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Alert To All Farmers Purchasing Hay From South Australia/Western Australia

The continuing drought is forcing farmers to source livestock feed supplies from further afield, which increases the chances of buying infected hay.

By Department of Primary Industries - 16th July 2003 - Back to News

Victorian farmers are required to obtain a permit when purchasing fodder from areas of South Australia and Western Australia. The permit is required for annual ryegrass toxicity (ARGT), Green Snail, Lupin Anthracnose, Floodplain Staggers and Noxious weeds. There are known cases of livestock deaths occurring when animals consume hay containing ryegrass affected by ARGT.

The incidence of ARGT throughout Western Australia and South Australia is widespread and well documented. ARGT has not yet been detected within Victoria.

It is illegal to move ARGT-contaminated hay or stockfeed into Victoria. The Victorian Plant Health and Plant Product Regulations 1996, state that any hay or stockfeed containing annual ryegrass from within 100 kilometres of an ARGT outbreak in South Australia or Western Australia must be tested and found to be free from ARGT bacteria before it can be bought into Victoria. The seed heads of affected annual ryegrass release a toxin that causes the disease in sheep and cattle.

Hay sourced from Western Australia must also be grown and stored 25km from a known Green Snail outbreak, as Green Snail is currently not present within Victoria. It is a very important garden and agricultural pest.

Hay should also be certified to be free of Flood Plain Staggers and Noxious weeds.

Buyers of hay are also reminded that if they are purchasing hay from the Murray Bridge area, they must telephone 1800 245 704 to ensure they are not purchasing material from within the Branched Broomrape quarantine zone.

This parasitic weed which is not known to occur in Victoria, seriously affects broad leaved crops such as canola.

It is advised that farmers should purchase hay from a reputable producer and reliable carrier. Hay should not be untarped or unloaded and reloaded until it reaches its destination.

It is the responsibility of persons importing hay from Western Australia and South Australia to seek written evidence from sellers that the hay is not contaminated with ARGT or Branched Broomrape. Permits are available from the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) office at Calvert Street in Bairnsdale.

For further details contact Lavinia Zirnsak, Regional Plant Standards Officer for Gippsland at DPI Calvert Street 03 51520600.

PREVENTING MASTITIS OVER THE CALVING PERIOD

Teat disinfection before calving – does it have a role?

A key factor in preventing mastitis is to reduce the number of bacteria present around the teat end. This is particularly important in the period from about two weeks before calving to two weeks after.

In herds that lead-feed dry cows, animals often congregate in feeding areas and their teat surfaces become contaminated with manure and carry higher numbers of bacteria. This means there is a higher risk of mastitis and some of these herds have experienced too many infected cows.

Several dairy farmers feeding ‘springing cows’ in the dairy have been trialing teat disinfection for two weeks prior to calving. These farmers are seeing a marked reduction in the number of the fresh cows becoming infected. Fewer bacteria on the teats and better teat skin condition are both helping prevent mastitis infections in fresh cows.

If you are feeding cows through the dairy before calving, and have more than five mastitis cases per 100 fresh cows, consider teat spraying before calving as a preventative measure.

Countdown Downunder farmer short courses are planned for November 2003. The six day course will cost $174 to FarmBis eligible dairyfarmers and includes course materials and lunch. Course days start at 10. 30 am and finish at 2.30 pm.

If you would like to attend one of these courses and learn more about how you can improve your cell count and mastitis control, gaining more dollars in your pocket, then contact Carol Bradshaw at DPI Ellinbank on 56242257.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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