Dairy industry’s Top 100 named: PG. 4
Happy cows, quality milk: PG.14
AUGUST, 2020 ISSUE 118 // www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
NEWS // 3
Genetic data at the click of a button Breeding for polled position. PG.9
High standards produce results. PG.15
A popular feature on DataVat is the animal indices graph, which highlights the relative contribution of traits to an animal’s Balanced Performance Index (BPI), Health Weighted Index (HWI) and Type Weighted Index (TWI).
DATAGENE’S AUGUST release of
The challenge of making good decisions. PG.18
NEWS �������������������������������������������������������3 – 32 OPINION ��������������������������������������������������������� 6 MARKETS �����������������������������������������������������10 ANIMAL HEALTH ���������������������������� 33 – 35 MACHINERY ��������������������������������������36 – 39
Australian Breeding Values shines the spotlight on DataVat, a website that puts a wealth of genetic information at dairy farmers’ fingertips. DataVat’s Animal Search function allows the user to look up genetic details of individual bulls or cows, including ABVs, indices, genetic codes, pedigree, progeny and indices graphs. Powerful filters allow the user to create and sort short lists of animals that meet their breeding priorities. Updated with each ABV release, DataVat draws upon a database of more than 830,250 bulls from around the world. Anyone can look up the genetic details for bulls and the top genotyped dairy females. Herd owners can create a login account with DataVat to see the genetic details of their own cows, and herd reports such as the
Genetic Progress Report. DataGene chief executive officer Matt Shaffer said further enhancements were in development which would add more functionality to DataVat over time. DataVat is a user-friendly window to the dairy industry’s Central Data Repository, which connects data from a variety of sources, such as the genetic evaluation system, breed societies, herd test centres and some on-farm software “We are now at the stage of expanding data connections to create richer tools and resources,” Dr Shaffer said. DataGene is also a partner in the International Dairy Data Exchange (iDDEN), which is working to streamline data exchange between dairy herds, milk recording organisations and dairy equipment manufacturers and other dairy organisations.
Dairy Australia has funded DataGene’s participation in iDDEN, which brings together milk recording organisations and databases across 13 countries. Dr Shaffer said the international collaboration would provide industry databases with access to a range of data currently not captured. “It is founded on strong principles of data governance and consent for data sharing,” he said. “These issues will be of growing importance as the volume of data available on-farm increases and systems move to cloud-based solutions.” DataGene is an initiative of Dairy Australia and the herd improvement industry. Visit: www.datavat.com.au
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
4 // NEWS
Cream of the crop named DAIRY FARMERS producing Australia’s best
quality milk have been named in Dairy Australia’s 2020 Milk Quality Awards. The awards recognise farmers producing the country’s best milk based on bulk milk cell count (BMCC). Gold awards are given to the ‘Top 100’ dairy farmers nationally for milk quality. Together with silver award winners, these farmers are the top five per cent of Australian producers for milk quality. Dairy Australia managing director David Nation congratulated the 2020 winners. “The industry can take pride in the achievement of all winners of these awards,” he said. “Getting to this level takes consistent focus across the year on all aspects of the milking process, including effective mastitis control and maintaining a high level of attention to detail.
“This dedication underpins the high quality of Australian dairy products.” A focus on low BMCC helps increase milk yields and can improve the milk income received by farmers. Most processing companies pay a premium for milk with a BMCC below 25, 000 cells/ml and Dairy Australia analysis estimates that a farmer milking 300 cows who lowers their BMCC from 250,000 to 100,000 would be financially better off to the tune of $39,000 per year. Dr Nation said Dairy Australia’s Countdown program had helped support an industry-wide focus on profitable mastitis control in dairy herds. Dairying regions were well represented throughout the Top 100, with 57 western Victorian farms represented, while almost one-fifth of award recipients hailed from
northern Victoria and 15 recipients were located in Gippsland. Seven award winners are from Tasmania, while South Australia has two, Queensland has five, NSW has three and Western Australia has four. “Dairy farmers can improve milk quality by attending training courses nationwide provided by our eight Regional Development Programs,” Dr Nation said. “We also have a network of nearly 300 Dairy Australia-trained Countdown advisers, including vets, machine technicians, factory field officers and herd improvement staff across the country. “Farmers can also access a range of online resources on Dairy Australia’s website and use other services like DataGene.” Data for the Milk Quality Awards is supplied to Dairy Australia by dairy companies across
Dairy Australia has released its list of the Top 100 dairy farmers nationally for milk quality
the country. To be eligible, dairy farms must have data for a minimum of nine months in a calendar year. Monthly averages are then used to calculate the annual average BMCC for each farm. Lists of winners and some case studies can be accessed at: www.dairyaustralia.com.au/farm/ animal-management/mastitis/milk-qualityawards/2020-milk-quality-award-winners
2020 MILK QUALITY AWARD WINNERS Northern Victoria
CA & AL Duro
Family Trust
Ashdale 55 Pty Ltd
CA & KL Spokes Family Trust
Laang Farm Partnership
Ashley J Fiedler
Carrakoorte North Pty Ltd
BD & KL Mitchell
CL & CL Costin
C & R Cavallaro
CL & JM Drake
JR Campbell
CP & MJ Nijskens
CL Freemantle Pty Ltd
HF Crabbe
Coowonga Family Trust
CW & AM Smart
D & M Colbert
DC Johnson Pty Ltd
JW & VL Douglas
Denbigh Pastoral Trust
C & N Hibberson SG & SJ Jones
DG Hallyburton & RS Hallyburton
RA & HJ Doolan Pty Ltd
Dixie Ridge Farm Pty Ltd
RJ & JR Rixon Pty Ltd
L Fielding
RJ Perkins & SF Evans
GA & JL Crothers
SJ & AK Christopher
M & L Gardiner
SC & VJ Winchester
GF & RL Lloyd
H & S Stephens
Glenmead Pty Ltd — Atf Smith Farm Trust
NJ Wild
HU Vogel & S Vogel
AN Buckley
HW & BE Elliott
Araluen Pastoral Holdings P/L
IR & JA Rhode
Ballangeich Run Pty Ltd
J, S & T Brown Pty Ltd
Bidgemah Trust
Kangertong Farming Pty Ltd
Blain Dairying Pty Ltd
LJ Balcombe General Transport P/L Atf Balbat Trading Trust
TJ & CJ Beasley
M & A Brett
Udderly Fed Up Pty Ltd
New South Wales
HF & FA Lowe
Willie Hawker Pty Ltd
AH Lucas
TA Willie & Son
KA Massey
WJ & VL Crole Family Trust
ML & KE Ryan
NG & NG & TJ Pearce T/A Warwick Farm Enterprises
Gippsland
Queensland
Nolane Investments P/L Atf Lestin Invest Discretionary Trust IG & RL Nunn PA & KM Finlayson
RM Morey
Howard Farm Trust
Western Victoria
Ian & Ruth Mcgregor
Powell Dairy Farms Pty Ltd Atf Warraboon Farm
Guye Family Trust
WJ & A Stammers
The Trustee For Scotts Creek Dairies Family Trust
RC & SJ Methven RF & NP Bourk RJ & EH Swayn
KJ Boys
Hillgrove Dairy Pty Ltd NC & V Joiner
KD & IM Askew
B & J Wieck
D & S McCann DW & CG & FC & DL Armstrong DG & DL Green
IJ Kennaugh
JH Cuthbertson Pty Ltd
DG, AL, GR & MD Zischke
Jim & Heather Harvey
South Australia
TK & SP Moss
DM Daffy & GA Daffy
PF Crea
DO & KM Hunter
RL & B Lade
Tasmania
S & J Bland
JW & VL Douglas
Seabrook Holdings (Vic) Pty Ltd
TL Geary (91–1) Tarago River Farms Pty Ltd
RT Green
SJ & AE Watson Pty Ltd
The Trustee For Potter Family Trust
RM & LM Heathcote Mount Patrick Estate
GV & JL Waltham
GJ Pump
Western Australia
Sheffield School Farm
The Trustee For B & R Couch Family Trust The Trustee For Eirenclare Farms Unit Trust
Dunbar Family Trust
HD Harrison & Co.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
NEWS // 5
Bega moves cheese A STRATEGIC move by dairy processor Bega
Cheese could lift employment opportunities at its Strathmerton factory. Bega has decided to shift some of its processed cheese manufacturing from its home town of Bega in NSW, to the northern Victorian plant. Executive chairman Barry Irvin said the move could create employment opportunities at the Strathmerton plant, as production was ramped up and shifts increased. The company, which generates annual sales of more than $1 billion, said the move would result in redundancies of about 70 people at the factories in Bega. Mr Irvin said the Strathmerton factory, originally purchased from Kraft, was a more efficient plant specifically designed for processed cheese production. “It’s a very big capacity plant and it can cope with bigger volumes and it can be very efficient.” He said the move emerged from a review of Bega’s efficiency and volumes in cheese production and was in context of a trend in market demand away from processed cheese and towards natural cheese. He hoped the job losses at Bega could be
The Strathmerton Bega factory will be manufacturing more cheese
filled by voluntary redundancies, which would be sought across all the sites at Bega, which employ about 600 people, between now and December. Staff would then be retrained to match the available positions. Mr Irvin acknowledged it was a difficult decision given Bega Cheese’s historic association with the town, but one which reflected operational needs. “It’s still very much our home. But we needed to make this decision earlier rather than later. “It’s difficult because you are affecting people’s lives.” Mr Irvin said the Strathmerton factory was strategically located, close to milk supply and
Bega will shift some of its cheese operations to Strathmerton.
with connectivity to larger urban centres for distribution. Milk supply had stabilised this year, after the company experienced strong competition last year.
Bega closed its Coburg mozzarella and cheddar factory last year.
NEW DAIRY AUSTRALIA CHAIR APPOINTED Board director James Mann has been appointed as the new chair of Dairy Australia, following Jeff Odgers’ decision to step down early from the role. Mr Mann was elected to the position at a board meeting on July 30 and takes on the role immediately. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be chair at a very important time for the industry and excited to drive forward the strategy we’ve developed that is focused on the profit and sustainability of dairy farmers and the dairy industry,” Mr Mann said. He has served as acting chair since the end of March, when Mr Odgers took a temporary leave of absence following the death of his son. Mr Mann has been involved in the Australian dairy industry for more than
30 years and was appointed to the Dairy Australia board in November 2015. He is a dairy farmer in South Australia and previously served as DairySA Regional Development Program chair from 2002 to 2015. Mr Odgers will remain a Dairy Australia board director and will continue to represent it alongside Mr Mann in the Organisational Reform Steering Committee — established as part of the Australian Dairy Plan to develop a new structure for dairy industry representation. Mr Odgers was first appointed to the Dairy Australia board in 2013, elected chair in 2017 and re-elected to the three-year position last year. Mr Mann said Mr Odgers had made a significant contribution as the Dairy Australia chair and thanked him for
his commitment. “He led the appointment process for a new managing director early in his term as chair and has been a passionate advocate of research, culminating in the development of the DairyFeedbase initiative,” Mr Mann said. “He has also taken an important role leading the development of the Australian Dairy Plan as well as the new strategy at Dairy Australia.” Mr Odgers thanked the dairy community for their support during his time as Dairy Australia’s chair. “I would particularly like to acknowledge the many people from across the whole industry who have reached out to the family in recent months, it is greatly appreciated,” he said.
Board director James Mann will replace Jeff Odgers as the Dairy Australia chair.
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6 // OPINION
EDITORIAL Farm safety isn’t just about machinery “Safety first” might be an age-old saying, but it’s an important one — as the recent Farm Safety Week showed. New figures from AgHealth Australia show the agriculture sector continues to be over represented in fatality and injury statistics, with 58 people losing their lives on Australian farms this year and 133 injured. More than half of these incidents occurred in the first sixth months. It’s a sobering and important reminder to ensure we’re keeping ourselves, our families and our workers safe. Quad bikes were involved in 22 per cent of deaths and 35 per cent of injuries in the past year — it’s statistics like this that will hopefully be reduced with the introduction of a number of new safety requirements for the sale of quad bikes. And with drought, bushfires and a pandemic affecting the country this year, it’s important to remember farm safety isn’t just about your physical self.
Fact sheet for farmers on quad bike safety standard The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has produced a fact sheet to answer farmers’ questions on the new quad bike safety standard� The fact sheet is in response to concerns quad bike manufacturers will cease supply of utility quad bikes to Australia once the quad bike safety standard becomes mandatory� The ACCC Agriculture Unit said it took concerns on future quad bike supply seriously and recognised quad bikes were a vital piece of machinery for farming� It also acknowledged that quad bikes were very dangerous due to design limitations and said a single mistake could have tragic consequences�
After a two-year investigation, the ACCC concluded the main risk to farmers and consumers was due to quad bike roll-over and lack of rider protection, which can result in farmers receiving serious crush injuries and dying from asphyxiation when the quad bike pins drivers underneath� The fact sheet contains information about the ACCC investigation, the frequency of deaths and injuries associated with quad bikes, the quad bike safety standard, OPDs and other safety measures� To view the fact sheet, visit: productsafety.gov.au/publication/ quad-bike-safety-standard-fact-sheet For more information about quad bike safety, visit: productsafety.gov.au/ standards/quad-bikes
Advertising Max Hyde 0408 558 938 max.hyde@dairynewsaustralia.com.au Editor Alana Christensen (03) 5820 3237 editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au Dairy News Australia is published by Shepparton Newspapers Pty Ltd� All editorial copy and photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher� Opinions or comments expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the staff, management or directors of Shepparton Newspapers Pty Ltd�
Regional editor news@dairynewsaustralia.com.au
It’s also about you taking care of you. There’s been a lot of talk about resilience these past few months and there’s a feeling we just need to press on, tough it out and get the job done. After all, Australians are known for their “she’ll be right” attitude. But it’s important to remember that resilience is not just about being tough and bouncing back from a challenge. Often, it’s about mustering up the courage and asking for some help. The statistics around farmer suicide continue to climb and it’s sad to see so many people felt like they were alone. So, next time you’re thinking about farm safety, make sure you’re also thinking about the mental health of yourself and those around you, especially when times are tough. Whether that’s catching up with a mate for a socially distant beer or a cup of coffee, finding a little bit of time to yourself or having a chat with a professional, help is out there. It can be as simple as a phone call, a text message ‘just to check in’ or a trip to the GP to start talking about a plan for your mental health. If you need support, or know someone who does, phone Lifeline on 131 114, Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800, the suicide callback service on 1300 659 467 or visit: ReachOut.com or www.beyondblue.org.au
Publisher Shepparton Newspapers Pty Ltd Printed by Newsprinters Pty Ltd Head Office 7940 Goulburn Valley Highway Shepparton, VIC 3630 Phone (03) 5831 2312 Postal address PO Box 204 Shepparton, Victoria 3632 Australia
WWW.DAIRYNEWSAUSTRALIA.COM.AU
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�
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
NEWS // 7
Queensland farmers front inquiry QUEENSLAND DAIRY farmers and organisations
have fronted a Senate inquiry calling for more support in the dairy industry, saying the industry continues to face climbing input costs, falling prices and intervention is needed. The Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee is examining the effect of deregulation on the dairy industry and exploring whether something should be done to correct any issues. Fourth-generation dairy farmer James Geraghty said he had seen the dairy industry in Queensland change significantly since deregulation in 2000 and fears the future of his farm ends with him. “In North Queensland we had 185 dairy farms at that time; we now have 51. Queensland had 1540 and they’ve just gone sub-300 in Queensland,” Mr Geraghty told the hearing. “Queensland has been producing less milk than it consumes for many years. The shortfall is now in excess of 200 million litres a year and growing. “We’ve got supermarkets buying milk from farmers or from processors and marketing it themselves. They’re in absolute control of the milk once they negotiate a price from the processor. But they are also in absolute control of the price that they sell branded milk for. “So the price of everything that we put into our cows has risen since that time. The price of grain is now at its highest during the drought.
“That is because the market — and for ‘the market’ read supermarkets — will not allow that price to rise. “We’re talking about profitability in the industry. The industry also includes processors, and if you want to have a look at a processor then look at Lion Dairy & Drinks. “They purchased the entire business in Australia for somewhere around $3 billion, and they have just sold that for $860 million. “They have written off up to $500 million a year. Profitability is not in the farming sector, it is not in the processing sector.” SubTropical Dairy chair Paul Roderick started on his farm in 1994 before becoming farm owner and manager, now milking more than 350 cows producing more than 2.5 million litres of milk in the last financial year. “Prior to the Australian dairy industry deregulating in 2000, we grew our business and margins through purchasing quota to access higher-returning market milk,” Mr Roderick said. “As deregulation approached, we anticipated that our margin per litre would fall. Given this, we made the decision to increase the size of our herd to 150 milkers producing 1.1 million litres of milk. “As I took on more of the responsibility of leading the business, it became apparent that our costs were increasing at a higher rate than our revenue. Our business was also operating in a more volatile environment.
AN HISTORIC YEAR DESERVES A HISTORIC DEAL.
“My view of the way forward is actually to bring all levels of the dairy industry, be they farmers, processors or retailers, into a more combined relationship that recognises some of the costs involved in the chain. “Unfortunately, what I found over time is that we would have really good conversations with processors and we could potentially maybe have conversations with retailers, but we could never get an agreement on what constituted a sustainable price for that.” It’s a view Dairy Australia managing director David The performance of Queensland’s dairy Nation sympathised with. industry since deregulation has been He told the inquiry the continued retail price examined as part of a Senate inquiry. discounting of dairy had resulted in capped returns for many dairy farmers, particularly in fresh milk states, leaving farmers to feel their product has been to appease those who oppose the scary word “devalued”. ‘regulation’. “These events have collectively smashed farmer “Either government needs to take a path to regumargins and depleted farmer confidence, leading lation, which we know works for certain, or it needs many to question their future in the industry.” to support the industry to solve these problems itself Dr Nation responded to criticism about Dairy by supporting a new industry structure where the Australia’s levy model, saying the organisation con- farmers’ own money currently collected in levies tinued to support the Queensland dairy industry. can be used effectively to fix our own problems in “That subtropical region from Kempsey to Far our own regions.” North Queensland accounts for 5.5 per cent of The inquiry will report on the performance of Australia’s milk production, and that subtropical Australia’s dairy industry since deregulation in 2000 region receives about 8.8 per cent of our funding including the ability of Dairy Australia to act indedespite regional activities,” he told the inquiry pendently and support the best interests of both And time for the industry is running out, accord- farmers and processors; the accuracy of statistical ing to Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation vice- data collected by Dairy Australia and the Australian president Matthew Trace, who said the northern Bureau of Statistics; the funding of Dairy Australia dairy industry was at a “critical stage”. and the extent of its consultation and engagement on “I believe the industry needs significant reform the expenditure of levies revenue; the merits of taskto place its destiny in the hands of its own farm- ing the ACCC to investigate how it can regulate the ers,” he said. price of milk per litre paid by processors to dairy and “These problems can be solved; however, they farmers to ensure a viable dairy industry and alternawon’t be solved by playing around the edges just tive approaches to supporting a viable dairy sector.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
8 // NEWS
Genetics transforms dairy herd SITTING IN the dairy office, Andrew Cavill
took a sip of his coffee and made a decision that changed the course of his business. It was the morning after pregnancy testing and less than 50 per cent of his Holstein herd was in-calf. He called the local meatworks and booked-in the 180 empty cows. “It was a bold decision, some said it was a stupid decision, but I knew carry-over cows were costing me money, not making me money,” the South Australian sharefarmer said. “We were lucky, cows were selling well, and chopper prices were good. “We replaced 180 empty cows, not giving much milk, with 205 that were ready to calve and it never cost a cent.” The return was instant and gave Andrew and his wife Kay the confidence to do the same with the rest of their herd after they calved. That season, four years ago, they had a “decent milk cheque” because they milked a total of 520 newly purchased heifers. Young stock from the original herd were also sold and another 200 heifers were purchased to provide replacements. This injection of youth delivered fertility, health and profitability gains. The year after their huge herd clean-out, the Cavills milked 480 second-calvers and 200 heifers. Maintaining these gains were critical, so Mr Cavill started targeting young bulls that rank highly for both Balanced Performance Index (BPI) and fertility. They now milk 700 Holsteins, split-calving, across 605 ha at Bool Lagoon near Naracoorte in South Australia, and maintain a young herd. “Since the introduction of DataGene and BPI it has become exciting now to use young sires, you can use them with confidence because they have high reliability,” Mr Cavill said. “I used to spend hours in front of catalogues trying to work out what I would use and trying
to solve every problem the herd ever had — in one fell swoop — with the bulls I was choosing. Taking a “bucket of genetics” approach to his herd, Bool Lagoon dairy “Now it is just so simple. I look at the BPI farmer Andrew Cavill doesn’t individually mate cows, rather he selects and I say I want the 10 best bulls in the country, high BPI sires and knows the science works for his herd. the 10 highest BPI bulls I can get my hands on. “Then you are covered in terms of fertility, production, in terms of likeability and longevity.” Mr Cavill trusts the science behind the BPI system, so much so that he takes the “bucket of genetics” approach to improving his herd. “I now go into the tank and if it is Monday morning, I use whatever is in the semen tank or whatever is going to get used and it’s used until it is gone,” he said. “Then in two days’ time, I’ll use 200 doses of (bull) XYZ, then onto 200 doses of (bull) ABC. “Management-wise it is simple. I chuck all the semen into one bucket and throw it at the herd. I still get those genetics into the herd. I’m not interested in cows individually.” Mr Cavill believes breeding dairy cows is more exciting now, than when he worked in the artificial breeding and herd improvement indusBreeding is exciting now for South Australian dairy farmer Andrew Cavill. He’s using try 33 years ago. Genomics — DNA testing — drives this enthu- young sires with more confidence now thanks to the DataGene BPI system. siasm. The new technology provides a tangible way to measure breeding progress and it also helps him keep a lid on costs. the dairy is between $2000 and $2300.” highest genomic bulls from a BPI perspective? “With breeding, there’s a massive return on Mr Cavill said culling the bottom of the herd “When you look at all the other measureinvestment. had helped lift the average genetic merit. ments that are done these days, the top bulls are “I just got a bill the other day for $11,500 for Introducing sexed semen into the breeding the top bulls in all of them, the bottom bulls are genomic testing this year’s heifers. You say to program has provided the Cavills with lots of the bottom bulls. yourself ‘how do I justify that?’ but the genomic replacements. “With the BPI someone else has done all Between 60 and 70 per cent of their herd is that work for me, I just have to ring up and say tests gave me 15 absolute no-brainer heifer culls. “I’ve spent about $700 on those heifer culls joined to high BPI sexed bulls, the balance to bring it to me. already and they are 250 kg and if I export them, high BPI conventional dairy semen. “I still have problems in-herd to solve, lots I will get $1800 right now. Conventional semen is used for cows that of them. “If I keep them to milk, you can be guaran- calved later, had a “harder calving” or were not “But it is exciting because now I can sit down teed that 10 or dozen will have a heifer and I in the ideal condition when joining. and confidently say, if I am going to use this bull will rear it. Polled genetics have also been introduced it is going to get me to this place. “Then that 10 or a dozen useless cows become into the herd in recent years, with Mr Cavill “It is sort of fun again. I’ve even thought at 20 useless cows. It also means I can sell those combining high BPI with polled genetics where some point I may go back to the genetics indusbefore I spend the next $1700 getting them to possible. try when I get too old to do this and my son the dairy, as we see the cost of getting a heifer to “My approach is, why wouldn’t I pick the kicks me out.”
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
NEWS // 9
Breeding for polled position KERRY MCGARVIE has one regret when it
comes to breeding polled Jerseys. She didn’t go harder at the start. With 212 polled animals in a herd of 345 females, it’s hard to imagine Kerry ever doubted the concept. But in the early days, after she discovered polled dairy cows online, she still had lingering suspicions. “It seems ridiculous now, but I was still wondering why there weren’t polled dairy cows and what was wrong with them,” she said. “I was apprehensive about trying polled bulls so just used a few straws of three bulls in our herd of 350 Jerseys at that time. “Eight polled calves were born in 2011; not many, given we were rearing 100-plus a year back then. “When I saw that the calves were not only normal, but actually pretty good, I ordered straws of two more polled sires. “To this day, that remains my greatest regret — that we didn’t go harder in the beginning to get polled calves on the ground. “We could have had so many more polls today as some of those original polled daughters are still in the herd today.” Kerry and husband Lawrence Finney diversified their farm near Camperdown in western Victoria and now milk 220 to 240 registered Jerseys under the stud Taughboyne and are developing a meat and dairy goat herd with 400 does. Their polled breeding has come a long way since Kerry stumbled across a “chance comment”, about 12 years ago, on the Jersey Australia online forum about a polled bull. Breeding polled animals was an attractive proposition as the practice of disbudding, while necessary, never sat well with Kerry. “When I discovered there were polled dairy cattle, disbudding went from something I hated, to just another problem that could be solved,” she said. Kerry used the Jersey Australia forum to garner as much information as possible from polled breeders across the globe. Later, an individual group was created where participants only discussed polled bulls and Kerry revelled in the “positive vibe”, information and facts. It was here she learned the polled gene is dominant, and this changed the course of her breeding.
For the past 10 years, Kerry and Lawrence focused on breeding polled Jerseys. They have bred 416 polled females, numerous herd sires and purchased five polled cows. These are a combination of both true polled (homozygous or PP) animals — those whose offspring will be polled regardless of the mating; and poll carrier (heterozygous (Pp) animals — where the animal doesn’t have horns but its offspring could depending on the mating. Two years ago, 82 per cent of their heifers were born polled, their best year to date. “It was a reflection of using polled sires over polled cows. We had more polled cows in the herd,” Kerrie said. Their breeding philosophy has been simple. Everything gets mated to a polled sire. Even mop-up bulls and those used to mate heifers were polled. This has helped build numbers. “I choose polled bulls the same way I’ve always chosen bulls, nothing changed there,” Kerry said. “I choose them on trait strengths, so that I have a bull to fix a problem when needed. “It’s been especially easy to find good cell count polled bulls and I have, at times, had a whole bull team better than the breed average for cell count. “I haven’t focused on fertility, we never felt like that was a problem.” Initially, Kerry looked to the United States for polled bulls. Admitting some of her research bordered on pedigree “obsession,” she scoured the US Jersey Green Book Online and meticulously went through 300-plus bulls searching for specific traits that she wanted with the polled genes. But as the polled bull market increased in Australia and there were more bull options, Kerry used a balance of Australian and US sires. Choosing bulls isn’t as laborious now either. Included in their breeding tool kit is the DataGene Good Bulls Guide to rank potential sires. Kerry has used horned bulls recently, without compromising the polled breeding program. These bulls were selected because of their high scores for other traits and then Kerry used them to join true polled (homozygous PP) cows which ensured a polled calf. Kerry and Lawrence closely monitor their genetic progress. They are part of the Ginfo project where farmers contribute herd recording,
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Camperdown dairy farmers Kerry McGarvie and Lawrence Finney have 212 polled Jerseys in a herd of 345 females.
classification and genomic testing results to the national reference herd. “We haven’t noted any negative effects from breeding for polled; in fact, the most recent DataGene Genetic Progress reports show our herd ranked slightly above breed average,” Kerry said. “Initially we suspected a reduction in bull choices would result in worse type or production, but it has not been the case at all. “In fact, some of the sires have made a big improvement in our herd, especially with type.” Last season, Kerry and Lawrence recorded their highest-ever milk volume from a two-yearold at 25 litres/day. A polled heifer, Kerry credited some of the type enhancements, such as improved stature and strength, for this result. The Taughboyne herd calves in autumn and averages 460 kg of milk solids/cow/year. The farm is a dryland operation with the herd fed 2–4 kg of concentrate/cow/day. The polled genetics have also proven their worth when it comes to classification. Kerry and Lawrence’s highest classified polled cow, at 91 points, is equal to their highest horned cows. They also recently bred their first polled three-generation pedigree where all the dams were scored 90 points or more. Breeding for polled has reduced costs through less disbudding and saved time. But Kerry and Lawrence have also had an increase in demand for their polled bulls. They now have repeat buyers, some taking up to 14
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polled sires a year. Taughboyne’s polled breeding has also attracted interest from herd improvement companies seeking young bulls to test for use in artificial insemination. They “seldom” had this sort of attention before the introduction of polled genetics, according to Kerry. Other highlights have included a progeny test daughter being photographed by an AI company and an On-Farm Challenge class win which went on to be crowned champion of the local Jersey club. “All this happened in the last few years, while at the same time our financial position has improved,” Kerry said. “There just has not been a downside for us.” In recent years, breeding for polled has increased in popularity. Kerry said there was more choice than ever, thanks to genomics. This acceptance of polled breeding and encouragement from the dairy community has been heartening for Kerry. “Some of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had have been other farmers telling me about their polled successes. “I still remember how great it felt when those first polled calves were born, how I did that little happy dance in the springer paddock.”
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
10 // MARKETS
Global demand shows signs of recovery SAM LEISHMAN
OVER THE past four months, governments
around the world have ramped up efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. Now many countries are phasing out restrictions and consumers are beginning to revert back to more ‘typical’ spending behaviours. Global dairy demand is showing signs of recovery as food service outlets, such as cafes and restaurants, are reopening and restocking supply. Furthermore, increases in government market intervention has added support to some products and seen cheese pricing in the Northern Hemisphere rally. Despite improved demand and rebounding commodity prices, the dairy market outlook remains precarious. Low economic growth will likely weigh on demand in coming months, as countries continue to grapple with the pandemic. Government market intervention across the Northern Hemisphere, aimed at re-balancing milk supply and demand, has added support to some commodity prices. In the United States, at the same time as many dairy producers reduced supply and food service outlets began to reopen, the government purchased dairy products to fulfil farmer support packages. This ultimately caused a market imbalance, particularly for cheese. Block cheese prices increased to an all-time high in July, following a 20-year low in April. While some commodity prices continue to rebound, it is hard to gauge the true strength of the market. Meanwhile, the European Commission and European processors implemented incentives to slow milk production and combined with dry conditions in parts of northern Europe, this appears to have been fairly effective.
The European Union’s private storage aid program announced in April — which provided subsidised storage for butter, cheese and skim milk powder (SMP) — has now closed. A total of 135 543 tonnes of dairy products entered the program, with butter accounting for the largest share (50 per cent), followed by cheese (35 per cent) and SMP (15 per cent.) Looking ahead, tighter milk supplies in the EU could help keep a level support for prices. A rebound in commodity prices has also been witnessed in the Southern Hemisphere. Overall, the commodity index jumped 8.3 per cent at the last Global Dairy Trade auction (event 263). This is the fourth consecutive improvement to the index. Whole milk powder (WMP) led the gains, up 13.4 per cent, while SMP lifted 3.3 per cent. Greater demand for WMP can be attributed to higher volumes offered at the auction and demand generated from the food
service industry. However, the level of inquiry for short-term contracts indicates this degree of appetite may be short lived. Improved global demand and rebounding commodity prices (as a result from government intervention and the reopening of food service channels) has given the market a sense of recovery. However, with local and global economic growth forecasts revised downwards and the ongoing risk that COVID-19 presents, is this a false sense of revival? The International Monetary Fund downgraded its global economic growth forecast by a further 1.9 percentage points to better reflect a much deeper economic fallout than first estimated (to total a 4.9 per cent contraction). The revisions were not isolated to specific economics and were more widespread across all regions.
As governments begin to wind back support measures in efforts to limit budget deficits, the economic fallout will likely have an ongoing impact on dairy demand — particularly for prices-sensitive markets across Asia. Additionally, a rise in infection rates and the re-introduction of lockdown restrictions (as seen in Melbourne) continues to pose systemic risk. The momentum observed in the dairy market following an easing of lockdown restrictions has been a welcomed sign. In particular, the reopening of food service channels and sustained higher retail sales of dairy products has continued the recovery in dairy commodity prices. While this is encouraging, many risks remain. The ongoing disruption to the world economy and everyday lives brought on by COVID19 is likely to influence the market in the year to come.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
NEWS // 11
Cheese to be renamed THE NEAR-CENTURY-OLD Australian-made
Coon cheese will be renamed after the brand’s owners acknowledged the racial overtones of the label. Indigenous activist Stephen Hagan wrote to Coon’s Canadian-based owners Saputo in June about the name, highlighting the word was an offensive term that demeaned people of colour. Dr Hagan celebrated news of the name change as “a victory for all of us, particularly activists like myself who dare to challenge the status quo on issues of race”. He received a letter from the company’s chief executive saying they had decided to retire the
name following a “careful and diligent review”. In his letter, Lino Saputo said a new name would align “with current attitudes and perspectives”. “At Saputo, we believe we all share in the responsibility to eliminate racism in all its forms and we feel this is an important step we must take to honour this commitment,” Mr Saputo wrote. “We trust our consumers and our customers will understand our point of view on this topic.” Mr Saputo said the company would consider recognising American Edward William Coon, the man credited with inventing a ripening
process used to make the cheese in the early 20th century. Dr Hagan questioned the authenticity of claims the Australian cheese was named after Mr Coon. The word ‘coon’ first emerged as a racial slur in the United States in the 18th century. “In these enlightened times, people ought to be considering the feelings of people of colour and First Nations people,” Dr Hagan said. The wave of global racial awareness following the death of George Floyd in the US has also resulted in sweet brand names Redskins and Saputo chief executive officer Lino Saputo said after thorough consideration, the company Chicos being scrapped. has decided to retire the Coon brand name.
FREEDOM FOODS EXTENDS TRADING HALT Freedom Foods will not trade on the ASX until November 2 after the company extended its trading freeze. The company’s board said it believed investors required “comprehensive and up-to-date” information as to the impact of the historical issues, financial position and outlook of the company before trading could resume. The trading halt comes off the back of the resignation of chief executive officer
Rory Macleod on June 30, only days after the chief financial officer also left the company and board chairman Perry Gunner stepped up as executive chairman. Shares in the food processor have been in a trading halt since June 25, when the company told the ASX there were some major announcements to be made. The company has announced it has scrapped 60 positions across the business, involving 40 redundancies, and has
had to write-down the value of stock by $60 million. Freedom had told the market in May the figure was about $25 million. In a statement the board said there were a number of activities that needed to be completed before trading resumed, including auditing of their June 30 annual financial accounts, receiving appropriate guidance about their 2021 outlook and securing a permanent chief executive
officer and chief financial officer. It has engaged independent consultants Ashurst and PwC to investigate the company’s financial position. Freedom Foods makes cereals, snack foods and drinks and in 2014 established a factory in Shepparton, which produces UHT milk for export. It has factories in Ingleburn, Dandenong and Darlington Point.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
12 // NEWS
Gold standard in quality control AFTER MULTIPLE silver awards for milk
quality, Lex and Rachael Moloney have been named as gold medal winners in the 2020 Milk Quality Awards. Lex and Rachael have been back on Lex’s family farm at Dixie, near Terang in western Victoria, for six years. During that time they have overseen an increase in cow numbers from 280 to a now 500-strong, autumn-calving herd. Throughout that period of expansion, a strong focus on herd health, investment in infrastructure and a consistent approach to mastitis management has enabled their milk to remain in the top band for milk quality. “I don’t think we do anything different to other farmers,” Lex said. “We are consistent in what we do. We keep a close eye on the filter sock and I check the SCC on a daily basis; when there are clots on the filter or the SCC goes over 100,000 we start
looking where the issue is and strip the herd to find the culprit. “We only strip the herd when there’s an issue, it isn’t something we do as a routine.” The 50-stand rotary dairy is fitted with ACRs and auto teat spray. Inflations are changed every six months, with the plant serviced in line with Quality Assurance guidelines. The increase in cow numbers has led to two full-time employees joining the farm team. Both have completed the Cups On Cups Off training course. “It’s something we happily put employees through if they are interested, especially with less experienced staff,” Rachael said. “It helps them develop their skills and helps the farm too, so it’s a win-win really. The guys working here now are very good at mastitis detection which certainly helps.” Lex and Rachael have worked with their vet to develop treatment protocols for when a case
of mastitis is detected. The severity of the infection is graded and then treated accordingly, with more severe cases receiving intramuscular antibiotics and antiinflammatories in addition to intramammary tubes. “When we find a case of mastitis the cow is drafted out and milked at the end to minimise the risk of cross contamination,” Lex said. “Then we will look at the cow and her history to decide on the best way forward. Cows that are treated with antibiotics are well marked and milked at the end of milking to reduce the risk of antibiotic contamination. “We do have a fairly strict culling policy, especially when it comes to cows getting reinfected in the same lactation, particularly if it’s the same quarter. All factors are considered before deciding on the best course of action. “If we have a few cases close together we often take samples and send them off to be
“Then we will look at the cow and her history to decide on the best way forward. Cows that are treated with antibiotics are well marked and milked at the end of milking to reduce the risk of antibiotic contamination.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
NEWS // 13
Lex and Rachael Moloney with their children on their Dixie farm.
cultured so that we know exactly which bug we are dealing with and can treat it accordingly. “There have also been times that we’ve frozen a sample and then sent it to be tested if a few
more cases are found. “On-farm culturing is something we are interested in looking at. Being able to take a sample and know in 24 hours exactly what we are dealing
with and have written protocols around each of the potential results is something to work towards.” A technology that has already been embraced
is cow activity monitors. The herd was fitted with collars in February this year. In addition to the data regarding heat detection, the Moloneys have already noticed the potential for rumination information to assist them in identifying unwell cows earlier, including those with mastitis. “Early detection of mastitis is key to maintaining a low SCC and our team are very good at that, but we are always looking for ways we can improve,” Lex said. “With a bit more time and understanding of all the available data, I think the collars will help us further improve cow health as well as hopefully improve in-calf rates.” When it comes to dry cow therapy, all cows receive dry cow tubes and are teat sealed. “The first season we were back on the farm we had a lot of heifers come in with mastitis, probably about 20 per cent,” Lex said. “We didn’t want to go through that again so started teat sealing them and now all the cows have that as well as blanket dry cow antibiotics. “Selective dry cow therapy is something we may look into, but we don’t herd test, so I’d be cautious about not doing, say the first-calvers, then having issues in the next lactation. “Going forward there are areas we will look to improve on, but overall, we are pretty happy with where we are at. “We will continue to concentrate on herd health; prevention is always better than cure. “I enjoy taking pride in what we do and in the quality of the product we produce.”
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
14 // NEWS
Happy cows make quality milk A SINGULAR focus on the health and happi-
ness of cows has paid off for Strathalbyn farmer Brett Fiebig, who has been listed in the top five per cent of producers in the 2020 Australian Milk Quality Awards. The awards recognise the farms with the highest milk quality in Australia based on bulk milk cell count (BMCC). For just under four years, Brett has been leasing 97 hectares of dry land and milking between 100 and 130 cows all year round. Prior to this he was sharefarming with his parents at Mt Gambier for six years. “After starting my own dairy farming business in 2017 — and leasing the owner’s cows — I have since bred up my own numbers of registered animals to the point where I no longer need to lease cows,” the South Australian dairy farmer said. “This has resulted in a younger herd of cows, which has led to a higher quality cell count”. The listing in the 2020 Milk Quality Awards still came as a surprise to Brett, who admitted it wasn’t something he was particularly aiming for. “Being listed in the awards is an honour, and
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NEWS // 15
High standards produce results FOR WEST Gippsland farmer David Johnson, high milk quality isn’t just a matter of pride or receiving a premium milk cheque — it’s about producing high-end cheese that value adds to his farm business. David’s 400-cow farm at Neerim South has been named in the top 100 of the Dairy Australia 2020 Milk Quality Awards. The award is recognition for David and his staff, who are all committed to producing high quality products under the Tarago River Cheese Company brand, as well as supplying Burra Foods. “It’s always nice to keep improving,” he said. “My staff are the ones that are doing the grind, day in day out, and it is good recognition of their skills.” David said it was the high standards of staff and the care they take of the animals that helps keep the cows healthy and producing milk with low bulk cell counts. “I believe if you focus on doing the little things well the results take care of themselves. “Having content and quiet cows that aren’t stressed also helps.” When it comes to the nitty gritty of mastitis
prevention, David cites teat spraying, blanket dry cow and teat sealing at dry-off, good shed hygiene standards and herd testing as the four key steps towards success. Maintaining high standards over a long period is a challenge for any farm, with David viewing communication as a key plank in an ongoing mastitis prevention program. “It’s mainly chatting to other farmers and learning what they are doing,” he said. “We also meet often with staff to discuss and improve systems and there’s plenty of material online and on the DA website that we can access. “I’ve also done Cups On Cups Off along with my two key staff. “If staff are training and learning new skills they seem to get more satisfaction from their work. "The ESKI and DA website are both very good resources for our industry.” The bottom line for David is high quality milk means a better experience for his customers. “Having excellent quality milk and low cell count gives our cheesemakers the best chance to produce excellent quality cheese.”
West Gippsland farmer David Johnson’s high standards have delivered him a position in the top 100 of the Dairy Australia Milk Quality Awards.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
16 //  NEWS
Cow barn has many benefits IT’S A cool yet sunny day in the rolling coastal hills of south-west Victoria. Dairy cows — mostly black and white Holsteins — dominate the lush green landscape. From the top of the hills you can see the vast expanse of sea on the far side of the famous Great Ocean Road. This part of the world is beautiful, yet raw. It isn’t windy today, but the slight breeze coming from the west is chilly. It had been pouring with rain during the past four days, according to the dairy farm manager, who was grateful for the sun peeking through the clouds. But apart from muddy puddles littering the laneway alongside the dairy yard, there is no evidence of cold, wet and harsh conditions. The cows, up to 700 of them, are spread across two sides of an impressive 13,000 sq m barn which sits neatly atop a hill at the bottom of the concrete dairy yard. Some are eating, their heads poking through into the central feeding lane devouring the silage and corn ration. Others are loafing on the soft floor — a combination of sawdust and oxygenated compost, the latter keeping the nasty bacteria at bay. A few milkers are sniffing each other, some rub up against the steel rails — unlike their sedentary herd mates these bovines are spending their afternoon socialising. There’s no sign of the cold and wet conditions affecting this herd. “They’ve just started in the shed,� the manager said. “Basically, within the first week in the shed the cows (production) went up three to four litres.  “Then obviously there’s the benefit for the people, it is very comfortable for them to come and do the milking. “They are not saying ‘tomorrow it is going to rain and we need to get the quad bike’ and the bad weather means the cows don’t want to walk because it is too wet or there’s wind coming in the opposite direction. “Staff just come and get the cows from the shed and then they go back to the dairy.� A staff member walks into one side of the barn and slowly begins to herd the cows toward the entrance facing the dairy. It takes only minutes before the herd walks towards the rotary
A south-west Victorian dairy farm is targeting a 40 per cent increase in average herd production through infrastructure investment.
platform and is shut into the yard. Getting the cows from the paddocks in these wet and soggy conditions used to take up to 1.5 hours and required a quad bike.
Shelter delivers benefits Cows have only been living in the Entegra-built and designed Ridgeback cow barn for a few weeks, and the production improvements are already on track to reach the farm goal. The business is targeting production of 12,000 to 14,000 litres a cow per lactation, milking three-times-a-day. This would be an increase of up to 40 per cent from the current average herd production and 127 per cent more than the average Australian cow’s milk production. The land surrounding the dairy and barn,
previously grazed by the herd, is now used to grow rye-grass pastures and crops which are fed back to the milking cows. Gains in milk production will provide the return on the investment for the barn. Improvements in cow wellbeing — and a resulting decline in animal health expenses — as well as better yielding pastures and crops, due to less compaction and destruction from cows, are just added bonuses. Ta k i n g f e e d to t h e c o w s i n l a r g e barns — referred to often as a housed cow or total mixed ration (TMR) farming systems — rather than letting cows graze, has been a popular farming practice in the European Union and the United States. Australian farmers, though, have generally opted to graze cows year-round.
Last year, farms operating with a total mixed ration system accounted for three per cent of the entire industry, according to Dairy Australia’s National Dairy Farmer Survey. This was up from one per cent in 2017 and the rise was attributed to farmers adapting to changes in climate, a desire to increase production and improve animal welfare.
Comfy cows make economic sense At this south-west Victorian dairy farm, cow comfort has always been a priority and its production figures demonstrate the payback on this decision. Housing the cows has further intensified this focus. Professor Ian Lean, a leading authority in the medicine, nutrition, and management of dairy
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NEWS // 17 cattle, is the farm’s consultant. A former lecturer at the University of California in the US and the University of Sydney, Prof Lean remains an adjunct professor at the University of Sydney School of Life Sciences. He instigated the purchase of the Ridgeback barn, drawn to the innovative self-ventilating structure and how it optimises airflow. For Prof Lean, housing dairy cows is a way the Australian industry can overcome some of its profitability constraints. “There are several factors which change the economics, number one is that they are no longer losing energy in exercise,” he said. “Two, it allows the cows to handle the adverse environment far better and the farm is able to grow crops that yield much more per hectare. “Finally, when you are talking about pastures, you are no longer destroying 20 per cent of the pasture through cows walking, defecating and urinating on it. In wet climates, the impact of pugging is vastly reduced. “We have done a number of sheds now (with clients) and they have all had very similar responses. “The thing that makes me, and them, happiest is that they have happy cows. Cows that are really content.” Improved ventilation is at the heart of the Ridgeback design. The barn’s concave curved roof not only looks good, but it helps heat escape faster than a traditional straight-line shed. Studies commissioned by Entegra show at least 20 per cent more air changes per hour inside a Ridgeback barn — compared to traditional style sheds — because of its design. Ridgeback barns have housed beef cattle in the Northern Territory and dairy cattle in hotter, drier parts of the country. Providing protection from the elements and improved ventilation reduces livestock heat stress, improves animal welfare and farm productivity. The Ridgeback on this south-west Victorian dairy farm is 6.75 m high at its lowest point along the outside perimeter and steadily rises to 15 m in the middle. A gap of 1.6 m runs the length of the roof at its highest point — this is where the heat and livestock emissions escape. This Ridgeback has been customised for the local conditions with a shade cloth along the west wall, covering a 5 m opening along the side. This provides additional wind protection and can be moved if required.
The Entegra-built and designed Ridgeback cow barn is already delivering results.
Getting the most from the barn Charles McCalman is an Entegra design consultant and worked with Prof Lean to tailor the Ridgeback to suit the site and farm requirements. “They were interested in our patented roof design, obviously looking to improve the farm through technology and were really interested in the improved ventilation through the Ridgeback,” Mr McCalman said. “From the farm owner’s perspective too, it was very visually appealing as well and that was a major part of the reason, he went with it.” A 3D presentation, including an artist’s impression of the structure, provided an insight into the shed and how it would fit with existing infrastructure and the landscape. Building the shed over the established concrete feed pad was the key to maximising functionality. Entegra project manager Michael Winn said vital construction elements, such as internal clearance heights and the positioning of central posts, were built around the feed and flush area. “We had to be wary of the clearance under the
trusses inside, so it was possible to take tractors down either side for cleaning or spreading out feed,” Mr Winn said. “We didn’t want to restrict the functionality of the barn.” Other customisations included sourcing larger gutters from Queensland, to ensure efficient drainage in the high rainfall region.
“The thing that makes me, and them, happiest is that they have happy cows. Cows that are really content.” “The other things like hot dipped galvanised structural steel is important on cow shelters because livestock emissions can corrode the steel and cause rust issues,” Mr Winn said. “The roof purlins are galvanised, and that just gives them an extra protective coating. If you just had raw material and painted it, that paint would not last long, and the steel would be more susceptible to corrosion.”
Back in the shelter of the barn, the farm manager is excited about this investment in cow comfort and what it could deliver for the future. One change includes moving to year-round calving, enabling the farm to deliver a flat and consistent milk supply — the type of supply in demand in Australia. Individual cow management will also become simpler. Monitoring animals, including what they eat and how they are acting, will be easier, while recording tangible measurements — such as body condition — will help management. But the benefits are not limited to production. In a region known for its wet and soggy winters and surprising hot summer days, climate will no longer be a limiting factor for this farm. “We will try and make the most of the weather we have got here and grow more fodder through the summer,” the manager said. “We will no longer be losing 30 to 40 per cent of our pasture density with cows walking on it — pugging up the ground — on wet days. “It will be good; it makes it very easy and simple.”
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
18 // NEWS
The challenge of making good decisions THE CHALLENGE of managing dairy farming
businesses under increasingly risky and uncertain economic and climatic conditions was tackled at the recent Dairy Foundation Symposium. Held over Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions, a presentation from University of Melbourne farm economist Bill Malcolm focused on how to manage risk and make good decisions in the face of challenges. “Albert Einstein once said, ‘Don’t worry about the future it will happen soon enough’,” Mr Malcolm told the symposium. “The fact that the future will be here soon enough of these just around the corner just over the hill means that we should be thinking about it and thinking hard about it. “Not worrying about it, but thinking about the future is a different world. And it will arrive soon. “And you can’t remember the future. So you’ve got to imagine the future. “What I would say is act now as if the future you expect is already here. “We know there are trade-offs between risk and profit, and much how much risk we
prevented and stress we’re prepared to cope with. “We know that the future is unknowable, there’s more things could happen than will happen. “And we know that rare events with big consequences will happen.” A whole farm approach is key to success, according to Mr Malcolm, who encouraged those in attendance to remember that solutions to problems of parts of their farm enterprise are not solutions to problems of the whole. “People tend to tackle problems in pieces, rather than as a whole,” he said. “And if you solve part of a problem, you’ll get part of it right and you’ve left part of it wrong. “So solutions to parts are not solutions to wholes.” To watch Mr Malcolm’s and other full presentations from the Dairy Foundation Symposium, visit: dairy-foundation.sydney.edu.au/ dairy-research-foundation-2020-symposium
What do most successful farmers and their advisers get right? ■ ■ ■ ■
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They think big. They have well-considered goals. They use the whole farm approach. They distinguish between cash, profit and wealth to judge business performance. They understand growth, gearing and the principle of increasing financial risk. They know costs. They know how to sensibly value farm assets. They understand that risk creates return. They appreciate that uncertainty is trumps. They pursue continual improvement — the status quo is not an option. They know that the quality of management is the key. They recognise that growth and intensification increases mean and variance of profits. They reject unsound advice based on average technical rations. They compare themselves with themselves. They make good decisions. They keep their business afloat.
The best farm decision makers: ■ ■ ■ ■
■ ■ ■
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Do not over-analyse, act quickly and decisively. Can say no to an opportunity. Know it takes longer than planned to reach potential. Know knowledge is incomplete — some things just aren’t knowable. Unexpected things happen all the time. Know nature varies unpredictably. Recognise uncertainty. Know people misunderstand one another and make mistakes. Know we cannot predict the future accurately so have to imagine it instead.
Taking a whole farm approach is key to the success of any dairy farm according farm economist Bill Malcolm.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
NEWS // 19
What lies ahead for dairy? HEALTH AND animal welfare traits will under-
pin the “2030 green cow”, according to Genetics Australia chief executive Anthony Shelly. A focus on breeding for these traits, as well as decreasing a cow’s environmental footprint, will provide the key to the industry’s future. “The community will grant us a social licence with a particular focus on animal welfare and we will need to demonstrate our commitment to these issues,” Mr Shelly told the 2020 Genetics Australia Online Conference. “We can be naive to these facts, but the reality is our social licence is in our hands and we need to put in place appropriate tools, and application of tools, to allow us to the be granted that social licence.” Wrapping-up the inaugural online Genetics Australia conference, Mr Shelly emphasised the importance of breeding traits developed in Australia such as heat tolerance, feed efficiency and mastitis resistance. He said using these tools as part of future breeding programs would demonstrate the dairy industry’s commitment to its social licence. Mr Shelly thanked all the speakers who provided insight on everything from the Australian dairy market, to the future of sexed semen, fixed time artificial breeding, fertility challenges and new breeding traits.
Looking toward the future, Mr Shelly predicted genomic sire usage would increase — following the global trend — while proven semen usage would decline. The performance gap between proven and genomic sires will increase, he said. He anticipated an increase in sexed semen usage, a rise in tailored mating programs, combining reproduction history and breeding value information, while mating strategies using genomic information would be “normal”. Mr Shelly said Genetics Australia was proud of its 53-year history but acknowledged there was still room for improvement in the herd improvement industry to strengthen it for the future. “I strongly believe some of those solutions will be looking towards the future and identifying more of what will be required. “The application of the breeding and breeding traits that are going to allow us to still be regarded as that clean, green Australian industry and one where our partners and suppliers from around the world want to be a part of as well.” More than 300 people from across the globe registered for the seven-week series, with 70 to 80 tuning-in weekly. Dairy farmers and industry personnel are encouraged to visit the Genetics Australia YouTube channel to watch the series.
A focus on decreasing a cow’s environmental footprint will be one of the keys to the dairy industry’s future, according to Genetics Australia chief executive Anthony Shelly.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
20 // NEWS
Thanking Aussies for buying dairy A NEW point-of-sale initiative wants to thank
Australians who purchase dairy products in
support of local dairy farming families. The initiative, launched by Pauls, marks
almost 90 years of the company in Australia. The point-of-sale promotion reveals the
y r i a d y r e v e g n i h c a e r y r t n u o c e h t n i r e m r fa
t r o p e r l a i c e sp
number of dairy farming families that Aussies support when they purchase a Pauls product by state, along with the number of litres supplied and a map which shows the regions where the farms are located. Justin Walsh, a fourth-generation dairy farmer from Jaspers Bush in NSW, said it was rare they get a chance to thank those that consume the milk they produce. “My family is proud to produce a product that is enjoyed daily by many Australians,” he said. “Over the past few months, we’ve received lots of support and thanks from the community, but it’s not every day that farmers have the opportunity to thank the families who buy our products.” The milk also contributes to other brands within the Pauls family, including Harvey Fresh (Western Australia), IceBreak, OAK, Breaka (Queensland) and Vaalia. Pauls marketing director Angela Burr said the idea was to thank the Australian families, both farming and dairy lovers alike, who make it possible for people to enjoy their favourite milk and yoghurt products, year-round. “With almost 90 years of dairy history in Australia, Pauls has proudly supported hundreds of farming families over the years, some of whom have been our partners for three or more generations,” Ms Burr said. “We’re proud to be able to support our dairy farming families for many years to come.”
PAULS DAIRY FARMING BY STATE:
SEPTEMBER ISSUE NEXT ISSUE: SEPTEMBER
ABVs NEXT ISSUE: SEPTEMBER SPECIAL REPORT SPRING PASTURES
SPRING PASTURES
Dairy farmers who want to breed for improved fertility and workability will be keen to investigate the September release of the Australian Breeding The huge productivity gains available through pasture renewal Values The new ABV is aby better indicator of the fertility have (ABVs). been proven by fertility research and farmer experience over of a recent years. Renovating pastures with new high yielding grass bull’s daughters because it draws upon the data for several traits, including The huge productivity gains available through pasture renewal have varieties means moreand milk in the vat andThis more money infarmers the bank. lactation length, mating pregnancy data. is something been The proven by research and by farmer experience over recent years. September issue of Dairy News will feature a special report on have been asking forwith and Dairy will investigate how it can Renovating pastures newNews high Australia yielding grass varieties means the latest technology, equipment and techniques to use to get the impact breeding programs. more milk on-farm in the and Improvement. more money in the bank. The September most out of vat Pasture
issue of Dairy News will feature special on the technolWe’ll also examine the bulls withathe highestreport Australian Profilatest t Rankings ogy,and equipment and techniques to use to get the most out of Pasture how they could influence your breeding program. Improvement. BOOKING DEADLINE: August 20 EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS: Should be sent direct to the editor Alana Geoff Adams AD MATERIAL DEADLINE: August 27 7 Christensen at editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au at editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au by Aug 20 PUBLISHED: September 8 by August 20 CONTACT: Max Hyde | T: 0408 558 938 | E: max.hyde@dairynewsaustralia.com.au
EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS: Should be sent direct to the editor Geoff Adams at editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au by August 20 BOOKING DEADLINE: August 20
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Queensland: 119 dairy farming families supply 131 million litres of milk each year to make products from Pauls, IceBreak, OAK, Breaka and Vaalia.
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NSW: 70 dairy farming families supply 147 million litres of milk each year to make products from Pauls, IceBreak, OAK and Vaalia.
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Western Australia: 52 dairy farming families supply 139 million litres of milk each year to make Harvey Fresh products. Harvey Fresh has been supporting WA farmers for almost 30 years.
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South Australia: 18 dairy farming families supply 65 million litres of milk each year to make products from Pauls, IceBreak, and OAK.
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Victoria: 182 dairy farming families supply 408 million litres of milk each year to make products from Pauls, IceBreak, OAK and Vaalia.
For more information, visit: www.pauls.com.au
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
NEWS // 21
A new style of leadership ONE OF the great surprises of Stuart
Crosthwaite’s university years was being elected president of his hometown cricket club in northeast Victoria. As a dairy farming teenager “too shy to put his hand up in class”, Mr Crosthwaite had no ambitions for leadership roles, nor to become a fifth-generation farmer when he left for university with his sights on a career in engineering. His life goals altered after switching to an Agriculture Science degree, working as a field officer for Murray Goulburn in western Victoria and eventually returning to the family farm at Kergunyah South. Mr Crosthwaite now runs a thriving dairy operation, mentors a future generation of farmers, is founding chair of dairy co-operative Mountain Milk and is participating in the 15-month Australian Rural Leadership Program, sponsored by Gardiner Dairy Foundation. While paving a new direction for the family farm, Mr Crosthwaite inevitably landed on various committees, including Alpine Valleys Dairy, which established a successful strategy to increase the region’s milk production. “I’m proud to say the north-east has probably grown our production by 20 to 25 per cent in the last decade,” he said. Unhappy with Murray Goulburn, Mr Crosthwaite and five farming peers formed the north-east Victorian dairy co-operative
Mountain Milk two years ago. The co-operative has grown to eight members with a vision to produce its own bottled milk, while also increasing its collective negotiating strength with processors. With so much leadership experience, Mr Crosthwaite said his innate style was a “doer”, directing people with “black and white instructions”. But the Australian Rural Leadership Program has been transformative, as Mr Crosthwaite now role models a more inclusive style of leadership which he hopes will ripple through his business and wider dairy industry. “I have learnt a lot about myself, and how my style affects the people around me. “I have a better understanding of how connecting with the people around you can get a better outcome for the team.” Stuart Crosthwaite has changed his leadership style since taking Learning self-awareness has also helped him part in the Australian Rural Leadership Program. appreciate the need to manage his own workload and “help others carry some of the load”, in turn, fostering their leadership capacity. assistant feed manager and assistant mainte- helps enthuse and retain employees. “My leadership style is now more of a facili- nance manager. “I value that my staff can see opportunities tator than a footy captain. Herd manager Angela Dunstone is rapt to for improvements, and I really want them to “I sat down with my staff and we developed have more responsibility and training oppor- have input into that,” he said. our own core set of values. “A lot of people think you are born a leader, tunities in her field of interest and said “They said, ‘we want more teamwork, com- Mr Crosthwaite’s leadership style made her feel but I have learnt leadership can be taught. munication and responsibility’.” “valued and valuable to the business”. “I’ve learnt to be more aware of the people Mr Crosthwaite’s three staff now each have an His new leadership style has made around me and more aware of myself.” area of responsibility — assistant herd manager, Mr Crosthwaite learn that inclusive leadership
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
22 // NEWS
Technology will streamline supply chain for Bega BEGA CHEESE has selected software company
Software AG to provide its Cumulocity Internet of Things solution, which will link the company’s farmer suppliers, milk transport and storage, and processing facilities. The deal will see Software AG providing Bega Cheese with IoT solutions to provide real-time data on milk production including volumes, temperature, quality composition and transport conditions, to gain efficiencies in pick-up and delivery frequency to reduce costs and improve traceability. Bega Cheese supply chain general manager Adel Salman said the company knew IoT could
be an excellent solution, especially with the use of real-time data for both inbound and outbound activities in the company’s supply chain. “What we didn’t have was experience in setting up IoT projects,” he said. “So we started looking around for a partner that could provide us with IoT expertise, resources, industry contacts and help with government backing. “Swinburne University of Technology with its Internet of Things Lab and Industry 4.0 initiatives as well as its research partnership with Software AG was the perfect collaborator for us. “Swinburne University listened to what we
needed to achieve and together with Software AG, developed an IoT strategy with a set of solutions that met our needs.” The scope of the project will include: ■ A novel low-cost milk quality sensor, enabled for IoT. ■ An IoT ‘live’ supply chain monitoring system for continuous real-time monitoring of milk supply quantity and quality, farm conditions (humidity and temperature) affecting milk production and milk pick-up events across the supply chain ■ A dynamic pick-up scheduling and monitoring tool that utilises sensor data reporting milk supply change events to automatically maintain optimal pick-up schedules and pick-up events to monitor schedule and process adherence. ■ A predictive machine learning-based highly accurate forecasting tool for milk quality and quantity that exploits live and longterm historical data from sensors across the supply chain. ■ A Farmer App that provides milk forecasting, together with milk quality and pick-up alerts.
Bega’s grated cheese on the assembly line.
Swinburne University will also develop and build unique new IoT sensors specifically for Bega Cheese. “We’re excited to see the benefits that IoT can bring to our company,” Mr Salman said. “By working with Swinburne University and Software AG, we hope to be able to increase our growth across higher-value premium products thus enhancing the competitiveness for both Bega and our suppliers. “We also aim to increase the company’s supply chain sustainability by reducing milk wastage and fuel consumption of our milk transport partners.” The project is expected to run for 12 to 18 months.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
Learn about good nutrition A DAIRY SA workshop will provide dairy farm-
ers with the fundamentals to good nutrition. The two two-day workshops will focus on allowing producers to examine whether their cows are being fed in the most economic way; determining the right mix of pasture, forages, crops and supplementary feeds; and discovering how nutritional outcomes can be maximised with available feed systems. This two-day Nutrition Fundamentals workshop will focus on maximising homegrown feed, and using supplements in the most cost-effective way to fill any feed gaps. Presented by dairy nutritionist and extension consultant Jo Crosby and Total Results Ag Consulting dairy productivity consultant Mikaela Baker, it is suitable for dairy farmers, farm employees and dairy service providers with little or no experience of dairy cow nutrition and others wishing to refresh their knowledge. It aims to improve participants’ knowledge and skills so that they can confidently make informed, cost-effective, on-farm nutrition decisions that match their farming system and plans.
The workshop will cover the following: ■ ■
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
The importance of getting nutrition right. Ruminant digestion and factors that limit intake. Nutrients supplied by different feeds. Balancing the diet. Condition scoring. The cost of rearing young stock. Feed budgeting. Comparing cost of nutrients.
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24 // NEWS
Plan your approach to pasture renewal PGG WRIGHTSON Seeds is encouraging pro-
ducers to take up a Programmed Approach to pasture renewal. The business has created an easy-to-follow, step-by-step process to improve the supply and quality of your homegrown feed all year round, while optimising your ability to establish a high performing perennial pasture. Taking a Programmed Approach to pasture renewal will maximise the chances of turning a poor performing paddock into a high performing one by addressing drainage and fertility issues, and creating a foundation for improving the result from direct drilling. These items — along with the use of brassica, winter active rye-grass and chicory — are critical components in this process and will help break the perennial weed and wild endophyte cycle. These factors combined will give your renewed paddock the best opportunity to cover feed shortages and provide long-term feed options.
What is the PGG Wrightson Seeds Programmed Approach? Your first step is to identify a poor performing
paddock with low pasture density and weeds. Conduct a soil test and apply capital fertiliser and lime if needed. To clean the paddock of all pasture species and remove perennial weeds, spray out existing pasture with glyphosate and Dicamba (first of two autumn glyphosate applications). Direct drill a winter active rye-grass such as Ascend or Astro — this will provide you with a winter feed supply and potential high-quality silage cuts in spring. After the spring harvest, spray out the annual rye-grass with glyphosate and insecticide. Before moisture levels decline, sow a summer crop of brassica such as Titan rape, Pasja II forage brassica, Goliath rape or Pallaton Raphno. Apply nitrogen regularly if conditions allow and use appropriate herbicides and insecticides about four to six weeks after sowing. It’s important to remember that for high brassica yields, management and monitoring of your summer crop is essential. After you’ve finished grazing your summer crop and had sufficient rainfall, monitor your paddock for weed germination and apply the second autumn application of glyphosate.
This second application of glyphosate is the most crucial step in the Programmed Approach as it helps break the perennial weed cycle before sowing a long-term pasture. After breaking the perennial weed cycle, your paddock is ready to establish a successful perennial pasture. Cultivate to form a fine but firm seedbed or direct drill an elite perennial pasture such as Ultrastrike-treated Base AR37 Reward Endo5,
Platform AR37, Confederate or Quantum II MaxP (mix with proprietary clovers). Once your perennial pasture is dense, welltillered and has survived a summer, you have completed the Programmed Approach to pasture renewal and established a successful long-term perennial pasture. To view a full copy of the PGG Wrightson Seeds Programmed Approach, visit: www.pggwrightsonseeds.com.au
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
NEWS // 25
WA-made cheddar back on shelves Brownes Dairy has announced a new WA-made cheddar cheese will be hitting supermarket shelves later this month.
WEST AUSTRALIAN dairy, Brownes Dairy,
is bringing WA-made traditional cheddar cheese back to local supermarket shelves for the first time in 14 years. Brownes will become the only WA-based company producing cheddar cheese from fresh West Australian milk, in a move the company is expecting to grow the dairy industry and create jobs along the supply chain. “Brownes Dairy has a rich history of making cheese, which dates back to the 1930s,” Brownes Dairy chief executive officer Tony Girgis said. “We want to bring cheddar cheese back to WA because we know there is demand for it and we are keen to invest in WA dairy.” The WA-made cheddar from Brownes Dairy will use old-style cheddaring techniques, including long and slow maturation at low temperatures. Last produced in WA for local consumers in 2006, Brownes Dairy has made significant investment at its creamery in Brunswick in WA’s southwest to make traditional cheddar from local milk. “It’s exciting to be going back to our roots and giving the people of WA a local product that they’ve certainly missed,” Mr Girgis said.
“Our cows are much happier because they get milked more often” Arjan van AdrichemTogari, Tasmania
“We want to bring cheddar cheese back to WA because we know there is demand for it and we are keen to invest in WA dairy.” “Consumers probably don’t think about their fresh cheese travelling across the Nullabor, but until now that’s what has been happening. “We are supporting the local dairy industry by introducing a family staple back into WA supermarkets.” WA currently imports 15,000 tonnes of cheddar cheese a year. Total cheese imports into the state amounts to about 50,000 tonnes of cheese annually. The Brownes Dairy range includes a mature cheddar cheese, aged for 12 months, and a vintage heritage reserve cheddar, aged for between 24 and 36 months. The return of WA-made traditional cheddar cheese comes after Brownes Dairy revived another old classic, bringing back the ‘milko’ delivery service, initially to households selfisolating due to COVID-19. The company said the service had proved so popular, it was set to continue. The Brownes Dairy cheddar cheese range is available online through the milko delivery service and will be on supermarket shelves from August 24.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
26 // NEWS
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have been cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, organisers have confirmed. Following consultation with federal and state governments, public health authorities and agencies, ACM Rural Events said the decision was made due to the ongoing uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic. AgQuip, usually held in August in Gunnedah (NSW), had initially been postponed to November and FarmFest, usually in June in Kingsthorpe (Queensland), had been postponed to October. “It is time to make the call to cancel these events for 2020,” ACM rural events group manager Kate Nugent said. “Considering the size, scale and complexity of such important events to the primary industry and the regional and rural communities, we need surety in order to proceed. “The new lockdown controls now in Victoria and the potential for further re-imposition of restrictions in NSW have created further uncertainty. “Our decision is primarily based on our concern for the public health and safety of our exhibitors, attendees and staff.” Ms Nugent said organisers had hoped conditions would improve and allow them to stage the event safely, but it had not happened. This year would have marked the 48th year of AgQuip, which was first staged in August, 1973. It has gone on to become one of the largest events of its kind in Australia. It was due to be the 45th staging of FarmFest — Queensland’s biggest primary industry field day. CRT FarmFest field days will be next staged from June 8 to 10, 2021. AgQuip field days will be next staged from August 17 to 19, 2021.
“Considering the size, scale and complexity of such important events to the primary industry and the regional and rural communities, we need surety in order to proceed.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
NEWS // 27
DA joins smart irrigation project DAIRY AUSTRALIA is partnering with the
cotton, sugar, grain and rice industries in a project to deliver new efficient water use technologies to Australian farmers. More than half of dairy farmers nationally use irrigation, and farms in some regions rely on irrigated water. A ‘smart irrigation’ project aims to increase average farmer profits by $20,000 to $40,000 annually by providing efficiency benefits. As part of phase two of the Smarter Irrigation for Profit project, the dairy industry has established 17 research and learning sites in dairy regions across Australia — many of which Dairy Australia helps manage. Dairy Australia managing director David Nation said a collaboration of five rural research and development corporations, five universities and four governmental organisations underlined the importance of the project for Australian agriculture. “Smarter Irrigation for Profit is one of Australian agriculture’s major collaborative investments — it will be a game changer for many dairy farmers who rely on irrigation,” Dr Nation said.
“Efficient water use is vital to sustain dairy farming in one of the most variable climates on earth.” Dairy Australia is investing $1.7 million in the project, part of an overall dairy investment worth $7.7 million. Dairy Australia Farm Profit and Capability Group manager Peter Johnson said Dairy Australia’s participation in the project’s first phase had shown opportunities for dairy farmers to reduce costs. “The technologies we are trialling through our investment in Smarter Irrigation for Profit can really help farmers’ bottom lines, by reducing water and energy use and costs, maximising pasture growth, reducing labour intensity through automation and through improved utilisation of data,” Mr Johnson said. “The sites involving local farms aim to increase farm profit for 500 dairy farmers through adoption of technologies and practices that improve water productivity and irrigation performance. “This knowledge can then be made available to farmers across the country.”
Dairy Australia has partnered with other agriculture industries to deliver smarter irrigation technologies.
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28 // NEWS
Farmers encouraged to invest in renewable energy RENEWABLES ARE saving farmers time,
money and effort while drastically reducing their carbon footprint, and some people believe it’s time farmers considered the cost of not investing in them. On-farm renewable energy solutions are being utilised in a variety of different farming industries including dairy, beef and horticulture. Dairies, which often use energy at off-peak solar times, are making the most out of cheap energy from the sun. Keemin Energy Solutions principal John Cutler has been busy helping dairies across Victoria utilise renewable energy to save them massive amounts of money, time and effort. Mr Cutler said for a typical dairy, two thirds of power consumption went towards hot water usage and refrigeration. “You can use solar in the middle of the day to chill water for free, then use that in your afternoon milking to bring down your milk temperature to six degrees to deliver to the vat, improving the quality of the bacteria in the milk,” he said.
“You can also get heat recovery on refrigeration allowing you to deliver 55 degree hot water for free. “You do have to use supplementary heating for sterilisation but you’re only lifting the temperature from 55 as opposed to 15 degrees, so the energy consumption is smashed.” Mr Cutler said dairy farmers could install these “dead cheap” thermal recovery and solar systems for free using government grants and subsidies. “We develop a finance package which means the farmer doesn’t have to find any money at all because it’s on a lease program, and the cost of the lease is covered by the savings so it’s self-funded.” But Mr Cutler said there are some barriers. “The problem facing dairy farmers is they’ve been smashed financially for a long time, they have low cash reserves and are apprehensive as to reinvesting in their business,” he said. “The other problem is that they’re that bloody tired — they work seven days a week — so it’s difficult to have the opportunity to sit down and plan this stuff, it’s difficult.
Dairies are increasingly harnessing the power of solar.
“But they have to force themselves to make that time.” To get in contact with Keemin Energy Solutions, call 5368 2001.
For more information about renewable farming, visit: farmersforclimateaction.org.au
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
30 // NEWS
AWU wants local workers employed A DAIRY Australia application to fill local
The Australian Workers Union has called on Dairy Australia to ensure locals fill dairy industry jobs.
jobs with foreign workers has been labelled “bizarre” by the Australian Workers Union. Since 2015, Dairy Australia has applied to the Department of Home Affairs on behalf of its members to fill jobs at highly-skilled levels under the Dairy Industry Labour Agreement. AWU national secretary Daniel Walton strongly opposed applications this year, saying the dairy body should be looking to fill jobs locally, in the wake of COVID-19. “It’s bizarre that Dairy Australia would be pushing for this change in this economic climate,” Mr Walton said. “Frankly, I think they should chalk this whole thing up as an error of judgment and walk away. “If not, (Federal Home Affairs Minister) Peter Dutton needs to intervene.” Mr Walton called for increased training for domestic employees to address the skills shortage in rural dairy regions.
Overseas workers entering Australia under the DILA must have at least a Certificate III or equivalent to fill these highly-skilled roles. A Dairy Australia spokesperson said a continuing skills shortage was a serious business constraint for many dairy farms and overseas recruits were a last resort. As part of the DILA, Dairy Australia undertakes consultations with the AWU on behalf of all dairy farmers seeking labour agreements, rather than requiring each individual business to consult. The spokesperson said under the DILA, the dairy industry must demonstrate its commitment to investing in Australian workforce development. They said Dairy Australia made a significant investment on behalf of the industry in attracting, retaining, training and developing an Australian workforce. Only 10 dairy farming businesses are currently listed as holding DILAs.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
NEWS // 31
Average hay prices to return REDUCED BALE size and a return to histori-
cal average prices is predicted for the national hay market. Feed Central made the predictions in a July 23 webinar, with Feed Central managing director Tim Ford saying he expected a return to historical average price positions, although prices could vary across regions and are still subject to market and seasonal variability. “Unless there is a major wet through spring and summer, we’re not seeing an extremely low price,” he said. “And if it was to turn very dry, I don’t think the cattle are there to see an extremely high price either. “The best way to go forward is to differentiate on feed tests, visual quality, bale weights and location and producers can use our system to test that.” Mr Ford estimated a northern Victorian cereal hay price of $150 to $250/tonne based on a 600 kg bale weight, with the higher prices destined for the export market. For lucerne hay, Mr Ford hoped $300/tonne could be maintained from farms in northern Victoria, potentially up to $400 depending on quality and feed tests. Vetch hay will be in the middle of those prices. “Vetch hay is now well regarded and if shedded and in good colour it will present well to the market,” Mr Ford said. He said the market had seen the drought contract, a large amount of dry feed in the north and ideal pasture conditions in the south, combined with low stocking rates and agistment being available when needed to help with the feed gap. COVID-19 has also impacted on the five-star hospitality end of the market, adding to general poor confidence. Mr Ford also said the $150,000 instant tax write-off had a big impact on the fodder market, with money spent on new machinery, rather than hay in the lead-up to the end of the financial year. For the 2020–21 season, quality will be paramount. Mr Ford recommended high density bales for efficient storage and suggested farmers organise their shedding and finance for a normal selling season. “The last thing we want to see is the market affected by the person who needs cash.”
Feed Central managing director Tim Ford says hay prices will return to historic averages.
Mr Ford expects to see a trend to slightly shorter bales. “Shorter bales are more convenient for storage and loading onto trailers, handling and putting into feed bunkers and I expect bale length to drop a fraction, especially now that we’re getting such good bale weight.” Feed Central inspected about 300,000 tonnes of hay across the country in the past year and Mr Ford said there had been a massive improvement in quality, which he attributed to industry education, recognition of the benefits of producing quality hay and the dry season. A total of 97 per cent reached an energy level of 9.5, 68 per cent achieved the minimum visual score, 81 per cent reached bale size and 97 per cent bale weight over 600 kg, 65 per cent was shedded and 97 per cent reached target moisture levels. “That’s a big reason to congratulate all
growers for their continued focus on quality,” Mr Ford said. Feed Central general manager Cieran Maxwell advised growers in the feedlot and corporate sectors to have their storage organised as product won’t move off the paddock as it has done so over the past two seasons. “High quality matched with high density bale weights will again be the keys,” he said. “If the season requires it, sacrifice a quantity of yield for quality. Lower quality product will take longer to sell and move.” Mr Maxwell said producers should have finances ready for a possible prolonged selling period. “The market will not necessarily be coming to you this season. “There is no tolerance for lower or varied quality feed. Bunk attraction is paramount and aroma and ration texture essential.”
Feed Central national sales manager Neville Janke said general uncertainty in the market due to the global situation combined with low cattle numbers mean a lower demand on hay stocks in the beef and dairy sectors. Mr Janke predicted limited movement of hay over the next three months. New-season cereal hay and vetch hay will be in the box seat for the six-month outlook, but Mr Janke advised growers to work on a storage plan and fill sheds. “Don’t pin any hopes on a big flurry of buyers ‘off the paddock’ as we have seen in the past,” he said. For the nine-month outlook, cereal and protein hay would be required for backgrounders and dairies. The webinar also included the announcement of 2019–20 Feed Central National Hay Quality award winners.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
32 // NEWS
An additional $2 billion will be available for farmer loans to recover from tough conditions and allow more young people to enter the agriculture industry. Photo: Cath Grey
More loan funding for farmers AN EXTRA $2 billion will be pumped into the
Supplied is y r i a d y r e v e g only a T53 n i h reac y r t n u o c e h farmer in t
SEPTEMBER ISSUE
ABVs SPECIAL REPORT Dairy farmers who want to breed for improved fertility and workability will be keen to investigate the September release of the Australian Breeding Values (ABVs). The new fertility ABV is a better indicator of the fertility of a bull’s daughters because it draws upon the data for several traits, including lactation length, mating and pregnancy data. This is something farmers have been asking for and Dairy News Australia will investigate how it can impact on-farm breeding programs. We’ll also examine the bulls with the highest Australian Profit Rankings and how they could influence your breeding program. BOOKING DEADLINE: August 20 EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS: Geoff Adams AD MATERIAL DEADLINE: August 27 Should be sent direct to the editor Alana 7 at editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au by Aug 20 Christensen at editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au PUBLISHED: September 8 by August 20 CONTACT: Max Hyde | T: 0408 558 938 | E: max.hyde@dairynewsaustralia.com.au
Regional Investment Corporation to expand its drought loans and start a new loan scheme to attract young farmers into agriculture. The news has been welcomed by NSW Farmers president James Jackson, who said the funding would offer a leg-up after years of drought and tough conditions. “The additional operating funding will hopefully mean that processing and approval times will be significantly reduced from the average of 113 business days reported in the recent independent audit of the RIC,” he said. “We recognise that these are substantial loans and there needs to be rigour. “However, the Regional Investment Corporation needs to improve its processes, including the establishment of standard operating procedures with all banks. Existing lenders are a critical part of the drought loans approval process.” Federal Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said the additional funding doubled the total farm and small business loan funds to $4 billion to meet demand. “This funding is available this financial year to ensure support is provided where it is most needed and with the best possible impact,” Senator Cormann said. “Parts of Australia have had good rainfall and the RIC’s drought loans can be used for recovery activities such as replanting and restocking.” The package also included the launch of the AgriStarter loan, almost two years after it was first announced. Seventy-five million dollars will be available under the loan scheme, which will become available from January 1. “This loan will provide an invaluable opportunity to attract and retain young farmers to agriculture and drive innovation, growth and profitability,” Mr Jackson said. New loan terms will apply for loan applications made after September 30. The current two-year repayment free period will not apply for new loan applications made after this date. For applications received after September 30, a five-year interest-only period will apply, followed by principal and interest for the remainder of the 10-year term. “I understand that parts of Australia are still experiencing drought and it will also take a number of years to recover,” Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said. “I encourage farmers and small businesses to get their application in before the end of September if they want to receive the benefit of the two-year interest free period.” The interest rates for Farm and Small Business Loans will drop to 1.92 per cent effective from August 1. Businesses can get more information about RIC loans by visiting the RIC website or calling 1800 875 675.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
ANIMAL HEALTH // 33
Videos focus on fertility putting the fertility on Australian dairy farms into the spotlight. Released by Dairy Australia, the new videos focus on the practices of seven NSW and Victorian farmers with medium to large herd sizes with varied calving patterns. Northern Victorian farmer Simon Portwine, who is the subject of one of the videos, said he had focused on improving fertility as it was a key driver of profit on his 330-cow dairy farm. Selecting for fertility, ensuring a rising plane of energy for cows at joining and using collars for automatic heat detection were strategies Mr Portwine has put in place after learning more about fertility through Dairy Australia’s InCharge program. For Bamawm dairy farmer Nathan Gledhill, fixed time AI, bigger heifers and building a younger herd are some of the strategies he has put in place to improve reproductive performance on the 900-cow dairy farm he manages. With help of his vet and AI technician, who have both reinforced their skills and knowledge on fertility through Dairy Australia’s Repro Right program, Mr Gledhill has seen his six-week incalf rate on the 60/40 split calving herd go from 60 per cent to 70 per cent over five years. Dairy farmers Nick and Emma Strong calve 400 cows all year-round on their NSW south coast dairy farm. By maintaining days in milk around 160 days, they drive higher production from the same feed inputs, capitalising on the fact that the fresher the herd, the greater the production and the greater the profit. Mr Strong believes that vital to achieving days in milk around 160 days is the maintenance of good herd fertility, which is driven by the quality of data collected and analysed and the veterinary service that attends the farm regularly. He also places a great deal of importance on
staff training in areas such as heat detection and the culling of non-performing cows based on production, fertility and health data. Phil Tate, on the south coast of NSW, milks 580 cows that calve all-year-round. He has achieved major improvements in the reproductive performance of the herd by making hard culling decisions to significantly lift the
100-day in-calf rate and 80-day submission rate. The other vital driver he concentrated on was to get the days in milk below 175 days so that he could get cows in calf early, thus improving profitability. Mr Tate maintains good fertility in the herd by keeping excellent data records, engaging professional veterinary services on a regular basis,
having good facilities, an efficient transition cow management program and placing emphasis on staff training, utilising Dairy Australia courses in areas such as nutrition, transition cow management and pastures for profit. For more information and to watch the video case studies, visit: dairyaustralia.com.au/farm/ animal-management/fertility
The Salters have some high targets for Clear Springs Dairy. We're here to lend them a hand.
Award-winning farmers Tim and Fiona Salter have already made a huge impression on their North Tasmania dairy farm. After just three years at the helm, they’ve picked up the prestigious 2019 ANZ Dairy Business of the Year award. Part of that success has been their decision to change their genetics to a New Zealand-style animal that would suit their farming conditions better. Together with LIC, they are improving their breed mix to create cows that are efficient feed converters, producing their weight or better in milk solids and easy to manage throughout the seasons… and it’s paying off. Production for the 2018-2019 season exceeded their forecasts, so next season they reckon they can reach their goal of 500kgMS per cow. The herd is still young, so the Salters know there is plenty of room for improvement yet, even with their high expectations. Contact us to learn more about how LIC can help with improvement on your farm. 1800 454 694 | admin@licaus.com.au | licnz.com/australia.cfm
LICI_780_DairyNews_B
A NEW series of on-farm video case studies is
There's always room for improvement
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
34 // ANIMAL HEALTH
Dealing with non-cycling cows LUCY COLLINS
After calving, a cow’s uterus takes anywhere from 25 to 50 days to recover, her body to reestablish normal reproductive hormone levels and for her to return to normal cyclic activity. Traumatic calving, ill-health and several nutritional factors can delay a return to normal function, preventing cycling and affecting submission rates. This can be incredibly frustrating to manage and have a significant impact on herd reproductive performance. ‘Non-cycling’ is a term used to describe cows within a herd that do not return to visible oestrus (show no detectable signs of heat) within two months of calving. Australian industry figures suggest most highperforming herds have 90 per cent of cows cycling within 40 days of calving (or 10 per cent non-cycling). Some of the main reasons for non-cyclers are listed below.
Dairy News Australia columnist and Kyabram vet Lucy Collins.
In cows: ■
Pregnancy (cows don’t continue cycling when pregnant, although small numbers may still show behavioural signs of oestrus
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when pregnant). Late calving cows (have not had enough time to recover post-calving before mating start date).
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READY TO PUT YOUR REPRO FIRST? CHOOSE PRODAIRY. The reproductive performance of your herd is influenced by the decisions you make at mating time. Make the right choice this breeding season. Call 1800 776 324 or visit ProDairy.com.au
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Uterine infection (the presence of infection/ inflammation can affect normal return to cyclicity). Poor heat detection (cows are cycling but not being recorded). Poor body condition score (BCS) at time of calving/low plane of nutrition post-calving. (Energy balance is directly related to a cow’s ability to ovulate. Ideally, you should be calving cows in BCS 5–5.5/8 and joining in BCS 4.5–5.5/8, losing no more than 0.6 of a score during the post-partum period.) Trace element deficiencies (uncommon, usually associated with overall energy deficit). Silent heats (ovulation without visible/ behavioural signs). Ovarian pathology (follicular or luteal cysts, causing irregular cycles or preventing ovulation altogether). Ill-health (including lameness) influencing apparent cyclicity.
In heifers: Undersized/poorly grown heifers (delayed puberty). ■ Congenital abnormalities (most commonly freemartinism). Pre-mating heat detection (using tail paint, mount detectors, activity monitors or a set of well-trained eyes) will give you the best chance of identifying non-cyclers as early as possible, optimising submission rates and maximising their chances of getting back in calf. Dairy Australia estimates that every true heat detected is worth about $200 to your operation. Vet-checking non-cyclers is advisable to determine uterine and ovary health, rule out unexpected pregnancies and formulate a management plan. If no pre-mating heat detection has occurred, any cows that have not cycled or been joined in the first 21 days of mating should be checked. Non-cyclers not managed in a timely fashion ■
will protract your joining period, increase your veterinary costs, slow your rate of genetic gain, reduce lifetime milk production and increase your number of late calving/carry-over/empty cows. 2011 In-Calf Data shows that cows calved nine to 12 weeks before mating start date (MSD) have a 40 per cent higher in-calf rate than cows calved only three weeks prior to MSD. This is due to the additional time this allows the cow’s body to recover from the last calving and prepare for the next. Commonly, non-cyclers are enrolled in a treatment program involving the insertion of an intra-vaginal progesterone releasing device combined with timed injections of prostaglandin (PG) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). When this program is commenced 10 days prior to MSD — and with enough time between calving and joining — most non-cyclers can then be bred to fixed time artificial insemination within the first few days of joining. This program has the advantage of treating both cystic and inactive ovaries as well as silent heats, and increases submission rates over using PG alone. Industry accepted standards are a 21-day herd submission rate of >85 per cent for all cows in a seasonal/split calving herd, and an 80-day submission rate of >73 per cent for year-round herds. Regardless of your calving pattern, early detection and treatment of non-cyclers greatly improves a herd’s reproductive performance and profitability. As always, prevention is better than treatment so good transition management and ensuring body condition is maintained throughout lactation is key. Lucy Collins is completing her dairy residency with the University of Melbourne. She works as an on-farm veterinarian in Kyabram with Apiam Animal Health, and alongside her partner on his 600-cow dairy farm in Dixie.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
ANIMAL HEALTH // 35
Useful alternative to silage A DEMONSTRATION study conducted by
livestock nutrition company CopRice has shown that a ‘loose blend’ of processed cereals, vegetable protein meals and non-forage fibres can provide a cost-effective alternative to silage during times of limited supply. CopRice operates a model farm in northern Victoria to examine the effectiveness of integrated nutritional strategies and new formulations under real-world conditions. Each year, the company implements dozens of projects that aim to optimise animal health, fertility, productivity, environmental sustainability and profitability. Model farm partners — Fred, Sonyia, Daniel and Ben DeCicco — milk a herd of high production registered Holstein cows at Undera. The DeCiccos usually provide a partial mixed ration (PMR) to their cows over summer to complement their lucerne pastures and fodder crops. However, faced with the complexity of an exceptionally dry summer and escalating water costs, the family opted to supply a total mixed ration (TMR) to their herd over summer. The initial ration comprised farm-grown pasture silage (68 per cent DM) and maize silage (12 per cent) and purchased vetch hay (10 per cent) and cereal hay (10 per cent). This was supplemented with 6.2 kg/day of CopRice dairy pellets fed in the bails. As available stocks of maize silage tightened, the CopRice team investigated how to maximise the utilisation of the pasture silage content and reduce the level of purchased feed resources. The maize silage component and part of the vetch and cereal hay levels in the TMR were replaced with a ‘loose’ blend of processed cereal grains, vegetable protein meals and non-forage fibre sources. The highly-digestible ration was formulated to deliver 18 per cent protein, 11.8 MJ/kg energy and 30 per cent starch. Following a rumen adaptation period, the levels of vetch and cereal hay in the TMR were reduced by about 20 per cent and the amount of pellets fed in the dairy was reduced to 4 kg/day, while total feed offered to the herd remained the same (24.7 kg/day). CopRice model farm manager Ellen Fitzgibbon said the reformulated TMR had a marked impact on boosting milk production efficiency.
“At the start of the trial in late January, the herd comprised about two-thirds spring-calving cows in late lactation and about one-third fresh autumn-calving cows,” she said. “Milk production averaged 27.5 litres/day, while milk composition averaged 4.2 per cent butterfat and 3.2 per cent protein. “Within six weeks, milk production had increased to 30 litres/day, while milk composition had increased to 4.59 per cent butterfat and 3.45 per cent protein. “Total milk solids production increased by 17.6 per cent to 2.4 kg/day, which helped to improve the margin over feed cost by 0.63 cents/ cow/day.” These results were sustained until the completion of the project at eight weeks, when cows were transitioned back to forage pastures and new-season maize silage. Ms Fitzgibbon attributed the significant production increases to improved rumen health and digestibility. “The loose blend provided a rich source of high quality, digestible ingredients and reduced the large, twice-daily fluctuations in ruminal pH
The cows enjoy their mixed ration on the feedpad.
that can occur with high levels of ‘slug feeding’ inside the shed,” she said. CopRice now markets a range of commercially-available ‘loose mixes’ under the DairyBlends brand name. They utilise a range of processed cereal grains, vegetable protein meals and non-forage fibre sources to complement available feed resources or to replace conventional feed ingredients that may be in limited supply. Depending on seasonal availability, raw ingredients may include processed wheat, barley, maize, lupins, canola, soybean, cottonseed, palm kernel, almond hulls and grape pomace. Ms Fitzgibbon is an accredited adviser for the Dairy Australia InCalf Program and a committee member of the Australian Association of Ruminant Nutrition. She graduated from La Trobe University with a Bachelor of Veterinary Bioscience (Hons). Her research on markers of fertility in colostrum was awarded Ag Institute Australia’s Richardson Memorial Award in 2015 for outstanding contribution to agricultural research.
CopRice model farm manager Ellen Fitzgibbon on the Undera property.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
36 // MACHINERY
One-stop shop for service and maintenance FARMERS IN the Corowa region will have less
downtime now that O’Connors Corowa is a fullyaccredited Ryco Connector Specialist. An Australian company, Ryco manufactures
hydraulic hose and fittings found in machinery across a broad range of industries, including agriculture. The accreditation ensures the Corowa
Case IH dealer can offer owners of all machinery brands a one-stop shop for service and maintenance. “Previously growers would need to call
an accredited mobile unit from Albury or Wangaratta, or our technicians would send a hose away for repair,” O’Connors Corowa branch manager Allan Turner said. “With our new accreditation, customers can bring their damaged hose to our workshop on their way into town and collect it on their way out. “Or our own technicians can remove a hose after diagnosis on-site, bring it back for repair and return it to the paddock. “That quick turnaround time will be invaluable during harvest periods.” Mr Turner said the specialist training required for accreditation had been a great opportunity for staff to broaden their skills. “O’Connors is proud of the capability we offer across our branch network and we have a continued focus on staff training, particularly in areas of direct benefit to customers,” he said. “As part of the accreditation, O’Connors Corowa has installed a Ryco Workshop Series digital crimper capable of handling hose widths of up to 3.18 cm, and five staff members, including three apprentices, have been fully trained by Ryco.” Mr Turner credits parts interpreter Brett Arnold and parts manager Geoff Curtis with bringing the new capability into reality. “Their tireless work means we now have the right set-up and equipment, and a robust ordering and stocking process to ensure most issues can be resolved on the spot,” he said. “And for anything else, we can get fittings overnight.” For more information, phone O’Connors Corowa on (02) 6033 1666 or visit: www.oconnorscaseih.com.au
O’Connors Corowa parts interpreter Brett Arnold and branch manager Allan Turner. The business is now a fully-accredited Ryco Connector Specialist, which means they can offer customers a one-stop shop for service and maintenance.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
MACHINERY // 37
Rev-up baling with V6 range THE MCHALE V6 range of variable chamber
balers has taken baling to a new level with its launch onto the world market. The new range includes the McHale V6740 non-chopper baler and the McHale V6750 15-knife chopper baler. Since the McHale V6 range was first introduced at Agritechnica in 2009, the machines have been developed to provide higher density and higher output. The new variable chamber baler range has key features including higher and adaptive intake, a 15-knife chopper unit, a drop floor unblocking system and Expert Plus Control Console. McHale marketing and sales director Martin McHale said the McHale V6 range was recognised worldwide for making well-shaped, highdensity bales. “Our new V6740 and V6750 have brought baling to a new level with higher density, better intake, less crop loss and easier maintenance,” he said. The new McHale V6 variable chamber baler range is fitted with heavy-duty components ensuring long life, high levels of reliability and the ability to handle the toughest crops and ground conditions. The V6 variable chamber balers feature twin skin durable panels that now open upwards to provide better access to the
machine’s components. For higher intake, the new range of V6 machines feature a pick-up with a five-tine bar cam track pick-up or six-tine bar cam-less pickup option, with double crop roller to choose from. McHale has increased the size of the lateral feed auger, which directs crops into the rotor, while increasing the rotor diameter to improve intake. The angle at which the floor is positioned has also been redesigned to maximise the flow of crop into the chamber. An optional selectable knife system is available, which consists of two knife banks that allow for various knife configurations to be chosen to allow zero, seven, eight or 15 knives to work. Should blockages occur, the sound of the slip clutch alerts the operator, who can hydraulically lower the floor from the tractor cab. This widens the feed channel and the blockage can be fed through. Using the new Expert Plus Control Console from the tractor cab, the operator can adjust the bale size, density and the revolutions of net being applied. The operator also has the choice of selecting a soft or hard bale core, depending on the requirements.
The McHale V6 range of variable chamber balers has a range of new features.
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Clean, level foraging paddocks in fewer passes Better paddock preparation for silage crops Great for incorporating manure
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
38 // MACHINERY
Popular tractors get updates JOHN DEERE has announced several updates
ACS 2 can make it easier to turn in the paddock or be set to provide more automotive-like steering during transport.
, E C N A M R O F R E P D N A Y T I C I L P M I S RELIABILITY ENGINEERED TO PERFORM MANUFACTURED TO LAST
and additions to its popular line-up of 7R and 8R tractors for the 2021 model year. New to the 7R Series line-up is the 7R 350, with a 257 kW or 350 horsepower-rated engine — a 20 hp increase over the largest MY20 7R tractor — and a base weight of about 11,200 kg. This means the 7R 350 delivers the best power-to-weight ratio of any John Deere tractor on offer. It comes standard with Triple Link Suspension and Infinitely Variable Transmission and can be ordered with CommandPRO controls for precise speed control and easy implement hookups. John Deere tactical marketing segment manager Marko Koelln said the new 7R 350 provided the ideal choice for jobs that require both power and mobility. “Customers will benefit from the manoeuverability and lighter footprint of the smaller chassis offered by this tractor,” Mr Koelln said. “For example, it is ideal to power large mowing and baling equipment or for hauling heavy loads on-farm.” Another key enhancement for 7R tractors used for hay and forage work is the addition of LSB Ride Control. “As we know, the high inertial forces imposed by Large Square Balers (LSB) can subject the tractor cab to strong movements, which can result in poor ride quality and place strain on the operator,” Mr Koelln said. “This means that, at times, farmers may go for a larger tractor option than what is required to power their bailing equipment, to compensate for this. “LSB Ride Control is an integrated system that controls vibrations on 7R tractors that works in conjunction with a John Deere LSB to mitigate this issue.”
LSB Ride Control modulates the tractor’s IVT to compensate for the rocking motion of the baler plunger. The self-adjusting system improves operator comfort, even as crop density and paddock conditions change. LSB Ride Control is available as a factory-installed option for MY21 on 7R tractors equipped with an IVT and is compatible with John Deere L331 or L341 large square balers. “LSB Ride Control allows operators to operate large hay implements and large square balers more easily, minimise compaction damage due to the 7R 350’s lighter footprint, and to perform mowing, merging, baling and moving bales with one tractor,” Mr Koelln said. Starting with model Year 2021, John Deere will make ActiveCommand Steering 2 (ACS 2) available as a factory-installed option on 7R and 8R tractors. T h i s s y s te m r e p l a c e s t h e o r i g i n a l ActiveCommand Steering system and adds more features and capabilities to further improve the driving experience of the tractor in the paddock or on the road. ACS 2 reduces steering effort for the operator and improves line holding during transport. Mr Koelln said using ACS 2, operators can adjust steering sensitivity and steering wheel resistance, or turn on or off variable-ratio steering, to best match their application and driving preferences. “For example, ACS 2 can be set to make it easier to turn the tractor in the paddock or can be set to provide a more automotive-like steering experience during transport,” he said. The MY21 7R and 8R tractors can now be ordered with deliveries starting in early 2021. For more details about these model year updates, visit your local dealer or www.JohnDeere.com.au
Supreme International manufactures single, twin and triple auger processors with sizes ranging from 235-1877 cubic feet. Unlike most other vertical mixers that use smaller single stage planetary drives, Supreme uses the heaviest two-stage planetary drive available. Each Supreme pull The Supreme processor is designed type is builtvertical to order with a large variety of options available, ensuring each to have fewer weargets points and a simplicity that customer a unit that is designed to meet their specific needs. gives hassle free maintenance Supreme’s mixing tubs have been carefully AR200 WALLS designed for easier loading, better mixing and longer life. The unobstructed opening facilitates loading of whole bales, regardless of type or size. Supreme International manufactures single, twin and triple auger processors with sizes ranging from 235-1877 cubic feet. Unlike most SYSTEM other verticalSCALE mixers that use smaller single stage planetary drives, Supreme uses the STEEL OIL RESERVIOR(S) heaviest two-stage planetary drive available. Combined with a heavy duty gearbox, this robustFULL system rotates the auger through the SIZE PLATFORM toughest of materials.
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LSB Ride Control modulates the tractor’s IVT to compensate for the rocking motion of the baler plunger.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2020
MACHINERY // 39
Virtual classroom for Case IH training CASE IH dealer training sessions looked dif-
ferent last month, with coronavirus restrictions causing a re-think. Machinery training would normally be held in person but, under COVID-19 restrictions, the company chose to open training up to more dealership staff through a virtual classroom. Case IH Australia/New Zealand general manger Pete McCann said to protect staff health, face-to-face training was out of the question. “But equally our business operations must continue and training for dealers on current and new machinery is an extremely important part of what we do to ensure they have the most up-to-date and comprehensive information for customers interested in our product lines,” Mr McCann said. The solution was online training sessions and over three weeks of sessions, NSW’s Case IH product specialist Jason Wood led tractor product training for more than 200 Case IH dealer representatives from across Australia and New Zealand.
For the first time, training was conducted from the cab of a tractor, with numerous cameras mounted in the cab to show dealers the features via Mr Wood’s laptop. “There’s cost savings when participants don’t have to travel and conducting our training in this way actually allows us to get to a wider audience because dealerships can involve more of their staff when it’s in an online format,” Mr Wood said. Mr McCann praised the efforts of the Case IH team in ensuring an engaging and successful training experience for dealers. “None of us know how long these pandemic restrictions will be in place, so it’s reassuring to know we don’t need to stop what we’re doing,” he said. “Using some ingenuity and with the help of online technology, we can continue to reach out to our dealerships and through them, our customers, by providing the most current information related to every aspect of our product range.”
Case IH product specialist Jason Wood in his tractor cab ‘classroom’.
TECH TALK ADVERTISING FEATURE
Improving colostrum quality A demonstration study conducted by CopRice has shown that careful attention to dry cow nutrition can significantly improve colostrum quality. CopRice is one of the leading providers of nutritional solutions and advice to the Australian dairy industry. The company operates a ‘model farm’ in northern Victoria to examine the effectiveness of its integrated nutritional strategies and new formulations under ‘real world’ conditions. Model farm partners, Fred, Sonyia, Daniel and Ben DeCicco, milk a herd of a high production registered Holstein cows at Undera. Their herd comprises a mix of twothirds spring-calving cows and one-third autumn-calving cows. The provision of high quality colostrum to newborn calves has a direct impact on calf health and growth. Besides providing a rich source of protective antibodies, colostrum also contains a range of vital hormones, proteins and other nutrients. Optimal colostrum intake has been shown to directly influence average daily weight gain of dairy calves during the first 56 days of life. This has a range of flow-on benefits, including improved calf survival, lower risk of disease, lower veterinary costs, lower cull rates and a lower age at first conception.
Spring 2019
CopRice nutritionists measured colostrum quality in 89 spring-calving cows in the model farm herd last spring. The Brix content of the samples ranged from 12% to 34%, with 53% of the samples assessed to be high quality (≥22% Brix), 34% medium quality (19–21% Brix) and 13% poor quality (≤18% Brix). Newborn calves were given two two-litre feeds of high quality colostrum within 12 hours of birth. Serum samples were collected from these calves to assess the rate of passive immunity transfer. Impressively, passive immunity transfer was detected in 91% of the calves, well above the industry standard of 70%. The CopRice team then considered steps that could be undertaken to improve colostrum quality in the autumncalving component of the herd. Dry cow management should be focussed maintaining body condition and improving health and immune function during late gestation and early lactation. At the very least, a good nutrition program should aim to replace all the macro and
Colostrum quality
Autumn 2020
Poor (≤18% Brix)
13%
High (≥22% Brix)
34%
10%
Medium (19–21% Brix)
micro-minerals lost during the previous lactation. Summer pastures often lack sufficient levels of these essential nutrients. The autumn-calving portion of the model farm herd was offered ad-lib access to an innovative loose lick from drying-off until three weeks before calving. Scientificallyformulated to support mammary involution and immune function in late gestation, the lick contained a rich source of high performance macro-minerals, organic and inorganic micro-minerals and vitamins. CopRice Dry Cow mineral lick is part of CopRice’s new range of Lac Cycle range of dairy pellets and concentrates, which are scientifically-formulated to meet the unique nutritional needs of dairy cows at different stages of the lactation cycle. Separate formulations are available for Pre-Calving, Fresh Cow, Peak Milk, Mating, Mid Lactation, Late Lactation and Dry Cow.
THE RESULTS This study showed ad-lib access to a loose mineral lick from drying-off until three weeks before calving had a marked improvement on colostrum quality: • The incidence of high quality colostrum increased from 53% in the spring-calving group to 74% in the autumn-calving group
17%
53% 74%
• Average colostrum quality improved from 22.9% to 23.3% Brix • The range of colostrum quality increased from 12–32% Brix to 15–38% Brix COVID-19 restrictions prevented CopRice from collecting blood samples to check for passive immunity transfer in the autumnborn calf group but monitoring will continue this spring.
For more information about how CopRice can deliver measurable improvements in the health, fertility and performance of your herd, please contact CopRice on 1800 029 901.
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