DECEMBER 2021 ISSUE 134
WEST VIC REGION
CASHING IN ON GOOD SEASONS
The Riches family has been farming in south-west Victoria for 101 years - but not many years have been as good as the past three. Pages 6 & 7
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ALL THINGS
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2021
2 // WEST VIC REGION
A great time to be a farmer AS I gaze out my office window at a rose-cov-
Chair’s message
ered arbour in full bloom, bees buzzing and blue skies, it really is a wonderfully productive time of the year. Harvest at our end of the region is late kicking off, but it is plentiful. Summer crops are up and running, and the cows are in great condition — all in all, it is a very good time to be a farmer of any persuasion! This is my first report since being elected chair of the WestVic Dairy board, and I would like to start by acknowledging the many years of service Simone Renyard provided to both WestVic and dairy farmers more generally in our region. Simone steered the organisation through some very difficult times in our industry, and I thank her for her commitment and leadership. Western District dairy farmers excelled in this year’s Milk Quality Awards (see below), and my congratulations to all who contributed to this achievement — be they the farming family/ owners, their staff or service providers. It is always a team effort to manage milk quality well, and at WestVic we know how
valuable the Cups On, Cups Off course has been to many of the quality suppliers in our region. Keep an eye out for future dates of this excellent program. We will also be really ramping up the implementation of the Our Farm, Our Plan project over coming months, with the appointment of Nadine Markham to the facilitator’s role. We are very excited to have Nadine join the WestVic team, and I know that with her drive, this program will provide great benefits to farmers. In a year of solid milk price and wonderful seasonal conditions, there probably isn’t a better or more important time than now to sit and contemplate the ‘where to from here’ question. That’s Our Farm, Our Plan — designed to help farmers identify their long-term goals, improve business performance and manage volatility. Most of us have plans in our heads, but putting them down on paper, discussing them openly with our families and team, then making short and long-term commitments is not something we readily do. In my previous working role as the CEO of a
not-for profit, the immortal words of Benjamin Franklin was a mantra: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”. Stuff happens, things go wrong — but good planning can go a long way to ensuring we are able to achieve our ambitions and aspirations. As COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed and we move into a new year of learning how to live with the virus, the team is looking forward to getting out and about, reinvigorating programs and activities over coming months. Ideas and suggestions are always welcome — please call the office at any time or speak with any one of your WestVic Dairy board directors. Keep an eye out for the e-news coming to you fortnightly via email and follow our Facebook page for regular updates and reminders. And in closing, very best wishes from our family to yours for a safe, joyous and festive season! • Jacqui Suares WestVic Dairy chair
LUNCH IS BACK ON THE MENU RICK BAYNE After nearly two years of cancellations, south-west Victorian dairy women have finally had a chance to celebrate. More than 180 women met in Warrnambool on November 25 for the first of two South West Dairy Ladies Luncheons, hosted by WestVic Dairy. The second lunch will be on December 10 at the Colac Bowling Club by the Lake. It has been a stop-start planning process. After the 2020 lunch was cancelled due to COVID-19, two earlier attempts to revive the event in 2021 also fell afoul of coronavirus restrictions. WestVic Dairy chair Jacqui Suares said it was the organisation's first major event for nearly two years. “This is our first big event since the pandemic,” she said. “The luncheon was cancelled in 2020 and this was the third lot of dates that we set for 2021, so to be able to have this many people was fantastic.” Mrs Suares said it was important for all farmers to have activities away from their farms. “Particularly for dairying women, it's important to get off-farm to meet with likeminded women. “They have a common interest in their love of dairying and cows, but it's great
Raeline McLeod and Kristy Plozza.
that they can move with other people and have a good social time and make new connections with sponsors and other businesspeople. “Today has been a great opportunity to reconnect personally.” Long-distance swimmer Tammy van Wisse was keynote speaker for both events, supported by a panel of entrepreneurial local farming women: Anne Roslin from Great Ocean Road Paddock2Plate farm tour, Belinda Cardinal (Goats Cheese) and Jodi Clarke (Great Ocean Ducks). Mrs Suares said the speakers had been inspiring, encouraging people to try something different and back themselves.
Rachel Richards and Renee Whitehead.
Ashlea Wadsworth, Marea Corbett, Erin Craven and Steph Clarke enjoy the lunch.
The 2021 South West Dairy Ladies Luncheon was finally held in Warrnambool after earlier cancellations.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2021
4 // WEST VIC REGION
Love for Jerseys runs deep BY RICK BAYNE
ALAN CARSON reckons he’s been to
Alan and Janine are philosophical about the farm being converted to a sheep operation, saying that’s what generated the best price in the expression of interest process.
Alan received a Jersey Australia life membership to recognise his 38-year commitment as a classifier, three terms on the Jersey Australia board and his role in mentoring young breeders. He says he couldn’t have done it without Janine’s support.
Alan and Janine say they’ll miss their awardwinning Cairnbrae Jersey herd but “our bodies are telling us it’s time and we can get to spend more time with the kids”.
every Jersey dairy farm in Australia over the past 38 years, but when he had to say goodbye to his own cows, he admits there was a tear in his eye. Alan and his wife Janine have ended a family farming tradition that dates back to 1887, when Alan’s grandfather George McNabb bought a 60-acre farm at Irrewillipe for 10 pounds an acre. They have sold their farm just outside Colac and their award-winning Cairnbrae Jersey herd — achieving a record dispersal sale average in the second sale — and are moving to Torquay where they will raise beef to keep active in retirement. Alan is leaving with a lot of memories, including a Jersey Australia life membership to recognise his 38-year commitment as a classifier, three terms on the Jersey Australia board and his role in mentoring young breeders. He’s philosophical about the farm being converted to a sheep operation, saying that’s what generated the best price in the expression of interest process. In years gone by there were four dairy farms on the site; now there are none. In 1947, the land — on McNabbs Rd — was split between George’s two children. Alan’s mother Marabel established Cairnbrae, buying the foundation Daisy cow the following year. In 1974, the herd was split between Alan and his brother Jim, who retired four years ago. Alan and Janine took over the farm in 1976, milking about 140 Jerseys in an old walk-through dairy before building a new herringbone in 1979 and later extending it to a 15-a-side double-up. In 1976, the farm was about 85 hectares — today they depart with nearly 183 ha, plus an out-paddock. Their success has been built around their cows. Alan is not ashamed to say he’s shed tears when some of his best cows have died or had to be sold. “That’s how much I think of my cows.” They briefly milked Holsteins, but Jerseys remained at the core, leading to great showing success and on-farm performance. The herd consists of roughly equal portions of the Daisy family, Estelle family and a mix of others, with the Daisy cows succeeding at shows and the Estelle family targeted at AI. Cairnbrae Montana Daisy was Reserve Champion Cow at International Dairy Week in
2004, Champion Cow at Royal Melbourne the same year and Reserve Champion at Melbourne in 2005. “She was a magnificent cow; I don’t know that I can remember a better cow than her,” Alan said. In 2015, they had a three-year-old class winner and Honourable Mention Intermediate Champion, Cairnbrae Valentino Estelle 2, who died about two months later and was buried on the farm with a tree planted in her honour. In 2018, they won three-year-old class and Intermediate Champion and in 2019, were third in the four-year-old, won five- and six-year-old sections and had Champion Cow, Honourable Mention Champion Cow and Reserve Champion Interbreed with Cairnbrae Valentino Daisy 11. Cairnbrae Valentino Daisy 11, classified 94, was also the number one BPI cow in Australia at the time — a unique feat topping both breeding section and show sections. The Carsons leave the industry with Cairnbrae as the number 12 BPI herd in Australia, and more than half the herd — 145 cows — ranked as excellent. Alan and Janine have seen the evolution and improvement of cows. “The dairy bone of the Jersey is so much better than it was 20 years ago,” Alan said. “American cows totally changed the dairy bone of the breed. The Jersey cow is definitely better today than when we started.” In breeding, Alan and Janine believe that a cow has to have a lot of width at her front end and a tremendous spring of rib, with udders taking lesser significance. “A pretty udder is good but secondary to having the basics of the cow built right,” Alan said. “If you don’t like the front end, don’t bother looking at the back end; you want a functional udder but if a cow is built right, she will milk.” Cairnbrae had a policy of breeding from their best cows and looking for the best American bulls to suit their requirements for type and milk, stature, chest width and body depth — and then a good udder. They believe the efficiency of Jerseys will see the breed expand in Australia. “We had Holsteins for a while and still have seven to eight but I never liked milking them,” Alan said. “They’re too big and you can never get the same friendship with a Holstein cow compared to a Jersey,” Janine added.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2021
WEST VIC REGION // 5 “You give the same attention to both but you go into a paddock and the Jerseys will come to you and the Holsteins will stand back.” Alan’s Jersey Australia life membership particularly recognises his role as a classifier since 1983, which he is continuing for the time being. “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. “I’ve probably been to every Jersey farm in Australia as a classifier and it’s a great way to see other herds. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it but not everyone can do it. The classifying role is for people who have the ability to judge cows — you have to have people skills and have an eye for a cow.” While Alan visited most states in his classifying role, Janine kept the farm running. “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,” he said. As they depart the industry, Alan and Janine have no regrets but a few thoughts for the future. “We’ll miss the cows but we’re doing it on our terms. Our bodies are telling us it’s time and we can get to spend more time with the kids,” Janine said. “Factories have to pay more for milk or dairy is going to shrink,” Alan said. “Dairy farmers must get a better return for their investment.” Janine adds the industry needs a body to stand up for the rights of farmers to make sure they are properly paid for their hard work.
In breeding, Alan and Janine believe a cow has to have a lot of width at her front end and a tremendous spring of rib, with udders taking lesser significance.
The Carsons believe the efficiency of Jerseys will see the breed expand in Australia.
The herd consists of roughly equal portions of the Daisy family, Estelle family and a mix of others, with the Daisy cows succeeding at shows and the Estelle family targeted at AI.
The Carsons leave the industry with Cairnbrae as the number 12 BPI herd in Australia and more than half the herd — 145 cows — ranked as excellent.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2021
6 // WEST VIC REGION
Cashing in on good seasons BY RICK BAYNE
THE RICHES family has been farming in south-
Paul (right) now owns the farm but his father Tom (left) remains actively involved in decisions and calf rearing.
west Victoria for 101 years — but not many years have been as good as the past three. Thanks to a near-perfect mix of conditions and decent prices, the family has been able to reinvest in the farm like never before. With a new tractor, feedpad and new dairy technologies, plus a hayshed and feed-out cart on the way, it has been an exciting time for Paul and Tom Riches and their families. At 69, Tom has never experienced such a good time. “The last three seasons have been exceptional, both price-wise and growth-wise,” he said. “It’s extraordinary. I’ve been milking over 50 years and have never seen a series of seasons like this — and to have a good price with it is unprecedented.” Paul now owns the farm but his father Tom remains actively involved in decisions and calf rearing. The farm at The Sisters, north-east of Warrnambool, was established as a 65-hectare soldier settlement block in 1920 and has gradually expanded over the years. Paul is fourth generation and the home farm is now 375 ha, supplemented by a 283 ha out-farm at Ellerslie. They milk about 430 dairy cows, with 230 replacements, plus 110 beef cows and calves.
They previously ran about 120 beef on the out-country, but went out of that venture when the dairy herd grew and the land was needed for young stock. The beef enterprise was reintroduced about five years ago as an extra income source and as a way to get rid of excess feed. The success of recent seasons has been an opportunity to reinvest in the business. They have upgraded refrigeration, added a large stationary generator in case of power outages, built a feedpad and invested in a tractor and upcoming feed-out cart and shed for high-quality purchased hay. The new feedpad has been a big hit. “It avoids feed wastage in winter,” Paul said. “You can’t feed them down the paddock in winter because it’s too wet.” They had a sandstone pad but the cows got sore feet, so the dedicated concrete pad has been a great success, especially this wet winter. The recent addition of CowManager and ear tags has also been a huge plus. One thing that hasn’t changed is the herd. The dairy herd is one of the few in the region to be totally ProCross, and Paul and Tom have no plans to change. Tom read an article in 2005 about the success of ProCross in California. “The first thing that struck me from the Californian experience was that cows held their condition, which was something I’d been battling with for years,” he said.
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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2021
WEST VIC REGION // 7 “We were all Friesians and by the time you get to the middle of November in this stony barrier country, which dries off very quickly, your cattle lose condition.” In addition to retaining condition, the fertility, health and longevity traits also appealed. “In the first year we joined some Friesians to Reds. I wanted to keep a proportion of Friesians in the herd but the first year we milked the ProCross they were unbelievable,” Tom said. The next year they introduced Montbéliarde and then the three-year process of Friesian-RedMontbéliarde started and continues today. “It worked; we’re extremely happy with it,” Paul said. “We’ve probably lost a litre or two of production but solids are up and the fertility, health and longevity make up for that,” Tom added. “I think we can continue to improve litres because we never breed anything with negative fat and protein and cows must now have high milk flow. “It’s a slow process; it doesn’t happen overnight but we’d never go back.” The only downside is resale value, with Montbéliardes fetching less than Holsteins and not having the same export market appeal. After introducing the ProCross, other farmers visited to find out more — but not many took up the option. “People don’t seem to want a ProCross herd — I don’t know why, because they certainly work for us. We want cows that work,” Tom said. “Some people say they look like beef or that they have a temperament problem but we’ve never seen that. We’ve never sold a cow due to temperament. “All three breeds have their uses — volume from Holstein-Friesians and health and fertility from the Reds and Montbéliarde, plus they keep condition on them and we have a good private market for Montbéliarde bull calves.” The herd averages 30 to 31 litres and about 3.7 and 3.8 fat and protein.
The farm has a large calf shed able to hold up to 220, and they stay longer than average with all calves kept under cover for 12 weeks. “We try to grow them as big as they can before they go out into the paddock,” Tom said. “If they’re big, they don’t have many setbacks. It pays off in the long run.” Calving is over June and July. The 40-unit rotary dairy was built in 1982 — one of the first in the area — and upgraded in 2010. “Instead of having to find them, now you press a button and at the end of milking all those on heat are in the yard waiting for you,” Paul said. They next plan is to install inline flow meters. Paul gets up at 3.15 every morning, and starts milking at 4 am. The afternoon session starts at 2 pm and his working days finish around 5.30 pm. “I get home and can see the kids go to school and then you’re home at half past five so you can do something outside or go somewhere,” he said. Paul, who has had just one day off since the start of June, is also planning to employ a staff member for the first time in the farm’s history. Lifestyle and family are also behind the shortened season, which usually peaks at 270 days — with both cows and farmers resting from late March through to May. “It gets dry and the cows want a break and we want a bigger one,” Tom said. “We go away for a good holiday every year and come back refreshed.” The land is rocky and relies on older perennials. “We don’t do a lot of pasture work on the home farm; that’s more on the out-farm at Ellerslie,” Tom said. “Because of the stones, you can’t cut a lot of it for hay and silage so you have to eat the feed, not conserve it.” They have made a commitment to plant a minimum 1 km of shelter belts every year, which they believe will have long-term production and environmental benefits.
The 40-unit rotary dairy was built in 1982 — one of the first in the area — and upgraded in 2010.
With a new tractor, feedpad and new dairy technologies, plus a hayshed and feed-out cart on the way, it has been an exciting time for Paul (pictured) and Tom Riches and their families.
The new feedpad has been a big hit. “It avoids feed wastage in winter,” Paul says. “You can’t feed them down the paddock in winter because it’s too wet.”
“We try to grow (the calves) as big as they can before they go out into the paddock,” Tom says. “If they’re big, they don’t have many setbacks. It pays off in the long run.”
The success of recent seasons has been an opportunity to reinvest in the business. They have upgraded refrigeration, added a large stationary generator in case of power outages, built a feedpad and invested in a tractor and upcoming feed-out cart and shed for high-quality purchased hay.
The farm is one of the few in the region to have a totally ProCross herd, and Paul and Tom have no plans to change.
DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2021
8 // WEST VIC REGION
Rain pushes returns higher BY GEOFF ADAMS
ABOVE AVERAGE rainfall spurred on good
spring and summer pasture growth for farms in the south-west for the 2020–21 year. The annual Dairy Farm Monitor Project report, compiled by Agriculture Victoria, found earnings before income tax increased by about 12 per cent for the surveyed farms compared to the previous year. Lower feed prices and reduced expenditure on home-grown feed costs contributed to this improved outcome. On average, grazed pasture constituted 50 per cent of the metabolised energy (ME) consumed, similar to the previous year. Concentrates were the most used supplement, accounting for 29 per cent of the diet, with 1.9 tonne dry matter/cow fed. More than half of the farms reduced their reliance on concentrates. Silage fed accounted for 14 per cent of the energy in the diet. Farms in the top performing 25 per cent were characterised by higher milk production and high labour efficiency. The average herd size was 373 and milking cows per hectare remained stable at 11, compared to the previous year. Sixteen of the 25 farms increased their milk production, with 10 milking more cows and more than half increasing their feed intake per cow.
Source: Agriculture Victoria
South-west dairy farms enjoyed a good 2020-21, according to the Dairy Farm Monitor Project report.
Average gross farm income was $7.79/kg milk solids, which was a slight decrease from the previous year. Overhead costs increased by two per cent, largely due to increases in employed labour and repairs and maintenance. “The positive cash flow for many south-west farms saw additional spending on pasture, repairs,
principal repayments and capital purchases,” the report found. “The growth in land values constrained the average return on total assets, which decreased from 5.8 per cent in 2019–20, to 5.5 per cent in the last year.” Across the state, average farm earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose to $422,000
($1.86/kg MS), from $346,000 ($1.68/kg MS) in 2019–20. Livestock trading profit increased, fodder inventory increased and costs decreased. Milk price for project participants decreased by five per cent to an average of $6.76/kg MS across the state. The overall performance was lifted by improvements in surveyed farms in the north and southwest, while Gippsland had lower performance in 2020–21 than the previous year. The average return on total assets also increased to 5.7 per cent in 2020–21, from 5.4 per cent in 2019–20.
Farmers fear wind farm impact DAIRY FARMERS in south-west Victoria are
up in arms over a planned wind farm, which they say will be too close to homes and impact on prime agricultural land. While not opposing the concept of wind farms, the objectors say the planned Mumblin Wind Farm will be a visual eyesore and take away valuable intensive farming land. The Ecklin-Elingamite-Glenfyne Community Association (EEGCA) has been formed to mount a protest against the proposal. The group consists mainly of dairy farmers. Mumblin Wind Farm Pty Ltd is a Victoriabased Australian private company; its ABN was registered on August 6. The EEGCA group planned to hold a public meeting on November 25 at the Ecklin hall, has started a petition at the Cobden Post Office and has established a Facebook group called Stop Mumblin Windfarm. Group member and Glenfyne dairy farmer Dennis Rosolin said the group wasn't opposed to wind farms but objected to the location of this one. “It's all agriculture land — mainly dairy farming but also some beef,” he said. Up to 20 local farmers say they will be impacted by the wind farm. Mr Rosolin said about 10 turbine towers were proposed in an area with dense bushland corridors that are home to native wildlife. The objectors fear firefighting aircraft and crop dusters won't be able to fly in the area. They also say the turbines will be too close to houses. “We're a fairly well populated area when you compare us to the Wimmera where there's
Glenfyne dairy farmers Dennis and Ashley Rosolin oppose a planned wind farm in their area.
a house every three miles; here we have three houses every mile,” Mr Rosolin said. The towers will be 180 metres high, making them among the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere, with a 75-metre blade attached. Mr Rosolin said farmers didn't know what impact if any the wind farm could have on cow health.
“We don't know of any research into animal health, but there has to be 24–7 access to the host farms and there is the visual aspect and the noise, which is matter of personal opinion. “We're worried the wind towers will affect the way we farm.” The proposed wind farm name is derived from Lake Mumblin, south of Dixie, but the proposed location is in the Ecklin, Elingamite and Glenfyne
regions, crossing three different properties. Corangamite Shire Council has confirmed the wind farm has not yet been lodged as a planning permit application. The state's planning minister is the responsible authority for wind farms. The proposal is expected to be submitted to the minister in 2022. Mumblin Wind Farm Pty Ltd could not be contacted for comment.