• Spring may bring foot problems in sheep
• Large-scale disease surveillance puts industry on front foot
• Early weaning of beef calves
• Look over the farm gate grants
• What's on?

A common animal health issue in spring may include foot problems in sheep.

Even during dry conditions, in spring conditions footrot can still be an issue, therefore the question often is ‘is it a foot abscess or footrot?’.

In a spring with sufficient feed, sheep become unusually heavy and this coupled with standing on moist pasture or muddy ground for an extended period leaves them susceptible to developing foot abscess.

A sheep with foot abscess will usually be very lame in just one foot. This is an important difference from footrot where more than one foot will invariably be affected.

Although foot abscess is associated with the bacterium Fusobacterium necrophorum it is not contagious.

The foot of a sheep with foot abscess will appear hot, swollen and painful. The abscess can be present in either the toe or the heel of the foot.

A foot abscess contains pus and can be treated by hoof paring to provide drainage for the pus. Antibiotics prescribed by your veterinarian will also help.

The severity of the effects of footrot, which are inflammation between the toes and underrunning of the hoof, will depend upon whether the strain of bacteria is benign (mild) or virulent (severe).

Footrot, caused by the bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus, spreads readily in warm, moist conditions.

Virulent footrot can be eradicated, but a long, hot, dry summer is needed. During spring footrot can be controlled through foot bathing.

For further advice please contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer, or in NSW your Local Land Services.

Agriculture Victoria scientists have completed a large-scale disease management project that will significantly improve the productivity and biosecurity of Australia’s grains industry.

The six-year research project, which involved disease surveillance of more than 800 crops, 83 field experiments and 700 extension activities to growers and agronomists nationwide, found that unmanaged diseases resulted in yield losses of at least 25 per cent - a great cost to the Australian grains industry.

Project leader and Agriculture Victoria Research Scientist Dr Grant Hollaway, said the breadth of research has provided the Australian grains industry with the skills, knowledge and tools to significantly reduce crop losses caused by disease.

“This research gives industry the tools to cost-effectively manage diseases and prevent crop losses,” Dr Hollaway said.

“Diseases are a constant and changing threat and there is an ongoing need to protect the grains industry from diseases as they evolve.

“In the absence of good disease management, we cannot grow crops to their full potential.”

Diseases affect grain yield and quality, increase production costs, limit rotation options and contribute to production uncertainty.

The research identified new diseases, the dominant diseases and diseases of increasing importance. It also provided new information on the best fungicide application timings and developed field-relevant disease ratings for high-priority diseases.

An example of this is the development of the septoria nursery at Agriculture Victoria’s Hamilton research centre in response to the re-emergence of the wheat fungal disease, Septoria tritici blotch, as a high-priority disease in Victoria.

“We recognised and created a service that is clearly needed by industry and it will continue to support breeding and pre-breeders with their breeding effort,” Dr Hollaway said.

“Last year the nursery transitioned to a fee-for-service model for industry and we screened more than 5000 wheat lines for septoria in one year alone.”

A large part of the six-year research was communicating surveillance and research outcomes to industry to help prevent and minimise crop losses as new issues arose.

The 2016 cropping season, which was marked by consistent wet conditions, put Victoria’s field crops under immense disease pressure.

In response to this threat, Agriculture Victoria scientists and communication experts worked with the Grains Research and Development Corporation to deliver timely and effective disease management recommendations to industry through 50 extension activities.

“This demonstrated our capacity to respond to issues as they happened, allowing growers and agronomists to act swiftly on disease management and minimise crop losses,” Dr Hollaway said.

“It is how we translate our research to value on-farm at times when farmers need it most.”

This project is part of the Victorian Grains Innovation Partnership between the Victorian Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation, which aims to increase the profitability of southern grain growers through world-class research.

Early weaning is a strategy worth considering this season with the feed and water challenges faced during the prolonged dry seasonal conditions. Agriculture Victoria has lots of information available to farmers to help with these key decisions.

Farmers are strongly encouraged to check out our Feeding Livestock website for advice, tools and key resources all in the one place and for free. We’ve put all the key resources in one place to make access straightforward, including our popular drought books.

These essential guides to feeding livestock can be accessed in full online at http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture/farm-management/drought/managing-resources-in-drought , by calling 136 186 or dropping into your local office.

The information provided in this article comes from the website.

Key reasons for early weaning
Maintain herd fertility
Early weaning helps beef producers to maintain cow condition and therefore fertility of their breeding herd during and after a drought. For example, by weaning spring calving herds before cows fall below a fat score of 3 will mean they only need maintaining to calving for acceptable post- calving return (interval) to oestrus and conception rates. Cows down in condition are more likely to cycle and conceive sooner after calving, if the calves are weaned prior to joining.

Save your pasture
It is more efficient to convert feed directly into calf weight than milk for a cow and calf pair. Weaning early will reduce the dry sheep equivalent demand on your property. When combined with feeding appropriate quality and quantity of feed to dry cows and weaned calves, rather than cows with calves at foot, significant feeding cost reductions can result.

Cows that have had their calves weaned early can be shifted to more marginal country so only ‘growing’ stock are run in the best paddocks. Cows will need less feeding later on because they will have lower weight loss once calves are weaned.

Better utilise supplementary feed
Buying supplementary feed during a drought is a costly exercise. Early weaning will enable you to better allocate supplements to different classes of animals. By weaning the calf off the cow early, the cow returns to maintenance requirement energy levels.  This separation can provide a 30 per cent savings in energy across the farm.

High energy and protein feeds can be fed to young growing stock, and lower quality feeds (that is, poorer quality hay) to the dry cows. This will reduce the overall cost of supplements during the drought.

Save water
Early weaning can reduce water requirements of cows by up to 60 per cent. Lactating cows require up to 100 litres per day. Although a calf’s water intake approximately doubles when it is weaned as it’s no longer getting liquid via its mother’s milk, there is a significant net saving in water from early weaning.

Sell cull females earlier
Early weaning will enable earlier pregnancy testing and mouthing and the earlier sale of non-productive, cull or aged animals.

Age of weaning
In most cases it is preferable to wait and wean calves at 12 weeks old or around 120kg, because they will then require less protein and be easier to feed. If cow survival is of concern, calves can be weaned earlier than this, but a milk replacer will be required if calves aren’t going to be sold as bobby calves. In a drought, all calves older than five to six months should be weaned and fed separately.

Deciding when to wean
Cow condition is a major consideration when deciding when to wean. Wean early in order to maintain cow herd productivity. The appearance of calves should also be considered. Calves with dry, coarse coats (woody calves) are almost certainly not receiving adequate milk from their mothers. Early weaning is the best policy in this situation. Calves with glossy coats are receiving an adequate diet and early weaning can be delayed.

Pre-weaning
Expose calves to the post-weaning supplement while they are still on the cow. For example, if calves are going to be given silage post-weaning, feed silage to the cow-calf mobs a few times prior to weaning. Rumen microbial populations can require up to 14 days to completely adapt to a new diet. Consider introducing calves to post-weaning supplements slowly via creep-feeding two weeks before weaning.

Weaning
Avoid combining stressful procedures like castration and dehorning with early weaning. If yard weaning, where possible keep the yards damp to minimise pink-eye. Fly traps and backline insecticides will also reduce flies, a vector for the disease. Eye ointments and patches of heavy material will provide relief for affected calves and prevent fly access. When penning calves allow four square metres per calf at a minimum, increasing to 6-8 square metres for larger calves approaching 150kg.

Provide high quality hay, such as clover, vetch or lucerne hay. If these quality hays are not available then oaten hay combined with high protein cattle pellets will supply the weaners nutrition.  Weaned calves need to have an adequate fibre source such as a barley straw in a feeder at all times, this will help their rumen development. It’s important to clean water troughs regularly as young weaned calves will not drink fouled water.

The high-quality ration required by early weaned calves will increase their risk of developing pulpy kidney so a 5 in 1 vaccination for clostridial diseases is very important. During the first week of weaning observe any small calves or shy feeders that are being pushed away from the feed source. It is best to draft these off and pen them as a smaller mob in another yard, so they have adequate opportunity to feed with less stress.

Yard weaning is the best option as the calves are contained, don’t wander, learn to stay as a mob, are close to feed and water, best to socialise calves to human contact, plus daily observation and feeding is easier.  Yards should be soft floored, free of dust and mud, have adequate access for stock to feed and water trough space.  Shade and shelter can be provided by using shade cloth along the exposed external fences.

Yard weaning is also an ideal opportunity to quieten down stock by regularly moving through the mob or teaching them to move slowly through gates and walk through the crush without any stress. Leaving the farm ute nearby with the radio playing gets stock accustomed to voices and sounds and helps prepare them for future yarding or market noise.  Once weaned and accustomed to people, the mob can be taught to move with dogs or vehicle in the paddock or kept within in a stock containment area until adequate pasture/groundcover returns to your paddocks.

Post-weaning nutrition
Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. The younger the weaning age of the calf, the higher the energy and protein levels need to be. Unless the feed has adequate energy density, feed intake and animal performance may be restricted by small rumen capacity. Much of the pasture hay and silage made in Australia is by itself unsuitable for early-weaned calves.

Introduce any concentrate (for example grains) slowly. Introduce initially to calves at 300g per head per day and increase the amount by 100g per head per day with access to hay. Supplement the mix with a buffer to prevent acidosis.

Insufficient protein in the ration of early weaned calves will result in short, dumpy cattle. Likely sources of protein to use are lupins, peas, linseed meal, canola meal, lucerne and soybean meal. Feed merchants can supply high protein calf grower pellets comprising of 16 per cent protein and 13ME (metabolisable energy)  which are safer to feed than grain mixes.

If using grain mixes ensure it is a formulated ration with adequate protein, energy and a pH buffer and introduce the new feed slowly to the weaners.  Avoid changing ration mixes if at all possible or if necessary, to change blend the new and old mix over a 10-day period to ensure smooth transition to the new diet
Ideally, roughage should be chopped and mixed with the other components of the calves’ diet, before feeding. Palatability is important to get calves to eat sufficient fibre. Consider adding a sweetener such as molasses or grape mark to a mixed ration for young calves.

Calcium is the mineral most likely to be needed in a diet for calves. Generally, calcium carbonate (such as ground limestone) should be added to a grain-based diet at the rate of 1½ parts per 100 (that is 1.5 per cent) by weight of the grain in the diet.  A manufacturers grain mix or pellets will already have the calcium added.

Although good quality roughage (lucerne or clover hay) provides a reasonable supply of Vitamin A, some supplementary Vitamin A is usually necessary for early weaned calves if they only have access to a dry ration and have not had access to green pasture for some time, for example three months. This can be included in the feed, given orally or by injection. Alternatively, complete rations in the form of pellets or grain mixes are available from commercial suppliers.

Post-weaning management
Rather than letting calves roam barren paddocks, consider weaning into containment areas where they will tend to rest and feed, conserving energy and minimising damage to paddocks. Six weeks after weaning, draft off tail-enders into a separate management group. Repeat this process four months after weaning.

For more information visit feedinglivestock.vic.gov.au

For more information about managing during drought and dry seasonal conditions go to agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons

Farmers and communities facing drought and dry conditions across northern and north west Victoria should apply now for funding under the Look Over the Farm Gate Program.

Look Over the Farm Gate events are an opportunity for farmers to take a break from the farm, reconnect with their community, access professional support and participate in mental health training.

You know what your community needs, so we encourage community groups to think creatively about what single event or series of events would be most effective.

It could be anything from a barbeque and comedy night, regular fitness meet-ups in the park, or a family movie night.

Look Over the Farm Gate is a mental health and wellbeing initiative funded by the Victorian Government and managed by the Victorian Farmers Federation in partnership with the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Country Women’s Association, Country Fire Authority, and National Centre for Farmer Health.

Applications are still being accepted for events and are assessed on a first in best dressed basis.

For more information about eligibility and how to apply, visit the website at lookoverthefarmgate.org.au

Agriculture Victoria will cancel workshops on Code Red fire danger days

You are invited to attend APAL Future Business workshop being held at Tatura on Friday 8 November from 12 pm – 4 pm.

This workshop will be examining risks and obligations facing business owners and managers in the pome industry.

This workshop will explore the key components of risk, looking at existing business risks and how to mitigate them. There will be an opportunity to explore who owns and controls specific data and information and how financial reporting and strategy play a role in effective management.

The presenters will touch on a range of topics including:

• practical applications that promote ease of reporting and processes;
• the key components of risk
• current risks to business
• how to prepare for and mitigate risk
• the responsibility on health and safety
• internal controls
• environmental impacts and
• an opportunity in the industry to share risk through the creation of a Discretionary Mutual Fund.

Location – Agriculture Victoria, 255 Ferguson Road, Tatura. For further information call APAL on (03) 9329 3511

To register go to https://bit.ly/2P8fKlW

This spring, join APAL as we take a stroll through Jeftomson’s Coomboona orchard and hear from global experts on how you can utilise agri-technology to maximize production, improve fruit quality, and optimise labour to remain competitive.

Don’t miss the opportunity of seeing up-close the Swarmbot Indigo being demonstrated in the field at Jeftomson orchard.

Being spring, the field session will also discuss and demonstrate the latest knowledge regarding the critical spring tasks particularly thinning.

For further information contact APAL Northern Victorian Front Line Adviser Michael Crisera on 0427 239 871 or growerservices@fgv.com.au

Date and time – Friday 8 November from 8 – 11:30 am
Location – Jeftomson Orchard, 480 Trotter Road, Coomboona.

Agriculture Victoria is hosting a series of free workshops to help new and existing small-scale pig and poultry producers prepare a land use planning permit application.

Attending participants will be eligible for the supporting grants program offering up to $3,000 for expenses related to on-farm works, consultancy, or training that supports the preparation of a land use planning permit application.

These workshops will provide information and advice on:

• Planning requirements
• Property development, locality and nutrient management plans and
• Identification of site improvements needed to support planning permit applications.

Locations

• Benalla – Tuesday 12 November
• Broadford – Tuesday 19 November.

Webinar (Online) Thursday 21 and 28 November 12.30 – 2.30pm (must attend both dates to qualify)

Face-to-face workshops run 9.15am – 3pm.

Lunch will be provided, so please indicate any dietary allergies on registering.

If these locations do not suit your needs, be sure to register an expression of interest (link below) so we can hold our next workshops at a location convenient to you.

Pre-workshop preparation
Agriculture Victoria may contact registered participants to determine property specific details prior to the workshop. This will allow us to provide participants with farm maps and/or aerial images.

Please register via Eventbrite at: https://agvic-pig-poultry.eventbrite.com.au

For more information email Ann McDowell at ann.mcdowell@agriculture.vic.gov.au or 0436 934 343.

Agriculture Victoria is delivering a two-part webinar for producers using the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database. 

Participants will learn how to complete a Property-to-Property (P2P) transfer and use the database features.

Topics include: Setting up, navigating and using the NLIS database and Completing Property-to-Property (P2P) transfers on the NLIS database.

Book your free tickets online at:
http://agriculturevictoriaevents.eventbrite.com then select ‘NLIS Database Practical Workshop – Webinar’

For more information, or if you have trouble registering, please call (03) 5761 1647.

Numbers are limited to allow for an interactive session, so be quick to secure a spot!

Connect with more than 80 growers, agronomists and scientists to explore the latest research findings from the world of pome fruit.

Refreshed as a standalone event in 2019, the program is dedicated to share the latest research projects, focusing on orchard management techniques to lift production and improve fruit quality.

On day two, we are teaming up with Future Business to hold their first workshop ‘Powerful changes secure cost savings’.

High-calibre agenda: World-renowned researchers and fellow growers will challenge your thinking on your orchard management techniques.

Unparalleled networking: Held at the iconic MCG, connect with growers and researchers throughout the day and enjoy a behind the scenes tour, finishing up with a drink at the Stumps Bar.

News you can use: The packed agenda will provide you with the R&D insights and first-hand perspectives to drive change in your orchard.

Key topics:

• Transforming your orchard irrigation with sensors and monitoring
• How soil characteristics can improve water and nutrient use efficiency
• Water efficiency and techniques for a sustainable future
• Securing pollination through revegetation
• Biodiversity of pollinators in Apple orchards
• Pollination in protected cropping – learnings from NZ
• What you can do now to improve pollination and what you need to start thinking about to safeguard your business into the future
• Tatura Smart Farm – introduction to the Sundial experimental orchard
• Precision automation, the new frontier for crop loading
• Making sense of AI, machine learning, and data science
• The pros and cons of protective netting
• Combating codling moth with the mastrus wasp
• Real-time monitoring for the presence and location of fruit fly
• Cold chain disinfestation and quality management for market access
• Preparing for Brown Marmorated Stink Bug.

Date and time – Wednesday 13 November from 8.30 am – 6.00 pm
Location – Melbourne Cricket Ground – Legends Room, Brunton Avenue, Richmond
For more information call (03) 9329 3511
To register go to https://www.apal.org.au/

Join us for a discussion about on-farm biosecurity.

This event will include the personal account and lessons learnt by Dr Jeff Cave, District Veterinary Officer, from the 2001 United Kingdom Foot and mouth disease outbreak.

Following Dr Cave’s presentation, there will be a producer panel discussion about the importance of biosecurity in daily operations and practical ways to implement biosecurity on farm.

Questions from the audience will conclude the webinar/phone seminar. Wednesday 27 November, 8pm - 9pm.

Access to the webinar/phone seminar opens 30 mins prior to start time.

For those unable to join the webinar platform, a phone service is available, the details are on the registrations page.

To register go to https://bit.ly/33q1vNA

If you have any problems registering contact Tess McDougall tess.mcdougall@agriculture.vic.gov.au or 0409 841 492.

GrazFert is a farm nutrient management program that enables livestock farmers to make better fertiliser decisions.

It provides an opportunity for farmers to access independent support and advice to optimise their soil management with information on interpreting soil tests, minimising nutrient losses, reducing soil acidity and maximising the economic returns from fertiliser and lime inputs.

What’s involved:

• Farm visit to collect two soil samples to assess a range of soil parameters including nutrients, pH and cationexchange capacity
• Preparation of a nutrient management plan by Agriculture Victoria staff
• Attendance at two local workshops focused on soil test interpretation and nutrient budgeting.

To learn more about the GrazFert program, check out the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4qr7N_UYTsw

COST $150 per farm business (maximum of 10 businesses/program)

Dates

Soil sampling: Commencing October

Workshop 1: Soil test interpretation November/December

Workshop 2: Nutrient budgeting February/March 2020

Location 

Ovens and King Valley workshop venue to be confirmed

Register 

Please register your interest by contacting Ian Gamble, Agriculture Victoria Rutherglen on 0437 362 620 or at ian.gamble@agriculture.vic.gov.au

This project is supported by North East CMA, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare program and Agriculture Victoria.

NRM Regions Australia, along with North East Catchment Management Authority, is pleased to host Australia’s 7th National NRM Knowledge Conference. Our conference theme and question is: Creating Resilience through Natural Resource Management – how do we do it?

Here is your opportunity to engage with people working in the NRM sector from across Australia. Whether you work for NRM regional organisations, R&D organisations, territory, state and national agencies, NGOs or you are active in your local community we would love to see you in Wodonga. You will have the opportunity to hear the latest news from our research institutes and our partner government agencies and to contribute to the future direction of NRM in Australia.

We’re planning a highly interactive conference with very different types of sessions. Our aim for the conference is to identify a shared future for Australian natural resource management – and actions we will collectively pursue to address the Conference theme.

National NRM Knowledge Conferences have been held regularly over the past 15 years and provide an opportunity for NRM practitioners to share knowledge and build national networks with other practitioners, NRM regional organisations, individuals, government and non-government agencies.

To register, click here

A series of free-of-charge grain storage webinars from the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) will provide growers with convenient, timely and relevant information and advice about all aspects of storing grain on-farm.

One webinar will be held every month for the remainder of 2019 – each being 30 minutes and focused on different topics.

12 November – grain protectants
10 December – aeration cooling

For more information and to register, go to storedgrain.com.au/event/webinar-planning-storage or contact Amy Harwood via amy.harwood@bcg.org.au or 0456 979 561.

Click here