policies that promote local dairy products and counter the rising levels of cheap dairy imports.”
With
one major supermarket now a dairy
WORLD JERSEY ENTHUSIASTS TO VISIT AUSTRALIA
Jersey farmers and enthusiasts from four continents will converge on Australia in April for the 2025 World Jersey Conference.
Jersey Australia will host the conference for the first time since 2011 and the three-week event is attracting visitors from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, Jersey Islands, South Africa and Colombia.
The tour starts in Melbourne on April 6 and finishes in Sydney on April 22 and will take visitors across the Gippsland, southwest and northern regions of Victoria and the NSW south coast.
Jersey Australia general manager Glen Barrett said participants would see some of the best Jersey herds in the world.
“I think everyone will be impressed by the Australian Jersey and the Australian hospitality,” Mr Barrett said.
“Australia has a world-leading Jersey population and we will be visiting some of the premier herds, including some that guests may not have seen before.”
“Every herd will tell a terrific story.”
The tour will include visits to the top BPI herds, Master Breeder herds and several younger farmers starting to make a mark on the Jersey scene.
It will also include visits to the 63rd annual Central Gippsland Jersey Fair, Ellinbank SmartFarm, Burra Foods, Total Livestock Genetics and Agribio research facility.
Guests can also participate in the annual Jersey Elite Awards, which recognise Master Breeders, Elite Cows and Bulls and announce the Great Australian Challenge winners and the Dairy’s Finest Sale will be on April 14 at Moama.
They will also hear about Jerseys in the South African dairy Industry, a research project by Daviesways on regenerative farming and the advantages offered by Jersey cows, and young scientist
Mikayla Crouch, the first recipient of the Australian Dairy Youth Travel Scholarship to study at the University of Dublin as part of her ag science genetics major, will be a presenter.
Mr Barrett said the tour was made possible by the support of premium sponsor Genetics Australia, platinum sponsor Zoetis and many gold, silver and bronze sponsors.
The tour is happening at an opportune time with Jerseys increasing their share of the Australian dairy market over the past decade.
The latest DataGene statistics show Jerseys are continuing a steady rise in popularity.
The Australian national herd data recorded a two per cent increase in the number of Jersey cattle during the past year and an eight per cent in the past decade, rising to a total of about 17.4 per cent.
The World Jersey Cattle Bureau represents Jersey breeders and their organisations around the world.
There are five world regions of the bureau — Africa, Asia/Oceania, Europe, Latin America and North America. World conferences have been held since 1949.
full report, or a factsheet with the key findings and recommendations, on the ACCC’s website.
Genetics Australia’s export manager Rob Derksen, Jersey Australia general manager Glen Barrett and Jersey Australia board member and promotions chair Jane Sykes launched the 2025 World Jersey Conference at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, last year.
must
processor in its own right, and a review of the Dairy Code of Conduct under way, ADF hopes the government will seize the opportunity to strengthen provisions and protections for
farmers dealing with processors. Read the
With Operations Center™ , we can monitor everything
to produce high-quality feed for our cows. And that is No. 1.
Quality starts from the ground up for Lachie Fleming and his dairy-farming family.On their 1,200-acre farm in Willung, Victoria, optimising pasture nutrition means better feed for their 400 cows and premium-quality milk that commands a higher price.
However, achieving that level of precision takes the right technology. And that’s why they rely on John Deere’s Operations Center. It enables them to track every detail, from field conditions to equipment performance, allowing them to identify efficiencies and wfine-tune nutrition.
Precision farming isn’t just the future; it’s the key to unlocking better results today. Talk to your local John Deere dealer to discover how.
SMART SOLUTIONS TO STAY AHEAD OF THE HERD
Let’s talk about societies NEWS
BY SOPHIE BALDWIN
SCOTT SOMERVILLE lives and breathes registered cattle and is an admirer of a great cow no matter what colour or breed she is.
Scott’s family registered their first Holstein cow in 1973 and he established his own prefix Somerelle in 1992.
“I am a firm believer in the value of registering cattle but I find myself wondering if now is an opportune time to consider the future direction of all of our breed societies,” he said. “I no longer believe it is a battle of one breed against another but rather more of a battle to maintain the relevance and importance of all registered pure bred dairy cattle and to promote these advantages to the broader dairy community.”
Scott said with the changing face of dairy and a reduction in family farm numbers, he believes there could be some significant advantages, especially around cost savings if the breed societies were to combine resources.
“There could be a central office preferably in a more easily accessible and cheaper regional area with one CEO or manager overlooking all the breeds.
“You would only need a single team of registration and classification staff, one judging panel and one membership for people with multiple breeds.
“The organisation would have the ability to deal with disciplinary issues and enforce the code of ethics and perhaps combined resources would give the body more clout when applying for government grants or fighting for industry matters.”
Scott said it was important each breed continue to maintain their own herd book, identity and history within the association.
“There would also be a broader pool to draw
Scott Somerville believes there could be some significant advantages if breed societies were to combine resources.
from to find board members and fill committee positions.
“Imagine having one association which could promote our great dairy cows to the world — we have world class cattle here.”
He would also like to see research into the benefits that come from having trouble-free older cows.
“There is the advantage of higher production lactations once a cow reaches full maturity but also with the cut back in the number of replacements needed to maintain herd numbers annually you can market more cows.
“These days you are looking at a heifer costing you around $3000 to $4000 to rear through to calving so the less replacements you need the more excess you have to market.”
Scott said he was disappointed by the direction the Holstein association had been headed in for some time, believing they have lost sight of what the wishes are of their core membership — the true passionate breeder.
“I know I could be over-simplifying how this combining the breeds could work but I think there is definitely at least room for some sort of discussion — there is so much overlapping when it comes to registrations and administration.”
He said so many farmers no longer focus on one particular breed and quite often have a few different ones in their herd.
“One of the biggest advantages I see is, it would make people who have small numbers register their cows across multiple breeds. A lot of people say to me they can’t afford to be
REPORTING DAMAGE KEY TO DISASTER ASSISTANCE
Flood and storm affected landholders are urged to report damage through an official government survey as the damage bill from the Tropical Cyclone Alfred disaster exceeds $17 million in NSW.
The Primary Industries Natural Disaster Damage Assessment (PiNDDA) from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is a survey used to determine what government support the agricultural sector needs to recover from natural disasters.
NSW Farmers Far North Coast Branch chair Craig Huf, whose property was impacted by flooding in the Burringbar area, said farmers needed to fill out the survey so the NSW Government had a clear understanding of the scale of the damage.
“If you have had infrastructure or machinery damage, loss of livestock, crops or fodder, you need to take a few minutes to report it through this short DPIRD survey,” Mr Huf said.
“This information helps authorities
understand the scale and scope of a natural disaster, so they can then target resources and assistance to that area.
“The recent floods as a result of the ex-tropical cyclone have hit NSW’s North Coast hard, and it’s important producers communicate those impacts back to the government, so we can get the assistance we need.”
ɋ To submit a survey or to find out more, go to: https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/
members across different breed societies.”
Emily Brown from Linderlan and Sherbrooke Brown Swiss said the registration, classification and administration for Brown Swiss Australia is working well with Holstein Australia.
“I would definitely be keen for an idea like this.” Emily said.
“I have four registered breeds on my farm but I will only pay a membership for the other three if I get a heifer calf from them.
“Traditionally it has been harder for the smaller breed societies who have had to follow along so it would be definitely good to get a conversation started.”
Scott believes the data that comes with registering cattle is invaluable, especially when it comes to selling stock.
“If someone looking to buy cattle can look back through the history and see production, longevity and fertility data stretching back generations then that certainly adds a premium when it comes to selling animals.”
Scott is currently milking 200 cows on 166ha at Timmering, in northern Victoria, with his partner Linda.
He said the data he has been able to extract from his registered animals over three decades has enabled him to breed longevity in his herd, and the consistency that can be achieved from quality cow families is quite amazing.
“Around 10 per cent of the cows in my herd are 10 years old or over and still going strong and many have never seen a vet.”
He said through the use of sexed semen and a significant embryo transfer program, more recently IVF has meant he now has more than 300 heifers to calve in the future.
“I will be holding a milking herd dispersal sale in October and having the data from registering cattle will certainly help when it comes to sale time.”
ɋ For assistance with completing the survey, farmers should contact their region’s Local Land Services office or a DPIRD development officer.
ɋ More information on recovery assistance is available at: https://www.raa.nsw.gov.au/ disaster-assistance/declarations
Backing the next generation
BY SOPHIE BALDWIN
A DRIVE to nurture the next generation is having a positive impact on young farmers, with 28 people participating in the Proud to be a Dairy Farmer program in February.
Organised by Fonterra Australia Suppliers Council, the program is in its fifth year and attracted 100 applicants from across the country — the 28 successful participants were from five states and represented nine dairy processors.
Over the three-day program, farmers had the opportunity to visit farms, tour a factory and attend conference sessions, which included speakers from a variety of industry-related areas including Fonterra Oceania, Gardiner Foundation and Dairy Australia.
There was a swag of networking opportunities and ended with a gala dinner attended by industry leaders and AFL great Wayne Schwass who spoke about mental health.
Farm tours were held at Labertouche in Gippsland and provided attendees with valuable insights into both small and large-scale operations, different pathways to farm ownership and overcoming the many challenges of farming financially and mentally.
The group was also given a behind-thescenes look at how dairy snacking products are produced and packed at Fonterra Oceania’s Bayswater factory.
This year’s host Brooke Theodore, a southwest Victorian dairy farmer and Fonterra
Australia Suppliers’ Council director, said the program was about helping participants connect and build strong networks to support long-term careers in the industry.
“One of my favourite parts of the program is the first hour we spend together as a group,”
Brooke said.
“This is where participants get out of their comfort zone to stand in front of the room and talk about who they are, where they’re from and what they love about dairy.
“Everyone in the room can immediately feel the strong connection back to each other, and they realise they’re all passionate about the same thing.
“You can’t underestimate the power of a strong network — young farmers need these
Boost Dairy Performance.
networks and encouragement to keep at it and lead dairy into the future.”
Fonterra Oceania managing director David Breckenridge enjoyed the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and reflect on how far the program had come.
“Five years ago, the Fonterra Australia Suppliers’ Council identified a need to nurture the next gen of dairy farmers,” he said.
“To think they started with 12 participants from only Fonterra farms; to now have 100 applications received, representing all major processors.
“It’s an exciting time for this program and the industry.”
“We look forward to supporting the program in 2026 and beyond.”
Deniliquin dairy farmer Jane Napier was one of this year’s participants.
She decided to apply for 2025 after her sister Tabitha went last year and spoke highly of the experience. Jane wasn’t disappointed.
“The farm visits were incredibly valuable,” Jane said.
“Everyone has different farming systems and it’s been quite eye-opening to see green pastures, it’s very different compared to where I come from.
“A highlight was the exposure to farmers who were willing to share their wealth of knowledge and an enthusiasm to pass it on to young farmers like me.”
She also enjoyed the mental health workshop with Wayne Schwass.
“His messages were what a lot of us farmers need to hear. We can bunker down and just worry and focus on the farm, when in reality, it is just as important to focus on ourselves and our own mental health.”
The program will run again in February 2026, with applications open in October.
It targets young dairy farm employees excited about the industry and eager to learn more, while providing an opportunity for farm operators to invest in staff development.
The program is open to staff and employees of all Australian dairy farms — from small family farms to large corporates.
ɋ For more information, visit: www. proudtobeadairyfarmer.com.au
Customised nutrition supplements delivered straight to your paddock.
Improving results in livestock systems requires year-round nutrition planning. Anipro is a molassesbased liquid supplement that complements the forage you have available to optimise health and condition and therefore boost production, performance and profitability in your herd.
Molasses based liquid supplement
Essential protein, minerals & vitamins
Up to 27% improvement in forage intake
Fully serviced program
Promotes improved digestibility
Participants in Fonterra’s Proud to be a Dairy Farmer program for 2025.
Destined to be a dairy farmer
BY SOPHIE BALDWIN
YOU CAN’T fight destiny.
Just ask Jane Napier.
After vowing to never become a dairy farmer, Jane tried quite a few different occupations, including chasing Herefords in South Australia and underground mining, but it seems you can’t take the dairy out of the girl, and today, she is happily working alongside her brother Brett on the family dairy farm.
“I grew up following my Dad and my brother around the farm, but when I left home, I vowed I would never come back and be a dairy farmer because I just hated the early mornings and still do,” she laughed.
But like most farmers with milk running through their veins, Jane could no longer ignore the pull. Giving in, she returned home in February 2024.
And she just loves it.
“It is so good to be back home with my family full-time,” Jane said.
“I am really close with my brother, and even though he is a fair bit older than me, we really complement each other — where one of us lacks, the other thrives, and we just work really
well together.”
The siblings milk 300 Holstein and crossbreed cows between Deniliquin and Finley in southern NSW.
“I know it sounds like a cliche, but I just love working with the cows,” Jane said.
Passionate about breeding, Jane pushed for the family to install collars, and three weeks ago, her dreams came true.
“There was definitely room for some improvement when it comes to the breeding side of things, and I am getting a real kick out of tracking the girls’ cycles and other activities.”
The AFImilk collars and Every Cow program have been instrumental in updating their records, which before the purchase, were all written down on paper.
“This has been a huge game changer for us and allows me to focus on our breeding, which will translate into more calves, better health and reproductive outcomes.
“I can’t wait until we are a couple of years down the track and looking at our results.”
Jane recently had the opportunity to participate in Fonterra’s Proud to be a Dairy Farmer program after she was selected as one of the 28 participants for 2025.
She said the experience was amazing.
“The program was well put together and ran super smooth,” she said.
“It was an eye-opener seeing the different farms and systems and you can always take something away when you speak and learn from other farmers.”
Jane had the opportunity to sit next to Fonterra’s managing director of global markets consumer and food services Rene Dedoncker at the gala dinner.
“He was super knowledgeable, and it was really good to get his perspective and hear his faith in Fonterra as a company moving forward.”
She said another great thing about the program was the confidence it gave to participants.
“There was one young fella there who barely said a word at the start, but by the end, he was one of the boys and had a great time.”
The family moved to supplying Fonterra in July 2024 and Jane said she has been impressed by the support and services Fonterra has offered.
“I think they have come a long way from the milk price drop mess of 2016, and they seem to have a lot of resources available that I didn’t come across with our previous processor,” she said.
“I am determined to make the most of these opportunities, and participating in the program is just one of the many things I hope to be involved in.
“The dairy industry might be a small industry, but everyone is just so genuine and supportive and they are my kind of people.”
Jane has some lofty dreams for her future on the farm, including hopefully one day investing in robots to take away some of the physical workload.
“If we can stay in the game, it will certainly be worth it in the long run for our business and the future of the industry.
“Coming home has been the best decision I could have ever made,” she said.
28 SEPTEMBER - 6 OCTOBER,2025
Enjoy a trip to World Dairy Expo in Madison WI, including local herd tours, continuing on to an unforgettable visit to Select Sires in Ohio!
Prize includes airfare to and from the USA as well as transport, accommodation and functions within the tour days.
ORDER TO WIN!
•Contact your local rep or our office for details on how to enter
•All orders must be placed by 30th June 2025 with the raffle draw of qualified entrants on 1st July 2025
Deniliquin dairy farmer Jane Napier recently participated in Fonterra’s Proud to be a Dairy Farmer program and she loved the entire experience.
Photo: Fonterra.
CONFERENCE WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND GROUNDS FOR GROWTH
BY CATH LESCUN
To build momentum and share knowledge, Dairy Australia launched the Grounds for Growth event in Warrnambool, Victoria.
Held in March, Grounds for Growth focused on the adoption of multispecies pastures and other practices to improve soil health and function.
This first-of-its-kind event brought together local and international biodiversity experts alongside farmer experiences and industry research to equip farmers with valuable insights to make informed decisions with long-term benefits.
We explored several key projects that test how innovative farming practices — ranging from multispecies swards to regenerative methods — can optimise production, soil health and profitability.
We heard from farmers who trialled multiple forage species, compost and effluent in place of chemical fertilisers — sharing what worked and what needed rethinking.
An Irish dairy farmer, Gillian O’Sullivan, highlighted how multispecies can succeed even on shallow soils, illustrating that these concepts aren’t limited by geography.
Consultant Cam Nicholson’s guidance on
testing changes in smaller, lower-performing paddocks first resonated with many at the event.
By starting small and analysing the data, farmers can scale up confidently if the results meet their production and financial goals.
The candid farmer-led
panel discussions were an event highlight, revealing practical realities, such as balancing deeper-rooted perennial herbs with legumes and grasses to improve soil structure and nutrient cycling, and clarifying how each farm’s unique context influences decisions.
The Grounds for Growth event
confirmed my long-held belief — what’s good for the environment can also be good for business.
These efforts help to expand our collective knowledge and ensure Australia’s dairy industry thrives for generations to come.
Dairy Australia continues to invest in research projects, as well as collaborate and deliver on multi-agency initiatives, such as the upcoming soil health framework led by the Grains Research and Development Corporation.
Cath Lescun is the national soils and water lead at Dairy Australia. Read more from Cath at: https:// www.dairyaustralia.com.au/newsrepository/2025/03/20/how-soil-andpasture-biodiversity-can-help-dairyfarmers
Access resources from Grounds for Growth at: https://www. dairyaustralia.com.au/soils-andwater/soil-management-andfertility/grounds-for-growth/ resources
Read more stories from the Grounds for Growth conference over the next few pages, and also at: https://www. dairynewsaustralia.com.au/
Building solid foundations
BY RICK BAYNE
THE FORBES family at Gloucester views soil health as the foundation of a successful grazing system, and that’s why they’ve been changing their pasture mix and grazing management system over the past 15 years.
The changes are working.
“We have had to adapt to the complexities of these mixed pasture systems but for the past three years, our cows have always had a feed of green grass each day,” Adam Forbes said.
Adam travelled from his home on the NSW mid-north coast to Warrnambool Victoria to address Dairy Australia’s inaugural Grounds for Growth conference, a soil and pasture bio-
pasture-based system for seven million litres of annual production, an average of 610kg/MS per cow.
The 272ha milking platform includes flat and steep land with 80 per cent of the farm being irrigated.
The farm experiences hot, humid conditions in summer and it could be wet or dry at any time of the year.
The family supplies the fresh milk market, so needs quality pasture to produce milk yearround, but hasn't been able to get perennial rye-grass to persist due to the warm overnight conditions throughout summer.
While traditional annual and Italian ryegrass dominated production in winter and spring, there were too many feed gaps or crops
“We made the decision as a business to try to do that from direct-grazed forage rather than from bought-in forage or conserved feed.
“We needed to focus on high-quality, high utilisation grazed harvests, particularly on hot days.”
Matt Thompson of MNC Agronomy has been critical to the success of the system — his approach to finding a balance between economic and environmental sustainability has struck a chord with the family.
Incorporating cocksfoot and prairie grass in paddocks was a real leap forward, helping to maintain a ground cover in summer, and Adam gradually introduced more multispecies grasses, legumes and herbs to the system, as well as focusing on improving poorer quality paddocks through large applications of compost and cow
There have been drastic changes for the better in the poor-quality paddocks, allowing for the persistence of mixed pasture systems in
MIXING THE DIET OF CHAMPIONS
more challenging dry periods.
“The greater rooting depth of cocksfoot, lucernes and chicory compared to traditional systems allowed us to make sure our irrigation matches with our pasture species even in challenging conditions because they have ability to extract moisture and nutrients from further into the soil profile,” Adam said.
Continued on page 14
Standing hay containing chicory with Mount Roland in the background on Mark Lambert’s Tasmanian property. Mark shared his multispecies journey at the Grounds for Growth conference. Read his story on page 16.
Adam Forbes on his family’s Gloucester property. Cows have had a green feed every day of the year for the past three years. Photo: Dairy Australia
Mycotoxin
news from
Deactivate Mycotoxins Activate Performance
Powered by science to actively defend against multiple mycotoxins*
Why is my herd’s milk production so variable?
Variability in milk production is a constant irritation for dairy producers. The problem can manifest itself as less milk in the vat and /or suboptimal milk composition. Reduced feed intake as influenced by obvious factors such as weather (heat, cold and humidity), health issues or feed availability is the most common driver for reduced milk production and quality. However, even when everything is ‘normal’ or accounted for, variation still exists. Extensive research in understanding of the mode of action of mycotoxins is shedding more light on the role mycotoxins can be playing in the variability of animal performance across all livestock, not just dairy cows.
Mycotoxins consists of a wide range of chemically distinct compounds which affect different aspects of an animal’s metabolism. The main mycotoxins routinely identified to be a concern in feedstuffs for cattle over the many years the dsm-firmenich mycotoxin survey are shown below.
Aflatoxins (AFL; commonly found in silage) affect liver function and can be metabolised into another form which is excreted in the milk causing a human health concern. The liver is the primary detoxification organ of the cow and is already under an enormous workload coping with the high feed intake and milk production of the modern dairy cow along with a developing foetus.
Deoxynivalenol (DON; commonly found in grains, hay and by-products), in simple terms, affects how proteins in the body are synthesised. Proteins in the gut wall lining and the array of immunoglobulins and other proteins involved in immunity and health are targeted by DON. The effects of DON are typically seen as reducing feed intake and nutrient absorption and depressed immunity, the latter most often seen in the short term as mastitis and high milk somatic cell counts.
Adsorption
The mineral adsorbent selectively binds adsorbable mycotoxins and endotoxins
Zearalenone (ZEN; commonly found in grains and protein meals) is primarily a problem in dairy herds as ZEN interferes with oestrogen activity and therefore can cause delays in ovulation and heat and successful maintenance of pregnancy. The reproductive performance of bulls can also be affected by ZEN.
Fumonisins (FUM; found in almost all feedstuffs surveyed) can have wide ranging effects on gut function and organs such as the liver, lungs and kidneys. Fumonisins work by interfering with the lipid component of cell membranes (especially the brain) and so all cells are potential targets.
When you consider the above brief summary of which feedstuffs mycotoxins contaminate and the diverse nature of their actions, it is not surprising that even low levels of different mycotoxins can add up to becoming a factor in the variability of dairy performance, even without gross mycotoxicosis symptoms or ‘mouldy’ feedstuffs being seen.
For more information on the Mycotoxin Survey results and how you can mitigate the effects of mycotoxins in your herd please contact Jacques Jansen van Vuuren at dsm-firmenich, details below.
BiotransformationBioprotection
The combination of patented enzymes and biological components converts mycotoxins into non-toxic metabolites
The plant and algal extracts support the liver, immune system and gut integrity
For more information on Mycofix Solutions Scan Here
Building solid foundations
“We can irrigate more through the night or in off-peak periods using less expensive electricity and we’re handling dryer conditions better.”
Adam said that improving soil health reduced the farm’s reliance on inputs and made the pastures more resilient.
“We have multiple herds and to maintain consistency of the diet, generally the fresh herd will be on the mixed pasture systems whereas the stale herd will be on the more traditional system.”
However, they haven’t gone fully regenerative.
“We are still a fair way towards the conventional end,” he said.
“There are opportunities across the farm about how far you want to dip your toe in to the multispecies pasture space.
“The foundation of our success has been to use a checkerboard approach to minimise our seasonal risk. We’re not taking a shotgun approach — we have a targeted introduction of species.”
The farm had paddocks at different stages of development across a five-year window to minimise establishment periods.
“Prior to our changes, we were going for an annual rye-grass to a crop so half the farm was under establishment for part of the year. Now we’ve got different species in different rotations,” Adam said.
“We can get wet summers and dry springs, but this system will cope a lot better. It’s trying to not have all your eggs in one basket.”
Graham introduced the mixed pastures about 15 years ago on some heifer country and has gradually expanded to more land. They top up these pastures annually, generally with a fertiliser application.
Drones have been a game-changer, allowing them to plan better around rainfall events.
“The milking platform implementation process is quite well trodden now, with summer and winter crops used to manage weeds, a spring sowing of lucerne and chicory and then introducing some perennial grasses and clovers,” he told the Grounds for Growth conference.
“We go through the process of topping them up for two to three years and then finish off with rye-grass.”
“The lucerne and chicory phase in summer is absolutely critical — I think it’s the best direct grazed forage you can grow through summer.”
Adam said you could see the difference from the lucerne and chicory mix that was able to
access deeper moisture and nutrients.
Winter wheat in the cropping phase has been another successful addition, with its grazing tolerance being better than oats.
Because the farm is summer rainfall dominant, there are some weed challenges, particularly crabgrass, but Adam said maintaining a ground cover is critical, not only to maintain milk supply but to avoid weed infestations.
Since the introduction of multispecies, soil tests have shown a great uplift in soil organic carbon and a lift in nitrogen and Adam said there were higher quality of pastures throughout the year.
“We will maintain a flexible approach and monitor pasture management and yield,” he told the Grounds for Growth conference.
Meanwhile, Adam can appreciate the benefits of the changes, including more high quality, palatable feed for summer, more efficient use of nutrients and water, improved soil health and biodiversity and less reliance on synthetic fertilisers.
And he hopes the messages can be spread far and wide.
“As a dairy community, we need to look at how we sell this space to consumers and show we are sustainable and holistic in the way we produce milk.”
Dairy-Tech Refrigeration
Pac Cool Dealer - Australia
Packo & Pac Cool Spare Parts
PACKO has a new name..”PAC
THE DEDICATED MILK COOLING SPECIALIST
-A milk vat to suit all herd sizes, pick up schedules & entry temperatures
-Cooling & wash controls - user friendly, simple & effective
-Glycol chiller cooling & traditional direct expansion cooling systems
-New & secondhand sales, spare parts & wash system upgrades for all makes
Call Dairy-Tech Refrigeration today for a no hassle quotation
PHONE: 03 5662 3277
EMAIL: pgoiris@dairytechrefrig.com.au
WEB: www.dairytechrefrig.com.au
Refrigerant Trading Licence - AU34439
Milk Cooling Tanks
The green, green grass of home.
Photo: Dairy Australia.
Adam Forbes at the Grounds for Growth conference. “We made the decision as a business to try to do that from direct-grazed forage rather than from bought-in forage or conserved feed.”
Adam Forbes says soil health is the foundation of farming success.
Photo: Dairy Australia
Adam Forbes speaking at the Grounds for Growth conference in Warrnambool.
Adam Forbes.
Photo: Dairy Australia
“We’re not taking a shotgun approach — we have a targeted introduction of species,” Adam Forbes says.
The Forbes family farm at Gloucester in NSW.
Photo: Dairy Australia.
CRAFTED FOR SUCCESS
ICONIC PARASITE CONTROL TRUSTED BY MILLIONS1,2 Eprinex® Pour-On, proven on-farm where it’s needed. For powerful protection against internal and external parasites, with nil milk or meat withholds.
A, Õmura
Soil work pays dividends
BY RICK BAYNE
TASMANIAN DAIRY farmer Mark Lambert
used to look at multispecies farming as having three different types of ryegrasses.
Back in those days, he used the cheapest form of fertiliser he could find, added 180 kilos of nitrogen, aimed for an MS/kg liveweight, while feeding 750kg of grain per cow, grazed the ryegrass at the three-leaf stage, and sprayed the whole farm for weeds every year.
But was it sustainable? No, but Mark’s journey into regenerative farming had to start with recognising that he had a problem.
Mark has been running the farm at Sunnyside, Tasmania since he was 18 and, 28 years later, he’s still on the same farm, but it’s about four times the size.
The farm is about 300 metres above sea level on red volcanic soil with plenty of rocks with a 1050mm annual rainfall.
He started with 75 cows, Mark and his wife Roslyn and their 10 children now milking 570 cows organically, grain free and with zero bought-in feed and only moderate debt levels.
Mark shared his journey at Dairy Australia’s inaugural Grounds for Growth conference, an event designed to support farmers to adopt multispecies pastures and other practices to improve soil health and function.
One of the key messages of the conference was to maximise home-grown feed and, thanks to his changes, Mark is already ahead of the pack.
“People have mentioned about maximising on-farm feed – well that’s all we use,” he said.
“It’s been a complete change of mindset to the way we used to farm.”
It started with Mark pondering why his farm wouldn’t grow clover, why his cows would get milk fever and grass tetany during the milking season, why the ground was so hard and the soil barren except for ryegrass, and why did he have to apply so much nitrogen?
Consultants recommended “putting on more of this and more of that” but Mark, whose volcanic soils had issues with aluminium, iron and manganese, started doing his own research and came across the findings of Dr Carey Reams and Dr William Albrecht from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s.
“In those days, fertilisers and monocultures began dominating the farming landscape,” he said.
“It worked well for a time, but slowly, they began to degrade the landscape — and that’s what I was seeing on my farm.”
He also followed the published work of Barry Rowe (2008) from Elliott Research Station
who put on 15 tonnes of lime per hectare over eight years, and recorded the changes over the 18 years of study.
As the pH increased above 6.3 (in water), the pastures went from almost clover free to clover abundant, the rye-grass was more persistent and the pasture grew 7.5 per cent more dry matter, all outside of the spring flush.
“It was articles like these, that gave me the confidence to do things differently,” Mark said.
“We stopped using the conventional fertilisers most damaging to soil life, replacing them with sulphated forms of fertilisers, and reduced their quantity.
“With the same fertiliser budget, we started applying large amounts of lime and dolomite.”
Within a year, milk fever and grass tetany outside of calving was eliminated, and over the following years, corbie and cockchafer grubs were no longer a problem, while weeds like capeweed and ragwort disappeared.
The soil softened and water infiltration rates improved, and plants like red clover, lucerne or chicory started coming onto the farm.
“The soil started coming back to life,”
Mark said.
The farm grew so much better with so little fertiliser that in 2016, Mark turned to organic farming, but it wasn’t an immediate success.
“The pasture turned yellow; and we thought, `what have we done, this is never going to work’. It took a few months for the soil biology to kick in and the pasture to regain its colour.
After a serious illness that left Mark barely able to work for three years, he had a total re-set of priorities.
“I didn’t even have the energy to organise fertiliser or weed spraying.”
He now tops the paddocks in summer, and says “if the cows eat it, it’s a herb, if they don’t, it’s compost.”
Staffing issues led to once-a-day milking and Mark’s answer to cell count demands from the milk factories was to cull 110 cows in one year to make the cell count tolerable.
“Looking back, it was during this time that we really took regenerative farming into our stride,” he said.
The changes made in subsequent years have seen the farm business become more profitable with less risk and less work.
On top of what we were already doing, we introduced standing hay (deferred grazing) on the dryland areas of the farm. Longer rotations on the irrigated land.
“We also re-sowed as many stone free paddocks as we could spare on the farm to perennial multispecies, including short-lived species of self-replacing pasture swards,” Mark said.
“This led to around 15 per cent less water use, saving energy or allowing more irrigation.
“We now feed significantly less hay and
silage, weeds are under control, the dryland pastures grow longer into the summer months, and we can easily work through short feed pinches, without any additional feed inputs.
The cows are more settled, and production didn’t drop because of changes to the pasture system, only with the once-a-day milking. He now sees herbs dominating the pasture sward, as well as a large increase in worms, insects and birds.
Importantly, the cows love the multispecies pasture and actively seek out their favourite foods.
“With a higher pasture coverage, the multispecies and less grazing frequency, I barely see the soil now after grazing, this has led to a vast reduction in weeds on the farm.” he said.
“Even with so little fertiliser being used, the pasture is growing better than ever, with the worst paddocks vastly more productive and the best paddocks still growing just as well.
“Most of the things I have learnt along my journey, even if I was conventionally dairy farming, I would still do them.”
Mark Lambert’s milking cows enjoy the irrigated, longer rotation pasture.
Mark Lambert addresses the Grounds for Growth conference in Warrnambool.
Red clover and chicory natural included into an old ryegrass pasture on dryland.
Advancing management of grass based pastures
Winter and spring are vital months for balancing pasture growth and providing quality feed for meat and milk production.
Sumitomo Chemical Australia Pty Ltd has trialled ProGibb SG in commercial situations since 2004 demonatrating increases in grass pasture production can be achieved during winter months.
ProGibb SG applied to pasture during winters coolest months will stimulate pasture growth and increases dry matter per hectare with no loss of feed quality (megajoules ME per kilogram of dry matter).
•ProGibb SG increases Dry Matter per ha.
•ProGibb SG increases carrying capacity.
•ProGibb SG reduces supplementary feeding.
• ProGibb SG increases profitability from pasture.
• No withholding period and no residues in either meat or milk.
• ProGibb SG can be utilised in all pasture based systems including fat lamb, beef, dairy, equine, deer and goat operations.
Scan here to see more information about ProGibb SG
Holbrook NSW – Untreated (18 DAT)
Holbrook NSW – 10 g/ha (18 DAT)
Holbrook NSW – 20 g/ha (18 DAT)
Ardomona VIC – Pasture: Annual Ryegrass (27 DAT)
APP IS A VALUABLE TEACHING TOOL
Ebony Wilson takes every chance she gets to learn about breeding dairy cattle.
The 29-year-old can’t get enough knowledge, seeking out industry training days, practising her skills at work — learning from her boss — and now is educating herself via DataGene’s Good Bulls App.
Working on a registered Holstein operation for Jamie and Tracy Hamilton at Kiama Downs in NSW, Ebony is gradually building her own herd, Heartspring Holsteins, and dreams of showing Red and White Holsteins with her family.
“I just love cows, we — my husband and I — don’t have a farm, but breeding and showing is a nice way to be involved outside work,” she said.
“The Good Bulls App is a great opportunity to learn about genetics. I jump on everything when there’s something new, I could learn, or read something new.”
Introduced to the app via a Google search for genetic apps, Ebony was initially intrigued by its ease of use, how simple it was to read and how good it looks.
She downloaded the app just before an artificial insemination training course with Paul Kenny and now uses it to compare bulls she looked at in local genetic reseller catalogues and to understand what traits
make-up the top Balanced Performance Index bulls.
The AI course was also an introduction to learning how to understand BPI and Australian Breeding Values and how to compare bulls.
Ebony said she was still learning about these elements of genetics — as well as the Good Bulls App filters — and had used the app to select for type traits initially.
“My heifers come from lovely production cows, so I’m looking for good rump angle, legs and nice type with strong, open rib,” she said.
“I’ve also been comparing bulls that have the type traits that I like with what is at the top-end of the BPI and seeing what matches my preferences.
“The app is a great way to look at the best bulls and see what I have or what’s available and to benchmark, see how the bulls I am using stack up.”
Ebony founded Heartspring Holsteins after being gifted heifers from her bosses Jamie and Tracy Hamilton, TJ Holsteins, where they milk up to 300 cows.
Introduced to the dairy industry by her husband’s family, Ebony has worked for local farmers for the past 10 years.
Show up for all-breeds event
BY SOPHIE BALDWIN
COME NOVEMBER, dairy farmers across all breeds will have the opportunity to participate in a new dairy show, hosted by the All Breeds Show Society.
The ABSS is an independently run, not-forprofit society, focused on providing an opportunity for people to show their cows, no matter what breed.
The new show will be held at the Elmore Events Centre in northern Victoria on November 15 and 16.
The main features of the event will include a youth show on the Saturday with junior and senior challenges, while in-milk classes will be held on the Sunday.
The show will also feature the new “it’s a knockout class’’ which provides the winner with the chance to pocket 80 per cent of the total prize pool and the runner-up 20 per cent (cost $50 per entry).
Organiser Linda Leach is no stranger to organising big events at Elmore, having a long and extensive history running the popular horse events at the venue.
She said with the demise of the dairy show at Melbourne Royal, the ABSS would help fill the gap for spring-calved animals.
“We are focusing on a low-cost, all-breed event in a fun and friendly atmosphere that will enable people of all ages and abilities to participate in a top-notch event at Elmore,”
Linda said.
“We think there is a real opportunity out there for another show on the dairy calendar and we are hoping the dairy community will get on board and support us.
“We have a group of people involved with representatives from all the breeds who are excited about the potential for the event and the location.”
Like all new events, the committee is expecting some teething problems, but it is keen to get its first show up and running.
“We are requesting donations and sponsorship, and the more people who support us the better we can make each show — all profits will be used to showcase and promote all the breeds in attendance,” Linda said.
“The Winter Fair has gone on to become one of the premier shows in the country, and we hope to do the same, just across all breeds.”
Linda said the facilities at Elmore were outstanding and provided an extremely cost-effective alternative.
“There is plenty of space for camping on powered sites with access to toilets and showers and the shed facilities are truly amazing,” she said.
“I have run a lot of highly successful horse events at Elmore and I hope to transfer that across to dairy.”
Elmore Events Centre executive manager Derek Shotton said the team was looking forward to the dairy show in November.
He said the centre hosted around 50 to 60
events a year and this will be the first time dairy will be added to the list.
“Hosting a cattle event will enable us to showcase our large, grassed arena and our indoor arena and multi-purpose animal housing facilities,” Derek said.
The Elmore site spans 160ha with a 35ha static display area, which includes the yards, sheds and camping area. It hosts the wellknown Elmore Field Days every October.
“We have a pretty packed schedule, and it is a bit of a juggling act sometimes, but quite a few years ago we made a conscious decision to invest in our infrastructure and diversify into a multiple use facility,” Derek said.
“We are constantly renewing our infrastructure to keep things fresh and modern, and I don’t think you would find a better grassed and irrigated arena than the one we have here.”
For more information on the event, phone Scott Somerville on 0408 846221, Linda Leach on 0438 034 985 or email info@allbreedsshowsociety.com.au
For optimal growth and development... ...from calf to dairy cow
Reduce the breeding period and stimulate the calf’s development into a strong, healthy and highyielding cow with the Lely Calm. This automatic feeder supplies milk at the right temperature and provides insights into the milk intake of each calf.
Find out more on lely.com
Bright farming is yours by choice
Ebony Wilson doesn’t own a farm but uses the Good Bulls App to guide her breeding and showing dreams.
Students score scholarships
EIGHT STUDENTS from Victorian dairy regions, commencing their first year of tertiary study in 2025, have been honoured with scholarships from the Gardiner Foundation.
After receiving a record number of applicants, Gardiner Foundation has awarded an extra scholarship this year.
The 2025 Gardiner Foundation Tertiary Scholars are: Chris Dwyer, Newry (Bill Pyle scholarship); Scarlett Southern, Leitchville (Shirley Harlock scholarship); Sage Anderson, Fish Creek (Doug Weir scholarship); Anna Dickson, Garvoc (Jakob Malmo scholarship). The 2025 Niel Black scholars are Shaye Brown, Kongwak; Ryan Smith, Tongala; Georgia Anderson, Denison; and Ella Harwood, Colac.
Each scholar will receive $10,000 annually for three years to support costs associated with their studies.
These scholarships are granted to students accepted into courses that will benefit the Victorian dairy industry or dairy communities.
Gardiner Foundation chief executive officer Allan Cameron said the program encourages students to return to Victoria’s dairy regions upon graduation or after gaining work experience. This ensures a diverse range of essential skills within these regions.
“For 25 years, Gardiner Foundation has been committed to building a strong future for Victorian dairy,” he said.
“Our tertiary scholarships empower young people with the skills and knowledge to drive innovation, sustainability, and prosperity in their communities.
“Gardiner is proud to provide students with the opportunity to gain their tertiary qualifications without some of the financial constraints that can often exist for students from the country.”
There is no preferred field of study, with past students enrolling in a variety of courses, including agriculture science, nursing, medicine, engineering, journalism and commerce.
Since the launch of its Tertiary Scholarship Program in 2008, Gardiner Foundation has awarded 90 scholarships with a total
investment exceeding $2.1 million.
The scholarships are named in honour of dairy industry stalwarts Niel Black, Shirley Harlock, Jakob Malmo, Bill Pyle and Doug Weir.
Scholarship recipients
Scarlett Southern, Shirley Harlock Scholarship Scarlett grew up on a dairy farm in Leitchville, in northern Victoria. She will study a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science and Nutrition Science at Deakin University in Warrnambool/ Geelong.
She wants to educate farmers about the importance of nutrition and exercise in their wellbeing and inspire positive change in her community through practical strategies.
Anna Dickson, Jakob Malmo Scholarship Anna grew up on a dairy farm in Garvoc, southwest Victoria.
She is off to study a Bachelor of Animal and Vet BioScience at La Trobe in Bundoora, with a passion for bovine nutrition and aspirations to work in animal nutrition or return to run her own dairy farm. She won Junior Champion with her Illawarra Red at International Dairy Week this year.
Sage Anderson, Doug Weir Scholarship Sage, from Fish Creek in Gippsland, is set to begin a Bachelor of Science at Monash University, with aspirations to pursue veterinary medicine.
After spending her gap year working at Burra Foods, she is passionate about becoming a mixed-practice vet, supporting both companion animals and livestock to strengthen her local dairy community.
Chris Dwyer, Bill Pyle Scholarship
Chris, from Newry in East Gippsland, will study a Bachelor of Engineering at Monash University, inspired by his interest in irrigation infrastructure and cattle underpasses on his family farm.
He is eager to return to East Gippsland once he finishes study, using his skills in engineering and town planning to support and strengthen his local community.
Ryan Smith, Niel Black Scholarship
Ryan, from Tongala in northern Victoria, is set to study a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science at La Trobe University in Bundoora, with ambitions of becoming a physiotherapist.
Passionate about supporting his local community, he hopes to one day open his own practice to improve access to treatment and educate dairy farmers on injury prevention and safe work practices.
Shaye Brown, Niel Black Scholarship Shaye, who grew up on a dairy farm in Kongwak in South Gippsland, will study a Bachelor of Biomedical and Exercise Science at Victoria University, with hopes of becoming a physiotherapist.
Inspired by her own injury and the challenges of accessing healthcare in regional areas, she is passionate about returning to her community to support and treat the many hard-working dairy farmers in need of care.
Georgia Anderson, Niel Black Scholarship Georgia, from Denison in Gippsland, plans to complete an Advanced Diploma of Agribusiness and Applied Agronomy at Longerenong Ag College.
With hands-on experience working on a local dairy farm, she plans to further her studies in farm business management and build a career in managing dairy farms, aligning with the growing presence of corporate farming in her region.
Ella Harwood, Niel Black Scholarship Ella grew up in Irrewarra, near Colac in southwest Victoria.
Having grown up on a farm with a passion for animals, she will spend the next six to seven years studying a Bachelor of Animal Science at Charles Sturt University, with plans to specialise in large animals, specifically dairy and beef cattle, and pursue a career as a vet.
PROFIT BOOST FOR BEGA GROUP
BY GEOFF ADAMS
PROFIT AND revenue for the first half of the financial year were up for the Bega Group, which includes Bega Cheese.
The group has reported statutory earnings of $109 million, compared to $23 million for the same time last year.
Revenue reached $1.8 billion for the six months, an increase of three per cent on the prior year.
The results were impacted by the sale of the Leeton juice extraction plant to Grove Juice, with a commitment by the new owners to process fruit on behalf of the Bega Group.
The group has repeated its goal of achieving earnings before interest, tax and depreciation of $190 to $200 million for the full financial year.
The group has also announced an interim fully franked dividend of six cents per share for the first half of the year.
The company is handling a reduced debt load, as at December 2024, compared to a year ago.
The Bega leadership welcomed the continued growth in the group’s branded segment profitability, which was up eight per cent compared to the prior year, despite lower consumer spending and down-trading across sales channels and products.
At the 2025 Gardiner Foundation scholarship presentation were (from left, back) Bill Pyle, Shirley Harlock, Eve Black, Jeannie Malmo, Ryan Smith, Georgia Anderson, Ella Harwood, Anna Dickson, Sage Anderson, (from left, front) Chris Dwyer, Shaye Brown and Scarlett Southern.
The Strathmerton Bega Cheese factory.
� inner body temperature (± 0.01 °C)
� drinking cycles and water intake with TruDrinking™
� rumination with TruRumi™
� heat detection including insemination window
� abort detection
� calving prediction (~15h in advance)
� feeding tool with ration groups
� optional: pHmeasurement
Farmer mental health crisis
NORCO CO-OPERATIVE has joined 30 other rural and healthcare organisations to address the mental health crisis disproportionally affecting people in agriculture.
Ahead of a federal budget and election, the coalition is calling on the Federal Government to make an immediate investment of $50 million over five years to address the crisis.
Norco chief executive officer Michael Hampson said the National Farmer Wellbeing Report — that the farmer-owned co-operative launched in partnership with the National
Farmers’ Federation in 2023 — shone a spotlight on the severity of the issue of mental health in agriculture, and highlights why this funding is so vital.
“We knew that farmer mental health was an important area of focus that needed much greater attention,” Mr Hampson said.
“However, the data that we uncovered was incredibly confronting and made it abundantly clear that the issues at hand across our country were much bigger than what Norco could solve for on its own.
Carenda
“The welfare of our farmers need a whole of industry and government approach if they are to be addressed in a truly meaningful way.
“Compounded by what our farmers have endured over the past several years in terms of natural disasters and debilitating weather events — which are predicted to be more frequent and severe by climate experts — Norco has made an unwavering commitment to do everything within the co-operative’s power to champion the importance of improved farmer wellbeing, which is why this coalition and call
to action is so critical.
“As an industry and as a nation, we simply owe it to our farmers.”
Tim Driscoll, from the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Queensland and chair of the steering committee leading this initiative, said the statistics were sobering.
“A farmer dies by suicide every 10 days. That’s up to twice the rate of the general working population,” Dr Driscoll said.
“Poor mental health and suicide is having a devastating impact on rural families, communities and businesses right now, and we need federal help to fix it.
“The wellbeing of people in agriculture is impacted by increasingly complex and compounding events like weather and natural disasters, financial stress, and geographic or social isolation.”
National Farmers’ Federation president David Jochinke said farming could be tough and there needed to be the right resources in place to help them deal with the challenges thrown at them.
“A farmer’s greatest asset isn’t their land, livestock or produce — it’s their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of the people around them,” Mr Jochinke said.
“It’s clear the unique mental health needs in agriculture are not being met by existing services and we need government to give us a leg up so we can turn these devastating statistics around.”
“Possibly the best group of 2 year-olds we have bred” –Br yan Dickson, Emu Banks Holsteins
VARLEY continues to impress with exciting reports from his early-milking daughters, showcasing exceptional dairy strength and outstanding udder traits.
A coalition of rural and healthcare organisations wants the government to invest $50 million to address the mental health crisis in agriculture.
VARLEY daughter, bred by Emu Banks Holsteins.
Photography: Andy Cullen
VARLEY daughters, bred by Emu Banks Holsteins
VARLEY
Pemberton x Superhero
$1.2 million for research
NATION-LEADING RESEARCH conducted at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture’s Dairy Research Facility in north-west Tasmania has been given a boost with a major research project extended for an additional 12 months.
The good news was shared with farmers and industry leaders gathered at the annual field day held at the TIA Dairy Research Facility at Elliott on February 19.
TIA director Mike Rose said Dairy HIGH 2 (short for ‘high integrity grass-fed herds’) was a flagship research partnership between the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture and Dairy Australia.
“We are pleased to announce this partnership has been extended thanks to a $1.2 million joint investment. The program will now continue for an additional 12 months until September 2026,” Professor Rose said.
Dairy HIGH 2 focuses on feedbase research to help dairy farmers maintain efficient, profitable and sustainable pasture-based dairy systems into the future.
As part of the program, a research trial has been established at TIA’s Dairy Research Facility under real farm conditions to explore ways of reducing the amount of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser used on dairy farms.
“The dairy farmlet trial has an ambitious target to help farmers halve the amount of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser used on their farms while continuing to produce 20 tonnes of dry matter per hectare on irrigated pastures,” Prof Rose said.
“The results so far are promising and data from the first season of the farmlet trial indicates that it is possible to meet high targets for pasture and milk solid production while applying less nitrogen and utilising mixed pasture species including clover.
“We are eager to see how the farmlets perform over multiple seasons.
“The extension of this program will allow us to collect three years of replicated herd data to clearly identify the opportunities and challenges of reducing synthetic nitrogen fertiliser.”
The TIA Dairy Research Facility Field Day is an annual event that brings together dairy farmers, industry leaders, researchers and policymakers to discuss the latest research and innovations in dairy farming.
The event features expert presentations and farm walks on key topics including virtual fencing technology, reducing livestock emissions, pasture and soils productivity, dairy business benchmarking and reducing synthetic nitrogen fertiliser.
The total value of the Dairy HIGH 2 partnership is $7.7 million between 2020 and 2026. The partnership is funded by Dairy Australia and the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture.
“The dairy farmlet trial has an ambitious target to help farmers halve the amount of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser used on their farms.”
Are you interested in following the progress of TIA's dairy farmlet trial?Sign-up to receive a monthly reportwith data and observations from the research team, along with a video update filmed in the field.
The Tasmanian Dairy HIGH 2 project focuses on feedbase research
Index lists best ryegrass
AUSTRALIA’S TOP performing ryegrass varieties of 2025 have been identified in the updated Dairy Australia’s Forage Value Index, just in time to help dairy farmers make more informed decisions when choosing ryegrass varieties for sowing this autumn.
Since its introduction in 2017, the Forage Value Index (FVI) has become an invaluable resource for farmers and producers.
The FVI independently ranks perennial, Italian and annual varieties of ryegrass according to their potential contribution to overall farm profit.
Given seasonal yield difference between varieties can be significant, this can contribute to substantial variation in profit per hectare each year.
The 2025 FVI has seen the introduction of an expanded number of testing sites to make the information even more accurate for farmers.
Seven new testing sites were added to the FVI in 2025, from trials that were conducted by the Pasture Trial Network (PTN) — a collaboration between seed companies, Meat & Livestock Australia and Dairy Australia.
The PTN conducts independent trials across the country every year to evaluate new and existing pasture varieties across several species.
The total number of trial sites across Australia that are included in the 2025 FVI update increased to 37, with new locations added in Wingham (NSW), Tallygaroopna (Victoria), Penshurst (Victoria), Smeaton
The Forage Value Index has become an invaluable resource for farmers and producers.
(Victoria), Bool Lagoon (SA), Natone (Tasmania) and Frankland River (WA).
Dairy Australia’s national feedbase and nutrition lead, Rodrigo Albornoz, said the increased number of testing sites means the trial data that underpins the FVI is now more reliable than ever.
“The Pasture Trial Network now uses 37 individual trial sites spread widely across dairying regions in Victoria, NSW, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia,” Rodrigo said.
“The introduction of seven new testing sites this year means that farmers can be more confident than ever that the FVI rankings will provide accurate information on the likely performance of different varieties.”
Rodrigo said the FVI gave farmers the tools to choose the right ryegrass variety for their region.
“By having testing sites spread widely across four states and in six of the eight dairying regions of Australia, it provides local data to the vast majority of farmers,” he said.
“Importantly, farmers can look at the data behind the FVI that is collected from the sites near them. This allows them to see which ryegrass varietals perform best in similar climatic and geographic regions to where they farm.”
The data used to create the FVI is sourced from the Pasture Trial Network based on the independent trials across the country. The lists for each species are then generated using robust statistical methodology by DataGene, an independent and industry-owned organisation responsible for driving genetic gain and herd improvement in the Australian dairy industry.
The FVI ratings system is based on global best practice and was developed in close consultation with farmers, the seed industry and qualified internationally recognised experts.
Dairy Australia invests in this innovative resource to provide dairy farmers with access to business planning and risk management tools and insights to support farm decision making and improve profitability.
Farmers can download the 2025 FVI tables now to plan their autumn pasture sowing at: dairyaustralia.com.au/fvi
The detailed Pasture Trial Network individual trial results from across a broad range of Australian dairy regions are also available on the ML A website for farmers to consider those results in any seed purchasing decisions.
Scientist is a relief milker
BY RICK BAYNE
DURING THE week, research scientist Dr Meaghan Douglas can be found researching ways to improve life for pasture-based dairy cows and dairy farmers at Agriculture Victoria’s Ellinbank SmartFarm.
But on the weekends, Meaghan takes on another role in the dairy industry as a relief milker for Nilma North farmers Will and Kate Ryan.
Will describes her as “the most over-qualified milker in the world” but says she does a great job, and for Meaghan, the milking shifts are another way to work with cows and contribute to the industry that she loves.
Meaghan grew up in Nar Nar Goon, but her grandfather drove cattle trucks and introduced her to the world of dairy cows.
“Where Nan and Pa lived was surrounded by a dairy farm,” she said.
“I have a memory as a kid of Pa taking me into the paddock and we just sat with the cows. I think it was there that I fell in love with them.”
She later lived on a dairy farm for a couple of months when aged 10. “The house was next to the calf paddock – how could you not fall in love with them?”
Like many students who profess a love of working with animals, Meaghan was directed by careers counsellors towards becoming a vet.
“I was at Melbourne Uni at the end of my third year and applied for both the Doctor
or Veterinary Medicine course and to do an Honours research project at Ellinbank SmartFarm,” she said.
“I got the honours project, and my research looked at the positive association between milk protein concentration and fertility in dairy cows.
“Before that, I didn’t even know the research farm at Ellinbank existed and didn’t really know about research career pathways.”
Meaghan started her Honours year of her undergraduate at Ellinbank in 2014 and “fell in love with it and never left”.
“I loved doing the research and the fact that I got to work with cows every day.”
In recent years, Meaghan has been researching the effects on cows of prolonged periods of time away from the paddock together with her colleague, senior research scientist Dr Marlie Wright.
This work is part of the DairyFeedbase program — a joint venture between Agriculture Victoria, Dairy Australia and the Gardiner Foundation.
“It is based on their milking order,” she said.
“Cows that go back to the paddock first get fresh pasture compared to those that go back last, which could be three hours later, meaning they face a completely different sward of nutrient characteristics in the pasture.
“That impacts their milk production, so we’ve been looking at mitigation strategies to alleviate that, such as reserving fresh pasture, or reallocating the amount of grain fed to cows based on their milking order.”
Meaghan had been living on a dairy farm while working at Ellinbank, but after moving into Drouin, she reached out to Will Ryan about potential relief milking jobs.
“I just love cows, have a passion for the dairy industry and love milking, so I contacted Will last year and asked if he knew anyone with a milking job coming up and he offered the weekend work,” she said.
Some might look at milking as a bit of light relief after a week of intense research, but Meaghan takes it seriously.
“I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to milking, and believe that a good milker needs to have the ability to pay attention to details,” she said.
“It’s easy to put cups on, but if the cow has mastitis you need to be able to pick up on that, and you need to know that if a cow comes in at a time that’s not normal for her, there may be an underlying health issue that needs to be assessed.”
Meaghan also joined the Australian Red Dairy Breed, and was a member on the board for four years.
“Part of my passion is getting involved with farmers, and the group of Australian Red farmers are great people,” she said.
Meaghan doesn’t currently own cows, but harbours ambitions.
“Maybe I should get an Australian Red or two and park them at Will’s place,” she joked.
Meaghan Douglas is ‘the most over-qualified milker in the world’.
Birthday for triplet heifers
BY JEANETTE SEVERS
SINCE THE surprise of one of his cow’s calving triplets in 2024, Paul Cocksedge has moved to a new dairy farm and won the honour of Cow of the Year in his breed.
He has also recently joined the triplet heifers.
On July 1 last year, Paul took up the lease on a dairy farm at Meeniyan, in Victoria, milking in a 20-unit swingover with auto-drafting.
He moved his herd of Australian Red and Black and White Holstein cows, young livestock and machinery to the new farm, and is very satisfied with the new working arrangement.
Paul fed an extra portion to his triplet heifers on their recent first birthday.
The triplets were born on January 7, 2024, to a black and white Holstein cow on her fourth calving, joined by sexed semen to BGP Yolo.
The cow, Paco Charley Crystal 236, classified VG86 in 2023, has since been reclassified VG88.
She recovered well from calving the triplet heifers, got back into calf to her second mating, to sexed Yolo again, and is due to calve at the end of March this year.
The triplet heifers have been genomic tested, with a BPI of 342, 351 and 412.
They are the granddaughters of Paco Minted Crystal, a cow that impressed Paul many years ago in a milking herd that he managed.
Paco Charley Crystal is the only one of her
daughters that he owns.
In 2023, Paul decided to flush Paco Charley Crystal to increase the number of cows with Paco Minted Crystal’s breeding and production value in his herd.
Paco Charley Crystal’s fertility was boosted pre-joining to increase her ovulation, then she was artificially inseminated with the imported semen from BGP Yolo.
Two embryos were retrieved, and planted in another two cows in Paul’s herd.
When Paco Charley Crystal failed to return on heat, Paul and his vet assumed one embryo had been left in her.
It was a big surprise to find her with live triplet heifers, born two weeks early, in January 2024.
She recovered quickly from the multiple births, and Paco Charley Crystal has produced more than 13,000 litres for the past season, with nearly 1000kg of milk solids.
“She peaked at 40 litres and 2.82kg of milk solids per day, and was still producing 2.67g of solids at the December test before she was dried off,” Paul said.
“She has done incredibly.”
Of the two flushed embryos, one heifer was born and one was lost.
“The ET heifer recorded the lowest BPI of all four calves when I genomically tested them, and she looks a little bit different,” Paul said.
“She’s darker than the triplet heifers.”
All four heifers were joined in mid-February this year, to OCD Milan-ET sexed semen, imported from North America. OCD Milan-ET
is a Monteverdi son.
“The heifers are just under 13 months of age, and they’ve grown very well,” Paul said.
“I thought I’d better join them before they got too big.”
Paul was recently accoladed by his peers when his nine-year-old Red and White cow, Paco Foske Evie 181 EX91-3E was voted 2024 Australian Red Cow of the Year.
In 2022, she won her class for seven years and over in the Victorian On Farm Challenge, and has placed numerous times in previous On
DLF SEEDS, YOUR TRUSTED ENDOPHYTE EXPERTS FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
AR37 ENDOPHYTE TAKES RYEGRASS PERSISTE NCE & INSECT PROTECTION TO A PREMIUM LEVEL.
Performance pasture with high rust tolerance
Mohaka AR37 tetraploid hybrid ryegrass: Strong cool season growth, late spring quality & protection from insects with AR37 endophyte.
The long term performer with proven performance across 8 years of independent PTN trials.
Base AR37 tetraploid perennial ryegrass: High quality feed & proven performance across wet, dry & neutral weather patterns.
Farm challenges and photo competitions.
Paco Foske Evie has produced more than 4000kg of milk solids for her lifetime to date.
“For her last two 305-day lactations, she’s averaged over 400kg of fat and over 300kg of protein, with components of 4.8 per cent fat and 3.6 per cent protein,” Paul said.
She currently has three daughters and two granddaughters milking in Paul’s herd.
“She’s due to calve again in April this year, and she has another nine granddaughters in the heifer herd,” Paul said.
“I’m also expecting her first great, great-granddaughter to be born this year, everything going well.”
The heifer herd this year was joined to semen from VR Vesty (a Viking Red bull) and some of Storflor (a Norwegian Red bull).
“I got the last remaining stocks of Storflor and, after joinings in the heifer herd, I have a few doses left,” Paul said.
“I’ll have a few milking cows to sell later this year when these heifers come into the herd,” Paul said.
The heifer herd was recently joined by a Hamilton’s Run in-calf Red and White heifer, when Paul purchased Cluain 5862 Lustre. She is due to calve in June to a Hamilton’s Run own bull, Cluain Dunlop.
“I’m very interested in that cow family,” Paul said.
“I saw a few pedigrees of Graeme’s heifers and that one struck out to me. I thought I could work with her in my Australian Red herd.”
More photos at www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au
The triplet heifers on their first birthday on January 7. They were joined to sexed semen in mid-February. Photo: Julia Cocksedge.
Family secures its future
WITH HIGH hopes that newborn Toby Greaves will continue a long family dairy farming tradition, his parents, Josh and Julia, are already planning for the future.
Toby arrived in the world last October with a rich family history of pioneering dairy farming spanning seven generations across his parents.
Josh and his partner Julia milk 260 Jerseys at Nerrena in South Gippsland on a farm purchased 21 years ago by Toby’s grandfather Simon.
With an eye on continuing the family legacy, Josh is eager to expand the dairy operation, and this season the family has chosen to supply their milk to Frestine.
Josh sees the supply connection as an important part of the family’s future plans.
He became familiar with Frestine through extended family members who had supplied milk to the company the year before last.
“I spoke to a few local farmers who are pretty savvy and always shop around for the best milk price,” he said.
“When I heard nothing but good things from those who had worked with Frestine, we had no hesitation in coming on board. The price we’re getting is far better than any other offer we had.”
The decision to join Frestine has turned into a family affair.
Julia’s father, Paul Cocksedge, who milks 240 cows near Meeniyan, has also signed on to supply Frestine this season.
Josh receives invaluable support from Julia,
who is currently on maternity leave from her role as a large animal veterinary technician with the Gippsland Veterinary Group.
Now with Toby in the family, Josh sees the competitive milk price offered by Frestine as a key factor in purchasing a neighbouring property that has come on the market.
Acquiring the land, currently used for beef, would enable the family to increase cow numbers and continue the growth of their dairy business.
Toby will be a third-generation dairy farmer if he decides to milk cows, and Josh wants to make that an easy option.
“My parents purchased the farm in their mid-20s. They had to do it on their own, but I’d like to be able to pass it on to the next generation if we can,” Josh said.
“Everyone in my family is a farmer and it’s the same on Julia’s side. Agriculture is in the blood for both families.
“We’re already fairly large, so the opportunity is there, but they’re not making any more farmland so if you have the opportunity to purchase some, it’s going to be better for the future.”
If they can expand, they will stick with Jerseys.
“They’re the only cow to milk,” Josh said.
“We have a bit of an undulating farm and the furthest paddock is three kilometres away, but they’ve got good feet and can handle walking long distances. They eat less and produce well and have good components.”
The move to Frestine is part of a long-term
industry outlook.
“I’ve been happy with them and they’ve been easy to deal with,” Josh said.
Frestine Dairy Australia chief operating officer John Best is enthusiastic about the Greaves family joining their supplier network.
“Their production profile aligns perfectly with our needs, and our payment scheme ensures they’re compensated competitively,” he said.
Although the Frestine brand is relatively new, the company has been operating for more than 20 years, specialising in Australian dairy products for food manufacturers.
In recent years, Frestine has expanded to
produce its own branded products in Australia, sourcing milk directly from local dairy farmers.
Frestine has built a loyal customer base, working with local food businesses, multi-national companies, and long-term clients across South East Asia, particularly in sectors such as chocolate, yoghurt and ice-cream.
Over the past five years, Frestine has cultivated its reputation at the farm gate by fostering direct relationships with farmers.
“Our commitment to honouring agreements and ensuring timely payments has earned us a strong reputation for trust and reliability among dairy farmers,” Mr Best said.
•
• Next generation, iron-based, all weather slug & snail bait with technology for maximum attractiveness,
• Gentle on the environment, crops and non-target organisms
• Nil withholding period for grazing and harvest
Josh Greaves with partner Julia and newborn son Toby.
STOP WASTING FEED
We have designed a simple but very effective Feed Trough, to cut your feed wastage and save you money.
The endless troughs can be laid in a continuous length, they are also stackable, so you can move them easily from one paddock to another. The frame is made from Australian Steel, with repurposed rubber conveyor belt used to make the trough, its nylon based and will last a lifetime. 8m $1650 Inc GST • 6m $1240 Inc GST
A home-grown success story
WINTER PASTURE feed gap filler
ProGibb Smartgrass began life as a plant growth regulator in Australian table grapes.
farmers can do two or three jobs at a time.”
He said the time to apply ProGibb SG is within a day or two after grazing.
But it was the accidental discovery of its success in pasture management some 20 years ago that opened a global market for agricultural solutions supplier Sumitomo Chemical.
“A single low application, well below the cost of a little bale of hay ($20/ha) can generate an improvement in dry matter production up to 60 per cent in about three weeks.
“However, significant results can be achieved if it’s used via multiple applications.
Today, ProGibb SG is a firm fixture for dairy farmers throughout Australia’s temperate pasture zones who rely on it to improve winter pastures when growth naturally slows during cool weather.
Sumit omo Chemical Australia’s Phil Glover said ProGibb SG contained the natural plant growth regulator gibberellic acid, that naturally occurs in pastures such as perennial rye-grass, phalaris, cocksfoot, lucerne and annual rye-grass but levels are much reduced in the cold winter months.
“We know of some farmers using it consistently two or three times a season on the same paddock, depending on how cold it is.
“Farmers wouldn’t keep using it if it wasn’t any good.
“Between 1500kg and 2500kg of good quality dry matter per hectare is the ideal pasture quantity to ensure optimum animal production.
“The result is a significant increase in milk production and the same quality of milk and there’s also an improvement in cattle health.”
Boosting gibberellic acid levels in the plants with an application of ProGibb SG therefore significantly increases pasture growth.
“Pasture depletion during winter and cold soil temperatures affect farm income as a consequence of increased costs caused by supplementary feeding,” Mr Glover said.
“However, ProGibb SG can significantly reduce the reliance on and cost of supplementary feeding. Comparatively, it’s an affordable and easy to use option.”
Mr Glover urged farmers to order supplies now ahead of using ProGibb SG from June to August to provide quality feed for milk production.
“ProGibb SG contains huge amounts of gibberellic acid formulated as a low dose water soluble granular formulation for easy application,” he said.
Sumitomo Chemical Australia recommended using 20g/ha for most pastures and 10g/ha for phalaris which was particularly responsive.
Mr Glover said grazing rotation could also be reduced from 30 days to 18 days with ProGibb SG in the mix, maximising productivity time.
Hunter Valley-based agronomist Kyle Ropa of Farmers Warehouse said in his experience farmers reported an improvement in dry matter anywhere from 20 to 60 per cent and were able to speed up rotation significantly.
“It boosts plant growth in winter-dormant grasses by stimulating cell expansion, resulting in leaf and stem elongation and rapid foliage growth.
“Moisture and fertiliser are critical to its performance and trials show that the consistent use of ProGibb SG in conjunction with a nitrogen-based fertiliser such as Easy N results in complementary and additive growth responses.
“Another benefit is that it’s compatible with insecticides and most herbicides so
ProGibb SG had been used successfully in Australian table grape production and other horticultural crops such as citrus and stone fruits for about 40 years until it was applied to pasture management in a research and development phase two decades ago.
As well as dairies, it is now widely used in high-density grazing such as sheep lambing and beef fattening paddocks.
“Based on its positive outcomes in Australia, ProGibb SG is now used in New Zealand, England and parts of Europe,” Mr Glover said.
ɋ For more information, go to: www.sumitomo-chem.com.au/product-categories/ agrosolutions
ProGibb SG can improve winter pastures when growth naturally slows during cool weather.
Photo: Geoff Adams
Optimise lifetime feed conversion efficiency.
IMPROVE HEALTH
What if you could proactively improve calf and cow health sothey can better withstandchallenges, including those caused by mycotoxins?
REDUCE PATHOGENIC BACTERIAL LOAD
What if you could control calf diarrhea before an outbreak, and reduce the incidence, severity and duration of other common diseases that affectthe feedconversion efficiency of lactating cows and your bottom line?
ONLY CELMANAX
PROMOTE PRODUCTIVTY
What if you could add nutritional insurance to every stage of your cattle’s lives resulting in healthier heifer calves that join the milkingherd ready to contribute at a high level, and lactating cows that spend less time off feed.
Research demonstrates: CELMANAX
Has been shown to:
•Agglutinates and binds E. coli and Salmonella enterica.
• Agglutinate and bind E. coli and Salmonella enterica
•Reduces the incidence, severity and duration of mastitis and cryptosporidiosis infection.
• Reduce the incidence, severity anddurationof mastitis and cryptosporidiosis infection
• Reduce bloodstress markers during and after transport and temperature stress.
•Reduces blood stress markers during and after transport and temperature stress.
• Minimise cytotoxic damage caused by a variety of mycotoxins andcarryover of aflatoxins in milk
• Improve weight gains and performance in calves and milk yields in lactating cows
•Minimises cytotoxic damage caused by a variety of mycotoxins and carryover of aflatoxins in milk.
•Improves weight gains and performance in calves and milk yields in lactating cows.
Distributed By:
ANIMAL HEALTH
Step up to deal with disease
BY DR ROBERT BONANNO
RECENTLY, I have had a few farmers raise the issue of digital dermatitis (DD)with me.
D igital dermatitis — also known as ‘digi’, ‘strawberry footrot’ or ‘hairy heel warts’ — is an increasingly prevalent infectious hoof disease being seen in Australian dairy herds.
It can lead to lameness, reduced milk production and compromised animal welfare.
Commonly considered to be caused by a bacteria of the Treponema species, DD thrives in wet and muddy conditions, making prevention and control essential for dairy farmers as we enter the wetter and cooler winter months
Digital dermatitis is a painful skin infection affecting the heels, particularly the rear feet. It presents as raw, ulcerated lesions, often surrounded by a red or greyish warty growth.
Infected cows exhibit lameness, reluctance to walk and reduced feed intake, impacting overall productivity.
The disease spreads through direct contact with contaminated surfaces, manure and infected cows.
Key risk factors include moisture and hygiene, stocking density, hoof trauma and injury and poor herd biosecurity.
Muddy laneways, wet yards and
poorly drained paddocks create an environment conducive to bacterial proliferation, high-density housing and confined milking areas facilitate disease transmission, rough laneways, poor flooring, badly worn or poorly maintained concrete and excessive standing time contribute to hoof abrasions, increasing susceptibility to infection and the movement of infected cows within and between herds spreads the disease.
Preventing and managing DD requires a combination of hygiene management, hoof care and biosecurity measures, not just reaching for a bottle of treatment.
Maintaining clean and dry conditions is critical in reducing bacterial load so things like regular grading and proper drainage of laneways prevent excessive mud and manure accumulation and also reduces the risk of hoof injury.
Daily removal of manure and use of dry bedding materials lower infection risks in sheds, yards and on feeding areas. Regular use of antiseptic foot baths (for example, two to five per cent copper sulfate) helps prevent bacterial colonisation of the hoof skin and regular foot bathing is a critical component of digital dermatitis management.
Proactive hoof care minimises the impact. Routine hoof trimming helps prevent over-growth and maintains hoof integrity. Regular inspections allow for
early identification and intervention, and affected cows benefit from targeted antibiotic treatment.
Proper herd management reduces stress and disease transmission.
Managing the herd to ensure cows are moved quietly and slowly along laneways is a critically important factor that will influence the incidence of all lameness events.
If cows are being pushed too hard and their heads are up in the air and not watching where they are placing their feet, lameness incidence will be significantly increased no matter how good (or bad) the laneways or surfaces. Providing dry, comfortable resting spaces reduces hoof exposure to bacteria.
Strong biosecurity policies limit the spread of DD within and between farms.
Keeping affected cows separate helps to prevent cross-infection, while restricting external cattle introductions without proper screening or quarantine will help to reduce the risk of introduction. Cleaning and disinfecting footwear, equipment (especially hoof trimming equipment), and transport vehicles will reduce the risk of bacterial introduction and spread.
While prevention is the most effective strategy, treatment is necessary for affected cows. A treatment plan for DD should be worked out with your herd health veterinarian, especially if you are unsure or unfamiliar with managing this disease
Oxytetracycline sprays are commonly used under veterinary supervision. For occasional or sporadic cases, use of oxytetracycline aerosols is okay but when significant numbers are affected in the herd, you should consider oxytetracycline medicated foot baths or sprays initially to gain control then use preventative foot bathing with other non-antibiotic methods.
Applying medicated wraps aids healing but requires proper monitoring to make sure they are not left on the foot making the problem worse. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be used for pain relief in lame cows, and in severe cases, especially where there is swelling of the interdigital skin or leg, treatment with injectable antibiotics may be required
Digital dermatitis is an emerging disease on Australian dairy farms and poses significant challenges for farmers.
By maintaining clean environments, implementing robust hoof care and foot bathing, optimising herd management and enforcing biosecurity measures, farmers can effectively control and prevent this costly disease.
Early intervention and ongoing monitoring are essential in safeguarding herd health, ensuring sustained milk production and promoting animal welfare.
Dr Rob Bonanno is a ProDairy regional lead veterinarian based in Gippsland.
STRESS-FREE MANAGEMENT
LEADING ANIMAL health company Virbac Australia has taken the next step in strategic trace mineral supplementation in cattle.
Multimin Chrome is the first injectable trace mineral supplement to include chromium and is suitable for both beef and dairy cattle.
ProDairy can assist you with the development of a tailored plan:
• On-farm visit by a ProDairy veterinarian.
• Review of the current biosecurity principles, the major risks and actions taken to reduce those risks.
• Development of a customised biosecurity plan.
Visit prodairy.com.au for more information.
The new product is an innovative formulation that includes five essential trace minerals — copper, selenium, zinc, manganese and chromium — designed to support cattle health and performance during critical periods of their productive life.
Multimin Chrome offers a science-backed formulation ideal for young, growing animals when the pressure to perform is at its highest, helping producers to mitigate stress and enhance nutrient utilisation in their herd.
Virbac Australia says scientific trials using Multimin Chrome show up to 60 per cent reduction in disease incidence and a 58 per cent reduction in mortality rates in calves.
“Weaning is one of the most stressful
periods in the life of young cattle,” Paula Gonzalez-Rivas, Virbac Australia’s technical services manager for livestock, said.
“Strategic trace mineral supplementation with Multimin Chrome boosts the levels of five essential trace minerals helping young cattle maintain their health and performance, reducing disease incidences and mortality rates,” she said.
“The inclusion of chromium to the trusted Multimin formulation can offer an extra edge to the known effects of Multimin.
“Chromium supplementation can alleviate the adverse effects of stress and improve nutrient utilisation helping to ensure resilient, healthy, productive, and profitable herds, even when stress and metabolic demands are at the highest.”
Whole-of-farm nutrition expert and Pro Ag consultant Colin Trengove said when using trace mineral supplementation it was important to think of the whole herd’s health by including minerals like chromium.
Virbac Australia says its new injectable trace mineral supplement is its most comprehensive formulation for young cattle to date.
Rede ning milking time
WAIKATO MILKING Systems’ latest innovation, ErgoPOD, is now commercially available in Australia.
This state-of-the-art semi-robotic milking technology promises to increase milking speed, productivity and efficiency in the milking parlour.
“With ErgoPOD, our vision was a future where efficiency, safety, and animal wellbeing converge seamlessly,” Waikato Milking Systems executive chair Jamie Mikkelson said.
“Our mission was to provide dairy farmers with the technology to achieve unprecedented productivity and efficiency to milk more cows, while prioritising the health and safety of both operators and cows.”
He said from significantly reducing the physical effort required during milking and greatly enhancing safety for cows and operators, to delivering real-time milk quality and hygiene insights for cow health, ErgoPOD redefines milking standards.
ErgoPOD has advanced quarter-milking technology, enabling early detection of health concerns for faster, targeted intervention at the individual animal level.
ErgoPOD uses individual per quarter milk lines rather than the traditional milking cluster. This eliminates cross-contamination between
quarters and allows for precise milk sampling from within each quarter to identify potential infections.
The DairyHQ Parlour Management System enhances this process by delivering real-time production data and live updates on cow health and system performance, empowering farmers to make informed decisions with confidence.
Mr Mikkelson said the efficient design of ErgoPOD is engineered to reduce energy and water usage, promoting greater environmental stewardship.
Its seamless integration into both new and existing rotary dairy installations ensures operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Introducing The New TracMac’s Raptor
Quick, Effec�ve and Easy way of feeding all types of large square bales out evenly. The Raptor carry’s and simultaneously feeds out two bales together. It’s unique hydraulically driven rotor and push bar system, is designed to break the biscuits up evenly and consistently right to the very end. It’s easy to use, easy to remove the strings and makes a great straw applicator for herd homes, calving pads and calf sheds. For more informa�on please call
ErgoPOD is state-of-the-art semi-robotic milking technology.
Help Fight Milk Fat Depression with MFP® Feed Supplement
There's a lot of pressure to optimize milk and component yields.MFP® Feed Supplement delivers methionine, essential to milk and component production, with additional rumen activity to help fight milk fat depression. Developed by intelligent nutrition in a dry, granular form, it's ideal for premixes, feed mills, and local co-ops. Produce milk that's made of more. Start feeding solutions at novusint.com.
