News

Will Nation herald new era for Queensland R&D?

FOR QUEENSLAND dairy, it is hoped that the appointment of David Nation as Dairy Australia CEO, replacing Ian Halliday, may be a catalyst to change the emphasis regarding research and development for the sub-tropical dairy region. David is a known...

Dairy News
News

Farmers must extract more value from existing tech

AUSTRALIAN DAIRY farmers are starting to embrace technology but aren’t necessarily getting its full benefits, according to a leading researcher. Speaking at the Dairy Research Foundation’s 2018 Symposium at the University of Sydney, Dr Sabrin...

Rick Bayne
News

Index does not go far enough

STATE DAIRY farmer groups have claimed the federal Government’s new national Milk Price Index lacks vital information on processing costs. The index was launched last month and aims to help farmers make decisions about their businesses. Australian...

Dairy News
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News

Farmers want practical help, not freight subsidies

A group of farmers from across the East Gippsland and Wellington shires have made a list of the actions they believe will make a difference if the 2018 Spring fails and the region remains dry. Their suggestions are based on freeing up working...

Jeanette Severs
News

Bigger isn’t always better

KEEPING THINGS simple and fresh has been a successful formula for Nullawarre farmers Jason and Abby Burleigh. Never inclined to go beyond their means, the Burleighs have built a sustainable operation while successfully embracing the domestic fresh...

Rick Bayne
Dairy News

Offloading beef herd to save dairy cows

With feed costs almost doubling, one East Gippsland dairy farmer has been making regular decisions to sell livestock. He would like the government to provide rate relief for farmers affected by drought. Chris and Helen Nixon, with farms in the...

Jeanette Severs
News

Celebrating whats best in dairy

THE 2018 Great South West Dairy Awards celebrated the achievements and commitment of the local dairy industry at a gala night on Wednesday, July 11 at the City Memorial Bowls Club in Warrnambool. This year for the first time the awards celebrated...

Dairy News
News

Strength in numbers

INVERGORDON DAIRY farmer John Bell believes there is a strong future ahead for the Australian dairy industry, but it must change and evolve to benefit. He said the current farm gate milk price needed significant improvement for a healthy and robust...

Sophie Baldwin
News

Bigger isn’t always better

KEEPING THINGS simple and fresh has been a successful formula for Nullawarre farmers Jason and Abby Burleigh. Never inclined to go beyond their means, the Burleighs have built a sustainable operation while successfully embracing the domestic fresh...

Rick Bayne
Dairy News

Offloading beef herd to save dairy cows

With feed costs almost doubling, one East Gippsland dairy farmer has been making regular decisions to sell livestock. He would like the government to provide rate relief for farmers affected by drought. Chris and Helen Nixon, with farms in the...

Jeanette Severs
News

Celebrating whats best in dairy

THE 2018 Great South West Dairy Awards celebrated the achievements and commitment of the local dairy industry at a gala night on Wednesday, July 11 at the City Memorial Bowls Club in Warrnambool. This year for the first time the awards celebrated...

Dairy News
News

Strength in numbers

INVERGORDON DAIRY farmer John Bell believes there is a strong future ahead for the Australian dairy industry, but it must change and evolve to benefit. He said the current farm gate milk price needed significant improvement for a healthy and robust...

Sophie Baldwin

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Management

Management

Fleckvieh-cross latest change to evolving business

Crossing an existing Holstein herd with Fleckviehs is the latest change to a business that has seen its fair share over the past few years. The McCarthy family at Coragulac – Shane and Ann and sons Luke and Mark – have built a rotary dairy...

Stephen Cooke
Management

Subsurface drainage keeps farm on top

FARMING SUCCESS all starts underground for Cooriemungle’s Andy Powell. His farm, just 15 km inland from the iconic Port Campbell National Park, receives about 750 mm of rain every year but, with subsurface drainage covering 98 per cent of the...

Rick Bayne
Management

Gold plaque just reward for team approach

COORIEMUNGLE DAIRY farmer Andy Powell has been named in the Top 100 dairy suppliers nationally in the Dairy Australia 2018 Milk Quality Awards. The annual awards recognise farms which have achieved the best milk quality based on annual average bulk...

Dairy News
Management

September Reminders

Grain feeding When the grain price and milk price change, the opportunity to make milk from grain for a margin also changes. Grain prices vary depending on the type of grain fed, additives used and volume delivered; the price is currently between...

Dairy News
Management

Education goes outside the classroom

TESS BLAKE has just spent 12 weeks on work placement in the dairy industry as part of her final year of a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. Ms Blake’s placement was organised by Murray Dairy and was...

Dairy News
Management

Water loss causes change in thinking

USING WATER in the right place at the right time is the key to future success for a young Western Australian dairy farming family. From Benger, two hours south of Perth, Mick and Sophia Giumelli are transforming their farm to reduce costs and the...

Rick Bayne

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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

World wheat crop, fodder supplies declining

WE ARE now more than halfway through winter, and more than halfway through a year that has so far been unseasonably warm and dry. Rainfall for the year to date has been well below average in most of southern and eastern Australia and across the...

Sofia Omstedt
Markets

What’s the alternative?

THERE’S BEEN lots of discussion lately about alternative — or non-dairy — milks and whether they should be allowed to use the word “milk” at all. A lot people in the dairy sector are getting pretty excited about the US Food and Drug...

Jo Bills
Markets

Tide turns but more needed to lift confidence

THE NEW dairy season has just commenced, and there is already plenty to keep track of. We have seen some of the highest opening prices ever announced coincide with farmer confidence hitting a multi-year low, more farmers than ever changing processor...

John Droppert

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Machinery & Products

Machinery & Products

Jaylor specialists talk nutrition with farmers

JAYLOR SPECIALISTS have been visiting Australian farms to further their knowledge of the local dairy and beef industries, and discuss feed techniques with farmers. International Business Development Manager for Jaylor mixer wagons, Marty Philippi...

Dairy News
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

Agrowplow releases new seed drill

AGROWPLOW TEAM has worked closely with farmers and contractors from across the country to develop a drill engineered to meet the demands of Australian conditions. It has released its new AD730 seed drill. Agrowplow principal, Shannon McNab, said the...

Dairy News

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Animal Health

Animal Health

Is off-label drug use off limits?

THE OFF-LABEL use of veterinary medicines on dairy farms is surprisingly common. This article discusses the safe use of veterinary medicines and scenarios where these medicines are unintentionally used off-label. There are many definitions...

Simone Dunne
Animal Health

Every picture tells a story

AT OUR farm visits, we often take photos of key factors that we identify, and also the dairy shed layout — it helps us to quickly and easily recall the details later. But as the collection of images has got larger, finding a specific image has got...

Rod Dyson
Animal Health

Is off-label drug use off-limits?

The off-label use of veterinary medicines on dairy farms is surprisingly common. This article discusses the safe use of veterinary medicines and scenarios where these medicines are unintentionally used off-label. There are many definitions...

Gemma Chuck