Rural

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Rural News

News

Girgarre Open Garden Festival

Campaspe Shire Council and Rushworth and District Community Bank will be running an open garden festival in Girgarre, where guests can view five spectacular gardens. The Sunday, October 27 event is part of a major fundraiser for the Girgarre...

Country News
Livestock

Owners pleased with ram sale result

Sammon Bros Majella Poll Dorset Flock Ram Sale received an average of $1140, selling 94 rams out of 101 on Friday, September 20 at Shepparton. The sale generated a good crowd with the top-priced ram purchased by Andrew Muller of Molyullah (south of...

Country News
News

Dairy body slammed for basin comments

A claim by a leading dairy lobby group that drought is responsible for high irrigation prices has created consternation anger and surprise among Victorian dairy farmers. Australian Dairy Farmers president Terry Richardson made the claim last week in...

Geoff Adams
Water

Katandra West farmer slams MDBA

Laurie and Gayle Clark have always gone quietly about the business of dairy farming on their Katandra West property.

Sophie Baldwin
Livestock

Vortex ram sale breaks records

Goorambat East stud, Vortex, offered 50 White Suffolk and 40 Charollais rams at an on-property sale on September 25.

Country News

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Dairy

Dairy

Tough competition at Shepparton Show

Young cattle wranglers from the age of nine were in the competition ring for junior handler competitions at Shepparton Show on Friday

Country News
Dairy

Rabobank forecasts further milk production drop in 2019-20

Australian milk production fell by 5.7 per cent, a loss of 530 million litres, in the 2018-19 season, according to Rabobank’s latest global Dairy Quarterly report.

Rodney Woods
Dairy

New Zealand dairy study tour applications close on October 14

The UDV is calling all young dairy leaders to apply for the 2020 Gardiner Dairy Foundation UDV New Zealand Study Tour before entries close later this month (October 14).

Rodney Woods
News

Nestlé to shut Vic factory

CHEAPER DAIRY imports have been blamed for the shock announcement of Nestlé Tongala’s closure in northern Victoria. The announcement the factory would wind down operations by late next year to mid-2021 took the town, once known as the centre for...

Dairy News
News

Farmers urged to give voice to inquiry

FARMERS CAN still make submissions to the Inquiry into Impact of Animal Rights Activism on Victorian agriculture, which began hearing verbal evidence at the first panel sittings, held at Bairnsdale on Tuesday, August 20 and at Warragul the following...

Jeanette Severs

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Horticulture

Horticulture

$10m to help combat pest

A further $10million has been invested into sterile fruit fly research as part of a three-year Hort Innovation-managed project.

Country News
Horticulture

Fruit growers praying for rain

After the difficulties that come with a hot season last year, fruit growers around the Goulburn Valley are set to be faced with a lack of water for the season ahead.

Rodney Woods
Horticulture

Sharing new research

A stonefruit research roadshow will be travelling to the region next month, with growers across the Goulburn-Murray region to hear about the latest Agriculture Victoria research.

Country News

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Cropping

Cropping

Cropping research and industry issues discussed at field day

Local research being conducted at the Riverine Research Centre at Yarrawonga and issues of importance to the industry were on the agenda at the recent Riverine Plains and FAR Australia Spring Field Day.

Rodney Woods
Cropping

Truck ownership fact sheet released

To own or not to own a truck? That is the question that grain growers often contemplate.While growers may be tempted to buy their own truck based on convenience, they are advised that any decision around purchasing a truck for transport of grain should consider a multitude of factors including economics, lifestyle and resourcing.

Rodney Woods
Cropping

Research day at Yarrawonga on September 24

Local research and important issues in the cropping industry will be discussed at the Riverine Plains and FAR Australia Spring Field Day.

Rodney Woods

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Livestock

Country News

Top ranked rams up for sale at Benalla Saleyards

The country’s highest ranked ram for lean meat yield and the highest ranked ram for number of lambs weaned will be up for sale at the Ivadene Poll Dorset ram sale.

Rodney Woods
Livestock

Showing against other studs helps improve Koole Vale, says owner

Comparing rams with other studs at shows is how owner Alan Harris continues to improve his stud, and his efforts will be on display as Costerfield’s Koole Vale approaches its 4th annual on-property ram sale.

Rodney Woods
Livestock

Heathmar Ram Sale

Murchison East stud Heathmar ram sale had a total clearance on September 26, selling 72 Poll Dorset studs at the Smith family business’ 17th annual sale.

Country News
Livestock

Agriculture Victoria offers calving tips

The occurrence of calving difficulty varies between seasons and properties.

Rodney Woods

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Water

Country News

Water floods NSW farm and forest

Water is breaking banks and flooding the property owned by Lee and Mal Hannan.

Olivia Duffey
Country News

New MDBA office to open in Mildura

Mildura is set to become home to the Inspector-General of Murray-Darling Basin Water Resources, with one of the two offices being set up in the city.

Geoff Adams
Water

Environmental water floods farm

While NSW irrigators are still waiting for a general security water allocation in a drought year, authorities are sending billions of litres of water into a Murray River forest to create an artificial flood.

Sophie Baldwin

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Management

Management

Efficiencies in scale as US producers expand operation

EVERYTHING LOOKED new. There were no marks on the walls and any manure which splashed on the milking machines was quickly pressure cleaned-off. The 80 Holsteins calmly chewing their cuds where spinning around on a shiny rotary platform. Above all...

Dairy News
Management

Secret to top quality milk is all-round approach

AFTER YEARS on the cusp of the dairy industry’s top prize for milk quality, Yarroweyah dairy farmer Chris and Nicole Hibberson have been announced the 2019 winner of Dairy Australia’s Milk Quality Awards. Maintaining a focus on mastitis...

Dairy News
Management

Mastitis prevention maintains winning quality

NSW DAIRY farmers James, Peter, Cheryl and Katrina Neal have just won their fifth consecutive milk quality award − staying up-to-date with best practice for mastitis prevention and treatment is keeping them at the top of their game. James believes...

Dairy News
Management

Business prize for Tongala farmer

TRANSITIONING HER farm’s milk pool to A2 has seen Tongala dairy farmer Bonita Koch awarded Rabobank’s annual Dr John Morris Business Development prize at a graduation dinner in Sydney in July. Mrs Koch participated in the bank’s Executive...

Dairy News

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From The Experts

From the Experts

ABV release prompts sire review

The August release of Australian Breeding Values (ABVs) and the upcoming joining season will have dairy farmers around the country thinking about the next best sires to use over their herds. While breeding enthusiasts will delve into great detail...

Dairy News
From the Experts

Sires’ success is proven

THE DESIRE by ABS to make better cows faster has never been more evident than in the August ABV proofs, delivering top sires in both the Holstein genomic rankings and sires with Australian milking daughters. The success of the ABS genomic program is...

Dairy News
From the Experts

Scientists expand genetic horizons

Australia’s geneticists are leading the world in expanding the horizons of genetic selection of dairy cattle. WHAT DO you achieve if you take a team of clever geneticists, give them state-of-the-art research facilities and supply them with...

Dairy News

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Markets

Markets

Australian milk production continues to slide, while global markets present opportunities

THE 2018–19 season will most certainly be remembered as an exceptionally challenging season for the Australian dairy industry. Universally high feed costs, record high temporary irrigation water costs and widespread dry seasonal conditions have...

Sofia Omstedt
Markets

Rain will be key to cow value lift: agents

There’s opportunity in current cow values for those who have feed, according to a cow leasing and agricultural finance company boss. This comes as livestock agents continue to report tough selling conditions, as farmers in northern Victoria battle...

Dairy News
Markets

Speculation mounts on farmgate milk prices

As farmers nervously await a definitive autumn break, speculation is concurrently intensifying around 2018–19 farmgate milk prices. Some processors have made early announcements, and more are likely to follow suit, as the battle to secure milk...

John Droppert

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Machinery & Products

Machinery & Products

Sneak peek of new tractor technology at AgQuip

VISITORS TO this year’s AgQuip Field Days from August 20 to 22 at Gunnedah enjoyed a sneak peek at the next generation in Case IH’s high-horsepower tractor technology. The new AFS Connect Magnum, powered by the company’s Advanced Farming...

Dairy News
Machinery & Products

New equipment for big square balers

CLAAS WILL introduce a number of new equipment options, including an integrated bale weighing system, and a high-end LED lighting and a pull-out knife drawer, for its Quadrant 5300, 5200 and 4200 big square balers. CLAAS Harvest Centre Echuca dealer...

Dairy News
Machinery & Products

Air drills integrate seeding technology

BUILDING ON the best features of the 1990CCS Air Seeder that has been the standard for small grains seeding for the last decade, John Deere has introduced the redesigned N500C Series Air Drills for 2019. These new air drills integrate the latest in...

Dairy News
Machinery & Products

New JD site

MACHINERY DEALERSHIP Haeusler’s reached a milestone on April 2 as the business held the opening of its new Shepparton location. Having moved further north of Shepparton at the end of last year, director Martin Haeusler said it was evident that...

Dairy News

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Animal Health

Animal Health

Know your fodder: feed testing facts

THIS SEASON there is the potential for a fodder supply shortage across Australia’s dairy regions. In times of low pasture supply, it is essential to carefully plan what the likely feed requirements will be for your herd and actively manage the...

Dairy News
Animal Health

Nutrition will aid heifer growth

WELL-GROWN HEIFERS are more likely to reach their full potential for milk production and recover their rearing costs earlier, therefore it is key to have a management plan for your heifers and not neglect them. The critical times for feeding young...

Dairy News
Animal Health

The rise and fall of antibiotics

PERHAPS ONE of the greatest medical breakthroughs of our age was the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Flemming in 1928. New antibiotics were rapidly discovered which revolutionised the means by which infectious diseases were treated. Common...

Gemma Chuck
Animal Health

Preventing lameness in your herd

LAMENESS IN cattle can occur at any time of the year but extremely wet conditions are associated with higher rates of lameness in dairy cows. This is because prolonged exposure to moisture causes the hoof to soften and increases the risk of...

Gemma Chuck