Thursday 18 September 2025

Drought support available for south west farmers

Farmers can access financial assistance and support today to help manage during drought.  

Our website provides information on available supports, including financial counselling, mental health and wellbeing services, and links to other organisations that can help.  

You’ll also find practical tools, resources and information to help you plan and manage your feed, water and livestock needs.  

Plus, find out about upcoming events in your region and online or by calling 136 186. 

Possible causes and the management of downer cows 

Dr Jeff Cave, Agriculture Victoria Senior Veterinary Officer 

As we enter the spring calving season, you may find a downer cow in your herd, there are several potential causes of this. The correct diagnosis and treatment of the condition could help save your time and money and protect your cow’s welfare. 

Physical injuries 

Calving paralysis is usually, but not always, associated with heifers and a difficult calving. 

During calving, a cow’s nerve, known as the obturator nerve, may be crushed between her pelvis and the calf.  A cow with calving paralysis will appear bright and alert but have no control over one or both hind legs.  

The only treatment is time and careful nursing; anti-inflammatory drugs may help if used early.  Calving paralysis needs to be distinguished from injuries such as dislocated hips and back injuries. Such injuries can occur in any aged animal, often after an accident, such as a slip.  

A cow with these injuries will also be bright and alert and usually eat and drink normally.  A veterinarian should be called to assess these animals. 

Metabolic diseases 

Metabolic diseases can be distinguished from physical injuries by the presence of other clinical signs. 

Milk fever is often seen in older, high-producing, fatter cows. A cow with milk fever will show fine muscle tremors, staggering and weakness. 

Grass tetany is seen during times of stress, such as bad weather, on short grass-dominated pastures. An affected cow will become aggressive, excited, go down and paddle and convulse violently.  Both milk fever and grass tetany should be treated urgently with 4-in-1. 

Pregnancy toxaemia or acetonemia is an energy deficiency problem seen in cows whose diet is deficient in energy. Behavioural signs will be seen before the cow goes down. Cases may indicate a dietary deficiency affecting the entire herd. 

Toxaemia (blood poisoning) 

Mastitis, metritis or any other generalised infection causes toxaemia or blood poisoning.  

A cow with toxaemia will appear depressed, with a dry nose and sunken eyes.  It is important to check the udders of downer cows for mastitis and the uterus for tears or severe infections. 

Care of the downer cow 

Prompt treatment with appropriate veterinary drugs and good nursing are the keys to successfully treating a downer cow.  The first step is to determine why the cow is down and treat it accordingly.  

Cows should only be nursed if they have a realistic chance of recovery. Otherwise, they should be humanely destroyed. 

When nursing a downer cow, move her to a dry, sheltered shed and provide her with comfortable, dry, soft bedding on a non-slip surface. Sit her on her chest, position her correctly, and roll her from side to side at least twice a day. Provide her with feed and water.  

Use hip clamps for only a few minutes to help her get on her feet. 

For further advice, please contact your local veterinarian, Agriculture Victoria Veterinary or Animal Health Officer.

Startups secure funding for circular farming solutions

The Victorian Government is helping agricultural startups find smarter, more sustainable ways to farm – making the industry safer, cutting down on waste, and protecting the environment.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence recently announced that 2 innovative Victorian AgTech startups – WoolGrow Australia and CForge – have each been awarded $35,000 to help bring their circular agriculture solutions to market, following their impressive performances in the CivVic Labs Circular Agriculture Challenge.

Delivered by LaunchVic, Victoria’s startup agency and supported by Agriculture Victoria, 10 startups took part in a 6-week intensive workshop, receiving $15,000 in equity-free funding, expert mentorship, and tailored guidance to refine their ideas and deliver practical outcomes.

Safe Food Victoria: Help shape the future of food safety

The Victorian Government is cutting red tape and making it easier to get fresh food to Victorian families with a new food safety regulator.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas recently announced the new, stronger regulator, Safe Food Victoria – designed to better protect public health and continue to give communities confidence in the safety of their food.

Victorians are now encouraged to have their say on the role of the new body, with the feedback to help shape its focus and priorities, including how they currently interact with other regulators and councils, and how the new regulator should operate.

Blowflies buzz off!

With rain and warmer temperatures heading into spring, sheep producers will need to keep flystrike prevention front of mind.

Agriculture Victoria Livestock Extension Officer Brittany Price said producers should plan ahead to implement flystrike prevention and control programs to assist in managing the disease.

FlyBoss is a free website resource that provides producers with specific tools for flystrike control.

Ms Price said these controls include shearing or crutching, breech modification, selective breeding, dag management, and preventative chemical treatment.

‘The FlyBoss website allows producers to compare their current management system with an alternative system taking into account their location.

‘This can help inform decision making in relation to the dates of shearing and crutching, and preventative treatment application.

‘During high-risk periods producers must inspect their stock regularly to identify and treat any fly struck sheep.’

Flystrike in sheep can show up as restlessness, loss of appetite, a strong smell, and visible maggots in the wool.

The following treatment method is recommended for fly struck sheep:

• shear struck wool and a 5 cm barrier of clean wool around the strike close to the skin to remove maggots
• collect the maggot-infested wool into a maggot-proof (plastic) bag and leave the bag in the sun for a couple of days to kill all maggots
• apply a registered flystrike dressing to the shorn area to prevent re-strike
• remove struck sheep from the mob and place in an isolation paddock and monitor (stuck sheep attract more blowflies)
• cull struck sheep from breeding programs.

Ms Price said if treatment is not a viable option, humane euthanasia must be carried out.

‘As with all veterinary treatments, it is essential to observe the withholding period and keep accurate records of any treatments administered.’

For further information on the management and treatment of flystrike please visit: www.flyboss.com.au

To find information about available drought support visit  www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.

Did you miss our hay and grain webinar recently? Here is the recording

Don’t despair if you missed our hay or grain webinar this week with Agriculture Victoria’s agronomists Dale Grey, Dale Boyd and Darryl Pearl, plus Greg Toomey from Nutrien Ag Solutions. 

• Listen to the webinar recording here http://bit.ly/464utW0 Please use the passcode hayorgrain 

Information about available drought supports can be found at www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or by calling 136 186.

Save the date for Wimmera Pulse Field Day showcase

Farmers, agronomists and industry are warmly invited to the annual Wimmera Pulse Field Day on Wednesday 22 October at Kewell hosted by Agriculture Victoria in partnership with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

Horsham SmartFarm research agronomist Ash Wallace said the annual field day is an industry networking opportunity not to be missed.

‘Come and see our trials in lentil, field pea, chickpea and faba bean, and hear the latest in pulse research and emerging pulse protein market opportunities,’ Ash said.

‘Growers will be excited to see new large-seeded lentil variety releases from the National Lentil Breeding Program and Grains Innovation Australia and learn how to manage problem weeds in pulse crops.’

‘You’ll also get fresh updates on sowing times, faba bean and lentil nutrition and agronomy know-how to support pulse performance and profitability.'

The program features updates from industry experts including the Agriculture Victoria crop pathology team and Jason Brand, a pulse agronomist from Frontier Farming Systems.

Birchip Cropping Group’s trial manager Kelly Angel and Faba Bean Australia’s breeder, Sam Catt will also be present to share National Variety Trials results. Seed distributors, marketing and export experts will be on hand for current market information.

The free event starts at 9 am and will conclude at 1 pm with complimentary pulse-based morning tea and barbecue lunch available.

Location: 500m north of the intersection at Dimboola-Minyip Road and Keenan’s Road, Kewell. Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kbFsH4o8kKVaPbVx6 

Learn more at www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/events

What's On

Details about these events and more can be found on our website.

Virtual drought smokos with Dr Jillian Kelly

Date and time: Tuesday 23 September from 9-10 am

FREE AND ONLINE

Drought smokos are an hour a fortnight to get away from the paddock and catch up with a group of farmers who are all in the same boat!

We will talk about the science of feeding, how much, which commodities, pros and cons, cost, different options, trigger points and planning.

Dr Jillian Kelly is a vet and nutritionist from Coonamble, in north-west NSW. She ran drought smokos every fortnight through the 2018–20 drought and it made a difference to hundreds of farmers and thousands of livestock.

While you don't get to taste her scones, you do get to learn all that she knows about feeding livestock in tough conditions, and to enjoy an hour of mateship away from the feed cart.

Managing soil acidity: Cost effective lime strategies - Skipton

Date and time: Wednesday 24 September from 9:45 am -12.30 pm 

Where: Skipton Golf Bowling Club, 26 Rokewood Skipton Rd, Skipton

Producers and industry stakeholders are invited to join us for a practical and informative workshop.

Liming isn’t cheap—but it’s essential for protecting your soil asset and getting the most out of your pastures.  This hands-on workshop tackles the most common questions: How much lime should I apply? How often?

You’ll walk away with practical strategies tailored to your farm, backed by the latest tools including the LimeAssist calculator and LimeAssistor webpage. 

Whether you're refining your current approach or starting fresh, this session will give you the confidence to make informed, cost-effective liming decisions.

For more information contact Lisa Miller from SFS on 488 600 226 or email 

Spring webinar series webinar 1 - Silage Success

We are hosting a lunchtime webinar series. The series will cover key topics including silage, hay and pasture recovery. Join us for one webinar or attend them all.

Date: Wednesday 24 September

Time: 12:30-1:30 pm via Zoom 

Frank Mickan is a celebrated expert in fodder and pasture conservation, sharing valuable tips and techniques for producing top-quality silage that boosts farm productivity. 

Grains biosecurity awareness – spring 2025 webinar series

As harvest time approaches, growers are looking ahead to the challenges that could affect this year’s crops. While the weather is outside your control, biosecurity is one area where you can take practical steps to protect your farm and your business.

Plant Health Australia (PHA), the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and Grain Producers Australia (GPA) have partnered to deliver a new webinar series focused on biosecurity in the grains industry.

The first webinar in the series, Grains biosecurity awareness – spring 2025, will run from 9 - 10 am on Tuesday, 30 September.

Bouncing Back from Dry Times

When: Wednesday 1 October from 8:30 am - 3 pm
Cost: Free one-day event (morning tea and lunch provided)
Venue: Hamilton Showgrounds, Shakespeare St, Hamilton

Program

8:30am - 8:45am Arrival and Registration
8:45am - 9:00am Introduction - Johnny Gardner (SALRC Western Victorian Regional Chair)
9 am - 9:45am Strategies for underperforming pastures - Lisa Miller (SFS)
9:45am - 10:15am Livestock Market Insights - Angus Brown (Mecardo)
10:15am - 10:30am Group session: Reflecting on Drought - Lessons learned for future responses
10:30am - 11:00am Morning Tea
11 am - 12:00pm Knowing your numbers, benchmarking - Sandy McEachern (Aggregate Consulting)
12 pm - 1:00pm Lunch
1 pm - 2:00pm Strategies for bouncing back from dry times - Nigel Kerin (Kerin Ag)
2 pm - 3:00pm Speaker Panel Session (Q&A)
3 pm Forum Close

Hamilton - Farm Safety Day

Farm safe and strong - Practical tips for improving safety on the land

Date and time: Friday 3 October from 9 am - 1:30 pm

Location: Agriculture Victoria Hamilton SmartFarm, 915 Napier Road, Hamilton

Join WorkSafe for a hands-on event dedicated to improving safety and well-being in agriculture – and especially during challenging times. Through expert-led demonstrations and practical advice, attendees will learn safer methods for cattle handling including loading and unloading cattle, preventing Q fever and needle stick injuries.

Whether you’re managing or working on a family farm or a large property, or you are a student in agriculture, this event offers valuable insights and tools to protect your livelihood, your team, and yourself. Come away informed, connected and better equipped for a safer future on the land.

Protection from farm theft webinar 

Join co-founder of AgCloud Grant Sutton, a representative from Victoria Police Farm Crime Liaison Group and AgVic Grains Industry Officer Darryl Pearl for a timely webinar on how AgTech and strong biosecurity protocols can protect your farm assets.  

 The webinar will cover:   

• farm theft trends, Victoria Police   
• physical security solutions, Grant Sutton  
• biosecurity and safety, Darryl Pearl  
• question and answer session.   

Whether you're looking to make informed decisions or future-proof your farm operations, this session offers practical insights and tools to support your journey in protecting what matters.   

When: Tuesday, 7 October from 12 – 1 pm  

Click here to register or contact Darryl Pearl on 0417 432 711 or email. 

 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join the webinar.  The session will be recorded for those who register but are unable to attend.  

Take a Well-Being Break workshop for women farmers and service providers – Camperdown

Date and time: Wednesday 8 October from 10:30 am - 2:30 pm.

Where: Camperdown Golf Club, Saddlers Road, Camperdown 

Carrying the mental load. Being the emotional support blanket for the family. Juggling farm work, business pressures and home life. Doing all the things, all the time! It’s no wonder your energy can run low, your head feels full and you find yourself running on empty.

The Take a Well-Being Break workshop is your chance to pause, recharge and get back to thriving – both on and off the farm.

Your facilitator, Cynthia Mahoney, is an agricultural scientist and an experienced leadership coach who has worked extensively with farmers and agricultural teams across Australia. She’ll share proven strategies, grounded in brain science, to help you lift wellbeing, protect relationships and achieve more without adding extra hours to your day.

Farm business health check - Nareen Hall

Date and time: Wednesday 8 October from 8:30 - 11 am

Where: Nareen Hall

RSVP: Sardie on 0478 053 943.

Join us for a free breakfast and hear from guest speaker Neville Brady.  Neville will speak about improving team (family) performance by reducing conflict.  You will get a farm business health check, looking at gaps between actual and ideal structures.

Contacting Agriculture Victoria

Call 136 186 from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call (except for mobiles and public telephones).

If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, contact us through the National Relay Service at 133 677 or visit the National Relay Service.

All contact points can be found at: agriculture.vic.gov.au/about-us/contact-us

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