Management

Parry plans to fast-track young herd

Rhiannon Parry hopes genomic testing will sling-shot her young herd into a brighter future. Rhiannon farms with her partner Cameron Schellekens and sons Blake and Luke near Wonthaggi in Victoria and says that genomic testing and herd testing are...

Rick Bayne
News

Know you’re not alone

The drought in NSW and the associated hardship it creates for farmers and rural and regional communities is receiving widespread attention from media and politicians, including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. The severe drought is relatively easy...

Stephen Cooke
Dairy

Lack of demand affects prices

A sale of a commercial Kyabram herd at Shepparton last week reflected softening prices for some dairy stock.

Country News
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News

Think big picture on MDBA

A ROBUST and transparent test to determine the socio-economic impacts of removing an additional 450 gigalitres (GL) of irrigation water from the Murray-Darling Basin is critical if the impacts to local communities are to be fully understood...

Dairy News
News

Processors contribute to farmer disappointment

DAIRY FARMER Scott Sommerville has been involved in dairy for almost four decades and says he has never seen things so bad. “This really is the worst state I have ever seen the dairy industry in,” Mr Sommerville said. “It has been the hardest...

Sophie Baldwin
Dairy

Disease control is in your hands

The best defence against calf disease is to implement sound biosecurity measures and hygiene practices on the farm and around the calf shed.

Country News
News

New model removes complexity, shares wealth

A NEW milk price model aims to remove the complexity of the current contracts and provide a more even share of money across all farms, regardless of system or size. The model was overseen by consultant John Mulvany for the United Dairyfarmers of...

Stephen Cooke
Dairy

Tatura research scientist mourned

Farmers, family and friends are mourning the death of trusted agricultural adviser Kevin Kelly.

Geoff Adams
News

Processors contribute to farmer disappointment

DAIRY FARMER Scott Sommerville has been involved in dairy for almost four decades and says he has never seen things so bad. “This really is the worst state I have ever seen the dairy industry in,” Mr Sommerville said. “It has been the hardest...

Sophie Baldwin
Dairy

Disease control is in your hands

The best defence against calf disease is to implement sound biosecurity measures and hygiene practices on the farm and around the calf shed.

Country News
News

New model removes complexity, shares wealth

A NEW milk price model aims to remove the complexity of the current contracts and provide a more even share of money across all farms, regardless of system or size. The model was overseen by consultant John Mulvany for the United Dairyfarmers of...

Stephen Cooke
Dairy

Tatura research scientist mourned

Farmers, family and friends are mourning the death of trusted agricultural adviser Kevin Kelly.

Geoff Adams

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Management

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
Management

Teat-sealing heifers slashes mastitis rates

ROB AND Jan Mortlock have all but eliminated mastitis in their heifers after taking part in a teat- sealing trial. The Mortlocks, who milk 850 head at Yanakie in south Gippsland, teat-sealed 150 heifers last year and 118 this year and recorded one...

Stephen Cooke
Management

New lease of life for former DemoDAIRY

THE FORMER DemoDAIRY at Terang in western Victoria has been purchased by neighbouring farmer, Paul Moloney, who has started a five-year regeneration plan. DemoDAIRY was established in the early 1990s as a research and demonstration farm but its role...

Rick Bayne
Management

Brothers keep pioneering spirit alive

TIM, GEORGE and Will Jelbart have embraced genomics in their quest to improve farm and herd profitability and reduce their reliance on milk income. The focus on genetics also continues the pioneering spirit of their late father, Max. Max and his...

Dairy News
Management

Pesky experts need a good spray

I’VE DISCOVERED a new species of farming pest. Self-proclaimed experts. Self-proclaimed experts have invaded agriculture in droves. Lately, it seems that no matter where I go, the moment I mention that I live on a farm, the unsolicited advice...

Katie MacAuley
Management

Jersey breeders honoured

IT CAN take a lifetime to build up a reputable dairy herd, but Col and Narelle Bacon from Colnarco Jersey Stud have done it in just over 17 years. The Bacons, from Lockington, were recently inducted onto the Genetics Australia Honour Roll for their...

Dairy News

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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

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
Markets

Is there a strategy in Trump’s trade war?

THE TURBULENT regime of US President Donald Trump has overturned virtually every bastion of public administration, in pursuit of delivering on a suite of promises to be a president like no other before. Not only has he attempted to dismantle or...

Steve Spencer
Markets

Prices to push past $6 but watch out for rising feed costs

MARKET CYCLES have little to do with rapid changes in demand — it is mostly about the effect of weather on supply, and how the demand side of commodity trade responds. The spectacular turnaround in prospects for the world’s dairy markets since...

Steve Spencer

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Machinery & Products

Machinery & Products

What to look for in a feed mixer

UNIFORMLY MIXED feed components provide better nutrition, improved feed efficiency and cost, and the opportunity to reduce wastage. In dry times, when much of the feed can be purchased off farm with higher costs, efficiency is even more critical...

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

Polaris extends side-by-side range

POLARIS HAS added a new flagship model (XP1000) to its Ranger series of utility side-by-sides. A ProStar 1000 engine developing 82 hp is mated with a new clutch and redesigned driveline; the clutch is a large-ratio unit for low-speed drivability...

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...

Gemma Chuck
Animal Health

Do you have the facts on mycoplasma?

MYCOPLASMA IN dairy herds is a topical issue. Much of the media coverage has related to farm biosecurity, management options and the decision to eradicate. This article discusses mycoplasma in relation to animal health: how does Mycoplasma cause...

Gemma Chuck
Animal Health

Detecting cause of lameness the first step

LAMENESS CAN be on par with multiple mastitis cases as one of the costliest animal health issues on a dairy farm. More than 75 per cent of all lameness in Australian dairies is related to non-infectious lesions, with White Line lesions being the...

Dairy News