In this edition:

• Bird owners urged to remain vigilant
• Avian influenza information popups
• Get it right every time – is it fit to load?
• Dry seasons and drought support
• Partnering with community to manage pests and weeds
• Livestock’s need for roughage during winter
• What does your FOO look like?
• Feeding livestock video series
• Biosecurity planning is not a one-size-fits-all process
• Ag Vic Talk Series 8 Episode 8 Biosecurity
• Healthy Landscapes program
• Free financial counselling
• Registration period extended for Cultivating Futures in Farming mentor program
• New term for Victorian Agriculture and Climate Change Council
• In case you missed it
• What's on

As we continue to respond to the avian flu outbreak, we’re urging bird owners to remain vigilant. 

Look out for symptoms and report any unexplained bird deaths to the VicEmergency hotline on 1800 226 226.

For more information, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/avianflu

Want to find out more about avian influenza in your area?

We'll be at the following locations:

• Terang Co-Op Supa IGA , Terang on Friday 5 July, 11 am – 1 pm.
• Bannockburn Central Shopping Centre,17 McPhillips Road, Bannockburn on Saturday 6 July, 10 am – 12 noon

If you live in the area and own birds – or just want some more info – stop by and have a chat with the team.

To learn more, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/avianinfluenza

Livestock must be inspected prior to being loaded and they must not be suffering from conditions that could cause, or would be likely to cause, increased pain or distress during transport.

Agriculture Victoria Senior Veterinary Officer Jeff Cave said if you are in doubt about an animal’s suitability for transport, you can always ask your private veterinarian or any Agriculture Victoria animal health officer or veterinary officer if livestock are fit to load.

Furthermore, a guideline titled ‘Is the animal fit to load?’ has been produced by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA). This guideline can be viewed electronically on MLA’s website or ordered from MLA at MLA publications.

In summary, an animal is not fit to load if it:

• is not able to walk normally or bear weight on all its legs. This may be due to a recent or old fracture, an injury, a deformity or an infection.
• is not strong enough to make the journey
• is suffering from severe distress or injury
• is in a condition that could cause it increased pain or distress during transport
• is blind in both eyes
• is in late pregnancy.

Dr Cave said if you identify an animal that is unfit to load you have a few options.

‘You could treat the animal and transport it when it has recovered and is fit to load. Naturally this is not an option in cases that are not readily treatable.

‘Alternatively, you could humanely destroy the animal. A knackery service is available in many areas to help with this option.’

‘Finally, you could consult a veterinarian and only transport the animal under veterinary advice.’

Dr Cave said remember, the person in charge of the animal is responsible for its welfare. Community values and expectations will not accept anything less.

For further information on animal welfare contact your local animal health staff at Agriculture Victoria or call 136 186.

Find the ‘Land transport of livestock standard guidelines and more information at https://go.vic.gov.au/45RZ6uQ.

Have you updated your plan for the current seasonal conditions? Having a solid drought plan can help you with decision making in adverse conditions.

Check out the dry seasons and drought support on the Agriculture Victoria website today.

Efforts to support long-term management of rabbits, blackberries, serrated tussock and gorse across Victoria have been bolstered with support from the Victorian Government to four community pest management groups.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence has announced five Partnerships Against Pests grants to support projects totalling $250,000 across four groups to tackle pests and weeds infesting the Victorian landscapes and waterways.

The four community pest management groups that received funding are the Victorian Rabbit Action Network, Victorian Blackberry Taskforce, Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party and Victorian Gorse Taskforce.

The cost of managing established weeds and pest animals for landowners across the state is estimated at $869 million each year.

Established weeds and pest animals damage our landscapes and waterways, cause substantial production losses, jeopardise international market access and damage culturally sensitive sites of First Nations people.

The Partnerships Against Pests program is aimed at expanding collaborative partnerships for the long-term management of established weeds and pest animals in Victoria. It focuses on reducing the impacts of established weeds and pests through local action to achieve sustainable, long term, whole-of-landscape changes.

Since its launch in 2023, the Partnerships Against Pests program has delivered grants totalling $690,000 for projects that support industry and community-led actions to target established pests and weeds.

This second round of funding will be used for projects that build capacity, raise awareness and encourage active management of established invasive species across the state.

The Victorian Gorse Taskforce and Victorian Serrated Tussock Working Party will use their $85,000 grant to establish communities of practice with members across Victoria.

Members will develop expertise in weed identification and best-practice management so they can then act as ambassadors in their own communities.

The Partnerships Against Pests program is funded through the government’s Backing Victoria’s Producers initiative, which will deliver $5 million over four years to support community-led action to manage established weeds and pest animals in Victoria.

For more information visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity.

Dr Jeff Cave, Agriculture Victoria Senior Veterinary Officer

With a little new growth of pasture and the various supplementary feeds that could be given, you could ask – why is it also necessary to feed roughage?

Livestock needs to eat more roughage in cold weather to give them energy for heat production, keeping them warm since the fermentation and breakdown of cellulose creates heat energy.

If livestock don’t get enough roughage in the colder months, they will drop condition quickly as they use body fat to create energy for warmth. Feeding out late in the afternoon will provide ‘heat’ through the night.

There are many more reasons for livestock’s need for roughage during winter, including:

• even though some roughage may be left uneaten, for digestive function 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 the pasture to establish and develop
• hungry cattle need to be prevented from gorging themselves onto pastures that may have potential to cause nitrate poisoning or bloat
• if feeding grain or pellets with too little roughage, acidosis or grain poisoning can occur
• as we move further into winter, hay may be needed to reduce grass tetany risks and allows a way of administering Causmag.

For further information please contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria animal health or extension staff, or in NSW your Local Land Services.

With current seasonal conditions green feed may be limiting and assessing the value of pasture can be difficult.

Find out how to measure your Feed on Offer (FOO).

Use the FOO assessment guide and the AWI FOO library to help you estimate and assess what you have on offer.

More resources to assist in assessing pastures are available on Agriculture Victoria’s Feeding Livestock website.

Many producers are facing a challenging winter ahead. Our short ‘How to’ video series is a great resource for key considerations when feeding livestock.

The series covers how to:

• calculate what to feed
• costing out your feeds
• how much to feed
• estimating animal performance.

The calculations in the videos are easy to follow and can be adapted to a range of feeding scenarios for cattle and sheep.

Visit the Feeding Livestock website to watch the series.

Every farm and property are different, and each requires a unique on-farm biosecurity plan.

This online module is designed to provide you with information to understand the importance of biosecurity and how you can apply key biosecurity principles to your farm.

Complete the course and discover further modules here

An on-farm biosecurity plan is essential to help prevent, eliminate and minimise biosecurity risks on a farm.

Dr Hannah Manning from Agriculture Victoria explains that an on-farm biosecurity plan contains practical steps to prevent the introduction and spread of pests, diseases, weeds, and contaminants.

Ben Pickles, a rare sheep and chicken breeder, also talks through his process of creating a biosecurity plan that suits his unique farm and livestock.

Listen via the AgVic website

Commencing on 2 August 2024, Healthy Landscapes will again be running its successful Holistic Grazing Management course.

The course is designed with six meeting days over nine months to assist land managers in improving their skills and knowledge about grazing livestock, to increase soil health and perennial pasture species, including native species.

The Healthy Landscapes program is delivered as a partnership between Macedon Ranges Shire Council, Hepburn Shire Council, Mount Alexander Shire Council, the City of Greater Bendigo, A Healthy Coliban Catchment project (North Central Catchment Management Authority and Coliban Water), Melbourne Water and the Upper Campaspe Landcare Network. Places are available to rate payers from City of Greater Bendigo, Hepburn, Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander.

For more information and to register, visit Healthy Landscapes.

The Rural Financial Counselling Service provides a free and confidential financial counselling service to eligible farmers and small related enterprises who are experiencing, or at risk of, financial hardship.

They can help you to access available support, analyse your business situation, negotiate with lenders and develop strategies to improve your financial position. To find your closest service visit rfcsnetwork.com.au or call 1300 771 741.

CFF is a free program designed for our ‘next generation farm managers’ and facilitated by Pinion Advisory.

Participants learn from mentors, experts and peers to gain confidence in decision making and how to develop the financial, business and people management skills for running a farm business.

The program consists of face-to-face workshops (including farm visits), online webinars and individual coaching sessions.

If you missed our recent Zoom webinar on the ‘Cultivating Futures in Farming’ (CFF) mentor program you can catch up here.

Passcode: Bupcq7

Registrations for the 2024-25 program close Wednesday 7 August.

Visit the Cultivating Futures in Farming page on the Agriculture Victoria website to learn more and apply.

New members have been appointed to the second term of the Victorian Agriculture Climate Change Council to help the Victorian agriculture sector prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change.

The new and returning members reflect a broad cross-section of expertise and networks across Victoria’s diverse farming communities, supply chains and academia intersecting with climate change issues.

Members include:

• Fiona Conroy – Sheep and cattle producer with experience carbon-neutral farming practices.
• Professor Richard Eckard – Globally recognised climate scientist focusing on emissions reduction in the agriculture sector.
• Gillian Hayman – Dairy industry leader with experience in natural resource management, agriculture extension, and facilitation and engagement activities
• Jack Holden – Sustainability and dairy supply chain professional with extensive networks across industry in Australia and New Zealand
• Luke Hooke – Sustainability manager with knowledge of Victorian farming systems, their linkages to global markets, and supply networks.
• Catherine Jenkins – Farmer, consultant and regional leader experienced in working with farm businesses to manage risks and mitigate impacts of climate change.
• Professor Lauren Rickards – Inter-disciplinary academic focusing on climate adaptation and the social complexities of managing climate change in agriculture and rural communities.

Experienced rural, agricultural and community leader Alexandra Gartmann will continue as the Council Chair. She will be joined by Mark Wootton AO, a leading beef and wool farmer experienced in carbon neutral farming at Jigsaw Farms, who will continue in the role as Deputy Chair.

‘I’m honoured to continue this critical work with new and reappointed members to the council,’ Ms Gartmann said.

‘Victoria’s agricultural sector continues to grow its engagement with the challenges and opportunities that climate change presents.’

‘I look forward to working with the council to advise on how we can further strengthen the agricultural sector's capability and capacity to mitigate the risks and execute on the opportunities,’ Ms Gartmann added.

The council provides independent, expert and strategic advice to the Minister for Agriculture about the challenges and opportunities facing the Victorian agriculture sector due to climate change.

Members bring valuable industry perspectives and will continue to help government work in partnership with industry to deliver meaningful and collaborative action on climate change for agriculture.

For more information about the council visit the Victorian Agriculture Climate Change Council.

Choosing the best feed this winter

When choosing the best feed to purchase for sheep or cattle, there are a few things to take into account – especially when feeding over winter.

Read the full media release here.

Repeat offender pleads guilty to aggravated cruelty to livestock

At Kerang Magistrates’ Court, farmer Bruce Cook pleaded guilty to 3 charges of aggravated cruelty and one of breaching an adjourned undertaking imposed in 2021.

Read the full media release here.

Details about Agriculture Victoria events can now be found in one spot on our website.

Visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/events to find out what's on.

The GSSA conference at Bendigo on 17-18 July will offer something for everyone.

The central theme will focus on ‘Evidence Based Decision Making’ and the topics have been built around what farmers need to know.

Delegates will be able to choose from 2 bus tours.

One to a property north of Bendigo integrating lucerne into a profitable livestock system and one to a higher rainfall perennial pasture property south of Bendigo.

Topics will include:

• Carbon - An informed farmers perspective
• Carbon neutral livestock production - is it possible?
• Soil carbon and fertility
• Measuring and knowing your soil carbon levels
• Old clover identification and sub optimal clover nodulation
• Paddock livestock weighing
• What bugs you?
• Use of drones in agriculture
• Facial livestock recognition
• Remote pasture measurement
• Running lambs on improved varieties of perennial ryegrass vs more persistent Victorian ryegrass - animal responses above yield responses
• N efficiency and endophytes in ryegrass pastures
• Introduction to fertiliser calculator tool.

Click here for more information – 2024 GSSA Annual Conference

The upcoming Irrigation Insights Conference, scheduled for Wednesday, 24 July, and Thursday, 25 July, at the Rich River Golf Club in Moama.

The conference is a collaboration between dairy, grains and cotton with the aim of providing information for profitable and sustainable farm business. Our program features sessions covering the latest research, technological advancements, and sustainable practices.

Conference highlights:

• Exploring marketing and consumer trends - Ron Storey, Storey Marketing
• New technology in weed control - Michael Walsh, Gulbali Institute for Agriculture, Water and Environment, Charles Sturt University
• Latest advances in nitrogen fertiliser - Helen Suter School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne.
• Over the gate - practices and innovation driving on farm productivity Panel - hear what other farmers are implementing to ensure productive sustainable businesses into the future.
• Grain, forage and fodder - mitigating risk of summer crop options (cotton, maize, sorghum) - Kieran O’Keefe Regional Extension Officer, CottonInfo and Yvette Williams, Research and Innovation Coordinator Murray Dairy
• Seeds of hope: The Aussie Hay Runners' Journey - Peter Wuthrich Aussie Hay Runners

The Gala Dinner on the evening of Wednesday 24 July, will commemorate our 25 years of the Irrigation Farmers Network achievements in RD&E. Featuring Renee Anderson, farmer and ag industry advocate as our special guest speaker.

For more information, please click here

Book tickets now 

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