Dairy News Australia November 21

Plant-based beverages and dairy demand. PAGE 3 CRITICAL MOMENT FOR DAIRY.

The sector is experiencing record-breaking profitability but supply has yet to respond.

PAGE 5

SHOW BATON PASSED ON.

Declan Patten and Bradley Cullen have taken over the International Dairy Week reins from Brian Leslie.

PAGE 20

NOVEMBER, 2021 ISSUE 133 // www.dairynewsaustralia.com.au

GOOD SOILS UNDERPIN SUCCESS East Gippsland dryland organic dairy farmers Wayne and Billie Cunningham use a crushed rock mineral mix to help build the organic structure of the property's soil. Their cows also receive the mix in their feed. PAGES 6 & 7

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

MARKETS // 3

What are Aussies drinking?

Buyer exclusivity and duplication

SOFIA OMSTEDT

70%

IN THE world of plant-based beverages (PBB),

Life membership for retiring Irrewillipe farmer. PG.4

Hip hooray for once-a-day milking.

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MARKETS ...................................................3 NEWS .....................................................4-22 ANIMAL HEALTH .......................... 23-25 MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS ....................................... 24-31

60% 50%

PERCENT

there appears to always be a new player trying to grab the attention of consumers.

Long gone are the days when soy was the key option and most people bought these products due to food intolerances.

Drinking PBB seems to be the new vogue, with more consumers opting to try the everexpanding list of dairy alternatives available.

With potato, pea, oat, almond and even algae drinks making an appearance in an already cramped supermarket chiller, one must wonder what this could mean for dairy demand.

As described in Dairy Australia's latest Situation and Outlook report, roughly 1.5 billion litres of milk beverages are sold in Australian retail stores annually.

Fresh milk is by far the most popular, making up 76 per cent of total volume sales, while long-life variants hold a 16 per cent market share.

Sales of both fresh and long-life milks decreased in the past year, as the panic-buying of 2020 subsided, and shoppers reverted to long-term purchasing trends. At the same time, consumers bought 8.1 per cent more PBB than the year before. [1] When looking at the percentage growth of various beverages it is easy to assume plantbased alternatives are overtaking milk as consumers' drink of choice. It has become more common for shoppers to buy these products, seeing sales increase strongly.

However, the market for PBB remains something of a niche, accounting for eight per cent of total sales volume. Buyers of PBB products typically consist of younger shoppers; sales are heavily weighted towards millennials without kids, and families with either very young or teenage children. [2] While more shoppers choose to purchase PBB, Australian consumers are not shunning dairy.

A vast majority of households, 98 per cent, regularly purchase milk and only two per cent of buyers exclusively turn to dairy alternatives.

Instead, the more commonly seen practice is to buy both types of products, with 40 per cent of households choosing this approach. [3]

58%

40%

40%

30% 20% 10%

2%

0%

Milk

Non-dairy

Although more shoppers are opting to try dairy alternatives, consumers are not abandoning dairy.

As plant-based alternatives continue to grow in popularity, it is prudent to understand why consumers choose to buy them.

Many companies retailing PBB have spent significant resources on marketing their products as healthy alternatives to dairy.

This seems to have gained traction among shoppers.

In Dairy Australia's latest consumer tracking survey, 49 per cent of consumers chose to buy these products believing they are the healthier option. While 61 per cent of consumers acknowledge that milk is more natural than plant-based variants, a third of the population believe these products offer the same nutritional benefit.

Sustainability is another important factor, with many people buying dairy alternatives with the belief that they are better for the environment. A third of Australians have suggested that they are changing eating habits to be more sustainable, with nine per cent indicating this has meant a decrease in dairy consumption.

Dairy alternatives have been around for a long time but have increased in popularity in recent years.

Although more shoppers are opting to try these products, consumers are not abandoning dairy. It seems like many people view PBB as complementary to milk, rather than as a substitute for it, and find room for both in their shopping basket.

While it seems that PBBs are not always in direct competition with milk, the consumer

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Both

There is a perception by some consumers that plant-based beverages are healthier and more sustainable.

perception that they are healthier than dairy is a challenge for the industry.

Therefore, ensuring consumers understand the superior nutritional benefits of milk is paramount to maintaining dairy demand in the future.

1. NielsenIQ Homescan based on a continuous panel of 10,000 households; excludes non-private dwellings and businesses, non-permanently occupied households and out-of-home/impulse purchasing. Dairy Australia calculation based in part on data reported by NielsenIQ through its Homescan Service for the dairy category for the 52-week period ending 8/8/2021, for the total Australian market, according to the NielsenIQ standard product hierarchy. Copyright (c) 2021, Nielsen Consumer LLC. 2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

4 // NEWS

Jersey stalwart honoured ONE OF Australia's leading dairy cow classifiers has been awarded a Jersey Australia life membership as he retires from the industry.

Alan Carson has been a classifier since 1983 and has also served three terms on the Jersey Australia board.

Alan and his wife Janine have sold their Irrewillipe dairy farm and award-winning Cairnbrae Jerseys in south-west Victoria, and will move to Torquay at the end of November.

The Jersey Australia life membership was presented at the start of their on-farm second stage dispersal sale on October 13.

Alan has been a classifier for Jersey Australia for 38 years, including two periods as head classifier between 1999 and 2012, and 2016 to 2021.

He has also been a director on the Jersey Australia board since 2015.

The award was presented by former Jersey Australia president Chris MacKenzie, who was the most recent life membership recipient.

Chris said Alan was an astute and respected classifier and a forward-thinking board member.

He said the name Cairnbrae Jerseys, ­established in 1947, resonated around the world.

Success in the showring included an ­International Dairy Week grand champion cow in 2019, number one BPI cows, and multiple cows c­ lassified to 94 points.

They have also been prominent breeders of bulls for artificial insemination, with 24 e­ ntering the system — highlighted by Elton, who sold more than 150,000 straws.

“Alan is also a very encouraging person who takes strong interest in supporting young ­breeders,” Chris said.

“The leadership Alan has shown in that way has been enormous.

“What happens in an organisation often comes down to a few people, and Alan's passion for cows and ensuring they are awarded justly through the classification system has

always shone through.

“His success in recent years must seem like a dream come true with the achievements of their cows.”

Alan said the life membership was a ­“tremendous honour”.

“I've had a great time classifying cows and enjoyed every bit of it,” he said.

Alan is continuing as a classifier at this stage, although he's uncertain for how long.

“I don't know how much longer I will do it.

I've always been a firm believer that when you're not milking cows you shouldn't still be classifying but I'm still going at this stage.”

Classifiers evaluate and compare cow body parts for their structure according to breed ­conformation scorecard and ideals.

“I have put a lot of time into it,” Alan said.

“I've travelled all around Australia for the classifications. I would have been on every Jersey farm in Australia several times, from Western Australia to Tasmania to the Atherton ­Tablelands.”

He paid tribute Janine. “I've spent many days classifying cows but I've had someone at home milking the cows for me; without Janine I couldn't have done it.”

The farm has been sold to a sheep farmer, ending a family dairy farming history dating back to 1897.

Alan and Janine took over the farm in 1976.

The October 13 dispersal sale averaged $5740

with a top price of $28,000 for Lot 176, Cairnbrae Casino Estelle 4, with a total clearance of 192 lots. The earlier dispersal sale averaged $4560.

Alan said he was proud of the cows, which included more high-profile lots in the second sale.

“We've had lots of good reports from our ­previous sale and will watch them with great interest at their new homes.

“They don't happen in five minutes; it has taken us a lifetime to put them together.”

Alan and Janine will raise 71 calves before moving to their new beef property at Torquay.

There will be a lot of sentiment as they see the cows loaded on trucks.

“On Monday morning when they're all gone it's really going to hit,” Alan said.

He leaves confident that the Jersey cow is the cow of the future due to its efficiency.

“The Jersey cow is definitely better today than when we started.”

Current Jersey Australia president Lisa Broad said Alan's commitment in continually improving and evolving the classification system had been second to none.

“He's given it all over his time in classification but that's just one part of his commitment,” she said.

“Alan has also been a valued board member and a major contributor to dairy farming and the Jersey breed.”

Janine and Alan Carson. Alan has been awarded a Jersey Australia life membership for his years as a classifier and for his time with Jersey Australia.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

NEWS // 5

Critical time for industry IMPROVED CONDITIONS for the Australian

dairy industry have created a critical juncture for the industry, according to a new report by agribusiness bank, Rabobank.

Record-breaking profitability in the sector offered a solid footing to reboot much-needed growth in milk production, according to the new research report.

However, report author and senior dairy analyst Michael Harvey said while some recovery in national milk production was under way, so far the milk supply response had “underwhelmed initial expectations”, despite the period of farm gate profitability.

“The Australian dairy supply chain processed 8.86 billion litres of milk in 2020–21, 950 million litres less than in 2014–15, with 55 per cent of the fall coming from the northern Victoria irrigation system,” Mr Harvey said.

There had not been a strong supplier response to the improved conditions yet, he noted.

The slow improvement in production could be affected by a need for more labour,

which had been stifled by the coronavirus lockdowns.

After a “rollercoaster ride” over the past decade, Australia's dairy sector had experienced a remarkable turnaround, underpinned by favourable seasonal conditions, high farm gate pricing and a shift in the balance of power within the supply chain (with increasing competition for milk supply and the introduction of the Dairy Industry Code of Conduct).

But capitalising on this current strong position to invest in expanding national milk production would be “vital” for the future success of Australia's dairy industry, the report said, in order to take advantage of growth opportunities in export markets.

Mr Harvey said in recent years the Australian dairy sector had navigated a “perfect storm of widespread drought, isolated bushfires and floods — all coupled with a severe global market and unprecedented industry disruption and instability”.

“This turmoil resulted in a squeeze on the profit pool and a drop in milk solids produced,” he said.

“It also zapped farmer confidence, which ultimately heralded a major shift in how the supply chain operates.”

The industry had contracted with a lot of consolidation and some exits.

Right now though, the report said, the dairy industry was on a solid footing, with recordbreaking profitability for many.

“The southern Australian dairy region is on track for a third consecutive season of outperforming industry benchmarks for average EBIT (earnings before interest and tax). And there has been a lift in confidence levels and investment intentions,” it said.

Mr Harvey said expanding Australia's national milk supply was “essential to the growth prospects of the Australian dairy industry as it aims to construct sustained growth outside of a maturing domestic market”.

“In contrast to the local market, key dairy export markets have considerable headroom

Conditions are better for dairy, but can the industry capitalise on success?

for growth in the coming decade, particularly in emerging Asia,” he said.

“This means offshore markets provide plenty of 'blue sky' and exports will remain the engine of growth for the sector.”

The report said with the Australian dairy supply chain short of milk solids and the foundations in place for a period of investment “on farm and for milk production growth”, the stage was set for the industry to take advantage.

“If this strong run of healthy farm profitability, elevated investment ambition and positive investment outlook does not result in some well-executed long-term investments, it will be a missed opportunity for the industry in reigniting growth,” Mr Harvey said.

“And to fully unlock growth, significant longterm capital investment is required to increase efficiency and production capacity.”

The Rabobank report said Australia's dairy sector was expected to provide profitable capital investment opportunities for farm businesses over the next decade.

Michael Harvey.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

6 // NEWS

Good soils underpin success JEANETTE SEVERS

WAYNE CUNNINGHAM'S philosophy around dairy farming is to look after the soil health.

He has more than 20 years under his belt as a dryland organic dairy farmer, after successive previous generations used conventional fertilisers on the Swan Reach farm.

Wayne's decision-making and economic drivers for maintaining organic status are underpinned by production. Still recovering from four years of drought that saw him reduce his herd size by 30 per cent to 100 cows, production has risen from 7000 to 9500 litres/cow/year this year.

“By reducing our cow numbers, I didn't have to do any hand feeding and the farm was able to support the herd,” he said.

Wayne and Billie Cunningham run a selfreplacing 100-head predominantly Holstein herd, on 243 hectares of steep hill country at Swan Reach in East Gippsland, Victoria.

The herd has injections of Ayrshire, Jersey, British Friesian, Brown Swiss and Guernsey, but the cows have been joined with Holstein semen for many years.

The dairy AI program has been supported for the past two seasons with a Speckle Park bull, used for joining heifers and cull cows. Dairy heifers are retained in the herd, dairy bull calves are sold to regular clients, and the dairy-beef cross calves are also sold.

An out-block on the Mossiface River flats is used to grow lucerne (harvested as wrapped silage) and maize (harvested as grain). But most of the lucerne and maize are harvested yearround as green chop. Surplus pasture is also opportunistically harvested as wrapped silage.

“We push production. So long as the herd's

Billie and Wayne Cunningham run their organic dairy farm at Swan Reach.

fat and protein are above the industry standards, we make enough return on volume,” Wayne said.

“Microbes in the soil also drive production.

We focus on a healthy bacterial response in the soil, which means the cows are eating good pastures.”

Soil health is supported by a crushed rock mineral mix, spread three times a year, and a mix of naturally occurring pastures, clovers that were sown in his grandfather's time, and lucerne oversown periodically.

“The cows know what they want to eat, and a weed is only something the cows don't find palatable,” Wayne said.

The minerals help build organic structure in the sandy soil.

A green manure cropping program and annual fertiliser application also support pasture growth.

The cows also receive the crushed rock mineral mix in their daily chopped green feed, lucerne or pasture silage, distributed on the feedpad, or mixed with their daily grain portion.

It was Wayne's father who identified soil health was necessary for long-term sustainability of the farm, and sought a remineralisation additive. Wayne is still using a certified organic remineralisation product, supplied by Munash Agriculture, based at Ballarat.

“Dad started using minerals in the cows' feed and noted improvements in production and health. He also noticed he was applying more fertiliser to the paddocks, but growing less feed.

Crushed mineralised rock is mixed into the grain fed to the cows in the dairy.

“About 25 years ago we got onto Munash rock dust and we've used it ever since, spread on the paddocks and mixed into the cows' feed.”

The mix of minerals is spread at a rate of 250 kg/ha on pasture and the lucerne out-block, three times a year.

“I've found small doses more often works best,” Wayne said.

“It's a mix of up to 100 minerals in a blended crushed rock.”

It is mixed into the cows' grain or chopped feed every day, at a rate of 100 g/day.

“The microbes in the soil drive production, and microbes need something to eat. These minerals are their food and they provide a good bacterial response,” Wayne said.

CHECKED, CHECKED AND CHECKED AGAIN Wayne and Billie Cunningham sell their milk production to PureHarvest, a familyowned organic food processing company at Drouin.

It is a significant exporter of liquid milk and other products and means the Cunningham dairy business — with export certification from the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service — is audited by two entities.

AQIS is part of the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Exports from Australia's meat, dairy, fish, horticulture, grain, live animal and organics export industries are worth an estimated $32 billion annually.

An estimated $21 billion of these good must be certified each year as meeting the importing country's health and quarantine requirements, prior to their export.

"A lot of organic accreditation used to be about what was produced on the farm, but now a lot of accreditation is also focused on value-added food production for human consumption," Wayne said.

Because he produces all the silage needed on the farm, and the majority of the cows' feed is fresh-cut, Wayne doesn't have the stress of adding others' records to his audit system.

Advertising Max Hyde 0408 558 938 max.hyde@dairynewsaustralia.com.au Editor Fiona Lloyd (03) 5820 3254 editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au Dairy News Australia is published by Shepparton Newspapers Pty Ltd. All editorial copy and photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions or comments expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the staff, management or directors of Shepparton Newspapers Pty Ltd.

Regional editor news@dairynewsaustralia.com.au

But if he does have to buy in feed from outside, he applies the same process to the purchase of fertiliser, minerals and veterinary care.

"I contact the auditors beforehand and get their permission to use the product, and their advice about what records I need to keep," Wayne said.

Apart from that, he is required to keep the normal audit documents for any dairy farmer — a record of what happens when and with what inputs, on the farm.

If a cow needs a veterinary product with a withholding period, he removes it from the herd and, after treatment, that cow is sold.

Publisher Shepparton Newspapers Pty Ltd Printed by Newsprinters Pty Ltd Head Office 7940 Goulburn Valley Highway Shepparton, VIC 3630 Phone (03) 5831 2312 Postal address PO Box 204 Shepparton, Victoria 3632 Australia

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PureHarvest requires an annual onsite audit of the farm, to comply with its own AQIS requirements. Southern Cross Certified has experience with organic certification standards and provides that audit service.

Because the Cunningham dairy farm's milk is sold by PureHarvest into China, the Chinese Government also provides an auditor to visit the farm to undertake an annual on-site audit.

"They send someone from China every year to visit the farm. They tour the farm and look at our records and talk to us about what we're doing," Wayne said.

Dairy News Australia welcomes contributions from stakeholders in the dairy industry, and particularly from organisations wishing to advance the industry.

Contributions and photos can be sent to: editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au Letters to the editor on topical issues are also welcome.

Letters should be concise and carry the name and town address of the author, as well as a contact phone number, not for publication.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

NEWS // 7 “Good microbial activity in the cows' stomachs means good health for them.

And that is proven in the milk — our milk doesn't need any fat added to it during processing.”

Milk supply is supported by batch calving. It's another herd economic decision driving management.

“I batch calve three times a year. There will be four calvings from next year, to try and flatten the supply curve even more,” Wayne said.

With the multiple calvings, he is always training heifers to milk. A couple of years ago, in drought and faced with the decision to upgrade the 10 swing-over dairy, Wayne built six tandem stalls for milking.

He has found it is a gentler method for introducing and training heifers to the milking process. Only one person is needed for milking, changing cups and washing from the pit (retained from the old dairy).

It also means the cows choose when to enter the stall for milking.

“It improves cow flow, because slow cows are not holding others up to milk, and they volunteer to milk,” Wayne said.

“It doesn't matter if they take five minutes to milk, or 10 minutes to milk, but each cow has plenty of room and they get the time they want.”

Letdown is easy and from the cow comfort point of view, manual cup removing is far better.

“This system puts more emphasis on teaching heifers, but they become more relaxed and, therefore, milk letdown is better.

“I've noticed using the tandem stalls takes the bullying out of the system.

“It takes longer to get the milk out, but my herd production is up.”

CLEANING UP WITH VALUE ADDING

The diversified pasture is supported by an annual fertiliser program and crushed mineralised rock spread three times a year.

Wayne Cunningham in the dairy, where he built tandem stalls for milking the herd.

The dairy herd, with its accredited organic status, is predominantly Holstein. Cow production has risen from 7000 to 9500 litres this year.

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Billie Cunningham mixes fresh raw milk with other ingredients to make soap and other bath and skincare products (see sidebar).

A few years ago, Billie Cunningham took a small amount of their farm's milk production and made some soap, mixing the raw milk with tallow, shea butter, olive oil, castor oil, coconut oil and essential oils.

She uses regular milk for most of the soap bars she produces, and colostrum milk for specific unscented soap.

"I wanted to try making my own soap," Billie said. "Then I had a roomful of soap."

The entrepreneur took her supply to a local farmers' market, and found a ready customer base. Five years later, she was selling soap, bath bombs and other botanical cosmetic products — all made in her small laboratory — at up to 10 markets each week.

Then the coronavirus pandemic hit and markets stopped operating.

Undaunted, Billie and a couple of friends rented a shop in nearby Lakes Entrance to stock her products and those of 50 suppliers who also found themselves without their usual market outlets, as a co‑operative model.

Billie also established an online presence and found other retail outlets willing to stock her product.

It has caused her to further diversify her product line, including deodorants and body butters with shampoo and conditioner bars.

"The second biggest seller, after soap bars, are the bath bombs," Billie said.

The artisan soap maker also finds the online presence attracts customers who want her to create custom orders.

But even as a full-time value-added creative effort, the milk she uses is still only a small portion of total production.

A tray of organic soap bars made by Billie Cunningham, using the milk produced by the herd.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

8 // NEWS

Farmer advocacy groups merge ADVOCACY GROUPS Dairy Connect and the

Queensland Dairyfarmers' Organisation have highlighted the substantial benefits to be delivered by their proposed merger to operate under the 'eastAUSmilk' banner.

This followed extensive consultation with dairy farmer members and other dairy groups resulting in the release in October of 'frequently asked questions' addressing matters raised during the consultation period.

QDO chief executive officer Eric Danzi said there were many advantages to be realised by bringing together two like-minded dairy producer organisations operating across state borders.

“The name of the newly established dairy farmer reflects the core values of the direction we intend to take, being 'eastAUSmilk' representing our regions in NSW and Queensland with 'AUS' highlighting our values in Advocacy, Unity and Service; and 'milk' as our core product,” he said.

“Economies of scale will occur by eliminating duplication of activities across the regions and operating under a unified eastAUSmilk banner.

“At a regional level, the benefits will include demonstrating improved leadership and giving effect to the intentions of the original ­Australian Dairy Plan.”

Dairy Connect chief executive officer Shaughn Morgan said the title 'eastAUSmilk' had been designed to reflect values that dairy farmer ­members were looking for.

“These include more effective advocacy through a stronger united voice and greater opportunities and efficiencies with a single organisation lobbying on behalf of a greater number of dairy farmers,” he said.

“The new eastAUSmilk brand is based on democratic principles and it will provide strong advocacy; relevant member services; policies based on the needs of dairy farmers; leadership for dairy in NSW and Queensland; and proactive strategies and agile responses.”

Mr Danzi said the two states represented milk markets that included more than 13 million Australian consumers or 52 per cent of the population.

“As a single body, we can leverage this to help realise the vision of eastAUSmilk for dairy farmers, and the industry, to grow and thrive,” he said.

“Significant stakeholders such as processors, see our regions as one fresh milk market.

People don't see the border as marking d ­ ifferent regions.

“One of our aims is to provide services that attract dairy farmers who are currently ­disengaged.

Mr Morgan said Riverina and far south coast dairy farmers were an important part of the NSW dairy industry, and will be so in eastAUSmilk.

“Their interests will continue to be represented by eastAUSmilk and will have direct access to

Shaughn Morgan is now co-CEO, with Eric Danzi, of the new eastAUSmilk body, a merger of Dairy Connect and the Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation.

the decision making process via a southern NSW board member of the board,” he said.

“The bridging of our two organisations so as to establish eastAUSmilk will provide a strong, proactive and vibrant dairy farmer organisation.

“This has been demonstrated by the strong commitment of the current CEOs of Dairy Connect and QDO to establish an industry body on a

strong platform for future financial and member growth, ensuring strong advocacy based on positive dairy policies.”

Mr Danzi and Mr Morgan will report jointly to the board and will act as co-CEOs with specified responsibilities. Mr Danzi will oversee services and finance while Mr Morgan will have carriage of advocacy and policy.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

10 // NEWS

Finding the right formula

BY GEOFF ADAMS

A NEW infant milk powder company based in

Melbourne now has product on the shelves.

The company, called Beta A2 Australia and branding its powder Farmers Beta A2, is aiming to capture a share of the domestic market for infant powder with three formulas.

Behavioural science graduate Gill Burke, environmental scientist Mandy Agnew and exporter and fitness developer Anthony Scarcella launched the company in July, with three formulations of milk powder and a lactoferrin powder.

The privately owned and operated business based in Melbourne has been under development for two years, and got its Farmers Beta A2 onto the shelves in July in pharmacies and independent supermarkets.

The powder is free from A1 beta casein, which some nutritionists say makes the milk more digestible.

Ms Burke said they new company wanted to provide quality nutritional products, support Australian farmers with a fair price, and support Rural Aid to build resilience in rural communities.

She was upset by the 2016 dairy price crash and concerned with the sporadic supply of infant milk powder in Australian supermarkets.

“If you find a product that your baby is happy with, you don't want to find out you can't get it

Beta A2 Australia director Anthony Scarcella.

Beta A2 Australia director Gill Burke is a dairy farmer’s daughter.

Beta A2 Australia director Mandy Agnew.

at the shop,” she said.

“Milk powders were running out because the daigou (informal supply system) channels were taking it up.”

Ms Burke said the company would give priority to domestic supply.

At the same time, she discovered a large share of the Australian consumption was coming from imported powders.

“We think Australian farmers should be able to share in that market.

“Being raised in the Goulburn Valley, I respect

and appreciate the often harsh life of farmers, being at the mercy of weather and global markets.

“I believe the best assistance we can give to them is to support their business, which then flows through to their mental health, families and the rural communities.”

Ms Burke said the company would source its milk from the Goulburn Valley where she grew up, and has contracted one herd so far. They intend to expand their supply base as the business grows.

She acknowledged they were starting a busi-

ness in one of the most highly regulated food sectors in Australia.

“So it should be. We are dealing with babies' health. Nothing is more precious.

“It's also good to know that because it is so highly regulated, buying an Australian product you know you are getting the best that science can produce for a baby.”

Ms Burke agreed breast milk was best for infants, but she said there had to be a healthy alternative for mothers who couldn't breast feed for a variety of reasons.

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NEWS // 11

Fonterra, Saputo step up FONTERRA AUSTRALIA has increased its average farm gate milk price for the 2021–22 season to $7.10/kg of milk solids.

On October 29 Fonterra Australia managing director René Dedoncker said that since Fonterra's most recent price review in August, market conditions globally had remained positive with solid demand and subdued growth in supply.

“We've continued to see strong domestic demand, particularly for our consumer brands and we expect to see the food service sector rebound as restrictions ease across Victoria and NSW,” Mr Dedoncker said.

“This gives us confidence in the fundamentals of our business and that we can continue to earn and pay a competitive milk price.

“However, the challenges of COVID-19 continue to put significant pressure on the supply chain. In particular, we are dealing with delays in getting product from our distribution and warehouse partners to our customers.

“We are also seeing lower than expected milk volumes off farm, owing to the unseasonably wet spring which is limiting our ability to capitalise on the strong commodity market conditions.

“Although, we are hopeful that this price signal and the soil moisture will translate to a recovery in milk production in the back half of the season.”

On October 28 Saputo Dairy Australia announced a rise to $7.05 kg/MS.

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Available to milk 24/7, their AMS system has removed the stress of training, managing and retaining staff. With empty rates now below 5% and virtually no animal lameness, the Mc Nab family have more time to spend together and can rest easy knowing their cows are happy and healthy following a more natural milking routine.

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12 // NEWS BLACK AND WHITE NEWS Gracie is Queensland's Cow of the Year The 2021 Queensland Cow of the Year title has been awarded to Ardylbar Atwood Gracie-ET VG87, who was exhibited by the Barron family of Ardylbar Holsteins from Coombooya in south-east Queensland.

Judge Chris Kelly said he greatly admired the winning cow.

“Her overall chest width and depth of fore rib and rear rib, her fullness and her attached fore udder and her pin width that flows down into her rear udder and the way the mammary system is attached on the body wall was just outstanding,” Mr Kelly said.

This is the second year in a row the Barron family has won the Queensland Cow of the Year competition.

“We were really surprised and we are

very happy with the way Grandma Graceful has bred,” Sheryl Barron said.

Both winning cows of 2020 and 2021 belong to the 19-year-old dam Plana Magic Grace EX-93–1E 2*, who is no stranger to the showring. She was named Supreme Cow and Best Udder at Ekka in 2011.

Gracie's sister Ardylbar Atwood GladysET VG96 was crowned Queensland Cow of the Year in 2020, as well as Toowoomba

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Champion, and Senior Champion Cow and Best Udder at Beaudesert All Breeds Show last year.

Earlier this year, another full ET sister of Gracie's — Ardylbar Atwood Graceful-ET VG87 — was awarded Champion Cow at the 2021 Gatton Dairy Showcase.

Gracie has collected a handful of showring titles this year, winning first place in the 5 to 7-year-old in-milk class, Best Udder and Champion Cow at the 2021 Toowoomba Show.

“I would like to thank those members who entered this year's competition and particularly the exhibitors from North Queensland who are always willing to support the breed,” Holstein Australia Queensland region secretary Diane Reeves said.

Youth Challenge 2022 entries now open

Entries for the 2022 Holstein Australia Youth Challenge are now open.

The Holstein Australia Youth Challenge is back for the first time in two years at International Dairy Week 2022.

Entries are now open, with the Youth Challenge taking place on Sunday, January 16.

The Youth Challenge is open to dairy youth groups, breed societies (national teams), sub-branch areas or state-based teams. Participation of youth representing all Australian dairy breeds is actively encouraged.

“The 2022 Youth Challenge will be something really special with so many shows and dairy youth programs cancelled or put on hold over the last 18 months,” Holstein Australia Youth Challenge co‑ordinator Justin Johnston said.

“My advice is to register your team as soon as you can. We know from the texts and messages we've received that people are just itching to get back in the ring.”

Entering your team is simple. Just download the entry criteria form and then send an email to enquiry@holstein. com.au including your team name, email address and phone number.

Team members do not need to be finalised until the Saturday prior to International Dairy Week. Entries are capped at 16 teams.

Team members must all be under 22 years of age on the day of competition, with each team including at least three junior members (under 15 years old).

Each team is restricted to three working members over the age of 18.

Team co‑ordinators do not necessarily need to be part of the working team and can be outside the competitive age limit.

For further information, contact Holstein Australia at enquiry@ holstein.com.au or Justin Johnston on 0428 871 828. The deadline for team nominations is 5 pm on Wednesday, December 15.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

NEWS // 13

Doors open for rural student A GARDINER Dairy Foundation Tertiary

Scholarship led to East Gippslander Carley Einsiedel becoming an agronomist and has opened many doors along the way.

Not only did the scholarship give Carley the financial support to study when drought was severely impacting her family's farm, it also introduced her to a mentor — retired agricultural consultant Noel Thomas.

On the first day of her course in 2019, Carley was interviewed on the ABC Country Hour, little realising her words would lead to a contact with Noel who continues to guide her as she embarks on her own agricultural consultancy business based in her home town of Boisdale.

Carley's words about the scholarship and her vision for a career in agronomy struck a chord with Noel.

“Noel recognised that I had said a similar line regarding my interest in soils, plant and animal health that he had many years ago when he started out,” Carley said.

“He got in contact with me through Gardiner Foundation and since then he has been a mentor and a massive source of knowledge, confidence and materials for my business.

“That support has been worth as much as the scholarship, and it all came about because of Gardiner.”

Noel guided Carley as she started her own agronomy business, CreAg Services, the title being a riff on creative ag services but also representing her initials.

“I remember when I first told Noel that I was interested in regenerative agriculture,” she said.

“It wasn't a term he was necessarily familiar with, but he did everything possible to ensure I had the resources and opportunities to increase my knowledge on the topic; including organising a group of like-minded young people to bounce ideas and concepts off.

“Noel has not only guided me through the start of my career confidence-wise, he helped me develop a computer program to thoroughly interpret soil tests, and gave me access to a large set of referencing publications and physical tools that are an essential component of a consultant's toolbox.

“Noel is not only a wealth of professional knowledge and experience, but also an excellent life mentor and a great friend.”

Carley was the Bill Pyle Gardiner Foundation Tertiary Scholarship recipient in 2019. The scholarship paid for her accommodation while she completed her Diploma of Agronomy and Advanced Diploma of Agribusiness Management at Longerenong Agricultural College.

Carley grew up around cattle, soils and agriculture on a dryland beef farm in Boisdale, sparking her lifelong interest in the field.

“It's an intense dairying region and I always wanted to come back here and work in agriculture,” she said.

“I like the diversity; everyone has their particular and differing opinions, which I find really interesting.”

The broad and practical nature of her TAFEbased course fitted nicely with her love of diversity.

“It was extremely broad, which I really appreciated, and they really push a lot of practical skills,” she said.

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A Gardiner Dairy Foundation Tertiary Scholarship helped Carley Einsiedel become an agronomist.

“You get out in the field and get to talk to a lot of farmers and learn the practical side of agriculture as much as the scientific side.”

“I could have done an ag science course at university, but I wasn't 100 per cent sure about being an agronomist and wanted to learn more about the field.

“I'm extremely happy that I went to Longerenong. It gave me practical skills that made me ready to work.”

The course might not have happened without the scholarship.

“It was a massive help because it paid for my accommodation, which was six hours from home.”

Carley took a part-time job with a race trainer but the scholarship meant she could cut back on work and focus more on her studies.

“It was incredibly helpful,” she said.

“We were deep in a drought when I left, so it would have been a struggle to complete the course without it.

Carley launched CreAg Services in April and is steadily growing the business and putting her study to good use.

“I love communicating with farmers and educating them on their soil status,” she said.

“Instead of just telling farmers what to put on and when to do so, I really love getting them involved with their soil and teaching them about that aspect of their farm.”

While enjoying growing her business, the course also stimulated Carley's interest in regenerative agriculture and she hopes to do more research in the field to incorporate it into her consulting business.

“I'd like to help East Gippsland farmers to restore their soil health and structure, whilst minimising the overall reliance on chemical inputs.”

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14 // NEWS

Once-a-day milking is quite okay

BY SOPHIE BALDWIN

TWO YEARS after changing to once-a-day milking on their Tragowel dairy farm in northwestern Victoria, Mick and Catherine Shepard couldn’t be happier.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing and it has involved a whole lot of relearning, but the lifestyle benefits have been worth the effort — including being able to concentrate more on their family farm stay, called Shepo’s Whey.

The trickiest part was learning a new way to manage their herd — essentially they have gone from a split-calving 250-cow herd, milked twice a day, to around 210 spring-calving cows milked once a day.

The Shepards have never chased high production, instead focusing on a grazing system with home-grown fodder across their 560 hectares.

The grazing platform consists of lucerne, rye and shaftal, and the out-blocks are sown down to vetch and barley for hay.

This year the herd peaked at 22 litres with only six cows not in calf.

“We have basically lost a third of our milk production and halved our costs, but for the first time in a very long time I can honestly say we can pay all our bills and it really is a great feeling,” Catherine said.

Both Catherine and Mick agree the biggest hurdle they had to overcome was what people thought.

Catherine and Mick Shepard with daughters Brylee, Ruby and Tiarna.

“We moved from a traditional twice-a-day milking system and of course we did get a lot of negative feedback, especially around the issue of mastitis, but two years later we wouldn’t go back," Mick said.

“It’s certainly not for everyone but it suits our farm and what I am doing.

If I was to be completely honest, it will keep

me in the industry longer than if I was still milking twice a day.”

Mick said the first year was all about learning how to look after the cows and transition them to once-a-day milking.

“Any of the big old cows that couldn’t handle it were sold along with the high cell count cows and we bought in heifers.”

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He said consequent heifers have all performed really well under once-a-day milking because they don’t know any difference.

Milking time is still 6 am and it does take 30 to 45 minutes longer.

“The cows have to be completely milked out and I do have to take a bit more care, but that is okay because I don’t have

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NEWS // 15 to turn around and do it again at 3.30,” Mick said.

The first year Mick found the cows were a bit too fat which resulted in quite a few pulled calves, caesareans and a rather stressful calving period, while this year things have been a lot easier.

Mick said he can’t remember noticing a drop in production over the summer months, something he attributes to the cows remaining comfortable in the paddock not having to walk back to the dairy in the heat of the day.

“Every afternoon I go down and move the strip fence just to give the cows something new to graze in the afternoon; you certainly don’t have to do this but I just like to.”

Rather than use AI they reverted to rotating bulls through the herd but Mick thinks he will return to using some AI in the future.

One of the biggest savings the couple has found is reduced labour costs.

They now do the majority of work themselves except during hay season, when Mick’s dad Norm helps out, and — because the cows are dried-off for six weeks — they were even able to take a family holiday to Darwin this year (in between COVID-19 lockdowns).

It has taken the family a bit of getting used to having no income while the cows are driedoff, however they have overcome that by setting aside all the money from cattle sales.

They are also planning on rearing some beef cattle to help them get through.

“Cash flow is an issue but it is manageable.

We have the land and we now have the time to rear a few extra animals,” Catherine said.

The shift to once-a-day milking has freed the Shepards to invest in their farm stay, Shepo's Whey (below).

Mick said the collapse of Murray Goulburn a few years ago taught them both some hard lessons, and was the catalyst for them to really look at their own business and what suited their farm and their own management.

It has also allowed them to invest in their own family farm stay, called Shepo’s Whey, where guests are treated to country hospitality, cows and dogs (of course), and Mick and daughter Tiarna’s amazing, welded sculptures dotted around the garden.

“We might be on the same ship but not everyone is in the same storm,” Catherine said.

“You need to make a choice for what works for you and don’t worry about what anyone else has to say — just go for it."

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16 // NEWS

Legacy has special meaning BEING A surf lifesaving volunteer inspired

­ rianna Thompson to become a nurse, and B a Powell Legacy Foundation scholarship has helped her achieve her goals.

Brianna is completing her Bachelor of Nursing degree at Australian Catholic University in ­Melbourne and will undertake her grad year placement at Barwon Health in 2022.

Over summer she expects to be back on patrol with the Port Campbell Surf Lifesaving Club, where lifelong members Ross and Andy Powell tragically died while trying to rescue a tourist in 2019. The Powell Legacy Foundation scholarship was created in their honour.

Brianna knew the father and son and said the scholarship held a special place in her heart.

“It's lovely to have that connection and it's a massive support that has made life less stressful,” she said.

Brianna said she decided in Year 10 to become a nurse and never deviated from her plan.

“I'm heavily involved in the surf club and have been my entire life,” she said.

“That involvement definitely sparked my interest in working in the health field.”

The scholarship provided two $3000 ­payments to assist her studies, with Brianna choosing to use the $6000 to reduce her HECS debt.

“That's practically a whole semester of uni taken off my debt, which is amazing,” she said.

She has enjoyed her course and placements, most recently at Epworth and Waverly private hospitals in Melbourne “I was lucky with COVID that I was able to get my placements and clinicals done because there were so many cancellations.”

While looking forward to working in the field, Brianna will be back on the Port Campbell beach on patrol with the surf lifesaving club this summer.

“I enjoy it. It has a good community feel.”

The DemoDAIRY Foundation administers the Powell Legacy Scholarship and applications are now open.

The Powell Legacy Fund targets Corangamite Shire students but will consider other students outside the shire with connections to voluntary organisations in Corangamite.

More information can be found at www. demodairy.com.au/scholarships-and-grants/ or from DDF board member Ian Teese on 0427 358 987 or itag@bigpond.com

Brianna Thompson has greatly benefited from a Powell Legacy Foundation scholarship.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

18 // NEWS

Barn a farming revolution IT HAS been a busy five months for the Dee

family from Macorna who turned the management of their dairy farm on its head when they built the first ever robotic compost barn in the country.

Featuring eight Lely Astronaut A5 robotic milkers, six Lely Cosmix feeders, eight Luna brushes for the cows and a Lely Juno to push up the feed, the system has revolutionised the way the family farms.

Partner Mark Dee said the business was reaping the benefits of increased production with the 465-cow herd peaking at 35 litres.

“We installed a 32,000 litre vat and expected to be on every second day pick-up for quite some time, but just today we sent 30,000 litres so every day pick-up isn't too far away,” Mark said.

He said when the cows first moved into the barn back in May of this year, they weren't breaking any records and were averaging around 24 litres.

“There is no denying the fresh cows have helped push up production, but we can't underestimate the consistency of the cows' diet and the environment of the barn and how content the whole herd now is, it is amazing.”

Mark said fresh cows re-entering the system were rapidly gaining production.

“They are going through the system on average 2.5 times per 24 hours and the graphs show by day 20 they are really ramping up their percow production.”

The system is programmed to automatically drop 3 kg of grain every time a cow enters the robot.

Mark said the data coming out of the system was enabling the family to farm better, which, at the end of the day, was increasing per-cow production, improving the overall health of the herd and, just as importantly, positively impacting the bottom line.

Each cow is fitted with a Lely SCR transponder on its collar.

“Our preg test results have been unbelievable,” Mark said.

In August 83 per cent of the cows tested were pregnant and in October another 70 were tested with 92 per cent in calf.

“The program really hits the sweet spot for AI. We have never had conception results like that before, previously we would have been happy with around 70 per cent,” Mark said.

The data is also spot on for mastitis detection or sick cows.

“A drop in rumination is flagged really quickly so we can pick up any animal that is off and get it treated really quickly.

“Currently we have one cow sick with pneumonia, one with slight nitrate poisoning which we think came from some vetch hay not chopped up properly in the mix and one with blood in her quarter from getting stood on.

There is not one single cow in the herd being treated for mastitis.”

Colin, Adam, Hannah, Adrian,Mandy and Mark Dee.

Mark said in the old dairy they always ran a sick herd and it wouldn't be uncommon to have five or six cows treated for mastitis at once.

He doesn't miss the nine hours spent milking in the dairy, either.

The working day now starts at 6 am instead of 4.30 am and finishes around 7 pm.

With all the cows housed in one place, time management has improved and on the day Dairy News contacted Mark, the family had got the springers in, needled heifers and sorted out the fresh cows all before 10.30 am.

“The beauty of the barn is we don't have to hang around and wait for anything because the

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NEWS // 19 cows are all in one spot. We do spend around 1–1.5 hours a day hosing around the robots and rails, while the flood wash takes care of the alley three times a day.”

Like most transitions there have been a few trying moments along the way and by far the biggest was initially training the cows to accept the system.

In hindsight Mark said moving into the barn in May wasn't ideal from a timing perspective.

“We were heading in to the cold and wet damp months and we did have a lot of issues with the compost side of things.

“It was really hard to establish a dry pack for the cows to loaf on and because we are the only one of our kind in Australia at the moment, it was hard to source information to help. We seem to have the compost well sorted now.”

Mark said there had been a lot of interest in their barn and plenty of people had travelled out for a look.

His advice to anyone considering a similar system is simple.

“Don't rush in, planning is the key, and do your homework.

“We changed quite a few things throughout the process and had a few hold-ups along the way, but you are better to get it right from the beginning, even if it costs you a bit extra at the time, it will be cheaper in the long run.”

Mark farms with his wife Mandy, his dad Adrian and siblings Colin, Kevin, Adam and Clare.

The compost barn sits on about one hectare and comprises of a 200 m by 60 m shed housing eight robotic milkers, divided into four separate spaces with a wide central feed alley complete with 24-hour access to a TMR.

Above: The Lely Juno feed pusher; (top right) the compost barn; (bottom right) the cows make their way through the barn, which among other things features eight Lely Astronaut A5 robotic milkers and eight Lely Luna brushes.

The barn includes a designated vet area complete with a crush and AI facility along with an office, staffroom and upstairs viewing platform.

A climate controlled sensor activates fans and sprinklers when required and while the cows do have access to an outside area, they seem to prefer spending their day chewing their cud and loafing on the soft pack compost.

Clean water is delivered via two dams with a total storage capacity of 35 megalitres and all wastewater is recycled, travelling through an effluent separator before it enters the two-dam 15 Ml system.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

20 // NEWS

Dairy show baton passed on DECLAN PATTEN and Bradley Cullen are

approaching 2022 with a fair bit of enthusiasm given they have taken over the reins of running one of the most prestigious cattle shows in the world, International Dairy Week.

From humble beginnings as a dairy show held under a gum tree in Tatura 30 years ago, the event has grown into a week-long affair encompassing some of the best dairy cows in the country judged by elite judges from Australia and around the world.

Farmers travel from across the country to attend the event, which is held in January each year, and while Mr Patten and Mr Cullen do not envision any dramatic changes first up, they do have a vision to take the show and the dairy industry to the wider public.

“In 2022, IDW will be held at the same time and in the same place and the dairy show will remain the cornerstone of everything we do, however we want to promote all the great things the dairy industry is to the wider community,” Mr Patten said.

Located smack bang in the middle of northern Victoria's food bowl and within a strong dairying area, IDW is the perfect platform to showcase not only great dairy cows but also the great array of food produced in the region.

“We are excited to have Stacey Leppert as our new events co‑ordinator who will also focus on growing and investing time into celebrating the Australian dairy food chain,” Mr Patten said.

“We have future plans to create a food truck festival and are looking to entice a celebratory chef to the event and offer cooking demonstrations to the public.

“There is a lot of competition at the farm level when it comes to cattle but we would also like to support value adding and celebrate the dairy food chain as well.”

Over the years IDW has grown to include a youth show and seminars, and the partners are hoping to grow this important side of the event as well.

They plan on extending the variety of educational seminars available to attendees along with introducing tours of the region.

The youth side of the event will also remain a significant part of IDW. “We are massive supporters of the youth events and we would like to focus on careers in agriculture as well,” Mr Patten said.

“Personally agriculture has taken me around the world and I want to show young people how many opportunities it really can provide.

“Down the track we would like to implement some sort of youth scholarship as well.”

The Power of Women in Dairy dinner is also something they are excited to embrace.

“Women are huge contributors to the industry and it is important their achievements continue to be celebrated,” Mr Patten said.

He said the Australian dairy industry had consolidated over the years and, with less farmers

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After 30 years at the IDW helm, Brian Leslie is happy to hand over to Declan Patten and Bradley Cullen.

involved, the event needed to evolve to continue to be sustainable well into the future.

“We won't leave any stone unturned. We have to grow for our long term sustainability and we will 100 per cent look at anything which will ensure that growth.”

And for Brian Leslie who has been at the helm of the show for the past three decades, the passing of the baton is something to celebrate.

He is looking forward to seeing where the boys take the show.

“IDW has been a marvellous event but it is time for a changing of the guard,” Mr Leslie said.

“It has absorbed a lot of my time and energy over that time but nothing can last forever and I am looking forward to seeing where it goes.”

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

NEWS // 21

Plan helps family enjoy life CORINNA BOLDISTON

GIPPSLAND DAIRY farmers Mike and Sarah

O'Brien know day-to-day farm life can distract from progressing the “ideas swirling around” in your head.

For this reason, they are happy to have created clarity and direction for their goals through participating in the Our Farm, Our Plan program.

The program, developed by Dairy Australia with support from Gardiner Dairy Foundation and Dairy NZ, helps farmers clarify business and personal goals, prioritise action and manage uncertainty.

“The biggest thing Sarah and I got out of the Our Farm, Our Plan process was that it created discussion of what we both wanted,” Mike said.

“Participating in Our Farm, Our Plan has given us clarity; and clarity gives us direction.”

The O'Briens started managing Wilfour Farm in 2012, employed by absentee owners Mark and Lisa Wilms, and Andrew and Caroline Balfour. They became sharefarmers in 2014 and purchased the second half of the Wilfour herd on July 1 this year.

“We have a very open business relationship with Wilfour,” Sarah said.

“Our growth phase was on track but the Our Farm, Our Plan process helped Mike and I clarify the best way to go about it for us.”

The O'Briens live at Wilfour's 130 ha Denison farm in the Macalister Irrigation District with their three children (aged 10, 13 and 16). They milk 320

cows with a spring calving herd, and have a 25-aside swing-over dairy with automatic cup removers.

They participated in Our Farm, Our Plan in 2020, documenting their 'Plan on a Page' after a series of GippsDairy group sessions (mostly online due to COVID-19 lockdowns). Like their program peers, the O'Briens receive one-on-one follow-up support from a consultant and regional extension officer to help keep their plan on track.

At the heart of Mike and Sarah's plan is: farm ownership; a profitable business; trained staff; professional development; environmental sustainability; a farm legacy for their children; contributing to the community; and a lifestyle which is enjoyable, including date nights and family holidays.

“We are not just thinking about the dreams at the end, but to enjoy the journey,” Mike said.

“Having a profitable business allows us to have family holidays, to give back to the community, and to enjoy having good staff.”

Mike and Sarah place great value on the role staff play in pursuing their plan and view their staff as an asset to their business. They employ a full-time trainee who is studying a Certificate III in Agriculture, and two casual employees, including daughter Zoe, 16.

“The whole industry is screaming out for staff and a lot of farmers are struggling to fill gaps,” Sarah said.

“We place value on our staff by paying well, providing a good work environment, training

on-farm and Dairy Australia off-farm professional development opportunities, and regular occupational health and safety meetings where they can have important input.”

Developing their staff has allowed the couple time to lock-in regular days off and family holidays, their own professional training, and commitments to industry groups and community committees.

“Investing in us as a husband and wife, not just as business partners, is very important,” Sarah said.

“It's nice for our children that we are now able to make time available — and stick to it — for family commitments.”

Mike is completing a specialised nutrition program through Dairy Australia, and Sarah is looking into a Diploma in Human Resources or Business Management.

Six months since completing their plan, they are ready to update the document having “pulled apart some of their farm figures” during a recent business analysis course.

“We feel like we have got a routine happening with the lifestyle goals, so it [holidays and date nights] needs to continue but it doesn't need to be on our plan,” Sarah said.

“We want to replace that goal with something from our farm figures to really focus on for next season.”

The O'Briens encouraged farmers in every phase of their business to participate in the Our Farm, Our Plan program.

Mike and Sarah O’Brien are achieving business and personal goals through the support of the Our Farm, Our Plan program.

“Farmers get so busy on the farm and have all these ideas swirling around, but Our Farm, Our Plan helped us to stop and strategise about where we are, where we want to be, and how we are going to get there,” Sarah said.

“For where we are, and the industry as a whole, this program is gold.”

Farmers or discussion groups interested in participating in Our Farm, Our Plan and getting their Plan on a Page should contact their Dairy Australia regional team or visit: www.dairyaustralia.com.au/farm-business/ our-farm-our-plan

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22 // NEWS

Daily dairy good for elderly RESEARCHERS HAVE found the addition of

dairy foods into the daily diet of aged-care residents can reduce fractures and falls, in a study published in the British Medical Journal.

The two-year trial led by the University of Melbourne and Austin Health included 7195 residents from 60 Victorian aged-care facilities, and was the first study to test the impact of providing additional calcium and protein through dairy foods on the risk of fractures and falls in older adults.

Living longer, we can expect an increased prevalence of chronic illnesses, malnutrition, loss of musculoskeletal mass, frailty and bone fragility that increases the risk of falls and fractures, which can lead to ongoing disability and premature death.

About 30 per cent of all hip fractures occur in aged-care residents and around two-thirds are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition.

While intake of dairy foods in this population is typically less than half the amount recommended in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, previous clinical trials have taken a pharmacological approach where residents have their diet supplemented with vitamin D or calcium tablets to reduce bone loss.

Principal investigator Sandra Iuliano from the University of Melbourne and Austin Health, with an international team of collaborators, added dairy foods which are naturally high in calcium and protein to the regular diets of aged-care residents.

They found this simple intervention — where dairy food intake increased from about two serves per day to 3.5 serves per day — led to a significant reduction in fractures and falls.

“We were keen to investigate this issue through a nutritional approach. We know that the consumption of milk, yoghurt and cheese, that are rich in calcium and protein, slows bone loss,” Dr Iuliano said.

“Our cluster randomised controlled trial showed muscles of the arms and legs was maintained and falls reduced in the residents given the additional dairy foods.

“This is an achievable goal in any aged-care setting as these foods are widely available, palatable, low cost and can be incorporated into the daily menu.”

Chief researcher Sandra Iuliano from the University of Melbourne.

The study found a 33 per cent reduction in all fractures, a 46 per cent reduction in hip fractures, and an 11 per cent reduction in falls, with a significant reduction apparent between three and five months after the trial began.

Dr Iuliano hopes the outcomes from the trial will be used to improve policy and good clinical practice across the aged-care sector.

“Providing adequate dairy foods in the diets of older adults is a proven intervention and a sensible approach to reducing the fracture burden in the whole community,” she said.

The research was supported by grants from nine global dairy organisations and three philanthropic organisations, including Dairy Australia.

Dairy Australia nutritionist Rivkeh Haryono said the results of the clinical trial were clear and, importantly, reconfirmed that consuming sufficient levels of dairy in older adulthood played a key role in safeguarding bone and muscle health.

“Dually, increasing the consumption of milk, cheese and yoghurt improves overall nutrition in aged-care residents,” Dr Haryono said.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

ANIMAL HEALTH // 23

Discarded batteries can kill LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS are being alerted

to the risks to cattle from old batteries lying around their properties, following reports that 280 cattle have been exposed to lead toxins in the past three months in NSW. NSW Department of Primary Industries veterinarian Liz Bolin said 17 cattle deaths from lead poisoning have been reported since July 2021.

“All recent cases reported involved young cattle and old car batteries, which could have been avoided by removing batteries from paddocks before cattle had access,” Dr Bolin said.

“The public can be reassured, livestock exposed to lead must be assessed by a veterinarian to ensure they are safe for human consumption, restricting lead-affected animals from slaughter.

“Prevention is the best strategy and removing the animals' access to lead sources is the first step.”

Dr Bolin said cattle were inquisitive by nature and tend to chew on novel objects.

“Old battery casings can be brittle and break up, giving cattle access to lead,” she said.

“One broken battery potentially contains enough lead to kill a dozen or more cattle, while

other potential sources include lead-based paint and waste oil.”

Sheep and other animals can ingest and be poisoned by lead, yet cattle are most affected by lead residues.

Often the first sign of lead poisoning is dead cattle. Some cattle may have no signs, while signs of acute lead toxicity include staggering, muscle twitching, teeth grinding and blindness.

All members of the NSW community have a general biosecurity duty to take reasonable steps to prevent food-producing animals from having access to items containing lead.

Cattle exposed to lead must undergo a blood test and, if positive, are permanently identified on the National Livestock Identification Scheme (NLIS) database.

NSW DPI works closely with Local Land Services (LLS) and landholders to support food safety and consumer confidence.

More information is available from LLS and NSW DPI. NSW farmers concerned about potential lead poisoning in livestock should contact their LLS district veterinarian by calling 1300 795 299.

Old batteries can be a threat to livestock. Picture: NSW DPI.

PHYTOGENICS FOR RUMEN HEALTH Over the past 15 years, the European Union and many other countries have banned the use of ionophores, such as monensin, and other milk yield-promoting antibiotics in animal production.

Scientific evidence for resistance development in the rumen is irrefutable.

Prevotella bryantii, for example, was found to quickly adapt to grow in the presence of ionophores. Studies showed it selected for a highly resistant subpopulation with altered outer membrane characteristics.

Streptococcus bovis, Clostridium aminophilum and S. ruminantium, on the other hand, were initially highly sensitive to monensin, but increased their resistance following repeated exposures.

Are there any equally effective alternatives to milk yield-promoting antibiotics? For an unequivocally positive answer, we can turn to phytogenics.

These secondary plant compounds have shown excellent health and performance results. For example: ■ Eugenol helps maintain the balance between Gram- and Gram+ bacteria.

■

Cinnamaldehyde increases the quantity of propionate produced in rumen.

A strategic combination of phytogenics can be highly effective as a natural dietary supplementation option to modulate ruminal fermentation and decrease methane emissions.

Phytomolecules supplementation can help optimise the quality and quantity of

milk, as well as support against fertility problems, inflammation, and problems post-partum.

For optimal results, a phytogenic product needs to show the following characteristics: ■ Standardisation of ingredients, making sure the active phytomolecules have the desired concentration (whereas phytomolecule concentration can vary in natural ingredients).

■

Advanced quality control system in place, to make sure unwanted components are not included in the feed additive.

■

Ingredient stability and thermal protection, making sure phytomolecules stay active after the pelletising processes.

■

Long shelf life.

■

Gradual release in the rumen and gastrointestinal tract.

Advanced encapsulation technology will help to achieve these characteristics.

The use of such high-performing phytogenic products results in higher and more efficient milk production and improved cow longevity, with lower healthrelated costs.

Lower vet costs, replacement cost and higher milk yields will allow the farmer to improve profitability, even under more restrictive future legislations on the use of antibiotic growth promoters.

Claudio Campanelli Technical manager ruminants, EW Nutrition

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021 ™

24 // ANIMAL HEALTH

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THE ONSET of summer and associated warmer

temperatures will see the emergence of caltrop, also known as bindii or cat's head.

Agriculture Victoria is encouraging landowners to begin their seasonal planning for treatment of the weed.

Infestations of caltrop can cause a reduction in pasture productivity through competition.

Caltrop germinates in summer when soil temperatures rise, and throughout the warmer weather after rain.

Leading biosecurity officer Kate Cunnew said caltrop's fruit was the most well-known feature of the plant — a woody burr with sharp, hard spines that imbed in footwear and vehicle tyres, and can easily attach to animals' feet.

“The ability of the weed to disperse great ­distances as a contaminant on vehicles, people and animals can create new infestations in ­previously clean areas,” Ms Cunnew said.

Caltrop is a declared noxious weed in Victoria under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.

Caltrop is more likely to occur where competition is minimal, such as overgrazed ­ ­pastures, fallow areas, stock yards, roadsides and waste lands.

Management of the weed can include the

The time is right to control caltrop.

complete physical removal of small infestations or the appropriate application of a registered ­herbicide.

Ms Cunnew said landowners were advised to seek professional advice from their local agronomist or chemical retailer when undertaking chemical treatment of any weed to ensure they have the most up-to-date information on ­products and application methods.

For further information, visit: agriculture.vic. gov.au

Dairy Research Foundation 2021 Symposium 9am - 12 noon, 17 and 18 November Live and Free online

‘Zoom into Dairying’

Wednesday 17 November

Thursday 18 November

Session 1: Dairy UP

Session 1: Farm teams: a world of perspectives

Niall Blair (Dairy UP Chair), Geriatric Cow: Ian Lean (Scibus), Intensive dairy systems: Sheena Carter (NSW DPI) and Virtual weaning: Cameron Clark (University of Sydney)

Global 2021 Survey: Deloitte, My farming team: Nollaig Heffernan (Management consultant) and Employer of choice: Sharon Parrish (dairy farmer)

Session 2: De-risking future dairying

Session 2: Emerging Scientist Competition

Risk Management: Nicola Shadbolt (Massey University) and People, safety & culture: Ben James (Aurora Dairies)

8 top emerging scientists share their research

Free registration at https://bit.ly/DAIRY2021

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

ANIMAL HEALTH // 25

Student sees Oz all over WANGOOM'S ELLA Titmus has moved from one end of Australia to the other to become a vet — and she has plans to cover every other part of our country in her new profession.

Ms Titmus, who received a DemoDAIRY Foundation tertiary scholarship to assist her veterinary science study at James Cook Townsville, plans to team-up with a fellow student and create a mobile vet clinic.

“I'm thinking about getting a mobile vet clinic and travelling around Australia for a couple of years because I haven't had a chance to travel as yet,” she said.

“I live with another vet student and we're thinking of doing it together; getting an old ambulance and fitting it out.”

The idea was inspired by a mobile artificial insemination clinic back in western Victoria.

After travelling, Ms Titmus plans to settle and work in rural Victoria.

As she wraps up the first year of her fiveyear course, Ms Titmus says her scholarship has already helped.

“We don't have many COVID restrictions but a lot of the course is online, though we still have practical work on-site with horses and cattle,” she said.

“I used the scholarship to buy a printer, office chair and other study material for my room and having that set-up makes it so much easier.”

The scholarship also helped Ms Titmus to buy textbooks and uniforms. “I really appreciate the opportunity it has given me to fully immerse myself in the degree and give me the best chance at becoming a fully qualified vet,” she said.

Ms Titmus had been considering different

options in 2020 but eventually settled on veterinary science.

“My family has a little beef and sheep property near Wangoom and we had lambs during COVID lockdown and that consolidated it. I was pretty keen on doing vet after that.”

Although now living in tropical northern Queensland, she keeps in touch with a new generation of lambs.

“They've got some lambs at the moment and Mum and Dad are face timing me with them,” she said.

DemoDAIRY Foundation's 2022 scholarships are now open.

More information can be found at www. demodairy.com.au/scholarships-and-grants/ or from DDF board member Ian Teese on 0427 358 987 or itag@bigpond.com.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

26 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

KUHN expands dealer network KUHN HAS increased its dealer footprint in

Australia by adding 10 new dealerships, as part of the Vanderfield group, to its network across NSW and Queensland.

The new dealer locations are Beaudesert, Caboolture, Dalby, Goondiwindi and Loganholme in Queensland, and Inverell, Lismore, Moree, Rutherford and Taree in NSW. KUHN Australia's Bruno Fetiveau said KUHN continued to grow, with a strong national dealer network now numbering 115 nationally.

“We are very excited by the expansion of the KUHN dealer network,” Mr Fetiveau said.

“The last 18 months, in particular, have been extremely pleasing for KUHN. “In 2020 we were lucky to deliver the KUHN Expo in Naracoorte in South Australia before the COVID pandemic. In 2021 we invested in a new purpose-built training centre, machinery display centre and workshop at our Melbourne head office and distribution centre.

“We launched several new exciting and ­innovative products and are now expanding our ­network.

“It shows our commitment to Australian ­agriculture, and with over 190 years of experience in manufacturing agricultural machinery, it delivers on our commitment to offering the best products to farmers every day.”

The new dealership locations continue KUHN's already strong relationship with

­ anderfield that started 10 years ago, and brings V the total number of Vanderfield dealers offering KUHN products to 22.

Vanderfield's Paul Slatter said the decision to offer KUHN machinery through the existing Chesterfield Australia dealerships was a logical one.

“KUHN is a well-known global brand and provides an extensive product range in Australia across hay and forage machinery, sprayers, spreaders, tillage and feed mixers,” he said.

“KUHN also provides local service technicians nationally to support our dealer technicians and has a dedicated parts distribution centre in Australia.”

Mr Slatter said the expansion of KUHN into these NSW and Queensland dealerships would benefit their customers greatly.

“The entire KUHN Australia product range will be available to our customers.

“The products offered by KUHN allow us to provide new products to existing customers while opening a new customer base by giving Vanderfield dealers a complete selection of farm machinery products.”

He said Vanderfield's role was to ensure their customers have access to high-quality, innovative farm machinery, which is well-supported locally.

“KUHN are global leaders in the design and manufacture of farm machinery, and we look forward to offering their products through these dealerships.”

Vanderfield’s Paul Slatter and KUHN’s Simon Long.

Mr Fetiveau said all Vanderfield sales staff and service technicians in these dealerships would have access to extensive product training.

“KUHN machines are technologically advanced, so we put a great deal of focus on ensuring our dealers are well trained and equipped to support their customers with machinery sales, service and maintenance,” he said.

The addition of these dealerships strength-

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For more information, visit: www.kuhn. com.au/dealer-finder

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4 Simple operation >> As the name suggests EzFeed makes feeding silage easier than ever before. As standard, only one set of hydraulics is all it takes to connect and power the whole machine and our clever adjustable load-sensing hydraulics take care of the rest, making EzFeed the ideal wagon for low-skilled staff.

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 27

Taking the stress out of AI GONE ARE those long, tiring AI days, says

Trevor Shanahan, who started using a cow monitoring system this year.

A fourth-generation dairy farmer, Trevor, his wife Sarah and parents Pat and Trish, are all actively involved on the farm. They have two daughters and Trevor thinks one of them might be interested in dairying later on.

In February, Trevor and Sarah signed up for the CowManager system, and chose the subscription service which, as Trevor says, is good for cashflow.

The innovative sensor technology is allowing his dairy herd to cycle naturally.

“The ear tag is easy to get on and off and it's less intrusive than a collar. We chose CowManager mainly for the Fertility module, but we have the Nutrition and Health modules as well.”

The Shanahans milk 250 to 300 cows at Koroit in south-west Victoria and employ two part-time milkers.

They milk in a 20-unit swing-over dairy and Trevor said they were very happy with the size of the operation with no immediate plans to get bigger or upgrade.

Every year they breed about 70 heifers which they grow out on a turnout block nearby.

The heifers, some of which are replacements and some for export, all have the CowManager sensor ear tag, which can be read in the dairy.

They also run a few beef cattle putting an Angus bull over the herd.

Trevor Shanahan says CowManager improves cow care and helps with work-life balance.

Increasingly, the Shanahans are using sexed semen to ensure they get more heifers and fewer bobby calves.

“CowManager gives us more accurate timing of heats and we can AI accordingly,” Trevor said.

“It gives us greater certainty when using sexed semen and makes it more effective and economical.”

CowManager integrates easily with Easy Dairy and Easy Draft software. When cows are on heat, they are drafted out automatically for AI. There is no need to observe heats, no more scratchies or remembering to do tail paint touch-ups.

“Joining is less stressful. It sorts itself out,” Trevor said.

“There are no big AI days like there were when we used hormones. We let them cycle naturally and we can manage our workload better.”

Knowing when cows are cycling more accurately has reduced costs associated with vet visits, drugs and hormones used for synchronising heats.

While calving will not be as condensed as it was with a synch program, Trevor thinks it will be more manageable.

The Health and Nutrition alerts on CowManager picks up cows that are struggling, often well before a problem might be noticed by the farm team.

It monitors temperature and rumination and allows early intervention before conditions like mastitis and pneumonia become critical.

“It's good when we're out and about. If a cow hasn't moved overnight, we get an alert and can treat her first thing,” Trevor said.

Early intervention can also contribute to a reduction in veterinary and medical expenses.

“It's an easier way of doing things and it allows us to pay more attention to the care of individual cows. We have better control,” Trevor said.

“We can keep an eye on them, and nothing slips through the cracks.”

Source: www.cowmanager.com

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

28 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

Roadmap to packaging targets THE AUSTRALIAN Packaging Covenant

Organisation, Dairy Australia and the Australian Dairy Products Federation have released the Australian Dairy Sustainable Packaging Roadmap to 2025.

The roadmap looks at the current state of play regarding sustainable packaging in the dairy industry and what needs to be done as the industry works towards achieving the 2025 National Packaging Targets.

Considerable progress has already been made by dairy manufacturers, but the industry continues to face a series of barriers and challenges.

The new roadmap provides a collective vision and framework for improving the sustainability of dairy packaging moving forward, along with direction for the industry on the progress now required, highlighting opportunities for collaboration on the road towards the 2025 targets and

the development of a sustainable circular packaging ecosystem in Australia.

As part of the plan laid out in the roadmap, dairy manufacturers will review all of their packaging to identify and implement opportunities to optimise for sustainability.

This includes exploring possibilities for the elimination and/or reduction of packaging items, reusable packaging, improved recyclability and the increased use of recycled content.

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• Recyclers to provide sufficient quantities of food-grade recycled resins to allow manufacturers to meet recycled content targets without compromising product quality and safety.

• Consumers to reuse or recycle dairy packaging at end of life.

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• National, state, territory and local governments to provide fit-for-purpose regulatory frameworks, to ensure safety standards and verification of end-to-end resource recovery and recycling systems, through: the National Environment Protection (Used Packaging Materials) Measure 2011 (NEPM); Food Standards Australia and New Zealand; industrybased regulators; and other instruments as required to support achievement of the 2025 targets and ensure appropriate safety standards are in place.

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To achieve these goals, dairy industry manufacturers are seeking support from other stakeholders.

The roadmap lays out a number of actions needed across the supply chain, including: • Packaging manufacturers and researchers to innovate and develop alternatives to nonrecyclable packaging formats.

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The roadmap was developed in collaboration with the Australian dairy manufacturing industry with extensive consultation across the entire dairy packaging value chain over more than 18 months.

Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation chief executive officer Brooke Donnelly said the roadmap clearly laid out the path the dairy industry needed to take to achieve the 2025 targets.

“Collective action across the supply chain is an absolute necessity and it is fantastic to see the willingness already on display across the dairy industry to make the transition to a more sustainable model,” she said.

Dairy Australia managing director David Nation said the development of the roadmap was another great example of collaboration across the dairy industry.

“It’s the first time a national dairy sector has come together anywhere in the world at this level to endorse a collective call to action and work together to deliver a sustainable approach to packaging,” he said.

Thirteen dairy manufacturers and the three major retailers had formally endorsed the roadmap, Australian Dairy Products Federation’s Janine Waller said.

She said in 2019-20, the dairy processing industry re-invested nearly $476 million in capital and had a record of investing in sustainability initiatives with a focus on reducing packaging waste.

Fonterra’ s Jenny Phillips said when it comes to making packaging more sustainable, particularly for dairy products, “it’s not an easy process and there are lots of challenges to overcome”.

“However, by working together as an industry we can not only reach the 2025 National Packaging Targets, we can do so faster - which is a great thing for our environment,” she said.

Bega’s Mark McDonald confirmed his company was “fully aligned with the industry roadmap that has been put forward and we are committed to delivering on our own sustainability targets as well as the 2025 National Packaging Targets”.

The full report available at: https://documents.packagingcovenant.org.au/

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 29

Making light work of feeding ANTHONY ALLEY, a fourth generation dairy

farmer, has been running the family farm in the Central West region of NSW near Forbes for 24 years.

The Central West region, in the Lachlan River valley, is predominantly a cropping area, with a bit of livestock. The region is subject to a ­pattern of flooding and lies in the transitional zones of the semi-arid climate and humid sub-tropical ­climates, with relatively large temperature variation between seasons, and moderate rainfall spread evenly throughout the year.

Anthony's family has been dairy farming in the area for more than a century. Today, Anthony and his team milk 220 to 250 cows all year round on 145 hectares.

His recent purchase of a Hustler trailed Chainless TX205 bale feeder has simplified his operation substantially.

It allows Anthony and his team to feed out everything they need to — square bales, round bales and silage — and lets him feed out 14 bales a day in an hour-and-a-half.

In an average year, Anthony estimates he feeds out between 1200 to 1500 bales of hay and silage, but this year, they are “on track to do 2500.”

Doubling his expenditure on hay and silage is far from ideal for Anthony, especially because he wasn't equipped with the right gear able to handle that many bales.

The TX205 feeds out bales of all sizes and shapes.

“Prior to buying the Hustler, we were feeding out just using the tractor and carting the bales to the paddock all the time, meaning numerous trips backwards and forwards,” he said.

He decided to look for the right piece of equipment that could save him time, feed and, ultimately, money.

Anthony needed his feeding equipment to meet certain requirements: • being able to handle round bales of hay and silage; • being able to handle square bales up to 2.4 m long; and • being easy to swap from one tractor to another if required.

The Hustler unique Chainless system was the perfect solution for Anthony's needs.

The Chainless bale feeders are suitable for feeding out any bale, round or square.

Anthony Alley says his recent purchase of a Hustler trailed Chainless TX205 bale feeder has simplified his operation substantially.

The Chainless system is also designed to minimise feed waste by feeding out into narrow windrows to make the feed more accessible to animals and all but eliminate damage from hoof trampling, manure spoilage, and animals laying down on the feed.

One hundred per cent hydraulically driven, the Hustler Chainless machines use power more efficiently, saves on machinery investment and

with faster bale feeding it all adds up to impressive fuel economy.

The Chainless range is available in mounted, trailed and stationary models. Anthony chose the trailed model, able to carry two bales at once, and easy to swap between tractors.

He is thrilled with his choice.

“I see this product lasting me until I am done and hopefully my kids are still using it when I retire.”

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

30 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

Fixing the used tyre problem ABOUT 140,000 tonnes of off-the-road tyres

are sold into the Australian market each year to industries including mining, agriculture, manufacturing, construction and aviation.

Less than 15 per cent of end-of-life tyres within this sector are recovered as a resource, with the majority ending up buried on-site, dumped or in landfill.

Tyre Stewardship Australia Ltd announced last month that major OTR tyre importers Bearcat, Bridgestone Mining Solutions, Goodyear, Kal Tire, Michelin and Yokohama have committed to joining the voluntary Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme from January 2022.

These leading tyre importers have agreed to contribute financially to the scheme and help find sustainable outcomes for OTR tyres that have reached their end-of-life in Australia.

“We are delighted Bearcat, Bridgestone Mining Solutions, Goodyear, Kal Tire, Michelin and Yokohama have committed to contribute to the scheme commencing January 1, 2022,” TSA chief executive officer Lina Goodman said.

“Tyre importers who join the scheme are helping drive solutions,” she said.

“The future for the OTR tyre sector is looking brighter thanks to their efforts. We applaud them and encourage other tyre importers to follow their lead.”

Federal Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management Trevor Evans recently met and personally

commended each tyre importer committed to participating in the scheme.

Mr Evans will continue to work with TSA to monitor the progress of all OTR tyre importers.

“A few organisations have not yet committed to joining the scheme,” Ms Goodman said.

“TSA encourages their participation in the scheme and welcomes the opportunity to ­continue working with these organisations.”

The scheme levy is based on $0.25 per equivalent passenger unit, which results in the final levy across the OTR tyres starting at $0.75 for a small agriculture tyre to $50 for a large earth moving mining tyre — making the levy contribution one of the lowest in the world.

“Every year that we don't find sustainable outcomes for OTR tyres is a lost opportunity to better recover the valuable resources they ­contain,” Ms Goodman said.

“The social and environmental harm is likely to be felt for generations.

“Tyre importers who have agreed to contribute financially as part of the scheme have read community sentiment and contribution to the scheme is the first step to acknowledging onsite burial of end-of-life tyres is increasingly ­unacceptable — and unsustainable.

“Bridgestone, Goodyear, Michelin and Yokohama already contribute to the scheme through a levy on passenger, truck and bus tyres.

“That levy has been instrumental in helping TSA contribute $7 million to develop new local

markets for tyre-derived products.

“And the results have been remarkable — the passenger, bus and truck tyre sector now has a recovery rate of around 90 per cent.

“The time is right to shift our focus to the OTR sector. We want to generate the same level of interest, support and sustainable outcomes we have seen in the passenger, bus and truck sector.”

Ms Goodman acknowledged the current lack of large scale viable recycling solutions in Australia for mining and agriculture tyres — coupled with the tyranny of distance and complex logistics requirements to move larger tyres — had been a major impediment for this sector to advance recovery rates.

She said there was no 'quick fix' to the OTR problem.

“Creating viable, sustainable solutions needs engagement across the OTR value chain.

“This problem exists on a global scale and the Australian mining, construction and agriculture sectors now have the opportunity to assist Australia be world leaders when it comes to recovery of the OTR tyres and related products.

TSA will now work to: • Understand the existing risks and barriers to improve sustainable outcomes to end-of-life OTR tyres and how these can be overcome.

• Build upon research to develop an industry strategy for mining tyre recovery.

• Explore market opportunities for OTR tyre and related rubber products to entice

Major tyre importers have agreed to contribute financially to the Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme and help find sustainable outcomes for OTR tyres that have reached their end-oflife in Australia.

greater collection, recycling and investment.

• Run pilots and demonstrations to better roadmap potential solutions.

• Investigate and identify regional areas with needs for additional recovery infrastructure, to support industry to make commercial decisions.

TSA is a voluntary national product stewardship scheme formed to effectively reduce the environmental, health and safety impacts of end-of-life tyres and promote the development of viable end markets for tyre-derived products.

Since its inception, TSA has committed almost $7 million in market development ­initiatives to find real world outcomes for tyrederived products.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2021

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 31

Hay safety tips to save lives ONE OF Australia's leading fodder feed

c­ ompanies wants hay safety to be given the same ­priority as pool safety.

Feed Central is playing its part in improving hay safety with the release of a new video and poster that walks people through the safe ­delivery, unloading and storing of hay.

The video and poster were prepared for Hay Safety Day 2021 (October 25) Feed Central general manager Cieran Maxwell said the video focused on the safe movement and receival of hay with important safety tips on unloading, stacking and storing of hay.

Mr Maxwell said hay safety sometimes was an overlooked risk.

“There are a number of people injured or killed every year from incidents with hay bales.

Forgetting or even letting some of the basic safety essentials slip can cause devastating results.

“Young families with children need to treat a haystack like a swimming pool; you have to be safe around it.”

This era of high-density balers and heavier bales increases the importance of safety full stop.

“With high-density bales now consistently ranging between 550–750 kilos, if a bale falls on you from any height, you're unlikely going to survive.”

Mr Maxwell said the video highlighted the need for checking truck loads before removing

Farmers, contractors, employees, family and children need to be aware of safety around bales.

straps and good practice in moving bales, building stacks and storing bales.

“It's an area of concern. Any movement of hay bales is risky but when dealing with multiple bales coming off trucks, everyone in the vicinity is further exposed to a higher risk,” he said.

Mr Maxwell said farmers, contractors, employees, family and children needed to be

aware of safety around hay bales.

“If stacks aren't made right, falling bales can be extremely dangerous, in this video we talk about getting it right from the start and from the ground up.”

He added that the “look up and live” message about power lines could equally apply to a shed with hay bale stacks.

Mr Maxwell said the more solid bales were made, the safer they were to work with, but that of course relied on the consistency of quality, well-shaped, tight bales.

The poster and hay safety video will be available for free at www.feedcentral.com.au/ hay-safety-day-2021

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