• Coronavirus (COVID-19) update
• Resuming services for our farming community
• Reducing lameness in dairy cattle – managing in wet conditions
• Feeding roughage in winter is essential
• Native pasture trials show encouraging early results
• Milking the Weather – winter edition now available
• MLA’s five-year focus on impact and transformational change
• Livestock Biosecurity Funds Grant Program
• PhD fellowships in the dairy industry – apply now
• Primary producers bushfire support programs
• Drought and dry seasons support services and information
• Upcoming webinars
• Ellinbank Seminar Series 2020
• Climate webinars

The Victorian Government is gradually easing restrictions currently in place to help slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

In all activities, farmers are asked to be considered. Be cautious. Use your common sense. And if you don’t have to do it – don’t.

Stay safe by maintaining good hygiene, keeping your distance from others and if you feel unwell stay home.

If you have symptoms of coronavirus you should get tested.

The situation continues to change rapidly and we urge you to regularly check the Department of Health and Human Services website for the latest update: coronavirus.vic.gov.au.

More information is also available on the Agriculture Victoria website.

Agriculture Victoria will resume several key services in the coming weeks, which have been suspended in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as restrictions gradually ease across the state.

Chief Executive Emily Phillips said that Agriculture Victoria had continued to work closely with the agriculture sector and farming communities during restrictions to support them during the difficult time, including redesigning many services to be delivered online.

“We’ve continued to deliver many of our services during coronavirus, ensuring the safety of farmers while prioritising support for this important sector,” Dr Phillips said.

“This included ongoing services to support farmers impacted by bushfire across the North East and East Gippsland, and farmers who continue to be impacted by drought and dry seasonal conditions across the state.”

Operations at Agriculture Victoria’s Pig Services Centre, based at Epsom, resumed earlier this week, including providing and accepting all orders for pig vaccine manufacturing and diagnostic services.

Designated fox and wild dog bounty collection centres will open from 29 June, operating in line with physical distancing requirements including established drop off and exclusion zones.

During the suspension period, bounty participants were encouraged to continue to collect fox scalps and wild dog body parts on private properties as part of pest control activities, and to freeze or air dry them.

Hunters are encouraged to refresh their knowledge of the terms and conditions of the bounty to ensure what they submit is acceptable.

Participants can submit entire fox scalps for a $10 reward and entire wild dog body parts for a $120 reward during scheduled collection times.

With the gradual easing of restrictions, Victorians are still being asked to be considered and use common sense when it comes their activities.

Stay safe by practising good hygiene, keeping your distance from others and, if you feel unwell, stay home.

The coronavirus situation continues to change rapidly so please regularly check the Department of Health and Human Services website for the latest update: coronavirus.vic.gov.au.

For further information on the bounty including collection schedule, terms and conditions of the bounty, visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/bounty or call the Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

by Ash Michael, Dairy Extension Officer

Do you find that your dairy cows have a higher incidence of lameness on your farm than you would like? By taking a strategic look at your individual farm situation you can identify areas for improvement and help to reduce the incidence of lameness in your dairy herd.  You should aim to have no more than five per cent of the herd lame per month.

Farmers are using prevention, early detection and treatment of lameness to achieve better outcomes in cow comfort, improved milk production, and better reproductive performance of their dairy herd. Lameness in dairy cows in Australia can be caused by a range of environmental, nutritional and infectious factors.

Farm conditions can result in damage to cow’s hooves, including stone bruises and thin soles. Important things to consider to minimise the incidence of lameness in dairy cows are good laneways, reducing time spent on concrete and reducing pressure on cows during movement.

Managing wet conditions
Most farmers find that extremely wet conditions result in a lot more cows becoming lame.

Prolonged exposure to moisture causes the hoof to soften, making bruising, penetration injuries and white-line disease more common. The skin between the claws and around the foot also softens and macerates, leaving the skin more prone to infections such as footrot.

The higher bacterial loads present in wet muddy environments add to the problem.  Larger stones and sharp gravel are also exposed after the fine topping materials are washed from track surfaces. 

The cost of an individual case of lameness is estimated to be between $200 and $500.  If a herd outbreak occurs, the costs can increase across the herd.

Good laneways
A good laneway can be built by selecting a suitable foundation and with suitable surface materials, so it stands up to the constant cow traffic and damage by rain and excess water.

Select a material for the surface layer that won’t damage the cow’s hooves, but which will also repel and run water off the laneway, helping to keep it dryer and last longer.  The surface layer needs to be crowned to assist with water runoff.

Good drainage for your laneway is also very important. It needs to collect water runoff and divert it correctly to increase the life of your laneway. The drain should be fenced off so cattle can’t walk in it and pug it up, which will reduce its effectiveness.

Farmers find that regular maintenance to the laneway surface is best as it helps increase its life and avoid costly repairs to the foundation layer.

Reducing time on concrete
Most dairy farmers already follow the practice of minimising the time cows are spending on concrete, which helps to reduce stone bruises and the wearing away of the sole on the cow’s hooves. Any further reductions in time spent on concrete for cows will assist in reducing the lameness of dairy cattle.

Reducing pressure on cows during movement
When cows are allowed enough time to move slowly at their own pace, the cows can look and place their feet and avoid uneven surfaces or stones and thus avoid stone damage to their feet. This will in turn help reduce the incidence of lameness in the dairy herd.

Nutritional factors
Acidosis can result in lameness in dairy cattle.  Acidosis can cause laminitis, paint brush haemorrhages and white line disease, reducing the cow’s ability to walk freely.

To help reduce the incidence of acidosis ensure cows are receiving adequate effective fibre, and a precise allocation of grain.

A well-balanced diet for the dairy cow will include adequate fibre, which helps to buffer the rumen pH. Rumen buffers and/or modifiers may also be required depending on the level of grain feeding to reduce the rumen pH and reduce the incidence of acidosis in the dairy herd. 

Infection factors
Your cows can have infections on their hooves, including footrot and hairy heel warts. The use of footbaths and reducing mud in high traffic areas can help reduce the incidence of lameness in some cases. It’s also important to consult with your veterinarian to develop a strategy for your farm.

Benefits of reduced lameness
Reducing lameness on your farm will assist to improve profitability. Lame cows will usually produce less milk and be culled sooner from the herd. Lameness will also result in additional costs of veterinary treatment. Most cases of lameness are foot associated and the rear feet are more commonly affected than the front.

Lameness in individual cows can have an impact on their reproductive performance, depending on the timing of the lameness episode relative to the mating period. The higher the incidence of lameness in the herd, the greater the potential impact this condition will have on the herd’s overall reproductive performance.

InCalf research identified the following reproductive impacts through lameness.

So, if the answer is Yes to whether ‘your cows have a higher incidence of lameness on your farm than you’d like’, and you would like assistance to reduce lameness, more information is available on the Dairy Australia website at www.dairyaustralia.com.au – simply enter one of the topics mentioned above in the search bar.

by Dr Jeff Cave, District Veterinary Officer, Agriculture Victoria

When there is new pasture growth and you are providing various supplementary feeds, you may ask – why feed roughage?

Roughage is the bulky feed such as hay, that is generally considered to be high in fibre and lower in energy.

Livestock may require roughage during winter for the following reasons:

• even though some roughage may be left uneaten, livestock require a minimum amount of fibre and long roughage to maintain their digestive systems. This is sometimes known as the ‘scratch factor’ and stimulates rumination (cud chewing)
• when moving livestock onto green pasture, their rumen needs time to adjust to a new feed type
• newly growing pasture may not have adequate fibre levels
• it may be better to supplement stock to allow time for the pasture to establish and develop
• hungry livestock need to be prevented from gorging themselves on pastures that may have potential to cause nitrate poisoning or bloat
• if feeding grain or pellets with too little roughage, acidosis (grain poisoning) can occur
• as we move further into winter, hay may be needed to reduce the risk of grass tetany and allows a way of administering magnesium oxide (Causmag).

Another good reason to feed livestock roughage in cold weather, is that roughage in the diet helps keep livestock warm.

This is because the fermentation and breakdown of cellulose creates heat energy.

If livestock do not have enough roughage, they will utilise their body fat to create energy for warmth.

Therefore it is more effective to feed your livestock late in the afternoon, as this will provide ‘heat’ throughout the night.

Agriculture Victoria's drought feeding books for sheep and cattle contain information on cow and sheep requirements as well as a guide to conducting and interpreting feed tests (Chapter 5 in the cattle book and Chapter 3 in the sheep book).

The books are available from the Feeding Livestock website feedinglivestock.vic.gov.au/ or by ringing the Customer Service Centre on 136 186, who can also refer you to a livestock or animal health officer.

Above: Dr Meredith Mitchell and Keren Walker collecting data at the Reedy Flat trial site.

“The application of fertiliser at both trial sites resulted in higher pasture quality, in terms of crude protein and metabolizable energy. Both protein and energy levels (pasture) currently sit at 25 per cent above that of the unfertilised (control) area.

“The Reedy Flat and Connors Hill locations were chosen to replicate the common and limiting areas found on a typical farm with regard to aspect, poor soil fertility and the presence of unimproved pastures.

“These factors were used for site selection in order to test the impact of increased fertiliser use and grazing on native pasture production, persistence and health,” said Mr Commins.

The Connors Hill trial site – midway between Ensay and Swifts Creek – is 1.74 hectares and situated on a north westerly facing slope. It has an Olsen P value (soil phosphorous level) of 4.53 mg/kg (low fertility), and predominantly Redleg Grass (Bothriochloa macra), with moderate weed infestation of saffron and scotch thistle.

The Reedy Flat trial site is 1.4 hectare, situated on a south easterly facing slope with an Olsen P value of 9.05 mg/kg (moderate fertility) and predominantly Microlaena (Microlaena stipoides), with a low weed infestation of flat weeds.

Quarterly feed testing has been undertaken at both sites to determine pasture quality. Pasture composition monitoring was also undertaken in autumn and spring to ascertain changes in plant species that may be occurring in response to the increased soil fertiliser and grazing regimes. The grazing potential of available pasture measured by the amount (kg) of dry matter (DM) available per hectare (ha) was also monitored as part of the trial.

Soil fertility testing was undertaken in autumn and spring to determine the phosphorous (Olsen P) levels in the soil.

Agriculture Victoria Senior Research Scientist Dr Meredith Mitchell said the work at the Connors Hill and Reedy Flat sites commenced as East Gippsland was heading into an extended period of exceptionally dry conditions.

“Native pastures are characterised by their diversity and initially 23 different species were identified at the Connors Hill site and 28 at the Reedy Flat site.

“Some native pastures are typically averse to higher levels of available phosphorus in the soil and will begin to be out-competed by other species and drop out of the system at an Olsen P level of 13 or higher. For that reason, our aim was to manipulate and sustain soil phosphorous at that level.

“The high levels of ground cover that were maintained, even during the drought, resulted in only slight changes in the amount of broadleaf weed species at the trial sites.”

Since monitoring began, the groundcover in the treatment area at Reedy Flat was maintained at greater than 97 per cent, compared to the control area of 92 per cent.  At the Connors Hill site, end of summer groundcover was recorded at 81 per cent.

Dr Mitchell said under dry conditions, Microlaena at the Reedy Flat site struggled to thrive beyond 1600 kg DM/ha and in fact, feed-on-offer decreased due to moisture stress.

“As a result, during extended dry periods we now recommend grazing commence on Microlaena pastures at 1600 kg DM/ha – (approximately 6 cm) and removing stock at 1200 kg DM/ha rather than traditionally 1800 kgDM/ha (approximately 8 cm) down to 1200 kg DM/ha.

“Other options considered, to realise the potential for Microlaena, is to graze it further down to 1000 kg DM/ha particularly on the southern and eastern aspects where risk of topsoil loss is less.”

Key messages:

• Fertiliser applications to native pastures lifted metabolizable energy and crude protein by 25 per cent over the control.
• By maintaining ground cover, the percentage of weeds in the pasture did not increase.
• Under dry conditions, Microlaena pastures should be grazed earlier at 1600 kg DM/ha, to make use of the feed while it is available.

The trials will continue for another 12 months.

This project is supported by the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare program and Agriculture Victoria.

The winter edition of Milking the Weather is now out. 

This edition features:

• Victorian seasonal climate summary (autumn 2020) and outlook (winter 2020)
• Farmers managing seasonal risk successfully – hearing from Kevin Fitzsimmons at Merrigum in the Northern Irrigation Region, Craig Dwyer at Bullaharre in South-West Victoria, and Brett Findlay at Towong Upper, near Corryong in North-East Victoria
• Managing the winter ahead
• Seasonal soil moisture condition assessment – autumn review/winter update 2020 for Victorian dairying areas

Download the latest edition here

Delivering transformational change for Australia’s red meat and livestock industry is the key theme throughout Meat & Livestock Australia’s Strategic Plan 2025, released recently by the red meat marketing and research body.

It charts the direction of Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) investments for the next five years and was developed following significant consultation using a design-led approach with representatives from across the red meat supply chain.
With a focus on delivering ‘fewer, bigger and bolder’ programs of work, the plan shows where MLA will focus its efforts to ensure red meat producers will see a positive return on their levy investment.

Building on strong industry fundamentals, the plan focuses on helping producers (and their supply chains) make better decisions informed by data, driving efficiencies in the delivery of MLA’s core services, and identifying new ways to capture value and increase profitability through new revenue streams and developing high value products.

MLA Managing Director, Jason Strong, said that while MLA’s strategy capitalises on the many existing opportunities for Australian red meat, it also looks to tackle new challenges in a constantly evolving operating environment.

“Australia’s red meat and livestock industry is in good shape as we embark on this next critical future phase for our industry,” Mr Strong said.

“Our products have a reputation for being the best in world. We are trusted by consumers – who are more interested than ever about how their food is produced – because of the positive way we treat and trace our livestock.”
As a key focus to successfully deliver the strategy, MLA will increase investment in:

1. Adoption and extension: MLA’s strategy sees a significant increase in the funds allocated to adoption and extension activities. MLA programs will have clear adoption and extension pathways helping to ensure that red meat producers can successfully implement practical R&D solutions for their farm businesses.
2. Programs that support red meat industry integrity systems: MLA’s Strategic Plan 2025 highlights the importance of strengthening existing systems in support of biosecurity, food safety and traceability. It also highlights the importance of activities that accelerate data capture, end to end supply chain verification and knowledge transfer within the supply chain to support business decision making.

The plan also sees a focus on ensuring MLA investments contribute to a socially, environmentally and economically sustainable Australian red meat industry.

MLA will increasingly focus on programs of work that help producers be more productive while adapting to climate variability, delivering world-leading animal health and welfare outcomes and adopting Carbon Neutral 2030 (CN30) pathways, demonstrated through on farm practice change to deliver a global competitive advantage.

“From a global marketing perspective, Australia’s red meat industry has a fantastic story to share,” Mr Strong said.

“MLA’s Strategic Plan 2025 is clear in its ambition as we continue to drive demand for red meat, with activities informed by data, evidence and insights.

“For MLA’s research and development work, we will continue to push our industry forward by building on-farm productivity through improved adoption of research outcomes. We must build more sophisticated and efficient supply chains, with a shared commitment from all of industry.

“This Strategic Plan highlights MLA’s contribution to the red meat industry’s long-term vision to double the value of red meat sales by 2030 and for Australia to be the trusted source of the highest quality protein, as laid out in Red Meat 2030.

"It will also play an important role in taking Australian agriculture to a $100 billion industry by 2030.

“Our ambition was to build a plan that ensures MLA can capitalise on those areas where we already have a competitive advantage but also asking some tough questions about what we can do better for producers and how we can turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities.”

The development of MLA’s Strategic Plan 2025 started by first identifying key high impact initiatives that have already played a major role in transforming industry and using them as the foundation for which to build the plan.

“The establishment of Australia’s on farm assurance, animal identification and traceability systems are a good example,” Mr Strong said.

“Thanks to the development and continuous improvement of these systems, we have been able to guarantee the integrity of our $28.5 billion red meat industry to our customers.

"As part of our strategic planning we were able to be creative in thinking how we can further build and enhance these programs to build a more prosperous industry.

“Another example is Meat Standards Australia (MSA), the world’s leading eating quality grading program for beef, and the work to support access to international markets, which has been critical to the growth and competitiveness of our industry.

“What these examples show us is to have real impact, we need to be focused, ambitious with our expectations and demand greater impact from the investments we make.

"However, success will ultimately be measured by the ability of red meat producers to create and capture additional value from these investments.

“For MLA, we will continue to target major strategic challenges to ensure that higher risk but higher reward investments are not being overlooked.

“To be successful, it was important that this strategy focused not just on what we will do, but how we will do it. We developed guiding principles that will ensure MLA is well placed to deliver transformational change and maximise our impact.”

MLA’s Strategic Plan 2025 will undergo a constant cycle of review and inform MLA’s Annual Investment Plans (AIPs), which outline MLA’s programs and the activities, key performance indicators and budgets for each financial year.

Click here to download MLA’s Strategic Plan 2025.

The Livestock Biosecurity Funds Grant Program is now open for applications.

Apply now for support for projects or programs that prevent, monitor and control diseases in Victorian cattle, sheep, goat, swine or honeybee industries. More information at  agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestockbiosecurityfunds

In partnership with The University of Melbourne, Agriculture Victoria is offering 17 PhD research fellowships in the dairy industry.

Based at our world-renowned research centres at Ellinbank and Hamilton, successful applicants will be rewarded with a $33,000 per annum scholarship, access to state-of-the-art facilities and opportunities for professional development and overseas travel.

To find out more visit https://go.vic.gov.au/wyePVD

Producers in fire-affected regions can access up to three free one-on-one Back to Business sessions with a local farm management consultant to help put their business back on track.

All red-meat producers, including sheep, cattle and goat, who have been affected by the recent bushfires are eligible to apply.

The Back to Business program in Victoria is being coordinated by Agriculture Victoria. For more information or to register, contact:

• Lyndon Kubeil on 0418 532 085 or at lyndon.kubeil@agriculture.vic.gov.au
• Jo Cameron on 0419 832 704 or at jo.cameron@agriculture.vic.gov.au
• MLA at backtobusiness@mla.com.au

Online registration is also available here.

For more info visit mla.com.au/bushfire-recovery.

Grants of up to $10,000 are available to support small businesses (including primary producers) significantly affected by the 2019–20 bushfires to recover and rebuild resilient businesses.

Eligible activities include meeting standard business costs, seeking financial advice, adjusting the business to be viable in the changed local context following bushfire and improvements to make the business more resilient to future disasters.

The grants are available to eligible small businesses in the local government areas of East Gippsland, Towong and Alpine who have suffered a decline in revenue of 40 per cent or more in a relevant three-month period.

Businesses can apply for this grant in addition to other bushfire grants. For more information contact Rural Finance 1800 260 425 or www.ruralfinance.com.au.

Concessional loans of up to $500,000 are available to support small business, primary producers and non-profit organisations impacted by the Victorian bushfires that began on 21 November 2019.

The loans are for restoring and/or replacing damaged assets and/or to meet working capital expenses.

They are available for eligible wine grape growers in Ararat, Alpine, Ballarat, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Indigo, Mansfield, Moyne, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Wellington and Wodonga.

For further information contact Rural Finance 1800 260 425 or www.ruralfinance.com.au.

Grants of up to $75,000 to assist primary producers directly affected by the 2019–2020 bushfire with recovery costs. Eligible activities include rebuilding or replacing damaged or destroyed on-farm infrastructure, including fencing and trellises.

Wine grape growers who are located in eligible fire affected local government areas and have had crops affected by smoke taint may be able to claim for costs associated with the salvage, harvest and disposal of the smoke taint affected crops. Where no fire has occurred on the property, evidence of smoke impact, such as smoke taint testing results are required.

Available in eligible fire affected local government areas across Victoria. In the areas of Ararat, Alpine, Ballarat, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Indigo, Mansfield, Moyne, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Wellington and Wodonga, and the alpine areas of Falls Creek, Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Stirling.

For further information contact Rural Finance 1800 260 425 or www.ruralfinance.com.au.

The Victorian Government is waiving the $235 application fee for new domestic and stock bore construction licences (BCL) for landholders in eligible areas of Victoria.

This initiative will help landholders secure their domestic and stock water supply needs in areas experiencing drought and dry conditions.

Apply online at the Victorian Water Register waterregister.vic.gov.au/water-trading/my-water#Online_BCLs

The CWA of Victoria’s Drought Relief program has been provided a funding boost by the Victorian Government for the provision of household financial relief

The program can provide up to $3000 to eligible farming families, farm workers and farm dependent contractors to reimburse them for household expenses like school costs, utilities, food and medical bills.

For more about the program and other available drought support visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons or call 136 186.

For anyone seeking a copy of the application form or requiring assistance to complete the application, please contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or email the CWA on drought@cwaofvic.org.au

The maximum value of the On-Farm Drought Resilience Grants has increased from $5,000 to $10,000 to boost farmers’ access to professional services whilst still enabling farmers to invest in drought preparedness infrastructure.

Eligible farm businesses can now apply for:

• up to $5000 for business decision making activities (with no-contribution required)
• up to $5000 for infrastructure investments (with at least 50 per cent co-contribution required).

There are three new eligible infrastructure investments under the resilience grants:

• technologies to improve mobile phone connectivity
• weed control (e.g. purchase of registered herbicide)
• soil moisture probes (as an explicit investment under soil moisture monitoring activities).

For more information and to access the On-Farm Drought Resilience Grants program, call Rural Finance on 1800 260 425 or visit ruralfinance.com.au.

Farmers are encouraged to apply early to ensure they do not miss out on funding.

A series of free webinars for pig producers to help them be informed and prepared for African Swine Fever.

To register, follow the link: https://login.redbackconferencing.com.au/landers/page/6dd71f

Agriculture Victoria is delivering a series of four webinars to improve farm business resilience, hosted by ORM managing consultant Matt McCarthy. Farmers and farm business managers should register for the webinars to identify how to safeguard their core business operations when unexpected situations occur.

Register for each of the webinars below to attend or receive a link of the recorded event.

In her presentation, Dr. Rose will cover the rationale behind the Biosecurity Plan Builder tool and how it differs from other biosecurity templates for managing animal disease risks. She will also give an update on the roll out of the tool (to date and future plans) to encourage its uptake by farmers. Her presentation will also include stepping through the tool “on line” and highlighting its features including some tips and tricks to get the most out of using it.

Grassland is a crucial resource for the ruminant livestock industries within the agricultural sector. In most temperate regions globally, this land is predominantly sown with ryegrass: a high yielding species that can provide good quality forage but is reliant upon the application of sufficient nitrogen fertiliser, and susceptible to drought. Nitrogen fertiliser is expensive and has a high carbon and nitrogen footprint. Therefore, multiple research projects in recent years have investigated the replacement of monoculture pastures with mixed-species leys. Their aim has been to achieve acceptable yields of good quality forage for livestock production whilst having a positive and long term impact on the environment.

In this seminar, Anna Thomson, who previously worked at the University of Reading (UK) before joining the Ellinbank team, will discuss her previous research into mixed-species pastures as part of a collaborative five-year study: ‘The DiverseForage Project’ and also summarise the findings of other notable European studies on this subject matter.

Want to understand more about the climate change information available for Victoria? How has the climate already changed? What might Victoria’s climate be like in 2050 and beyond? Where do you even start in looking for this information?

DELWP is running two webinars to give an overview of the information from Victoria’s Climate Science Report 2019 and the local-scale Victorian Climate Projections 2019, as well as guidance on understanding and using the information.

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