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Make Every Drop Count
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Issue 22 October 2007
THIS ISSUE INCLUDES: n Focus Farms Update n Equity Partnership n Silage
Make Every Drop Count
Ian Hubble and Mark Freeman, TIAR
Pasture production from irrigated pastures underpins the per megalitre. If short
profitability and success of most Tasmanian dairy farms. of water, consider
It is important to ensure that the best result is achieved drying off some areas.
for every drop of irrigation water. Keeping pastures in
Each megalitre (million litres) of irrigation water, a green but stressed
efficiently applied, should produce at least an extra state does not improve
tonne of pasture dry matter. For the average irrigated responsiveness or yield
dairy farm, this equates to a 30 per cent increase in dry when the autumn break
matter per irrigated hectare grown per annum. comes.
Louise Jones of Gunns Plains
There are some important considerations to maximising • Different soil types monitors soil moisture
the benefits of pasture irrigation: ‘hold’ differing amounts
of water (eg. krasnozem soils hold up to 50 mm
• The most feed will be grown per megalitre of
of water in the top 300 mm of soil but the yellow
irrigation water applied by using a three-leaf
podzolic soils can only hold 35 mm of water in the
grazing rotation and applying nitrogen immediately
top 300 mm of soil). Regardless of soil type, pasture
before or after grazing. Grazing residuals lower
species begin to be moisture-stressed when only 20
than 4-5 cm and back grazing will delay regrowth.
mm is left. Knowing the soil enables the irrigation
• A major factor in ensuring efficient irrigation is that interval and water amount to be adjusted to avoid
it be correctly timed, with the aim of reducing the under- and over- watering. If the soil is allowed to dry
number of irrigations while maintaining optimum out it will take a substantial amount of water to re-wet
plant growth. the soil profile before field capacity is reached.
Irrigating too early fails to make use of available • Extra fertiliser is required on irrigation areas to
water in the soil and requires unnecessary use of compensate for nutrients removed in extra grass
irrigation water that may become all too precious growth and from leaching. Nitrogenous fertilisers
later in the season. can be applied to boost growth of irrigated pastures
Late irrigation start-up results in moisture stress in summer when the temperature and moisture
of plants. Research work at Elliott Research and conditions can give responses greater than 20:1.
Demonstration Station and on commercial dairy Things on the farm are generally ‘flat chat’ during
farms has shown that pasture suffering moisture irrigation time. Make sure you don’t overlook factors that
stress for 7-days and then watered adequately from are important to getting the best return for your efforts
then on will produce only half of what it could have and financial investment by producing irrigated feed that
over the next 40-50 days if no moisture stress had is maximised in quantity and quality and is minimised in
occurred. cost.
Improved start-up timing and subsequent scheduling
is well worthwhile and can be done using an Plan on attending a Water Use Efficiency Field Day
evaporimeter, water budget, tensiometers or other to be held in dairy areas from October 8-12. See
electronic devices. the insert in this newsletter and phone Geraldine
Treloggen, TIAR Dairy Centre 1300 368 550 to
• Only water the area that you have enough water
RSVP for catering. The field days are free for dairy
to fully irrigate. Stretching out irrigation intervals to
farmers but others are welcome for a charge of $20.
keep a larger area green results in less grass grown
Focus Farms Update
The Pasture Plu$ Program is working with focus farmers to demonstrate how to capture
profit from increased pasture utilisation as well as investigating how to increase pasture
utilisation through better management on a commercial dairy farm. If you would like further
information contact a dairy adviser on 1300 368 550.
Units Lesters Hingstons Downies
Herrick Chudleigh Gretna
Date 17/9/07 10/9/07 20/9/07
Total farm milking area ha 130 115 155
Irrigated area 58.5 0 155
Cows in milk number 245 163 390
Cow condition score 4.4 3.7 4.6
Daily production kg MS/cow 1.6 1.6 1.6
kg MS/ha 3.0 2.3 4.1
Intake kg DM/cow/day
Pasture 15 11 11
Hay/Silage 0 0 0
Concentrates 1.4 3 2.5
TOTAL 16.4 14 13.5
Nitrogen kg N/ha 46 on 34 ha 46 on 30 ha 30
Pasture growth rate kg DM/ha/day 32 20 32+
Average pasture cover kg DM/ha 2160 1625 not available
Target pasture cover kg DM/ha 2000 2200 2000
Rotation length days 40 45 28
Pre grazing cover kg DM/ha 2300 2150 2500–2850
Post grazing residual kg DM/ha 1500 1400 1475-1600
Dairy Adviser Jessica Revell Mark Fergusson Lesley Irvine and
6421 7641 6421 7676 Mark Freeman
6434 5428
More Websites Relevant to Dairying in Tasmania
Agricultural Law Tasmanian Dairy Industry
www.une.edu.au/aglaw intodairy.com.au
Animal Welfare Tasmanian Wheat Freight Scheme
www.animal-welfare.org.au www.centrelink.gov.au (Look under ‘T’ in a-z directory)
Australian Fodder Industry Association TopFodder Silage
www.afia.org.au www.topfodder.com.au
Drought assistance Workplace Standards Tasmania
www.centrelink.gov.au (look under ‘D’ in a-z directory) www.wst.tas.gov.au
Feedtest
www.feedtest.com.au
Freight Equalisation Scheme
www.centrelink.gov.au (look under ‘F’ in a-z directory)
Rural Financial Counsellors
www.rfcstasmania.com.au
Rural Law
www.rurallaw.org.au
Supplement Use
www.dpi.vic.gov.au follow links Agriculture and Food,
Animals and Livestock, Dairy, Dairy Supplements List
Target 10
www.target10.com.au
Partnership Primed for Profit
Rob La Grange, TIAR
The Scottsdale discussion group recently visited a new a seasonal production of 220,000 kg MS (milksolids)
dairy conversion adjacent to the Tamar Ridge Winery. through the 50-bail rotary shed.
With 125 ha of new ryegrass and clover under a centre The Scottsdale farmer group engaged in some lively
pivot irrigator, the equity partnership between John and discussion about grazing management and feeding
Lorna Wilson and John and Penny Hewitt has been levels and gave some constructive input during the visit.
planned to realise, at the least, a Return on Assets of 7 Members made their way home after lunch, having had
per cent in the first full season of operation. a good insight into equity partnerships and a practicing
In talking with the discussion group, John Wilson partnership business. In 2006, with the aid of a Small
highlighted the potential that equity partnerships have Project Grant from DairyTas, John Wilson organised
in developing new dairy business ventures. John also and “talked the walk” on equity partnerships with
pointed out the pitfalls that need to be understood other speakers at a series of well-attended seminars in
in forming a partnership. Equity partnerships need dairy areas. Now he is “walking the talk.” He can be
commitment, clarity of expectations and responsibilities, contacted on 0409 973 417.
exit clauses and ongoing communication between the The visit to the Wilson-Hewitt property highlighted
partners. the role that discussion groups can play in keeping
This is the first full season and herd numbers are being farmers informed. The TIAR Dairy Centre operates
built up to the expected 550 cows at peak on the 160 12 discussion groups in dairying districts in Tasmania
ha effective milking platform (35 ha dryland). John and, despite variable attendances, there are valuable
plans to start calving (eight-week spread) on 7 February, benefits in being part of a group. While there needs
2008 and to have the herd dried-off by Christmas 2008. to be some structure to the operation of groups, the
The plan is to use irrigated pasture to feed the herd informal environment allows for farmer interaction, and
through its peak production and to capture winter-milk meaningful outcomes can be achieved even though
payments. many of these may not have been formally articulated.
Half of the irrigated area has been planted under We encourage you to support your local discussion
‘Extreme’ ryegrass/clover and half under ‘Banquet II’ group as we believe these can make an important
ryegrass/clover. A 550 ML dam will deliver 4.5 ML/ha contribution to improved practice. Contact a TIAR dairy
through a 11-span centre pivot. With grain feeding adviser for more details on 1300 368 550.
planned at 1 tonne per cow per year, John is targeting
Money for Jam
There’s some easy money to be made just for entering The entry fee will also be paid for the finalists of the
the 2008 Impact/ANZ Dairy Business of the Year Impact/ANZ Dairy Business Award to enter the Red Sky
Award or taking up the option of receiving the same national benchmarking competition that commenced in
benchmarking analysis and reports but without 2007.
the Award prizes (totalling close to $15,000 from
New participants and past participants who did not enter
sponsorship) and publicity.
the Award or benchmarking program last year will be
Courtesy of the Tasmanian Government’s SMART eligible for a $500 random draw.
Farming initiative, $100 will be paid to each dairy
Please contact a TIAR Dairy Centre adviser
farmer who enters their business or to a second party
for a copy of the input sheets or if you need
(eg. farm consultant, accountant) who by agreement
assistance (phone 1300 368 550). Input sheets
with the entrant enter a client’s dairy farm business in
for the 2006-07 season need to completed and
either the Award or benchmarking program.
returned by December 31, 2007.
Entrants will be offered several options to the value of
$200 to provide more feedback to participants about
their business performance.
A Cut Above the Rest
Ian Hubble, TIAR
We are fast approaching the time for silage making How does your silage compare
- and for end-of-the-year school reports. with the target figures in the
There is a story about a boy’s parents who were very Table? What would your report
disappointed in the report card that their son brought card show? For all the effort involved, if silage is worth
home. “The only consolation I can find in these awful doing, it is worth doing right. Feed testing provides the
grades,” lamented the father, “is that I know he never opportunity for you to get an insight into your silage
cheated during his exams!” practices (and, for that matter, the quality of any feeds)
that can provide you with a ‘cut above the rest.’
A bit like a report card, feed testing can tell you a lot
about your silage –: Did my silage-making operations go From October 1 farmers can access a wealth of
well? How did I go with silage fermentation? What can I information including seasonal averages for various feed
do better next time? Will the cows milk well on it or is it types, fact sheets on fodder production and feeding,
really only good for maintenance? etc on the new Feedtest website www.feedtest.com.au.
Also, the TopFodder website www.topfodder.com.au has
A sample report card (feed test analysis) for silage might
much useful information.
look like the results in the Table for ryegrass baled silage
made from pasture cut at head emergence where drying Want to know more about improving the
conditions after mowing were poor and the wilting quality of the silage you make and the value
process was slow. to be gained for your dairy farm business from
feed testing? Contact a TIAR dairy adviser,
Test Target to aim for Actual result
phone 1300 368 550.
Moisture (%) 50-65 70.6
Dry Matter (%) 35-50 29.4
Crude Protein (%)
Ammonia-N (% of total N)
12-22
<5
18
14 Focus on Pasture and
Dry Matter (DM) Digestibility (%)
Metabolisable Energy
>67 64.8
Silage Quality
>10.0 9.7
(MJME/kg DM) As pasture growth and leaf appearance rates
pH 4.5 4.9 increase during spring, manage for quality.
Rotation length will need to be shortened to help
Interpreting the results
maintain grazing pressure. Grazing should now
The high Ammonia–N and pH levels tell us that the
shift from 2.5 - 3 leaf stage to 2 - 2.5 leaf stage with
fermentation quality was poor. Poorly fermented silages
1500 – 1600 kg DM (4-6 cm) left after grazing.
are less palatable which, in turn, will affect intake by
This will ensure that pasture quality is maintained
stock.
and shading at the base of the sward is minimised.
The Metabolisable Energy (ME) is lower due to quality
lost because of the slow wilt. The result is poor quality Silage making should be viewed as both a tool to be
silage just about fit for a maintenance ration! A rapid used to maintain adequate grazing pressure as well
wilt should have given a ME level close to that of the as a means of conserving pasture that is genuinely
original pasture. surplus to requirements. The best quality silage is
made by cutting at 2.5 - 3 leaves at the very early
What’s On?
heading stage (ideally none but certainly less than
10% heading).
October – Early cutting will mean quality and not quantity and
may provide the opportunity for a second, high
early November 2007 quality cut.
Pasture Plu$ Water Use Efficiency Field Days
(See insert this issue)
Oct 8, Ouse; Oct 9, Elliott; Oct 10, Smithon; Oct 11, Elizabeth
Town; Oct 12, Ringarooma;10.30am–3pm (RSVP for catering
Geraldine Treloggen, TIAR, 1300 368 550) Pass or Fail on Safety?
Tasmanian Dairy Demonstration Farm Launch and
Field Day PASS or Proactive Agricultural Safety and Support
Oct 31, ‘The Gums’, 78 Red Marsh Rd, Woolnorth Inc. is a “self help” group who are passionate
10.30am–2.30pm (RSVP for catering Chris Haynes, TIAR, about safety in the rural environment. PASS has an
1300 368 550) objective to see real improvement in the safety of
Dairy Tas AGM rural communities, particularly for young people, by
Oct 31, Breakfast meeting, Smithton (RSVP for catering eliminating all fatal and serious accidents.
Mark Smith, 6432 2233) For more details contact Fiona Chilvers
Farm Walk at Elliott R & D Station 0419 359 285, email: mchilver@tassie.net.au
Nov 2 11am–12.30pm
(Contact Lesley Irvine, TIAR, 1300 368 550)
Tasmanian Dairy
Demonstration Farm
‘The Gums’, Woolnorth
‘Demonstrating sustainable profitability through best management practice’
The Story So Far …
The first 3 months for the TDDF team have been
Item Budget 2007/08 Comments
extremely hectic for all involved. The farm has seen:
Cows milked 820 Head Down on recent
• Sharefarmers Justin and Nicki McGowan and their years
staff calve down 993 cows from July 1; of which Stocking rate 2.23 cows/ha
there have been 25 deaths and 141 culls (16% Pasture utilisation 8.8 t DM/ha 100% Dryland
herd)
Milk production 230,000 Kg MS Up +22% on
• 827 cows currently milking twice a day average of past six
• 16 frosts in July (very unusual for Woolnorth) that years
Purchased 0.5 t/cow
inhibited July pasture growth
concentrates
• Total rainfall of 272ml since July 1
Reproductive 70% 6 WICR As per InCalf
• 72.5kgN/ha applied since July 1. performance 13% NICR project targets
<10% Induced
Data for decisions Calves reared 270 Head But to be
The Farm Management Group has been monitoring negotiated as a
and capturing data on a weekly basis, and have been percentage of
using this information to make informed management wastage rates
decisions. A summary of the pasture management data Heifer replacement 450 Kg LW At start of calving
collected so far and used by the management group weight for 2008
to make farm operational decisions is provided in the Nitrogen applied 200kg N/ha
Figure.
Soil test targets
Olsen P 20 ppm Up from 14
Olsen K 150 ppm Up from 71
Labour utilised 5 FTE Similar to recent
years
Overall business $426,000 With a higher
profit (EBIT) 7.2% ROA stocking rate this
figure could have
increased to 11%
ROA
The Demo Farm Launch Field Day
The Launch Field Day will be on October 31 at
‘The Gums’, 78 Red Marsh Road Woolnorth (travel
approx 7 km along Woolnorth Road from the main
gates, then turn left and travel 1 km along Red
Marsh Rd to the farm on the right).
Business plan
A business plan has been developed and adjusted over The day will include:
the past three months to align with changes in cow • a visit to the farm (including a FREE BBQ lunch);
numbers. It was originally budgeted for the farm to • a summary of the project;
peak at 950 cows but this has been changed because of • an overview of the business structure and
reduced cow numbers at the start of calving (992 cows operational plans;
to calve at July 1 instead of 1050). A summary of the • a chance to meet the sponsors and people
key operational objectives is given in the Table. involved; and
• an opportunity for you to ask any questions
In an ideal situation a higher stocking rate would have about the project.
been desirable. The management group see fantastic
opportunities to improve the cull and death rates in the Coming? Please RSVP for catering to TDDF Project
herd by improving heifer liveweights and cow body Officer Chris Haynes on 1300 368 550.
condition score at calving.
U p date
f rom DairyTas Board
DairyTas is the Regional Development Board for Dairy Australia in Tasmania. The Board
funds and coordinates research and development activities for the dairy industry in
Tasmania to improve the industry’s productivity and sustainability.
For more information contact DairyTas Executive Officer Mark Smith, phone 6432 2233,
email dairytas@eburnie.com.au or view the website at www.dairytas.com.au.
New Funding Approved Australian Dairy Conference
DairyTas Board has approved funds in 2007/08 for a The Australian Dairy Conference is on 19 (evening) –
pilot of the Cows Create Careers (High School) dairy 21 February 2008 in Launceston. As part of
project. It will run in 2008 and involve 10 schools the conference we are promoting dairy industry
across the north and northwest of the state. opportunities and investment in Tasmania. This will
The Board also allocated funds for the continuation of include a number of pre and post conference tours to
the Dairy500 project with the intoDairy website and different regions. These tours will be publicised through
investment attraction work. This will include New Zea- the conference and will be open to all conference
land promotions to attract continued interest through participants. Details will be available later in the year.
the Agricultural Fieldays and interstate advertising. The
Business Continuity Project
intoDairy website continues to attract regular interest
This business project for dairy farmers is building
and inquiries about Tasmania’s dairy industry. See
numbers towards the 50 available places. Farmers are
www.intodairy.com
being encouraged to take advantage of this project to
Dairy Effluent Project assist their future planning and management. Rowan
We are still taking farm applications for dairy effluent Moore of Moore Consulting (6432 1008) in Burnie is
management for both the Cradle Coast and Northern undertaking the project delivery and would be pleased
regions of the state. With changes coming in the to talk to potential farmer participants. The project runs
regulatory arena farmers need to take advantage of through to May 2008.
the incentives and support available while it is there. Tasmanian Dairy Demonstration Farm
Contact Jacqui Knee, Armstrong Agricultural Services, Monitoring work has commenced with the new dairy
Launceston (6334 1033 / 0419 578 849. demonstration farm at Woolnorth. Plans are being
made for the project launch and initial field day on
Board Positions the property for Wednesday, 31 October. Major
DairyTas is looking for new dairy farmer nominations sponsorships have been secured with Impact Fertilisers,
to the Board during September. We will be advertising Roberts and Circular Head Council.
for applicants soon and anyone interested should Strategic Plan Action Groups
contact DairyTas. The positions are for 3-year terms The Dairy Industry Strategic Plan 2006-10 has five
commencing from December 2007. Strategic Actions with Action Groups meeting over the
coming months to discuss issues and develop projects.
DairyTas AGM Interested organisations or people who would like to be
This will be a brief Annual General Meeting held over part of a group are welcome to contact DairyTas.
breakfast in Smithton on Wednesday 31 October prior
The groups are:
to the launch of the Tasmanian Dairy Demonstration
• Human resource skill development
Farm. The AGM is open to anyone who would like to
• Natural resource management
attend. Please RSVP for catering purposes to DairyTas.
• Business and finance
• Animal health and welfare
• Animal and feedbase performance
Surplus Heifer Calves?
Worth Thinking On
There is opportunity to supply young pure holstein dairy
heifers, minimum 100 kg, 10 -12 weeks old for delivery “It isn’t the situation but your response
in November, $400 plus GST. Contact Rohan Hadley,
that counts.” - unknown
Roberts Ltd, 0409 523 824.
The Pasture PLU$ News is provided free to all Tasmanian dairy farmers as part of the Dairy Australia funded Pasture PLU$ Program.
For more information, please contact a TIAR Dairy Centre adviser on 1300 368 550 (cost of a local call).
Disclaimer: This publication has been prepared for the general information of dairy farmers in Tasmania. TIAR and the University
of Tasmania do not accept any liability for damage caused by, or economic loss arising from reliance upon information or material
contained in this publication.
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