News Services expand Northern Victoria and southern NSW are set to benefit from an expansion to agriculture technology services provider Precision Agriculture. Country News 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
News Farmer signs up for leadership program Strathmerton dairy farmer Greg Brooks has signed up for the year-long Fairley Leadership Program and hopes it will enable him to better understand his community. Country News 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
News Help track numbers A call is going out for people to get involved in a citizen science project to keep track of platypus numbers in rivers across the Goulburn Broken catchment. Country News 13 Feb 2019 13 Feb 2019
News Benalla branch to shut Westpac bank branches in Benalla and Kangaroo Flat are set to close their doors, along with 20 other branches around the country. Country News 13 Feb 2019 13 Feb 2019
Working Dogs Three get job done on rabbits What are their personalities like? Country News 13 Feb 2019 13 Feb 2019
News Helping young dairy people further their skills A DAIRY cattle show will be run by the Gippsland Dairy Youth Group in March. The Gippsland Dairy Youth Group was founded in 1999 for young people to share in their knowledge, skill and love for the dairy industry with a particular emphasis on dairy... Dairy News 5 hours ago 5 hours ago
News Outrage over animal rights map FARMERS HAVE been left fuming after an animal-rights-run website published the locations and details of more than 5700 Australian farms. The map, created by Aussie Farms, has been slammed by the federal and state governments and farmer groups who... Dairy News 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
News Grants boost drought infrastructure NEARLY 200 dairy farmers are among more than 1600 Victorian farm businesses that have applied for On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Support Grants since October 2018. The grants, which are still open, provide eligible individual farm businesses up to... Dairy News 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
News Unity for plan talks A three-day meeting of local government leaders from across the Murray-Darling Basin has seen a historic demonstration of unity and commitment according to the Murray-Darling Association. Country News 14 Feb 2019 14 Feb 2019
News Scholarship eases pressure Cohuna student Sharna Hagendoorn has been announced as one of seven successful tertiary scholarship recipients from the Gardiner Dairy Foundation. Country News 14 Feb 2019 14 Feb 2019
Horticulture Dual processing capability The first A1 or conventional milk was processed at the Girgarre ACM factory last week with organic milk, milk powder, cream and butter set to follow in the coming months. Rodney Woods 14 Feb 2019 14 Feb 2019
Horticulture A fruitful message Florina Pre-school and Daycare children enjoyed learning about paddock-to-plate last week, with a visit to Prima Fresh Orchards in Tatura. Country News 12 Feb 2019 12 Feb 2019
Horticulture Fruit family is embracing industry changes It was a tip from a mate that led Edward Turnbull to a tiny corner of northern Victoria in 1892. Country News 24 Jan 2019 24 Jan 2019
Cropping Video fights pest Home gardeners are being encouraged to learn more about how they can help keep Queensland fruit fly under control. Country News 14 Feb 2019 14 Feb 2019
Cropping Create pathways Farming is all about the management of five key elements — land, water, equipment, capital and people. Country News 13 Feb 2019 13 Feb 2019
Cropping Growers get help The unique challenges faced by irrigated grain growers in Australia’s southern and northern cropping regions are to be addressed through a new suite of investments by the Grains Research and Development Corporation. Country News 29 Jan 2019 29 Jan 2019
Livestock Sale action subdued A polled cow out of a ‘‘very good imported cow family from overseas’’ topped the Fountaindale Farms Complete Dispersal Sale on Friday. Country News 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
Livestock Smart tech in Merino study A world-first study is trialling smart technology to monitor behaviour, physiological and epigenetic changes in Merino sheep production. Country News 13 Feb 2019 13 Feb 2019
Livestock New lamb definition on cards Australia may be ushering in a new definition of the term lamb next financial year, with ‘‘substantial progress’’ made in recent months to amend state and federal legislation. Country News 12 Feb 2019 12 Feb 2019
Livestock Drought takes its toll on national beef herd Australia’s national beef cattle herd is expected to fall to its lowest level since the mid-1990s, as ongoing dry conditions persist across many key cattle production areas. Country News 08 Feb 2019 08 Feb 2019
Water Tapping our water expertise Key irrigation technology perfected and manufactured in Shepparton could soon be on its way to Morocco to further modernise the North African country’s irrigation systems. Alana Christensen 21 hours ago 21 hours ago
Water Water security is vital Ardmona’s Dr Sally Plunkett is a cider maker with expertise in many fields, and for the past 13 years she has been perfecting the brew for her craft label Snakes and Ladders with apples from the Plunkett family orchard. Country News 23 hours ago 23 hours ago
Water PM urges calm in plan debate Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged state and federal politicians not to ‘‘blow up’’ the consensus on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, as governments weigh the scathing findings of a royal commission. Country News 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
Management Making the most of the season in South Australia THE SOARING temperature was the only sign of summer at the Tweddle farm in late December. The milking herd of 255 registered Holsteins was grazing ample green perennial rye-grass and clover and Angela Tweddle said they had only turned their centre... Dairy News 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
Management Sharefarming their way to make dream a reality HONNIE WALLER and Aaron Bradshaw are working to achieve their own dairy farm. After a few years working as a farm hand, Mr Bradshaw has spent the past four years running a business as a sharefarmer at Heyfield, with his partner, Ms Waller. “I was... Jeanette Severs 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
Management Irrigation options investigated AUBREY PELLETT and Jacqui Morrison of Hill End, in west Gippsland focus on autumn calving to make the most of their pasture and production system. In the past year Mr Pellett has investigated opportunities for irrigating pasture — the subsequent... Jeanette Severs 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
Management Dry times demand coping strategies THE BLACKSHAW partnership has invested as much as it can in safeguarding its dairy business against drought. Those decisions are paying off, offering drought-proofing options as the Blackshaws begin farming in their third year of drought, at Romawi... Jeanette Severs 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
From the Experts March reminders Hay and silage stocks Check your levels of hay and silage and do your sums on potential hay and silage use for the balance of the year. Allow for milking cows, dry cows and young stock. It’s often a challenge to feed the best feed you can and make... Dairy News 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
From the Experts New tech helps manage cows A NEW cow ‘fit bit’ is making it easier to diagnose sick cows and influence management decisions around fertility and performance. Cow Manager uses a small ear tag to monitor and record cow activity, temperature, eating, rumination and resting... Dairy News 14 Jan 2019 14 Jan 2019
From the Experts Broad range of seminar topics Eight seminars will be held at International Dairy Week, covering topics from improving efficiency to heat tolerance. Held at the Ballantyne Centre at Tatura Park, the seminars will run over three days with presenters from across the industry... Dairy News 10 Jan 2019 10 Jan 2019
Markets Indonesia — a growing market opportunity for Australian exporters? INDONESIA IS the fourth most populous country in the world and one of the fastest growing economies in southeast Asia. It is also a country of increasing importance and interest among South-East major dairy exporters. While some suggest Indonesi... Sofia Omstedt 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
Markets Don’t forget global markets WITH MANY eyes focused on the current feed shortage in Australia and resultant surge in feed costs, global markets have taken something of a back seat. Apart from helpful depreciation of the Australian dollar, there hasn’t been much to jolt our... John Droppert 13 Dec 2018 13 Dec 2018
Markets That was the year that was IT’S THAT time of the year when we look back — sometimes in anger — at the journey of the past 12 months. This time last year we had a different prime minister, the Federal Government was still opposing the Banking Royal Commission, the... Jo Bills 13 Dec 2018 13 Dec 2018
Machinery & Products Technology and simple solutions hit the mark TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES to answer the increasingly complex questions posed by agriculture today, but for Tim Slater, who has been around the industry his whole life, it’s the simple solutions, often devised with the least resources, that still... Dairy News 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
Machinery & Products I don’t need a compact tracked loader, do you? With the new year well and truly upon us, the festivities and possible excess of the Christmas period are a fast-receding memory. So too, are the bold ambitions associated with new year’s resolutions. Paying down debt, simplifying the operation... John Droppert 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
Machinery & Products Drivers urged to be careful LOOK OUT. Slow down. Take care. These are the three messages farmers are asking all motorists to observe when travelling country roads as part of the ‘Common Roads, Common Sense’ campaign. This new road safety initiative was developed by the... Dairy News 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
Machinery & Products Wrapping up a hypothetical silage venture I’D BE willing to wager that every machinery enthusiast has their share of ‘aspirational’ purchases. The machines that you don’t strictly need, but with whose hypothetical selection and applications you preoccupy your spare time. I have... John Droppert 13 Dec 2018 13 Dec 2018
Animal Health Managing the risk of mastitis in hot weather TWO RECENT discussions were a reminder of how hot weather can significantly influence the risk of mastitis in dairy herds. The first was a farm which uses a mechanical teat scrubber as part of the pre-milking routine to clean teats prior to cups on... Rod Dyson 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
Animal Health Shining a spotlight on facial eczema FACIAL ECZEMA (FE) can significantly affect dairy cattle productivity, health and welfare through animal deaths, reduced weight gain, reduced milk yield and reproductive performance. While FE is mainly seen in east Gippsland, it has also been... Gemma Chuck 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
Animal Health Fonterra to sell NZ livestock division FONTERRA NEW Zealand has announced it will sell the Farm Source livestock division to Carrfields Livestock — an established livestock agency provider. Fonterra Farm Source stores director Richard Allen, said the decision to sell was made in the... Dairy News 15 Feb 2019 15 Feb 2019
Animal Health Keep cows cool this summer CLIMATE CHANGE is leading to warmer Australian summers with an increased number of hot days and warmer nights. This increases the risk of heat stress, leading to adverse effects on herd health and farm profitability. Effects of heat stress Reduced... Gemma Chuck 13 Dec 2018 13 Dec 2018
