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Great years greater decisions seminar series
After a few successful seasons, many farm businesses have money in the bank and are looking for ways to ‘splash the cash’. However, what is the best way to spend it, and avoid wasting your hard-earned dollars? To help you maximise this critical opportunity and invest in things that will build the long-term health of your enterprise, Meridian Agriculture’s team of experienced consultants has put together this special seminar series
When: Wednesday, 31 March
Where: Ballarat 6.30 – 9.00 pm
Cost: $50 (includes dinner and drinks)
For more information or to register please visit the Meridian Agriculture website
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How can genetics influence the future productivity of the sheep industry?
Genetic selection can play a powerful role within the sheep industry but how can it work best for you? Dr Mark Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer of NextGen Agri in New Zealand will present at this webinar on the power of the genes and how producers can capitalise on incorporating genetic selection in their enterprise.
When: Thursday, 15 April
Where: Online webinar
Time: 1:00 pm
Go online for more information or to register for the event.
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Farm Finances – Getting Prepared 2021 Webinar Series
The Young Farmer Business Network is running a new five-part express financial literacy course for beginners tackling farm finance, risk, and farm management planning. Coordinator Jane Foster from ORM the webinar series breaks down every aspect of farm finance focusing on a different topic in each session.
When: 8 April – 27 May
Where: Online webinar
Topics:
Registration for these events is required. For more information or assistance registering please contact Sarah Wallis on 0419 571 208 or email.
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You may notice a slight change to the format of the Newsflash newsletter. In a commitment to make our content accessible to everyone, the newsletter will be distributed with the full content in html format (what you are reading now). This means we will no longer use or link to a word or pdf version.
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| BWBL AND BETTERBEEF GROUPS TRANSITION BACK TO FACE TO FACE MEETINGS |
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Our BestWool/BestLamb (BWBL) and BetterBeef (BB) groups are transitioning back to face to face meetings after many months of meeting virtually. While there will be additional requirements to ensure all members and their communities remain safe, it will be fantastic for groups to meet on-farm again and see each other in person. We thank all the group members and their coordinators for their patience and support of the BWBL and BB programs over the last 12 months and look forward to once again showcasing what groups have been involved in, in the next edition of the Newsflash.
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| AWI CHANGE MAKERS EPISODE 5: JOINING TIME AND LENGTH |
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Time of joining will set out your whole reproductive schedule and determine when your ewes’ nutritional demands will peak. Join Nathan Scott as he outlines the considerations and impacts of joining time and length, with practical management tips deciding what will work for your operation #AWIChangeMakers Episode 5: Joining time and length.
For further information, go to www.wool.com/lambing or for courses to understand the ewe management impacts of joining time and length go to www.wool.com/ltem.
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| TWO AGRICULTURE RECOVERY EXTENSION OFFICER ROLES – GIPPSLAND AND UPPER MURRAY |
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Work with us! We are seeking a person with a strong agricultural background and local knowledge of the East Gippsland community and another in the Upper Murray to join our Agriculture Recovery Team.
If you want to make a difference for farmers impacted by bushfires in the region, this is the job for you.
We are seeking an Agricultural Recovery Extension Officer to help deliver the Local Economic Recovery (LER) - On Farm Recovery Support Services Project.
You will help to deliver technical information and activities including workshops, events, and one on one consultation/support to the local farming community.
Find out more at www.careers.vic.gov.au
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| THINK FARM SAFE, BE FARM SAFE |
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Kidsafe Victoria’s Farm Safety Creative Competition has returned for 2021 for all Victorian primary school aged children. Students from Prep to Year 6 across Victoria are encouraged to grab their coloured pencils, cameras, scissors, and glue and get creative around this year’s theme – ‘Think Farm Safe, Be Farm Safe’.
The competition provides students with the opportunity to learn about common injury hazards that exist in farm environments and strategies that can be put in place to help keep the whole family safe, whether visiting or living on a farm. With a range of entry options to choose from including posters, radio ads and collages, students will be able to showcase their creative talents whilst also taking an active role in investigating farm safety issues in a fun and engaging way. Competition entry is free and can be completed individually, in teams or as a whole class.
Not only are there fantastic prizes on offer for winning submissions in each age and entry category, the winning entries will also be featured in Kidsafe Victoria’s month-long social media awareness campaign targeting Victorian parents and carers with important farm safety information.
As part of the campaign, Kidsafe Victoria have developed a Teacher’s Pack and Parent’s Pack. The packs include competition details as well as farm safety learning sessions and resources to assist children to focus on farm safety in the classroom or at home.
Entries close on 5 November 2021. Visit the Kidsafe Victoria website to find out more details about the competition, how to enter and to download the competition packs.
This project is proudly supported by the Victorian Government through the Smarter, Safer Farms Program.
Agriculture Victoria is also working with WorkSafe Victoria - accidents happen on farms every day, but they don’t have to. Visit the WorkSafe Victoria website to find safety support for your farm
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BestWool/BestLamb is a partnership between Agriculture Victoria and Australian Wool Innovation Limited, which provides a network facilitating information exchange that enables producers to implement improvements in key aspects of their business.
Lyndon Kubeil, Senior Sheep Specialist, 0418 532 085, lyndon.kubeil@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Alison Desmond, Project Leader Sheep Industry Development, 0409 424 274, alison.desmond@agriculture.vic.gov.au
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The autumn/summer edition of SheepNotes newsletter is out this month and includes articles on:
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autumn/winter saving
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ryegrass and phalaris staggers
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digital tips
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underperforming animals in a paddock full of feed
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resources for assessing feed and animal requirements and more.
To subscribe to the SheepNotes newsletter visit the Agriculture Victoria website.
SheepNotes is funded from the Sheep and Goat Compensation Committee and BestWool/BestLamb.
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BetterBeef is an Agriculture Victoria coordinated producer and service provider network with a focus on increasing the profitability and sustainability of beef enterprises. It aims to grow and support a strong producer network featuring genuine partnerships with the private sector in co-design and delivery.
BETTERBEEF: GOOD PEOPLE - BETTER NETWORKS - BETTER PRACTICES
Darren Hickey, BetterBeef Project Leader
0457 609 140 darren.hickey@agriculture.vic.gov.au
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| TECHNOTE: PINK EYE IN BEEF CATTLE |
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Cathy Mulligan, Queenscliff
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Pink eye can be a serious health problem in cattle and reports suggest there have been many cases this summer. It is an important disease to watch out for as it can have production and welfare impacts across all ages of cattle. Pink eye can be highly contagious, especially in young cattle, and can significantly lower calf growth rates and can lead to blindness if left untreated.
Pink eye is predominantly a summer health issue, although it is occurring increasingly more often over winter periods due to the emergence of new strains of the bacterium that cause the disease. The bacterium normally associated with Pink eye is known as Moraxella bovis of which there are seven different strains. Time from exposure to clinical signs takes approximately two to three days. Outbreaks often occur in younger animals with more susceptible immune systems. Peak infection of a mob occurs roughly three to four weeks after the first cases and it is common for five to ten percent of animals in a mob to be infected. Up to 80 per cent of the mob can be affected in a bad season. After the initial infection cattle can develop immunity to the disease but remain carriers of the bacteria.
Pink eye is generally associated with factors such as flies, long dry grass, dust, ultraviolet light, and yarding. It presents as conjunctivitis and ulcerations of the cornea. Symptoms can include watery discharge from the eye, excessive blinking or holding the eye closed and swelling and redness of the third eyelid. As the disease progresses the eye will become white and cloudy and may ulcerate. Generally, animals recover within three to five weeks. In severe cases varying degrees of scarring may occur causing blindness or vision impairment.
Treatment for pink eye
Treatment will depend on how many cattle are affected and the severity of the infection. There are several different treatment options. Antibiotic eye ointment can be used to treat mild to moderate cases. It is important to check affected eyes for grass seeds before treating. An eye patch may be useful to reduce irritation and exposure to ultra-violet light.
Systemic antimicrobials can be effective to treat clinical cases. Antimicrobials are agents that kill microorganisms or halt their growth. They are usually injected and can have long withholding periods. Severe cases of pink eye should be inspected by a veterinarian. With high value animals it is possible to temporarily close the eyelid through surgery.
Vaccination may help prevent pink eye, there is a commercial vaccine available that is effective against three of the seven strains of Moraxella bovis, the effectiveness will depend upon the strain of bacterium that is causing pink eye in your herd.
A recent advancement in pinkeye management is autogenous vaccinations.An autogenous vaccine is made from the bacteria that have been isolated directly from your farm using special swabs. This means that the vaccine targets the actual bacteria which are causing disease in your animals. Swabs need to be taken before any treatment is implemented as antibiotics impact the ability to detect the bacteria.
Prevention and control of pink eye
Practices that can help limit the development and spread of pink eye within a beef herd include:
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Control flies by using insecticides that are registered for fly control in cattle.
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Avoid grazing calves on long pasture.
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Avoid yarding of cattle during summer months as much as is practically possible.
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Remove and isolate affected and treated animals from the mob.
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Provide cattle with shade if possible to reduce direct sunlight which can cause tearing of the eye. Flies carrying bacteria are also more likely to hang around watery eyes.
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Vaccination is available for one strain of the bacterium (Moraxella bovis) but will not be effective in all cases and should occur prior to a challenge period.
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Be vigilant and seek veterinary advice if the outbreak is severe or infection is not improving with treatment.
For further information regarding pink eye in beef cattle contact your local Agriculture Victoria district veterinarian or animal health officer or private veterinarian.
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| CROSS-BREEDING FOR PROFIT |
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The core issue with cross breeding is the ability to capture hybrid vigour to improve the performance of the next generation of cattle over and above the improvements expected with straight-bred programs. The benefits to growth performance are widely understood however one of the key profit drivers in a breeding operation, fertility, is often overlooked in a cross breeding program.
In this article in beefcentral.com by Genetics Editor Alistair Raynor, he highlights the potential benefits to herd fertility which can be achieved with a carefully selected cross breeding program. Alistair’s review of research in this field suggests that gains of 25 per cent or more in fertility, health and cow longevity are possible compared to the average of parent breeds.
To learn more read Alistair’s article in beefcentral.com. MLA’s More Beef From Pastures module 4 (Cattle Genetics) chapter 2 ‘Select a profitable breed or crossbreeding system to achieve genetic progress’ has some good information about cross breeding and explains the concept of hybrid vigour or heterosis.
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Value-based marketing of beef carcases and processor feedback to producers is a topic that often comes up in producer forums and conferences. A recently published paper1 in the CSIRO Animal Production Science journal reports on a study conducted at the Davies Livestock Research Centre, University of Adelaide.
The team were investigating the role of yield in the pricing of beef carcases by processors. Currently, prices paid to producers by processors are based on a grid that puts emphasis on weight and fat. Processor profit is driven by high-quality carcases which are those with higher meat yield and eating quality (EQ), where factors that drive EQ in a carcase are measured by the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) grading system.
The aim of the research was to calculate the value of carcasses and compare different types of pricing methods on how well they can distinguish between meat yield and eating quality. Their research concluded that current processor grids don’t provide the right price signals that encourage the production of high quality and most profitable carcasses (based on yield and EQ), and an actual measurement of yield is key to maximising the potential value of the carcase and this information needs to be fed back to producers in order to make production decisions that improve carcase quality and increase returns for producers as well as the processors.
For producers who want to be paid the real value of the carcasses they produce, that is, on quality as well as quantity, improved measurement of yield is needed. The paper makes an important point that continued development of technology and production systems that drive carcase quality and extract more of value from the carcase is reliant upon improved measurement of meat yield and EQ which also provides the all-important market signals back to the producer. The paper acknowledges the processors in Australia that have already started doing this and the benefits flowing o to producers who receive this information.
1 Pitchford,W.S., Trotta,C.M.,Hebart,M.L.,Miller,S.M.,Rutley,D.L. (2021) Yield measurement is valuable for pricing beef carcasses. Animal Production Science 61,287-293.
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The Summer Water Calculator is a simple and user-friendly livestock water calculator developed to assist farmers to estimate their livestock water requirements.
The new calculator complements the existing Farm Water Calculator tool which helps farmers calculate their total annual water usage, supply and to calculate if there is a likely deficit.
Features include
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no login required, mobile friendly
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calculates automatically
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you can select different dam shapes plus name dams and tanks
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accounts for batter slope and average summer evaporation rates
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delivers an estimate of useable water – you can allow for sludge
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help information available on every page
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export pdf summary of your current available water – print or email.
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| ONLINE LEARNING HELPS WITH ON-FARM DECISION MAKING |
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Three new online courses are providing Victorian farmers with information to help them better prepare and respond to dry seasonal conditions and other emergencies. The web-based courses were developed to address some of the key challenges facing farmers during difficult times.
Three topic areas - stock containment areas (SCAs), irrigation management and soils and groundcover - will be relevant to the grains, livestock, and irrigation industries across the state. Each course takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and includes interactive activities, links to key information and practical examples.
Access the Agriculture Victoria Learning Management System online at Agriculture Victoria, or the individual courses:
The new online learning modules complement existing information about managing resources in drought and bushfire recovery on the Agriculture Victoria website. For more information about dry seasonal conditions support or bushfire recovery call 136 186 or visit the Agriculture Victoria website.
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| LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION ASSURANCE (LPA) AUDITS AND NATIONAL VENDOR DECLARATIONS (NVDS) |
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Integrity Systems Company (ISC) manages and delivers the Australian red meat industry’s key on-farm assurance and traceability programs.
LPA Audits
ISC has made some changes with LPA Audits. Audits can now be conducted remotely, and producers may now be selected at random to participate in a remote audit rather than an on-farm audit. To find out more visit Integrity Systems.
LPA NVDs
The LPA NVD is a legal document aimed at providing a guarantee of the safety of red meat. One of the questions on the LPA NVD most commonly completed incorrectly is Question 3 which asks if the stock were bred or owned since birth. To find out more and ensure you are completing this question correctly visit Integrity Systems.
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| WE ARE SEEKING YOUR FEEDBACK |
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Agriculture Victoria is seeking feedback from fire affected farmers to help identify their needs and priorities for technical advice and information for recovery. We would appreciate you taking the time to complete this quick survey before Wednesday 31 March 2021.
Please use the link www.surveymonkey.com/r/AgNeeds or scan the QR code.
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| RECOVERY AFTER FIRE: PRACTICAL STEPS FOR FARMERS |
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An updated recovery guide is now available to help farmers rebuild and provide a one-stop reference to the support available. The guide includes steps to take immediately after the fire and for short-term recovery and longer-term rebuilding. It covers re-fencing, dealing with erosion and flooding, pasture recovery, pest and weed control and preparing for the next season.
The printed booklet is available from Agriculture Victoria, by contacting our Agriculture Recovery Managers (details noted below) or the Customer Services Centre on 136 186 or digital version online.
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| SUPPORTING LANDHOLDERS IMPACTED BY FIRES ACROSS VICTORIA |
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The Victorian and Commonwealth Governments are supporting landholders impacted by fires across Victoria.
For more information on bushfire recovery, visit the Agriculture Victoria website or contact:
Bushfire Recovery Victoria – 1800 560 760 vic.gov.au/bushfire-recovery-victoria
Regional Agricultural Victoria Recovery Managers:
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• North East – Kylie Macreadie on 0428 975 728
• Gippsland – Keren Walker on 0477 706 384
For more information on bushfire recovery, contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or see agriculture.vic.gov.au/farm-management/emergency-management/bushfires
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| FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS SUPPORT |
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Rural Financial Counselling Service
The Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) have an experienced team ready to assist primary producers and small rural business in recovery planning. Financial counsellors can help develop financial forecasts and business plans required for lenders or investors, plus connect with support agencies and services. RFCS provides free financial counselling to farmers and small related businesses who are in, or at risk of, financial hardship. They can also assist with filling in forms and grant applications. For more information or to book an appointment call RFCS Gippsland on 1300 045 747 or RFCS North East on 1300 834 775
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| REGIONAL WEATHER AND CLIMATE GUIDES |
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The Regional Weather and Climate Guides project is part of the Australian Government’s Drought Assistance Package. The project aims to improve the resilience of farming businesses by providing localised facts about the likelihood, severity, and duration of key weather variables in regions across the country.
The weather and climate information will be delivered through a set of guides corresponding to Australia's Natural Resource Management regions. The project is a collaboration between the Bureau of Meteorology, the CSIRO, and FarmLink Research. The guides have been developed in collaboration with representatives from each NRM region to ensure the information is tailored to the needs of local farmers and agribusinesses.
For more information visit the Bureau of Meteorology.
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| Feeding Livestock Website |
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For tools, calculators, resources and livestock feed planning guides, visit the website.
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| Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) wool market review |
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For weekly commentary on the wool market from AWI trade specialists, visit the website.
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| Market reports and prices |
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Meat and Livestock Australia’s (MLA's) market information service provides producers with accurate, timely and independent market information, allowing them to make profitable business decisions.
For the latest cattle market reports, visit the MLA website.
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| AWI podcast - The Yarn No. 167 |
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Taking a chance with wool and winning
Meet two young-ish people who years ago took a big chance with wool and have won.
Both woolgrowers, Allan Harris is also a breeder and Alister Carr a wool broker. They talk through why they did and why their successful businesses now look so bright.
Tune in weekly to gain insights into what AWI and Woolmark are doing across research and development and marketing.
Listen to The Yarn podcast.
Follow AWI on social media for the latest on sheep and wool.
@Facebook, @Twitter and @Instagram
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| The Fast Break Seasonal Climate Update |
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Visit Agriculture Victoria's website for the latest edition of The Fast Break - an update of seasonal climate drivers and outlooks.
The Fast Break 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.
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Visit Agriculture Victoria’s website for the latest information and resources relating to livestock and animals.
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Agriculture Victoria is delivering workshops, farm walks and information sessions online. Virtual events might include webinars, teleconferences or livestreams. Visit Agriculture Victoria events for a comprehensive list of upcoming activities.
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| Rural Financial Counselling Service |
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The RFCS provides free financial counselling to farmers and small related businesses who are in, or at risk of, financial hardship. Counsellors can also assist applicants to apply for the Farm Household Allowance (FHA).
For more information visit the RFCS or call the national toll free number on 1300 045 747 (select option four for Victoria).
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| National Centre for Farmer Health |
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The National Centre for Farmer Health (NCFH) provides health and safety education and advice to farmers and their families via the Online Ag Health program.
For more information visit the National Centre for Farmer Health or contact Cecilia Fitzgerald on (03) 5551 8533
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