In this edition

• Strike before the flies do
• Consider early weaning to save feed and water
• Use your dairy effluent now on silage regrowth
• Last edition of The Fast Break for 2024
• Watch managing climate risk video, with Dale Grey
• Regional Development Australia Chair positions are open for applications
• Where will you place your livestock during an emergency?
• Can emergency services access your property during a fire?
• Rural Financial Counselling Service
• Farm Business Resilience Program – successful farm people
• Video – New drainage for orchards video
• What's on

Dr Jeff Cave, Agriculture Victoria Senior Veterinary Officer

Flystrike costs the Australian sheep industry approximately $173 million annually, due to lost production, treatment costs and deaths. Reducing the risk of flystrike has immense benefits to the health and wellbeing of the sheep and productivity.

The major fly responsible for flystrike in sheep is the green blowfly, Lucilia cuprina. Lucilia cuprina is thought to be responsible for 90% of flystrike cases.

Lucilia cuprina begins to become active when temperatures are above 15oC and is most active when temperatures are between 26 - 36oC. It prefers calm conditions. Each female fly can have up to 300 viable offspring and, with a 21-day life cycle, when conditions are optimal, fly numbers can increase rapidly.

The fly has a small flight range, so most of the flies you see are probably produced on your own property. The fly is attracted to odour and moisture, so the risk of flystrike increases when there is regular, consistent rainfall that keeps the sheep’s skin moist.

The sheep most susceptible to flystrike are those with breech wrinkles, long wool, dags, urine stain, fleece rot, dermatitis and/or wounds. Plus, sheep that have been previously fly-struck have a relatively higher likelihood of being re-struck.

The prevention of flystrike requires an integrated plan and include the following:

• selection of sheep and marking of lambs to produce a flock with a relatively low susceptibility to flystrike
• shearing and crutching timed before the peak flystrike risk period
• correct use of preventative chemicals timed to give protection during the peak flystrike risk period
• worm control and dietary management to help reduce the prevalence of dags
• selection of relatively open, windy, dry paddocks
• removal of infective material and carcasses that may attract flies.

As conditions become more favourable to flystrike, sheep should be monitored more regularly for flystrike.

If a fly-struck sheep is found, the affected area should be immediately treated by clipping close to the skin, dressed to prevent a re-strike, and the sheep should be moved to a hospital paddock to reduce the risk to the rest of the flock.  Any maggots should be collected and killed to help reduce the build-up of fly numbers.

For further advice please contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer, or in NSW your Local Land Services, or visit websites flyboss.com.au/ and wool.com/sheep/welfare/breech-flystrike/.

Dr Hannah Manning, Agriculture Victoria Livestock Industry Development Officer 

Feed and water shortages are likely as we move into summer, so consider weaning your beef calves early to save on requirements.

Early weaning can help your cows maintain condition and fertility while setting up the calves to receive the nutrition they need to thrive.

Lactating cows require a large amount of energy. It’s more efficient to convert feed directly into the calf weight than milk for a cow and calf unit.

Providing the appropriate diet to a mob of dry cows and weaned calves, rather than cows with calves at foot, can significantly reduce feeding costs.

Cows making milk need up to 100 litres of water a day and those not feeding a calf require less. Although calves will drink more once weaned, the savings come from reducing the cow's requirements.

Weaning early also allows the farmer to complete a stocktake and sell or cull non-productive or aged animals.

In most cases, calves should be weaned at around 120 kg, as they will be easier to feed. The younger the weaning age of the calf, the higher its energy and protein requirements are.

Setting your calves up to succeed is very important, so exposing them to post-weaning supplements while they are still on the cow is recommended.

Post-weaning supplements should be introduced to calves slowly via creep-feeding and vaccinating two weeks before weaning to protect against clostridial diseases.

Avoid combining stressful procedures like castration and dehorning with early weaning.

Weaners can be difficult to manage at times, so we recommend getting their nutrition and supervision spot-on to allow the calves to thrive.

Further information about weaning beef cattle can be found on our website.

For more information about dry seasonal conditions and drought support visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/dryseasons or call 136 186.

Rachael Campbell, Agriculture Victoria Dairy Industry Development Officer

As we move from late spring to summer, dairy effluent can be applied to areas with some green leaf still present after cutting for silage. This will help to promote valuable pasture regrowth for an extra grazing and replace lost nutrients.

Dairy effluent contains many important nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. An effluent test is the best way to determine the most appropriate application rate for your farm as nutrient levels vary between farms.

Total potassium per application should be no more than 60 kg potassium per hectare and no more than 120 kg potassium per hectare per year.

Total nitrogen application should be no more than 60-80 kg nitrogen per hectare. Heavier applications increase the risk of nitrate poisoning, mineral imbalances and losses to the environment.

If a chemical analysis isn’t available, a rule of thumb is to apply liquid effluent at a rate of 1 megalitre per 4 hectares, where there is no likelihood of runoff from the property.

Restrict cattle grazing for at least 21 days after the application of effluent as this withholding period will overcome any palatability or fouling issues, reduce the risk of pathogens and allow time for the plants to respond to the nutrients.

Sludge will also need to be removed from your first pond every so often, depending on the design. This can be applied to paddocks about to be cultivated for a crop or sprayed thinly on pasture at similar times to the effluent.

Vacuum tankers and can be useful for this purpose. Withholding periods tend to be longer for sludge applications than liquid effluent, and these paddocks shouldn’t be grazed until the grass has grown through the sludge layer.

Continue to conduct regular soil testing over the longer term where effluent is applied, to monitor nutrient levels and soil health.

For more information about using dairy effluent click here or contact Rachael Campbell on rachael.campbell@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

The latest The Fast Break newsletter is now available.

This newsletter details oceanic and atmospheric climate driver activity over the last month and summarises three-month model predictions for the Pacific and Indian oceans, rainfall and temperature for Victoria.

To subscribe or to view the latest issue click here

‘As the season pans out, it’s important for farmers to be keeping up to date with seasonal forecasts.’

Watch the managing climate risk video with Dale Grey here

Dale Grey, our Seasonal Risk Agronomist, talks about managing climate risk over time and the importance for farmers to pre-plan to meet the challenges of a variable climate.

Find out more about our Farm Business Resilience Program here

Subscribe to The Break and The Very Fast Break for seasonal climate updates here

Regional Development Australia (RDA) is seeking highly-motivated leaders with vision, drive and strong ties to their region to volunteer to chair RDA committees across Victoria.

Applications have opened for RDA Committee Chair positions in Grampians, Hume, Loddon Mallee and Melbourne.

The RDA Committee Chair has overall responsibility for setting strategic direction and ensuring that objectives and outcomes of their RDA Committee are achieved.

The chair has a hands-on role and is active in facilitating economic development opportunities for the region.

Applications are sought from business and community leaders who have a proven track record of achieving meaningful outcomes in a complex environment.

Women, First Nations Australians, people from diverse cultural backgrounds, and people with disability are encouraged to apply.

Successful applicants will commence in their role from 1 April 2025.

Applications close Monday 23 December, 5 pm.

Visit the RDA website for further information and an application pack.

It’s crucial to have a refuge area/paddock or stock containment area ready for your livestock during emergencies, with adequate feed and water for their safety.

Use the Fire Preparedness Toolkit and web resources to start planning for stock containment areas, emergency feeding and water budgeting – available here

Will emergency services know where to come in the event of a fire? 

As part of your fire season planning, make sure roadside numbers are visible, vegetation around gates, culverts and bridges have been cleared, and gates are wide enough and easy to open. 

Check out the tips and templates for developing your farm fire preparedness plan in the Farm Fire Preparedness Toolkit. 

Download a copy here.

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 click here or call 1300 771 741.

‘A good team that works together in good times and in bad is just invaluable.’

Agriculture Victoria’s Helen Chenoweth and Hannah Manning, and farmer Georgia Buckholz talk about the importance of developing people skills and successfully handling succession, to improve farming businesses for the long term.

Watch the video here.

Find out more about our Farm Business Resilience Program here. 

Check out the new drainage for orchards and vineyards video by Fruit Growers Victoria (FGV). 

Funded by the Australian and Victorian governments, it is a great resource and addition to the existing training videos on the FGV website.

FGV training videos - Fruit Growers Victoria

Business Victoria – Business Group Flood Recovery Grant – provided through Australian Government funding.

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

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

DATE: Tuesday, 10 December

TIME: 12 - 1 pm

REGISTER ONLINE HERE

Join Agriculture Victoria for an introduction to the Primary Production and Processing Standards for Berries, Leafy Vegetables and Melons.

The standards set the minimum requirements for food safety and will come into effect for these industries on 12 February, 2025.

• Learn about the key microbial food safety risks in primary production and processing in horticulture
• Gain an understanding of what is required to comply with the standards, including specific requirements for each industry, how Global Food Safety Initiative schemes will be recognised, and indicative costs
• Find out where to access useful information and resources for fresh produce food safety best practice.

You are invited to join us as we unpack how to utilise carcase information using the MLA myFeedback tool.

Date: Wednesday, 18 December
Time: 1 – 2 pm
Where: Online via Zoom.

myFeedback is an industry-first single source data program, combining the benefits of carcase and eating quality data with animal disease and defect insights in one place, enabling more accurate benchmarking of carcase performance.

Lachlan Jeffers, Meat Standards Australia, will take producers on a tour of the myFeedback program, demonstrate how the program functions and work through analysing and interpreting feedback data for both beef and sheep.

The program is designed to help producers make data-driven on-farm decisions to improve the quality and health of their livestock, in line with market requirements.

To register please click the link here

If you would like more information or experience difficulties registering, please contact Alison Desmond at Agriculture Victoria on 0409 424 274 or alison.desmond@agriculture.vic.gov.au

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