IDENTIFY your most limiting factors and your biggest opportunities, set goals and targets, be a good decision maker,and ‘seasonpr oof’ yourfar m-those wer e some of the key lessons avisiting farmer from the WesternDistrict imparted to the Gippsland Red Meat Conference in Bairnsdale last month.
Ben Young, fromMacArthur, located betweenHamilton and Port Fairy,was akeynote speaker at last month’s conference. His topic: ‘TheFar mer’stoolbox -Finding the right tools for asuccessful business’.
Ben set out his parameters: his farmisusually good but variable annual rainfall, despite last year being the most challenging year in his farming career,financially and operationally.
He startedinthe operationin 2002 -it’s been home for 23 years -with then about 800 hectares, with 4000 merino ewes, and 300 FI and Angus cows. As well, he leasedwith his fatherPeter a property in Camperdown with 1500 cows.
The partnership has three fulltime staf f- 28-year -old Laura, Dylan a24-year -old qualified electrician, aKiwi “who does odd jobs”,and aschool-based trainee once aweek, and casualsand sub-contractors to fill the gaps.
The ca t t le a re af ul ls pr in g
STRAIGHT-A STUDENTS
Toolboxfor farmers
harvest Angusherd, whilethe sheep now lamb ln July, achange from the previous September “Wepredominantly haverye grass and sub-clover pastures,” he told the audienceofabout 300.
“Wehave done the opposite to many -purely based on production and shoulder lengths -grow crops for finishing lambs and weaner calves and grow kale to fill winter feed gap for cows.
“Wehave ahuge focus on fertility. Ilove fertiliser -it’s the backbone of my pasture. We areusing quite abit of nitrogen now on top of our annual fertiliser regime. We now spread annual fertiliser after the break so we can put nitrogen on atthe same time to simplifythe operations. We do sometimes use nitrogen in the spring if we need it,” he said.
“My bigge st f ocus i nonthe shoulders ofthe season; Iwant my growing season to be as long as possible.Last year was nota great growing season, but winter was war m, abit dry butgood pasturegrowth. Normally it’s too wet -Gippsland has plenty of areas much the same.”
Ben said traditionallyhegrew steers to 400-500 kilograms and sold them at 14-15 months of age into feedlots.
Continued -Pages 46-47
Agriculturedrones brings new heights
Philip HOPKINS
JES Sago, aself-described “refugee from the city”, traded bustling urban life for the shores of Bass Coast almost adecade ago.
Drawn by childhood memories of afamily beach house near Wonthaggi, he swapped his career as alandscape architect for apioneering ventureinrural innovation: drone technologythat is helping to revolutionise productivity in agriculture.
Today, his company, Worker Bee Drones, is at theforefront of driving efficiency in agriculture, using drones to tackle everything from invasive weeds to precision mapping, underpinned by astrong belief in environmental stewardship.
Jes’ journey into the drone industry wasn’t linear.After leaving landscape architecture, he embraced arole as astay-at-home dad.
“I was astay-at-home dad for afew years. Ihighly recommend it. It’s an important job, areallyrewarding thing being home and making it nice for the personout there earning all the money,” Jes told Gippsland Far mer
Atoy helicopter,bought as adiversion, became his gateway to anew career
“I playedaround withit; Iquickly realised this was afun thing to do. Then Ifound out you could actually make money with drones,” he said, prompting him to earn his Remote Pilot’s Licence.
“Eight years ago, Ihad been teaching in the university in the landscape game, the company Idid my training and the licence with offered me ajob training drone pilotsso Iwalked straight into the industry, spent eight years doing that, trainingother pilots and licensing them with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.”
In 2023, Jes spotted an opportunity in agricultural drones.
“About two-and-a-half years ago, Idecided Iwanted achange -agdrones werestarting to get good and useful -they had been hit and missbeforethat. Iwent out on alimb, investeda bit of money, bought myself a set-up, and got going by wordofmouth in Bass Coast and Gippsland, mainly in the Wonthaggi area,” he said.
Thus,Worker BeeDrones was bor n, with acheeky motto: ‘If it’s dull, dirty, or dangerous, get adrone to do it.’
“‘Death from Above’ we call it; we provide the ability to kill thingsfromabove,kill the weeds -that’s still the majority of our work; as we apply chemicals to the weed,” Jes said.
Tr aditional methods, like helicopter spraying or manual labour, often result in chemical drift or incomplete coverage.
“Whereas we come in at about two metres above, we have very precise droplet-size control; thereisthe downforce of the props, so the drone sits over it, it jets spray straight down -very precise application and the prop-wash flips the plants round asthe spray comes down, so it thoroughly covers thetops andbottoms of the leaves. The kill rate is amazingly good.”
The business expanded rapidly, thanks in part to 19-year -old Ethan Lewis, who hails from Blind Bight at the top of WesternPort.
“About 18 months ago, Ineeded some technical assistance logging in to my Life Saving Victoria online lear ning site”, Jes said, who is an active surfrescue life saver at Cape Paterson.
“There was ayoung fella at the SurfClub that day, Ethan, whom Ihad nevermet before, who said he could help.Hewas
already flying drones on his farm, and keen to enter the industry.”
Ethan, now alicensed spray drone operator,helped scale operations.
“Wehavefourstaff now, andalot of repeat customers in our third season. We have three spray drones, and we run two mapping drones, five camera drones, some indoordrones, someracing drones. We just love our drones, mate!” Jes said.
Environmental ethics remain coretotheir mission.
“We’veknocked back work acouple of times because far mersaskedus to use some chemicals that we thought were obsolete and damagingtothe environment Thereare better,newer ones that can tackle the same weeds but don’t have the same healthand environmental impacts,” Jes emphasised.
“Wepay close attention to the safety data sheets of everything we use. Luckily enough, one of our staff is a chemist, studying at university. He has a very good knowledge of the technicalspeak in the safety data sheets. We pay close attention to what we use; we like to say, ‘The paranoid survive’.”
While weed control and fertiliser application drives most of theirwork,Worker Bee Drones also excels in 3D mapping and aerial photography.
“Werecently helped an ag excavation contractor with drainage work; we developedasystem to mapproperties in 3D, withaerialimagery andacontourplan, with an analysis of the contours. We can also provide adrainage analysis of those properties,” Jes said.
Theyalsocollaborate pr obono with groups like Landcare.
“Wedoadvocacy work -demonstrations, for example, with Landcare. We don’t charge for that, it’s good for the industry and everybody.”
Looking ahead,Jes sees limitlesspotential.
“The sky is the limit for us, we’rehappy to keep expanding and will operate in most areas of Victoria. It’s definitely something you can modularise. Idon’t see alimit to that growth potential,” he said.
Ethan added: “Don’t forget the time savings. Compared to the traditional survey method, the amount of data we can collect is thousands of times moreefficient”. With ateampassionate for innovation, “we’reheretomake farming smarter,safer, and greener.And honestly, we’rejust getting started”, Jes said.
Worker Bee Dr ones operates acr oss Victoria,withafocus onBassCoast, Strzelecki, Mt Worth and broader Gippsland.
Ethan Lewis operates adrone as Worker Bee Drones company chief Jes Sago looks on.
Photographs: Phillip Hopkins
Adrone in flight,poisoning the weeds in the air
Herdefficiency the key for cattle
CATTLE Australia says it may have found apath to reinstate asuspendedcarbon far ming methodology that incentivises producers to reduce methane emissions by making their herds moreefficient.
Earlier this year,the Department of Climate Change announced it was suspending the Beef Herdcarbon far ming methodology, with concer ns it was not meeting integrity standards. The methodology had beenunder reviewoverthe past two years.
Cattle Australiahas been critical of the Gover nment’s handling of the situation, sayingitwas not interested inachieving genuine outcomes for agriculture.
The organisationhas been in Canberra trying to find away of keeping the methodology -which both CEO Chris Parker and deputy chair Adam Coffey said may have been successful.
“The Feds pulled that methodology with limited consultation,” Mr Coffey told apanel discussion at Wilmot Field Days.
“But we areentering into adialoguewhere Ithink we can that method back up and running with some extra assurances and verification.”
What is the Beef Herd method?
THE BeefHerdMethodology incentivises producers to reduce methane ‘emissions intensity’ by either increasing the ratio of weight-to-age of the herd, reducing the average age of the herd, reducing the proportion of unproductive animals in the herdand changing the ratio oflivestock classes withinthe herdtoincrease the total annual live.
It was mostly used by corporate cattle companies to dip their toes in the water of thecarbonmarket -with large numbers of cattle needed for the projects to be viable.
Almost one million Australian Carbon Credit Units had been credited under the methodology.
What wasthe concern?
THE concer nw as raised by ar eview undertaken by the Emissions Reduction AssuranceCommitteethatraised three
problems with the methodology:
The possibility that seasonal variation rather than management was behind the improved ef ficiency;
Carbon leakage can occur where unproductive animals can be cast out of the project, but not necessarily out of the system, and;
As the Australian beef industry has become ef ficient without the incentive, the method was no longer achange from business as usual.
Cattle Australia’s concern
CATTLE Australia has been raising aseries of concerns about the waythe Government has handled the Beef HerdMethodology, particularly for the lack of consultation.
The final report said the review of the method had received five submissions, two from beef producers or their representatives, one from abeef industry representative and two from individuals. Itdid not disclose exactly who those submissions werefrom.
The other concern is the lack of agriculturefocused carbon methodologies,with soil carbon being one of the only other methodologies to encourage agricultural production.
“The decision also ignores the massive investment theAustralian beef industry has madeinresearch and development projects thathavedeliverednew pasture species, nutritional additives and genetic technologies to helpus achieveour goal of climateneutrality,” MrCof feysaidin response the original decision.
“The grazingsector has been proactive in respondingtocalls to implementpractices that minimise climate impacts -weurge the Federal Government to repeal its decision and open access for increased participation in theBeefHerdMethodasaneffective financial incentive for climate abatement.”
With the integrity of the methodology being the main factorinquestion, Nationals senator Susan McDonaldtold aSenate Estimates hearing that the Government’s suspension itself wasunder miningthe integrity of the work producers had done.
“Tosay they have to be integritysystems, of course they do, but only as long as the departments aresupporting far mers in
this -and Idon’t seeing that happening,” she said.
“Instead, farmers aresaying: ‘Why would we spend another dollar on emission
reduction when our own Gover nment is undermining the credibility of Beef Herd Methodology?’” -Beefcentral
Region’s Korean nuclear blueprint
Philip HOPKINS
A1000 MEGAWATT nuclear powerstation using South Korean expertise could be built in Latrobe Valley in seven years, withafleet possibly in 11 years, at an estimatedcost of $10billion each, according to an Australian nuclear expert,Robert Parker
Mr Parker,who spoke on nuclear power lastyearatthe MorwellRSL,was commenting on areport of anuclear power delegation to South Korea in January, that he participated in.MrParkerwas invited on the tour by the Opposition spokesman on Energy,Ted O’Brien.
“I paid my own way and received no industry funding,”hesaid.
He emphasised that he is not a member of any political party, but in 2007 he was the endorsed ALP candidate for the NSW State seat of Goulburn
The tourcovered meetings witheight SouthKorean nuclear energy companies, manufacturers and educational institutions. It followeda similartour in 2018
Mr Parker saidSamsung Construction and Trading Corporation estimated alarge APR1400MW nuclearpower plant would take seven years to build.
Korea Hydro &Electric Power (KHNP), which supplies 32 per cent of the country’s electric power,also estimatedaconstruction time of seven years.
“They arelooking forwardtodelivering two APR1000MW units to the Czech Republic- on time and on budget,” he told the Gippsland Farmer.
“We wereadvised by KHNP and the Korean contractors that the last few years has been spentonidentifyingsuitable equipment suppliers in the Czech Republic and identifying opportunitiesfor localisation.”
Eachr eactor has six teams with 11
operators per team. Total staffing in each reactor is about 500
Mr Parker told GippslandFar mer that the Koreanbid to the Czech Republic for the APR1000 units cost $US8b each, or $A12b. This was somewhat “gold plated” andincluded double-walled containment vessels and other localisedfeatures, he said.
The Korean contract for the 5600MW Barakahnuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates -fourAPR1400 nuclear reactors -was $US32b -$US8beach$A8570/kW,“which is what CSIRO gen cost is reporting”. Barakah, which was built on time and on budget withnoliquidated damages, supplies up to 25 per cent of UAE’s electricity needs.
Mr Parker said there wereagreat many factors that affect pricessuchaslocal labour costs,climate andthe abilityof the selected nation to construct the civil component competitively.
“Oneofthe really key issues is finance,
which is wherethe federal government’s role is keytoensuringinterestrates are kept low,” he said.
Modelling done by Nuclear for Climate Australia onfour1000MW APR1000units in Latrobe estimated acost of $A10,000/ kW,whichis$A40 billion -$1b per 1000MW unit.
“How reliable is this cost? On the plus side, the South Koreans have awell-defined supply chain and areliable technology that works by precedent. Further,the climate in Latrobe is very mild and afull 12-month construction cycleisensured,” hesaid.
On thedownside, Mr Parker said the 1000MW-sized plantswouldtake about the same time to build as their larger 1400MW cousins
“Building larger plants would need more energy transfer capacity between NSW and Victorian in case one plant went offline. So, this is wherenetwork planning and optimisation needs to take place,” he said.
“The Koreans offered to assist us with a moreaccurate costs estimates for nuclear power plants in Australia -it’s an offer that should be takenupverypromptly.
“I estimate thatthe actual physical construction will take 11 years and employ up to 4000 people on site duringthat period.“
Mr Parker said the Koreans repeatedly stressedthe needfor achievingsocial licence.
“I formed the opinion that Koreans work far morecollaboratively than do Australians -they speak continually of ‘Team Korea’. Iwish we had the same ethic in Australia with respect to energy provision. Why do we continuetobepolarisedon this issue when disciplined collaborative study would largely resolve the issue?”hesaid.
Mr Parker said cooling water provision was another matter that must be addressed in
asober fashion. Nuclear opponents treated it as a‘gotcha’ issue.
“It is resolvable by some innovative solutions,” he said.
“Thoseexisting large brown coalpits represent part of thesolution.”
They could be recharged by ground water and surface water and have amuch lower wateruse thantraditional evaporative cooling towers
He notedthat bothSnowy Hydro2.0 and the Borumba Pumped Storage in QueenslandwereintegralpartsofAEMO’s Integrated System Plans.
“Without deep storage, thereisnoway totransferhuge amounts of energy over days or weeks to address wind droughts,” he said
“Our nuclear option does not need deep storage becauseit’steamedwithsolar and some wind, it does need shorter term four -to-sixhour storage for our ‘shoulder’ high-useperiods in the mor nings and eveningsand to enhance grid stability if gas turbines arefully eliminated.”
Mr Parker said much was made of seismic risk. “Yes, it must be properly addressed, but in the Australian context was another hurdle created to sow doubt and was a ‘non-issue’ in the large scheme of things,” he said
Hyundai Engineering &Construction, cited in the report, was foundedin1947 and has 14,000 employees. They have been involvedinthe construction of 26 nuclear power plants and lead contractor atseveral sites, including four at Barakah. Hyundai’s new growth markets include small modular reactors (SMRs),whichare advanced nuclearreactors thathave apower capacity of up to 300 MW(e) perunit.
Continued on page 5
From page 4
Hyundai noted that staf fing suitably skilled labourwas important. SMRs had abig on-sitecivil component, possibly proportionally larger than large plants.
Samsung C&Tisinvolvedinlarge-scale nuclear power plant construction as well as renewable energy and transmission projects, plus nuclear plants in Korea, UAE and Romania. In Australia it was focussing on renewable energy and ‘green hydrogen’.
The report said Samsunghas afavourable outlook for nuclear in Australia; 100 per cent renewable energy “is not possible”, so baseloadpower wasneeded.“Nuclearis the only option for baseload if coal and gas aredenied due to emissions constraints,” Samsung noted in the report.
Helen Cook said in the re port that Australia’s research reactor meets all safety standards of the Inter national Atomic
Energy Agencyand “we have signed up to necessary protocols”. “Australia has an existing regulator with alongand establishedinternationalreputation in ARPANSA (Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency).”
The report said the former Moon government’snuclearphase out had createda backlash,accordingtoKHNP.“The public want energy securityand industrial progress. Korea has high levels of energy use and industry shipbuilding was badly af fected. Nuclearphase out dr ove up energy prices with increased levels of fuel importation. Nuclear provides price stability and is carbon free,” it said.
KHNP advised that the nuclear fleet will remain under government ownership for energy security and maintenance of safety -“alesson her for Australia in selling off its coal fleet”, the report also noted.
Experts in delegation
THE Korea-Australia Nuclear Cooperation Program January 2025 study tour of South Korea’s nuclear industry consisted of experts in nuclearengineering, nuclear law, energy economics and investment banking.
These were:
The Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy, TedO’Brien.
Nuclear law expert Helen Cook, the Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Global and Public Law, Faculty of Law at UNSW.She is the author of anuclear law textbook and afor mer chair of the World Nuclear Association’s Law Working Group.
Mike Newman, an investment banker for morethan 25 years and the for mer NSW Gover nment Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner,
North Asia who has lived in Japan for 25 years.
Jasmin Diab has aMaster of Nuclear Engineering from UNSW and is the Australia Managing Director of Global Nuclear Security Partners and President of Women in Nuclear Australia.
Stephen Wilson, Adjunct Professor in the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering at the University of Queensland and an energy economist with 30 years’ experience in morethan 30 countries.
Dr Robert Parker,acivil engineer with morethan 35 years’ experience who holds aMasters in Nuclear Science. He is afor mer President of the Australian Nuclear Association.
Holsteins still tops
HOLSTEINS makeu p7 0p er cent of Australia’s national herd, down from 76 per cent adecade earlier,according to DataGene, Australia’s largest data base of dairy animal performance records.
Jerseys -onthe other hand -have been undergoing aslowand steadyrisein popularity.The national herdrecorded atwo per cent increase in the number of Jersey cattle during the past decade to a total of about 17.4 per cent.
However,12per cent of the national herd doesn’t have arecorded breed, according to DataGene analysis.DataGene wants more farmers to recordthe breed of their cows and heifersfor aclearer andmoreaccurate pictureofthe national herdcomposition.
Michelle AxfordfromDataGene said recording the breed, if it’s known, assists the herdimprovement sector
“Ifthe breed of acalf is known, say for example it’s mostly Holstein, recording the breed increases the precision with which statistics can be delivered,” she said.
“It also increasesthe chance of that animal getting abreeding value of its own, for genetic evaluation.
“However,ifa dairy farmer doesn’t know
the breed it is better to leave this blank than recordpotentially inaccurate information or genomic test the animal for an accurate determination of the calf’s breed.”
DataGene’s Central Data Repository grew by six per cent during 2023-24 to atotal of 18.2 million animal records. This growth has come due to DataGene’s development of high throughput connections between dairies and theCentralDataRepository with programs such as Ginfo -the national genetic information reference herd-and the dedicationofAustralia’sdairy farmers to their herdrecording.
DataGene is also investigating options to expandthe Central Data Repositoryoutside of herdrecording with its DataConnect project.
DataConnect is amultiyearproject where DataGene works with milking equipment manufacturers, on-farmsoftwareproviders and corporate dairy companies to identify the best mechanisms to connect data to the Central Data Repository.
To find out more, read DataGene’s 2024 HerdImprovement Report at: datagene com.au/about/corporate-reports/
Photo: iStock image
Kikuyu dairy pastures difficult to get right
ACHIEVING the ideal grazing residue on kikuyu dairy pastures can be challenging, even for motivated farmers.
Early findings from Dairy UP research have shown thereare times when the pastur eo no ff er is too high, leaving greaterthandesired residualsofmore than 1700kg DM/ha leading to apotential lossinregrowth. And in the autumn when growth is slow, residuals can be far lower than the recommended 1700kg DM/ha.
The Dairy UP team has been monitoring 15 farms at Bega,Tocal, Taree, andLismore using rising plate meters at five locations on eachfarm, withresults comparedto satellite-derived data.
The findings areconsistent with previous research which showed apotential loss in regrowth rate of 25 percentfor the following grazing whereresidual dropped to less than 1300kg DM/ha.
Project lead, Professor Yani Garcia, said the results highlight the hidden cost of less-than-ideal grazing residuals.
“The challenges that occur when growth rates change rapidly with seasonal conditions,” he said.
“At key times it can be hardtostay with aset rotation lengthand/or stockingpressure-weneed to recognise conditions that slowor speed growth rates andrespond quickly.”
Dairy UP is exploring new management options to grow and utilise moreKikuyu
over summer but moving pastureresearch forwardisnot without challenges.
“Satellite imagery is helpful but it needs morerefinement and moreresearch,” he said.
“For example, as the regrowth of ryegrass or kikuyu reached canopy cover,the satellite measurements of greenness -and so growth-wereless accurate because the reflection of light waves didn’t change, but biomass continued to increase.”
The re sults wer ee ncouraging, but Professor Garcia said that without adding the rising plate meter data, the variations weretoo high to confidentlyadjustsupplements and grazing.
However,the team believes ther eis potential in pursuingthe use of satellite imagery. The number of satellites in orbit hasincreased, providing greater accuracy andthe ability to miss cloudy days.
“There’s now areal opportunity to automatically measureand monitor pasture growth,” he said.
The use of advanced sensing technologies is part of asuite of Dairy UP projects thataim to unlockthe potentialofKikuyu pastures used by NSW dairy farmers.
Other projects areinvestigating kikuyu varieties, kikuyu poisoning (toxicity) and carbon from kikuyu pastures.
For more information, visit: dairyup.com au
Red meat group on a warpath
THE Red Meat Advisory Council is calling on policymakers to guardthemselves against flawed evidence presented by antimeatadvocateswhendeveloping policy about recommended redmeat intake. This comesafter apaper in the journal ‘FrontiersinNutrition’ by Melissa Kavanaugh, Diana Rodgers, Nancy Rodriguez,and Frédéric Leroy, criticises thepersistent demonisation of redmeat in favour of meat-free diets.
Dr Leroy is one of theinitiatorsofthe Dublin Declaration, amovement of more than 1000 scientists recognisingthe essential role of meat in diets, that has presented mountains of evidence demonstrating the value of meat in diets.
“Whileoftenframed around environment and animal welfareconcerns, these antimeat activists quite simply and ignorantly declare that red meat is bad for you and bad for the planet withoutconsideringthe potential consequences,” John McKillop, the Independent Chair of the Red Meat Advisory Council, said.
“What this report argues is that the nutritional benefits of redmeat need to be taken into account over the lazy, flimsy evidence we see against it. The report notes that the evidenceagainst redmeat should consider the potential consequences that result from the reduction or exclusion of redmeat when dietary recommendation and polices areassessed.
Mr McKillopsaid redmeat wasa nutrient-dense food that provides highly bio-available protein and several essential micronutrientsoften lackinginthe diet, including iron, zinc, and vitamin B12.
“These nutrients can be limited or absent in many plant-source foods as well as in someother animal-source foods,” hesaid.
“As the report states, elderly people, childrenand youngwomenare particularly vulnerable to any reductions in their redmeat intake. This is problematic and potentially dangerous. We already have one in five women in Australia who areiron deficient.Weshouldbeworking to solve these problems, not make them worse.”
Mr McKillop said RMAC and the broader industry call on the National Health and Medical Research Council to take ‘Frontiers in Nutrition’ and other similar science into account when updating the national dietary guidelines.
“Thedietary guidelinesreview process should notpromote ideological agendas over Australians’ health,” he said.
View the full report at: doi.org/10.3389/ fnut.2025.1525011
Source: RMAC
Photo:
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Spud festival still as popular as ever
Katrina BRANDON
THE Thorpdale Potato Festival once again brought thousands of people to the region to celebrate the humble spud.
Last month’s biannual eventwelcomed peoplefromfar and wide, hittingthe gr ounds of the Thorp dale Recr eation Reserve.
Morethan 100 events andstalls were available throughout the day, with multiple staging areas keeping people entertained, with the most popular event being the juniors and amateur spud-pickin g competitions.
The heat didn’t slowpeopledown, as thousands rolled in to try and catch bags of potato chips dropped from the sky.
Other events includedworking dog demos and professionalwood chop, which worked well for attendeesasthey could glance over the available businesses circling the area.
Up abovewasn’t just for the chipdrop, but also helicopter rides for families to enjoy the sites and heights of the Thorpdale area.
Ch ai ns aw woo dc ar vi ng ,m ot or bi ke shows,children’sactivitiesorganised by local scouts and Country FireAuthority (CFA) demonstrations added to the occasion. MirbooNorth CFAdemonstrated how they secured people out of vehicles after road incidents, which was acrowd pleaser.
Around the outer ringofthe festival were keen businesses selling food, farming products (including drones and tractors), local produce and festivalgoods. Inside the oval
was three stages forahostofpotato-related events, shearing and music.
An industry tent featured Grand Ridge Organics, Peppermint Ridge Farm, Eimear McNeils, and Mirboo North’s Jacican.
The on-far m, rural,and city folk who attended theday evenly enjoyedthe different aspects, having agoand watching demonstrations and events despite the 35 degree heat.
One staged event that most people enjoyed was ‘Hessianonthe Field’ fashion show, in which contestants showcased their sewing skills by creating clothes from potatobags.
Ahighlight was the committee-ran competition for local schoolsinthe area to create acover forthisyear’s souvenir program
Hessians on the Field winners Ruth (winner), Catherine Noy(third) and Belinda Bursa (second) shared their skills with the sewing machine and potatobags. Photos: KatrinaBrandon
Junior and amateur spud pickersdemonstrate their skills.
Frankston’s David Hawkins and Eric (12), checking outthe vintagetractors, travelled from Frankson for the Thorpdale Potato Festival
Sale’s Nate (7), Connor (9), Kelly and Sale Football-Netball Club 300 gamer Chris Hudson tried all activities throughout the day.
All things garlic consumes Korumburra
Katrina BRANDON
EXCITEMENT brewed at the Korumburra Show Grounds lastmonth as the South Gippsland Garlic Festival took off.
Formally known as the Meeniyan Garlic Festival,it is knownfor being Victoria’s biggest celebration of Australian Garlic, according to the SouthGippsland Garlic Festival website.
The event expected over 5000 people to attend the festival throughout the day, sharing in 70 stalls and activities suitable for all age groups while also showcasing an array of Australian garlic.
It was no surprise that the grounds were packedwithpeopleofall ages whohad come from far and wide to celebrate the day’s event. People rolled in from all gates to the festival; even the locals took astroll into town or participated in the event.
People came in bright and early to the release of musicfromthe Burratones, alocalband,whilealready sparking up conversations with the stallholders, some of
whom werestill getting set up for the day.
During the day, many event areas were open for people to enjoy, including aGarlic University Talk, akid’s stage with growling dinosaurs, acooking stage, music set up with undercover areas and morespreading through town with local businesses giving it agowith garlic-based food items on the menu.
Stepping out of the hot, 30-degree heat, Australian Garlic Awar djudge Penny Wo odw ar dh el pe de nt hu si as ti cg ar li c growers about the different types of garlic and why or why not it may act acertain way in the soil.
AlongsideMs Woodward, John Olliff of the AustralianGarlicIndustry Association joined the conversationand sharedthe group’s purpose.
“The Australian Garlic Industry Association is amember -owned organisation,” he said.
“Ouraim is to ensurewegrowbetter garlic. If we can grow better garlic, we get moredemand for the garden.
“Weget moredemand for the garlic; eventually, we can start thinking about replacing some of the imported garlic that comes into Australia. That’s really important.”
Created in 2017, the festival has continued for its fifth year,skipping COVID-19 years and2024,whentherewerenot enough volunteers to help. The move to Korumburra has created room for growth forthe festival, with apart of the oval open to more opportunities.
The town,which has its own website (korumburra3950.com.au),sharedan interview with the festival’s creator,Joel White, prior to the festival.
Mr White told the interviewerthat he has been passionate about the food industry for about 25 years and has shared thepassion through his business(Burra Pantry and Larder).
“Right now, we focusonGippsland products. If we can’t source something locally, we look atregionalVictoria, and if that’s
not possible, we turntoartisan producers elsewhere,” he explained.
“One of the classic examples was driving past beautiful paddocks full of livestock and realising you couldn’t buy that meat anywhere. So, we thoughtabout dif ferent ways to bringGippslandproduce to consumers.”
Bringing the conversation back to the festival, he talked about his involvement with thegarlic world and how much people value the event.
He said, “I’m on the board of the Garlic Industry Association, and Iknow how much garlic producers value the event.
“It’s acrucial sales day for small farmers. Without it, they lose akey opportunity to markettheir products and reinvestintheir businesses. We couldn’t letthat disappear.
“The festival is a great way to showcase this and inspire people to grow their own garlic at home. If you find avariety you love, you can plantsome and havefresh garlic year -round.”
Starting up the South Gippsland Garlic Festival wasThe Burratones, who swayed people into the festival. Photos: Katrina Brandon
Thousands of people enjoyed the South Gippsland Garlic Festival last month in Korumburra, wheremanyenjoyed the new location for the onceMeeniyan-based joy.
It wasall about thefood, with Messmates Dining chefs Jodie Odrowaz and Michael Clarke sharing the best tips for garlic in the kitchen alongside TV personality Simon Toohey (in the middle).
Treanne and Karl Edgarton from Korumburra stepped out for the South Gippsland Garlic Festival thatfound its way to their door
Identifying culprits of wildlife loss
CONSERVATION scientistsfromUNSW
Sydney have used DNA technology to identify feral cats as the primary predators responsible for the deaths of reintroduced native animals at two conservation sites.
The finding fits in with research data that suggests feral cats have killed morenative animals than any other feral predators in Australia,and arebelieved to be responsible for two thirds of mammal extinctions since European settlement.
But in astudy published recently in the AustralianMammalogy jour nal,the researchers from UNSW and the University of Adelaide say the effect of feral cats on native animals is likely larger than previously thought.
Astudy co-author,Professor Katherine Moseby, says correctly determining cause of death of native animals and attributing it to theright predatorhas always been difficult.
“In past releases, we’d be radio tracking animals after release, and if we found dead animals, it would be difficult to determine what caused their death. We would use field evidence like animal spoor,carcass remains, or bite marks on collars to guess whetherit was feralcats, birds of prey, fox, or if they just died anatural death,” she said.
“Because we’reworking in really remote areas, it is difficult to access vets for necropsy. So taking aDNA swab of the dead animal was areally good way to identify if predation was the cause of death. And then we decided to comparethe DNA outcomes with evidence in the field to determine if the latterwas areliable method of determining cause of death.”
The main findingofthe study was that field evidence was not a reliable indicator of predation by feral cats, and that DNA
and necropsy wereneeded to confirmcat predation.
Most feral cat DNA was found either on radiotracking collars fittedtosome of the animalspost-release, or on wounds to the body. The study focused on two South Australian sites whereresearchers had releasednative animals in previous translocations of four different species.
At one site the researchers released 148 brush-tailed possums and 110western quollsbetween2014 and2016, while at the other,the scientists released 42 greater bilbies and 89 bettongs in 2017.
Of the 389 animals released at both sites,
atotal of 74 animals were confirmed killed by cats, with 96 per cent of these -or71determined by DNA analysis. Six animals wereconfirmed killed by cats after veterinarians performed post-mortem analysis, while feral catswerewitnessed at three freshly killed carcasses.
Three of thefourspecies released still managed to survive in reduced numbers, but sadly the bettongs werenomatch for feral cats.
Interestingly, of the six animals confirmed killedusing vet necropsy, fiveofthesewere confirmed by DNA. Similarly,with the three carcasses that werewitnessed as killed by
cats, two retur ned positive cat DNA. So even DNA underestimated the number of animals killed by cats.
“The DNA is good, but it’s not infallible, and alot of that is because we’retrying to get DNA from cat saliva found on the carcass, and that’s quite difficult because DNA degradesquickly in the environment,” said Prof. Moseby. “But ultimately it highlighted that thereare alot morecat killings than previously thought.”
As seniorauthor Ned Ryan-Schofield explains, one of the main reasons for the studywas to determine if conservationists workinginthe field could use field data to provide moreimmediateclues about the extent of cat predation.
“This could trigger prompt management action like increased cat control rather than waiting until DNA analysis occurred. However,we found that field evidence of cat predation arenot obvious and even DNA testing is not infallible,” said Mr Ryan, a postgraduate researcher with University of Adelaide.
But accordingto theresearchers,we’re still along way offeffectively controlling feralcats in the Australian outbackand cats will remain athreat to wildlife for years to come.
“Until we develop genetictools or other broad-scale methods targeted at feral cats, we can only rely on intensely managing themasbest we can. We hopethat this research might encouragemoreconservationists to use DNA and necropsy to identify the cause of deathofanimals in wildlife reintroductions, and to increase cat control even if no obvious evidence of cat predation arepresent,” said Prof Moseby.
-University of Sydney Baiting -Pages 22-23
DNA technology used to identify feral cats responsible for native animal deaths. Photo: iStock image
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Limit intense bushfires by burning off
Philip HOPKINS
AMAJOR study after the devastating 2019/20 wildfiresinVictoriaand New South Wales found that prescribed burning dramatically reducedthe intensity of the fires, according to abushfireexpert.
Dr Tony Bartlett, awinner of the Australian FireService Medal (AFSM), saidafter2019/20, amajorstudywas undertaken to test the effectiveness of prescribed (fuel reduction) burning at a landscape scale in terms of reducing the severity of the wildfirein awide rangeof forest ecosystems. Dr Bartlett was part of athree-person panel that investigated the impact of the wildfires on Victoria’s Regional Forest Agreements.
The major study examined 307 prescribed burns greater than 200 hectares that had been conducted in the previous five years and which werewithin the footprint of the 2019/20 wildfires.
“It found that about half (48 per cent) of these prescribed burns resulted in significantly reduced wildfireseverity,” said Dr Bartlett, writing in the Commonwealth Forest Association newsletter
“It also found that the morerecent prescribed burns had amorepositive impact on reducing fireseverity, with 66 per cent of one-year-old burns having apositiveimpact comparedto 42 per centoffive-year-old burns.”
Dr Bartlett said Australian academics Professor David Lindenmayer and Associate Professor Philip Zylstra had made claims about the impact of prescribed burning on forest flammability.
“None of the claims aresupported by evidence from long-termmonitoring of replicated trials where prescribed burning has been conducted,” he said.
The academics in articles reproduced in
the CFAnewsletter argued that prescribed burningand logging made Australian native forests moreflammable. They said prescribed burning should be confined to areas close to high-value assets and that whenfireis excluded for morethan40 years,the native forests do not burnathigh intensity because the vertical connectivity of the forest structureisreduced through natural ecological processes.
In contrast, Dr Bartlett said the late Associate Professor Kevin Tolhurst studied the effects of repeatedlow-intensity prescribed fireinmixed species eucalypt forest in south-eastAustralia using repeated trials (including no-burning sites) for almost 40 years.
“He foundthere was no loss ofspecies but the impactonunderstory plant species varied according to the natureofdifferent species,” Dr Bartlett said.
“My own observations at these research sites in October 2024 indicated therewas significantly less understorey vegetation in therepeatedly burnt sites than in the unburnt control sites -which contradicts
the Lindenmayer-Zylstra view that prescribedburning in eucalyptforests promotesdense flammable understorey vegetation.”
Dr Bartlett said the academics’ propositions ignored the evidence of comprehensive fireresearch done by the CSIRO and state government land management agencies, as well as the lessons from numerous inquiries after major wildfires over the past 80 years.
“Moreover,the notion that firecan be excluded from most Australian forests for morethan 40 years is fanciful, given the increased frequency and extent of wildfires over the past 20 years under challenging climate conditions,” he said.
“Importantly,thereare numerous journal articles that eitherchallengetheir research findings or present evidence that indicates their findings areincorrect.”
Dr Bartlettsaid the academics’ claim that timber harvesting causes the native forest to be moreflammable was undermined by evidence. Wildfire, including the rate of spread and fireintensity, depended on three main factors: the quantity and structure of fuel in the vegetation; the prevailing weather -wind and humidity; and the topography of the location of the fire.
Thus the severity of the wildfirewas the result of interacting factors, “not asingle factor such as whether or not timber harvestinghas beenundertaken in that location”.
Dr Bartlett cited severalwildfire examples: In NSW,the 2019/20 bushfireburnt about 4.1million hectares of forest, including 2.23m ha of national park and 0.76m ha of state forest. Timber harvesting had made up about 0.21m ha of state forest over the previous 35 years. Official NSW data showed about 53 per cent and 50 per cent burnt at high and extreme severity in both
tenures. At the landscape level, they concluded that fireseverity was much the same regardless of tenure;
Firein2019/20 burnt morethan 855,00 ha (79 per cent), 37 per cent extreme severity, of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, but timber harvesting had no impact in the wilderness area. Areas of prescribed burning fiveyears beforehad 26 per cent burnt at high or extreme severity, and;
In EasternVictoria, the 2019/20 wildfires burnt 1.5m ha -89per cent public forest that included 486,000ha of national park and 403,000ha of state forest. Victorian data showed that 48 per cent of national park and 49 per cent of timber harvest areas burnt at high severity.
Dr Bartlett said the academics last year published areview of selected global literatureonthe role that disturbance (fire, timber harvesting or clearing) can play in forest flammability. Much of this relied on their previously published articles.
“They did not quote any of the extensive literaturethat showed areduction in fire severity in areas where prescribed burning had been conducted,” he said.
Concluding, Dr Bartlettsaid clearly the greatest risktoAustralian native forests is the increased frequency of landscape-scale wildfires burning at high intensity. This would “ultimately change the composition and structure of our forest systems”
“The lived experience evidence clearly shows that timber harvesting is not increasing the risk of native forests being burnt at high severity,” he said.
“Far from being acause of increased high severity fire, prescribed burning educes fire severity in many forest areas where it has been undertaken.”
Amajor studyhas found thatburning off decreases the intensity of bushfires.
Photo: iStock
Realise the advantages of baiting
PatTAGGART,DANIEL NOBLE, AND YONG Zhi FOO
POISONED baitsare the main way land managers control foxes, feral cats and dingoes.Baiting is done to reduce livestock and economiclosses, or pressure on endangered wildlife.
Millions of baits arelaid annually. But we still don’t understand how effective baiting actually is. Current evidence paints amixed picture. That’s aproblem, because baiting can have unintended consequences, such as killing native animals we don’t want to target.
Some research suggests baiting can actually increase attacks on livestock, or that
poisoning dingoes can increase feral cat and fox numbers and worsen the damage to native wildlife.
We need better evidence on what baiting does and doesn’t do. Our new research draws on data from34 previousstudies assessing baiting ef fectiveness. In total, theselargely Australian studies summarised the fate of morethan 1400 cats, foxes and dingoes.We usedthese data sets to conduct the most comprehensive analysis of baiting effectiveness to date.
Baitscan be bought commercially or produced in-house. In some states, land managers can bring meat baits to government authorities to have poison added free of charge. They arethen distributed by
vehicle along tracks and roads or dropped from aircraft across vast areas of Australia, New Zealand,and islandsworldwide. Single baiting programs can sometimes cover areas larger than 9000 squarekilometres. So howcan webestundertake these baiting programs?
Baiting does work
ACR OS St he 3 4s tu di es ,b ai ti ng cu t predatorsurvival in half(51.7 per cent) -substantially higher than the death rate in unbaited areas (16 per cent).
This finding was br oadly consistent regardless of whether baits wereplaced along tracks and roads or scattered over broader areas.
In some cases, predatornumbers can recover rapidlyfollowingbaiting.Under favourableconditions, feralcat andfox populations can doubleina year,while dingo populations can grow 50 per cent annually.
But,underaverage conditions,such high ratesof population increase arelikely uncommon.
Predators from outside the control area can rapidly repopulate areas after abaiting program.For example,multiplestudies have found no change in fox numbers even when baiting wasconductedat monthly intervals. Similar results have been found after intensive fox shooting.
ea
But
prolonged, broad-scale baiting has worked well. To protect the threatened yellow-footed rock wallaby,researchers baited around wallaby populations in New South Wales and South Australia and largely eliminated foxes from large areas. Wallabynumbers then increased.
Feral cats
FERAL cats areopportunistic ambush predators and hunt awide range of prey. They’revisually driven and preferfresh meat.
For these reasons, it’s long been thought they areless likely to eat poisoned bait than foxes and dingoes.
But our analysis doesn’t support thisferal cats appeared to be just as susceptible to baits as foxes and dingoes. That’s good news for wildlife.
Significantand ongoingworkhas been put into designing better baits for feral cats to increase consumption rates. The most widely known of these baits is Eradicat, a sausage-style bait. While this bait is aimed at feralcats,our analysis didn’t provide strong evidence showing Eradicat actually killed more feral catsthanotherpoison bait recipes. This suggests any bait is more effective than no bait when it comes to cat control.
How best to bait
IN land manager circles, there’s alongrunning debate over how best to bait. Some advocate putting out more baits over the same area, while others suggest more frequent baiting is better.Sowhich is it?
Our analysis shows morebaits in an area is likely to equate to better control of predators,while distributingbaits more frequently may not have the same effect. Why is this? Like people, animals are individuals,with theirown behavioural tendencies. Wary animals may never take baits. Some foxes areknown to storebaits to eat later,bywhich time the baits may be less toxic, sickeningrather than killingthe
animal. This is believed to lead to bait aversion, wherefoxes avoid baits in the future due to previous bad experiences -just as we might avoid foods which made us sick. Asingle, moreintensive application of bait is likelytowork better because susceptible predators eat the bait and die, and there is limited opportunity for bait aversion to develop. In contrast,morefrequent baiting in ashort period of time areoflimited benefit because animals learntoavoid them.
Fresh baits have long been believed to be eaten morereadily than dry baits. But our analysis showsthismay notalways be true. Overall, the type of bait had little impact on whether or not it led to reduced predator survival.
Moreefficient control of predators will mean fewer baits areneeded to achieve the same result. That, in tur n, means less risk of harming other native animals, as well as reducing how much work and money it costs to control feral cats, foxes and dingoes.
Our research shows baiting does indeed cut the number of predators prowling an area. But it also shows many factors we thought wereimportant in making abaiting program effective may only have alimited effect.
The goal of poison baiting is to reduce the damage predators do to livestock and wildlife. Baiting is an important and effective tool in reducing predator pressureon threatened species. But its efficacy -and the risk other animals could take the bait-means we havearesponsibility to continually optimise its use and ensure its application is targeted.
PatTaggart,Adjunct FellowinEcology, University of Adelaide; Daniel Noble, Associate Professor in Evolutionary Ecology,AustralianNational University, and Yong Zhi Foo, DECRA Research Fe llow in Biolog ical Scie nce,T he University of Western Australia
This article is republished from The Conversation
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Better designed baits for feral cats eases the attack of local wildlife. Photo: iStock image
According to an analysis, morebaits in moreareas means better pest control. Photo: iStock image
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Dairy
The changing face of Dairy farming
From humble beginnings, Australian dairying hasgrown into the vibrant, innovativeand successful national industry that we know today –one that contributes $13 billion to Australia’s economy.
Dairy cows first arrivedinAustraliain 1788, when the First Fleet landed in New South Wales.
Twobulls and seven cows made the long trip from England and escaped into the nearby bushland not longafter they arrived!
The nine animals survived, however, and after six yearsthey’dbecome a herdof61.
Australia’s first dairy farmers adapted quickly to their new environment, making butter and cheese during spring and summer –when cows produce most milk –and preserving these products with salt for autumn and winter.
The dairy industry quicklygrew
By 1800, through breeding and importing, Australia had apopulation of 322 bulls and 712 cows.
In 1805 Dr John Harris built Sydney’s first commercial dairy in what’s now innersuburban Ultimo, while the VanDiemen’s Land Company established Australia’s first commercial cheese factory in Tasmania in the1820s.
Not long after,farmers from theNSW district of Illawarra began to send their cheese and butter to Sydney by sea, and as more ports opened,dairying extended allthe way down to Bega in southernNSW
In 1832, with two cows and two calves, John Fawknerarrived to what would become Melbourne.
Ideal dairying conditions around Port Phillip Bay helped the herd to grow and within ayear there were 155 cattle in the district.
By 1850 therewere 347,000.
In 1891 there were almost one million dairy cows in Australia
The gold rush brought thousands of people to Australia
With its collapse, many were offered government pastoral leases on the outskirts of inland towns and dairy farming continued to spread.
By 1900there was hardly anAustralian township, even in the outback, that did not have its own fresh milk.
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A future focus for dairyfar ming
By Karen McLennan –Regional Manager,GippsDairy
Every decision GippsDairy makes is driven by the desire to foster avibrant and sustainable dairy industry with resilient dairy businesses.
The Gippsland Dairy Industry Leadership Group (ILG) has been developing aGippsland Dairy Industry Strategy in consultation with local dairy farmers and service providers.
With athree-year roadmap, the goal is to effectively define the challenges and opportunitiesfarmers in the Gippsland region have indicated areofhigh priority to help them succeed.
It’s important to ensure that current research not only addressesfarmers’ needs today, but also anticipates the challenges and opportunities they’ll face in the future.
ILG aimstodeliver programs and resources that help dairy farmers make further improvements in their profitability and productivity.
The strategy aims to showcase opportunities for investment in the region,informregional planning, identify focus areas,and detail actions needed to ensure aprosperous and responsive industry into the future.
This strategy development is financially supported by contributions from Gardiner Foundation, GippsDairy, Regional Development Victoria, and West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority.
Gippsland farmers are encouraged to reach out to the team withany comments or suggestions for support that would be helpful to you, your employees, and your businesses.
Gippsland Farmers are invited to attend the GippsDairy Muster on Wednesday 30 April 2025 at the Federation University Churchill campus.
The Gippsland themes identified during the consultationprocess were shared with the industry’s peak body to inform the development of the Dairy Australia Strategic Plan 2025-2030.
Gippsland-based and Dairy Australia teams bring together highly skilled experts across abroad rangeoftechnical areas.
This ensures that all research investmentsare well informed through on-the-groundinsights, and that all aspects of productivity and sustainability are considered
The theme –Farming into the Future: Imagine, Inquire, Innovate –highlights current and developing technologies that are designedtofuture-proof farm businessesthrough increased resilience and profitability.
The day will include presentations from industry expertsand insights from local dairy farmers on theircurrent farm practices.
For more information and to register, please visit dairyaustralia.com.au/ gippsdairymuster
Burra Foods investing in the Future of Gippsland
Burra Foods, a leading Australian dairy producer, has become a cornerstone manufacturer of the Gippsland region
Burra Foods combines innovation sustainability, and community engagement to create a thriving export business with a strong focus on supporting local farmers and fostering regional economic growth
Burra Foods is proud to play a significant role in showcasing the best of Gippsland Diary to the world
By ensuring fair compensation for their efforts, providing a multifaceted support framework and fostering strong long-term partnerships, Burra Foods is helping to sustain local farming communities and improve the livelihoods of its milk supply partners
In addition to supporting farmers Burra Foods prioritises the well-being of its employees and the broader community
At the heart of Burra Foods operations is a commitment to its people particularly the farmers who supply the company with high-quality milk
The company creates a workplace built on respect and collaboration
These farmers are the lifeblood of the Gippsland dairy industry and Burra Foods recognises the importance of their hard work
Employee safety health and welfare are key priorities, and Burra Foods invests in community initiatives that foster a sense of connection and pride in the region for their employees
Vibe boosting silage and hay
Growing leafy, quality, late heading Italian ryegrass cultivars right through the silage and hay season has become been avaluable tool for Australian farmers lookingtomaximise flexibility and production.
Late heading cultivars provide a significant advantage in late spring and early summer quality, as they maintain leafiness forlonger, go to seed head later and tend to produce less aftermath heading (returns to vegetative state quickly after heading).
Late heading cultivars make grazing, silage and hay management easier by growing luscious, leafier,high yielding feed for longer
At the forefront of late heading ryegrass breeding is Vibe Italian Ryegrass.
Bred with late leafiness in mind, Peter Notman fromNotmanPasture Seeds said Vibe ItalianRyegrass had shown superior longevity under varying
environmental conditions and dairy managementsystems; and without sacrificing spring yield.
“It’s beenapart of a15-year persistence breeding and endophyte Italian ryegrass program from Cropmark, and naturally it’s shown very good persistence in its class without animal toxicity”
He said as adiploid Italian it handles hardgrazing’s well and thenew breeding technology gave advantages over previousItalian ryegrass varieties.
“It seems to hang on in therewhen some other Italianswon’t.”
By maintaining leafiness later,late maturing ryegrasses offer silage harvest flexibility to farmers by holding onto quality late.
“Vibe handles hardgrazing’s very well, and at +27 days heading date compared to Nui, it is up to 10 days later heading than traditional Italian ryegrasses,enabling it to maintain leafiness for longer,” Peter said.
Probiotics in Livestock “Do they really work?
Dr.Tom Bayes answers this question
Having worked as alarge animal veterinarian in Gippsland for many years, this is the question Iammost frequently asked by my clients.
And it’s aper fectly legitimate question, too.
We know that gut health is linked to the overall per formance and wellbeing of the animal, but for many, understanding the impact that adding aprobiotic will have on their bottom line is the missing piece of the puzzle.
If you’ve trialled feed supplements in the past, chances are you’re still waiting for that elusive returnoninvestment to kick in.
That’s partly because the animal probiotic industryisnot well regulated making it challenging for you to trust what you are buying
That’swhere Terragen Probiotics comes in.
Terragen is proudly FAMI-QS certified, which is testament to our optimal bioprocessing and product quality standards.
Our team work hardtoensure our products are safetouse andare of the
highest standardthroughout the whole process, from manufacturing to being loaded into the tray Ute.
The FAMI-QS certification ensures the feedaddi you use are onesyou trust.
So, how does
By working with world-class from several institutions, Terragen identified three naturally occurring strains of Lactobacillus bacteria that can significantly improve ruminant health and productivity.
Backed by Science
These strains can improve feed digestion and nutrient availability whilst outcompeting pathogenic bacteria.
Our new product, Terragen Probiotic for Ruminants,isafreeze-dried powder containing these three per formanceenhancing bacteria, delivered at arate of 13 billion live bacteria per gram.
To put that into perspective, if each bacteria were agrain of sand, that would be enough to cover over 12 tennis courts!
Research conducted in partnership with the University of Queensland showed that adose of just 1g of Terragen Probiotic for Ruminants per cow per day is proven to deliver up to 10.1 percent moremilk and a 21 percent increase in bodyweight over the lactation,through improved digestion efficiencies, leading up to $500 net benefit per year per cow. Calves started on Terragen Probiotic for Ruminants frombirth wean up to 10 days earlier,are on average 8 percent heavier at weaning,and have enhanced gut development for better digestion and nutrition –which is essential for theanimal’s futureproductivity.
Transforming Dairy Farming with Robotic Milking Systems
Across Australia,moreand more farmersare embracingrobotic milking systems to enhance efficiency, improve cow health, and achieve abetter work-life balance.
Here, GEAshares the experiences of some pioneering farms that have integrated advanced technologies, especially automatic milking systems, into their operations.
What Brings Farmers to Robotic Milking Systems
Evan and Sheriden Williams from the Williams farmin Yannathan, Gippsland, have been using four GEA Monobox robots to milk 280 -300 cows.
They shared, “Wewanted to ease back, and our daughter and son-in-law have children, so the decision to build arobot,orvoluntary automatic milking system, is about giving them better lifestyle opportunities.
We were tiring of the old system; it was old when we bought the property, so it needed replacing”
Willows Pastoral
Willows Pastoral, located in Murrabit, VIC, has been operating under an automatic dairy milking system for nearly two years.
The McNeil family -Wayne, his son Nigel, and daughter-in-law Jess -now milk their 200 cows with four GEA DairyRobot R9500s.
Nigel McNeil said, “The compact design of the DairyRobot R9500 can be easily integrated into our current facility. This automatic milking system offers up to 19 percent energy savings, reduced water consumption, and shorter milking times, making it both economical and environmentally friendly”.
Donava Holsteins
Robotic Dairy
Gary Zweck from Donava Holsteins Robotic Dairy Open Day explained, “The labour requirements in farming can be quite intense and time-consuming.
With GEA’s automatic milking system, we’ve gained more flexibility and a better work-life balance.
The cows are also much happier and healthier”.
Benefits of Automated Milking Systems Three BridgesDairy
At Three Bridges DairyinSouth Australia, the Krichauff family has been at the forefront of innovation.
Michael Krichauff, whotookoverthe farmfrom his father,Peter,decided to upgrade to the automatic milking system with four GEA DairyRobot R9500s.
Reflecting on the transition, Michael shared, “Traditionally, we’ve started at around 5am in the morning for the morning milking and don’t generally finish till about 6:30, 7pmatnight.
Now, nobody starts work before 8am in the morning, and everybody’s going home by 4:30, 5pm in the afternoon.
It’s enabled us to shiftthe labour from putting cups on cows to focusing on better pasture management, maintaining fences, and using thelabourmore efficiently”.
Chloe Krichauff, representing the fourth
generation, is keen on leveraging these innovations to further enhance the farm’s operations.
Chloe shared, “Overall farmmanagement has improved.
We are able to manage the cows with more detail due to the different data that is presented to us through this system”.
“The GEA robots have the ability to individually divert milk from specific quarters due to the sensors andcameras the milk passes through in the robot.
This gives us aconductivity reading which can then be compared to the cell count data to determine which quarters are high.
This way we are diverting specific quarters rather thanthe whole milk bag. We usethis for catching extra milk for calves which in return lowers our cell count.”
“One thing we didn’t realise this would do is save money on drugs at dry off as you can treat specific quarters due to the data not the whole milk bag.” She added.
“These robots also have the option to have apit behind them.
We have designed our dairy with this option.
Having the pit is amassivepositive for us.
If you have acow that has failed or a heifer that keeps kicking the cups off, you have the option to take over and put them on yourselves like you would in aconventional dairy.
The robots also have an adjustable door/grain bin which canbeset depending on the size of the cow.
This comes in handy when we are training heifers as we canadjust the box one size smaller to stop them from moving back and forth and kicking the cupsoff.”
From the Expert’s Point of View
Robotic Milking Systems or Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) offer significant environmental benefits, contributing to sustainable dairy farming practices. These systems reduce energy consumption, water usage, and waste,
making them both economical and environmentally friendly.
Jurgen Steen, AMS Sales Manager at GEA FarmTechnologies, emphasised, “The GEA’s roboticmilking systemsare Customisable.
They can bedesigned to fit 50 to over 5000 cows within one system/roof.
Our In-Liner Everything® technology is knownasa breakthrough solution forthe complete milkingprocess within asingle attachment, ensuring high milk quality and hygiene while reducing the need for multiple trips to the cow, protecting cows from mastitis.
The data generated by our automated systems and herdmanagement tools like DairyNet and CowScout are invaluable for optimising farmoperations and ensuring animal welfare.”
These testimonials from the Williams, Krichauff, Zweck, and McNeil families illustrate the profound impact of automated milking systems on dairy farming. By embracing innovation, these farmers have not only improved their operations, cow’s welfare and balanced their lifestyle but also ensured a sustainable and efficient future for their farms.
As more farmers adopt these technologies, the dairy industry is set to become more productive, sustainable, and rewarding, encouraging young farmers to get involved.
“It’s agreat industry to be in. Icouldn’t handle sitting in acity office.
The technology we’ve adopted has not only improved our farm’s efficiency but also allowed us to spend more time with ourfamily.” Justin Zweck, Gary’s son, who is actively involved in the farm’s operations shared.
Chloe Krichauff also sees her future in dairy: “I believe technology in this industry will attract morepeople from the next generation as the work life balance becomes more appealing. In the future Iwould like to expand the business into other areas where we can use our milk to produce products such asice-cream and butter,etc. “
Nigel and WayneMcNeil from Willows Pastoral.
Gary Zweck and family from Donava Holsteins Robotic Dairy
Chloe Krichauff from Three Bridges Dairy.
Chloe Krichauff sees afuturefor herand the next generation in the dairy industry
BrownWigg are always the first to openand last to close seven days aweek at all of their eight locations across Gippsland.
They have been, for many years, proudly servicing the local farming community.
The team at BrownWigg possess a high level of expert product knowledge and problem solving skills to customise solutions to meet all your requirements. If you areseeking the assistance of a team that can help you find the right product or service for arange of jobs BrownWigg is the place to go.
This will in turnsaveyou both time and money.
The staff at BrownWigg have developed a‘Can Do’ attitude and their ability to efficiently tailor products and define them as the ‘One Stop Shop’.
BrownWigg’s “Top Brand” range of farmsupplies and services include the following:-
•Animal Health
•Fencing
•Fertilisers
•Seed
•Agricultural Chemicals
•General Merchandise
•Agronomy Services
•Power Equipment
•Lubricants
•Gas Bottle Refill &Exchange
Youjust can’t go past BrownWigg for quality, affordability and customer service excellence.
Gippsland Hoof Care started in October 2020 with Deantreating lame cows and trimming small numbers in farmer’s crushes using apulley system to lift and securethe cows legs whilst he worked on their hoof.
Now he has astate of the art hydraulic foot trimming chute.
The hydraulic foot trimming chute has made an enormous difference, making the foot trimming process ergonomic for both the cows and the operator
There is now less stress on everyone, reducing the likelihood of injury to the animal and less danger of the trimmer being kicked.
Dean has awealth of experiencefoot trimming and treating lame cows as he has been in the industry for over 20 years.
Growing up on dairy farms in Newry, he began his career as afarmapprentice and was thenfortunate enoughto begin working under the guidance and expertise of local large animal expert Jakob Malmo.
He also got to know personally, Karl Burgi who is aworld renowned teacher of hoof trimming courses to over 1,500 veterinarians, hoof trimmers, dairy owners, herdmanagers and agriculture consultants.
Dean can trim up to 20 cows in an hour using the Hydraulic Chute and Lame cows take approximately seven minutes to do.
This becomes an important factor when you considerthe large herd numbers in some dairy farms.
Whilst the chute allows forbulk numbers of cows to be done in atimely fashion, Dean also prioritises visiting lame cows and makes many visits to a single lame cow.
Lameness treatment and trimming of
Bulls is also agrowing part of Dean’s business.
Designed by hoof health expert, Karl Burgi, the leg restraint system received international recognition because the leg position is safe for the cow and ideal for technicians to per formprecise trimming procedures
It carefully guides each leg into position,following thenatural leg stroke and range of motion, eliminating any stress on the cow and securing the leg for effortless assessment of the hoof.
The Chute enables extremely efficient loading of the cows with the effortless hydraulically synchronised controls doing all of the work during animal loading.
It then gives the technician an ergonomic work area for trimming the cow’s hoof which reduces manual strains, minimises steps and saves time. Gippsland Hoof Care provide a personalised and affordable hoof trimming and lame cow treatment service for the dairy and beef industries throughout the wider Gippsland Region.
If you would like more information about foot trimming or lameness treatments call Dean on 0400 018 652
MuellerMilk Tanks availabletofar mers in Australia
Mueller Milk Tanks are once again available to Australian dairy farmers.
Westfalia Warragul is pleased to announce that they have recentlysecured the Australian distribution for Mueller Milk Tanks.
Mueller Tanks are manufacturedinthe Netherlands to a high standard.
They are distributed to all major dairying markets around the world.
Mueller bulk milk tanks set the industry standard.
Dependable and durable, they deliver on years of trouble free performance, the lowest operating costs, precise temperature control and awide range of standard features and options.
The first Mueller vats were sold into the Australian market 30 years ago, with many of these tanks still in operation today.
Mueller Milk Tanks are available in afull range of shapes
and sizes to suit Australian dairy farms.
The smallest tank in the range is 1,700 litres, while the largest Silo tank has amilk storage capacity of 50,000 litres.
This significant size range ensures that Mueller has amilk storage tank suitable for all dairy applications.
Westfalia Warragul, based in Gippsland is now the distributer for the Mueller range of products.
Westfalia Warragul business
owner John VanDeBurgt said he is delighted with the new Mueller partnership.
“The Mueller product range is significant, while the product quality is second to none,” he said.
“Mueller milk tanks are now available to Australia with afull range of optional equipment, including avariety of compressor styles and the option to include an Electronic Milk Level Detection unit providing a digital milk volume display.
“Our Muellerproduct range also includes milk chiller systems and industrial plate coolers for instant cooling prior to the milk entering the milk tank
We also offer a range of Fre-Heater heat recovery tanks designed to recover the heat energy that is normally wasted from your milk cooler’s condensing units ”
Mr Van De Burgt said all Mueller Milk Tanks were supplied ‘Robot Ready’, suitable for easy inter face to all modern robotic milking systems
The Mueller tanks are built from polished stainless steel for
durability and ease of cleaning, meeting or exceeding world standards, including 3.A sanitary requirements.
“Wealso utilise our exclusive Temp-Plate heat transfer sur face for maximum cooling power and low energy cost,” he said.
Westfalia Warragul utilises a national distribution model.
“Our business is based in Gippsland so we are currently maintaining the Gippsland region ourselves for milk tank sales, installation and after sales support.
For other areas of the country we will be seeking interest from suitable dairy-related businesses who may be interested in partnering with us to provide high levels of service and support to the local dairy community
The Mueller name is well respected in our industry, so we expect to receive strong interest from businesses who are keen to provide local representation of Mueller products
For more information, please contact Westfalia Warragul on 03 5634 2065
Mueller Milk Tanks now available again in Australia through Westfalia Warragul
We arepleased to announce that Westfalia Warragul is the new Australian distributor for MuellerMilk Tanks and associated products.
Mueller Milk Tanks areavail able in afull range of sizes and configurations from 1,700 litres to 50,000 litres holding capacity en reliability with stateofthe electronic user interface
• Manuf highes
• Easy and ef system
• Each ta volum
For more Proven art elec
• Very co
Manufactured in Europe to the highest standards to operate, with asimple effectiveautomatic cleaning em tank includes adigital milk lume displ ay competitivepricing
ALLTHINGSDAIRY
Worker Bee Drones
Inthe fast-paced world of agriculture, innovation is thekey to staying ahead.
Worker Bee Drones is leading this transformation, offering cutting-edge drone solutions specifically designed for the dairyindustry.
Inspired by the efficiency and diligenceofworker bees, their drones tirelessly per formtasks that boost productivity,reduce costs, and promote sustainability.
Here’s how drone technology is reshaping the dairy sector
Healthy pastures arethe foundation of successful dairy farming, directly influencing the quality of feed available to cattle.
Drones arerevolutionising weed control andfertiliser application by delivering precise, targeted solutions.
Equipped with advanced spraying systems, they efficiently apply herbicides to eliminate invasive weeds without harming surrounding vegetation.
Similarly, drones can evenly distribute wet or dry fertilisersacrosspastures, ensuring optimal soil health andpasture growth.
This precision reduces chemical waste, lowers costs, and supports sustainable farming practices, all while saving farmers valuable time and labour
Effective farmmanagement starts with adeep understanding of the land.
Drones streamlinethecreationof detailed farmplans, contour maps, and drainage analyses using high-resolution aerial imagery and advanced mapping software
They capture accurate topographical data, allowing farmers to visualise contours, slopes,and drainage patterns.
This information is invaluable for designing efficient irrigation systems, preventing waterlogging, and optimising land use.
By providing actionable insights, drones help farmers maximise their land’s
potential while minimising labour costs and environmental impact.
Managing fencing and ensuring the security of dairy herds can be labourintensive and time-consuming.
Drones simplify this process by conducting regular aerial inspections of fences and perimeters
Equipped with high-definition cameras, they quickly identify damaged or compromised fencing, enabling farmers to make timely repairs.
This not only enhances herdsecurity
but also reduces the risk of losses from escaped cattle.
Dairy farms must comply with strict environmental regulations, particularly around waste management and water usage.
This not only safeguards the environment but also strengthens the farm’s reputation and marketability.
Labour shortages and rising labour costs are significant challenges in the dairy industry.
Drones addressthese issues by automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks.
From spraying weeds and applying fertilisers to monitoring calving activity, inspecting fences, and analysing environmental data, drones reduce the need for manual labour
This allows farmers to allocate resources more effectively, leading to significant cost savings and improved profitability.
In modernagriculture, datais indispensable.
Drones are equipped with advanced analytics tools thatcollect and process data on pasture health, soil conditions, environmental factors, andmore.
This data is presented in an easyto-understand format, empowering farmers to make informed decisions that optimise their operations.
By leveraging data-driven insights, dairy farmers can enhance productivity, reduce waste, and improve overall farm management.
At Worker Bee Drones, they are dedicated to empowering dairy farmers with innovative drone technology that simplifies operations, boosts productivity, and promotes sustainability.
Just as worker bees are vital to the health of ahive, drones are becoming essential tools in the dairy industry.
By embracing cutting-edge drone solutions, farmers can ensure the success and sustainability of their operations for generations to come.
Join Worker Bee Drones in revolutionising the dairy industry—where they are udderly committed to innovation and efficiency!
FBig milk startssmall
uturemilk production depends on the decisions made in the calf pen today.
Raising healthy, productive cows starts long before they enter the dairy, and success begins with giving calves the right foundations from day one. In fact, it starts even earlier
Feeding the dam awell-balanced transition diet in the weeks before calving helps reduce the risk of metabolic issues like milk fever and ketosis.
These conditions can lead to calving difficulties and impact the vitality of the newborncalf.
Good transition feeding also supports colostrum quality, helping deliver key
nutrients and antibodies the calf will need from the start
Colostrum is the calf’s first defense against disease.
To give calves the best chance, high-quality colostrum should be fed as soon as possible, ideally within six hours of birth.
This early feed delivers crucial immunoglobulins and energy, setting calves up for strong growth and better health.
Once colostrum feeding is complete, it’s time to focus on rumen development.
While milk or milk replacer is essential early on, encouraging calves to start eating solid feed helps stimulate rumen growth.
Palatable starter feeds, like Barastoc Calf Rearer Pellets, promote early intake and rumen papillae development to eventually prepare them for weaning.
Target weights should be the focus before transitioning to aforage-only diet -around 160 kg for Holsteins and 130 kg for Jerseys.
If pasture quality isn’t enough to sustain growth, Barastoc Heifer Developer Pellets can help maintain growth rates and ensure the heifer reaches ideal size and condition for first calving.
Balance is key.
Toolittle energy slows growth, while too much can lead to early fattening and puberty before skeletal development is complete.
Protein and minerals are also important for building muscle and bone, ensuring long-termproductivity and health.
Raising replacement heifers is a significant investment, but one that pays off when early nutrition and management are done right.
Theresultisawell-grown cow capableofproducing more milk, more efficiently, for longer Ridley’s nutrition team can help design acalfprogram tailored to your herd’s needs -supporting the future of your dairy operation
Cleaner and sweeter water floats their boat
Cleaner,sweeter water with no ongoing costs.
It sounds too good to be true, but Hydrosmart’s Paul Pearce says it amazes him how effective the Hydrosmart systems are in transforming hard, salty, dirty water
Mr Pearce has been working on his patented Hydrosmart technology for more than aquarter of acentury, and as he says, it floats his boat.
The Hydrosmart system, which is Australian made, can be used to treat all typesofwater,from bore water to creek water,tobe used on the farm, homes and gardens.
“Water is water -welookatthe water reports and then give people arough analysis of what to expect,” he said.
The question of how Hydrosmart improves water is quite simple -electricity.
“Weuse frequencies like alightning strike where the water molecules in the atmosphere get teased by the lightning. It’s like electrolysis.
All the waterhas to do is run through the pipe,” he said.
“On the outside we have the antenna windings, which put the ultra-low frequency into the water
It ionises the water and makes it taste nicer
It is ahealthy reset on the water without taking out the minerals.
It’s something we are doingelectronically and sustainably, and it works.”
Mr Pearce said the beauty of Hydrosmart was it made amassive difference to cropping and livestock farmers, especially those in drought.
“We’ve had alot of people in South Australia and Victoria who have nearly run out of water and they’re ordering units.
Some of them only have bore water and they have to use it in the house.
It can bugger up the plumbing and put scale on sinks.
“The system dampens down the rust
and corrosion in the pipes and stops shower heads from blocking up.
It also softens the water so you can still get soaping and sudsing happening.”
He said the process also helped cattle and sheep farmers in other ways.
“In charging the water molecules, it lifts dissolved oxygen in the flow which assists aerobic bacteria formation, which is good for animals that have rumen.
“That’s why when farmers give this water to their animals, the water is less bitter,but the scale and the algae in troughs lower
It also helps lactating sheep and cattle and stops scouring when drinking highly saline water,sothey can put on more weight and condition.
“We’ve found animals have different outcomes.
There was adairy in Victoria that had scaleand calcium iron problems that formed an orangey crust in pipes.
He put on our systems and the water cleaned up quite alot
“The cows drank more water,and they found they were producing four more litres per cowper day, and they were producing15percent more fat and protein in the milk.
So the system paid for itself in one year
We have alot of dairiescoming online.”
He said largepasture crop irrigators buy Hydrosmart systems with pipes from four inch up to 16 inch.
“It shows improved crop yield and soil health and continues to do so for decades on just the initial purchase price.
They don’t have to pay anything more –they don’t have to buy filters or chemicals.
If they have calcium scale, the system turns it into fertiliser and makes better crop growth.
“It is aleap of faith for afarmer to part with $4000 or $5000 to improve their stock water or homes and gardens.
Williams Cattle Company got 30 units from us two years ago for their homesteads.”
Alongside his in-house biologist, Mr Pearce has worked on anumber of trials of the systems, including one planned for this year at Tenter field, near Roseworthy in South Australia, which will test the birthing rate of lambs and wool production.
“It will also test methane production. Ihave atheory that extra oxygen will help lower methane production.”
“I really like solving problems We keepthe integrity that we sell direct from thefactorytoclients in Australia and overseas.”
Left to right: Paul Pearce, Matt Steele and Jai Pearce.
Autumn
THE Meikle family at Meeniyan had a moderately successful bull selling season with their seventy five year old Tarwin Poll Herefordstud.
Typically their bull selling season begins with their Beef Week open day in late January with their crop of rising two year old bulls being availablefor sale from thereoninto the autumn for sale by private treaty.
Their participation in the online Gippsland Performance bull sale in September saw five out of their six yearling bull team selling, giving them asolid clearance with support from past clients, happy with the Tarwin bulls they had purchased in previous years.
Pricesranged from six to nine thousand dollars.
BULL SALES R E V
Theremaining bull went on to be sold at this year’sBeef Week Open day.
Prices ranged from five to ten thousand dollars over the past year for bulls sold by the Meikles who have arealistic pricing policy for their cattle when sold privately.
Bulls weresold across Gippsland.
They of fer around twenty,semen tested fully vaccinated bulls each year
Owner,David Meikle said “Wecan comfortably preparetwenty bulls on grass with our current set up, Isee no reason to increase this number and compromise the presentation of our bulls.”
Tarwin Ulrich sold for $10,000 at this year’s beef week open day.
WattlewoodAcacia makes $9,100 for charity
ON Friday the 7th of March Wattlewood
Angus held their annual bull sale, but this year had aspecial lot for the buyers.
Wattlewood Angus has donated the proceeds from the pick of the pair to the Cancer Council’s, Biggest Morning Tea.
Kar en Carter and Owen Camb ridge of Hedley, bid to $9,100 for their pickWattlewood Acacia V28.
Acacia is an impeccable heifer that displays not only structural soundness but has natural muscling in that classic wedge shape animal that cattle breeders strive for
The heifer came with awonderful breeder’s package, including Angus Australiamembership, registration andgenotyping herfirst calf and some terrific merchandise.
ABS Australia added to the charity package witha$200 semen voucher for the
Glenellerslie Tarwin Bull Selling Season Review
GLENELLERSLIE was well supported by Gippsland farmers at his recent Bull Sale.
The stud sold 15 out of the 30 bulls on offer twice topping $15,000.
Lot 12 Glenellerslie Xtravaganza (H) by GlenellerslieUnorthodox went to Gordon Moon, Wulgulmerang.
Lot 20 Glenellerslie Xquisite (H) also by Glenellerslie Unorthodox went to Tim Woodgate, Buchan, Timalso purchasedLot 8and Lot 18.
Including those two, 6Unorthodox sons averaged $10,166, GlenellerslieXpert (H)
selling to Gunyah HerefordStud Cooma.
Poll Herefordbulls topped at $11000, Glenellerslie Xalted (PP) by Tycollah South land selli ng to Ross Tr ethowa n, Cookardinia followed by Glenellerslie Xcellent (PP) by Yarawa South Radium selling to Craig Jackson, Arawata.
Besides those mentioned above, bulls went to Stuart Webb Adelong, Peter Forrest Tintaldra, Kevin Woodgate Buchan, Ian Shaw Galong and Alan Waters Tumbarumba.
The Sale average was $7900.
purchaser’s choice when it comes time to join her
At only 12 months old, Acacia has seen afew things,taggingalong to some local shows with some eager kids, helping them build confidence with cattle and potentially become moreinvolved and the futureofthe cattle industry.
The bulls also generated plenty of interest with the top of $10,500twice for Wattlewood Undeterred U17 and WattlewoodUninhibited U11 whereboth these impressive bulls areamong the best in the breed for low birth weight, growth, docility and carcass attributes.
The sale saw agreat mix of returnbuyers and new buyers looking for quality bulls to improve theirherd’s genetics and efficiencies
Banquet Angus
BANQUET Angus at Mortlake held their 26th Autumn Bull Sale on February 27th.
94 bulls wereoffered with 93 selling to an average of $16,166.
Topprice was lot 1, Banquet Uplifted U008, whosoldfor $64,000tocommercial breeders Greg and Michael Holcombe, Camp Creek, Byaduk.
The Holcom be’s pur chased their first Banquet bull 27 years ago.
They now own 5sons of Banquet Nuttella N462. N462 is the sireline they selected to move their herdforward.
Uplifted U008 attracted strong interest from Interstate and Victorian cattlemen.
Interestingly the runner -up was another long-term WesternDistrict client of Banquet.
Therehave been strong semen sales of U008.
Contact Banquet with any enquiries. Lot 8, the second top priced bull at $40,000 sold to Hewitt Agribusiness for their cattle operation through New South Wales and Queensland.
Another retur nclient, Glen McKinlay, Springsure, Queensland purchased the third top priced bull, lot 13 for $34,000.
Gippsland producers competedstrongly throughout the sale.
The sale also included 70 PTIC commercial heifers.
Again these elite heifers drew strong competition with atotal clearance selling to $3,400 and averaging $3,018.
Banquet’s next bull sale will be on Friday 5th September
Fiona Glover holding Wattlewood Acacia V28
Nutrien stud stock auctioneer PeterGodbolt,JMEllis agentJackHickey, Hamilton, purchaser Greg Holcombe, Camp Creek, Branxholme, Banquet Angus co-principal Hamish Branson and Elders stud stock auctioneer Ross Milne, with the top price bull, Banquet Uplifted U008. April, 2025
Advertising in the Gippsland Farmer
gets results!
Butdon’t
“
Th Gipps
just take ourword for it...
Here are just afew testimonialsfromsomehighlysatisfied clients, whoseGippsland Farmer advertisinghas worked forthem.
hank-you Gippsland Farmer foryour many years of support. Youhavealways provided service well abovethe norm, incorporating the personal touch andthinking outside the square with excellent distribution of your publication. Well done to the team –pastand Je Mc Me Al
eam past an present . enny cDavitt erungle lpacas p
ACV/GARDS
eclients of the Giippsland Farmer and d we have always enjoyyed a good working relaationship with Paula annd the team in the adveertising department They are always proffessional and friendly They go out of their waay to make sure you get t the right ad for the right message – we higghly recommend them whhen you are looking to seend a message to the coommunity Top quality, Professional and work with you all the way to achieve the outcome with groups you are targeting
In my role rural property s salesman invariablyI end up at the farm’s ‘kitchen table’
The national weekly rural publications we grew up with in past decades and piled up issue by issue, appear to havebeen replaced by Gippsland’s own rural paper…..The Gippsland Farmer Given the average age of farmers, I can only surmise they aremore comfortable sourcing the services and products they require fromlocal suppliers.
Greg ckett P ncip de Rea sta as r “ g ett lpa rs al ate
At Doben Park horns we advertise with Gippsland Farmer because it allows us to concentrate on the direct Gippsland market.With howGippsland Farmer is distributeditgivesus greater access to the wider Gippsland area. We have had great success with advertising with Gippsland Farmer,having sold quite afew bulls through the ad. Gippsland Farmer have been great with their communication with us and offering us great opportunities, through extraadvertising space and articles in line with eventssuch as Beef Week.
A Shorth “ g on l pal en k orns
As the leading gltural publication for the region, Gippsland Farmer is atireless advocate for local businesses, connecting with clients and readersalike.
“If you’reserious about results-based advertising and promotion, Paula Hansen from Gippsland Farmer will help youachieve your business goals”, said Mr Bowman.
“I found Paula’s local knowledge, attention to detail and brandawareness, agreat asset when it comes to reaching my rural target audience. As aNeerim South-based business, with a large operation in Rosedale, Iknowthat the newspaper coversall corners of the region which my family has been invested in forover
Doug Benso Princip Dobe Park Shortho
Newspaper advertising
Ba B G A agricul
135 years,” he said Glenn Bowman wm Principal owman Genetics s
FLOOD FIRE AND DROUGHT
Thisstoryisproduced by Australian Pump Industries forthis month’s Gippsland Farmer as we allwatch either face-to-face or,onthe television, what’s happening in Queensland with Cyclone Alfred.
This is happening while cropping farmersare busy getting ready forsowing winter crops.
Fertiliser sales areupand Gippsland and GoulburnValley arestill thebiggest dairyareas in thecountry Whata wonderful countrythisis!
“Many of our team come from families that havebeenonthe land and have a verystrongsense of theimportance of Australia’sagricultural industries,”said Aussie Pumps Chief Engineer,John Hales
“That’sone of the reasons whyour philosophy is totally different to that of other peopleinour business,”hesaid. By that he meansthat thecompany’s success is based on thedesign and building of productsthat arerelated to intensive feedback from the usersofthe equipment!
DAIRYFARMERS
Dairyfarmersare aclassicexample. Earlymornings, dealing withlarge animals, andall thework that goes with the joyand challenge of being leaders in the milk processing chain
“It’snot just early mornings, it’s to do with everything from worminglivestock to cleaningthe bales.
Even in amodernstainless-steel dairy, cleanlinessisthe number onepriority,” he said.
Australian Pumphave come up with tremendous Australian designed products that all started with ideasfrom users
Our slogan is, “Wedesignand build machines as if we’regoingtouse them ourselves,”saidHales
AUSSIES HOT WASH SPECIALS
Australian Pump work with the bestmost advanced steam cleaners andhot wash designersinthe world.
Theirmachinesrangefromsingle phase hot washthatdo80°Cand can provide real cleaning capability
Theyprotectlivestock from infection. At theother end of the scale, theirbig 4000PSI steam cleaner, theAussie Admiral 400,can runatupto130°C
steam, and is capableofproviding enoughflow andpressure to clean any dairy easily andsafely
“Wedesignthe machines to be efficient because we knoweveryminute of a farmer’s time is valuable.
It’slikefertiliser,” said Hales.
“You don’t want to waste adrop. Well, youdon’t want to waste aminute either!”hesaid
The companyeven developed aHonda engine drive steamcleaner thatdoes 4,000 PSIpressure and delivers up to 130°C steam
Themachinecan beUte or truck mounted, with awater tank, making it a self-controllableand portable cleaning machine.
The company callsitthe AussieHeatwaveand it’s been ahugesuccess,not onlywithdairies butalsoearthmoving contractors, mines andquarries and even Municipal Councils.
“It’sa slick piece of engineering and comes with adieselfired boilerwith a high pressurepumpand Hondaelectric startengineaspartofthe package.
Themachine comes in aheavy-duty stainless-steelframeand offersinfinitely variable temperature control, as well as bothhighand low-pressurecapabilities.”
DAIRYWASH-DOWN MADE EASY
Dairyfarmeffluent is aresource.
Again, Aussie hasrisen to theoccasion producingportable Honda-poweredfire pumps that aresecond to noneinthe world.
They do a great job ofcleaning effluent from theyard.
“The Aussie Fire Chief is regarded as beingthe best lightweightportable fire pump thereis,”saidHales.
“It delivers25percent more flowand pressurethancompetitors, hasfeatures that really benefitthe user,i.e. steel skids, aflangedsuctionportthatenables youtoservice the checkvalvewithout dismantlingthe pump andlots more!” he said.
No wonderAussie exports them all overSoutheast Asia, to Africa andeven Europe.
THE STAINLESS-STEEL REVOLUTION
Aussie Pumps andtheir great dealer network offerwhatissurelythe country’s largestrange of self-priming,centrifugal pumps.
“Weuse thesameprinciples herethat we useinthe design and production of what we believe arethe world’sbest high-pressurewater blasters,” said Hales.
“Ourmachines arebuilt anddesigned forprofessionals,not for amateurs or retirees
Being senior citizens ourselvesweknow from thehugeamountofinfoweget from users what works andwhatdoesn’t,” he said.
Most popular is the2-inch and 3-inch range.
Thecompany is verybig on tanker pumps as well.
Recently they started supplying big
4-inch, 316stainless-steel pumps for usewith retiredmilktankersfor pumping whey
They areeven usedwithaggressive chemicals, and othercorrosive liquids. SmartPumps arealso capableof handling Adblueand area natural for handling aggressive liquids.
“When we cameupwiththe Scud cold-water stainless-steel design concept, we had no understanding of justhow well acceptedthis wouldbe, not justinAustraliabut around theworld,” saidHales.
“The machine, with its ‘no sharps’ design, its four big steelwheels with flatfreetyres and extra features built in,makethe slow-speed gearbox drive pump an absolute winner.”
Aussie uses the‘Big Berty’ Bertolini pumpswith slow-speedgearbox drive machines ina rangefrom2000PSI all the waythrough to thebig 5000PSI, and morerecently, 7000 PSImachines
“The 7,000 PSIRaptorsare notfor usein dairies or washing your tractorwith,” said Hales.
“That would really beoverkill!”
Thosebigger machines,now apartof the standardmassproduction carried out by Aussie’sproductionteamin
Sydney’s Norwest boutique business district,are designed forconstruction, heavy industry,minesand quarries, and of course shipyards and drydocks
“It’sabout savingtime,” said Hales.
“Our machines aredesigned with the concept of safety,efficiency (speed) and of course helpingthe usertodothe job in a‘smart’ way.”
Morerecently thecompany has developed stainless-steel, high-pressure hosereelsupto5000PSI capability that provide the cleaningprocesswith asubstantially wider rangeofoperation withouthaving to movethe machine.
“What we mean by that is that a30-meter hoseona stainless-steel reel designed into the machineprovides 60 meters of range.
Using that same theory, we canput a biggerreel on with50meters of hose, givingthe operator a100-meterrange, 50 meters each way,” he explained.
Expert tips on how to runyourfarm
From Page 1
“THAT has changed rapidly over (the) last few years -sincewestartedour new feeding system, we have been selling steers out of the feeding system from May until July, at around about 400kg,” he said.
“Wedecidedtocontinue feeding steers through in confinementand grew them out to 300-380kg carcase-dressed between 11 and 15 months of age -agame changer.I didn’t knowwhether it was possible, but it was. We will feed empty females if thereis money in it, otherwise we get rid of them.
“Last year,due to the season, it was a huge change, Ialways wanted to try itprice pushed me down one path.
“Sheep,we’ve moved ways from stores to hopefully heavyfuelcategory, getting 22-23kg as acarcase average, that was to do with moving our lambing date as well. Theyare mainly agent sales through to Woolworths inthe sheep side. Thecattle side is mostly direct.”
Ben said the operation has afeedstock business, but he focussed during his talk on commercial operations.
“Westartedsellingin2013, bred bulls for ourselves,itsnowballed;when demand grew and grew, then demand droppedthereare alot of Angus bull breeders in the market now. We’ve actually shrunk our selling to 250 bulls ayear,we predominantly do agents sales and contract sales on bulls,” he said.
Ben said he liked to analyse weaknesses
and strengths of his business. Astrength on farmishaving arelatively reliablegrowing season from April to December -as well as the overall benefits of ateam.
“Last year wasanexception; we have good underground water -not the case for most of western Victoria, alot rely on surface water and small dams, and it’s collapsing around them,” he said.
“I inherited a very fertile and productive farm, apositive range of marketing options for cattle and land, mainly the cattle. Ido like Angus.”
Ben went through the succession issue 15 yearsago with hisbrother, wholives in Sydney.
“It wentwell, Iknewwhat Ihad topay and how we woulddoitearly. It was ahuge benefit to our business,” he said.
Scalecan be negative and positive, efficiency but also some inefficiency.
“I see debtas agood thing,ifit makes my business accountable. When Ididn’t havedebtattimes, Ithinkyou’reabit unaccountable.Ifthereis no pressure, you don’t analyse things.”
Abig strength that allows flexibility over the next few years -ayoung and productive ewe and cow herd. Ben’s main strengthhigh quality pasture, is “the number one thing”.
“That allows me to have areally high stocking rate, which hopefully leads me in the next couple of years to take advantage of the market,” he said.
For some, ahigh stockingrate is a negative.
“For me, it’s areal positive -I’ve got more to sell, moreoptions.”
The challenges: “My business skills need abit of arehash, and reboot. Our business is time poor,werun alot of livestock, and time is the biggest issue.”
Another big issue is finding and retaining the right people.
“I’mnot sayingbecausethere arenot the right people out there, we havenot done well enough in the past, we do not provide them with good enough housing; it’s not all about money, but about giving them a position that they want to be in and work to; that’s what Ithink is working with my team at the moment,” he said, despite the challenge of finding an interimreplacement for Laura, an employee for 10 years, who is on leave.
Ben said he had often over -complicated his business, at one stage running six different operations- an autumn calving herd, aspring calving herd, two different managed properties, and cropping -“too much”.
“If thereisany advice from this presentation -keep it simple. We arenow down to two. The feedstock herddoes complicate it, so focus on what you do well.”
Ben said water infrastructurehad been achallenge as the business expanded so much and got so many leases.
“Wehad to focus on water infrastructure
forthe last two years,” he said, and they’re now putting in afull new water system to aproperty bought three years ago.
Another challenge moving to full spring calving is managing the full spring weaners -finding afeeding system that allows us to wean early and feed them through.
Ben said therewereabout 50 things you could mention in afarmer’s tool box.
“Most important: Ican’t multi-task, can only concentrate on one or two things at atime; basically, how many balls you can chuck up in the air and how many you can catch,” he said.
At the top of the tool box is animal genetics,and consultants can easily make changes in your business.
“If you thinkanimal genetics arelimiting, if you’reassisting morethan five per cent of your calves, if rebreeding rates in females not good, you may need to look outside,” he said.
“Wetendtofocus too much onanimal genetics -feed is often our most limiting factor
“Animal husbandry -you need to be good at it, ifyou’renot,you should not be in the redmeat game.
“People management -that’s something I’ve havehad to work on alot.
“Business skills-that’s something I’m working on this year
“A resilientsystem -infrastructure:feeding, water,shed and yards.
“The biggest one is access to cash; if you
Ben Youngwas akeynote speaker at theBairnsdale Red Meat Conference last month.
Photo supplied
can’t access cash, you arepretty limited, and thelending cycle has got moredifficult. If the business isnot strong enoughfor the current lending cycle andyou can’t get the money -they arehuge challenges for some people. Not mine -but for most up-and-comingfarmers, that will be one of their biggest barriers.”
Marketing: “Wehave good marketing, for fat and commercial animals; not so good for marketingbulls -not mystrong point,” he said.
“Pastures -productive pastures arethe main thing.”
Ben said aresilient system should have excellent water infrastructur et hat is extremely reliable.
“That could be in the form of dams - they should be big and deepand last morethan two years hopefully,” he said.
“Pasturesystems -I’m abig perennial pastur es ystem person, (I’m) not into annual. Perennial reduces my cost, gives me alonger season, annual systems in my region -they’rewaiting for the annuals to come up- it’s atime lagand another feeding gap.
“Winter feed gap normally is abig issue for me. Not last year -the winter was good. Supplementary feed is amust. Ican’t accessirrigation water.I’ll have adeficit this time of year -it’s agiven.”
For Ben, thereare trigger points.
“If it’s not worthwhile feeding, we will sell the animal,” he said.
Planning is also an essential tool. He had an original goal that was too large-“an ego thing” -therewas no planning around it.
“Itprobably made me go grey. Ihad no ideawhat af fect thatwouldhave on my cash flow when leasing; it was really quite astressful time,” he said.
“It’s imperative to sitdown and make some goals and aspirations. I do job sheets once aweek, and the job sheets area simple spread sheet,anallocationof tasksand time. If we havea shortageoftime,you can break it down. That has been helpful. Do acalendar of events to see if thereare any clashes.”
Ben said his team does short-te rm, medium and long-termgoals.
One meeting was to be 100 per cent water secure.
“Weshould be 100 per cent water secure thisyear on all our blocks, Ihope,” he said Finance: “This year,I’ll be doing courses; Iwant to reboot my system,” he said. Thereare arange of options -benchmarking thr ough the Victorian department program or private consultants, or asmall benchmark group with consultants.
“Weare morepersonal, three or four in the group; we arenot competing against each other,we’renot neighbours, all separate. Benchmarking can be confronting ina big group; smaller group producers alot easier,” he said.
“Consultants arereallygood. Youcan use them to do aheap of research for you, but thereisa caveat; unless you area good decision maker,aconsultant is useless. Youstillhave to make the decision. Good decision-making is something we as producersneed to get better at. We need to be able to analyse and research things
ourselves on top of the consultant.”
Ben said the biggest change in five years in his business was the need for a secure water system. The requirement was massive duetothe scale of their properties, particularly the change to cattle.
The team sunk aboreonanew property due to the need for security.
“An interlinked water system runs from one end of the far mtothe other; there aremultiple bores, multi-stage pumps pumping water from large capacity tanks around the farm. We still have dams -our emergency. If we did nothave the borethat Iput down, we could have been in quite a bit of trouble now,” he said.
Ben said confinement feeding for sheep and cattle was afabulous,flexible tool in seasonadversity. Also,the ability to run morebreeding units as calves are locked away and easy to feed, “has been invaluable”.
“The use of nitrogen is abig thing; Iuse alot, Ilove it, it’s agame changer for my winter calf production.Wecan hit our target levels by the time of winter.The combination of confinement and nitrogen together has worked really well,” he said.
Ben said the big change in his business was changing the ratio of sheep to cattle; partof“keeping itsimple”;the classof sheep had changed.
“Weare no longer breeding replacements, thatstoppedlast year,” he said, but the futurewas uncertain.
“Wehave changed the lambingtime, spring lambing clashed with the cattle, which is the majority of our business.”
Also, processors wererequiring larger heavier carcasses. Cattle werealso scalable when you have structures in place.
“I lovethe flexibilityofa cow; it can be on dry grass with no supplementary and maintain itself.Aewe can’t do that,”hesaid.
“The biggest factor that changedthe economics of my business -the depreciating value of the female sheep. Basically, a heifer keeps going up in valueasthey grow; they plateau at six years of age, but they maintain that.”
Sheep wereokay if thereisagood mutton market, “but the mutton marketisupand down”
“It’s pretty soul-destroying when selling ewes after five or six years of age, you only make $40,” he said.
Ben said labour was abig factor -not just shearing costs, butalso the calendar of events.
“It was too hardto manage, too hardon my team and me,” he said.
Benchmarking is also important.
“I had mentors when starting, someone to talk to and throw ideas at, have agood yarn,” he said. Benchmarking also includes podcasts.
Ben aims to continue asset improvement -finish the water this year,improve feeding systems, and changing to one calving and one lambing, “should make me more relaxed”.
Leasing can be difficult, but it “gave me an opportunity to expand,” he said.
“The ageing demographic of farmers will give young farmers moreopportunities.
“I reckon I’ve only got 15 years left before someone else takes over.I’ll make the most while Ican.”
Ben said virtual fencing would come.
“It willreduce fencing costsand will take pastureand redmeat production to the next level. We canget better animal
environmental outcomes,” he said. “AI will be abig thing; it can improve our decision-making, can simplify things.”
Final advice: “It is imperativetohave fourweeks of holidaya yearto refresh and make time for family, hobbies and health, then your business.They arethe most importantthings. Biggest limitation and biggest opportunity is YOU.”
US-bound Nightingale wins WNBL
Blake METCALF-HOLT
TRA RA LG ON’ SA sh aN ig ht in g al eh as startedher 2025 as well as you possibly can.
Nightingalefeatured in Bendigo Spirit’s WNBL championship-winningside as a developmentplayerthis season,anappropriatestepping stone as she headstowards her Davidson College career in the US in a few months time.
After aseason as atraining player with the Spirit, Nightingale was elevated to a development player for the 2024/25 WNBL season, which meant she was available to play in games.
“I was very excited.Itwas the factthat Kennedy (Kereama, Bendigo coach) had faith in me and from watching me train and show up every day, (he) had confidence in me to then go to that next leveland be able to suit up for aWNBL team,” Nightingale said.
“It waspretty special because it was more than anything Icould have dreamed of for this season.”
Nightingale played 14 games across the season, which included debuting in Round 1againstAdelaide Lightning where she scored her first points.
The following game, Bendigo was matched against Geelong United featuringMoe’s Jaz Shelley. Nightingale produced her best game of the season with seven points and three rebounds.
While shewas only exposedtolimited minutes throughout the year,Nightingale took away plenty of wisdom among avastly experienced side.
to keep pushing (and) don’t let the small thingseffecthow you play, you’ve got to keep moving on and just be tough.”
After finishing high school last year, Nightingale has asix-month break before she ventures of ftoDavidson College in North Carolina.
In the meantime, she’ll enter her third season with NBL1 team Casey Cavaliers, which also happ ens to featur efellow Traralgon player MyahHealey (who also plays for Victorian Netball League club Gippsland Stars).
“I’ve really been taking every moment as it comes,(I’m) really trying to live in the moment because so many things have happened thesepastfew months that I get abit excited but also emotional thinking about the months ahead moving halfway across the world,” Nightingale said.
Nightingale has been in consistent contact with her futureteammates and coaches ahead of the NCAA season.
While it is difficult to look too far ahead with alr eady so much close in frame, Nightingale is excitedtosee what doors can open from her time at Davidson.
The Spiritfeaturedover 1000 games of experience, including Wilson as the WNBL games recordholder with 475 appearances.
Wilson’s first Grand Final was in 2004, beforethree Bendigo players (including Nightingale) wereeven born.
Nightingalesaid she particularly drew to Griffin and Marianna Tolo as mentors.
Despite securing theirlast WNBLtitle mor et ha nad ec a de a g o, Ben di go is scattered with winners the likesofnow five-time WNBL champions Kelly Wilson and Kelsey Griffin, and WNBA champion Sami Whitcomb.
“I think it’s because we’re the same position and just all the things they’ve had to deal with in their careers and just finding out about their stories and what to take from it,” Nightingale said.
“There’s so muchI’vetaken fromthis season. Ithink areally big one is being a big advocate for yourself and making sure that you get the treatment that you deserve in these sorts of environments but also just
“I guess we’ll see where I end up at the end of my college career one of my biggest bucket list things to do after college at the moment is go and play in Europe, kind of connect with my roots abit and get to experience what basketball is like over there,” she said.
“But also if the opportunity presents itself and Ican work hardenough, I’d love to one day get an opportunity togosomewhere like the WNBA but also definitely want to come back and winaWNBLchampionship as afully rostered player.”
White, United’s championship defeat
Blake METCALF-HOLT
MEL BO UR NE Un it ed l ed th eN BL Championship seriestwo games to one following their Game 3victory on Illawarra Hawks home deck on Sunday, March 16.
However, the back-to-back grand finalists then succumbed in their final two matches of the season, with the Hawks stealing the championship trophyright out of their hands in two phenomenal performances.
Traralgon’s Jack White and United began their blunder posting their lowest scoring totalontheir homefloorand with the chance to celebrate atitle that evening.
United lost 80 to 71 to Illawarra in Game 4atJohn Cain Arena on Wednesday (March 19), handing the Hawks allthe momentum as the series headed back across the border for afinal do-or -die game.
After an awesomereturn to formgame with 20 points in their previous instalment, Whiteposted just six points, four rebounds and two blocks in Game 4.
Things began well for United, opening with two quick three-pointers from White and Ian Clark, and continued as they led 16-8 halfway through the first quarter of Game 5.
Illawarrafought back to tie the match up at the end of the termgoing on a12-4 run.
The second quarterwas the difference, as the Hawks outscored United by 10 points during the period.
The period would ultimately be the difference in the decider,United losing 114-104.
White showed fight in his final NBL match of the season, finishing with 17 pointsand seven rebounds shooting 60 per cent from the field and making three triples.
Whit ea ve r ag e d1 0p oi nts and six reboundsacross the championship series Aspecial moment occurred post-match as former NBA champion and Melbourne United point guard Matthew Dellavedova was awarded theMostValuable Player (MVP) awardfor the championship series in defeat.
Fac ing an ups et and boo in gc ro wd , Dellavedova showed all the class he possesses andquickly handed the trophy to deserved Illawarraplayer Will Hickey ashe exited the stand.
Traralgon’s Jack White and Melbourne United lost the last two games of the NBL Championship series to lose the title from Illawarra Hawks.
Photograph: Paul Kane/Getty Images
Traralgon’s Asha Nightingale (second from left) won the WNBL title with Bendigo Spirit as a development player
Photo supplied
All class from seasoned Ex-Students
Liam DURKIN
SAME old Students, always winning.
Ex Students have certainly had more dominant seasons, and indeed, players have had moredominant seasons in the past.
The Sharks werenot the best team this season, and haven’t actually won asemifinal in the last two seasons either.
Historywon’t remember that, nor will anyone from Terry Hunter Oval really care. All that matters is the trophy cabinet, and Ex Students now has two big Cricket Latrobe Valley Premier Acups taking pride of place.
Pridebyname and naturewas evident on the face of Sharks skipper Jimmy Pryde, as dusk settled in on Keegan Street following an incredible Grand Final.
With the match threatening to go into Easter,a near 7pm finish on Sunday saw Ex Students win by two wickets, crossing over in the 94th and 104th over of the day.
Taking on minorpremier Glengarry, barely asinew was spared from either side.
The ‘new’ league is only two seasons old, but could already have aGrand Final that will take years to top.
The Magpies batted first, and recovered mightilyfroma frightening positionof 5/103 to eventually post 238.
Amagnificent track greeted players, and whenGlengarry was 1/73, amammoth total looked areasonable bet.
Pryde however took the key wicket of opposite number Nat Freitag,and asteady fall of wickets ensued.
Sharks coach MitchHarris cameback strongly, adding Frank Marks (a typically deter mined 44 off 104balls) tohis collection, which included fellow opener Al Jenkin for 24.
At 6/131, advantage seemed to be with Ex Students.
Leg spinner Nathan Allen then joined Ben Marks, withthe former puttinginone of the moreextraordinaryblock-a-thons ever likely to be seen.
At one stage Allen was nought off50balls, yet his resistance allowed Glengarry to get past 200.
Given the Sharks had qualified for last season’s Grand Final in similar circumstances, Allen’s effort may not have been too unfamiliar,albeit the shoe was now on the other foot. It was perhaps fitting though such an innings came at Keegan Street.
Ben Marks played incredibly well for 88 off196. Allen faced two more, and walked offwith 25 redto his name and astrike rate of 12.62 (mad respect).
Lee Stockdale sent down 42 overs of finger spin,taking5/56,alongsidefellowslow bowler Pryde (3/52). Harris finished with 2/62.
Glengarry batted on intoDay 2, using their 10 over entitlement, meaning the Sharks had near enough to 110 overs left.
Poor Matt Dyke had the worst possible experience, out lbw to Cam Graham in the thirdover for afirst baller
Harris joined Pryde, and the pair slowly but surely negotiated the first session.
The pitch was still rock hard,and showed no signs of deteriorating.
Allen however was able to induce a false stroke from Harris, who went for 43 via agood catchfromwicket-keeper Frank Marks -never easy when the batsmen plays afull blooded cut.
Pryde followed ashort time later,leaving the score3/86. The skipper played well for his 41, and was to be commended for an act of sportsmanship afterathrow from the infield hithis bat at the non-strikers end and he decided not to take the run following the deflection.
At tea the match was evenly poised, with Ex Students 4/124 after 48 overs.
The Sharks hadn’t looked to advance the scoring rate, and therewas some suggestion they needed to get amove on, more so to avoid the potential ofcoming back next week.
Lee Stockdale remained the linchpinafter the break, not only holding the middle order togetherbut ensuringruns came as necessary.
The right hander calmly played each ball on its merit, dabbing to thirdman and then waiting for anything fractionally short to put away.
The insurance policy of Rick Battista did moreofthe hitting, blasting acouple of ballsover the top to momentarilyrelieve some pressure. He went for one big shot too many though, and was out pulling offFreitag, leaving the score6/198.
An astute Freitagthenplayed cat and mouse with Stockdale, spreading the field to give himone and exposing thenew batsmen.
Stockdale tried his best to get back for two, although to his credit, Alex McCormack did well the times he had to face the majority of an over.
Wi th the secon dn ew ba l ll oo ming, Stockdale went after one from Allen, but could onlyget an edge to Freitag in theslips.
Stockdale walkedoff to astanding ovation, after making 81 off146 balls, yet his dismissal meant the game changed suddenly
as two fresh batsmen werein and about to face the new rock.
So nervous was Stockdale, he had to sit by himselfatthe nets asthe rest of the game unfolded.
Glengarry took the second new ball just before6pm, makingthe immediatetask all the morechallenging for the Sharks given the fading light.
The lightdidn’tall work in the Magpies favour however,asthe setting sun got in theeyesofMax Merton trying to judge a catch on the mid-wicket fence.
Merton had hit asix in the last over to win Glengarry the flag against Ex Students three seasons earlier.How this game has a way of unexplainably levelling out.
McCor mack snicked the newballto Freitag in the slips, who took aquick grab reverse-cup style (better method).
By now the scorewas 8/217. Time and light werebecoming afactor,but both teams weredesperate to see aresult.
With Dylan Freitag supporting enthusiastically from the side lines, the match becamecompulsive viewing. (If you were to combine Dylan’s preparation with Nat’s ability youwould justabout haveyour perfect cricketer).
Nat Freitag looked out on his feet, perhaps evidenced by the fact his first delivery with thenew ball was afull toss.
Despite this, hekeptcharging in, and couldn’t have done any moreascaptain.
Aslashing boundary to cover point from DanielT reasehad the Ex Studentssupporters on their feet, and got them within touching distance of victory.
Some scrounging runs came, getting the total down to single figures, forcing Freitag to roll the dice and bring Allen back on.
Trease and Sharks 200 gamer Andrew Matthews wereuptothe task, and Trease secured the premiership with astraight drive back down the ground that almost went in slow motion back past the bowler Supporters stormed the field, the majority of whom were Sharks players who had
already won premierships thepreviousday in Premier B, Premier Cand the Women’s Championship premiership team.
Youcan’t do much morethan win every flag on offer
ClubpresidentRob Voss was beaming with pride, andovercomewith emotion having seen his club climb local cricket’s equivalent of Mount Everest.
The Sharks wereclearly set for abig night, and areported eight slabsofHardSolo wereordered for the rooms once it looked as though Ex Students might win.
Some Glengarry players slumped to the ground in exhaustion, an understandable reaction having put so much into the day.
The Magpiesdidn’tdomuch,ifanything, wrong. Unfortunately,someonejusthad to lose.
Freitag sent down 31.5 overs and took 4/95, Graham 23 overs for 2/57 and Allen 24 overs for 2/44.
Stockdale was an obvious man of the match, although apart of his story that is perhaps lost is worth telling.
Stockdale made apair during last season’s finalsseries, and cameback12months later to delivera best-on-ground per formance. Thereisavaluable lesson for any youngster there.
“He hasn’t had the year he normally has with his stats but youjust know asuperstar player like that is going to rock up at some stageand he was able to do it over the last two days,” Pryde saidpostgame.
Pryde admitted he “thought we werecoming back(next week) for sure”, butwas stoked aresult was reached.
“It was anail-biter,got alot of respect for Glengarry, the way they go about it, they don’t give an inch,don’t take an inch. Very goodgame, could have gone either way.
“Thought it was pretty evenly poised over night, (but) theydon’t get much tighter than that.
“Credit to Morwell, put on an unbelievable display with the ground and the pitch, to chase down 230 it’s got to be agood wicket.”
The skipper paid tributetothe club on another successful season, albeit one that wasn’t always smooth sailing.
“Wehad to fight alot throughout the year scrapour way into finals trying to hold onto second, lost acouple of games where we felt we shouldn’t have, got acouple of draws, last week helped us with the rain on the Sunday,” Pryde said.
“Weknow when we get to aGrand Final we nor mallystackupprettywell just had to get there.
“Four senior premierships is unbelievable, credit to everyone part of the club. We keep backing up year -in-year -out trying to win them,it’snot easy to do but we’llcelebrate this one pretty well.”
It’s going to be abig reunion in 2035.
Ex Students won amemorable Cricket Latrobe Valley Premier Apremiership,decided right at the death.
