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Pushed to the brink
MILK PRODUCTION could plummet by up to 15 per cent in the southern Murray-Darling Basin if water buybacks are not halted immediately, a new study has shown.
The report, commissioned by Dairy Australia, revealed Australia’s annual milk production could fall by up to 270 million litres if the Federal Government presses on with water buybacks that will strip dairy farms of vital water supplies.
The independent analysis is the first of its kind to focus on dairy and the implications across the supply chain.
Conducted by global consultancy Ricardo, the Australian Dairy Industry Council says the report confirms the industry’s concerns — water buybacks aren’t just a policy lever; they are an indiscriminate force with far-reaching economic and social consequences.
ADIC chair Ben Bennett said the modelling presented two realistic buyback scenarios — returning 302 Gl or 683 Gl of water — both of which would cause irreversible damage to dairy farmers, dairy processors and dairy communities.
“The report has found buybacks would reduce the consumptive water pool by seven to 16 per cent, pushing water allocation prices up by 17 to 40 per cent, especially during dry years,” Mr Bennett said.
“These higher input costs, for water and feed, severely erode farm profitability, particularly for those with low water entitlement ownership.
“Under extreme dry conditions, some dairy farms could experience financial losses of up to 535 per cent, or more than $430,000 in a single year.”
The modelling also shows a reduction in milk production of three to 15 per cent — translating to a loss of 60 to 270 million litres annually.
Not just farmers
ADIC deputy chair John Williams said the impact of this on dairy processors’ revenue was modelled at up to $545 million each year.
“Reduced milk supply exacerbates existing overcapacity, leading to higher unit costs, greater competition for milk, rising transport costs, and a higher risk of plant closures,” Mr Williams said
“The effects from dairy farm and processor spending cuts flow right through rural communities, particularly to rural suppliers and service providers, threatening local jobs, business viability, and the broader regional economy.”
The ADIC is calling on the Federal Government to immediately halt further buybacks and instead implement a smarter, more balanced water recovery plan that strikes the right balance between environmental outcomes, food production and the long-term resilience of regional community.
“A whole-of-industry and government approach is critical to safeguarding the future of Australian dairy, and the communities and businesses that rely on it,” Mr Bennett said.
‘Eroding’ food production
Victorian Farmers Federation Water Council chair and northern Victorian dairy farmer Andrew Leahy said the report was a “wake-up call” for the future of the industry.
“This is the first report to comprehensively assess the impacts across the entire dairy supply chain, from the farm to the processor and the broader community,” he said.
"What it shows is deeply concerning — the [Murray-Darling] Basin Plan is eroding our ability to produce food.
“When water is taken from agriculture, it’s not just the farmers who suffer, it’s the entire food production system in the southern basin and the massive economic contribution the industry makes.”
The report also highlights how water buybacks are exacerbating water scarcity.
“Water allocation prices could soar by as much as 40 per cent in dry years,” Mr Leahy said.
“The current price for allocation water in the Murray region is $180 per megalitre. With water buybacks, that price jumps to $252.
“In extreme drought conditions, like those we saw in 2019, that same water price could skyrocket to $840 per megalitre, a 40 per cent premium.”
The VFF says the consequences of the basin plan’s pain is already apparent — according to the Frontier Economics report of 2022, the dairy sector has already lost 400 million litres of milk
production from 2012-2022.
With an additional 270 million litres at risk due to ongoing water buybacks, this amounts to nearly 800 million litres of milk that has been displaced from the market in just over a decade.
Lifeblood of rural communities
Northern Victoria is the largest dairy-producing region within the Murray-Darling Basin and is especially vulnerable, the VFF said. The region produces 1.476 billion litres of milk annually, representing 80 per cent of the basin’s total dairy output.
United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president Bernie Free said the report made for concerning reading.
“The dairy industry is the lifeblood of rural communities across northern Victoria,” Mr Free said.
“It supports 3000 farm jobs and over 3500 jobs in dairy processing across 11 factories. Additionally, more than 6200 people are employed in related industries.
“A reduction in milk production is a direct hit to these communities, putting livelihoods and local economies at risk.”
Mr Leahy said the findings of this report highlight the urgent need for the Federal Government to acknowledge the detrimental effects of water buybacks.
“We cannot afford to ignore the long-term impacts of the basin plan any longer.
“We need action to protect both our water resources and our food production capabilities before it’s too late.”
Relief flows for farmers. PG.5
Proof is in the numbers.
The VFF says a new report is a “wake-up call” for the future of the dairy industry.
Delivering hay and hope
BY RICK BAYNE
WHEN THE going gets tough, some farmers get out and do their bit to help.
Swan Marsh dairy farmer Jason Smith admits the past two years have been the hardest of his farming career, but that hasn’t stopped him from helping to co-ordinate a huge delivery of hay relief to south-west Victoria.
As Simpson and District Lions Club president, Jason helped to facilitate the Need for Feed convoy of almost 40 trucks full of hay to the region on July 12.
He’s somehow managed to fit in the volunteer work around trying to keep his farm afloat during the drought.
After being forced to lay off his two fulltime staff due to the financial impact of the crisis, Jason has been working 4am to 10pm, seven days a week.
He can’t afford to slow down or take a break, but seeing some relief come over the horizon was worth every minute of his volunteer contribution.
“I’ve never felt so emotional and thankful and proud as when I watched the trucks come into Camperdown on Saturday night,” he said The trucks brought about 2000 bales of hay worth $500,000 from northern NSW.
It wasn’t enough to solve the region’s feed demands, but it was enough to ease the pressure and bring the community together.
More than 200 people celebrated in Camperdown after the hay convoy rolled into town, with Lions Club members from Camperdown, Simpson and Colac organising.
“The whole community came together,” Jason said.
“This drought doesn’t just affect farmers — it affects everyone.
“Everywhere we turned, people would help, and it gave everyone a bit of a boost.
“It was such a great atmosphere in the room. All the Lions clubs were so proud to pull it off, and we even had four people ask about joining.”
Droughts are nothing new to Jason, but this one has been extreme.
A fifth-generation dairy farmer from northern Victoria, he grew up at Gunbower, and progressed from owning 30 cows to buying his own farm at Horfield in 2010.
Ironically, that farm was sold because of the dry weather and escalating water and feed prices, with Jason moving to a leased farm in Simpson in 2013.
Four years ago, he moved to his current
leased farm at Swans Marsh.
“We’ve all gone through droughts,” he said.
“I went through the millennial drought up north, but through all of those, we could still access fodder at a reasonable rate from other parts of the country; no-one has anything this time.
“It’s been the hardest 18 months-two years of my farming career.”
Because of demand from more than 400 applications, south-west farmers received relatively small amounts of hay — but it was gratefully accepted.
Need for Feed is hoping to access more supplies to arrange another convoy to the region.
“Because we had so many people apply, and we couldn’t get enough hay, we had to spread it pretty thin, but it was absolutely amazing,” Jason said.
“I’ve dug a deep hole, like most farmers, in borrowing money to keep the cows going, so this donation gives me an extra week before I have to buy something else.
“It takes a little bit of pressure off, and it’s more about the mental health kick that you get from the truck coming into your property.”
Jason has been feeding rice straw purchased from Cobargo and pouring molasses on it to make it palatable for the cows and some lucerne and clover hay from Finley, again a long way away and landing on his farm for $700 a tonne.
He has been mixing the expensive, higher-quality stuff with the cheaper filler.
Jason has tried a bit of everything to survive the drought — he’s sold cows and sent some to be parked at the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, and let go two full-time workers because he couldn’t afford to pay their wages.
“I’m doing everything on my own which is tough. I never do under 120 hours a week. It’s a 4am start and 10pm finish, seven days a week,” he said.
“All the money is going into feed. The money that would have gone to staff is going into feed. I’m just plodding along and have to keep going. I find that if I keep moving, I can get it done.”
The cows only got milked once a day a couple of times because Jason didn’t have the time, but their production is down due to the lack of feed, so it wasn’t a big issue for them.
Jason planted annuals for good-quality silage and spent $100,000 on lime and fertilisers, only to have them fail due to the lack of rain.
Watching them struggle to get out of the ground added to his stress.
It’s green now, but it’s not really growing because it’s too cold and the soil temperature is low.
One positive was good groundwater for the stock, though the dams are still not full.
Trying to organise the Need for Feed event at the same time was tough, but worth every minute.
“I’ve been doing it really tough, but some of the stories I’ve heard when talking to farmers are heartbreaking,” Jason said.
“Some haven’t had hay since May and their cows aren’t in a condition to sell. Giving them a reason to get off the farm was good for everybody.”
Jason is about to start calving and will have to employ staff again, and can see a light at the end of the tunnel, albeit a long tunnel.
“You know you’ve got good money coming, but you’ve got expenses now because you’ve got no feed, and there are worries about cows calving in poor condition and energy deficiencies,” he said.
“I’m going into spring with a hangover of debt and still needing hay, but there is a feeling that I can see my way out.
“There’s still a long road ahead. I don’t think I’m going to be able to breathe properly until the end of September or early October.
“To save your mental health, you’ve got to think, it’s not going to rain, the grass isn’t going to grow — how are we going to deal with this.
“If you just hope that everything is going to come good and you’re not ready for it staying bad, it gets harder to cope.
“It’s such a dance with creditors. We’re going to be feeling this at least for another 18 months, but thank goodness a decent price has come in.
“They’ve upped it because they realised that without it, they weren’t going to have anything.”
ɋ For another story on the hay convoy, go to: https://www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au/ news/hay-delivers-hope/
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A convoy of almost 40 B-double trucks carrying more than $500,000 worth of free hay rolled into Camperdown on Saturday, July 12.
Relief flows for farmers
AUSTRALIAN DAIRY Farmers, eastAUSmilk and NSW Farmers have welcomed the announcement that farmers impacted by devastating floods in NSW will be eligible for Category D disaster assistance grants of up to $75,000.
The support package followed weeks of pressure from affected communities and farmer groups including ADF, eastAUSmilk and NSW Farmers.
ADF president Ben Bennett congratulated the NSW Government for its leadership in working constructively with the Commonwealth to secure this long-overdue support.
“This funding will be a vital lifeline for
farmers in the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions who’ve been hit hard by record flooding,” Mr Bennett said.
“We commend the NSW Government for recognising the scale of damage and standing by local producers — especially our dairy farmers — who are doing it incredibly tough.”
EastAUSmilk vice-president and Taree dairy farmer Tim Bale said this support was a “very welcome contribution to help our dairy farmers get back on their feet after the disastrous flood event”.
“These severe climate events have a severe and long-lasting impact,” he said.
NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said the additional funding was overdue for farmers
hit hard by successive flood and storm events.
Mr Martin encouraged eligible producers to access the support as soon as they were able, with a range of other disaster relief assistance also available for those affected.
Eligible primary producers can apply through the NSW Rural Assistance Authority.
More information is available at www.raa.nsw. gov.au or by calling 1800 678 593.
Meanwhile, the ADF continues to call for timely and equitable disaster support across all states and sectors.
“We’re also calling on the Victorian and South Australian governments to work with the Commonwealth to secure similar assistance for their drought-stricken farmers,” Mr
SAPUTO SUPPORTS FLOODED SUPPLIERS
TAREE RECEIVED one-third of its annual average rainfall over two days in May, leading to a one-in-500 years event and the region’s highest flood on record.
The impact on the NSW mid-north coast community was devastating, with lives lost, hundreds of homes left uninhabitable, major stock losses, dairy plant and equipment left damaged or beyond repair, and fencing and feed washed away.
It impacted everyone in the community, including Saputo Dairy Australia’s NSW field services team based in Taree — Michelle Blakeney and Ray Johnston.
As field services manager, Michelle was dealing with floodwater rising at her own home, while trying to check-in and coordinate assistance for suppliers where required.
With communication infrastructure impacted and mobile phones out of action, that proved incredibly difficult — with some suppliers uncontactable at the height of the disaster.
Field services adviser, Ray, was also trying to check-in on suppliers and dealing with the reality that his 100-year-old home on his brothers’ (Milton and Douglas) dairy farm — along with their nearby dairy — were also going under water.
He safely evacuated to his sister’s house in town with most of his personal possessions, however, the house and dairy were completely flooded.
For more than three days, Ray and his brothers were unable to return to the property and were unaware if any of their herd had been lost.
On their return, they found some cows
standing in water on a higher mound.
In the dairy, built after the last major flood in 2021, and with the electricals located above the previous flood level, the floodwater had left six to eight inches of silt on the platform and around two feet of mud in the pit.
With no power and no machinery able to come onto the property due to the mud, all they could do was grab a shovel and begin the clean-up.
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“I remember removing the first shovel and thinking this is ridiculous,” Ray said.
“But eventually you do see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
For five days, the Johnstons were unable to milk until finally, a neighbour re-established power in his dairy, located on higher ground, enabling them to restart milking, albeit only once per day for several weeks.
Another issue was access to clean water
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Bennett said.
“While we have seen a recent drought announcement by the Victorian Government, there is still a conspicuous absence of targeted measures to address the particular needs of dairy farmers in drought such as fodder freight subsidies.
“This oversight is placing significant financial strain on dairy farmers who are already battling skyrocketing input costs primarily through lack of access to adequate stockfeed and water.”
ɋ For an extended version of this story, go to: https://www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au/ news/category-d-disaster-relief-for-flood-affected-farmers/
on the Johnston farm, as the well water was contaminated while the irrigation pump was buried in mud.
Any crops sown prior to the flood were also washed away, along with fencing and power poles.
Once the floodwater subsided, suppliers across the impacted area were left to deal with the aftermath on their herds, including mastitis and high cell counts.
“When you think about what the cows have been through, it’s traumatic,” Ray said.
“They’ve been standing in floodwater and mud, their immunity is reduced, and their hooves are sore due to laneways being washed away.”
Saputo Dairy Australia’s field services team continues to work closely with impacted suppliers, providing assistance and support where it’s needed most, including expert advice on maintaining milk quality and access to Saputo’s supplier finance options.
“I’m incredibly proud of our farmers and the resilience they’ve shown,” Michelle said.
“We’re a close community and our local Saputo suppliers have really banded together to offer fodder and labour and help out where they can.”
One Saputo supplier based in the Hunter Valley has temporarily taken 40 of the Johnstons’ milking cows, while another is caring for 70 heifers.
“The boys were milking around 300 cows at time of the flood, so to receive such tremendous support from our fellow Saputo suppliers is great,” Ray said.
“Our SDA suppliers and the local community have really stood up when it counted most.”
The Johnston family’s dairy at Taree after the floodwater receded.
Proof is in the numbers
COW LONGEVITY coupled with increased fertility and repeat demand for the calves have proven what the Fleckvieh breed is capable of under an Australian management system for a Victorian family.
The McCarthy family joins 100 per cent of their milking herd to Fleckvieh bulls and has been impressed with the increases in fertility and herd health, while male and excess heifer calves demand double the value of straightbred Friesian calves.
Based at Coragulac, in western Victoria, the herd is one of a handful of dairy herds in the state using Fleckvieh genetics.
The enterprise is managed by Luke and his brother Mark, working with their parents Shane and Anne.
The family milks 650 cows off 365ha in a 600mm rainfall zone, with the property comprising volcanic and black clay soils.
An additional 80ha of leasehold caters for young stock and silage production.
The milking herd is fed daily a total mixed ration of corn silage, grass silage, lucerne, vetch hay and straw for five to six months of the year on a concrete feedpad. The ration is decreased as pasture becomes available.
The Bulla suppliers milk twice a day in a 50-stand rotary, with the cows fed 2.1 tonne per head of grain in the bail across the lactation and strip grazed on annual ryegrass pastures.
Luke said the herd began the transition from Holstein to Fleckvieh in 2016 off the back of fertility and health issues.
“The existing herd were great cows to milk and production was awesome but as soon a as a health issue arose, or trying to rebreed them quickly, things deteriorated so we needed to make a change,” he said.
“I had not heard of Fleckvieh at the time but after research and family discussion we made the decision to make an all-out swap to the breed.
“Fleckvieh are the second largest dairy breed in the world but there are few in Australia. We reasoned if they are performing around the world, they could work for us.
“We inseminated our first Friesian cows to Fleckvieh in 2016 with calves on the ground in 2017, and we have never looked back since.
“Today the cows are 50 per cent or greater Fleckvieh genetics and the plan is to grade up to a pure Fleckvieh herd.”
The family quickly found strong demand with premium prices of up to $720 for their week-old male and excess heifer Fleckviehcross calves.
The calves were snapped up at five days of age by local grass finishers for the bullock market, resulting in a handy cash flow at the beginning of lactation.
Luke said a 10 per cent decrease in milk production had been anticipated from the transition to Fleckvieh but the family were surprised to find there was no change in the milk production or components.
“Our cell counts have always averaged under
100,000 a year and remained unchanged. We have less mastitis in our herd than previously resulting in less antibiotic use.”
Ten years ago, calving was spread across six times a year and it is now compressed to February-April with this year’s conception rate at 87 per cent, up from 70 to 75 per cent in 2014.
With 200 replacement calves reared each year, Luke has found the Fleckvieh calves are
robust and vigorous, with birthweights averaging 32 to 41kg.
The mature cow weight of the Fleckvieh averages 600kg in the herd. Angus bulls are used naturally over the heifers with the F1 females in demand from local beef breeders.
With straw costs of $28 to $40, Fleckvieh sires are selected on udder shape, suspensory ligament and fertility.
The McCarthys have calves on the ground
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this year sired by Etoscha, Evolution, Egelsee and Erbhof.
A Seewalchen daughter showed what Fleckvieh are capable of under Australian conditions by producing 13,370 litres, 555kg of butterfat and 461kg of protein across a 328-day lactation.
A Wartburg daughter produced 13,261 litres, 554kg of butterfat, 461kg of protein across a 341-day lactation.
The 2024 herd average was 9292 litres, 396kg fat and 316kg protein across 325 days.
The family has carried out comparative trials of the Holstein and Fleckvieh cows through herd testing and lifetime production.
Luke said production was up 10 per cent on a 10-year average.
“We are now seeing the benefits of the breed’s longevity as the older cows in their seventh lactation coming through are staying in the herd for longer.
“The Fleckvieh heifers only produce 65 to 70 per cent of a mature cow in their first lactation but once they get in calf and start their second lactation then they don’t look back.
“It’s important not to compare them with a Friesian, Jersey or Aussie Red as they look so different to those breeds and be patient with them on the first lactation.
“But if they are still in the herd doing seven, eight or nine lactations, that’s where you really see the benefits of the breed.”
Dairy News Australia welcomes contributions from stakeholders in the dairy industry, and particularly from organisations wishing to advance the industry.
Contributions and photos can be sent to: editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au
Letters to the editor on topical issues are also welcome.
Letters should be concise and carry the name and town address of the author, as well as a contact phone number, not for publication.
Luke (left) and Mark McCarthy have used Fleckvieh genetics in their Coragulac dairy herd to successfully address fertility and health issues.
Photo: McCarthy family.
The McCarthy milking herd is 50 per cent or greater Fleckvieh genetics, with the bull and excess heifer calves in demand from grass finishers and beef producers.
Not all heroes wear capes, some wear gumboots…
Our dairy industry is characterised by ‘Remarkable People’ quietly achieve incredible outcomes. Join us to hear about the incredible journeys of Russell Follett, David Penny Conn - large-scale dairy and beef farmers across multiple states; Peter Notman - a seed merchant and dairy farmer; Colin Wright respected rural accountant and John Versteden - a dairy farmer and industry stalwart. Discover the impactful contributions they have made to our dairy industry.
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Expo to celebrate 26 years
The Strzelecki Lions Club will host the South Gippsland Dairy & Farming Expo in Korumburra on September 3 and 4.
This year marks the 26th anniversary of the expo, dedicated to showcasing the latest innovations, products and services available to the dairy industry.
Farming seminars are a highlight of the expo, and this year Matt Harms from ONFARM Consulting will host the feature session on Wednesday, September 3 at 11am titled ‘Behind every great glass of milk is someone remarkable: Not all heroes wear capes, some wear gumboots’.
Hear about the incredible journeys of Russell Follett, David and Penny Conn, who are largescale dairy and beef farmers across multiple states; Peter Notman, a seed merchant and dairy farmer; Colin Wright, a respected rural accountant; and John Versteden, a dairy farmer and industry stalwart.
The session is sponsored by South Gippsland Shire Council, and will be followed by the Gippsland Dairy Industry Leadership Group launching its newly completed Gippsland Dairy Industry Strategy.
Another important event is the Dairy Industry Association of Australia’s Gippsland Networking Lunch on Thursday, September 4, from 11.30am to 1pm. Visit: https://diaa.asn. au/events
Farmers can also join a two-hour tour of Mt Lyall Dairies, the Lancey family’s farm in Nyora, which is home to a new 100-stand rotary dairy and loafing barn.
Farmers attending the expo can register their interest in the complimentary bus departing on Wednesday, September 3 at 2.30pm. Alternatively, on-farm parking will be available at the Lancey farm.
To register your interest in attending. book at: https://www.trybooking.com/events/ landing/1431647
Other popular events set to return are the Udder Truth Show Bag Competition and the Gumboot Gift.
The South Gippsland Dairy & Farming Expo is on September 3 and 4 at the Korumburra Showgrounds, from 10am to 3pm daily. Cost is $15,children under 16 enter for free.
For more information, phone Deanne Kennedy on 0419 878 055 or email: dairyexpo@ jaydee.net.au
For an extended story, go to: www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au
The South Gippsland Dairy & Farming Expo will return to Korumburra in September.
State bodies commit to ADF
STATE DAIRY farmer organisations have reaffirmed their united commitment to a single national representative body for the dairy industry.
Australian Dairy Farmers CEO Stephen Sheridan said leaders from the six dairy producing states met in Melbourne in conjunction with the ADF Board to discuss the future of national dairy representation and significant issues facing the dairy industry.
The state organisations at the meeting were NSW Farmers Dairy Committee, eastAUSmilk, South Australian Dairyfarmers Association, TasFarmers, United Dairyfarmers of Victoria, and WAFarmers.
Mr Sheridan said the state representatives agreed to support changes to the ADF constitution that will strengthen the organisation and ensure their ongoing support for ADF as single national representative body.
He said they recognised the need for unity and strength, especially in these times of adversity, and that the states must work together to be successful in tackling the key issues facing their industry.
All the state organisations, in collaboration with ADF, are working on a range of issues from floods in northern NSW to drought in southern states, along with increasing input costs, low opening prices, cheap overseas imports, flat retail pricing and global trade uncertainty.
“Our discussions reached a consensus agreement that we need a strong peak body to act as the single representative voice for dairy farmers,” NSW Farmers Dairy Committee chair
constitution over the coming months,” Mr Brokenshire said.
United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president Bernie Free said it was reassuring that all the states are committed to a united dairy farmers advocacy organisation.
“We need to get on with the business of dealing with the very real issues affecting our dairy farmers today and into the future,” Mr Free said.
“With so many issues facing the dairy sector at the moment, including escalating input and feed costs and disappointing opening milk prices, a unified dairy farmer voice is more important than ever,” WA Farmers Dairy section president Ian Noakes said.
TasFarmers Dairy Council chair Geoff Cox was “so pleased” all the state members were able to come to agreement.
“We can now move forward as a collective group as all supported the constitutional change required to ensure we have a sustainable and representative body,” he said.
ADF president Ben Bennett said discussion centred on how to respond to the pressing issues facing farmers, and the critical importance of unity and collective representation to ensure the dairy industry remains resilient and influential at a national level.
farmers.”
South Australian Dairyfarmers’ Association president Robert Brokenshire echoed the comments, saying it was pleasing to reach a consensus position regarding a future ADF structure.
“We will continue to work together with an aim to fine-tune ADF’s structure and
Where technology meets tradition
Mt Lyall Dairies Farm Tour
Wednesday 3rd September | 3pm - 5pm
“We need to look to the future and what is in the interests of all dairy farmers.”
EastAUSmilk CEO Eric Danzi said “we need a national dairy body that is outcomes-focused, and I’m glad this can continue moving forward with all the state bodies represented at the table”.
“At a time when ag advocacy is under threat, it was great to see ADF’s state members reaffirm their desire for a single, strong national dairy farmer voice,” Mr Bennett said.
“We all recognise that unity is essential to effectively represent and advocate for the industry and to tackle the very big issues affecting farmers’ livelihoods.”
Finish your Expo Day with a cutting-edge farm visit. Take a rare opportunity to step behind the scenes of one of Gippsland’s most talked-about dairy operations!
Join us for a concise two-hour tour of the Lancey family’s farm in Nyora — home to a brand new 100-stand rotary dairy and loafing barn that has locals saying, “you can see it from Mars.” Attendees will also enjoy a live drone demonstration on the farm. It’s a must-see tour for anyone interested in modern dairy infrastructure, efficiency, and innovation.
For farmers attending the South Gippsland Dairy & Farming Expo, we invite you to register your interest in the complimentary bus departing on Wednesday, September 3rd at 2.30pm. Alternatively, on-farm parking will be available.
Join us for an afternoon of networking, complemented by a delightful afternoon tea provided by our Platinum Sponsor, Westpac, and Gold Sponsors GEA, Westfalia Warragul and Worker Bee Drones.
Bookings are essential, so reserve your spot now at www.trybooking.com/DDLVJ Be sure to save this link for further program updates.
From the Expo to the paddock — your next stop is Mt Lyall Dairies
Malcolm Holm said. “Dairy has to run its own race representing dairy
ADF president Ben Bennett and CEO Steve Sheridan.
Proudly sponsored by Westpac
NEWS IN BRIEF
Extra assistance in Queensland
eastAUSmilk has welcomed the announcement of further assistance for farmers in south-east Queensland who were impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred in March.
Previously category C support was announced, allowing farmers to claim up to $25,000 in costs to repair damage from the cyclone. This has now been increased to category D support, with farmers able to claim up to $75,000.
This assistance is in line with the funding available to dairy farmers in the mid-north coast of NSW from flooding that occurred in May this year.
“The costs of rebuilding from extreme weather events are often very high when all costs and lost income are taken into account,” eastAUSmilk president Joe Bradley said.
“The announcement of category D is very welcome news and will allow farmers to properly rebuild after the devastation felt by some dairy farmers.”
Re-accredited for China exports
Australian semen and embryos will soon be exported to China for the first time in more than four years.
Genetics Australia, including subsidiary Total Livestock Genetics, has been granted official re-accreditation to export bovine semen and embryos to China, re-opening a potentially huge market for Australian genetics.
A start date for the resumption of exports is yet to be confirmed and it is expected that most exports will initially be beef genetics.
The previous accreditation ended in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to this, China was Genetics Australia’s biggest export market.
GA export manager Rob Derksen said it was too early to predict quantities, but China ending the significant trade with the United States should create big opportunities.
“We see most promise and most interest initially in beef but there should also be opportunities for dairy,” he said.
High protein milk launched
Hunt And Brew has launched its innovative one-litre Extra Protein Milk, which has hit shelves in Coles stores nationwide.
The new high-protein milk is a game-changer for the dairy aisle, with the low-fat milk packing 16 grams of dairy protein per 250ml serve, offering 80 per cent more protein than regular milk — the highest amount of protein of any dairy milk currently on the market in Australia.
“Recognising a distinct opportunity to innovate within the traditional dairy milk category, we developed our new premium high-protein milk to meet the growing consumer demand
for convenient, clean, and natural ways to boost protein intake,” Hunt and Brew senior brand manager Jake Calabrese said.
“This launch is about reinvigorating the dairy milk sector. While plant-based alternatives have surged ahead, innovation in fresh, white milk has remained largely stagnant.”
The milk is sourced from farms in the Margaret River and surrounding south-west region of Western Australia.
Global leader arrives in Australia
Trans Ova Genetics, a global leader in bovine reproductive technologies, has launched in Australia in conjunction with Total Livestock Genetics.
Trans Ova says Australian dairy and beef producers will benefit from the advanced IVF technologies developed by the US-based company.
Since the beginning of the year, Trans Ova has been working closely with the team at Total Livestock Genetics to integrate its systems into the Camperdown facility.
“We are pleased that Genetics Australia will be collaborating to bring the Trans Ova brand and technology to Australia,” Genetics Australia chief executive officer Anthony Shelly said.
Trans Ova is internationally recognised for its animal husbandry and reproductive expertise. The company operates through an integrated network of regional centres, satellite locations, and on-farm services.
More water for Tassie farmers
Less than a year into construction, Tasmania’s Northern Midlands Irrigation Scheme project has reached a major milestone, with 50 per cent of pipes now in the ground.
Once complete, the pipeline will help deliver 25.5 billion litres of water each year to farms in the Cressy, Epping Forrest, Campbell Town and Ross districts, covering an area of more than 7000 hectares.
This increased water supply will help drive economic growth in the Northern Midlands region, with a $184 million boost to farming revenue and $54 million boost to Tasmania’s economy.
Early works have also progressed on the construction of supporting pump stations and balance tanks.
The Northern Midlands Irrigation Scheme project is being delivered by Tasmanian Irrigation, with funding from the Federal Government, Tasmanian Irrigation and the Tasmanian Government. It is expected to be completed in late 2026.
New face on Gardiner board
Matt Watt, a senior agribusiness executive and long-standing advocate for Australian dairy, has been appointed to the Gardiner Foundation Board as a director representing dairy manufacturing and processing.
Mr Watt is currently director of farm source and sustainabilty at Fonterra Oceania, where he leads milk sourcing, sustainability and farmer engagement. He is a member of Fonterra’s executive leadership team and has more than 15 years’ experience in the dairy industry.
He also serves in leadership roles with the Australian Dairy Industry Council and the Australian Dairy Products Federation.
“I’m honoured to join the Gardiner Foundation Board and contribute to an organisation that plays such a vital role in shaping the future of Victorian dairy,” Mr Watt said.
“With deep roots in the industry, I’m passionate about creating lasting value for farmers, processors and regional communities. I look forward to working with the board and stakeholders to support a vibrant and sustainable dairy sector.”
Hunt and Brew’s new Extra Protein Milk.
Tineke Jehu of Total Livestock Genetics and Leah Stauber of Trans Ova Genetics at Camperdown.
Matt Watt has been appointed to the Gardiner Foundation Board.
“The Astronaut A5 Next gives me more control, and the cows more comfort.”
When the Lely Astronaut A5 Next takes over the repetitive process of milking, this allows you to allocate your expertise where it is needed most: like herd health, farm management and spending time with your family. Insights from Lely Horizon ensure the link between you and your animals by putting the right information at your fingertips. That way you can make decisions, plan activities and increase your efficiency.
The Astronaut A5Next doesn’t only give you as a farmer more freedom, it also supports more autonomy for your herd. Autonomy is known to improve the well-being of cows. Our approach to automation - called ‘free cow traffic’ - allows cows to decide when they eat, drink, rest, or be milked. This freedom significantly improves their well-being, creating a calm, productive herd.
Stay ahead of your future
Contact your local Lely Center to learn more about the Astronaut A5 Next.
“After working for a couple of months with the A5 Next, I can truly say: The Astronaut A5 Next is best colleague I’ve ever had!”
Alessandra Cabrini, herdmanager at Lugli farm, Mantova Italy
Research aims for super cows
BY JEANETTE SEVERS
THE ELLINBANK SmartFarm, in Gippsland and co-funded by industry and the Victorian Government, is aiming to improve its pasture-based grazing system and herd management to produce more high-productivity cows.
Professor Joe Jacobs is research director at Ellinbank and recently addressed a group of farmers at the research farm at Ellinbank.
The 230 hectare farm hosts a 150-head self-replacing commercial milking herd, that is also utilised for animal health and pasture research purposes.
Until recently, calves and heifers were agisted off-farm.
These younger animals have moved back to the research farm and need to be grazed, even though there is pressure on the paddock and fodder system from ongoing drought conditions.
“It meant we brought 240 head back to Ellinbank,” Joe said.
“We run the research farm as a commercial enterprise.
“Increasing the stocking rate in these conditions and at the start of winter has presented some challenges.”
The farm is predominantly perennial rye-grass based, but pasture trials in recent years are ongoing to determine if a more diversified plant system will improve stocking rate without adversely affecting production.
“One of the questions we want to answer is, can we achieve 100,000 litre cows in a grazing-based system?” Joe said.
“A cow that produces 10,000 litres a year, for 10 years of productivity.
“Generally, there’s a few of these cows in the herd, but they’re a minority in the herd.
“Genetically the animals can do it.
“We ask ourselves, can we provide the right feed to them and keep them in the herd long enough.”
Joe said the average milking cow was in peak performance herds for four years.
“I think that figure is around the national average,” he said.
“So there is a fair bit to go to get cows to 10 lactations and get those sort of numbers.”
A project at the Ellinbank farm titled Lifetime Performance aims to answer the question by recording data about an animal from birth to when it ceases to be productive.
Joe said early intervention to health and structural problems could keep the animals in the herd and productive.
“There’s good data that says 30 per cent of the cows you reared through to mated heifers don’t make it to their second lactation,” he said.
“We want to understand why and identify the issues that affect that scenario.”
Some of the issues may be around which cows return first from the dairy to fresh pasture, and how that can be managed at the dairy.
“We’ve got some good data from here and from commercial farms that shows every hour it takes animals to get back to the paddock after those first cows, is costing 1.5 litres per cow,” Joe said.
“We’ve done studies where we flipped the milking order around that show the same 1.5 litres difference.”
Joe said it indicated the time it took to return to pasture impacted on some cows’ productivity.
Other data was being collated about the effects of manipulating the grain composition to suit the pasture eaten by those cows.
The 150-head self-replacing commercial milking herd at Ellinbank SmartFarm is used for research to advance the Victorian dairy industry. Photos: Jeanette Severs
Professor Joe Jacobs is leading a research project at Ellinbank SmartFarm to produce more high productivity cows, milking 100,000 litres over their lifetimes.
On track to carbon neutral
BY JEANETTE SEVERS
THE ELLINBANK SmartFarm, in Gippsland and co-funded by industry and the Victorian Government, is aiming to lead the way in reducing its emissions and carbon footprint.
Multiple options are in use to reduce emissions produced in daily farming activity, against the methane produced by the milking herd.
The farm undertakes research programs to improve the productivity of Victorian dairy farms.
These research programs are focused on improving and diversifying a pasture-based grazing system, improving herd health, productivity and management, and achieving carbon neutrality in a grassbased dairy system.
Professor Joe Jacobs is research director at Ellinbank and recently addressed a group of farmers at the research farm at Ellinbank.
The 230 hectare farm on which the research is undertaken hosts a 150-head self-replacing commercial milking herd, plus replacement calves and heifers.
“We started on the journey of carbon neutrality in 2019 and set a target of trying to achieve it by the end of next year, 2026,” Joe said.
While COVID-19 affected the early years of application, he is still hopeful of achieving those goals and being able to produce a data-driven report by the end of next year.
One of the first installations to produce renewable energy was solar panels. The energy production modes have since diversified.
“We’ve made significant inroads into the
alternative energy options,” Joe said.
“We’ve got solar energy, batteries, windmills and hydro-energy production.
“All of the side-by-sides on the farm are now electric. We’re also looking at other options for other farm vehicles.
“More solar modules will be installed next year.”
There is also an anaerobic digester on the farm.
“We’re just trying to find out what its potential for use is,” Joe said.
“We know we’ve got a really good, well-functioning first pod.
“In fact, when we draw the manure out of that to put into the digester, the s**t has already been digested.
“We know the digester works, because we’ve
changed the collection point to directly behind the dairy yards and taken fresh manure in, and the digester still works well.
“Now we have to reconfigure how we get the best waste stream into the digester for it to work effectively, run the methane through the gas system, convert it to electricity and supplement the dairy’s energy use.”
Joe said the ideal scenario would be to also use the waste streams from the digester to replace inorganic fertiliser, or use it as a soil conditioner on the farm.
“The idea of the digester is to take all of the carbon through microbial digestion and produce a very low carbon product that is still high in potassium, phosphorous, nitrogen and other minerals that can replace us buying in fertiliser,” he said.
“It will be in an organic form and should be longer lasting and slower release.”
Some further research will measure the rate this fertiliser would be taken up by plants.
The solid component from the digester would also be used to add organic matter into the soil, through soil amelioration.
“But the big thing for us is measuring and countering the enteric methane produced on this farm,” Joe said.
“Enteric methane is over 60 per cent of our greenhouse gas emissions.
“We will never eliminate it. Let’s be realistic. You cannot stop a ruminant producing methane.
“Producing methane is what a cow is designed to do. In their ecological development over however many millions of years, their microbial system includes bugs that are important in the mixture.
“They are a multi-stomached animal designed to eat forage, cellulose, poor quality feeds and they produce methane.”
Joe said to balance the methane emissions that naturally emit from cows on the farm, the research farm had actively invested in diversified renewable energy production.
There has also been some investment in longer term returns.
“We also wanted more trees on the property,” he said.
That led to planting five hectares of trees that were immediately predated by deer, wombats and rabbits.
“So we’ve begun planting them again,” Joe said. For more pictures, see this story online at: https:// www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au/news/on-trackto-carbon-neutral/
One of the first installations of solar panels at Ellinbank SmartFarm was on shed roofs.
Photo: Jeanette Severs
Robots take on batch milking
GEA IS taking batch milking to a new level, with the new DairyRobot R9600 series of milking robots combining the advantages of group milking with the performance of state-of-the-art milking systems.
GEA says users will benefit from the company’s many years of experience in developing milking robots for automated group milking — with proven solutions for efficiency, animal welfare and reduced workload. With batch milking, fixed milking times are defined. GEA says this method reduces labour, optimises herd health and ensures consistently high milk quality and yield, especially for farms with medium to large herds.
Going underground
With the DairyRobot R9650 with subway solution, GEA takes milking technology underground for a more efficient, quieter, cleaner and trouble-free operation.
The core technical components — including milking modules, valve plates, milk receivers and herd testing equipment — are located in a separate basement room.
Components such as plate coolers, compressors, supply units, pumps, filters and operating fluids can also be housed in the subway.
Comfortable cows
The DairyRobot R9600 series milking box adapts to each individual cow.
dipping to milking cluster cleaning — take place in the liner, where they are protected. This minimises cross-contamination and significantly reduces the risk of mastitis.
The optional DairyMilk M6850 cell counter measures the cell count of each individual teat in real time and detects mastitis at an early stage.
Intelligent management
With GEA DairyNet, farmers can keep an eye on their herd and the entire operation at all times.
The intuitive software provides comprehensive data analysis, automated notifications and easy control of all milking and feeding processes.
All milking, health and feeding data is clearly displayed and accessible at any time.
Automated reports and analyses enable informed decision-making — whether it’s for feed rationing, milking optimisation or health control.
The milking system identifies each cow and automatically adjusts the size of the box via an adjustable feeding trough. This ensures that the teats and udders are perfectly positioned for quick attachment. Feed is dispensed into the trough in individual rations.
enables fast, gentle attachment with minimal mechanical action.
The milking cluster follows the movements of the udder silently and detached teat cups are reattached individually and hygienically.
On all GEA milking systems, the milking cluster is placed precisely under the udder with only one movement. The 3D camera
The Inliner Everything technology ensures a gentle milking process. All steps — from teat cleaning to pre-milking, milking and
With the DairyNet app, all important information is also available on the go. Whether it’s a smartphone or tablet, farmers can access real-time data, receive notifications and adjust settings from anywhere.
The GEA CowScout activity monitoring system detects both estrous behaviour and health anomalies by analysing each cow’s movement intensity.
Farms receive targeted notifications when insemination is recommended or when a cow is unusually quiet.
technology
Efficient group milking with GEA’s DairyRobot.
Pivot Irrigators? Problem Solved.
Prime target is met
PRIME DAIRY has achieved a significant milestone, surpassing 10,000 milking cows across its dairy farms in north-west Tasmania and south-west Victoria.
Prime Dairy’s herd is on track to produce more than 50 million litres of milk and four million kilogr ams of milk solids for the year.
Prime Dairy is the dairy arm of Melbourne-based fund manager Prime Value Asset Management, which also manages agriculture, equities, income securi
ties, direct property and other alternative investments.
Prime Dairy’s senior investment analyst, Harrison Stewart, said the milestone places P rime Dairy as one of the leading commercial dairy producers, with the group building towards this milestone for several years following the purchase of 11 dairy farms at Circular Head in northwest Tasmania during 2021.
“Developing a herd of this size was always the goal to deliver operational efficiencies, and it has taken considerable investment to build this capacity,” Harrison said.
“The focus no w is on optimising the farms to ensure we can continue to deliver under varied farming conditions for the futur e and continuing our positive production trajectory.”
Most of Prime Dairy’s milking cows are based in north-west Tasmania, meaning the group has managed to avoid the worst of the dr ought and floods affecting other dairy-producing parts of the country
“Currently around 85 per cent of our milking cows are in Tasmania, where annual average rainfall of 1100mm supports a grass-based production system,” Harrison said.
“W hilst our dairy land in north-west Tasmania experienced low rainfall at the start of 2025, heavy rain from May has set the stage for a good start to the next season.”
Prime Value Asset Management was founded in 1998 and is part of an investment group including Shakespeare Property Group, managing $3 billion in equities, income securities, direct property and alternative assets.
Most of Prime Dairy’s milking cows are in north-west Tasmania.
Saputo leaves legacy
THE FOREST Sports Centre, affectionately known as ‘The Blackberry’ by locals, is the latest recipient of funding through Saputo Dairy Australia’s Legacy Program.
Just a short drive from Saputo’s Smithton facility in north-west Tasmania, a $10,000 investment has contributed to the expansion of the existing playground, the installation of new equipment, and the addition of new fencing and soft fall.
SDA’s Tasmanian operations manager Trevor Stones was delighted to support the Forest community and its surrounding areas with this funding.
“Saputo’s Legacy Program is driven by a commitment to improving facilities and helping communities lead active and healthy lifestyles for years to come,” Trevor said.
“The sports centre is a central hub for the Forest community, where many of our employees and suppliers are based.
“We’re delighted to make this contribution and foster vibrant and healthy communities in north-west Tasmania.”
Forest Sports Centre president Donovan Lockett expressed his gratitude.
“Fundraising, in-kind support, and countless volunteer hours have contributed to bringing the new playground to life,” Donovan said.
“We couldn’t get the project across the line without the generous support of Saputo.
“We’re grateful Saputo has come on board to allow us to fulfil our mission to provide recreation and social opportunities to the residents of Forest and the wider community.
“We are extremely proud of our facilities, which attract over 5000 visitors annually to the region.”
Supporting community programs and organisations that promote a healthy lifestyle for people of all ages forms the core of Saputo’s commitment to community engagement.
Pictured above are (from left) Mitchell Kay and Donovan Lockett (Forest/Blackberry Committee members), Trevor Stones (SDA operations manager Tasmania), Cr John Oldaker (Circular Head Council), Cr Annette Dawes (Circular Head Council Deputy Mayor), Gaven Ollington (SDA production manager), Chris Haynes (SDA field services manager), Monique Buckley (SDA site administrator) and Angelique Korpershoek (SDA speciality milk quality).
ɋ For more information, visit: https://www. saputodairyaustralia.com.au/en/our-promise/local-community-partnerships
You’ve got all you need in the palm of your hands with the CowManager app. Get alerted immediately when a cow isn’t ruminating or eating, so you can intervene proactively. Pick up on diseases like mastitis and ketosis 3 days before any signs of clinical illness are visible, and track recovery in close detail.
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Smiling faces at the upgraded playground in Forest, funded by Saputo Dairy Australia’s Legacy Program. See the bottom of the story for everyone’s name.
Snapping up another title
BY SOPHIE BALDWIN
SOME THINGS just get better with age.
And no-one has proved that more than this year’s Winter Fair Senior Champion Bryne Lea Octane Buttersnap, EX 91, or Snappy, as the Wishart family call her.
Rick, Tina and daughters Emmalea, Kaitlyn and April were all excited by the win, if not exhausted after all their hard work preparing and attending the show, and keeping the home farm running where they milk around 430 Holsteins.
The family owns Rowlands Park Holsteins at Cohuna in northern Victoria.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing, with Snappy going down in the truck on the way to the Winter Fair.
Purchased at the Bryne Lea dispersal sale when the Wisharts wanted to increase herd numbers in 2021, Snappy was one of 15 or so purchases.
“As a family, we have always liked our Octanes with Buttersnap sired by Octane,” Rick said.
“She was one cow we had pencilled in to look at, and fortunately, we ended up with her.
“She has been a great cow who has just got better and better every year.”
When Snappy came home to the farm she was ready to dry off and looked to be a bit light in one quarter.
“She had a really good frame, and when she calved that spring, her quarter came back
— she has been a stylish and very balanced cow ever since,” Kaitlyn said.
Kaitlyn and Rick had the tough job of breaking in Snappy, which started with getting her used to people and touching her.
She is an aggressive feeder, and if ever there is an open gate, she will always make a beeline for tucker — they all agree working with her is better than trying to fight with her.
“You can’t ever really out muscle her. Some of the bigger blokes have said to me how do you hold on to this cow — fighting
against her is not the answer,” Kaitlyn laughed.
Snappy was a bit of an unknown when she first hit the show scene.
“She was not overly deep in the rib when we first got her, but we worked hard on that, and now when we take her along to shows, people certainly notice her,” Emmalea said.
The Winter Fair was her seventh show and best win yet.
In 2022, she was first place Senior 3, Best Udder and Reserve Intermediate at International Dairy Week, Intermediate Champion Cow at Cohuna and Reserve Senior Champion Holstein and Best Udder at Sydney Royal.
In 2024, she returned to Sydney and won first place five-year-old, Senior Best Udder, Senior Champion and Supreme Champion Holstein.
She also recently won the North West Sub Branch On Farm Challenge All Breeds Champion Cow.
Getting the show team ready is a team effort,
with each family member working within their strengths.
“Our family motto is to work as a team and get it done, no-one is the boss and we all just chip in and work together,” Tina said.
Kaitlyn is the one who usually leads Snappy because she always has, but now she has moved off the family farm, she won’t be as involved, leaving more of the show work to Emmalea and April.
April spends a lot of time working with the genetics of the herd alongside Rick.
“We have been using Dropbox, PSG, Hoa-P, Epiphany and this joining we actually used some fresh IVF embryos for the first time,” April said.
The family has some exciting two-year-olds coming through the ranks, including some offspring from Snappy.
They currently have a Lambda daughter in milk (GP84), who has a great udder like her mother and a nice-looking autumn born Hulu calf.
There is also a sidekick heifer and PSG heifer getting ready to join the herd.
The family has been showing cattle for 21 years and the win was a popular one among exhibitors at this year's show.
Judge Lisa McKay from Irrewillipe said Buttersnap was an amazing cow.
“She had a great udder along with a great width and depth to her frame, she really was the complete package,” she said.
Rowlands Park has shown at every Winter Fair since its inception and the family liked this year’s introduction of the new owner bred class.
“We think it is great and will encourage even more people to bring a few more head to the show,” Emmalea said.
“When I went to America last year, they actually had their own breed and owned youth show with a championship line-up, and it was amazing.”
Snappy has just been joined and the family will see how she is looking when International Dairy Week comes around in January.
April, Emmalea, Kaitlyn, Rick and Tina Wishart with their much-loved Winter Fair Senior Champion Cow, affectionately known as Snappy.
Rising star takes top award
A HEIFER bred by 20-year-old Angus Fraser has taken out the BPI Heifer Award at this year’s Victorian Winter Fair.
With a BPI of 417, Montrose Dropbox Tiffany descends from the Gordon Brothers’ Tiffany cow family.
The BPI Awards were presented by DataGene in collaboration with Holstein Australia and the Winter Fair Committee at the Bendigo event in July.
The Balanced Performance Index (BPI) is a measure of an Australian dairy animal’s genetic merit for the combination traits that contribute to a profitable business including production, health and fertility, overall type and feed efficiency.
At just nine-and-a-half months old, Dropbox Tiffany’s BPI is from genomic testing which provides detailed insight into her future performance.
Of all the heifers entered in the Winter Fair, Dropbox Tiffany had the top BPI calculated by DataGene in the April 2025 genetic evaluations. At BPI 418, she ranks among Australia’s top Holstein females.
The Highest BPI Cow Award went to Vala Bouyancy Horiza 222 (BPI 301), owned by the Dickson family from western Victoria.
Their Emu Banks Holstein herd currently ranks number one in Australia for all three indices — BPI, Health Weighted Index (HWI) and Sustainability Index (SI).
Bouyance Horiza not only excels for genetic merit, she also has exceptional conformation, having classified EX-90-1E a few weeks ago
DataGene extension officer Peter Williams congratulated both breeders for their outstanding breeding achievements.
“Most dairy farmers want to breed cows that will have long, productive lives in their herd,” Peter said.
“To do this they need a combination of traits for profitable production and strong conformation and the genes to produce the next generation of great cows.
“Looking at the breakdown of Dropbox Tiffany’s BPI, she is a good all-rounder, with
high Australian Breeding Values for all the traits that contribute to the BPI.
“She is strong on type traits with an with Overall Type ABV 108 and Mammary System ABV of 108 and well above average for Survival at 112.”
Not only does Dropbox Tiffany have a high BPI, she also performed well in the show ring, placing a creditable fourth in her class of more than 20 at the Winter Fair.
“We congratulate Angus, who works
with the Dickson family at Terang, on his success in breeding this outstanding heifer and presenting her at the Winter Fair,” Peter said.
“It’s a great achievement for a young breeder and we look forward to following his progress in the future.”
DataGene is an independent and industry owned organisation responsible for driving genetic gain and herd improvement in the Australian dairy industry.
DataGene performs many pre-competitive herd improvement functions such as genetic evaluation, herd testing and herd improvement software development and data systems.
DataGene is a Dairy Australia and industry collaboration. Go to: www.datagene. com.au or email: enquiries@datagene. com.au
ɋ For more results, visit: https://www.facebook.com/victorianwinterfair/
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Angus Fraser with Montrose Dropbox Tiffany, the top BPI heifer at this year’s Victorian Winter Fair.
Lely launches new Astronaut
LELY HAS released two new automatic milking solutions and a new tool for on-farm digital resilience.
Both the Astronaut A5 Next and Astronaut Max build on the success of the Astronaut A5 milking robot, while the new Lely Hub is a data safety device for farmers.
Lely says these solutions are designed to meet the evolving needs of modern dairy farming, with a strong focus on improving animal welfare and farmer prosperity.
“Astronaut Max and Astronaut A5 Next are designed to provide farmers with stability in their dairy operations and offer future-proof automatic milking solutions,” Lely CEO André van Troost said.
“Furthermore, with the increase in digital services on the farm, data security is essential. Lely Hub supports our farmers by improving digital safety between Lely solutions and the internet.”
Astronaut A5 Next
The most significant change from the Astronaut A5 to the Astronaut A5 Next is the completely new and future-proof operating system that improves serviceability through remote assistance and over-the-air software updates.
Backward compatibility enables farmers with an A5 to upgrade to certain features of A5 Next.
Secondly, a robot arm that combines precision and vision with laser and camera, offers better visibility of the cow’s teats.
For the Astronaut, the added automatic milk filter automates the last remaining manual and repetitive routine in the milking process.
Finally, to make automatic milking accessible to a larger group of farmers worldwide, cow identification through Eartag ID is now part of our Lely’s health portfolio.
Astronaut Max
Currently, Astronaut Max can connect up to 18 Astronaut milking robots in one control room and is therefore suitable for farms with 500 to 1100 cows.
It supports the robots in all their peripheral needs such as vacuum, compressed air, cleaning water, udder care and milk transport.
Astronaut Max centralises the milking and cleaning processes and storage for cleaning and udder care consumables, the latter contributing to a safe working environment and shortening of labour routines.
Milking and cleaning can be performed independently of each other, which means the milking robots can remain operational even during service and robot cleaning. This significantly increases uptime and milk capacity.
Lely Hub
Over the years, farmers have increasingly automated and digitised processes on their farms, enhancing the wellbeing of their cows and boosting the farm’s operations.
When working with Lely solutions such as Astronaut or Vector, various sensors collect data about the cows and the robots.
Lely Hub offers a dedicated device that improves the safety and security of data from Lely robots and Horizon, Lely’s data management platform.
Lely Hub is installed at the farm, serving as a shield between the robots and the farmer’s computer or mobile phone, and is managed and monitored by Lely.
Put More Fat in the Vat — With Intelligent Nutrition.
MFP® Feed Supplement provides HMTBa methionine in a highly bioavailable, dry powder form, helping to support rumen health and optimize milk fat synthesis. Backed by NOVUS expertise, it’s a trusted tool to help maintain consistent milk fat production as part of your nutrition program.
Increase rumen microbial production
Increase milk fat response & milk protein production
Speak with your Novus representative today to learn more about the role of MFP® Feed Supplement in your feeding strategy or visit Novusint.com
Novus Nutrition Pty Ltd | info@novusint.com +61 2 8339 4874
The Lely Astronaut A5 Next.
The monitoring screen for the Lely Astronaut Max.
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.
Good health at every age
MORE MILK in the tank is easier to achieve with a healthy herd.
Each cow’s life phase, from calf to cow, comes with its own unique challenges.
By closely monitoring the herd, dairy farmers can detect diseases early, reducing the impact of the disease and decreasing the need for antibiotics, and ultimately increasing milk yield.
Monitor every stage
Every stage in a dairy cow’s life has potential health risks that can impact milk production. From respiratory issues in calves to metabolic diseases in lactating cows, recognising these phase-specific risks is a challenging task.
Monitoring from calf to cow 24/7 enables proactive care.
Calves: In the early weeks, calves are vulnerable to diseases like diarrhoea and pneumonia. These conditions can lead to setbacks, affecting future milk production. Monitoring calf health closely enables early treatment, helping calves grow into healthy heifers that contribute to milk yield later.
Technologies that monitor cow activity, health and rumination provide dairy producers with real-time insights, ensuring timely intervention.
reducing stress and improving cow comfort. Herd comfort is key.
By integrating these practices and leveraging modern technology, dairy farmers can maintain high numbers of milk yield.
The result is a more productive herd, healthier cows, and a more profitable dairy operation.
Trust the data
Heifers: As heifers grow, reproductive health becomes critical. Diseases such as bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) or infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) can impact fertility, delaying a heifer’s first calving and affecting her future milk production per day. Monitoring these risks ensures these heifers are healthy and ready for breeding, and eventually the parlour.
Lactation: Lactating cows face risks from mastitis, ketosis and milk fever, all of which can quickly lower milk yield if not detected at an early stage. Real-time monitoring technology helps identify subclinical signs of these issues, allowing for timely intervention, which can help keep milk production steady.
Transition: During the transition period, cows are vulnerable to diseases that may affect their next lactation. Issues such as metritis and retained placenta post-calving can delay return to peak milk production per day. Monitoring during this pre-fresh phase and taking timely action supports a smooth transition back into lactation.
Keep them comfortable
Increasing milk production is achievable through a combination of good nutrition, advanced health monitoring, and a focus on
Working with data-driven solutions is a modern approach to improving milk production. Technologies that monitor cow activity, health and rumination provide dairy producers with real-time insights, ensuring timely intervention.
This data can guide management decisions for improving nutrition and overall herd health, which ultimately can help increase milk production per day.
A decreased milk yield can severely jeopardise the economic potential of a dairy operation.
As the industry faces increasing pressures, such as growing public concern over dairy calf and cow welfare, the integration of advanced health monitoring technology has become essential.
Examine the role technology can play in improving herd performance and maximising farm profitability. Visit: www.cowmanager.com
Written
by Renee Braam for CowManager.
Hidden dangers in pasture
BY DR ROBERT BONANNO
MANY
FARMERS
with spring calving herds will be facing the daunting prospect of transitioning cows onto pastures that may not be as well established as they might have expected.
This means cows will be introduced onto rapidly growing pastures with limited fibre and potentially increased risk of metabolic diseases.
Spring pasture may look ideal, but its high sugar and low fibre content can trigger ruminal acidosis, especially in high-producing cows or cows who have recently transitioned from a conserved or grain-based diet.
The rapid fermentation of the soluble carbohydrates in lush grass produces lactic acid in the rumen, lowering the rumen pH and disrupting the balance of bacteria in the gut.
This can lead to reduced appetite, milk drop, very low butterfat percentage, an inversion in the ratio between fat and protein, loose manure, lameness (via laminitis), and in severe cases, systemic illness.
It is essential to manage the risk of acidosis to ensure optimal herd health and welfare and to react quickly if you identify any of the symptoms described above.
Strategies to manage acidosis risk include the use of dietary buffers like sodium bicarbonate, magnesium oxide, calcium carbonate, various yeast products, bentonite clay, sodium sesquicarbonate and, in extreme risk cases, Virginiamycin.
Offering access to dry hay or straw to increase the amount of effective fibre in the diet can be beneficial. It can also prove economic if it maintains rumen health and component levels in the milk and any unconsumed pasture is harvested and conserved for summer feeding.
Introducing cows carefully onto high-risk pastures is an important strategy to maintain herd health in the spring.
Sub-acute rumen acidosis (SARA) can result in significant immune system suppression which can lead to an increased risk of significant diseases like salmonella and mastitis.
Keeping the rumen function stable during spring can help avoid production dips and reduce the risk of the secondary health issues like laminitis and mastitis.
There are several other very significant herd health risks that can be lurking in those rapidly growing spring pastures.
Milk fever (low blood calcium) typically affects older, high-producing cows in the first
few days post-calving. The risk increases in spring due to lush pasture being low in calcium and high in potassium, which interferes with calcium absorption.
Grass tetany (low blood magnesium) also is a high risk on rapidly growing spring pastures, especially during cool wet spells.
Because magnesium is not stored in the body, a daily intake is required, and an acute shortage can lead to signs like twitching (even convulsing), staggering, aggression and even sudden death.
It is always a fair thing to assume that affected animals during a high-risk period have grass tetany until proven otherwise, and supplementing with magnesium and avoiding excitement and stress is a good management option.
Be aware that nervous ketosis can also present in a similar way but tends to be individual animals affected where grass tetany can affect whole groups of animals. It can be prevented by water or feed medication, and pasture dusting can also be of use.
Nitrate/nitrite poisoning is a very severe metabolic disease that can occur when cows are grazed on rapidly growing spring pasture, especially when it has been pushed along by the application of nitrogen fertiliser.
Pasture that has been fertilised with urea or ammonium based products should not be grazed during the highest risk period after fertiliser application (five to 14 days) especially if there are other factors that might increase the risk of toxicity like cool, cloudy or frosty weather that can affect nitrate breakdown.
If there is a risk of nitrate poisoning, do not allow hungry cows to access risky pasture.
Animals affected with nitrate/nitrite poisoning are often just found dead but clinically affected animals will be staggering, breathing hard and twitching, and the classic symptom is dark chocolate-brown blood.
Some other good strategies for managing risk include testing pasture samples for nitrate levels before feeding, not feeding high risk paddocks first thing in the morning and provide roughage so cows are not hungry before introduction to pasture.
If you suspect nitrate poisoning, remove the cattle immediately, and contact your veterinarian.
Spring is full of opportunity, but a single misstep in pasture or health management can create setbacks that echo into summer.
Dr Rob Bonanno is a ProDairy lead veterinarian based in Gippsland.
Dairy-Tech Refrigeration
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Packo & Pac Cool Spare Parts
BIOSECURITY PLANS TO MITIGATE THE RISK OF NEW DISEASES ENTERING YOUR HERD.
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.
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to local conditions.
Pioneer boosts silage focus
PIONEER SEEDS is sharpening its focus on silage, appointing a dedicated dairy specialist team and a suite of new resources aimed at supporting Australian dairy producers in maximising feed quality and farm performance.
This renewed commitment was on full display at the recent Appetite for Success events held across key dairying regions.
These interactive sessions brought together producers, nutritionists and agronomists to explore best practices in silage management, maize hybrid selection, and feed conversion efficiency.
A s the keynote speaker, Pioneer Global nutritional sciences manager Dr Bill Mahanna shared the latest research on silage quality, maize hybrid and silage inoculant advancements, and practical strategies for improving milk production through better feed management.
The events also served as a launchpad for Pioneer’s newly appointed dairy specialist team — experts who will work closely with farmers to tailor hybrid choices and silage
feeding strategies to local conditions.
Accompanying this initiative is the release of the Ten Great Reasons to Feed Maize Silage booklet, a practical guide that outlines the agronomic and nutritional advantages of maize.
From its high starch content and digestibility to its role in boosting milk production and herd health, the booklet makes a compelling case for maize silage as a cornerstone of modern dairy feeding systems.
These developments reflect Pioneer’s deepening investment in silage innovation and its commitment to supporting the evolving needs of the dairy sector.
With 50 years in Australia behind it, Pioneer continues to deliver corn and forage hybrids and support that helps producers meet the challenges of today’s farming environment.
To learn more about Pioneer’s silage offerings or to connect with your local dairy specialist, visit www.pioneerseeds.com.au/ contact.
ɋ Provided by Pioneer Seeds.
HEALTH MANAGEMENT TAILORED TO EVERY FARM
BECAUSE EVERY dairy farm is unique, the new update from smaXtec makes health management even more personalised, intuitive and efficient.
The softwar e, now known as smaXtec Web, fits seamlessly into daily dairy operations — rather than the other way around.
At the heart of it all is the AI-powered digital assistant.
It helps farmers keep an eye on their animals and simplifies everyday tasks on the pasture — with automatic reports, practical lists and clear action recommendations.
Everything at a glance
The completely redesigned and modernised user interface now displays key information in a clearer and more accessible way.
The graphs are easier to interpret, navigation is more straightforward, and overall usability has been significantly improved.
This saves time and allows farmers to focus on what matters most.
A quick glance at the dashboard is all it takes to see the new updates:
ɋ Which cows are due for hoof trimming?
ɋ Which freshly calved animals need special attention?
ɋ Potential mastitis cases are also automatically listed.
But it doesn’t stop there — farmers not only see which animals are affected but also receive concrete action recommendations from the AI-powered digital assistant, such as performing a CMT test.
smaXtec Web keeps farmers one step ahead and delivers the right insights at the right time.
“From development to customer support, our mission and focus is always the farmer,” smaXtec CEO Stefan Scherer said.
“That’s why we’re upgrading our system to be more personal, intuitive and powerful than before.”
What drives smaXtec forward? Ongoing improvements are driven directly by insights and feedback from real farmers.
smaXtec continues to strive for a better future by implementing customer feedback into smart solutions and innovations.
smaXtec is distributed in Australia by Lallemand Animal Nutrition, a leading supplier of microbial and associated technology used in the livestock and forage production sectors.
ɋ Provided by smaXtec.
Pioneer’s new dairy specialist team will work with farmers to tailor hybrid choices and silage feeding strategies
smaXtec Web keeps farmers one step ahead and delivers the right insights at the right time.
Not every farmer needs
But more and more won’t silage without it.
Want better silage, less spoilage, and more value? Keep reading. YES
enSILE-Bio RTU right for you?
You prefer how it’s always been done.
You buy what your contractor recommends.
You wait for published trial data.
You stick with big-brand marketing.
Spoilage is just part of the job.
Aussie-made doesn’t factor into your buying.
Why Farmers are using enSILE-Bio RTU Is
You care about pe ormance, not image. You want more feed, less waste. You back local jobs and Aussie ag innovation. NO
You’re open to the change that saves time & money.
You make the call when the value is clear. You trust results from real local farms.
It’s not for everyone – and that’s fine. But if this sounds like you, read on.
No pre-mixing. Just ready-to-use.
Shelf stable for 5+ years — no refrigeration required.
14 day tank mix life — less waste, more convenience.
One solution for pasture, maize, hay and wholecrop.
WHAT FARMERS ARE SAYING:
- “It just works—and it doesn’t cost the earth.” – Nullawarre, VIC
- “Cheap insurance that always delivers.” – Dookie, VIC
- “No refrigeration, no wastage, consistent results.” – Yarram, VIC
Fast turnaround — feed out in just 28 days.
Low-cost input, high return — priced to deliver.
Aussie-made — designed for simplicity, priced for pe ormance.
- “Cost-e ective insurance with ease of application.” – Mt Gambier, SA
Clamping down on quality
ON MANY farms, grass silage can be a significant component of the animal diet, particularly through the summer months.
Yet it can be the one that is the most variable, and these variances can have a huge impact on animal performance.
Ensure enough time has passed between nitrogen (N) application and cutting dates.
When N is not completely used up in the standing silage crop, excess nitrogen impacts on ensilabililty, which may result in a poorer fermentation with dark, unpalatable and unstable silage at feed-out.
Cut silage swards to target increased dry matter and sugar content of the crop. Better sugar content will improve preservation and subsequent feed out quality.
The opposite of this is wet grass with acidic silage that can be unpalatable.
The use of a silage additive will not compensate for poor silage harvest management or quality but can be used to improve preservation and feed-out characteristics.
Egalis, the new silage inoculant from Alltech, brings together decades of expertise in fermentation, utilising bacteria strains specifically selected by our scientists to maximise nutrient and dry matter protection and improve animal performance.
Suitable for use on all forages, Egalis efficiently and rapidly drives fermentation to a stable, final pH.
It is comprised of Lactiplantibacillus
A silage additive can improve preservation and feed-out characteristics.
plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus, which work synergistically to rapidly lower the pH to the required final pH irrespective of the dry matter or the buffering capacity of the forage.
Together with our on-farm support team and range of services, we can help to improve fermentation to produce superior quality silage, enabling you to hold onto more of what you grow, from field to feed
passage.
Contact Donal Blackwell on 0408 377 304 for more information on Egalis and optimising silage performance. Provided by Alltech.
SILAGE WRAPPER WARNING
FARM MACHINERY is the leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries on farms.
As silage season approaches, WorkSafe is issuing a reminder about the importance of ensuring farm machinery is correctly maintained and the importance of training when acquiring new or second-hand powered mobile plant.
WorkSafe says in-line silage wrappers have many hazards and risks.
These include, but are not limited, to:
Rotating and moving components that can strike and entangle employees.
Hydraulic presses that can cause crush injuries. Application of plastic film, which can crush or cause suffocation.
Contributing factors involved in unsafe operations of farm machinery leading to serious injury or death include: lack of maintenance; bypassing safety mechanisms; lack of training; lack of pre-start checks and documentation; and working alone.
Ways to control risks
Plant with moving parts, such as in-line silage wrappers, must have appropriate risk controls to eliminate or reduce the risk to employees. These include:
Guarding: Ensure physical guards are installed
and maintained to prevent employees from accessing the moving parts.
Interlocks: Where guards are required to be opened to provide access for setting up, troubleshooting or maintenance, interlocks or safety switches should be installed to ensure the plant is shut down prior to employees accessing the hazardous area.
Pre-start inspections: A safe system of work must be provided to ensure the plant is in a condition to be used safely. This may include implementing a pre-start inspection based on the operator’s manual.
Maintenance: Plant must be maintained to ensure safety systems including interlocks and safety switches are correctly operating. It is recommended that a record of maintenance is maintained. Instructions: Employees must be provided appropriate instructions about how to safely operate the plant.
Employers, employees and suppliers should review their current practices, assess risks and implement safety measures to prevent accidents using silage wrappers.
For further information, go to: https://www. worksafe.vic.gov.au/farm-machinery
MAIZE HYBRID SEED RESEARCH
� 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
Delivering a-maizing results
HSR SEEDS is one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading producers of maize seed.
The full range of HSR hybrids is carefully evaluated and researched across multiple sites to ensure consistency and performance in a range of conditions.
The ethos of ‘honesty in trialling’ (HIT) delivers reliable performance data that can be regarded with truthful respect and unquestioned integrity.
The measure of a hybrid is its ability to perform when under pressure, and growing conditions are far from optimal.
HSR Triton (75 CRM) is a new release with a genetic package sourced from Europe, and is suited to both silage and grain situations. It achieved silage yields in the vicinity of 24 tonnes/ha DM in commercial paddocks last year, with grain yields reaching 12 tonnes/ha. There is further excitement with the Australian release of Triton — its northern leaf blight tolerance score is 9 and regarded as top level.
HSR Asterix (83 CRM) is a very quick silage or grain option that is well suited for growers seeking a rapid, high-yielding option that delivers high quality ‘starchy’ feed grain and silage yields.
HSR Obelix (90 CRM) is another hybrid that has delivered very good results across many regions in southern Australia. Obelix is a tall plant with an upright stature and an excellent all-round agronomy package.
On the back of exceptional performance,
Obelix is gaining a reputation in southern Australia as the ‘starch king’.
HSR Ceres (115 CRM) has been bred for yield, strong vigour and disease tolerance. Ceres has proven performance under
stress and, because of high grain yields and excellent stay-green properties, it has developed into a leading silage hybrid in the mid-maturity bracket.
From 75 CRM through to 120 CRM, there
really is a hybrid to suit every situation, and with new genetic material showing strong performance in the longer CRM category, the future for HSR Seeds is very exciting. Provided by HSR Seeds.
on slugs & snails.
• Next generation, iron-based, all weather slug & snail bait with technology for maximum attractiveness, palatability and persistence
•Gentle on the environment, crops and non-target organisms
•Nil withholding period for grazing and harvest
•Certified input for organic production
All HSR Seeds hybrids are carefully evaluated and researched.
Harvesters at cutting edge
JOHN DEERE is raising the bar for forage harvesting in Australia with the launch of its new F8 and F9 Self-Propelled Forage Harvesters, offering a significantly enhanced driving experience, cutting-edge automation and precision farming technology.
John Deere Australia and New Zealand’s Erin Wagstaff said operators will immediately sense the improved driving experience of the F8 and F9 forage harvesters, which will be available to order later this year.
“The new wider cabins have been designed with the operator in mind, with comfortable adjustable seats, an optional electric closing door to ensure a perfect seal and clever storage solutions in the armrests and behind the seats,” Ms Wagstaff said.
With operators relying so heavily on smartphones to manage their work and personal lives, Ms Wagstaff said integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allowed for seamless connection.
For superior comfort and visibility, the F8 and F9 series feature ActiveSeat, which swivels 16 degrees in both directions. The optional ActiveSeat II offers electric controls, cooling/ heating, massage, and active suspension technology which absorbs up to 90 per cent of vertical movements.
Slim cab pillars and sweeping windows provide panoramic visibility from the header to the 230 degree rotating spout, while a redesigned rear axle steering system delivers an impressive six-metre turning radius for faster headland turns.
Ms Wagstaff said the F8 and F9 forage harvesters were built around the operator and equipped with intuitive controls for machine and harvesting settings.
Different driver profiles can be stored in the machine settings to minimise adjustments and the new ergonomic CommandPRO joystick features up to 11 customisable buttons and is easily programmed via the G5/G5Plus CommandCenter touchscreen display, which has shortcuts and is context-sensitive to help simplify navigation.
The new forage harvester specific screen is 35 per cent larger and 75 per cent faster than previous displays, with a high-definition 1080p
screen and a menu which enables operators to quickly adjust machine functions with one fingertip.
An optional G5Plus Extended Monitor doubles the 12.8” screen, allowing users to monitor more functions simultaneously and adjust as needed. Essential data is displayed via infographics on bright, easy-to-read screens on the corner post display.
The JD14X engine has proven its power in John Deere X9 combines and 9RX tractors and will now power all six F8 models of the self-propelled forage harvesters.
The engine power range starts at 313 kW (419 HP) with the F8 100 model, and the new top model F8 600 delivering 475 kW (636 HP).
In the F9 series (models F9 500 to F9 700), the JD18X engine ranges from 515 kW (690 HP) to 603 kW (809 HP).
The third engine option, the Liebherr 24.2L V12, powers the F9 900 and 1000 models, delivering up to 750 kW (1006 HP).
All models feature HarvestMotion technology to maximise productivity at reduced engine speeds and deliver constant power over a wide rpm range, resulting in excellent drivability for the operator and improved fuel efficiency.
Ms Wagstaff said the F8 and F9 models all feature a comprehensive technology stack designed to optimise performance and reduce operator effort and stress.
“The F8 and F9 can be equipped with advanced automation and John Deere Precision Ag Technology, which is the best we have ever offered in forage harvesting,” she said.
Regardless of conditions, Ground Speed Automation ensures the machine constantly harvests at maximum productivity and optimal efficiency while minimising operator effort and stress.
Active Fill Control uses a stereo camera system to control the rotation and flap position of the spout automatically, tracking transport vehicles and aiming the crop for ideal fill strategy.
The ProTouch Harvest system offers single-click headland automation for maize, grass, or whole crop silage, managing header lift, spout control, AutoTrac, Active Fill Control, and Ground Speed Automation for
easy headland turns.
In addition, when switching between road and field, ProTouch technology handles up to nine essential functions, including beacon lights, 4WD, settings for engine speed management, and spout positioning.
The F8 and F9 models are designed to optimise silage quality with the DuraDrum cutterhead performing with remarkable flexibility for
various harvesting requirements.
The new inoculant dosing system, IDS 2.0, works with HarvestLab sensor readings to optimise silage quality with a 50-litre insulated concentrate tank for highly concentrated additives and a 325-litre tank for high volume applications and water. Customers can also choose from two new advanced kernel processor options.
John Deere has launched its new F8 and F9 Self-Propelled Forage Harvesters.
RE MARK ABLE RESULTS
ENERGY TO GO THE EXTRA MILE
PROVEN * trace mineral injection for cattle to support optimal health, production and fertility, with the added benefit of Vitamin B 12 in one convenient injection
