What's On
Upcoming events

What's New
NLIS workshops back on the road
Open call for producer demonstration sites - now open
Young Farmer Scholarships open for applications
 

BestWool/BestLamb
BWBL group profile: This HAT fits every farmer
MerinoLink annual conference & field day

BetterBeef
Technote: are you worried about livestock theft?
Breedplan EBVs - the 200 day milk EBV
Researchers need your help - welfare benchmarking for pasture-based beef cattle
Fodder beet - can it fill and autumn feed gap?
 

Beef and Sheep News
Autumn/winter management tips
Can you help the industry maintain access to antibiotics?
Gearing up the next generation: National Centre for Farmer Health takes farm safety to Victorian teens

Ag Recovery
Recovery After Fire: Practical Steps for Farmers
Supporting landholders impacted by fires across Victoria
Financial and business support
Regional weather and climate guides

Quick Links
Links to Feeding Livestock website, AWI, MLA, The Fast Break, Rural Financial Counselling Service and more

See all event information.

[Back to Top]

After 12 months of online webinars the Agriculture Victoria Meat and Wool team are very excited to be back on the road from April to June delivering NLIS database practical workshops in regional Victoria for managers of cattle, sheep and goats.

These workshops are an opportunity to learn about the Victorian traceability system and your responsibilities as a livestock manager. During the workshop we will discuss:

• how the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) and electronic NLIS tags work
• how to apply for and update your Property Identification Code (PIC)
• how to complete your National Vendor Declarations (NVDs) 
• and, give you the hands-on opportunity to practice transferring NLIS devices between properties using our training database.

To find out more or express interest in attending please contact our Technical Specialist Sheep EID Kirstie Anderson on email or mobile 0437 990 967.

Workshops will be advertised on the Agriculture Victoria events webpage and you can register at Eventbrite

[Back to Top]

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) wishes to advise that the 2021–22 MLA Producer Demonstration Site Open Call is now open and closes Wednesday 12 May 2021.

MLA’s Producer Demonstration Sites (PDS) program aims to increase the rate of adoption of key management practices and technologies that improve business profitability, productivity and sustainability. This is achieved through supporting livestock producers working in peer-to-peer groups to pursue new skills, knowledge and management practices applicable to their own commercial livestock production systems.

The Terms of Reference (and other supporting documents) detailing priorities for Northern Australia (NABRC) and Southern Australia (SALRC & WALRC) document may be accessed by visiting www.mla.com.au/pds.

To submit a completed application, please ensure your submission:

• complies with the requirements in the Terms of Reference
• is prepared using the Preliminary Proposal Application template (Co-contributor or Levy application form), and
• is submitted electronically in Microsoft Word format to MLA at pds@mla.com.au; miracledog@bigpond.com; maria@agstarprojects.com.au by Wednesday 12 May 2021.

For further information, please contact:

• MLA Project Manager Producer Demonstration Sites – Hilary Connors hconnors@mla.com.au or 0427 467 608
• National PDS Coordinator – Russell Pattinson miracledog@bigpond.com or 0419 872 684
• National PDS Coordinator – Maria Thompson maria@agstarprojects.com.au or 0411 961 545.

[Back to Top]

On Tuesday 20 April the Minister for Agriculture, Mary-Anne Thomas announced the 2021 Upskill and Invest – Young Farmers Scholarships are open for applications.

You could receive up to $10,000! Each scholarship recipient is eligible to receive up to $5,000 for training and study (Upskill), followed by up to $5,000 to put their new skills into practice (Invest).

If you are aged 35 years or younger, and have at least two years' experience on-farm, you could be eligible to apply. To find out more visit vic.gov.au/youngfarmers.

The Government continues to support the next generation of farmers through a range of initiatives and provides opportunities for young people in agriculture to have their say, boost their skills and progress their careers.

The scholarship program builds on the commitments of the Agriculture Strategy to grow, modernise and promote the sector – helping to deliver the agriculture skills of the future and building on the Government's goal to grow Victoria's agriculture sector to $20 billion by 2030.

Since 2015, the Young Farmers Scholarship program has successfully supported 76 young farmers to develop their skills across a range of agriculture sectors.

Applications close at midnight on Sunday 6 June 2021.

[Back to Top]

In this month’s profile, we focus on the importance of health and mental well-being in all farming businesses. Learn more about The National Centre for Farmer Health’s new Farmer HAT tool, the involvement of the Apsley, Balmoral and Fiery Creek BWBL groups in the pilot program and how other BWBL groups can participate in this program.

Read the full profile online.

[Back to Top]

The merino industry from across Australia is invited to attend the conference with both in-person and remote attendance options available for the first time in 2021.This hybrid format provides flexibility to adapt the delivery format to an online event for some, or all, attendees if necessary.

The program outlines the conference which is scheduled for June 16 – 18 in Wagga Wagga NSW and incorporates a lead-in afternoon session and informal Meet & Greet dinner, a full day conference with accompanying trade displays, followed by a formal dinner, plus a field day across multiple locations.

Throughout the proceedings a mentoring program will introduce new, young industry members and provide them with conference mentors.

Registration for all sessions via Eventbrite.

[Back to Top]

John Bowman, Gippsland

The high value of cattle, sheep and goats experienced in recent months, has led to an increase in livestock theft, resulting in concern by livestock owners on how they can better protect their livestock. The following are a few tips that may help in the prevention of theft and in the recovery of stock if they have mysteriously disappeared.

Prevention is by far the better option than the difficult task of trying to recover stolen livestock.

General security is the best place to start with a heavy chain and paddocks on external gates and loading ramps, but just as importantly on the entry gate to the cattle yards, particularly if the yards are on a remote property. Also, think about your neighbour’s yards and speak to them about securing their yards. If your yards are locked, your cattle may be moved up the road to be loaded from another set of yards. If possible when constructing new yards, locate them in clear view of your house or a neighbour’s house.

Using chains and locks that have a webbing cover and protected lock (similar to chains used to secure motor bikes) will make it more difficult for a would-be thief to cut the lock or chain. Don’t leave stock in remote stockyards overnight as these animals may be a target for stock theft.

Regular checks and monitoring of livestock in remote paddocks, to check water, feed and the welfare of stock as well as detection of anything unusual will help to reduce stock losses.
Talking to your neighbours to discuss the need to be collectively vigilant in watching for unusual vehicles and strangers possibly casing the place out, and taking registration numbers of cars in the area, may also be helpful. Taking a photo of a strange vehicle on a back road or near cattle yards could be useful, or stopping and asking why the vehicle is parked there may be enough to deter a thief. 

Stock identification and recording of the number of stock in the paddock and taking time to regularly count stock will reassure you of your stock numbers but also alert you early if some are missing. It is surprising how many farmers do not know the number of stock in a paddock – keep written records of stock numbers and update the information regularly.

Identification of livestock with management ear tags and NLIS ear tags will aid in proving your ownership if there is a dispute about ownership should your animals stray onto another farm. The permanent identification of valuable breeding stock will help in identification and proof of ownership; an ear notch or trimmed brush on the tail of cattle is also a helpful aid to identification for the short term. For sheep an ear notch, NLIS electronic tag or a coloured stock marker symbol on the fleece can be a short-term identification method.

Taking a photo of the stock or a short video recording may help with the identification of your livestock and lead to their possible return.  Write down and record any suspicious activity and the date and time that it occurred.  Remote alarm systems that alert your mobile phone or remote motion activated cameras can also be installed, but need to be regularly maintained. 

The return of livestock once they are reported missing is more difficult and a lot of stock are never recovered.

Early detection of livestock that have disappeared will increase the chance of recovery, therefore check paddocks for open gates, broken chains, openings in fences and tyre tracks. Report any unusual or suspicious activities to the Rural Crime Prevention Liaison Officers within Victorian Police. Dial 000 to report urgent attendance or 131 444 if you suspect rural crime.

[Back to Top]

Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) are commonly shown in a sale catalogue and are available on breed society websites. How often do you consider the 200-day milk EBV in your selection?  Is this EBV considered in your breeding objective?

Weaning weight is one of the key drivers of profitability and efficiency in a cow-calf operation. While good management of livestock and pastures contributes greatly towards optimal weaning weights, genetics also plays a big role. EBVs can help identify the best breeders for your operation to ensure that you are getting the most out of the hard work and long days you put into managing your stock and pastures.

The 200-day milk EBV is one of the traits in the BREEDPLAN genetic evaluation for a breed and possibly one of the more overlooked traits. It sits alongside the 200-day growth EBV.  Since a calf begins its life totally reliant upon the quality and quantity of milk from its mother, it’s a wonder why the 200-day milk EBV doesn’t get more attention.

This article is the first in a series to unravel the mystery of the 200-day milk EBV.

Consider a herd of calves on their dam in the same paddock and all in good condition; no disease or injuries in the herd. The calves are from a few different sires. All cows/calves have access to the same feed resources and are being run under the same environmental and management conditions. At weaning, those calves are all weighed. As expected, there is variation in the weights of those calves. There are only two key reasons for the variation in the weight of the calves at weaning: (1) their genetic potential for growth which comes equally from the calf’s sire and dam, and (2) the direct effect of the dam’s maternal abilities, that is her milk production which she inherited from her sire and dam.  It is not the actual weights of the calves we are interested in here, it is the variation in these weights in a contemporary management group that is important in identifying the superior performers.

Because of these effects on the pre-weaning growth potential of calf, BREEDPLAN offers bull buyers two 200-day EBVs; one for growth and one for milk (maternal effect).

The 200-day milk EBV is measured in kilograms and describes the genetic component of a cow’s direct contribution, via milk production, to the pre-weaning growth of the calf.  For a bull, it describes the genetic component of his daughter’s direct contribution, via milk production, to the pre-weaning growth of their calves.

Please note, these 200-day EBVs are not estimating the actual weight of the calf at 200 days of age, or the actual milk production of the dam. They estimate the genetic component in the variation in the actual performance of a group of animals reared under a similar environment and management. Things like heritability of the trait affect the what the EBV looks like. It’s also important to remember that the actual EBV on its own is not much use unless you are using that EBV to compare the genetic merit of one animal to another such as in a sale catalogue, a breeding objective, a breed average or percentile tables.

Now consider two bulls as shown in the table below. Bull A has a 200-day milk EBV of +20kg and bull B has a 200-day milk EBV of +12kg.  Calves only get 50 per cent of the sire’s genes (and genetic merit) so we halve these EBVs – and remember that this trait is only expressed in a sire’s daughters, with the measurable effect only being seen in his daughter’s calves. This is one of those traits that skips a generation for measurable results. So, bull A passes on 10kg and bull B 6kg genetic contribution to milk production in their daughters. The difference between bull A and bull B’s daughter’s calves is 10-6 = 4kg for 200-day milk. So, what this means is that on average, bull A’s daughters have a 4 kg advantage over bull B’s daughters in the genetic contribution of milk production for the pre-weaning growth of their calves.

In theory (and this never happens in practice) if the 200-day growth EBVs of a herd of calves all reared under the same conditions were all identical, then the EBV is predicting that the actual 200-day (weaning) weight of the calves sired by daughters of bull A would be, on average, 4kg heavier than the calves of daughters sired by bull B, and this is all due to the higher genetic merit of bull A for milk production as expressed in his daughters.

Now you know more about what this EBV is, we need to look at the key considerations: why use this EBV, how to use the EBV, and when to use this EBV, when choosing sires for a breeding program. This will be covered in next month’s edition, so stay tuned!

Darren Hickey, Project Leader BetterBeef Network, Bairnsdale

[Back to Top]

The Meat Industry Strategic Plan 2020 identified animal welfare as the single biggest risk to maintaining market access in the next 10 years. To combat this, Meat & Livestock Australia, CSIRO and NSW Department of Primary Industries have set up a project to develop a science-based, producer-driven welfare benchmarking program for the beef industry. The program has been drafted through a combination of scientific research and industry consultation and is now ready to be tested on commercial farms.

Obtaining real-life experiences from producers using the program under commercial conditions is vital for shaping the welfare benchmarking program into an effective and valuable tool for industry. Producers will be instrumental in helping to determine which welfare measures make the final cut based on the ease of collecting accurate, useful data and their relevance to welfare. Producers will also be able to give feedback on what information the benchmarking reports should include to maximise the benefit to industry.

The research team is looking for 40 extensive beef producers from across Australia who may be interested in getting involved in this pioneering research. Producers will need to have at least 50 head of cattle to get involved. The team will need feedback from producers across a range of production systems to ensure the benchmarking program is a practical, effective and valuable tool for industry.

You can support industry research into animal welfare by getting involved in this project. Go online to find out more about the project, or contact project team member Jess Monk with any questions by email or phone 0407 935 965.

[Back to Top]

Since October a group of North East beef producers have been following the performance of two paddocks of fodder beet.  While the two sites both had lower than ideal germination rates, the yields from the two sites has been quite different.  Competition from weeds contributed to reduced yields at one site.  One of the impacts of low plant germination was that the crop had not achieved ‘canopy closure’ which furthered the opportunities for weeds.

The second site has achieved higher yields, in large part due to a more frequent irrigation schedule and a cleaner crop. In this case, the potential of fodder beet to provide large yields of high energy feed has been demonstrated. Measurements included a breakdown of the fodder beet crop into the percentage of green leafy top and the above and below ground portions of the bulb.  The Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) is supported by both Agriculture Victoria and MLA. 

For more details of the crop performance (including germination rates and yields), read the full article.

[Back to Top]

MLA’s seasonal hub has resources, tips and tools organised by season to make it easy to find relevant information to support your business decisions.

Visit the autumn hub for some useful and practical tips from a range of livestock consultants to assist your planning and decision making through autumn and winter.

[Back to Top]

As you know, resistance to antimicrobial drugs is a growing concern among human health professionals. The red meat industry uses very little antimicrobial medication in its production systems, and virtually all of the drugs used are not of concern in human medicine. However, we don’t have good data to back up this claim.

As a first step to addressing this issue, MLA has commissioned the development of an app that allows producers to analyse and monitor their antimicrobial usage. The app allows you to enter the products you have used, and the number of animals in your flock or herd, and it generates a report on your overall usage and whether any specific treatments may be of concern. This gives you the chance to speak to your vet about possible alternative products that might be considered instead.

MLA is looking for producers to trial the app. MLA is keen to know how useful the app is, and how easy it is to use, so that it can be improved.

The trial is not about checking up on your usage. Producers are encouraged to use their own data, so that the app is used as intended as far as possible, however, using dummy (made-up) data is also fine. Any data used will be kept confidential to the consultants and will be deleted at the end of the project.

If you would like to be part of helping the industry to defend its access to antimicrobials, please contact Scott Williams on 0413 059 190 or email.

[Back to Top]

Over 170 students have been introduced to important health and farm safety topics during the Gear Up for Ag Health & Safety Program currently being offered by the National Centre for Farmer Health to Victorian Secondary Schools and Agricultural Colleges. The students came from sheep/wool, beef/cattle, dairy, cropping, poultry, horses and horticultural enterprises. 

“Embedding health and safety awareness at an early age is critical to ensuring the health and wellbeing of future generations of farmers living and working in agriculture the industry’ Gear Up facilitator, Morna Semmens said.  “Risky behaviours can become normalised through our day to day habits.”

Teacher, Bel Kelleway from Casterton Secondary College, who contacted the National Centre for Farmer Health to organise a Gear Up program, said ‘It can be difficult to teach about the importance of health and safety within the normal school curriculum and the Gear Up program was a fun way for students to discuss serious health and farm safety issues that impact them.’

A total of thirteen schools have already applied to host a Gear Up program during 2021 with a further seven programs available for delivery.

Warracknabeal Secondary College also hosted a Gear Up program during first term. “The program provided an opportunity for students to reflect on their current safety practices and think about the inherent hazards that they’re exposed to,’ said careers teacher Nicole Stewart. “Understanding that these hazards are a risk and their impact, we hope will influence their decision making next time they are helping out on the farm,”.

The three-hour program covers safe quadbike and motorbike usage, respiratory protection, agrichemical exposure, eye and ear safety, zoonotic diseases (from cattle and sheep), heat related stress and skin protection and the importance of keeping healthy, both physically and mentally. 

“During the Gear Up program we discuss strategies that can be applied to minimise risk and demonstrate proper and correct usage of personal protection equipment when risk cannot be eliminated,” said Ms Semmens.  Students are engaged in the learning and are kept entertained with various demonstrations, interactive activities and the promise of a free kit of personal protective equipment at the end! 

The Gear Up program is funded by the Victorian Government’s Smarter, Safer Farms initiative to positively influence farm safety culture. 

When asked to reflect on the learning for the day, Charlotte (14) from Mansfield Secondary College said “I realised that safety is so important and that I will need to be more careful on the farm.”  Another student from Emmanuel College, Warrnambool commented “I learnt that I should be wearing hearing protection whenever I am exposed to sound above 85 decibels and for long periods of time.”

“We’re really pleased with the feedback received from the schools to date. The Gear Up program has been well received, applicable to the student’s studies and is contributing to ongoing discussions in the classroom,” said  National Centre for Farmer Health Business Development and Industry Engagement Manager, Cecilia Fitzgerald.  “We’re looking forward to having a look at the results from surveys conducted four weeks post-program to see how this program is positively influencing the safety culture of our next generation of farmers.” 

Interested in a Gear Up program? More information can be accessed on https://farmerhealth.org.au/gear-up-for-ag-health-safety or by contacting Cecilia Fitzgerald on 03 5551 8533 or email.

[Back to Top]

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.

[Back to Top]

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:

• • 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

[Back to Top]

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

[Back to Top]

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.

[Back to Top]

Visit Agriculture Victoria’s website for the latest information and resources relating to livestock and animals.

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.

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).

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

[Back to Top]