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Dairy Reminders For July 2004Pasture growth rates for July are estimated to average 10 - 12 kg DM/ha/day across Gippsland, providing you have a pasture wedge on the farm. Growth rates will be much lower than this if all your pastures are short, 5 - 8 kg DM/ha/day. By Department of Primary Industries - 20th July 2004 - Back to News Pastures
Pasture growth rates for July are estimated to average 10 - 12 kg DM/ha/day across Gippsland, providing you have a pasture wedge on the farm. Growth rates will be much lower than this if all your pastures are short, 5 - 8 kg DM/ha/day.
To optimise ryegrass based pasture growth during the winter months aim to graze ryegrass tillers at the three leaf stage, and avoid back grazing and excessive pugging.
Ryegrass leaf emergence rate is at its slowest in July due to the cold temperature and could take up to 25 – 30 days for one leaf to emerge. The following leaves will be slightly faster emerging so a rotation of 65 to 70 days may be required to grow three leaves prior to the next grazing. Therefore, daily pasture allocation for the milking herd needs to be one seventieth of the effective grazing area of the farm, the rest of the herd’s diet will need to be grain fed in the dairy or hay.
If the winter pastures are pugging, try using a standoff area for the cows once they have eaten their fill of pasture and hay in the wet paddock. Cows can eat their daily ration of pasture in four hours provided the grass is at a good grazing height.
Don’t waste your fertilisers on wet waterlogged paddocks - wait until the dryer months for fertiliser application.
Cows
Grass tetany may be a problem in freshly calved cows, therefore maintain adequate levels of magnesium in the supplementary ration.
Feeding silage and hay on the ground in wet paddocks can result in up to 20 % loss of the silage or hay due to trampling and contamination by dung and mud. Feeding on a feed pad or in hay rings along the laneway maybe a more efficient option.
If you are having trouble with mastitis enquire about the Countdown Downunder program.
Heifers
Heifers are a valuable resource, either as herd replacements or for sale on the export market. Winter is a difficult time of the year for heifers, therefore ensure you provide good worm control and energy supplements so that heifers continue to grow at 0.6 kg live weight gain per day over winter.
Supplementing the heifers pasture diet with good quality hay (9 MJ/kg or better) helps to maintain energy levels in the diet and provide adequate fibre to control a steady flow of energy, protein and minerals from available green pastures.
Calves
New born calves need at least two litres of quality colostrum within four hours of birth to gain valuable antibodies, energy and proteins that can pass quickly through the stomach wall into the calf’s bloodstream. Calves that receive adequate colostrum will have a better immune system to fight scours and more energy to overcome the demands of the first days of life.
Financial
BAS statements for this financial year are due on 28 July for both option 1 reporting quarterly and option 2 reporting annually. There are some changes to the reporting requirements of small business for 2004/2005. For more information visit www.ato.gov.au or phone 13 24 78.
Water quality
Remember to leave a buffer strip of grass or native vegetation along drainage lines leading to creeks, dams and swamps to help trap sediments and reduce erosion.
Environment
Foxes are a costly pest at calving time. Foxes will distract cows while calving, attack newborn calves or cause damage to cows’ udders while calving. For advice on control methods contact your local DPI Catchment Management Officer.
Safety Message
When working from a height where your feet are more than 2 metres above the ground - wear a safety harness or stand on a protection platform with guard rails.
Contact WorkSafe for details and ideas on farm safety or visit www.workcover.vic.gov.au
ENSURING THE QUALITY OF NATIVE PLANT FOODS
DPI is aiding the development of an emerging industry that is providing exciting foods and food ingredients derived from Australian native plants.
The best known of these native plant foods include bush tomato, lemon myrtle, native mints, mountain pepper, wattle seeds, native citrus, several tropical fruits and macadamias. They are picked from both wild stands and plantations. There is considerable potential for the industry and several companies are successfully exporting.
A critical issue for this and other emerging industries is to be able to assure their customers of the quality and safety of their products. Primary Industries Research Victoria staff at DPI Knoxfield are assisting the industry by providing advice and training on food safety issues.
Project leader John Faragher said that, like mainstream products, native plant foods have particular storage, handling and packaging requirements which optimise shelf life and ensure quality and safety for the consumer.
"All Victorian food businesses, including primary producers who process or sell direct to the public, must now have a food safety program and the skills and knowledge to implement it," said John.
"Knoxfield staff will conduct two specialised, accredited training workshops on food safety for the native plant food industry in regional Victoria, between August and October this year."
The food safety project is a collaborative effort between DPI's Specialised Rural Industries Program, the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and the native plant foods industry.
DPI Knoxfield has a well-recognised expertise in food safety technologies and training and conducts courses for a range of horticultural industries.
For further information contact John Faragher at DPI Knoxfield on (03) 9210 9222.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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