Rural

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Rural News

News

Slithery alert

With the weather warming up, snakes are becoming more active and a lot more visible.

Country News
Working Dogs

Eager pup is a good student

What are their names and how old are they?

Country News
News

Drought brings roo trouble for Riverina

Paul Norris steers his four-wheel drive into the darkened scrub and points a spotlight at a kangaroo standing up in the grass 100m away.

Country News
News

Plan to ease shortfall

Federal Nationals leader Michael McCormack is hopeful a new regime to bring foreign farm workers into Australia will be in place before summer.

Country News
News

Cancer worry watered down

Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has doused claims the world’s most popular weedkiller is unsafe, calling for calm after health concerns sprouted.

Country News

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Dairy

News

Farmers form new dairy co-op

Australia’s latest dairy co-op — Eureka Dairy — has been approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer commission and is looking for suppliers. ACCC approval gives it the legal governance required to operate. Interim director, Steve...

Sophie Baldwin
News

Still at the top of his game

BERNIE MCMANUS has no plans to retire from dairy farming in the near future, despite his advancing age. The spritely 71-year-old still gets up every day to milk his 130-cow dairy herd at Bamawm with his wife Carol. He has also just signed a new...

Dairy News
Dairy

Leslie is Jersey judge

A familiar face at International Dairy Week is set to take on a new role, with Brian Leslie announced as the Jersey cattle judge for next year’s event.

Country News
Dairy

Fonterra lifts farm gate milk price by 13c

Fonterra Australia has announced an increase of 13¢/kg of milk solids to its farm gate milk price for the 2018-19 season, bringing its average price to $5.98/kg MS.

Country News
News

Major milk research looking deeper

A FIVE year, $11 million research project in New Zealand will investigate milk properties of different animals in a bid to produce new high value milk products. Led by Professor Warren McNabb, of New Zealand’s Riddet Institute, the project will...

Dairy News

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Horticulture

Horticulture

Testing new technology

High tech sensors, laser scanners and thermal imaging technology are set to call a number of Tatura orchards home, as the Victorian Government’s $12million Internet of Things (IoT) trials move a step closer to getting under way.

Country News
Horticulture

New plan to fill harvest jobs

Jobseekers are being urged under a new Morrison Government scheme to take up work on farms or face losing their welfare payments for up to a month.

Country News
Horticulture

Funding for hort plan

The Victorian Government announced $5million for the Horticulture Development Plan at Tatura last week.

Country News

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Cropping

Cropping

Crop centre opens

A new world-leading crop research centre in South Australia will boost prosperity for farmers, according to Australian Grain Technologies.

Country News
Cropping

All clear for heavy loads

VicRoads is supporting farmers during the harvest season by allowing larger loads on approved heavy vehicles under the Grain Harvest Management Scheme

Country News
Cropping

Record keeping is vital

Grain growers who this year cut moisture-stressed and frost-affected crops for hay and silage are advised to record their crop management strategies and the outcomes for benchmarking purposes.

Country News

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Livestock

Livestock

Sheep auction to raise funds

Sheep producers will be able to contribute to the annual fundraiser for the Royal Children’s Hospital at Shepparton Regional Saleyards this Friday.

Country News
Livestock

New manager for saleyards

Shepparton Regional Saleyards will have a new manager from the start of next year but the rest of the staff are set to stay on.

Rodney Woods
Livestock

Angus stud to shut its gates

After 25 years in the business, Witherswood Angus owners John and Joan Woodruff will close the gates for the last time early next year, saying goodbye to their Taminick stud and its legacy.

Alana Christensen
Livestock

Saleyard cash plan

The third stage of the Euroa Saleyards redevelopment could be completed under a future Coalition government, the National Party has promised.

Country News

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Water

Water

Contribution allows more extensive works

When the irrigation channel supplying Paul and Lenore Mundy’s property was slated for modernisation as part of Goulburn-Murray Water’s Connections project, they knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to upgrade their farm and improve productivity.

Country News
Water

Water use under microscope

As the region battles dry conditions, water prices rise and the battle for water becomes fiercer, concerns are growing regarding what a prolonged drought would mean for the water market.

Country News
Water

Change in water leadership

A sudden change in Southern Riverina Irrigators leadership has seen Barooga farmer Chris Brooks appointed the new chair of the group after Gabrielle Coupland did not stand for re-election.

Country News

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Management

Management

Farm’s focus is on saving water

NEIL GANNON’S dairy farm has been owned by his family for 140 years but the times are definitely changing. Mr Gannon and his wife, Keryn, currently milk 500 cows on 267 ha at Tinamba in Gippsland. They recently signed up to be a GippsDairy Focus...

Stephen Cooke
Management

Hay quality ‘a mixed bag’

CROPPING FARMERS are battling through a tough season, with many crops in northern Victoria and southern NSW having to be cut for hay. That’s the verdict from WB Hunter field services manager Graeme Talarico, based in northern Victoria, who said...

Dairy News
Management

Managing a fodder shortage

HIGH DEMAND and successive years of low production has created a fodder supply shortage across Australia’s dairying regions, causing headaches for farmers sourcing feed. When pasture is limited and supplies of fodder, or more precisely long fibre...

Dairy News
Management

Sustainability not just planting trees

SUSTAINABILITY IS not just about shelter belts and planting trees, it’s about the financial stability of your business, according to Yandoit dairy farmer Robert Morrison. Mr Morrison, his wife Belinda and their son, Nick, won the Natural Resource...

Stephen Cooke

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From The Experts

From the Experts

Bringing new pastures on line

GETTING YOUR grazing rotation right is critical to maximise your pasture production. A well-managed rotation will help not only to boost pasture intake per cow but enable a more effective use of supplements. Establishing a rotation with newly sown...

Dairy News
From the Experts

Genetics may ease heat stress

THE MODERN dairy cow is highly susceptible to the effects of heat and in the Australian climate, the effects of heat stress cause millions of dollars in lost production every year. Temperature and humidity that exceed certain thresholds lead to...

Dairy News
From the Experts

Five tips for growing better maize

FutureDairy’s Yani Garcia says management has a big impact on the profitability of a high input crop such as maize. “A profitable maize crop is achieved by optimising both yield and nutritive value,” Professor Garcia said. “Very high...

Dairy News

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Markets

Markets

China cops more tariffs

The Trump administration has applied a 10 per cent tariff to $200 billion of Chinese imports from September 24. RaboResearch dairy analyst Emma Higgins said President Trump has also threated this tariff could be lifted to 25 per cent by the end of...

Dairy News
Markets

South America starts to stir

SOUTH AMERICA, with its abundant natural resources, is an oft-cited land of opportunity for agricultural production, including dairy. However, volatile climatic and political conditions, together with widespread infrastructure challenges and...

John Droppert
Markets

Freedom investment flagged

THE SHEPPARTON UHT dairy factory of Freedom Foods will become the cornerstore of the company’s dairy push with $70 million earmarked for investment at the site during the next 12 months. The company is planning to boost its milk throughput on the...

Geoff Adams

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Machinery & Products

Machinery & Products

Rotary dairies a cheap, efficient option

ROTARY DAIRIES remain a cost-effective and low-maintenance option for dairy farmers, according to Steve Allenby from Allenby Engineering, Camperdown. Allenby Engineering built its first rotary dairy — 40 units — in 1988. Mr Allenby believes it...

Dairy News
Machinery & Products

Should it be this hard?

SIMPLE THINGS please simple minds — or so the saying goes. That probably explains (at least partly) my decision to purchase a Chinese wheel loader. Simplicity was a major selling point. After all, who needs a 35 point suspension with 243 moving...

John Droppert
Machinery & Products

Round baler for knockout rounds

WITH AGCO buying the grassland division of Lely in 2017, it was always a sure bet that Massey Ferguson would introduce a new round baler baler range, that took the best from the Welger stable, but also build on MF long history of such products. The...

Dairy News
Machinery & Products

Mahindra adds extra power

MAHINDRA HAS unveiled its new 3650 PST tractor with PowerShuttle, which is now available in Australia. Mahindra says the new model has highly responsive hydrostatic steering, making getting in and out of confined areas easier. The tier IV...

Dairy News

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Animal Health

Animal Health

Udder health costs dairy $150 m each year

MORE THAN $150 million is lost to Australian dairy farmers each year through poor udder health. Mastitis is the major cause of this loss as it reduces milk yield and leads to poor quality milk. The investigation of mastitis does not rely on the...

Gemma Chuck
Animal Health

An assumption is just an assumption

WE REGULARLY find that our milking time and farm visits are quite illuminating. Not only do they allow us to demonstrate and reinforce procedures that have been discussed both at training courses and on the farm, they also allow us to see firsthand...

Rod Dyson
Animal Health

Teat vs tube feeders?

CALVES LEFT to suckle the dam for colostrum intake are at a greater risk of low antibody absorption and increased morbidity and mortality. Research has shown that dairy calves should be actively fed good quality colostrum as soon as possible after...

Gemma Chuck
Animal Health

“Just the person I wanted to talk to”

COFFEE AND a slice on a Saturday morning is a bit of ritual for us these days, and my coffee had just arrived when John entered the café. I have never been to John’s farm, but I had met him a few times over the years at various industry seminars...

Rod Dyson