News

Organic products now easier to export to Japan

Japan will continue to enjoy Australian organic dairy and processed foods following the signing of an organic equivalence arrangement for livestock products between the two countries. Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the...

Rodney Woods
News

More loan funding for farmers

An extra $2 billion will be pumped into the Regional Investment Corporation to expand its drought loans and start a new loan scheme to attract young farmers into agriculture. The news has been welcomed by NSW Farmers president James Jackson...

Dairy News Australia
Dairy News

Leadership program has improved Kergunyah South dairy farmer’s skills

One of the great surprises of Stuart Crosthwaite’s university years was being elected president of his hometown cricket club in north-east Victoria. As a dairy farming teenager “too shy to put his hand up in class”, Mr Crosthwaite had no ambitions...

Rodney Woods
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News

Improved water supply set to reduce prices in 2020-21

Water prices are forecast to fall in 2020-21 under all but one weather scenario in response to considerable improvements in the volume of water supply — but price gaps could occur due to inter-valley trade limits. The Australian Bureau of...

Rodney Woods
News

Face masks mandatory for Victorian farmers

From midnight on August 2, regional Victorians are now required to wear face masks — including farmers. Farmers whose family home is also their workplace are only required to wear a mask if they have staff coming and going from the...

Jamie Salter
News

New Dairy Australia chair appointed

Board director James Mann has been appointed as the new chair of Dairy Australia, following Jeff Odgers’ decision to step down early from the role. Mr Mann was elected to the position at a board meeting on July 30 and takes on the role...

Jamie Salter
News

Young herd leads to gold award for Katunga farmers

The Cavallaro family, from Katunga, has taken out a gold award for producing some of the country’s best milk as part of Dairy Australia’s 2020 Milk Quality Awards. The awards recognise farmers producing the country’s best milk based on bulk...

Rodney Woods
Sponsored

Reaper red clover – the palatable and persistent red clover

Maintaining high quality milking feed over spring, summer and early autumn has always been a challenge. While traditional grass-based pastures lose quality as they go reproductive and flower, maintaining milk yield becomes difficult. Using high...

Dairy News
News

Face masks mandatory for Victorian farmers

From midnight on August 2, regional Victorians are now required to wear face masks — including farmers. Farmers whose family home is also their workplace are only required to wear a mask if they have staff coming and going from the...

Jamie Salter
News

New Dairy Australia chair appointed

Board director James Mann has been appointed as the new chair of Dairy Australia, following Jeff Odgers’ decision to step down early from the role. Mr Mann was elected to the position at a board meeting on July 30 and takes on the role...

Jamie Salter
News

Young herd leads to gold award for Katunga farmers

The Cavallaro family, from Katunga, has taken out a gold award for producing some of the country’s best milk as part of Dairy Australia’s 2020 Milk Quality Awards. The awards recognise farmers producing the country’s best milk based on bulk...

Rodney Woods
Sponsored

Reaper red clover – the palatable and persistent red clover

Maintaining high quality milking feed over spring, summer and early autumn has always been a challenge. While traditional grass-based pastures lose quality as they go reproductive and flower, maintaining milk yield becomes difficult. Using high...

Dairy News

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Management

Management

Tatura dairy operation continually adapts to climate change and water availability

Adapting to a variable climate and a lack of water availability have seen the biggest changes to the Lang Dairies farming operation at Tatura. The Lang family started dairy farming in 1981 and now owns three neighbouring dairies, covering...

Rodney Woods
Management

From milking 32 cows to running a dairy factory

It is fair to say farming runs through the veins of the Cochrane family. John is a fourth generation Queensland dairy farmer; his two brothers and two sisters are all farmers and his wife Margaret comes from a long line of farmers as well. That love...

Sophie Baldwin
Management

John Wright’s recipe for success - dungbeetles, dairy and days off

Dairying can be a relentless and busy occupation, yet dairy farmer John Wright has achieved a work life balance on his Lockington farm which includes time away and at least one good holiday a year. Not a bad effort considering he does most of the...

Dairy News Australia
Management

Doolan family are investing in a sustainable future

Sustainability is the key to the future for Ecklin South dairy farmers Sam and Peter Doolan and at the very centre of that philosophy is carbon farming. The brothers milk 580 cows along with their wives Belinda and Bonnie and parents Carol and Sam...

Dairy News Australia
Management

A different way to farm

A burning desire to own land in his home state of Tasmania led Stephen Fisher on a journey he couldn’t possibly have foreseen. Mr Fisher is the driving force and director behind Circular Head Farms (CHF), a community-based investment group...

Sophie Baldwin
Management

Cross breed cows paying off for Tassie farmers

Looking to produce more milk from less cows was the drive behind Tasmanian dairy farmers Paul and Nadine Lambert changing their former Jersey herd to a cross breed herd. The process was gradual but now the family milk a majority straight...

Sophie Baldwin

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From The Experts

Animal Health

Preparing the team ahead of the game

When it comes to preparing for the next joining period, it’s never too early to start thinking about your bulls. Often, these blokes are away in a back paddock or at the out-block, out of sight and out of mind. However, a recent study in...

Dairy News Australia
From the Experts

Consistency of good behaviours drives calf rearing success

Consistency in all that we do around calves is pivotal to calf health, wellbeing and performance. This was the overarching message when MaxCare hosted a calf rearing seminar at International Dairy Week in Tatura in January, and a message that...

Dairy News Australia
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

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Markets

News

Dairy experts measure COVID-19 impacts

A COVID-19 related dairy crisis has yet to hit as hard as feared, dairy experts from 70 countries decided during the 21st International Farm Comparison Network Dairy Conference. Private consulting business Xcheque managing director Jon Hauser...

Jamie Salter
Markets

Improved conditions boost farmer confidence and milk production amidst COVID-19 uncertainty

The end of the 2019-20 season has been anything but ordinary. On one hand, the global economy and commodity markets have been thrown into turmoil following the COVID-19 outbreak. While on the other, many Australian regions saw a turnaround in...

Sam Leishman
Markets

Australian milk production turn-around, while international head-winds emerge

Heading into winter, some things were looking up for the dairy industry. Favourable weather conditions in many regions, combined with a partial recovery in milk production, have improved the outlook for the coming season. Late summer and autumn...

Sam Leishman

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Machinery & Products

Machinery & Products

McIntosh Beater Wagons are saving farmers time and money

The new McIntosh Beater Wagons are getting plenty of praise from farmers who are using the equipment on their farms. Users say the unique design of the beater wagon, with its three PTO-driven horizontal beaters, allows you to better incorporate...

Dairy News Australia
Machinery & Products

Farming smarter makes life easier for the Vines family

Only 11 years ago this farming family started off with one cow, called ‘Hope’. With no family farm to begin their rural journey, the couple made the move to South West Victoria because they were uncomfortable with water security in Northern...

Dairy News
Machinery & Products

Speedtiller gives fuel for thought when sowing

FOLLOWING THE devastating fires over summer and a long period of drought many dairy farmers are now working towards pasture improvement or establishment, which starts with better soil health and structure. Not often can you buy the one machine that...

Dairy News

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Animal Health

Animal Health

Dry cow management can improve colostrum quality

A demonstration study conducted by leading livestock nutrition company CopRice has shown that careful attention to dry cow nutrition can significantly improve colostrum quality. CopRice operates a ‘model farm’ in northern Victoria to...

Dairy News Australia
Animal Health

Feed blends to suit all needs

Casey and Bonnie Taylor from Surrylea Farms at Heathmere are always looking to develop and progress their transition program and, since 2007, Ridley has played a firm part in the process. The Taylors have gone from the temporary set-up of feeding...

Dairy News Australia
Animal Health

Transition cow management checklist

About 80 per cent of all cow health problems occur within four weeks of calving. Gippsland dairy farmers Mike and Sarah O’Brien have developed a transition feeding program to reduce the stress associated with cow health problems like milk...

Dairy News Australia