North East and Goulburn Murray Farmer

NORTH EAST AND GOULBURN MURRAY

Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria Published since 1984

DECEMBER, 2016

37 Rowan Street, Wangaratta 3677

John Houghton’s

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Dairy farmers seek round table urgent aid resolution McGowan challenges Joyce to overcome assistance delay

A BELIEVER: Greta South farmer Allen Ashworth firmly believes native pastures supplemented with a cereal by-product, crushed lime and Himalayan rock salt provides the best nutrition for his herds. He has conducted on-farm trials and is pleased with the results.

Full story page 3.

CATHY McGowan (MHR, Indi) has challenged the government to overcome distressing delays in the delivery of financial help for dairy farming families when it hosts round table discussions in the North East and Goulburn Valley this month.

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has responded to concerns raised by Ms McGowan in parliament about the hurdles faced by farmers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; deeply affected by this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dramatic milk price cut â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who need help from an emergency assistance package.

Mr Joyce is sending Victorian Senator Bridget McKenzie to Tangambalanga on December 12 and Congupna in the Goulburn Valley on December 13 to host discussions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; two of a series across Victoria â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with affected farmers, Ms McGowan and bureaucrats and to nut out ways to overcome delivery lags.

The Victorian Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Federation has described the round table talks as â&#x20AC;&#x153;unmissableâ&#x20AC;?.

The government came

up with a $579 million emergency package after major milk processors retrospectively slashed supplier prices by 15 per cent in April, forcing many farmers into debt.

But dairying families have told Ms McGowan they are waiting up to 20 weeks to receive help â&#x20AC;&#x201C; largely as a result of a complex application process. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time now for action to fix the delays,â&#x20AC;? Ms McGowan said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The dairy industry is vital to Indi and to the national economy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The government needs to look after our dairy farmers and their families, many of whom are in serious distress.â&#x20AC;?

Ms McGowan said she looked forward to welcoming Senator McKenzie to Indi. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is good to see the Nationals responding to the plea for help from the farmers,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Securing this face to face conversation between people who are affected and the people who can make decisions is the most effective approach.â&#x20AC;? Â&#x201E; Continued page 2

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NEWS

Page 2, North East Farmer

$J 9LF À LHV LQ ZLWK D QHZ DHULDO JXLGH A NEW aerial spraying guide has been launched by Agriculture Victoria to assist land managers with the effective and safe use of agricultural chemicals.

Agriculture Victoria state-wide chemical specialist Steve Field said the guide will be useful to land managers giving them information about how to manage the risks of spraying agricultural chemicals.

“The new guide provides hints and tips for land managers that are considering aerial spraying, as well as outlining their legal responsibilities, particularly in terms of notification and the provision of information to the pilot,” he said.

The new guide can be downloaded for free by visiting http://go.vic.gov.au/CCw62a.

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NORTH EAST AND GOULBURN MURRAY

Covering North East Victoria, Southern New South Wales and Goulburn Murray Valleys

37 Rowan St., Wangaratta, 3677 Phone (03) 5723 0100 Fax (03) 5721 9447 Email: nefarmer@nemedia.com.au Website: www.nemedia.com.au

Bill Michalowski Phone (03) 5723 0134 Fax (03) 5722 9778 bmichalowski@nemedia.com.au

Editorial:

Jodie Fleming Phone (03) 5723 0129 Fax (03) 5722 9778 jfleming@nemedia.com.au

Pre-Press Coordinator

Noelene Allan Phone (03) 5723 0110 Fax (03) 5722 9778 nallan@nemedia.com.au

ON THE SPOT

A FREE soil health workshop will be held to give farmers a better understanding of the soil on their properties. The workshop will enable participants to learn how to evaluate the condition of soil and apply appropriate management practices to enhance soil health.

Identify possible soil health issues using the nine visual tests conducted in the field and how to use the Soil Health Score Card to provide real-time information on the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of your soil.

For more information please contact Martin Hamilton at martin. hamilton@ecodev.vic.gov.au or 03 5430 4802.

AGRICULTURE Victoria is conducting a series of information sessions across the state to assist sheep and goat producers with the adoption of electronic NLIS identification across the industry from January 1, 2017.

Agriculture Victoria’s agricultural services director Dougal Purcell said it was important that sheep and goat producers were familiar with what will be required and what support is available.

Producers will learn how to purchase the newly priced electronic NLIS tages, what thier responisibilities are and how to access the co-funded equipment grants.

The workshops will run for around two-and-a-half hours and are being held across the state and in the norther region on: Thursday, December 8, Agriculture Victoria at Epsom, Bendigo; Thursday, December 8, Mia Mia Hall, Mia Mia; Tuesday, December 13, Glasshouse Lakeside Community Centre, Benalla; Wednesday, December 14, Agriculture Victoria, Rutherglen.

More details about the workshop, including how

to register can be found at www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/ EIDworkshops or by calling 136 186.

CATTLE producers are encouraged to attend an information session about reproductive diseases, the new approach to Johnes Disease, top tips for winning weaners and more.

The free event, Your cattle - a seasonal guide to what’s next, will be held on Monday, December 5, 9.45am - 12.30pm at the Milawa Gourmet Hotel, Snow Road, Milawa.

The session includes morning tea and lunch.

For more information please contact Catherine James, lhbv@vff. org.au or 0418 360 470.

AGRICULTURE Victoria is hotsting a free communtiy weed control meeting on December 3, in Kyneton. The session will be hosted by Agriculture Victoria’s biosecurity officer Martin

Deering, and participants will learn how to identify and address weed problems with the latest effective methods for small and large properties. The workshop will be held at Gun Club, Bald Hill Reserve, 281 Pipers Creek Road, Kyneton (presentation) and Bald Hill Reserve (practical).

The LURG CFA will be hosting Horses and Bushfires information evening on Friday, December 9.

The session will provide information regarding incorporating your horses into your fire plan, and will feature topics: preparing your property preparing your horses for fire equine behaviour in fires leaving early, where can I go?

The event will begin at 6pm with a barbeque and the information session will commence at 7pm. To RSVP visit the Lurg Fire Brigade CFA: Horses and Bushfires Information Evening Facebook page or email lurgcfa@gmail.com.

'DLU\ IDUPHUV VHHN XUJHQW DLG UHVROXWLRQ Ms McGowan said an on-line application process had also proved difficult for affected families who had inadequate internet access.

“Action is needed to provide the resources to get the money flowing where it is needed without adding to the farmers’ distress,” she said.

“Farmers will be looking for a commitment to that action following the meeting.”

Senator McKenzie said the round table discussions – which are also to be held in the Goulburn Valley, Gippsland and Victoria’s south west – were “further evidence of the Coalition government’s commitment to support Australia’s dairy farmers”.

She said $45.5m in dairy recovery concessional loans had been approved for Victorian dairy farmers.

Mr Joyce told parliament on November 10 that loans totalling $35.5m had been approved in Victoria for 67 farmers.

Offers of a further $9.9m had been made to another 17 farmers.

Senator McKenzie, by comparison, said late in November that 378 Victorian dairy farmers were receiving

DAIRY BELL: Cathy McGowan has pushed government to sort out farmer aid.

a government-funded farm household allowance – an increase of 263 since May 2, 2016.

United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president Adam Jenkins said hundreds of dairying families had benefited from the farm household allowance in the past few months.

But for many others the application process had been “confusing and

frustrating”.

“We are keen to work any administrative wrinkles out of the application and assessment process but to do that we need the direct feedback from farmers who had contact with this process this year,” Mr Jenkins said.

“So we are encouraging dairy farmers to take the opportunity to come to these meetings and share their views on the roll-out of the government’s package.

“This is a chance for farmers to give feedback on the package, including any delays they’re facing in accessing emergency financial assistance, and let the (government) know what is important to you.”

Mr Jenkins said the UDV was also continuing to support members by raising the issues they have identified with the key decision makers.

“Our priority is to ensure that farmers get the support they need through any means necessary, which is why it’s also vital that if they have concerns about the assistance measures, they get along to one of these meetings,” he said.

Anyone interested in attending the Tangambalanga talks should call the Indi electorate office on (02) 6024 6284.

Farm Sheds Commercial Industrial Sheds

Published by Hartley Higgins for North East Media Pty Ltd, 37 Rowan Street, Wangaratta 3677.

Responsibility for election comment is accepted by Editor Jeff Zeuschner.

Copyright: All advertising and editorial content of this issue is the copyright of North East Media edia Ptyy Ltd and an cannot be used without the company’s y’s permission.

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December 2016

North East Farmer, Page 3

Herefords thrive on native pasture at Greta South offers better weight gain and doability off native pastures, milks well and has a quiet temperament.

Allen spent his childhood at Staghorn Flat, outside of Wodonga, where he recalls the Whyte, Lindsay and Adam families running big commercial Hereford herds more than half a century ago.

Twelve years ago he was feeding out silage to cattle while his old ute idled along in first gear.

He tripped and grabbed the side of the ute tray but the vehicle hit a rock and did a U-turn, running over Allen’s knees.

A cancer diagnosis followed shortly afterwards with many hospital visits.

The cattle and farm kept Allen going and today he is farming full-time at age 77.

He has scaled back to 80 breeders, allowing him to carry out contract earthmoving work for five months of the year.

Across the decades Allen has used both polled and horned genetics from Lowanna and Yavenvale.

He relies purely on a stockman’s eye to pick a bull – working from the tail through the hindquarters to the shoulders and head, looking for thickness.

He prefers to let heifers grow out skeletally before they are joined at nearly two years.

The steep and stoney hills covered in red box and stringybark keep the heifers fit during pregnancy.

“I won’t buy in breeders – the herd is all self-replacing,” Allen said.

“If the heifers miss a calf they are gone.”

The heifers are classed by Allen and cattle handler Mark Woodstock, who also does the pregnancy testing.

Allen selects heifers on feet, bone structure and frame while Mark does the second round of classing on fertility.

“There’s no bloody fancy

stuff here,” he said.

“It costs just as much to feed a mongrel as it does a good one.

“I like moderate framed, functional and fertile females – I don’t want elephants.

“The old man always pressed upon me the temperament of the breed and the weight gain.

“I always talk to my cattle – an old drover told me he rode a horse through a mob, kept talking and they would quieten down.”

There’s absolutely no molly coddling at Ashley Park, with cows and calves expected to fend for themselves while Allen is away on contract work.

“This is not river flat country,’’ he said.

“I don’t try to grow the calves out.”

He mixes crushed lime, breakfast cereal by-product and Himalayan rock salt in drums or old tyres as a supplement.

The calves are supplemented with the ration from birth.

They are paddock weaned at 270-280kg, or nine months of age, and sold through regional saleyards.

“I went through the beef slump in ’74 when I saw beautiful Hereford bullocks shot for pet food,’’ Allen said.

“As a result I’m a bit nervous about these high prices but it is what we should be getting.

“I have never seen prices like these in my life and I hope it keeps going.

“The beef market really has taken since the slump of 1982 to recover.”

Allen and his wife Faye have cared for the environment by planting hundreds of trees into shelter belts for stock on ridge lines, and fencing off areas growing rare native grass trees.

From the highest point on Ashley Park, there is a spectacular view of the Victorian alps.

According to Allen, “it is the closet you will ever get to heaven”.

RICH GRASS: Allen Ashworth likes the weight gain off native pastures and quiet temperament of the Hereford.

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THE superior weight gain off native pastures and quiet temperament of the Hereford was rammed home to commercial producer Allen Ashworth during years of on-farm experimentation.

Mr Ashworth, of Greta South, has bred Herefords for the past 50 years, and has also crossed them with European and British breeds to compare weight gains and market acceptability.

He ran his own on-farm trial consisting of 50 Hereford steers and 50 Angus steers.

The calves were all born at the same time on Allen’s farm.

“The bulls go out on June 6 and are run for seven weeks to result in a tight calving with the first calf born around March 5,” he said.

“Both breeds were run on the same native pasture.

“On the second week of November each year I would bring all calves in for weighing individually.

“I did this for three drops of weaner calves over three years and the Herefords were on average 21.5kg heavier each year.”

Allen also ran his own experiment on temperament and feed efficiency.

“Each day, I would alternate between feeding the Angus first and the Hereford cows second, and vice versa,” he said.

“Over those three years on this property I found the Angus gorged their feed while the Herefords would quietly eat all their (ration).”

Set in a 700mm rainfall zone, the property, Ashley Park, comprises soil types ranging from granite to red loam, quartz and yellow sand.

Since 1971, Allen has trialled different breeds with Hereford cows.

“I am now moving back to pure Hereford and anything with a broken face will be eventually culled,” he said.

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NEWS

Page 4, North East Farmer

December 2016

Organics award for small business A BENALLA business has been recognised for its outstanding contributions to organic farming, winning the 2016 Australian Organics Chairman’s Award last month.

Benalla Mushrooms took out the award on November 10, and owner Andrew Cowan said the award reflected the enormous amount of hard work that has gone into being one of only a handful of certified organic mushroom producers in Australia.

Mr Cowan started Benalla Mushrooms with his father Norm 25 years ago and said it began as a conventional mushroom farm, but after only one year the decision was made to change to organics.

“It was really dad who wanted to start mushroom farming so we got it going, but we didn’t know anything about growing mushrooms,” he said.

“We’re self-taught and the more we discovered about the drugs and pesticides used in growing mushrooms the more we decided we should switch to organics. We just weren’t happy with the products and we’ve been certified organic producers for just over 20 years.”

Mr Cowan now runs the business with his wife Jill and son Jake and their white button mushrooms are found in Coles and Woolworths’ supermarkets throughout Australia.

“We sell our mushrooms via Ecofarms an organic wholesaler and Monica’s Organics in South Australia,” Mr Cowan said.

“We simply don’t have the time to go directly to supermarkets ourselves so going through these wholesalers has made it much easier.

“We do supply local organic shops and we are really proud that all of our packaging is 100 per cent recyclable and we use a specific mushroom film which is a permeable membrane that allows the mushrooms to breathe.”

Benalla Mushrooms produces around 100 tonnes of mushrooms per year but Mr Cowan said being organic makes it that much harder to produce a successful harvest.

“We have four growing rooms at the moment and you have to be extremely vigilant throughout the entire process as

there’s a lot that can go wrong,” he said.

“Because we are 100 per cent organic and can’t use any chemicals we have to find alternative ways of dealing with mould, scarabs and other bugs that can threaten an entire growing room if we can’t get on top of it and find an organic way to treat each problem.

“We’ve tried some things in the past that have worked and then the next time we try it, it doesn’t work. That’s the game we are in, so you have to spend seven days a week, 52 weeks a year making sure you catch things early.

“Making sure the climate is perfect all year round for the mushrooms is quite tricky as well. Australia doesn’t have a lot of organic mushroom growers to get advice from and certainly none who have been doing it longer than I have,so I basically have to work it out for myself.”

With 18 employees already on board and plans to add another five growing rooms to the farm, Mr Cowan said their ‘old school’ practices and dedication to improving standards were one of the reasons they won the award.

“Most people now get their compost already packed, but we are still sticking with our original method of getting raw compost which passes through a pasteurisation funnel and is then ready to use,” he said.

“Benalla Mushrooms strives for quality not quantity, and while it would be nice to get more product out there with the rooms we have now, it’s just not worth sacrificing the end result.

“Our mushrooms need to look as good as the non-organic mushrooms without the tricks of the trade, our customers expect that, so I’d rather get our pickers to pick slower and not over pin, which will reduce the yield in order to get beautiful looking mushrooms.”

Despite the huge commitment to mushrooms, Mr Cowan said he still loves his job and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

“There are good times and there are bad times, but at the end of the day I love my job. It makes me happy and as our slogan says ‘don’t just taste the difference, live it!’ and that’s exactly what I’m doing,” he said.

GROWING SUCCESS: Benalla Mushroom’s Andrew Cowan says organic mushroom farming isn’t a job, it’s a way of life.

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NEWS

December 2016

North East Farmer, Page 5

Woolies signs new fruit deal

SPC Ardmona will increase the volume of canned fruits supplied to Woolworths after the supermarket giant decided to hold up their end of a $70 million deal.

The Goulburn Valley fruit industry will now supply around nine million cans of Australian deciduous fruit to Woolworths.

In early November, the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) voiced concerns for the future of the Goulburn Valley industry if Woolworths decided to walk away from a negotiated ďŹ ve-year SPC deal after only two years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This deal will not only save the livelihoods of thousands of farmers and SPC employees, but it also makes good business

sense,â&#x20AC;? VFF president David Jochinke said.

During talks between the two companies in November, Woolworths decided to not renew a separate year-to-year contract for the supply of Woolworths brand Australian tinned tomatoes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As part of our ongoing commitment to source Australian made tinned tomatoes we have now commenced supply from another local provider who sources their tomatoes from the Murray Valley region in Victoria,â&#x20AC;? Woolworths said in a statement.

Woolworths said it would continue to support SPC Ardmona by offering customers the Ardmona brand of tinned tomatoes throughout its stores.

In a statement released on November 15, SPC said the company had now signed a three-year contract to supply an increased volume of deciduous fruit to Woolworths for its private label brand products. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This satisfactory conclusion to these discussions on the Woolworths brand is wonderful news for the farmers, workers and families of the Goulburn Valley,â&#x20AC;? SPC said.

A VFF spokesperson said the federation was pleased with the outcome.

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NEWS

Page 6, North East Farmer

John Houghton’s

Murray Darling Basin package causes Senate stir

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IT IS with interest that South Australian senators are squealing like stuck pigs over the Murrray Darling Basin water package.

The ideal of having enough water to keep the Murray mouth open nine years out of 10 is a pipe dream.

Whatever your political persuasion the whole MDBA environmental water need is questionable.

Statisticians can take a grab and by varying the years applied create an impressive power point presentation to make their case.

You could say that the deal South Australia has won with the MDBA has allowed the whole MDBA deal to put too much into the outfall, or

By BRUCE DIFFEY Waterwheel Traders that the trough has been overfilled with food at QLD, NSW and VIC expense.

Barnaby Joyce is serious about the review and if the Nationals don’t get the total package right for NSW and Victoria then the Nationals, as a federal political power days are numbered. Business and residents of regional Australia will walk away forever.

The whole system has had over 100 years of development of

balances and checks. The dream is over, time to get realistic and make some hard decisions.

The Southern Basin has one opportunity to deliver water in a more timely fashion .

The Ovens system has delivered a large component of the Murray spill water this year July, August, September, October and November.

The land is government land and the second stage of Buffalo Dam yields support delivery in a timely fashion.

Some salient points are that for the yield per catchment the Ovens is proven, for flood history and protection of Wangaratta’s aged levee there is a benefit: security and development of lower Ovens

would occur.

Side benefits: the environment water could be delivered to the Murray without flooding the AlburyMulwala stretch of narrow channel.

South Australia could remove barrages and move Adelaide offtake upstream. This is a win-win for NSW and Victoria with SA’s needs being met.

Allocation water is at varying prices because of the rules (checks and balances developed by the states). No inter-valley trade is happening and the Barmah choke is restricting trade for NSW and Victoria. Current allocation price is $110/ML for Goulburn and Murray in Victoria. NSW above the choke is $80. The Murrumbidgee is $70.

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DAIRY Australia welcomed some old and new faces after members voted at the company’s annual general meeting to elect candidates to the board of the organisation.

Professor Paul Wood, Jeff Odgers and Jan West were elected on November 25, and each will fill a specific role on the board.

Mrs West was first appointed on the Dairy Australia board in 2014, and has been re-elected as a director to fill the finance and accounting skills vacancy.

Professor Wood, Adjunct Professor at Monash University and Chair of the Agriculture and ALL ABOUT DAIRY: (from left) Professor Paul Wood, Jan West and Foodtech Committed for AusJeff Odgers now sit on Dairy Australia’s board.

Biotech has been elected for the

first time and will fill the research and development skills vacancy.

First appointed to the Dairy Australia board in 2013, Mr Odgers, will stay on as a director and will fill the milk producer vacancy.

Dairy Australia chair Geoff Akers said the organisation invited applications for the vacancies earlier this year, and an industry selection committee conducted the formal process, which led to the nomination of the three candidates.

“It is my pleasure to welcome Paul as a new director to the board, and I congratulate Jeff and Jan on their reappointments,” he said.

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NEWS

Page 10, North East Farmer

December 2016

Years of testing comes to fruition SUMMER means the arrival of delicious stone fruit like peaches and nectarines to our tables.

But with a short picking season and the delicate nature of the fruit, ensuring quality on the shop shelf is the everpresent challenge.

After years of testing, Agriculture Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dr Dario Stefanelli and his team have developed a way to test for and predict fruit quality. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As fruit ripens it produces a gas called ethylene,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With our research we found that if the fruit is picked too early and hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t started to produce ethylene, then it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t develop proper taste and ripeness. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The fruit can look the right colour, feel ripe when you hold it and even smell good when you buy it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But when you bite into it, the taste just isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there.â&#x20AC;?

Dr Stefanelli has been working with a research group in Italy to develop a simple handheld tool to measure fruit maturity before it is picked.

The tool is known as the DA meter.

The researchers are now actively working with SummerfruitAustralia to get growers to use the testing method to improve the timing of fruit harvest.

The key is to calibrate the DA meter against ethylene for each cultivar.

The fruit can look the right colour, feel ripe when you hold it and even smell good when you buy it. But when you bite into it, the taste just isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there.

To do this, a measurement with the DA meter is taken in the ďŹ eld.

At the same time, on the same piece of fruit, an ethylene gas sample is collected and then sent to the laboratory for analysis. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In Victoria alone we grow more than 300 cultivars of stone fruit,â&#x20AC;? Dr Stefanelli said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To really deďŹ ne what quality means for each, we need to collect data for each cultivar. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To get the data we will continue to work closely with industry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is also very important to growers that fruit can be tested

quickly and without destroying the fruit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The DA meter is a real step forward because we can measure the fruit when it is intact on the tree. So there is no loss.â&#x20AC;?

With the Australian industry worth well over $300 million, there are signiďŹ cant gains to be made in better planning for and managing fruit quality.

One industry player who has taken note is Jason Size from Quality Fruit Marketing Pty Ltd in South Australia. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Understanding how to measure fruit quality really is the Holy Grail for our industry,â&#x20AC;?

Mr Size said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Currently most testing uses a general visual approach looking at colour, feel and shape, so thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of guesswork. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But this method gives a reading of actual maturity and therefore the ability to predict harvest more accurately.â&#x20AC;?

The researchers want to see their work contribute to the best quality fruit reaching customers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Having spent the past ďŹ ve years on this, I really want to see the science translate into tastier fruit on the table,â&#x20AC;? Dr Stefanelli said.

The research was funded

by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the summer fruit levy and funds from the Australian Government with co-investment from the Victorian Government.

IS IT QUALITY FRUIT?: Assessing stone fruit is very much a visual process, but Agriculture Victoria have developed a simple, hand held tool to measure fruit maturity before itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s picked.

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BEEF WEEK

Page 14, North East Farmer

December 2016

YOUNG BLOOD: Heatherington Bridgadier L.40 will be up for sale during the stud’s open day on January 29.

STUD: Kaiser K26 is back in the paddocks after a short stay at Genetics Australia.

New bull to improve stock JAROBEE Angus Stud will have a selection of breeders, heifers and bulls on display during Beef Week open day next year, including the impressive Granite Ridge Kaiser K26.

Purchased last year, Kaiser K26 has returned home in perfect condition after a stay at the Genetics Australia Collection Centre and has settled back into life at Jarobee with his first round of calves due to be born in autumn 2017.

The stud was founded in 1994, with females sourced from Willow Fields Stud,

Rochester, and the initial motivation was to breed cattle that would upgrade the commercial herd.

Having achieved this, Jarobee Angus Stud has focused its attention on genetics and with the use of embryo transfer and artificial insemination, coupled with sourcing semen that adhered to the stud’s strict guidelines Jarobee is able to produce high quality cattle.

Jarobee is investing more time and effort into their breeding programs and females than ever before.

Independent assessments and scanning for meat values are carried out on heifers and bulls to ensure that something hasn’t been missed and females are scanned to tighten up breeding times.

These practices are strengthening the breeding herd.

During Beef Week 2017, Jarobee Angus Stud will be entering the Heifer Challenge for the first time and a selection of bulls and heifers will be on display on February 2, 2017.

The stud’s annual bull sale will be held on March 17, 2017.

BEEF WEEK BEECHWORTH Day 7 - Thursday, February 2nd 2017 Robinson Rd, Beechworth The Robinson Family invite you to inspect a range of Cattle including Bulls for Sale at our Autumn Bull Sale.

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Beechworth

Stud marches out offspring HEATHERINGTON Park Poll Herefords will be introducing new stud sire Days Brigadier G.101, by the great Allendale Waterhouse D.1, during Beef Week 2017.

Brigadier G.101 was the Reserve Senior Champion at the Dubbo National in 2013, behind the $95,000 Grand Champion.

He sold for $40,000 and a son was a class winner at Wodonga 2016, selling for $44,000.

Heatherington Park’s first son, Heatherington Brigadier L.40, out of Bowen Vincent V.1 daughter, is available for sale on day three of Beef Week, January 29, 2017.

Heatherington Brigadier L.40 weighed 437kgs when weaned at nine months, scanned +98 for EMA and +3.8 for IMF at 17 months and weighed 846kgs at 19 months.

Also for sale are the stud’s other rising twoyear old bulls by Allendale Robin Hood D.194 and AI sire Yalgoo Boulder Z.250.

Weaner bulls, and retained heifers by Brigadier G.101 will also

ALL CLASS: Days Brigadier G.101

be on display during Beef Week along with other weaner Brigadier heifers that will be available for sale.

Established in 1991 in North East Victoria, Heatherington Park was combined with a commercial operation and foundation females were purchased from Studbrook, Margfred Park, Polaris and Wolbull.

The stud moved to its current location in Kingston, in 2002, to concentrate on stud operations, running 55 autumn calving stud breeders.

Taking part in the

Victorian Beef Week open day gives Heatherington the opportunity to display a selection of its livestock along with sale bulls.

Breeding females, yearling bulls and heifers and recently weaned calves will also be on display, giving clients the opportunity to purchase their new sire on the day and gain an insight into Heatherington’s breeding program.

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BEEF WEEK

December 2016

North East Farmer, Page 15

Genetics leading the way PRIME Angus and Wagyu bulls are set to be on display at Pinnacle Angus Stud’s Beef Week Open Day. Founded in 2008, Pinnacle Angus has been striving to produce sound, fertile, easy calving cattle that have excellent carcase attributes and high growth rates. Their cattle have been able to perform for clients under commercial conditions and provide them with a premium price.

Pinnacle Angus offers a large selection of low birthweight easy calving bulls every year, which ensures there’s something suitable for heifers and smaller framed cows.

Selecting a broad range of world leading artificial insemination sires ensures cutting edge genetics are available, and heifers and cows are joined to artificial insemination sires via a fixed time program, which is then backed up by selected stud sires.

Pinnacle’s semen sire Longford F502 is a high Tajima bull sired by Yasafuku Junior and is approved for use in Angus F1 programs by various feedlots including JBS, Rangers Vally and AACO. Sons of Longford F502 sold recently at the Bald Ridge Wagyu Inaugural Sale from $7000 - $9000 plus.

Operating in the pristine Happy Valley in North East Victoria, Pinnacle Angus Stud is run alongside Umami Wagyu and Happy Beef Farms.

Umami Wagyu commenced operations in 2015 and the nucleus of herd was purchased from Shadi Farms at Morningside, which was

PRIME DNA: Longford F502 has proven his genetic merit, with over 30 full blood progeny stud registered across three Wagyu studs and many more on the way.

added to with embryo transfers from embryos sourced from Goorambat Wagyu.

Wagyu bulls have been purchased from Wagyu Genetics, as well as the Hermitage Wagyu Stud and Shadi Farms.

During the Pinnacle Angus open day on Thursday, February 2, 2017, prime Angus and Wagyu Bulls, in-

cluding Longford F502, will be on display along with semen from the studs Elite Wagyu Bulls which have been selected for use over Angus heifer/cows to enable producers to have trouble free calving and to capitalise on the surging demand for Wagyu infused genetics.

The bulls are approved for use by all the major Wagyu lot feeders, and

the benefits of Wagyu infused cattle has already been highlighted with progeny live weight sales breaking the Australian record several months ago at over $7/per kg.

Pinnacle will be having a barbecue during their Beef Week open day and will be cooking up some premium Angus and Wagyu beef from their Happy Beef Brand.

Top cows up for grabs FOR only the second time, Le Martres Limousins is holding their second female production sale in 28 years.

Established in 1988, Le Martres Limousin breeds Limousin cattle with exceptional quality carcasses, a range of coat colours apricot, black, red and blue, and increasing selection of which are polled.

Le Martres will be offering a high class herd of mature cows during their timed online auction sale from November 30 – December 3, and the cows all come with the renowned Le Martres milk and maternal values.

Bred to perform in Australian conditions, their Limousin cattle are produced and grow out in grass fed conditions, which also makes them highly fertile.

The stud has a within herd genetic selection program based on 18 years of utilising the services of the Natural Ecosystems Group (NEG) which utilises objective measurement – weighing, live scanning and indexing technology to identify cattle of superior meat yield and quality.

The many benefits include higher carcase yields, better balanced carcases (meat, fat and bone ratios), great carcase uniformity across progeny, higher value heifer progeny and higher marbling (>2.0 IMF) for meat quality.

Le Martres herd dams are selected from with the herd on the basis of, calving annually, calves born early and relatively small (ensuring shorter gestation and small birth size, high maternal index at weaning, good carcase attributes, structurally correct and good udder and teat shape.

The genetics being used by LeMartre are proving ideal for both grassland and/ or feed-lot finishing, especially for domestic trade orders.

Le Martres will also be taking part in Beef Week 2017 on day 8, February 3.

“Join us and become a successful member of the Le Martres TEAM.”

Bulls available for private treaty Nov 30-Decavailable 3 GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FEMALE SALE Bulls for private treaty (online Elite Livestock Auctions)

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Thinking of joining your ANGUS heifers to Wagyu? Current feedlot live weights of $7/kg interest you.

We have the right semen to use. Approved Wagyu semen from $20 / straw of ($15/ straw for 50+ straws).

Robin Hood D.194 has outstanding Breedplan EBV’s, with a son selling for $10,000 at Dubbo. His sire is by Allendale National W.168 (sire of the year $85,000) out of Allendale Musketeer’s (sire of the year $58,000 ) full sister.

His last excellent rising two-year old, grass-fed, sons are available for sale on the day, along with sons of Yalgoo Boulder Z.250 (Dubbo Jnr Champ $30,000) and the first son of Days Brigadier G.101 (Dubbo Res Snr Champ $40,000).

Weaner heifers by Brigadier will also be for sale. All visitors welcome

Ph 0411890925 Email jake@howman.com.au t/12d12153-v9/5016

H.Robin Hood L.48 PHILIP R. GAY, Ph/Fax 03 5345 6167; Mobile 0412 565 292 3832 Creswick-Newstead Road, www.heatheringtonpark.com.au Kingston 3364 (8.5 kms from Creswick)

Free Delivery within 100km.

NEWS

Page 16, North East Farmer

December 2016

Leader opportunity EXPRESSIONS of interest are currently open for the 2017 Community Landcare and Agricultural Leadership program.

The program covers community leadership, governance, community capacity, conflict resolution and resilience and trends in Natural Resource Management sector.

This year the Community Landcare and Agricultural Leadership program is open to applicants in the Goulburn, Broken and North East Catchment Management Authority regions and will be delivered by the Alpine Valleys Community Leadership Program (AVCLP) in partnership with Goulburn Murray Community Leadership.

The program will run over seven sessions from February to May 2017.

The cost of the program is $200 plus GST. For more information contact Kim Scanlon at admin@avclp.org.au.

KINGDOM COMES HOME: Kingdom K35 is enjoying being back in the paddock with the cows at Witherswood.

Record bull returns home

CLIFFORD CONTRACTING

WITHERSWOOD Angus recently welcomed home Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record priced bull Kingdom K35, who had been in a collection centre for the past few months.

Kingdom K35 has grown out beautifully, but has still maintained his natural thickness, impeccable structure and lovely pleasant nature.

At ABS, Kingdom K35 had the largest semen sales of any

Disc mowing, Tedding, Twin rotor raking, Silage loader wagon, McHale Fusion Vario, Round baler silage/hay (chopping available).

Ag Services and Labour Hire Available

Call Doug 0421 867 064.

Australian Angus Bull in the last ďŹ nancial year, with global sales to New Zealand and Europe, in particular the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland and Finland.

There have also been sales to South America.

Interest in Kingdom K35 is continually growing, and the Beef Week Open Day at Witherswood on Thursday, February 2, 2017, will be a fantastic opportunity for

clients and visitors to inspect the magniďŹ cent bull and even better, his calves.

Donor cows will also be on display, which are some of the heaviest boned cows with New Zealand genetics, as well as heifers for the heifer challenge and a selection of sale bulls for the annual Witherswood sale, which will be held on Tuesday, March 21, 2017.

Witherswood aims to produce

cattle that can survive under tough conditions, but above all cattle need to have soft skins to enable them to ďŹ nish on grass.

The direction Witherswood is taking is to produce a cattle type, suited to all conditions and the maternal power of Witherswood cows is something they are proud of.

The team at Witherswood looks forward to seeing their clients and visitors at their open day.

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NAGAMBIE John Sanderson Machinery P/L, 36-38 Industrial Crescent ................................(03) 5794 2272 SHEPPARTON Bertoli Farm Machinery, 198-200 Numurkah Road ........................................(03) 5821 3299 WALLA WALLA CJ & LH Wiesner P/L, 77-79 Commercial St ...............................................(02) 6029 2151

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NEWS

Page 18, North East Farmer

December 2016

Concessional interest rates drop next year

FARM businesses across Australia will be able to save thousands of dollars thanks to a cut in concessional interest rates from February 1, 2017.

The drop comes as part of the Coalition Government’s regular six-monthly review of concessional interest rates.

The interest rate for the Farm Finance Concessional Loans will drop from 3.55 per cent to 3.03 per cent, while the Drought Concessional Loans rate will fall from 3.05 per cent to 2.53 per cent, and Drought Recovery and Dairy Recovery Concessional Loans rate will decrease from 2.66 per cent to 2.07 per cent.

The interest rate for the new Farm Business Concessional Loans Scheme, which began on November 1, will remain at 2.47 per cent.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce, said reduced concessional interest rates could save farmers with existing bank overdrafts and loans thousands of dollars.

“The Coalition Government has delivered on its commitment to back Australia’s farmers during tough times like drought and severe farmgate milk price cuts,” Mr Joyce said.

“For those farmers trying to recover from drought or the dairy cuts, this reduced interest rate means their decision to refinance using the government’s scheme will deliver further savings of up to $5900 over a year - a substantial saving and real benefit to people.

“So far more than half a billion dollars in concessional loans have been approved to more than 1000 farm businesses nation-wide.”

Adjustments to the concessional interest rates are made in accordance with material changes to the Commonwealth bond rates.

Dam safety should be a farm priority

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CONTACT GREG REGAN Ph 0428 585 573 t/12d13151/4115

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FARMERS are being urged to inspect and take action on their dams following the collapse of several western and central Victorian dams recently, Agriculture Victoria farm water specialist Clem Sturmfels said the collapses were a timely reminder the ongoing and regular dam maintenance was important.

“It’s never too late in the season to check your dam or do maintenance work – it should be done continually, all year round,” he said.

“Considering we are now in thunderstorm season, now

is a very good time to check your dam before heavy rain.”

According to Mr Sturmfels farm dams were failing at a significantly higher rate than previous years due to the heavy rain and poor construction, unstable soils and a lack of routine maintenance.

Dam issues can range from small tunnels, bank sinking, spillway erosion, through to total failure when the bank collapses and all water is lost.

“Small tunnels near the fullsupply level can sometimes be temporarily plugged with sand bags placed on the upstream side of the bank, but

in more extreme situations the solution is to drop the water level as quickly as possible,” Mr Sturmfels said.

“In most cases rebuilding part or all of the dam bank is the only long-term solution.

However, before doing any dam repair works it is important you consider the safety of yourself, contractors and employees.

“Landholders also need to consider the impact that dam works might have on their downstream neighbours.”

For information about dam maintenance, visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/farmdam.

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This product is ideal for pastures, lucerne and high producing fodder crops like maize.

Applied at low rates it provides the soil with ideal levels of potassium for dairy soils that is likely to last around 6 months.

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December 2016

FIRE SEASON North East Farmer, Page 19

Online tool to aid in clearing up around property

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THE CFA has a trusted online tool to make it easier for people to clear up around their property by offering advice on clearing vegetation including trees and branches without a permit.

Planning exemptions were introduced in 2011 to reduce red tape for residents wanting to clear up ahead of the bushfire season.

A two minute video ‘Clear up or clear out’ continues to help raise awareness of the rules around vegetation clearing and can be accessed via the CFA’s Facebook and You Tube pages.

The CFA wants everyone to be aware that in most areas outside of Melbourne a permit is not needed to remove trees within 10 metres of their home and understorey vegetation for up to 30 metres from their home.

A CFA spokesperson said in many communities these rules were not widely known or understood.

“We are concerned that some residents may be putting off essential property preparation work because they think a permit is needed, and it all goes

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“For people living in most areas of regional Victoria and in high bushfire risk areas especially, that is not usually the case.”

It is still necessary to check with your local shire or council about local laws that might be in place.

“Clearing vegetation around your home is important to give it the best possible chance of surviving bushfire,” the spokesperson said.

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“The more fuel around your home the more the intensity of a fire will increase and the greater the chances that fire will burn into your home.”

Some exceptions exist to Victoria’s rules, primarily for newer homes.

For example, residents in homes built or approved after September 10, 2009 still require a permit to clear any vegetation.

For more information visit http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/planprepare/clearing-trees-andvegetation/.

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Page 20, North East Farmer

SUMMER SAFETY IN YOUR COMMUNITY To prepare for summer and its associated risks, AusNet Services invests more than $220 million annually into a range of initiatives designed to reduce risks from bushfires and severe weather events.

This year weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve implemented a range of innovative Governmentmandated enhanced electrical protection programs to help prevent bushfires.

Some of the yearly maintenance and vegetation works we undertake are:

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

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Do your part Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your responsibility to ensure that your overhead service line is clear of vegetation on your property. Contact a registered electrician or certified tree clearer if required.

For more information visit our website: ausnetservices.com.au > electricity > safety preparedness

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GRASSFIRES can be just as dangerous as bushďŹ res.

They can start and spread rapidly, travelling up to 25km/h, quickly threatening lives and property.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re expecting a higher than average risk of grassďŹ res this season.

Understand rural grassďŹ re risk s 'RASS IS A l NE FUEL AND BURNS faster than bush or forests. s 'RASSl RES TEND TO BE LESS intense and produce fewer embers than bushďŹ res, but still generate enormous amounts of radiant heat. s 4HE TALLER AND DRIER THE GRASS

the more intensely it will burn. s 4HE SHORTER THE GRASS THE lower the ďŹ&#x201A;ame height and the easier the ďŹ re will be to control. s 3HORT GRASS UNDER CM IS a much lower risk. s 'RASSl RES CAN START EARLIER IN the day than bushďŹ res, because grass dries out more quickly when temperatures are high. s ,IVING IN A GRASSLAND AREA with dried-out brown or goldencoloured grass that is over CM HIGH IS A l RE RISK 4HERE are some exceptions, such as Phalaris grass, which will burn even when green.

Reducing the risk to yourself, your home and your property s $ECIDE WHAT BUILDINGS OR

REAL RISK: With all the new growth, grassfires will pose a signficant risk.

assets you need to protect from grassďŹ re. s 2EDUCE THE HEIGHT AND PROX imity of grass to these buildings and other assets by slashing, mowing, grazing, spraying and using herbicide s #REATE FUEL BREAKS BY REMOVING ALL FUEL VEGETATION down to the soil. s .ARROW FUEL BREAKS LESS THAN THREE METRES WIDE ARE UNLIKELY to stop a ďŹ re, however they may slow it down.

By reducing the grass and other ďŹ ne fuels around your buildings and other assets you can create a defendable space - a space which limits the ability of a moving grassďŹ re to ignite a building through direct ďŹ&#x201A;ame contact or radiant heat.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that you create and maintain a defendable

space around all the assets you want to protect.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too late to begin spraying and slashing as the ďŹ re approaches - you must prepare before the ďŹ re season.

Machinery can start grassďŹ res $URING THE &IRE $ANGER 0E riod, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re using machinery with an internal combustion or heat engine, such as tractors or slashers, within nine metres of grass, crops, stubble, weeds or other vegetation, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that you ensure the machinery is: s FREE FROM ANY FAULTS AND mechanical defects that could start a ďŹ re. s l TTED WITH AN APPROVED spark arrestor; and. s CARRYING A WORKING WATER ďŹ re extinguisher or knapsack of at least nine litres capacity.

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It’s your responsibility to be fire ready this summer. Prepare your property, fire plan and emergency kit now.

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North East Farmer, Page 23

NORTH EAST AND GOULBURN MURRAY

Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria

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No: 3 3 8 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 11 1 1 2 4 2 1

Breed Blonde Char X Ang Ang Ang Limo SH/Limo Limo Ang Char Ang Ang Limo X Ang Ang Limo Char X Ang Ang Ang

Type S/V Steers Heifers Cows Bull S/V Steers Heifers Cows Bull S/V Steers Heifers Cow Bull S/V Steers Heifers Cows Bull

Producer L & J Jenvey GM & MC Ormond Nilacootie Park Ned Lloyd JG Nicol Stan Goldsworthy JN & YM Muraca Stan Goldsworthy T Naish F Trimble Jed Jan Stud B & J Bruce JA Wills AJ Smith Somerset Past N & H Bromely L Wales PG & AM Butterfield T McClounan RF & VJ Allen

District Springhurst Laceby Barjarg Greta Sth Tarrawinge Oxley Flats Markwood Oxley Flats Laceby King Valley Benalla Corowa Violet Town Byawatha Molyullah Warrenbayne Benalla Warrenbayne Wilby Byawatha

Agent Rodwells Landmark CP CP CP Landmark Landmark Landmark CP CP Landmark Landmark Landmark Rodwells CP Landmark Landmark CP Landmark CP

Weight 317 415 449 675 905 358 425 430 565 965 330 450 495 696 1045 355 480 531 683 1025

C/Kg 395.2 356.0 310.0 232.0 246.0 395.0 378.0 378.0 247.0 259.2 389.6 335.0 332.0 244.0 243.2 389.2 344.2 285.0 240.0 240.0

Av Price $1,252.78 $1,477.40 $1,391.90 $1,566.00 $2,226.30 $1,414.10 $1,606.50 $1,625.40 $1,395.55 $2,501.28 $1,285.68 $1,507.50 $1,643.40 $1,698.24 $2,541.44 $1,381.66 $1,652.16 $1,514.21 $1,639.20 $2,460.00

1 4 8 1 19 8 4 7 10

Galloway Ang Ang Ang Ang Ang Char X Ang X Ang X

Steers Steers Steers Heifers Heifers Heifers C&C C&C C&C

C Togher KW & GM Holdings A Strachan P & M Villiers CK & MJ Robinson K & B Simmonds HE Kerekes J Wexler F & F & R Tonini

Milawa Peechelba East Balldale Boorhaman Markwood Glenrowan Benalla Gapsted Glenrowan

Landmark Landmark Rodwells Landmark Rodwells Landmark Landmark Landmark Rodwells

485 453 410 555 407 368

307 328.0 336 241.0 314.0 326

$1,490.00 $1,490.00 $1,380.00 $1,340.00 $1,280.00 $1,200.00 $2,350.00 $2,220.00 $2,220.00

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Horses need dental care too!

- Kirri Solly-Slade DVM TUESDAY "KING VALLEY RUN"

THURSDAY "BEECHWORTH, MYRTLEFORD RUN" PRE-BOOKED VETERINARY WORK

*FOR REDUCED TRAVEL PRICES*

Dr. Andrew Bett Dr. Richard Evans Dr. Rena Geroe Dr. Tim Craig Dr. Sarah Cavill Dr. Kirri Solly-Slade Dr. Linda Bradbury

BAgSc (Hons.), BVSc BVSc, MRCVS BVSc BVSc (Hons.)

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Like us horses need regular dental care throughout their life, par ticularly as they get older! If you were unaware of this than the information may come as a surprise to you! The following ar ticle aims to outline the reasons why regular dental care in horses is impor tant.

Bad dental health can be an underlying issue for many problems in horses, par ticularly in older horses. This can range anywhere from behavioural issues such as head shaking or resenting the bit to seemingly unrelated issues such as colic and diarrhoea.

Other problems to which poor dental health may contribute are: Â&#x2021; 3RRU DSSHWLWH RU VORZ GLIILFXOW HDWLQJ SRFNHWLQJ RI IRRG LQ WKH cheeks* or dropping food on the ground (especially balls of food spat out- this behaviour is called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;quidding!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;) *Note: The behaviour of pocketing food is done as an attempt to protect the delicate skin of the cheek from sharp edges on teeth and hence stop pain! Â&#x2021; 'LIILFXOW\ VZDOORZLQJ RU REVWUXFWLRQV LQ WKH RHVRSKDJXV ´FKRNHÂľ

Â&#x2021; ,QFUHDVHG VDOLYDWLRQ DQG EDG EUHDWK

Â&#x2021; 'LVFKDUJHV IURP WKH H\HV RU QRVH Â&#x2021; 6ZHOOLQJV RI DUHDV RI WKH IDFH abscess on the face Â&#x2021; 8OFHUV LQ WKH VWRPDFK Â&#x2021; 7LUHGQHVV OHWKDUJ\ Â&#x2021; %HKDYLRXUDO LVVXHV Â&#x2021; &ROLF GLDUUKRHD RU LPSDFWLRQV LQ the gut In order to keep the teeth healthy regular dental check should be performed. This involves the vet or dentist applying a gag onto the head and mouth which allows safe H[DPLQDWLRQ &RUUHFWLYH SURFHGXUHV can then be performed using rasps (or in some cases a power tool!) to grind the teeth. &RQWDFW \RXU ORFDO YHWHULQDULDQ RU KRUVH GHQWLVW WRGD\ WR DUUDQJH D check up on your horses! t/12d12235-v36/5016

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