Rural

Tongala delivers hay to Queensland farm

A B-double full of hay arrived at a cattle farm in the Western Downs town of Glenmorgan, Queensland, on Friday, November 22. The truck and trailer had travelled more than 1000 km from Tongala to the town of about 150 people, destined for the...

James Arbuthnott

Native grasses can improve soil health, says GBCMA

There’s no better time than now to identify the flowering native grasses in your paddocks and find out how they can improve soil health and productivity, according to Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority’s land health...

Rodney Woods

Irrigators sold down the river

Oh Damian, oh Damian — how could you? I refer to (Federal Member for Nicholls) Damian Drum’s plan to force the environmental water holder to sell water held in their name back to farmers. Damian, you support a corrupt 100 per cent carryover...

Rodney Woods

Walsh calls for more drought relief for farmers

Victorian Shadow Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh is calling on the Andrews Government to follow South Australia’s lead and provide more drought funding for struggling farmers. Mr Walsh accused the government of passing the buck on drought relief...

Rodney Woods

Dairy

Coles reimburses milk suppliers

Supermarket giant Coles has been forced to pay $5 million to a group of farmers after accusations it short-changed them on a scheme to provide drought relief.

Geoff Adams

Chinese company buys Lion dairy labels

The Chinese dairy heavyweight behind the $1.5 billion bid for organic infant formula maker Bellamy’s Australia has agreed to acquire another of Australia’s biggest dairy operations. China Mengniu Dairy will pay Japanese beverage giant Kirin...

Geoff Adams

Farmer Power cools the pressure on Bridget McKenzie for now

Farmer lobby group Farmer Power is giving Federal Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie “the benefit of the doubt” over issues the group had with the mandatory dairy code of conduct, after meeting with the minister recently. The group’s chief...

Rodney Woods

Odgers re-elected to DA board

Dairy Australia’s re-elected chairman of the board says the last financial year was a tough one and none tougher for the Murray Dairy region in northern Victoria and the southern Riverina. Jeff Odgers from Ardmona said persistent, very dry...

Geoff Adams

Australian Dairy Conference registrations now open

Registrations are now open for the 2020 Australian Dairy Conference. The culture of the dairy industry will take centre stage at the Melbourne event, including the impacts of cultural aspects at a broader level and in relation to on-farm...

Rodney Woods

Horticulture

Horticulture

New podcast for horticultural growers

A new resource designed to arm horticultural growers with everything they need to grow their business has been released by Hort Innovation. The podcast series, titled Growing Matters, is now freely available to download or stream through Apple...

Rodney Woods

Horticulture

Automation the future of packhouses

A report written by 2018 Nuffield scholar Olabisi Oladele from Orrvale examined the business decision-making around automation in packhouses. Dr Oladele is a technical manager at Geoffrey Thompson Holdings in Shepparton, an apple and pear...

Country News

Horticulture

Cobram trials to stop Queensland fruit fly

Two million sterile Queensland fruit flies will be released near Cobram in an attempt to manage pest populations. Goulburn Murray Valley Regional Fruit Fly co-ordinator Ross Abberfield said the release of sterile flies over Cobram was an innovative...

Country News

30 Nov 2019

Cropping

Cropping

SunRice slashes jobs

The Federal Government must develop a “bail-out package” for SunRice. That’s the message from NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton, following the announcement last week another 100 jobs would be lost from the Deniliquin and Leeton rice mills...

Zoe McMaugh

Cropping

Understand the effects of carryover herbicides

To help growers better understand the issues involved, the Grains Research and Development Corporation has produced a fact sheet: Rotational constraints for pulse crops following the use of aminopyralid, clopyralid and picloram herbicides

Rodney Woods

06 Nov 2019

Cropping

Winter crop shrinks

Australia is facing the prospect of a winter crop of just 27.7 million tonnes — the smallest since 2007-08 — as ongoing severe drought conditions continue to take their toll on many of the nation’s main cropping regions, according...

Geoff Adams

05 Nov 2019

Livestock

Red meat industry set to benefit from new pasture grass research

Australia’s red meat industry is set to benefit from new pasture grass research focused on increasing its production and profitability and helping to safeguard it in a changing climate. Agriculture Victoria research scientists have generated...

Rodney Woods

Pay-as-you-go rental system for farming equipment

Australian farmers have a new, affordable way to access farm equipment. Ag-tech pioneer Mark Peart, from Toowoomba in southern Queensland, has released a pay-as-you-go platform called AGFIN. AGFIN is a model for farmers nationally to rent devices...

Jamieson Salter

Lupin allowed into NSW to feed livestock

In a win for farmers, new biosecurity permits have opened lupin supply lines to feed livestock in drought-affected NSW. NSW DPI plant product integrity and standards manager Janine O’Donnell said access to new sources of lupin would help ease the...

Rodney Woods

03 Dec 2019

Beware of nitrate poising, southern Riverina farmer says

A southern Riverina farmer is putting the warning out to other farmers about the risks of nitrate poisoning. The farmer, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he lost 130 of his breeding cattle herd overnight in late February after they had grazed on...

Rodney Woods

03 Dec 2019

Water

Water

Water for Fodder program opens

Farmers in the southern Murray-Darling Basin can apply to purchase water at a discounted rate from 10am today. Eligible farmers can buy up to two 50Ml parcels at $100 per megalitre and Federal Water and Drought Minister David Littleproud said the...

Rodney Woods

11 Dec 2019

Water

NVIC criticise VFF’s leadership

The VFF has launched a 10-point plan to help restore the balance between irrigated agriculture and the environment in the Murray-Darling Basin. VFF Water Council chair Richard Anderson said the new 10-point plan provided solutions to major problems...

Rodney Woods

11 Dec 2019

Water

MPs call for CEWH to release water for irrigators

Federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum plans to break from party policy with a proposal to shift water from the environment to productive agriculture.

Rodney Woods

Management

Efficiencies key to running two farms

Jeanette Severs Ashley and Lisa Mezenberg, from Denison, operate two farms, milking 600 cows; a self-replacing, predominantly Friesian-cross herd, with infusions of Normande, Aussie Red and Brown Swiss. The herd produces 3.7 million litres annually...

Dairy News

3 hours ago

Perfecting time for work and play

Jeanette Severs Milking once-a-day meets production targets, minimises risk and creates an enjoyable work-life balance for David and Narelle Macalister, of Orbost. It has also kept them in the dairy industry. This is the fifth season of milking...

Dairy News

Robotic dairy brings entire family on board

Jeanette Severs Installing an automatic milking (robotic) system on their farm is good business for a multi-generation dairy family at Buln Buln. The investment has proven efficient for workflow, as well as good value if the family unexpectedly...

Dairy News

12 Dec 2019

Robotic technology embedded in farm’s future

TASMANIA’S DORNAUF Dairies has successfully transitioned its Gala Farm to the latest generation of voluntary milking technology following the installation of eight DeLaval VMS V300 milking robots. Farm owners Nick and Rebekah Dornauf say the...

Dairy News

26 Nov 2019

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

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

12 Jul 2019

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

17 May 2019

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

17 May 2019

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

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

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

12 Jul 2019

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

14 Jun 2019

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

11 Oct 2019

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

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