APRIL 2022 ISSUE 138
MURRAY REGION
GET INSPIRED The much-anticipated Murray Muster will be held on May 18 and 19. The theme is Focus on Feedbase with an extensive range of information and ideas to be shared to help farmers in the region improve their forage production.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2022
2 // MURRAY REGION
Busy time for Murray region WHILE SEASONAL conditions have remained
positive for the region, there are the continued challenges of increasing farm costs with fuel, fertiliser, grain and chemical prices rising, which highlights the importance of managing costs. We also note it is a particularly busy time for the local dairy industry with sowing and calving upon us, and it is a timely reminder to take care on-farm — ensuring the safety of all involved in the business. There are great resources and access to advice through the Victorian Farmers Federation and Dairy Australia to support all aspects of safety on-farm. The annual Murray Muster two-day event is fast approaching, with tickets now available. The theme this year, Focus on Feedbase, will provide an extensive range of information and ideas to help you improve the performance of your forage production. Our dinner speaker is the renowned Dr Anneline, The Food and Nutrition Doctor, and
we have Dr Nolliag Heffernan delivering a breakfast session the following morning before we head off to visit the Focus Farm at Tallangatta. Farmers who register their attendance before May 5 will go into the draw to win one of three $50 vouchers. The event will be held in Yarrawonga on May 18 and 19. Throughout February and March, the Murray region welcomed Dairy Australia directors for extensive tours — meeting with groups and visiting farm businesses across the area. The visits provided great opportunities to discuss key questions relating to labour, climate, regional services, chemical use and farm safety policy. Attracting young people into dairy remains a priority. Recently, with the collaboration of Murray Dairy staff led by regional extension officer for people Melva Tyson, I welcomed more than 30 senior students from Kyabram P-12 College on-farm as part of the Tongala Industry and Careers Day.
It was incredibly rewarding to see local students taking a keen interest in the dairy industry. Fellow Murray Dairy board member Tom Acocks also welcomed Year 12 agriculture students from Virtual School Victoria to his property, providing an in-depth look into the many diverse and fulfilling careers to be had in the industry right along the supply chain. It is crucial that we connect with the next generation and foster a passion for the industry at a young age. Andrew Tyler Murray Dairy chair
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2022
MURRAY REGION // 3
Getting the balance right THE RETURN of their son Jacob to their
Ann and Mark Gardiner with son Jacob who has recently returned to the farm.
happily grazing in a paddock.” The business operates across 607 ha including 202 ha of leased land. Aside from the 1000 cows, there are 500 young stock to manage and 120 Wagyu-cross animals, which are reared for 10 to 12 months on a semi feedlot. They would also rear additional Friesian steers but they can't find a contract and labour is an issue. “We are always looking to avoid the bobby calf market as much as possible, and there are a lot of things we could do on-farm if we had more staff,” Ann said. Labour and staffing are an industry-wide problem. Ann said they would put on two more fulltime staff tomorrow if they could find them. “We would love to employ a couple, more people looking for a permanent career in dairy. It is very hard to find educated staff and we would happily train people if they were willing to stick around.” They currently have around 12 people on staff. but because the business has grown so much, it has become necessary to divide up the roles into specialised areas — Ann is in charge of finance, Mark looks after irrigation and Jacob has labour and day-to-day operations.
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to day-to-day management has meant all the cards are always out on the table. “We have also had great support during the tough times and have attended many great social events over the years; it isn't always just about farming.” She said the DBN was inclusive, with all partners playing a significant role on the farm and through the DBN. The Gardiners' involvement in Dairy Base has also been worthwhile and has enabled them to build up a 10-year bank of data. “We have been able to see how our business has changed over the years and how we have performed both good and bad,” Ann said. “We were even able to use the data to form the basis for a drought loan because we were able to clearly illustrate how our profitability was impacted.” Ann said being a dairy farmer was extremely rewarding and she loved her cows just as much today as she did when she first started. “We have spent decades building up our dairy herd to where it is today and it is at the centre of everything we do. “We are grateful to have Jacob back home, and supporting him as he moves into the business is a key focus for us.”
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Ann said in a business of this size, communication was imperative and was a key to success. The other key to success is access to the latest industry research, data and information. That's why Ann believes Dairy Australia's investments nationally and regionally through Murray Dairy are so important, along with the role of facilitating networking opportunities and delivering information. Ann and Mark have been farming together for 30 years. She is sure their business wouldn't be in the position it is today, without information they have gleaned from Murray Dairy over the years. They have actively participated in many programs and events over the years, including the Dairy Business Network (DBN). The DBN has a significant role in their business, not just from a decision making perspective but also from a networking and social perspective, especially during tough times. There are currently 11 businesses involved in the same DBN as the Gardiners. Ann said it was great to see the next generation jumping on board. “Our involvement in the Bamawm/Rochester DBN is one of the most valuable parts of our business. “Sharing information and resources and discussing everything from milk supply companies
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Bamawm dairy farm has given Ann and Mark Gardiner a new focus and energy as they navigate management of their business forward and into the next generation. In a changing climate, managing future risk and conserving as much feed as possible each year is now a key focus. “Jacob coming home has given us a huge boost of energy as he has so many ideas and is so enthusiastic and excited about the future of the farm,” Ann said. Milking 1000 cows and transitioning the herd across to A2 to a higher dollar value milk market, the family is determined to continue to prioritise animal welfare and irrigation efficiency as their key drivers. They are running a grazing system from spring through to autumn, aided by the use of a total mixed ration (TMR) to the A2 herd (they currently run two herds). “In 2018 we realised to stay in the industry we needed to grow more feed per megalitre; growing just 20 per cent of our home-grown feed was not a long-term proposition so we had to radically change our business model,” Ann said. She said Murray Dairy was instrumental in the change through many of its programs, but particularly in providing them with creditable research and information and putting them in touch with other farmers. “This has all proven to be invaluable when we decided to implement a double cropping rotation with maize, vetch and winter cereals.” The business is now into the second year growing corn. “We had been told to follow the directions to grow corn precisely and not to move outside of the rules and we ended up having a good yield last year of 26 tonne/ha,” Ann said. “We are hoping to get at least that again this year and we would love to achieve the gold star of 30 tonne/ha — double cropping is now allowing us to grow so much more feed.” She said it still very much remained a balancing act getting things right — and every year new challenges arose. “The new cropping rotation means we have less downtime and every month we seem to be actively doing something. “There are constant checks and balances in place but we just love our cows and there is nothing more rewarding then taking those five minutes at the end of the day to watch the herd
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2022
4 // MURRAY REGION
Maximising water efficiency TONGALA DAIRY farmer Andrew Tyler is
involved in one of 10 dairy-based optimisation sites across Australia, working to maximise water productivity under the Smarter Irrigation for Profit 2 (SIP2) project. These sites have been monitored to increase yield while improving water-use efficiency through the use of soil moisture probes and irrigation scheduling technology. Andrew has shared his experience with the project, which monitored a maize crop over three seasons from November 2019 through to April 2022. Why did you want to be involved in the project? Andrew: When this project started in 2019, seasonal allocation was low and the temporary water price high. We needed every drop of water to make a return on investment through maximising the tonnes of feed grown per megalitre of water used. It was also important to me that an annual summer fodder crop was included in the project as maize is important in the Murray region. How does the block work? Andrew: We put the soil moisture probes in a gravity-fed surface irrigated paddock. Because it is double cropped each year, we soil test regularly and apply fertiliser/manure to maintain high nutrient levels. No water applied is reused on the block itself — it runs to another part of the farm,
Figure 1. Stacked moisture graphs show draw-down of moisture from 10 cm increments below soil surface (blue: 10 cm; pink: 80 cm).
so minimising unnecessary run-off is important to us. What benefits have you seen since using soil probes? Andrew: I like how the probes show us at what depth the crop is drawing moisture from (see Figure 1). Due to a cooler start to summer, evapotranspiration was low and our crop maintained good soil moisture throughout December. Because of this, the roots weren't forced to chase water at depth. Being able to monitor the potential impact of irrigation on plant root growth provides some insight to what's going on under the ground.
We have found that with varying soil types on our farm, the probes allow us to gauge what is happening below the soil surface. They have given us confidence in our irrigation timing — this is important with maize as water requirements change significantly depending on the plant's growth stage. For example, in autumn when the crop isn't using a lot of moisture, we don't want to water unnecessarily with harvest just around the corner — if we can save ourselves a watering we will. Where to from here? Andrew: We will continue to utilise soil moisture probes. The initial investment is small in comparison to where the price of water may go again in the future.
Every year we face different seasonal conditions, and this technology helps make more informed irrigation decisions. There's opportunity to further explore programs such as IrriPasture — which may be the next tool we use to improve our irrigation efficiency. The results from the Smarter Irrigation for Profit Phase 2 (SIP2) — What's My Yield Gap? Maximising Water Productivity — project, will be made available to Murray Dairy farmers following the analysis of the 2021–22 results. Murray Dairy's involvement is supported by funding from the Federal Government's Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Rural R&D for Profit program and Dairy Australia.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2022
MURRAY REGION // 5
Connecting farms to ag-tech A NEW network spread across 32,000 square
kilometres is helping Victorian farmers make better use of digital technologies on their farms. The Low Power Wide Area Network, commonly referred to as LoRaWAN, was funded as part of the Victorian Government's On-Farm Internet of Things Trial and was rolled out by National Narrowband Network Communications. NNNCo CEO and co-founder Rob Zagarella said he welcomed the government's investment in the new network and its foresight to ensure farmers in the trial had access to reliable connectivity to get the most out of the government's investment. “IoT (Internet of Things) has a major role to play in Australian agriculture, particularly as the sector works towards its goals of becoming a $100 billion industry and carbon neutral by 2030,” Mr Zagarella said. “LoRaWAN is ideal for the agriculture sector because it was developed for industries that needed a cost-effective, long-range signal with a battery life of many years for IoT sensors, and the ability to meet 100 per cent of all coverage needs to every sensor and device deployed in the field. “NNNCo was able to set up the network quickly, providing kilometres of service in any direction and bringing connectivity to areas that other technologies could not reach.” In the trial, some farmers use environmental sensors like soil moisture probes to analyse
real-time weather data and determine the best time and quantity of water for irrigation. Others use sensors to monitor troughs, tanks, silos or gates opening. This ensures the most effective use of water, electricity and time, reduces costs and improves sustainability. Mr Zagarella said the On-Farm IoT Trial was a big undertaking but critical to increasing the uptake of ag-tech in the sector. “We've worked with local contractors and farmers to install IoT network connectivity on farms around Birchip, Serpentine, Tatura and Maffra,” he said. “We've installed around 150 gateways on farms and provided our data exchange platform product called N2N-DL to ensure data generated from the trial can be turned into meaningful information for farmers to make more informed decisions. “The N2N-DL IoT platform harmonises access to a vast range of sensors and devices, with integration to 18 ag-tech solutions providers. “NNNCo is working closely with the entire agricultural ecosystem to ensure that solutions can be deployed on any farm wherever there is an NNNCo LoRaWAN network. “The establishment of a ubiquitous telcograde network and delivery of data from apps and devices to the Agriculture Victoria data lake will accelerate the adoption of ag-tech, improve on-farm connectivity and deliver agricultural productivity and sustainability gains.
Improving connectivity is the key to supporting farmers to take up agtech.
“Not only is this supporting local employment but it also means new skills such as deploying, repairing, installing, maintaining and using the network are learnt along the way.” Agriculture Victoria's Julie Simons said the lack of reliable on-farm connectivity, capital costs and uncertainty around navigating technology choices posed barriers preventing some farmers from adopting emerging digital technologies on-farm. “The LoRaWAN network being delivered through the trial is helping to overcome these challenges by supporting farmers to test the benefits of IoT technology such as soil moisture probes, weather monitoring, humidity
and temperature monitoring, water tank level monitoring, and asset tracking on their farms,” Dr Simons said. “The IoT trial is not only an opportunity for horticulture, dairy, sheep and cropping farmers to establish the technology best suited to their circumstances, it will also allow us to share lessons from the trial with other farmers to help them better understand how investments in IoT technologies can assist their decision making and improve their operations.” To find out more about LoRaWAN and NNNCo projects in Smart Agriculture, go to: www.nnnco.com.au/smart-agriculture/
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2022
6 // MURRAY REGION
Genetic shift reaps rewards POWERFUL POWERFUL PERFORMANCE. PERFORMANCE. STEVE HAWKEN'S biggest profit drivers are
cows calving when they should and growing as much grass as possible. Over the past decade, Steve has managed to turn the tables on both counts. His 178-hectare dairy farm at Bamawm, between Echuca and Rochester in northern Victoria, is now thriving with earthworms in the soil and more calves on the ground than he needs. Steve attributes his success to a focus on sustainable farming and a shift to VikingGenetics. He now milks 40 per cent more cows and produces double the amount of conserved fodder compared to 10 years ago. Before moving to VikingGenetics, the herd was struggling for replacements. “I couldn’t keep farming and not getting them in calf,” Steve said. Traditionally a Holstein herd, Steve introduced VikingJersey crossbreds about six years ago and the mix is working. “We had backed ourselves into a corner as far as herd fertility went and that’s why we changed to VikingGenetics,” he said. “We’d been selectively breeding forever but couldn’t get them in calf. “It’s important to get fertility right. My rule of thumb is from the day of calving to 150 days in-milk, any cow will give you two litres for a kilo of feed; after 150 days they could go 300 to 400 days in-milk before getting in calf
but the same kilo of feed only gives one litre of milk. “Herd fertility and health is all I focus on.” Calving struggle The farm had struggled with 35 to 40 per cent in-calf rates but now Steve has enough calves to move into beef. “I don’t even look at my fertility figures now,” he said. “We’re only mating every two out of three cows to dairy semen and one to beef and we’re still getting more heifers than we need. “This financial year we will bring in close to 160 heifers; before shifting to Viking, it was about 60.” Not only does this mean a substantial profit improvement, it’s a lot less stressful. “Before Viking, mating was the most stressful time of the year,” Steve said. “I’ve gone from needing four to five doses of semen to get a cow in calf to now joking that you just about slap a cow on the arse and yell out a bull’s name and she’ll be in calf.” With the transition to VikingGenetics, Steve has aimed to breed a cow 100 to 120 kg lighter, and about 10 cm shorter. “I had been breeding the ultimate American milk tank. “They were beautiful and they were good producers but we couldn’t get replacements coming through. Now we’re breeding a more efficientlyframed, smaller and lighter cow.”
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With the transition to VikingGenetics, Steve Hawken has aimed to breed a cow 100 to 120 kg lighter and about 10 cm shorter.
Herd health is another bonus, with less lameness and cows better able to walk on wet days. “They were too heavy and now we don’t have feet problems we used to have, and smaller cows seem to cope better in the heat and don’t slip as far in production.” Benefits are obvious The better health and fertility have paid off. “It didn’t happen straight away but you could
notice the difference about three years in and it has progressively improved,” Steve said. “I’d conservatively say the vet bill is 25 to 30 per cent of what it used to be.” Steve used fixed-time insemination to hasten the process when he shifted to VikingGenetics. “Once we mated the first Viking heifers in the herd, we started seeing a difference in the numbers come preg-test day.
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MURRAY REGION // 7 “Now we’re breeding the third or fourth generations and seeing the correct-size animal and substantially better in-calf rate.” He already had a high production herd at 10,000 to 11,000 litres and above 700 kg MS, but now he’s milking smaller and younger cows, production remains in the same ballpark. “We probably only dropped 10 to 15 kg on a cow 100 to 120 kg lighter — but production per kilo liveweight is a lot better and we can only keep improving. “We started from a fairly productive herd with reproduction issues … we’ve kept the production in the cows while fixing the other issues by gradually changing the cow.” Of the farm’s top 30 cows, only two are not VikingGenetics. “As a group, the Viking girls definitely stand out.” Once converted to VikingGenetics, Steve visited the company’s headquarters in Denmark and Sweden and was impressed by the animal husbandry and the cow performance. “Their database is second to none and they have incredibly high production cows that look like they are manicured.” He also came back with the idea of building a loafing barn for cow comfort, which has been a good addition to the farm since 2017. Holistic transformation Steve’s success using VikingGenetics is just part of the bigger picture of the farm’s transformation. “It’s also in combination of what we’ve done with the ground,” he said. “We took a holistic view to the problem and tackled the two most important issues — fertility
Traditionally a Holstein herd, Steve Hawken introduced VikingJersey crossbreds about six years ago and the mix is working.
and soil health. “We put a lot of effort into our soils. I’m a dirt farmer — I like growing grass and need cows to turn grass into money. “When we got here the ground had a lot of urea on it and was green and nice but it didn’t perform 12 months of the year.” In consultation with agronomist Col Bowey, Steve focused on letting the soil work on its own rather than applying too many additives. “We couldn’t find any earthworms when we got here. Now they’re everywhere and we do our own compost, averaging 500 to 600 tonnes a year,” Steve said. ”We’re not an organic farm and never will be but I would describe the way we do things as sustainable farming.
“Generally speaking, farmers I know are among the most environmentally conscious Improving soil health has been a focus and is now paying dividends. and active people in the world.” Genetics powerhouse Steve has his farm on the market but sees a positive future for dairy and agriculture in general. “COVID was a catalyst and agriculture has become the new big investment portfolio,” he said. “Until Australians had to walk into a supermarket and buy the last object on a shelf, we didn’t truly appreciate where our food comes from. It wasn’t just toilet paper; it was also meat, rice and other food.” The success of his VikingGenetics herd was to the fore at a recent sale at Echuca. Selling milking cows for the first time under the gaze of
other farmers, he topped the sale price and sale average and had a 100 per cent clearance rate. Steve says he’ll stick with VikingGenetics for as long as he’s farming. “We’re almost back to where we were when I started sharefarming — getting big production out of the cow and getting her in calf. ”They are the big profit drivers — if you get your herd fertility and your soil right, you can’t go wrong.” He’s happy to recommend other farmers look at the success of VikingGenetics. “VikingGenetics isn’t recognised as the powerhouse of genetics that it should be.”
FOCUS ON FEEDBASE
THE MURRAY MUSTER 2022 Wednesday 18 – Thursday 19 May 2022, The Sebel – Yarrawonga Early bird registrations Get your registrations in where farmers go into the draw to win 1 of 3 $50 vouchers – closes 3 May 2022. Hear from a number of skilled professionals on feedbase, farm business and leadership success at Murray Dairy’s flagship all-ofindustry event. With the Focus on Feedbase, attendees will have the opportunity to access the latest information and data on a range of topics, canvassing
weather and climate science, agronomy, and crop sequencing to maximise on the success of recent seasons. This all of industry event is a great opportunity to connect members from Northern Victoria and Southern New South Wales, and provide a forum to share ideas and strengthen relationships – all the while celebrating the achievements of dairying in the Murray Dairy region.
The Murray Muster is a free event for the dairy industry but registrations are a must!
Wednesday 18 May Conference: 9:30am – 4:00pm Dinner: 6:00pm – 10:00pm Thursday 19 May Breakfast: 7:00am – 8:30am Focus Farm Tour: 9:00am – 2:00pm To view the full program visit dairyaustralia.com.au/murray-dairy To register scan the QR code or visit bit.ly/Muster2022
or contact Murray Dairy at admin@murraydairy.com.au or call 03 5833 5312
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA APRIL 2022
8 // MURRAY REGION
Murray Muster back in May THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED Murray Muster
is back again in May. The theme for the event this year, Focus on Feedbase, will provide an extensive range of information and ideas to help farmers in the Murray Dairy region improve the performance of their forage production. Hear from a number of skilled professionals in the industry, including agronomic and climatic experts, who will give attendees an opportunity to access the latest information and data on a range of topics, canvassing weather and climate science, agronomy and crop sequencing. “The Murray Muster is our flagship event,” Murray Dairy CEO Jenny Wilson said. “It’s a chance for local industry to come together, take stock of our progress and look at ways we can continue to maximise on the success of recent seasons. “With more than 970 dairies producing 21 per cent of the national milk pool and over 8500 people employed in the industry across the Murray Dairy region, this all-of-industry event is a great opportunity to connect members from northern Victoria and southern NSW and provide a forum to share ideas and strengthen relationships — all the while celebrating the achievements of dairying in the Murray region.” The Murray Muster: Focus on Feedbase will be held over two days and one night at Yarrawonga, on Wednesday, May 18 and Thursday, May 19. Hear from a range of speakers, including
The Murray Muster will visit Alice and Justin Colclough's property at Tallangatta South on day two.
experts in the forage production field, on day one; dine and unwind at The Sebel with industry peers at the Murray Muster Dinner; and then
on day two explore the North-East Focus Farm Project hosted by Justin and Alice Colclough at Tallangatta South.
This is a free event, however, registration is essential. Head to www.dairyaustralia.com.au/ events to register your attendance.
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