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Ag News

By Department of Primary Industries - 16th November 2006 - Back to News

CONSERVE YOUR SOIL

Careful stock management is the key to conserving your soil during extended dry periods. Effective ground cover is critical in protecting soil from erosion.

There are some very good reasons why you need to hold your soil in place and avoid losses from erosion. These include:

• Soil lost means nutrients are lost. The fine particles removed by the wind contain most of the fertility (phosphorous and nitrogen) and organic matter of the soil.
• Soil erosion can blow away valuable pasture seed, which has a cost to replace.
• When a prolonged dry period ends, recovery of pasture is quicker where there is remaining ground cover (and where topsoil and nutrients haven't been lost).
• Dust storms and drift create hazards to road and rail traffic, endangering lives.

It is important to retain groundcover to protect the soil from erosion. Feeding in stock containment areas provides an opportunity to take the pressure off susceptible parts of the farm.

Containment areas are yarded sections where stock are lot fed for survival or maintenance and enable stock to be removed before paddocks lose too much vegetation. Stock Containment Area Establishment Subsidies are available in some areas to assist with the costs of fencing or water.

For information contact DPI on 136 186, www.dpi.vic.gov.au/drought or contact your local DPI or CMA office.

The key is to act early and maintain acceptable paddock cover. Prevention of erosion is better than trying to cure it.

Like valuable topsoil, vegetation is easily damaged and may take years to recover.

FEEDING CANOLA HAY

DPI Dairy Extension Officers have been receiving calls from dairy farmers regarding feeding canola hay to their stock. Canola will be a valuable feed source this summer and can be safely fed if you follow some simple precautions.

Canola is a Brassica, from the same family of plant as turnips, rape and pasja. If you apply the same rules that you use when feeding Brassica crops you should have no problems feeding canola hay.

As with all new feed sources, canola hay should be gradually introduced to the diet over a period of one to two weeks so that the rumen can adjust. Hungry stock should never be suddenly introduced to large quantities of a new feed type.

Do not offer stock ad lib canola hay, just as you would not allow stock ad lib access to a summer Brassica crop. The total intake from all Brassica sources should be no more than 4 – 5 kg dry matter per head per day. So, if you are feeding a summer crop you must limit the intake of canola hay.

Watch stock for any sign of nitrate poisoning or photosensitisation, just as you do when feeding a summer crop.

The feed quality of canola hay is quite good on average, but large variations are possible so FeedTesting is advisable. Also, make sure all hay purchased is accompanied by a Vendor Declaration to ensure all chemical withholding periods have been observed.

For further information on feeding canola hay contact the DPI Dairy Extension Team at DPI Leongatha on 5662 9900, DPI Ellinbank on 5624 2222 or DPI Maffra on 5147 0800.

2,4-D HIGH VOLATILE ESTER ALERT FOR VICTORIAN FARMERS

The Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has suspended the

registration and label approvals of 2,4-D high volatile esters until 30 April 2007, following a review of its effect on non target vegetation.

The suspension commenced on 3 October 2006. During this period it is an offence to use any

product containing 2,4-D high volatile esters, namely the ethyl, butyl and isobutyl esters, in any

area of Australia, including Victoria.

DPI Chemical Standards Branch Manager, Dr George Downing, said that 2,4-D high volatile esters readily evaporate under certain environmental conditions and can cause unintended damage to nontarget vegetation.

"They can be transported as a vapour for many kilometres and in unpredictable directions by the

wind. There is a significant risk that they will cause unintended harm to non-target vegetation,

particularly susceptible crops," explained Dr Downing.

Permits to use products containing high volatile ester forms of 2,4-D during this period may be

considered under specific circumstances.

"Farmers operating within Victoria’s Agricultural Chemical Control Areas should note, however, that the controls already applicable within these areas remain in force," Dr Downing said.

Products containing 2,4-D are commonly used for control of broadleaf weeds in an extensive range of crops and non-cropping situations. Major agricultural uses of 2,4-D include cereal and oilseed crops, pasture, stubble and fallow maintenance. It is also used on citrus crops, sweetcorn and in non-cropping areas for weed control.

Further information can be obtained on the APVMA website at www.apvma.gov.au, or by

contacting the DPI Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com