WEST VIC REGION
Business driven attitude Underpins farm success THE BUSINESS-DRIVEN attitude that drove
Peter and Fiona Musson when they started dairying 21 years ago still drives their decisions today. Farming for the Mussons is not just about milking cows and growing grass; it’s first and foremost a business that has to be commercially successful. Their attitude and aptitude led to winning the Farm Business Manager Award at this year’s Great South West Dairy Awards and has also helped them to progress from selling their furniture to finance their relocation from England to Australia 21 years ago to building a sizable net worth. “It’s very much a business, not just a farm,” Mr Musson said. “When we started we had to pay a commercial rate to lease the original 270cow farm so we’ve always had a business-driven attitude. You don’t want the headaches of running a non-profitable business.” The Mussons milk nearly 800 cows on a 320 ha milking area at Macarthur plus support blocks that more than double the size of the farm. The Dairy Farm Monitor program has shown the success of their business many times. The 2014–15 report shows it achieved a return on asset of more than seven per cent, about two per cent above the regional average. The gross farm income per kilogram of milk solids was in the top 25 per cent and the milk solids per hectare was above the regional average. Their break-even price was just below the region’s average of $4.88/ kg Ms and they ranked above average in whole farm earnings. When they started leasing the original farm from Fiona’s parents they milked just 270 cows. “We’ve managed to expand the business and our net worth.” Making sure everything is timed to perfection, knowing where they’re heading and getting the right advice has held the Mussons in good stead. They used an on-farm consultant for the first few years, undertook courses to compare English and Australian farming systems and enjoyed the benefits of discussion groups. They made judicious purchases of nearby
Peter Musson says he always aims to expand his farm business and its net worth.
land and feel that was probably an advantage of being in a slightly drier area in south-west Victoria. Fiona’s father Ian Webb has a background in analysis and that emphasis has continued to permeate the business. “We always know where we’re at as a business and always aim to make profitable decisions,” Mr Musson said. “You need to know what
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the potential is in five or 10 years’ time if things go badly or if they go good. “As we’ve expanded we’ve always looked for more efficient equipment, were early adopters of backing bars on a then-new rotary, telehandlers and automatic gate timers, and use contractors extensively.” When the price crashed last year they had the financial model to immediately assess the
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full-year impact. When they believed the situation seemed to be going from bad to worse, the long-term Murray Goulburn suppliers changed to Warrnambool Cheese and Butter last January, consulted their bank about the potential for more financing should it be needed and cut some cow numbers, but otherwise it was business as usual. Continued page 3 >
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2 // WEST VIC REGION
Chair’s message
Moving in the right direction WELCOME TO the first expanded regional edi-
tion of Dairy News. We are excited to now collaborate bi-monthly to bring you stories about dairying in Western Victoria. We are pleased to be able to showcase our farmers’ successes and give you some interesting articles to read at breakfast or in bed at night! Be assured, we will continue to have our WestVic Dairy News on the other months. It is super important to us that our farmers have every
chance to engage in our extension activities. I’m really pleased to announce our new strategic plan is nearly finalised and as a board it was evident that we keep a really strong focus on twoway communication with our farmers and service providers. We have really passionate, hard-working extension staff in our region who are there to support all of us in our business decisions, so please make sure you get along to one of the many events on in our region each month and
get to know them. There’s no doubt the past 12 months have tried most of us and made us dig pretty deep some days. Sitting on the quad bike behind our milkers the other day — in the howling wind, rain going sideways and a chill factor that left me numb to the core—I really took a moment to remember just how resilient as dairy farmers we are and how we all so deserve to reap the rewards of our hard work. I think there is much to be positive about
and with the right tools that we at WestVic can help you with, we will all be able to move in the right direction. Our first ever Innovation Day is on in late September and the agenda looks great. Look forward to catching up with many of you around the region in the next few months. – Simone Renyard chair – WestVic Dairy
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Business-driven attitude < Continued from page 1
“We always try and risk-manage our business by having fodder reserves, which we see as an insurance policy,” Mr Musson said. “We used up reserves and worked it that way. We cut down numbers fairly quickly at the start of the year to 740 cows but kept the feed regime similar to other years.” The Mussons utilise as much home-grown feed as possible and fill the gaps with good quality feed. The farm has an intensive six/seven-week calving in autumn and the WCB payment system better suits it’s milk production. The Mussons are moving back to Friesians after introducing mixed breeds to address a calving problem. With the excess land they are happy to rear extra heifers for export or selling as incalf, and are now introducing Wagyu cross to
better utilise the nonmilking area and gain price certainty. Calving is now on track. “Our in-calf rates are fairly high,” Mr Musson said. “We use AI and in the first six weeks last year there were only nine per cent not in-calf. We had three or four per cent not-in-calf rate when we’d thrown the bulls in.” The Mussons are enjoying the spoils of a good season. The farm receives 630–650 mm average rainfall, though it went 10 years without reaching that average. “This year we’ve had plenty of autumn rain and a drier winter so we can grow more grass. We’ve tried to go back to a perennial base as much as we can but still use Italians or a combination of chicory-base summer crops.” When the price crashed last year they had the financial model to immediately assess the fullyear impact.
Peter Musson with workers Josh Atnell and Hta Doh Samba.
Peter Musson with the next generation of working dogs. The farm has an intensive six/seven-week calving in autumn and the WCB payment system better suits its milk production.
Farmers on hold as confidence falls WESTERN VICTORIAN farmers are holding
off on investments on their farms, according to the latest Dairy Situation and Outlook report. For many farms, debt has been extended, refinanced or deferred in the past 12 months. Positivity in the industry’s future decreased significantly during the past 12 months for farmers in the west, continuing the downwards trend since 2014. Compared to the past two financial years, a significantly lower proportion of respondents made a profit in 2015–16 and a slightly lower proportion expect to do so in 2016–17. Despite falling confidence levels, almost twothirds of farms expect production will increase by 2019–20. Farmers blamed the poor milk price (25 per cent), and poorly run milk companies for the declining optimism. About 58 per cent made a profit in the 2015–
2016 year, and 39 per cent invested in the farm. While significant cash flow and trust challenges remain for many dairy farmers, improved farm gate prices and affordable input costs are expected to provide some respite to many across Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. “Many farmers across a number of regions continue to struggle financially and the wider industry is facing ongoing frustration and distrust in particular parts of the supply chain,” Dairy Australia senior analyst John Droppert said. “This is also being seen in the form of a much greater proportion of farmers switching milk processor over the past year, or wanting to.” Yet with strong grain harvests in Australia and an ample supply of low-cost hay available coupled with upward movement in farm gate prices, there are some positive signs on the horizon.
However, confidence levels for farmers have fallen in Victoria and Tasmania. The National Dairy Farmer Survey (NDFS) is carried out to gauge behaviour and attitudes of farmers across Australia. At the time of the 2017 NDFS, conducted in February and March, the proportion of farmers feeling positive about the future of the industry dropped from 67 per cent last year to 53 per cent. Along with a dip in confidence, Mr Droppert also said overall, margins had been significantly tighter through 2016–17. Anticipated on-farm profit is expected to be down significantly. Victorian farmers in the Murray (25 per cent), Western Victoria (52 per cent) and Gippsland (47 per cent) regions as well as those in Tasmania (44 per cent) were most pessimistic in terms of 2016-17 profit expectations. Capital investment on farm is down across all the southern regions.
Welcome to the new expanded regional section of Dairy News Australia, devoted exclusively to farmers in the western Victorian dairy region. In every second Dairy News Australia we will be sharing on-farm stories about Western Victorian dairy farmers, providing information about professional training workshops and recognising dairy leaders. Readers of Dairy News Australia will now have the benefit of a national approach to dairy information, as well as the local stories about farming in Western Victoria. We will be working with the regional dairy development body, WestVic and look forward to continuing our relationship with the industry. We are interested in feedback on our new publication and hearing any ideas for the future. Feel free to contact Dairy News Australia editor Stephen Cooke on editor@dairynewsaustralia.com.au or regional editor, Geoff Adams at news@dairynewsaustralia.com.au — Geoff Adams, regional editor
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
4 // WEST VIC REGION
Will’s link with farm animals NEW WESTVIC regional extension officer Will Bredin was born in Wales in 1982, which might explain his interest in farm animals. Mr Bredin is the middle of three brothers and was raised in a British Army family and spent the first decade of his life living in South-East Asia. His father left the army when Mr Bredin was 10, and they moved to the family farm in Suffolk, in the United Kingdom. Mr Bredin graduated from high school in 2001 and spent the following 12 months living and working in New Zealand. In 2002, he was accepted into the University of Melbourne’s School of Veterinary Science and he
WHICH DAIRY PATHWAY SUITS YOU? WestVic Dairy will run a series of workshops on August 30 and 31, titled “Your farming future and finance”. Whether it is share farming, leasing, equity partnerships or managing, these workshops will explore the many options available and how they can be tailored to individual situations. There will also be the opportunity to
graduated in 2008. Since then he has been working as a private veterinarian in the dairy industry in south-west Victoria. Mr Bredin has a special interest in dairy cattle and is qualified as both a CountDown Downunder mastitis and Advanced InCalf adviser. He lives in Camperdown, is married to Kirsty, and has two young children under three. Away from the cattle, Mr Bredin likes to spend his time enjoying the outdoors, camping, cycling and trying to play golf. He has been spotted sailing in Lake Bullen Merri and snapping away with his camera. Contact Mr Bredin on 0438 336 500 or email will@westvicdairy.com.au
hear from others about how they forged their pathway in the industry through an interactive panel discussion. Cultivate Farms co-founder Sam Marwood, will lead the workshop. Mr Marwood knows how hard it is for a young family to find the capital required to own and operate their own farm. Mr Marwood and his team aim to rejuvenate regional Australia by putting farming back to the top of the career list for anyone and will discuss the variety of pathways that they can support. Rural Bank agribusiness relationship
manager Ron Semmens will present the financial options that are associated with a career in the dairy industry. Mr Semmens has a strong affiliation with agriculture having being bought up on the family farm and having managed several properties prior to becoming a finance professional. WestVic Dairy regional extension officer Michelle Muir will summarise the options for entering and progressing within the industry and briefly explain the many tools available to assist dairying pathways.
Ms Muir practised as a lawyer for five years before joining the WestVic Dairy team last year. This is complemented by her and her partner’s dairy farm career in Simpson. The event details are: August 30 — 7 pm at Golf Club, Timboon with dinner included August 31 — 11 am at Central Hotel-Motel, Colac with lunch included August 31 — 7 pm Mickey Bourke’s Hotel, Koroit with dinner included RSVP to WestVic Dairy office on 5557 1000 or amanda@westvicdairy.com.au
WestVic Dairy INNOVATION DAY 27th September, 2017 Emmanuel Centre, Warrnambool
“Innovation Generation – dairy farmers leading the way” Join the region’s dairy farmers to hear national and regional speakers talk about the innovations that will assist in advancing dairy industry. There will be trade stalls with interactive demonstrations (indoor/outdoor) and the chance to learn the latest about what’s new in the industry. Topics on the day: • Dairy farm phone apps • GPS tractor technology • Irrigation sensors and water use monitoring technology • Cow management technology • New developments in pasture measurement • Virtual farming • MIR technology for early health diagnoses • Farm visit If you have enquiries please contact Liza Fahey at WestVic Dairy (03) 5557 1000 or email liza@westvicdairy.com.au
INNOVATION DAY 2017 Innovation Generation - dairy farmers leading the way
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
WEST VIC REGION // 5
Boorcan breeder honoured BOORCAN HOLSTEIN breeder David John-
ston has been honoured by Holstein Australia for his outstanding contribution to the advancement of the breed. Mr Johnston, along with Wyuna breeder Liz Clowes, received Honorary Lifetime Memberships from the Victorian branch at its celebratory dinner in Bendigo in July. In congratulating the recipients, HA Chief Executive Officer Graeme Gillan said the awards were an important recognition of the thousands of hours volunteered by members to keep alive the spirit of the association. “Breed societies such as Holstein Australia are best known in rural communities for showcasing cattle, encouraging youth and providing a forum for friendship and support,” Mr Gillan said. “It is the volunteers who make these things happen and our organisation would be soulless without them.” Mr Johnston is currently the federal president of Holstein Australia but has contributed to the association in many different ways in the more than 40 years since he became a member. “Although David has contributed in many formal roles with Holstein Australia, local youth activities and community are perhaps closest to his heart,” Mr Gillan said.
“He is a driver behind the highly successful Western Districts Youth Camp, but won’t take credit, instead acknowledging the team effort and generous sponsors. “Never forgetting how much he benefited in his early dairying career from the encouragement of more experienced HA members, David has gone out of his way to ‘pay it forward’ to generations of Holstein Youth. “He is also proud of the contribution Holstein Australia makes to the broader dairying community by collecting and supplying classification and other data for use in developing Australian Breeding Values for various type traits; and providing ideas to DataGene for the evolution of breeding values, tools and policies.” Mr Johnston’s involvement with HA began with the Manning, NSW sub-branch where he and Glenyce dairied for 14 years and then with the Western Districts sub-branch when they moved to Boorcan in 1988. He has taken on responsibilities at the sub-branch, branch and federal levels. He was president of the Manning and Western District sub-branches and Victorian state president. Federally he has had numerous roles including a Victorian state delegate, a representative on the Breed Development and Conformation Committee and the National Advisery
Liz Clowes from Wyuna and David Johnston from Boorcan received Honorary Life Memberships of the Victorian branch of Holstein Australia.
Council. He has been on the HA board for 10 years, including six years as federal treasurer and federal president for three years. In the past two years Mr Johnstone has led the membership through major changes in restructuring the asso-
ciation’s governance. He also represents the Holstein breed on the All Dairy Breeds Show Ring Committee which has taken a stronger stance on show ethics and animal welfare in recent years.
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Russell and Mary Hussey on their Woolsthorpe dairy farm.
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on when it comes to protecting the health of their herd and ensuring they produce top quality milk. Russell says he has no great secret to success but with eight gold plaques for reaching the top 100 lowest bulk milk cell count, plus 16 times in the top five per cent, their Alambie Jerseys farm at Woolsthorpe is obviously doing something right. This year they didn’t quite make the top 100 but were still in the top five per cent. It’s a long way from a cell count of 350 000 when they started which ranked them 198 out of 205 local suppliers. “I don’t try to achieve top 100 but we’ve always aimed to produce good quality milk,” Mr Hussey said. They don’t bring in outside expertise for herd testing but because the Husseys and their parttime milker Georgie Rowley are in the dairy every day they keep a close watch on cow health. “We used to do herd testing years ago but Mary said it was a truckload of misery coming in the gate,” Mr Hussey said. “I milk the cows every morning and I take my time doing it to look if anything’s odd. Basically I test the cows every day myself to see what they’re doing. “I look at the cell count every day and if it goes over 90 000 we have a look for what’s wrong. Normally it’s pretty consistent.” Their current BMCC is between 60 000 and 75 000, and it’s coming down every day. “Last year we had a bit of a blowout in February because of stale cows and it went up to 85–90 000 which is why we missed a top 100 placing but I wasn’t too worried about it,” Mr Hussey said.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
WEST VIC REGION // 7 “At the end of the day you don’t get any more for it. While it’s under 100 000 I was pretty happy but in any case we’ve addressed the blowout and removed the cows.” Mr Hussey is an advocate of dry cow therapy and daily use of teat spray. “Teat spray and using plenty of it is a very cheap way to keep cell count down,” he said. Eight litres of teat spray is mixed every second day in a machine at the back of the dairy and Mr Hussey said using it within hours of it being mixed had contributed to the good herd and milk results. The 10 double-up herringbone dairy is 48 years old but suits the farm’s needs and currently services 205 Jersey cows. “The smaller dairy suits the cows and suits me,” Mr Hussey said. While they don’t have cup removers, Mr Hussey insists on having good a quality milk plant. “We have good milk gear. It gets the milk away from the cows pretty quickly. We’ve got Jerseys producing 25 litres – 10 years ago it was 12 or 13.” He changes the rubber wear every May. “Because we calve in April I let the heifers break themselves in on the old rubber and then change everything in the dairy around the second week of May. It milks the cows out properly.” The Husseys also adopt a strict culling program that has improved herd quality. “I cull cows every year because they’re no good,” Mr Hussey said. “Three strikes and you’re out.” They add about 60 heifers each year but probably only 50 make the grade. They started
Mary and Russell Hussey with another Milk Quality award.
AI about six years ago and Mr Hussey said that had led to a big improvement in the herd. The Husseys are enjoying the spoils of good seasonal conditions that have countered tough prices.
“I’ve been here all my life and this is the best winter we’ve ever had,” Mr Hussey said. “There’s tucker everywhere; it’s like spring really. We lost a few calves this year to a bug but all the other boxes have been ticked.”
While the price was poor last year and has only marginally improved so far this year, Mr Hussey said their Jersey cows, were easier to feed and produced good butter fat and protein components.
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Abomasal displacement LEFT DISPLACED abomasum (LDA) and
has a 90 per cent success rate, but is dependant on the health of the cow including the absence of complicating factors such as ketosis and uterine infection. The longer the cow is left with the abomasal displacement and is not treated for the complicating factors, the more likely the surgery will fail. It is important to note the definition of success, where success is more so in reference to saving the life of the cow rather than restoring productivity in terms of milk production. It is possible that milk production will be restored with early treatment of the abomasal displacement and its complicating disorders, but it is somewhat less than 90 per cent. Whichever technique or treatment is used, it is important that the cow is slowly brought back onto a high energy ration, but fed hay or silage first to fill the rumen. The prevention and control of LDA depends on improving husbandry and nutrition of two critical groups of cattle; late pregnant heifers and cows, and freshly calved cows. The strategy is to ensure that heifer/cow appetite and hence dry matter intake is maintained. It is important to condition score cows in late lactation and adjust feeding programs so cows are not too fat or thin when they calve. The ideal body condition score is 4.5–5.5 (score between 1 and 8). This, in conjunction with checking cows and detecting early post-partum disease such as uterine infection and milk fever, will help to reduce the incidence of abomasal displacement. RDA occurs less commonly than LDA, and it occurs in late pregnant and recently calved cows. The risk factors for RDA are the same as for LDA. As mentioned previously, an RDA can turn into volvulus or a twist of the abomasum, which sets up an acute, life-threatening abdominal catastrophe. A cow with RDA shows signs similar to LDA, but generally the animal appears more unwell where they don’t eat, are depressed, mildly dehydrated and their heart rate elevated. An RDA can be diagnosed by the pings and tinkles associated with a displaced abomasum. The treatment of RDA is essentially surgery as there is a high risk of torsion of the abomasum and sudden death as a consequence of this. The prevention of RDA is the same as for LDA. It depends on having a good understand-
ing of a herd’s body condition score at the time of calving i.e. ideally 4.5–5.5, gradually introducing grain into the diet so as to minimise the risk of acidosis and maintaining regular checks of newly calved cows to treat and prevent post-
calving illnesses that will reduce a cow’s appetite and therefore dry matter intake. • By Blair Summerville, Warrnambool Veterinary Clinic
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right displaced abomasum (RDA) are the most common abdominal disorders of dairy cattle requiring surgery. Many of these are diagnosed and treated within south-west Victoria every year. Hopefully, the following description of these abdominal disorders helps farmers to have a better understanding of what a diagnosis of LDA or RDA means, what is the cause, how to fix it and how to reduce the incidence or prevent it from occurring. The abomasum is the fourth and last stomach of the cow which is preceded by the reticulum, rumen and omasum. Normally it sits forward on the right hand side, on the abdominal floor. Compared to a lot of the other organs in the abdomen, it has very loose attachments and is therefore quite mobile. Displacements occur most commonly within the first six weeks after calving, particularly in herds feeding high levels of grain and smaller amounts of pasture. Displacement of the abomasum occurs subsequently to abomasal atony or reduced motility, which leads to an accumulation of gas in the abomasum. Risk factors that predispose to a decrease in abomasal contractility and subsequent dilation include feeding high concentrate (grain), low fibre rations. This generates an acidosis or a decrease in abomasal pH and increases the concentration of volatile fatty acids. Other causes include depressed feed intake immediately before and after calving, especially in cows or heifers with excess body condition scores, i.e. >6, and cows suffering from retained foetal membranes (RFM), assisted calving (twins), uterine infection, milk fever and ketosis. The distended and atonic abomasum, buoyed by the gas within, can work its way to the left side so as to lie between the rumen and left abdominal wall, i.e. LDA. In the case of an RDA, the abomasum slides backwards and to the right to lie between the right abdominal wall and the intestines and liver. This can be further complicated by twisting of the abomasum, creating an acute abdominal crisis as the blood supply is then compromised. The displaced abomasum, filled with gas, can be diagnosed by the presence of a ping and tinkle through listening with a stethoscope and tapping with a finger. This sound is produced by the air and fluid in a distended abomasum. It should be noted that one needs to be careful as particularly with RDA, and less so with LDA, there are other things that can produce similar pings and tinkles in the abdomen of the cow. The veterinarian must pay careful attention to the exact distribution and location of these sounds in the abdomen before they diagnose an RDA or LDA. Clinically, a cow with LDA displays a sudden refusal to eat grain or grass. There is also a drop in milk production and a loss in body condition. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature are all normal. The cow’s dung may be reduced and softer than usual, but periods of profuse scouring may occur. LDA itself is not rapidly fatal; cows just become progressively gaunt and less productive. Treatment of LDA can either be conservative or surgical. Conservative treatment is less effective but involves rolling the cow after being sedated and cast on her right hand side and/or the administration of drugs to decrease gas production or relax the abomasum. Surgery usually
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WEST VIC REGION // 11
Focus farms keeping it real THE WESTVIC Dairy Business Focus Farm project addresses industry feedback on the need to provide extension and information based on real farms, under real conditions, making real decisions. The project demonstrates the importance of business decisions based on the understanding of key profit drivers and risk management. The Focus Farm project is designed to develop the capacity of the participants by increasing farm business management skills. The Focus Farms are facilitated by a professional farm consultant and support group of 20 local farmers and service providers with industry experience to provide a forum to discuss the farm management plans.
The Business Focus Farm program aims to: ■
■
■
■
■
Improve business management, productivity, profitability and sustainability of dairy farmers in western Victoria Improve the management and decisionmaking skills of the Focus Farm families and the 40 members of their support groups Upskill young farmers and service providers who will be mentored by the farm business consultants, enhancing their contribution to the dairy industry in western Victoria Facilitate increased farmer to farmer learning from their peers through the development of a Focus Farm network Communicate the core messages of proactive and well managed dairy farms via a monthly communication plan. This plan will help farmers understand the operational features (margins versus input costs), and where adjustments can be made.
Isaac, Ben, Hope, Charlie, Ruby and Anna Kenna.
Ben and Anna Kenna — Terang BEN AND Anna Kenna purchased their farm from Anna’s parents in July last year after share farming the property for 13 years. Their farm on Terang – Mortlake Rd is well established and is able to manage the autumn calving herd. The key challenges for the Kennas are: ■ Improve pastures ■ Fertility improvement using technology ■ Develop business skills ■ Improve cost efficiency ■ Stabilise labour requirements. Ben and Anna Kenna have four children — Isaac, Hope, Charlie and Ruby.
Farm Details Milking area
290 ha
Dairy
60 unit with feed pad
Herd numbers
530 cows
Annual stocking rate (cows/milking ha)
1.82
Milk production
324 000 kg MS
Homegrown feed (tonne/DM/milking ha)
7.2 tonnes (15/16)
Homegrown feed in diet
51% (15/16)
FTE labour unit
two plus a relief milker
Professional support
Brett and Bronwyn Davies — Simpson
WESTVIC DAIRY, in consultation with the
owners, has appointed a professional industry consultant to facilitate each Focus Farm with Angus Drummond at Terang, and Phil White working with the Simpson farm. The consultant will conduct the project and with the support group will meet about eight times each year over a two-year period. The facilitator and the ideas group will support the farming family to make decisions to objectively improve the farm business operation and profitability. Each farm family has identified challenges it is keen to address during its involvement in the project. The project benefits all those involved, particularly the Focus Farmers, giving them direction and advice that results in the potential for increased profitability. Support group members also gain from their involvement in the project and in the past have changed management practices on their own farms after observing positive outcomes. Service providers have found that the in-depth knowledge they gain in running successful farming businesses is invaluable. Both farms will have field days in August and September 2017 where it is expected 80 to 100 farmers will attend and learn about the goals and challenges of the farms. The Dairy Australia and WestVic Dairy Business Focus Farms for south-west Victoria, selected after a rigorous application and selection process, include:
BRETT AND Bronwyn Davies moved to the
Brett and Bronwyn Davies with Levi.
Farm Details Milking area
140 ha
Dairy
50 unit rotary with feed pad
Herd numbers
270
Annual stocking rate (cows/milking ha)
1.92
Milk production
151 000 kg MS
Homegrown feed (tonne/DM/milking ha)
6.8 (15/16)
Homegrown feed in diet
52% (15/16)
FTE labour unit
One plus a relief milker on weekends
south-west from Swan Hill two seasons ago seeking to milk 270 cows in a more reliable rainfall region. They purchased a farm on Princetown Rd, 5km from Simpson, and are determined to have the farm realise its potential while maintaining a good lifestyle. Their split-calving herd commences in April, with the remaining 25 per cent calving in September. The farm’s replacement stock are shipped north to be grown out, however this arrangement has a limited lifespan. The key challenges for the Davieses are; ■ Consume more home-grown feed and decrease reliance on bought-in feed ■ Rear all replacement heifers at home ■ Address inadequate stock water requirements ■ Reduce fodder wastage in winter ■ Build a feed pad and develop strategies around its use ■ Develop wet season strategies. Brett and Bronwyn have one child, Levi, and one on the way.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
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Top quality milk “not rocket science” TREVOR BEASLEY thinks he’s a bit of an
old-fashioned and fussy dairy farmer, but when it comes to producing top quality milk he says it isn’t rocket science. Trevor and his wife Carolyn’s farm near Port Fairy has been in the top 100 milk quality herds in Australia since 2008. “We haven’t missed one; I’m pretty proud of that,” Mr Beasley said. “We bought the farm 15 years ago; we missed the first one or two lists but have been there every year since.” The farm’s success goes back further to previous owners Tom and Judy Schriven. When the bulk milk cell count awards started he was number one in Australia with 49 000 average BMCC back in the late 80s or early 90s. The Beasleys brought their own cows to the farm and the initial results weren’t great. “The first milking we did it was 248 000,” Mr Beasley said. “It took me a year or two to really work my way down; it didn’t happen overnight.” The BMCC average last year was 64 000 for their herd of about 260 cows. It has hovered around that mark for the past decade. Originally they herd tested and scored a BMCC about 180 000. “I wasn’t too happy with
Trevor and Carolyn Beasley.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
WEST VIC REGION // 13
Trevor Beasley with worker, Sam Watts.
that,” Mr Beasley said, “On the back page of the herd test sheet there might have been six or seven cows and I thought “What about I sell these buggers.” “We had too many cows. A couple were doing 54–55 litres but I sold them. We went from 180 000 down to 70–80 000 overnight and I thought this isn’t rocket science. “We sold seven cows out of 260 or 270 and all of a sudden I’m in premium. After I did that it was easy.” Mr Beasley says they don’t do anything special to maintain top quality milk but a strict culling regime has led to an overall herd improvement. “We rear a fair few heifers and if they’re not up to grade or if we get a cow with a high cell count or she gets mastitis, she goes. I don’t persevere with them. I’ve always been strict with them and it’s gotten easier and easier every year because you find there are less and less cows you have to cull.” The addition of automatic cup removers about 12 years ago also made a massive difference and they undertake regular rubberware upgrades of their swing-over herringbone dairy. They also teat spray and make sure they keep a close eye on all the cows when milking to check their health. Along with the BMCC success, the Beasleys
also boast a high fertility herd. “We don’t have any trouble getting them in calf,” Mr Beasley said. “Last year they all calved in less than eight weeks which makes it a bit easier.” Like with the BMCC count, a strict culling process has led to the improved fertility rate with cows that are late getting in calf being sold. “We don’t want to build up numbers,” Mr Beasley said. “If we’re rearing 75–80 heifers every year and they have to come into the dairy, something has to go out. We sell the older or the later cows and move them on and fertility went right up.” When the Beasleys took over the farm they had split calving but later changed to a tight AprilJune system. “Because we’re on our own we got sick of that — too much work. I decided if I was going to do this job and keep sane I’d have to tighten it up and make it a bit easier.” They also concentrate on good quality homegrown feed, supplemented by grain and some vetch hay which helps with fertility. “The vetch gives them a bit of extra energy when the grass is not around in July and August,” Mr Beasley said. The herd is about 70 per cent Friesian and the rest crossbreeds and Jerseys and last year the farm produced 1.7–1.8 million litres of milk. “We’re not massive producers but we make a good living out of it,” Mr Beasley said.
Reach Dairy Farmers in South West Victoria Welcome Dairy News Australia’s first edition incorporating a dedicated 16-page regional section to the dairy farmers of South West Victoria. If the local dairy industry is important to your business then we can help you reach them. The regional section, published every two months inside Dairy News Australia, is mailed directly to every dairy levy payer in the region. Advertising in this targeted publication ensures your advertising investment is only reaching the potential customers important to you.
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The herd is about 70 per cent Friesian and the rest crossbreeds and Jerseys and last year the farm produced 1.7-1.8 million litres of milk.
Brett Matthews brettm@dairynewsaustralia.com.au M: 0417 440 009
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
14 // WEST VIC REGION
Ripper start – will it last? GRAEME ANDERSON Climate specialist, Agriculture Victoria
IS IT too much to ask for a ripper autumn, drier winter and super spring? Most south-west dairy farmers have been pleased with 2017 weather thus far, with an amazing autumn break and slightly drier winter being almost ideal — but now we’ll be needing a good spring. So, will we get one? Looking back to spring 2016 we had the Indian Ocean Dipole (wetter phase, plus almost a La Niña) to thank for sending us lots of extra moisture and lower pressures which really helped with not only the wetter spring but also with average to slightly cooler spring temperatures in 2016. That was a very pleasant contrast to spring of 2015, when an El Niño (with help from dry phase Indian Ocean Dipole) brought a drier winter and spring, and some record spring heat
which was brutal on pastures and crops, leading to a long summer and lots of purchased feed for dairy farmers. South-west Victoria’s season thus far has been travelling along nicely. However, the drier June/ July resulted from a higher pressure pattern over much of southern Australia (see image), with a lot of the winter rainfall events happening further down in the southern ocean, missing the mainland. The high pressures with clear and dry night skies have also produced some big frosts, which sometimes go hand in hand with drier years. The key question is, will this continue into the spring or will the rain bands get back up to our neck of the woods? On the positive side our tropical moisture sources look okay and an earlier forecast of a possible El Niño has not eventuated. The Indian Ocean Dipole has been flirting with its drier phase but models expect it to stay within neutral territory (fingers crossed). The ocean sea surface temperature patterns (key drivers of spring variability) this year are different again to the previ-
ous two springs, and are not looking wetter like 2016, but also not as dry as in 2015. At least there should be some tropical moisture around if that can connect over us via some decent rainfall triggers. So what about those rainfall triggers? Well that’s the cautionary note for spring 2017.
Professional support A number of global forecast models are tending to think we could probably be a bit drier in southwest Victoria this spring if the positive phase of the Southern Annular Mode (SAM +ve) continues. That pattern tends to keep the frontal activity further south in the southern ocean. When that happens, Victoria tends to be a bit drier in the south-west, while more easterly flow (from highs sitting lower) can help bring a bit more rainfall to eastern parts of Victoria later in the season. Typically that pattern is less helpful for rain events in the south-west. Fingers crossed we can snag a few timely events in between those high pressure systems.
Bumpy springs It’s also worth keeping in mind that as well as rainfall variability from season to season, in the past 10 years we have had more than our fair share of much warmer springs which can also bring a patch of earlier summer heat which can slow down our pastures. Drier springs (with less inland cloud cover) tend to be accompanied by warmer daytime temperatures but also with spring frosts due to the drier night skies, so this combination is never welcomed by pastures. While we can hope for a great spring to match the autumn, it’s probably worth having a plan should it cut out a bit earlier. Stay tuned to the Agriculture Victoria seasonal updates either via subscribing to ‘The Break’ (The.Break@ecodev. vic.gov.au) for monthly updates or ‘Milking the Weather’ for quarterly seasonal risk updates for the Victorian Dairy Industry (subscribe via email maria.rose@ecodev.vic.gov.au or phone (03) 5147 0843.)
April-June mean sea level pressure (hPa)
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Image: Average mean sea level pressure over southern Australia from April to June, 1950 to 2017. Last month was the highest on record, almost 4 hPa above the long-term average. Data: NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis
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New president for Jersey Australia JERSEY AUSTRALIA has announced a new
president, who has sights on increasing the market share of the breed. South-west Victorian farmer Chris McKenzie, who farms at Cooriemungle, has been on the Jersey Australia board since its inauguration and was previously part of the Victorian committee. His priorities include growth in genetics, promotion, milk marketing and improving services for members. “All decisions we make have to focus on what is best for members; it’s a members’ organisation,” he said. Mr McKenzie said the efficiency of Jersey cows should inspire an increase in market share. “We believe we have a cow that is more efficient in producing something beneficial to the
broader market. We will be focusing our promotion and milk marketing on these efficiencies in an era when everything counts for the bottom line.” The new president said Jersey Australia wanted to spark farmer interest in stud breeding and help farmers to achieve a good return for their commitment to the industry. “People want to see value and reward for being in the industry and that they can achieve something through genetics and stud breeding. “There are a lot of hurdles facing the industry, but I have a strong passion for the Jersey cow and I’m convinced we have something of value to put forward to younger breeders and to other farmers.” Mr McKenzie replaces Peter Ness as president.
Chris McKenzie is Jersey Australia’s new president.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2017
WEST VIC REGION // 15
Diary dates August Profitable Feedings Systems – Making the most of spring Get your farm ready for spring to maximise your home-grown feed Tuesday, August 22, Western Region, WestVic Dairy Employment Basics Learn the basics of employing people on your farm, including different set-ups and legal obligations Tuesday, August 22, Colac, WestVic Dairy Profitable Feedings Systems – Making the most of spring Get your farm ready for spring to maximise your home-grown feed Wednesday, August 23, Central Region, WestVic Dairy Profitable Feedings Systems – Making the most of spring, Get your farm ready for spring to maximise your home grown feed Thursday, August 24, Eastern Region, WestVic Dairy
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Your Farming Future (dinner) Hear about pathways into the industry and how they may work for you
Wednesday, August 30, Timboon Golf Club Thursday, August 31, Mickey Bourke’s Hotel, Koroit WestVic Dairy Young Dairy Network and UDV Your Farming Future (lunch) Hear about pathways into the industry and how they may work for you
Thursday, August 31, Colac Central Motel WestVic Dairy Young Dairy Network and UDV
September DairyBio Open Day Check out the research projects done at DairyBio including pasture developments, drones and the latest breeding trials
Thursday, September 7, Hamilton, AgriBio RSVP to Belinda Griffith on 9032 7187 or email Belinda.griffith@ecodev.vic.gov.au Top Fodder Day 1 Learn about the importance of quality silage
Wednesday, September 13, venue determined by interest WestVic Dairy Course will be run in area where the most interest is registered, so register your interest now to get the course run locally. Top Fodder Day 2 Learn about the importance of quality silage
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Thursday, September 14, venue determined by interest WestVic Dairy Simpson Focus Farm Field Day Meet our Business Focus Farmers
Tuesday, September 19, Brett and Bronwyn Davies’ farm, Princetown Rd, WestVic Dairy WestVic Dairy AGM
Tuesday, September 26, WestVic Dairy offices, 214 Manifold St, Camperdown, WestVic Dairy WestVic Dairy Innovation Day Find out about the latest advances in the dairy industry
Your Local Dealer
Wednesday, September 27, Emmanuel College Centre Warrnambool, WestVic Dairy To express interest or RSVP to any events unless otherwise stated please phone Amanda on 5557 1000 or email amanda@westvicdairy.com.au
www.swdairyservices.com.au