News

Organic market beckons for Tasmanian dairy farmers

TASMANIAN DAIRY farmers will be able to access a growing global organic market following a deal with processor Australian Consolidated Milk. The signing of organic dairy farmers to expand ACM’s organic milk supply is the first step by the company...

Dairy News
News

Farmers say no to code

“NO MANDATORY code, full stop.” That was the message from one dairy farmer as consultation about a mandatory code of conduct for the dairy industry was held in Shepparton last month. It was a sentiment echoed by many in the room, with a majority...

Alana Christensen
News

New hands on the reins

MURRAY DAIRY has announced the appointment of its new chair and deputy chairs following the annual general meeting on October 18. Karen Moroney, from the Mitta Valley, will take on the leadership of the organisation, stepping up from her role as...

Dairy News
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News

Nutrient warning as crops are cut for hay

FARMERS IN Victoria and South Australia who have cut crops due to moisture stress and frost are advised to be mindful of the amount of nutrients being removed from their paddocks. Cutting crops for hay and silage removes significantly more nitrogen...

Dairy News
News

Millions for organic expansion

A $65 MILLION expansion of an organic dairy processing plant in north Geelong is expected to create 60 new jobs and generate $95 million in dairy exports. Announced in October, the expansion will see the Organic Dairy Farmers Australia processing...

Dairy News
News

Farmers worried about code

DAIRY FARMERS are being expected to vote for a compulsory industry code without consideration for alternatives, nor the impact on their businesses. That was the concern expressed at the final consultation meeting, at Maffra in Victoria’s Gippsland...

Jeanette Severs
Dairy

Valuable youth camp returns

Young people with a passion for bovines are being urged to apply for Australia’s National Dairy Youth Camp.

Country News
Dairy

Top job retained

Terry Richardson has been re-elected president of Australian Dairy Farmers.

Country News
News

Millions for organic expansion

A $65 MILLION expansion of an organic dairy processing plant in north Geelong is expected to create 60 new jobs and generate $95 million in dairy exports. Announced in October, the expansion will see the Organic Dairy Farmers Australia processing...

Dairy News
News

Farmers worried about code

DAIRY FARMERS are being expected to vote for a compulsory industry code without consideration for alternatives, nor the impact on their businesses. That was the concern expressed at the final consultation meeting, at Maffra in Victoria’s Gippsland...

Jeanette Severs
Dairy

Valuable youth camp returns

Young people with a passion for bovines are being urged to apply for Australia’s National Dairy Youth Camp.

Country News
Dairy

Top job retained

Terry Richardson has been re-elected president of Australian Dairy Farmers.

Country News

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Management

Management

Flexibility helps family through dry season

PLANNING, BUSINESS flexibility and diversity has helped one western Victorian dairy farming family navigate a tough season. The Martins at Irrewarra, north of Colac, have never fed in the bail and do not buy-in fodder. This means they haven’t been...

Dairy News
Management

Feeding options on the table

EVERY DAIRY farmer is well aware of the harsh impacts this dry season is having on their business — not only for this season but also for their management moving forward. With the spring flush well and truly over and temporary water prices hitting...

Sophie Baldwin
Management

Seeing red at global gathering

RED DAIRY cattle breeders, breed organisations and genetics company representatives from around the world will converge on Australia next March for a global event designed to bring red cattle breeds together. The International Red Dairy Breed...

Dairy News
Management

No turning back

OWEN AND Carlie Barry don’t mind taking on a challenge or two. When the dairy crisis was at its nadir, instead of selling cows they leased a second farm. In early 2019 they will move onto their first purchased farm at Carpendeit but at the same...

Rick Bayne
Management

New tool for weed control in forage brassicas

Many regions in eastern Australia are suffering from the effects of below average rainfall and this is causing a rapid decline in the availability — with a corresponding sharp rise in price — of feed, which many dairy farmers rely on to nourish...

Dairy News
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

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From The Experts

From the Experts

Cheese drip the new hip

We all know cheese is versatile. It’s one of the great food staples. It can also be a gourmet product and a marketer’s dream, used to sell everything from festivals, to wine and romantic getaways. But it wasn’t until recently that I found out...

Madeleine Brennan
From the Experts

Opinion: Farmers deserve mandatory code of practice

There’s an emerging issue occurring in the dairy industry between advocates of the industry’s current voluntary code of practice and a proposed mandatory code. The voluntary code of practice was adopted last July by the Australian Dairy Industry...

Stephen Cooke
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

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Markets

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
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
Markets

Feeding Asia’s growing appetite for cheese

THE RACE is on to win market share in Asia’s cheese market, with the region offering “a compelling growth opportunity” for Australian dairy exporters in the medium term, according to a recently released report. Despite the robust growth...

Dairy News

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Machinery & Products

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
Machinery & Products

Allflex wins two World Expo awards

Allflex received two Dairy Herd Management Innovation Awards at the recent World Dairy Expo for its SenseTime cow monitoring system and the eSense Flex ear tag. The awards recognise the top 10 dairy industry innovations introduced over the previous...

Dairy News
Machinery & Products

Digital toolbox gets an upgrade

CASE IH Australia and New Zealand’s parent company, CNH Industrial, has partnered with Canadian-based Farmers Edge for a new strategic digital agriculture agreement, reflecting Case IH’s global focus to give customers more access to the tools...

Dairy News

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Animal Health

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
Animal Health

No flies on us — eventually

PAUL* HAD made some small but significant changes to both his milking equipment and milking routine after our initial visit had exposed some mastitis risks that he had been unaware of. A change to a different liner, a small change to the system...

Rod Dyson
Animal Health

Is it too hot in the ‘kitchen’?

SUMMER IS almost here, and there will be some consistently high temperatures as well as some very hot days coming, especially in some of our warmer regions. Unfortunately, heat and sunlight can be an enemy of many products used on farms. One of the...

Rod Dyson