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This special DairyPod feature episode takes a look back on 25 years of Gardiner Foundation, and the initiatives that have supported the dairy industry and farming communities. Gardiner Foundation’s Communications Manager, Meghan Lodwick, is in conversation with CEO Allan Cameron, as they explore the history of the foundation, how investments are prioritised, the impact it’s had to date and what comes next.

Meghan and Allan also discuss industry partnerships, including with Dairy Australia, to help bring initiatives to life, like Picasso Cows, Cows Create Careers and Our Farm Our Plan (OFOP) - providing dairy farmers and communities with more opportunities to connect and grow.

To learn more about Gardiner Foundation, and to read their 25-Year Impact Report, visit https://gardinerfoundation.com.au/about/our-impact

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To find out more about the programs mentioned in the episode:

Picasso Cows: dairy.com.au/education/teachers/picasso-cows
Cows Create Careers: dairy.com.au/education/career-advisors/cows-create-careers
Our Farm Our Plan (OFOP): dairyaustralia.com.au/farm-business/business-planning-and-risk/our-farm-our-plan-resources
DairyBio: dairyaustralia.com.au/about-us/who-we-work-with/dairybio
DairyFeedbase: dairyaustralia.com.au/about-us/who-we-work-with/dairyfeedbase
ElevateDairy: https://elevatedairy.com.au

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This DairyPod episode features an excerpt of a recent Dairy Australia webinar recording which focuses on the farm business and management decisions dairy farmers are facing as they head into the new season.

Dairy Australia's Farm Business Program Lead, Greg Duncan, is joined by experienced farm consultants Fiona Smith, Matt Harms and Tom Farran to discuss insights and observations from their work with dairy farming businesses.

They explore ways farmers can plan for, and manage, the impacts of increased costs and tighter margins within their business.

For more information and support with enhancing farm business management, reach out to the local Dairy Australia team or visit www.dairyaustralia.com.au/farm-business

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As mentioned in the episode:

Watch the full webinar, which includes an update on the Fuel and Fertiliser Disruptions, on Dairy Australia's YouTube channel here https://youtu.be/9YYvCLH4imE?si=HUx8gTzP0XNPULP8
The video can be viewed here https://youtu.be/t20OwzWEotA?si=kThX2OwNX3TwcOZe

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This episode recognises the progress dairy farmers are making in animal care and explores how changes to on-farm practices are reflected in the industry’s latest Sustainability Scorecard.

Dairy Australia’s Sustainable Animal Care Manager, Andy Hancock, speaks with South Gippsland dairy farmer and Chair of the Australian Dairy Sustainability Framework (ADSF) committee, Graeme Nicoll, about what sits behind the scorecard results.

Andy and Graeme discuss changes in animal care practices, the role of the CalfWays roadmap, and how insights from Dairy Australia’s Animal Husbandry and Genetics Survey are helping to guide future progress.

Learn more about the 2025 Sustainability Scorecard here www.dairy.com.au/industry-and-sustainability/australian-dairy-sustainability-framework

Visit www.mla.com.au/research-and-development/animal-health-welfare-and-biosecurity/calfways to learn more about the CalfWays project.

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Dairy Australia’s Chair, Paul Roderick, and CEO Matt Shaffer answer the questions farmers are asking about the 2030 Strategic Plan, and the outcomes it aims to deliver on farm.

Paul and Matt explore how the development of the strategic plan was shaped by farmer input and industry goals, with farm profitability at the centre. They also discuss the learnings from Dairy Australia’s Independent Review of Performance, and how progress will be measured and reported to farmers and industry over the next five years.

Learn more about Dairy Australia’s Strategic Plan 2030 here www.dairyaustralia.com.au/about-us/strategy-and-performance/strategic-plan

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Internationally respected specialist in leadership and organisational psychology, Dr. Nollaig Heffernan, joins Dairy Australia’s Extension Advisor and Farm Engagement Lead, Mikaela Barca, to discuss proactive ways that farmers can prioritise succession as a valuable, vital part of their business plans.

Nollaig explores barriers that farmers may face in broaching the topic of succession - like seasonal stresses, family considerations or if yet to access available programs or resources - and how transparency and timing can help foster a promising and productive discussion.

For more information and support with succession planning, reach out to the local Dairy Australia team or visit www.dairyaustralia.com.au

Farmers can also access Our Farm Our Plan resources here www.dairyaustralia.com.au/farm-business/business-planning-and-risk/our-farm-our-plan-resources

You can find more content featuring Dr.Heffernan on Dairy Australia’s YouTube playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF43zgg2AAtYiGERW-f2gQPblIQGbwQm6&si=eTrSDpjGkfYD4fbx

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Dairy Australia’s National Feedbase Lead, Ruairi McDonnell has a conversation with experienced farm consultant, Phil Shannon, discussing the ways in which farmers are responding to fuel and fertiliser supply disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict.

Phil provides practical tips and expert advice including use of alternate feed options, fertiliser and the principles of maximising home-grown feed. His core message is about being alert, not alarmed, and recommends farmers focus on things they can directly control during these ongoing challenges.

For more information and support during the Fuel and Fertiliser Disruption, reach out to the local Dairy Australia team or visit www.dairyaustralia.com.au/issues-and-emergencies/fuel-and-fertiliser-disruption

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As mentioned in the episode:

Dairy Farm Monitor Project (DFMP) – www.dairyaustralia.com.au/industry-reports/dairy-farm-monitor-project
Feeding and Farm Systems – www.dairyaustralia.com.au/feeding-and-farm-systems
Feeding Pastures for Profit (FPFP) – Contact your local Dairy Australia team for more information!
Ruairi McDonnell can be contacted at 03 9694 3825

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Carbon Farming Extension Advisor, Scott Jardine, speaks with Burra Foods’ Sustainability Manager, Warren Landles, about the drivers and benefits of reporting on greenhouse gas emissions.

They discuss the different emission scope classifications and highlight the practical farm data that underpins reporting requirements and data transparency further down the supply chain.

The conversation also highlights how low carbon intensity often reflects a highly efficient business and by calculating a farm’s carbon footprint provides farmers with valuable insights into energy, water and input use, helping identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

For more information about support for measuring and managing farm carbon, reach out to the local Dairy Australian team or visit Understanding Farm Carbon Expression of Interest | Dairy Australia.

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Dairy Australia’s Carbon Farming Extension Advisor, Scott Jardine, speaks with West Victorian dairy farmer Brad Collins about how taking a practical approach to understanding and then reducing farm emissions not only improved sustainability on his farm but also boosted profitability and efficiency.

Brad shares his experiences - from the motivation to first measure his farm's carbon footprint to implementing carbon management strategies such as solar-powered irrigation, soil health improvements and feed optimisation. He explains the lessons he learned and how he sees a clear alignment and benefits between sustainability and profit with plans to continue improving his learning.

For more information about measuring and managing farm carbon, reach out to the local Dairy Australia team or visit Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Dairy Australia.

Farmers can also register for one to one, personalised session with a farm carbon expert at:
Managing Farm Carbon one to one support | Dairy Australia

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Development & Regional Adaptation Lead, Kristen Davis, speaks with National Milk Quality & Biosecurity Lead, Zoe Vogels, about the vital role of milk quality and her enduring passion for the dairy industry.

Zoe reflects on her background as a dairy veterinarian and outlines her current role at Dairy Australia, where she leads the annual Milk Quality Awards. She explains what the awards measure and why they matter. The conversation also offers practical guidance for improving milk quality, explores the impacts of mastitis, highlights key biosecurity considerations, and discusses the innovations shaping the future of milk quality.

Find more information and resources on milk quality and the 2025 Milk Quality Award winners, at dairyaustralia.com.au/milking/milk-quality-and-mastitis

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In this episode, Cath Lescun, National Soils & Water Lead at Dairy Australia, chats with Dr James Hills, Livestock Production Centre Leader at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, to discuss the essentials of irrigation planning and management.

They cover the key steps and checks before irrigating — from preparation and pressure testing to understanding soil types – along with practical tools and methods for assessing soil moisture, calculating how much water to apply, understanding readily available water (RAW) and getting irrigation scheduling right.

A timely update for dairy farmers, whether already irrigating or holding off due to seasonal conditions.

For more information, resources and support on soils and irrigation contact your local Dairy Australia team or visit dairyaustralia.com.au/soils-and-water/irrigation

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s National Animal & Health Welfare Lead, Dr Stephanie Bullen speaks in depth with veterinary surgeon Dr Mac Kneipp about his early experience growing up on a sheep and cattle property to his research findings and advice for dairy farmers managing cattle with pinkeye.

Dr Kneipp shares insights into the causes of pinkeye in cattle — including evidence linking the condition to eye damage, not just bacterial infection — and offers practical advice to help dairy farmers manage and reduce the risk of pinkeye on farm.

For more information and resources on animal care, visit dairyaustralia.com.au/animals/health-and-welfare.

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Extension Advisor Shannon Logan catches up with South Australian farmer Alex Dohnt and Western Australian farmer Jordyn Dyke to talk about their recent experiences during farm visits from the Young Dairy Network (YDN) Ireland tour.

They discuss what they learned from visiting Irish dairy farms - exploring the differences and similarities to Australian systems- and share the cultural experiences, new networks made and the practical ideas and fresh perspectives they are excited to bring home.

For more information about local Young Dairy Network and events contact the Dairy Australia regional teams or visit dairyaustralia.com.au

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Principal Scientist John Penry and University of Sydney’s Professor Richard Trethowan discuss one of DairyUP’s groundbreaking projects: research into Kikuyu ryegrass and how it could benefit Australian dairy systems.

Backed by the largest dairy R&D investment in NSW in recent years, this multi-year study explores the genetic diversity, biomass development, nutritional value, and disease resistance of Kikuyu strains.

With early results showing promising disease resistance and a potential edge in nutrition, tune in for the latest project update.

DairyUP is a $16 million collaboration rejuvenating dairy research across Australia—funded by the NSW and federal governments, universities, and industry.

You can read more about the DairyUp Exploring genetic variability of Kikuyu research project update here.

For more information on the most common pasture species and varieties commonly grown on dairy farms in Australia visit Pasture Options| Dairy Australia.

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What happens when an entire dairy farm goes under water?

In this episode, Dr Stephanie Bullen, Dairy Australia’s National Animal Health & Welfare Lead, speaks with veterinarian Dr Sam Rowe from UniVets Livestock, about his on-the-ground experience working with flood affected farmers across New South Wales dairy regions in May 2025.

They discuss impacts on animal health – including mastitis, lameness and disease outbreaks – and the practical strategies that helped some farms fare better than others. The conversation covers ways farmers can better prepare herd and farm systems in flood and severe wet weather events.

For more information and resources, visit Wet Conditions & Floods.

Related links

Animal Health

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s National Animal Health & Welfare Lead, Dr Stephanie Bullen speaks with Donna Woerz from Debenham Australia, about how dairy farmers can navigate feed shortages in wet and dry conditions.

Donna shares insights on why fodder supplies are tight, what practical steps farmers can take to manage their feed budgets and how to get the most out of what’s on hand.

From effective fibre to alternative feeds, transition diets and young stock care, this is a practical discussion for making smart, informed feeding decisions through tough seasonal conditions.

For more resources to help manage feed and other on-farm challenges, visit
Dairy Australia – Issues and Emergencies

Related links

Feeding & Farm Systems

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This episode features an excerpt of a recording from a recent Dairy Australia webinar focused on the key settings and decisions shaping the current dairy season.

Greg Duncan, Dairy Australia’s Farm Business Program Lead, joins farm consultants Fiona Smith and Tom Farran to share practical insights from their work with dairy farmers.

Topics include:

planning and responding to milk price announcements
managing the impacts of drought and flooding
making tactical decisions around herd, feed, water, input costs and cashflow.

For more information and support with your farm business management needs, visit Farm Business

Watch the full webinar: Tactics for the year ahead | Enhancing farm business management

Related links

Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) - DAFF

Help with farm management decisions | Drought support | Farm management | Agriculture Victoria

Issues & Emergencies

Events

If you have suggestions for future podcast episodes, you can get in contact with us by emailing dairypod@dairyaustralia.com.au

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Analysis and Insights Manager, Eliza Redfern and Bendigo Bank Agribusiness Senior Agricultural Analyst Sean Hickey, explore the Mid-year Situation and Outlook (S&O) report.

Eliza and Sean discuss the Dairy Farmland Values Report – a first for the industry – and the key drivers and factors across agriculture that impact land prices across dairying regions. They also look at the grain markets and the current world events influencing grain prices, and what lies ahead.

Access the full S&O report: Situation & Outlook

If you have suggestions for future podcast episodes, you can get in contact with us by emailing dairypod@dairyaustralia.com.au

Related links:Industry Reports

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In this episode of DairyPod, dairy farmers Rachael Napier (Murray Dairy Board Chair) and Paul Bennett (Dairy Australia Board member) share how farmers across the country have helped shape Dairy Australia’s new five-year Strategic Plan.

Alongside host Greg Duncan (Dairy Australia), Rachael and Paul reflect on the extensive consultation process, the key priorities raised by farmers – including profitability, productivity and sustainability – and how these insights are guiding the organisation’s future direction.

Find out more at dairyaustralia.com.au/strategy.

This episode features a conversation with:
Greg Duncan, Agribusiness Program Lead, Dairy Australia (host)
Paul Bennett, farmer, Dairy Australia Board member
Rachael Napier, Murray Dairy Board Chair)

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In this special World Milk Day edition of DairyPod, Dairy Australia’s Karl Ellis is joined by sports commentator and milk enthusiast, Dwayne Russell and proud dairy farmer and AFL fan, Evan Nicholas.

Together, they dive into the heart of what makes milk great – from footy fields to farm gates.

Hear stories of childhood milk moments, the role of dairy in Aussie sports culture, and the deep pride behind producing one of the world’s most nutritious foods. Pour yourself a glass and join the celebration of the ‘simple greatness’ of milk.

Learn more about the ‘simple greatness’ marketing campaign promoting the value of Australian dairy at https://bit.ly/3YUB3dQ.

This episode features a conversation with:

Karl Ellis, Economic Sustainability and Competitiveness Manager, Dairy Australia Dwayne Russell, sports commentator on Fox Footy and Sports Entertainment Network (SEN) Evan Nicholas, Victorian dairy farmer, Murray region

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In this episode, dairy farmers Tania Luckin and Sarah Kelly join Dairy Australia’s Head of Marketing Glenys Zucco to discuss how the industry is being promoted and protected in the public eye.

The trio speak about how important it is to have farmers involved in dairy industry promotion for authenticity and transparency, reflecting on the successful Dairy Matters campaign – which ran from 2019 to 2024 – as well as looking ahead to Dairy Australia’s next five-year marketing strategy.

To find out more about how Dairy Australia is promoting the industry and how you can get involved, visit dairyaustralia.com.au/promotingdairy or speak to your regional team.

This episode features a conversation with:

Tania Luckin, South-west Victorian dairy farmer and former Dairy Australia Board member Sarah Kelly, Gippsland dairy farmer and Farmer Ambassador Glenys Zucco, Head of Marketing, Dairy Australia

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For over a decade, the Australian dairy industry has been internationally recognised for commitments to tangible goals and targets established through the Australian Dairy Industry Sustainability Framework.

Dairy farmer Simone Jolliffe joins Dairy Australia’s Rebecca Joyce to discuss these industry-wide commitments on the Framework’s four key sustainability priorities: Enhancing economic viability and livelihoods, improving the wellbeing of people, providing best care for animals, and reducing environmental impact.

Simone and Rebecca also delve into the results from the latest dairy industry Sustainability Scorecard, which revealed some great progress being made towards our industry’s goals.

Find out more at Industry Sustainability or access the recent scorecard.

This episode features a conversation with:

Simone Jolliffe, dairy farmer, Dairy Australia Board member and Australian Dairy Industry Council Sustainability Steering Committee member
Rebecca Joyce, Dairy Australia’s Sustainability Implementation Lead

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This episode is part of a series that focuses on Fall Armyworm (FAW), a destructive horticultural and field pest that was detected in Australia in 2020.

Queensland dairy farmer, Melvyn Zischke, shares his FAW experience with Dairy Australia’s Dr Brenda McLachlan, Dr Melina Miles (Department of Primary Industries, Queensland) and New South Wales agronomist Peter Beale.

The panel also discuss a range of potential options to minimise the impact of FAW in autumn planted pastures and forage crops, as well as the risks involved.

To find out more about FAW and access resources for dairy farmers, visit Fall Armyworm | Dairy Australia.

This episode features a conversation with:

Dr Brenda McLachlan, Development & Regional Adaptation Lead, Dairy Australia
Dr Melina Miles, Principal Entomologist, Department of Primary Industries, Queensland
Peter Beale, Senior Agronomist, New South Wales Local Land Services
Melvyn Zischke, dairy farmer, Darling Downs, Queensland

Related links
Fall armyworm | The Beatsheet

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In this episode, South Gippsland dairy farmer Graeme Nicoll joins Mikaela Baker (Dairy Australia) and Kevin Smith (Agriculture Victoria) to share practical insights into how he selects the most productive and profitable ryegrass for his farm using Dairy Australia’s Forage Value Index (FVI).

They discuss how the FVI ratings for Annual, Perennial and Italian ryegrasses are determined using independent data from Pasture Trial Network sites around Australia, and how the FVI continues to evolve.

To find out more about the FVI and access the 2025 data, visit Forage Value Index | Dairy Australia.

This episode features a conversation with:

Mikaela Baker, Dairy Australia Extension Advisor & Farm Engagement Lead
Professor Kevin Smith, Professorial Fellow, Agriculture Victoria Research and Professor of Pasture Science, The University of Melbourne
Graeme Nicoll, dairy farmer, Fish Creek

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Hear from New South Wales dairy farmer, Simon Scowen, as he joins Dairy Australia’s National People Lead Mick Fuller to discuss the importance of a safety-first culture in the workplace – particularly when it comes to onboarding and training for new employees.

For more information about employee inductions, visit Getting started | The People in Dairy

Related links:
Farm safety starter kit | The People in Dairy
Farm Safety Manual | The People in Dairy

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In this episode, hear from Irish dairy farmers Gillian and Neil O’Sullivan as they discuss their farming system and successfully changing from a conventional, monoculture pasture system to a multispecies pasture system.

The couple joins Dairy Australia’s Cath Lescun and Donna Gibson from Gardiner Foundation for this conversation, where they also share the reasons behind making the change.

For more information and to access resources across all areas of soil, effluent, water and irrigation management, visit Soils & Water | Dairy Australia.

This episode features a conversation with:Cath Lescun, National Soils & Water Lead, Dairy Australia
Donna Gibson, Program Manager, Research and Innovation, Gardiner Foundation
Gillian and Neil O’Sullivan, Irish dairy farmers

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Carly Potts is joined by Jade Pepper to discuss career opportunities and staff retention within the dairy industry.

Jade is a farmhand and trainee at Wallis Dairy in Bega, New South Wales. She speaks about her pathway into the dairy industry – which came through a school-based apprenticeship with Australian Training Company – as well as the transition from school to the workforce, and ways the industry can support staff retention.

To find out about how Dairy Australia provides support with employing and managing people, and building skills for successful careers in dairy farming, contact your regional team or visit People | Dairy Australia.

Related links
Home - Australian Training Company

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In this DairyPod episode, Dairy Australia’s Cath Lescun sits down with Professor Helen Suter and dairy farmer Simon Scott to discuss how dairy farmers can potentially improve soil health through the use of multispecies pastures.

Hear more about a new University of Melbourne study that examined the forage production of multispecies pastures and the impact on soil properties. The panel discuss the results of this project, and some of the applications it can have for dairy farmers interested in implementing biodiversity in their farming.

For more information and to access resources across all areas of soil, effluent, water and irrigation management, visit Soils & Water | Dairy Australia.

This episode features a conversation with:
Cath Lescun, National Soils & Water Lead, Dairy Australia
Helen Suter, Professor of Soil Science, The University of Melbourne
Simon Scott, dairy farmer from Barongarook, Victoria

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Since 2013, the Regional Wellbeing team at the University of Canberra has surveyed Australians in remote, rural and urban areas to better understand community liveability, wellbeing and resilience – crucial research supporting the future of Australian agriculture.

In this episode, hear key insights with Gardiner Foundation’s Meghan Lodwick and Professor Jacki Schirmer from the University of Canberra, who is leading this research.

The 2024 Regional Wellbeing Survey is open until 31 January. Find out more and take the survey: Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management.

Further information can be found at Home - Regional Wellbeing Survey.

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“I’m not only looking at hazards for the adults on farm – I am also now looking out for these hazards for not only my children, but those of my staff and the friends who come to visit.”

Hear from South Australian dairy farmer Jen Stolp, who speaks to Dairy Australia’s National People Lead Mick Fuller about how she and her husband keep their children safe when running a business that is also their backyard.

Jen outlines the policies and procedures their business has in place to create a safe workplace and culture on their farm.

For tools to build and maintain your safety system for children in the workplace, visit Visitors, Children and Traffic | The People in Dairy

Related resources

Farm Safety Manual | The People in Dairy

Farm safety starter kit | The People in Dairy

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Eliza Redfern and Helen Quinn sit down to dissect the December Situation and Outlook report and Dairy Farm Monitor Project (DFMP) results.

The pair discuss the impact seasonal conditions had on DFMP results in Victoria and New South Wales, as well as the key challenges and opportunities ahead of the upcoming season.

To read the full reports and results, visit Industry Reports | Dairy Australia.

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This episode is part of a series that focuses on Fall Armyworm (FAW), a destructive horticultural and field pest that was detected in Australia in 2020.

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Principal Entomologist, Dr Melina Miles, has been investigating FAW since it arrived in the country and discusses the topic with Dairy Australia’s Dr Brenda McLachlan.

They explore the potential impact on dairy farm crops and pastures, as well as delve into pest control options to minimise risks and the challenge presented by pesticide resistance.

Find out more and access resources at Fall Armyworm | Dairy Australia.

Related links

Fall armyworm | The Beatsheet

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Head of Marketing Glenys Zucco speaks to Rex James Stockfeed Managing Director, Sam James.

Sam reflects on his personal experiences helping Australian dairy farmers through tough times, the business’ role in the dairy industry and how it has evolved. He also speaks about the business’ recent commitment and involvement in Dairy Australia’s Picasso Cows program as a sponsor, and its benefits to the industry.

To find out more about how Dairy Australia promotes Australian dairy through consumer marketing, school and health and nutrition, visit Promoting Australian Dairy | Dairy Australia.

Interested in sponsoring the Picasso Cows program? Send an email to schools@dairyaustralia.com.au.

Related links
Picasso Cows Discover Dairy
James Stockfeed & Fertilizers - Home

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This episode is part of a series that focuses on Fall Armyworm (FAW), a destructive horticultural and field pest that was detected in Australia in 2020.

Dairy Australia’s Dr Brenda McLachlan speaks to Nutrien Ag Solutions Principal Agronomist, Dr Ross Pomroy about how to identify and manage FAW.

They also discuss the impact that FAW can have on maize, sorghum and other cereal crops and pastures grown for dairy cattle and the importance of monitoring and reporting if it has been found on farm.

For more information and resources including support to help identify Fall Armyworm visit Fall Armyworm | Dairy Australia.

Other related links

Fall armyworm | The Beatsheet
Pest management for Australia's Northern Grains region

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With the development of the 2025 – 2030 Dairy Australia Strategic Plan currently underway, dairy farmer and incoming Dairy Australia Chair, Paul Roderick, and Managing Director David Nation, talk about the importance of farmer input into the development of Dairy Australia’s strategic priorities.

David and Paul discuss why it is vital to Dairy Australia’s success as an organisation that services farmers and the dairy industry to have a clear plan that prioritises the use of resources. They explain why the development of the new strategic plan is a key opportunity for Australian dairy farmers to share what is important to them and their dairy farm businesses.

If you haven’t already, Dairy Australia invites you to have your say. We have had a lot of strong participation to date; however, reach out to our regional team and ask about the online and in person Dairy Australia Priorities Farmer Workshops available in your region or other ways you can participate.

Providing input will help shape Dairy Australia’s priorities to ensure they deliver the greatest impact for dairy farmers and the industry.

Find out more at dairyaustralia.com.au/strategy.

This episode features a conversation with:
Greg Duncan, Agribusiness Program Lead, Dairy Australia (host)
Paul Roderick, farmer and Dairy Australia’s incoming Chair
David Nation, Managing Director, Dairy Australia.

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Libby Swayn and Cath Lescun discuss soil nutrient management practices with Agriculture Victoria’s Dairy Industry Development Officer, Rachael Campbell.

They look at the key principles to follow when applying fertilisers, how to make the most of the nutrients that are already on the farm, and the practical application of effluent.

Dairy Australia has a range of resources to support dairy farmers across all areas of soil, effluent, water and irrigation management. Find out more: Soils & Water | Dairy Australia

Other useful links:  

Working through a dry season – feedbase considerations - DairyPod - Omny.fm

Drought, disaster and rural support - DAFF (agriculture.gov.au) 

Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) - DAFF (agriculture.gov.au) 

Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs - DAFF (agriculture.gov.au) 

For social support and wellbeing, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit the website. 

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In this episode, we share a recent Dairy Innovation webinar discussion about research into calf vitality and the role genetics, and effective record keeping, plays in the birth of a healthy calf.

Dairy Australia's Regional Extension Officer, Liz Mann speaks with Agriculture Victoria's PhD student Michelle Axford about the research. They are joined by Tori Tuckett, a dairy farmer from Western Victoria, to share her insights about the role that farmers can play in research and the benefits for enhanced outcomes at calving.

If you would like to find out more about leading bioscience research in dairy, visit dairyaustralia.com.au/dairybio.

If you have suggestions for future podcast episodes, you can get in contact with us by emailing dairypod@dairyaustralia.com.au

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Development Lead – Feedbase and Nutrition, Dr Josie Garner, sits down with Farm Business Performance Lead, Neil Webster to discuss strategies around preparing for dry weather.

Neil and Josie highlight the importance of feed budgeting and how to use it. They also look at how to use Dairy Australia’s hay reports to make informed decisions when purchasing fodder as well as interpreting feed test reports and why it’s important to buy feed tested fodder.

This is the first in a series of DairyPod episodes that will focus on seasonal dry conditions and how farmers can prepare and plan for related challenges.

Find out more at Drought Support | Dairy Australia or visit the Dairy Australia website to get in touch with your regional team and find out about the related events that are taking place in your area.

Other useful links:

Drought, disaster and rural support - DAFF (agriculture.gov.au)

Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) - DAFF (agriculture.gov.au)

Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs - DAFF (agriculture.gov.au)

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Are you looking for support in recruitment of workers on your dairy farm?

In this episode, Dairy Australia’s National People Lead Mick Fuller is joined by Dairy NSW Project Officer – Workforce Attraction and Retention, Tania Ketteringham and Aurora Dairies Talent Lead Michael Gliddon, to discuss how farmers can successfully attract workers to their business. The conversation takes into account the current unemployment rates, what job seekers are looking for, writing a great job advert and where to advertise to reach the right people.

This is the first in a series of DairyPod episodes that will focus on providing insights and guidance to help farmers successfully recruit and retain the right people for dairy farm jobs.

To find out more about how Dairy Australia is supporting farmers in attracting and retaining staff and to access employment resources, visit People, Skills & Capability | Dairy Australia

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In September 2023, the Bureau of Meteorology declared an El Niño climate pattern for Australia. This is linked with an increased risk of drought, heatwaves and bushfires – and unfortunately, we have already seen the bushfire season arrive in southeastern parts of the country.

In this episode, Dairy Australia National Animal Health and Fertility Lead, Zoe Vogels, speaks with Craig Wood, a veterinarian in Victoria’s Terang/Mortlake region and CFA Deputy Group Officer (Camperdown Group), about how dairy farmers can prepare for bushfires. This includes how to keep your young stock and cows safe, how to keep staff safe and informed, take into consideration power and water supply, and the importance of planning ahead.

You can find bushfire preparedness resources at Preparing for Bushfires | Dairy Australia and Bushfire Hub | Meat & Livestock Australia (mla.com.au)

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In this episode, DairyTas Regional Extension Officer Liz Mann is joined by DairyBio researcher Dan Isenegger to discuss some of the research being undertaken as part of the DairyBio Forages program.

Delving into the DairyBio Forages research program, they discuss gene editing technology, forage species in focus and the impact that this work could have for future dairy farms.

DairyBio is a $55-million partnership between the Victorian government, Dairy Australia and the Gardiner Foundation, with a dedicated purpose of delivering improved on farm productivity and profitability to Australian farmers through the use of bioscience.

This includes breeding more productive cows and forage pastures that are resilient to future environments; increasing the rate of genetic gain in profitability in plants and animals; and the development of the Sustainability Index to help farmers breed dairy cows that will lower emissions.

You can find out more about the DairyBio Forages program at dairybio.com.au/forage

Have a suggestion or idea for future episodes? You can email us at dairypod@dairyaustralia.com.au

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Industry Analyst, Eliza Redfern, delves into one of the highlights from the September Situation and Outlook report with Australian Fodder Industry Association Board Director, Brad Griffiths.

Discussing the fodder market, the conversation covers some of the conditions that are changing on the ground. We also gain Brad’s perspective on what the future impacts are likely to be and what it means for future hay prices.

If you would like to read the full September 2023 Situation and Outlook report, you can find it at dairyaustralia.com.au/sando

Have a suggestion or idea for future episodes? You can email us at dairypod@dairyaustralia.com.au

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In this third-in-a-series Dairypod episode on energy savings, Jarrod Leak, CEO at Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity, explores renewable energy sources for dairy farms.

Jarrod is firstly joined by Karin Stark, Founder for the National Renewables in Agriculture Conference and Stephen Soutar, Engineering Manager at Alternate Energy Innovations to discuss how to get the most out of a solar PV system on farm.

The second half of this episode he speaks with Samantha Lamond, Head of Energy 360, about the growing use of organic waste from across the agricultural industry to produce biogas as another renewable energy source.

Find out more about ways to save energy on farm, at Energy | Dairy Australia

You can find our other energy saving Dairypod podcast episodes here:
Saving energy on farm - getting started - DairyPod

Saving energy on farm - considerations when investing - DairyPod

Have a suggestion or idea for future episodes? You can email us at dairypod@dairyaustralia.com.au

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In this episode our guests discuss some of the considerations when looking to invest in renewable energy installations on-farm. From solar to wind turbines and hydro pumps, the discussion offers some questions farmers should ask and what to look for when it comes to securing a quality supplier.

For this conversation, Jarrod Leak, CEO at Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity, is joined by John Cutler, Managing Director for Keemin Energy Solutions and Mario Como, Senior Project Manager for Victorian Government Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.

Find out more about ways to save energy on farm, at Energy | Dairy Australia

Interested in other energy saving podcast episodes?
Energy savings on farm - getting started - DairyPod - Omny.fm

Our DairyPod episode participants:
A2EP - Australia Alliance for Energy Productivity
Keemin - Energy Solutions
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (deeca.vic.gov.au)

Have a suggestion or idea for future episodes? You can email us at dairypod@dairyaustralia.com.au

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Feedbase management research into forages, soils and nutrition is key to ensuring our industry remains viable into the future.

Agriculture Victoria’s Research Director, Professor Joe Jacobs, is our guest on this episode talking about the DairyFeedbase research program. He joins Dairy Australia’s Liz Mann to discuss the practical findings from the past six years of research, as well as what we can expect from the next phase of research which commenced July 2023.

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The largest feedbase research project in Australia, DairyFeedbase is jointly funded by Dairy Australia, Agriculture Victoria and the Gardiner Foundation and has secured funding for five more years.

Find out more about DairyFeedbase here: Driving Herd and Feed Innovation | Dairy Australia

Keep up to date on Dairy Innovation News by signing up to the e-newsletter here:
Subscribe | Dairy Australia

Have suggestions or ideas for the DairyPod program? You can get in touch by emailing dairypod@dairyaustralia.com.au

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Are you looking to reduce your on-farm energy costs but not sure where to start?

In this episode, Jarrod Leak, CEO at Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity, leads the conversation with Dairy Australia’s April Browne and Christopher Horvath from pitt&sherry, discussing on-farm energy efficiencies, quick wins versus longer term planning and offer ideas on where you can get started.

Find out more about ways to save energy on farm, at Energy | Dairy Australia

Our Dairypod episode participants:
A2EP - Australia Alliance for Energy Productivity
pitt&sherry (pittsh.com.au)

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This episode's discussion explores the latest in feedbase management research; how using digital technologies can provide farmers with valuable information to help improve timely pasture management decisions.

In this webinar recording, Dairy Australia’s Liz Mann, Project Coordinator Major Innovations, speaks with DairyFeedbase researchers Dr Liz Morse-McNabb and Dr Anna Thomson, about how the use of modern sensor-technologies, delivering pasture biomass and nutritive data, is informing on-farm strategies for improved productivity from dairy forages.

Find out more about the Pasture Smarts research or other DairyFeedbase research projects visit www.dairyaustralia.com.au/herdandfeedinnovation.

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In this podcast episode, Dairy Australia’s Policy Lead Natural Resource Management, Megan Hill and Regional Climate Adaptation Lead Cathy Ashby, discuss with Jane Stokes, DairyTas Regional Climate Adaptation Lead, the growing need for the dairy industry to reduce on-farm carbon emissions.

The discussion covers the market drivers behind carbon emission reduction targets for dairy, the imperative to be proactive as an industry, as well as what information, tools and resources are available for Australian dairy farmers today to help better understand how to identify strategies to reduce on-farm emissions and do so profitably.

You can access the Australian Dairy Carbon Calculator and supporting resources here Australian Dairy Carbon Calculator 2023 | Dairy Australia.

Dairy Australia is also developing extension programs to support farmers to know their carbon number. You can also find other resources, information and tools on our website here or contact us on 03 9694 3777.

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In this podcast episode, Dairy Australia’s Industry Analyst, Eliza Redfern, talks with Laura Richardson, Regional Manager DairyTas, about some of the insights from the May 23 Situation and Outlook report.

Their discussion looks at what has been impacting farmer sentiment - from weather events and farm gate milk prices, to the ongoing challenges presented by increasing input costs.

While labour challenges and farm exits continue to weigh on production, there is some modest potential for growth predicted and most Australian farming businesses expect to be profitable this season.

You can read the full May 2023 Situation & Outlook report at www.dairyaustralia.com.au/sando

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The Australian dairy industry has become the first in the world to release a national set of guidelines to help dairy farmers looking to invest in innovative feeding and housing solutions.

In this episode, Dairy Australia’s National Feeding and Farm Systems Lead, Karen Romano, and Program Manager, Dairy Services at Agriculture Victoria, Scott McDonald, talk about the development of the new National Guidelines for Dairy Feedpads and Contained Housing - a comprehensive guide to help with decision making around establishing, modifying or use of some type of feedpad or dairy cattle housing.

It is equally relevant to farm owners, farm workforce members and advisers.

Download the National Guidelines for Feedpads and Contained Housing at dairyaustralia.com.au/feedpadsandhousingguidelines

You can request a hard copies of the guide by emailing either:

Karen Romano, National Feeding and Farm Systems Lead, Dairy Australia karen.romano@dairyaustralia.com.au
Scott McDonald, Program Manager & Dairy Development Specialist | Dairy Services, Agriculture Victoria
mcdonald@agriculture.vic.gov.au

To find out more about the decision making tool called the Farm System Evaluator which allows farmers to assess preparedness for farm system transition, visit dairyaustralia.com.au/farmsystemevaluator

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Increasing efficiency in pasture management is one of the main drivers of profitability in grazing systems.

New research from the Dairy Feedbase program at Ellinbank Research Farm has revealed a substantial difference in milk production within the herd, between cows that are milked first in a pasture based grazing system versus cows milked towards the end. In this podcast,

Dairy Australia’s National Lead in Feedbase and Nutrition, Dr Rodrigo Albornoz, and Agriculture Victoria’s Research Scientist, Dr Meaghan Douglas, discuss how the research was conducted and some of the strategies farmers can implement on farm to reduce the milk production gap within the herd to get more milk from the same resources.

For more information on DairyFeedbase research projects and other herd and feed innovation, visit www.dairyaustralia.com.au/herdandfeedinnovation

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With Australian dairy farmers investing more than one hundred million dollars renovating pastures each year, assessing the performance, or potential economic benefit of different ryegrass varieties is critical for farm profitability.

In this episode, Gipps Dairy’s Lead REO, Matt Hall and Senior Consultant in Agribusiness at Pinion Advisory Jason Lynch, talk about some of the practical ways to manage pastures - from what to consider when selecting a species, sowing versus full renovations, to best practice pest and weed control and the value in using the data available from the Forage Value Index.

Find out more about the Forage Value Index and expanded 2023 tables at www.dairyaustralia.com.au/fvi.

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As the average age of our farmers increase, planning ahead to bring the next generation on becomes vitally important.

Recorded at the recent Australian Dairy Conference in Tasmania, Dairy Australia’s Elizabeth Mann caught up with Family Meeting facilitator and succession planning expert Lyn Sykes, to discuss the ins and outs of succession planning, how to approach the conversation in your family and what a successful succession plan can look like.

You can find more information on business planning including succession planning in the Our Farm, Our Plan program at Our Farm, Our Plan | Dairy Australia.

You can find the online booklet mentioned in this podcast discussion - A guide to succession – at https://thepeopleindairy.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/GRDC_succession_guide.pdf

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Recorded at the recent Australian Dairy Conference in Tasmania, hear Lachlan Barnes, Murray Dairy’s Lead Regional Extension Officer, talk candidly with farmers Scott Fitzgerald (North VIC region), Jeffrey Gijsbers (Smithton TAS), and George Rigney (Cressy TAS) about their personal stories of starting out in dairy, the barriers they see to farm business growth and individual perspectives and successes taking on opportunities for the long term sustainability of dairy farming.

www.dairyaustralia.com.au

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Dairy Australia’s industry analysts team, John Droppert and Eliza Redfern, discuss some of the insights from the recently released Situation and Outlook report.

Hear about some of the key drivers of the current domestic market situation as well as the outlook for the industry with increased on-farm and manufacturing costs in the context of global economic developments and what that may mean for milk prices moving into the next season.

You can find the full March 2023 Situation & Outlook report at www.dairyaustralia.com.au/sando

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For those new to genomic testing, or those who have already embraced it as a critical part of their farm business strategy, this Dairypod episode explores the latest developments in genetic data reporting – new herd ranking and index tools - and how these can further help inform animal trait selection decisions, supporting long term herd management and improving farm profitability.

Hear the discussion as Jane Wolacott, Dairy Australia’s Regional Extension Officer in New South Wales, explores the value of these latest developments in practical terms for farmers today, with Peter Williams, Extension Officer at Datagene.

To find out more, visit Cow and Heifer Genomics | Dairy Australia or contact your regional office.

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In this Dairypod episode, Dairy Australia’s Jess Phillips, Senior Community Engagement Advisor, speaks with dairy farmer and industry Ambassadors Lucy Collins from West Victoria and Joe Hammond from Tasmania, about the importance of promoting the dairy industry and the value in sharing their experiences to help maintain community trust.

The conversation shares Lucy and Joey’s personal perspective on what drives the need for marketing of the dairy industry, what value they see in Dairy Australia’s Farmer Ambassador program and their roles as industry ambassadors.

Lucy and Joey talk about their experiences in the program, from some nervous beginnings unsure what is meant to be an industry ambassador to personal growth and confidence in sharing their unique and authentic stories, and encourage others interested in getting involved to take that first step.

If you would like to find out more about Dairy Australia’s Farmer Ambassador program and opportunities to get involved, visit Farmer Ambassadors | Dairy Australia

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Industry Insights and Analysis Manager, John Droppert and Tony Anderson, Dairy Australia’s Agribusiness Manager, discuss the value to farm businesses in understanding the factors impacting milk markets and driving local, farm-gate prices.

The conversation provides an insight into why Dairy Australia’s new Milk Price Workshops were develop, the market information available to all farmers today and how a better understanding of the basics of milk-market dynamics can help farmers maximise profits and manage risk.

To find out more about Dairy Australia’s Milk Price Workshops and when they are running in your region, visit www.dairyaustralia.com.au/farm-business

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In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Industry Insights and Analysis Manager John Droppert and Industry Analyst, Eliza Redfern, talk candidly about the origins of the annual In Focus report - its value to industry and the challenges in compiling this annual review of the diary sector.

The conversation delves into the various sources of data that informs the report, how the data is then validated and the significance of having transparency of both the immediate year in review along side long term trends for the industry.

A number of report takeaways are also discussed bringing together a snapshot of the prior financial year including the impacts of inflation, the COVID-19 pandemic and global volatility in context of dairy’s performance.

You can read more about InFocus and download the 2022 In Focus report at Australian Dairy Industry In Focus | Dairy Australia

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Hear from Cath Jenkins, working on a series of environmental management case studies with Dairy Australia, discuss how environmental considerations can become part of an effective farm business strategy.
Speaking with Nigel Pannett, Managing Director at Compass Agribusiness, the discussion focuses on ways to improve the natural assets on dairy farms and Nigel explains how this experience lead him to include the environment as a key strategic area for the overall business strategy - alongside finance and people components - and how they are all essential for a successful dairy farming business.

Nigel also talks about the increased interest in “ESGs” (or Environment, Social and Governance factors) and how Compass Agri, and other dairy farm businesses successfully incorporate these concepts into every day dairy farming practices.

Learn more about how Dairy Australia programs supporting farmers and industry to better manage land, water and climate to improve production and profitability at Land, Water & Climate | Dairy Australia

You can find out more about CompassAgribusiness at https://compassagri.com/au/

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On this episode hear from Cath Jenkins, working on a series of environmental management case studies with Dairy Australia, discuss the benefits of on farm practice change with Jeff Rollinson, an industry service provider with Landcare Network working with dairy farmers across south west Victoria.

Talking about some of the great work dairy farmers are doing to improve environmental outcomes and natural asset utilisation, the discussion unearths productivity and financial benefits from making improvements on farm including shelterbelts, soil health, water ways and biodiversity, and provides some suggestions regarding the first steps to take when looking at farm projects and some insight into seeking grants to support on-ground works.

Find out more at
Dairy Australia www.dairyaustralia.com.au/
Landcare Australia https://landcareaustralia.org.au
Find your local Natural Resource Management Organisation at https://nrmregionsaustralia.com.au/nrm-regions-map/

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Nitrogen fertiliser use within our dairy systems has come into sharp focus of late. The rapid price increase in the last 12 to 18 months has left many farmers questioning how profitable nitrogen is. Add to this the fact the countries such as New Zealand have brought in caps on the amount of nitrogen that can be used annually on farm and farmers here in Australia are rightly concerned about how our dairy systems can still produce high amounts of home grown forage and remain profitable while reducing the amount of nitrogen inputs.

In this DairyPod episode, Dairy Australia’s Project Co-ordinator, Major Innovations, Liz Mann discusses with Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture Research Fellow Adam Langworthy, some of the considerations to make the most of the nitrogen fertiliser that you use now as well as new nitrogen research that is about to commence as part of the DairyHIGH2 research program at the TIA Smartfarm in Elliot Tasmania.

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With close to 60% of all dairy farms in Australia using some form of irrigation on their land, it is important to continually find more ways to use and manage water resources.

In this Dairypod episode, Dairy Australia’s National Soils and Irrigation Lead, Cath Lescun, discusses with Climate Adaptation Lead Cathy Ashby some of the current challenges facing farmers when it comes to effective irrigation.

The conversation also delves into the Smarter Irrigation for Profit (SIP) research project and the resulting outcomes and practical steps - defined as the eight principles for effective irrigation – which were identified as the result of a six-year study across five key industries and supported by Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry through the Rural R&D for profit program.
You can find more information about this project at www.dairyaustralia.com.au/smarterirrigationforprofit

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The December 2022 Situation and Outlook report highlights strong farm finances and stable milk prices, set against challenges caused by inflation and widespread spring flooding. In this podcast episode, John Droppert Industry Insights and Analysis Manager discusses, with John Penry Manager, Technical and Innovation, the report insights including the increase in sales of fresh milk and yoghurt for the year to October 2022, ongoing labour shortage issues seeing an increased investment in labour-saving technologies and Australia’s milk production outlook for 2023.

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What does it take to achieve a high level of milk quality?

On this episode Kristen Davis, Regional Extension Officer at GippsDairy, and Dairy Consultant Dr Mark Humphrys discuss some of the changes dairy farmers James and Luke from the MID in Gippsland and Darren and Tracey from Bega NSW, took to reduce their bulk milk cell count through effective mastitis management practices across their herd.

The discussion covers some practical changes that were made on-farm along with the programs and resources available to help dairy farmers on this journey to improving dairy hygiene and milk quality including the redeveloped Cups on Cups off – Milking & Mastitis Management program.
Find out more at www.dairyaustralia.com.au/mastitis

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Hot Summers are part of the Australian landscape, but as our climate warms, we are seeing more extreme and frequent hot and dry weather conditions in all regions of Australia. Heat stress in dairy cows occurs when a tolerable threshold in environmental temperature and humidity is surpassed, and this can put at risk the wellbeing of cows and have negative implications on productivity.

In this discussion we hear from Dairy Australia’s Technical Lead, Feedbase and Nutrition, Rodrigo Albornoz as he discusses everything from cooling infrastructure to nutritional strategies with Dr Kristy DiGiacomo, Senior Lecturer and Researcher at the University of Melbourne and Ian Sawyer, Ruminant Nutritionist with Feedworks.

Find out more about the Feeding Cool Cows project here Cool Cows Manual | Heat Stress | Dairy Australia

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In this DairyPod episode, Dairy Australia’s Debbie Twiss sits down to talk with Jess, a dairy farmer in Victoria who shares a very personal story about her experience with anxiety and mental health and well being. Drawing on her personal experiences, Jess shares the very real and confronting challenges she faced, and the steps she took to seek help from those around her.

Trigger warning - This episode does contain themes that may be upsetting for some of our listeners. If this does raise personal issues for you, there is help and you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue at www.beyondblue.org.au

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Setting the background on Dairy Australia’s Workforce Attraction campaign, in this discussion we hear from Dairy Australia’s Ross Bawden and Sarah Cornell talking with dairy farmer Kristy Grant, about the challenges of labour shortages, a new national approach to driving community awareness and engagement and resources available connecting job seekers with careers in dairy.

Find out more at www.dairyaustralia.com.au/people

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Hear from Dairy Australia’s Manager, Technical and Innovation John Penry and Industry Insights Analysis Manager and report author John Droppert, as they discuss the key insights from the September Situation & Outlook report. The discussion covers the effects and outlook resulting from record-high farmgate milk prices, global production volume outlook as well as ongoing challenges caused by weather conditions, workforce shortages and high input costs which remain key issues for the industry.

Read the full report at Situation and Outlook | Dairy Australia

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Read the full report at Situation and Outlook | Dairy Australia

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Listen to Dairy Australia’s John Droppert talk to Situation and Outlook report author, Sofia Omstedt, in the latest DairyPod. John and Sofia discuss the forces influencing the global dairy commodities market, how they affect farm profitability, and the broad outlook for the dairy industry.

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The December 2021 Situation and Outlook report notes increasing competition for resources between beef and dairy in some regions. With that in mind, Dairy Australia’s John Droppert caught up with Matt Dalgleish from Thomas Elder Markets to discuss the outlook for beef prices and whether the beef boom is likely to turn into a bust.

If you want to read more about the latest Situation and Outlook Report, go to www.dairyaustralia.com.au/sando

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Today we’re back in beautiful South Australia where the high number of sunny days has led to a revolution in energy usage, especially involving renewables. But apart from whacking a few solar panels on the shed roof, how much do you really know about the opportunities and pitfalls involved in power usage? DairySA extension officer Beck Burgess recently sat down with farm energy expert Simon McKay to see just how fast the game is changing in generating and utilising power.

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Treating lameness is an incredibly rewarding job, allowing farmers to ease pain and suffering as well as getting their prized milkers back in top shape. But for most farmers, treating lameness in their herd seems well beyond their skillset. In this podcast, a group of experts and farmers from a recent Healthy Hooves workshop look at approaches to preventing, diagnosing and treating lameness. It’s a great discussion led by GippsDairy’s Kristen Davis and Gippsland vet Mark Humphris, with plenty of practical tips on how to improve lameness outcomes in your herd.

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An increasing number of farmers are strategically using sexed semen to increase their replacement rates and reduce the number of bobby calves or male calves produced.

In this podcast, WestVic Dairy Regional Extension Officer Debbie Twiss caught up with Warrnambool based vet Dr John Kelly.

John and Debbie discuss how modern sexed semen performs relative to conventional semen, the considerations you need to take on board when preparing to use sexed semen, when might sexed semen might be most appropriate to use and how you might go about getting started.

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With an increasing number of farms considering more intensive dairy systems, we thought it would be a great chance to hear what respected farm consultant Phil Shannon has to say on the pros and cons of housed systems and the untapped potential for growth in existing grazing systems.

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The DairySA team back is back in the in the pod, with regional extension officer Beck Burgess joined by DairySA chair Andrew Cavill for a chat on how heifer genomics have transformed his herd. Andrew, who farms at Bool Lagoon, about half an hour from the Victorian border, is a great advocate for the positive benefits of genomic testing.

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With the release of the September Situation and Outlook Report, it's a good chance to look at what’s happening in grain trends.

With input prices remaining subdued and milk prices still favourable, farmers will now be looking down the track to see what their balance sheet will be like for the rest of the year.

To help paint a clearer picture of hay and grain forecasts, Dairy Australia’s industry analyst John Droppert is joined by ProFarmer Australia analyst Claudia Kirby.

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Bega irrigator Will Russell is a young dairy farmer who is determined to maximise the yield from his water resource. Will is part of the Smarter Irrigation for Profit Two project which is delivering innovative ways to optimise pasture and crop yield. Will sat down with SIP2 co-ordinator Kym Revington to discuss how he’s getting more bang for his buck for the 500 megalitres he uses on his farm each year. For the latest tools, resources and information from the Smarter Irrigation for Profit 2 project, visit dairyaustralia.com.au/SIP2

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Spring is just around the corner, which means silage season is here for many dairy farmers across Australia. In this episode of DairyPod, technical services manager for Lallemand Australia David Lewis joins Murray Dairy regional extension officer Lisa Birrell to discuss inoculants and additives in silage. David’s well known as a silage guru, so anything he says on the subject is well worth listening to.

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Heat detection technology has been changing rapidly over recent years, so Carl Hockey has joined Steph Bullen for the latest DairyPod episode. Carl services dairy farms across much of the subtropical region and is extremely knowledgeable about reproduction and heat detection. This is a must-listen podcast for any farmer looking to improve labour efficiency and reproductive performance. If you have ideas on podcast topics, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to drop us a line at dairypod@dairyaustralia.com.au

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Dairy Australia’s June Situation and Outlook report tells us that farmer confidence is riding high.

With so much of our industry dependant on trade, DairyPod spoke to Stewart Davey, the man charged with helping exporters cut red tape and improve market access. Talking to Dairy Australia industry analyst, John Droppert, Stewart offers an insider’s look into some of the challenges of international trade.

If you want to read more about the latest Situation and Outlook Report or National Dairy Farmer Survey, go to www.dairyaustralia.com.au/sando

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Cameron Renshaw has built his northern Victorian business, Calflink, on the back of growing demand for high quality dairy beef. In this discussion with Sarah Bolton from the Dairy Australia animal health and welfare team, Cameron looks at the opportunities that exist for the dairy industry, but warns that farmers need to understand what the market demands so they can provide the right dairy beef product.

Australian Dairy Farmers will be running the 2021 ADF Dairy Beef Forum, an online event hearing from international experts, policy setters and dairy farmers. To register for the July 29 forum, go to www.dairyaustralia.com.au/dairybeefforum2021

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With end-of-financial year approaching, farmers are looking at how to better run their businesses. This episode of DairyPod sees author Jana Hocken explain how she used her knowledge of mechanical engineering to transform the family dairy farm into a leaner business operation. If you’re looking to improve your own farm business performance, Dairy Australia has plenty of resources available, including the new Farm Business Snapshot tool at dairyaustralia.com.au/FBS We’d also love to hear from farmers about any topics or special guests you’d like covered in future podcasts. Feel free to email us at dairypod@dairyaustralia.com.au

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Genomic testing of heifers can save you money on rearing costs and fast-track improvements in everything from milk production to fertility. In this episode, Daniel Abernathy from Zoetis explains to Dairy Australia’s Steph Bullen how genomic testing can benefit farm businesses and how to get started. In the second part of the pod, Steph talks to South Australian farmer Shane Gardiner about the impact of genomic testing on his herd.

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Finding the right milk company to supply to can be a complicated decision for dairy farmers. In the latest episode, Murray Dairy’s Lisa Birrell spoke to Strathmerton farmer Andrew Wilson about how he compares different companies and chooses the right one for his circumstances. If you're looking for information on milk supply agreements head to www.dairyaustralia.com.au/msas

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Bruce Manintveld and Fiona Baker are now debt free, just eight years after purchasing their farm. Still in their 40s, Bruce and Fiona have ridden the highs and lows of the past decade, using a low-cost business strategy to smash through their loan repayments.

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TMR farmer Brad Fisher reckons his cows are happier since moving into a compost barn system. where they are milked three times a day. The South Australian farmer says the dairy industry and wider public needs to take a fresh look at intensive systems and how they stack up from an animal welfare and economic point of view.

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In the latest Situation sand Outlook DairyPod, milk entrepreneur Sallie Jones talks to DA’s John Droppert about building value into dairy products. In 2016, Sallie Jones started Gippsland Jersey with her business partner Steve Ronalds, and has grown the private milk label into a genuine success story – and feelgood story – for the dairy industry. You can read the whole S&O report at dairyaustralia.com.au

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Gippsland farmer Stu Griffin, who has been milking once-a-day for five years, shares his thoughts on how it has impacted on pasture utilisation, fertility, cow health, staffing and, most importantly, profitability and lifestyle.

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Downer cows can be frustrating, time consuming, expensive and emotionally taxing. For such an important and complex subject, we’re lucky enough to have Australia’s foremost authority, Gippsland vet Phil Poulton, chatting with Steph Bullen from Dairy Australia’s animal health and fertility team about the best way to get your cows back on their feet. For more info on downer cows got to www.dairyaustralia.com.au

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Professor Geoff Dahl is a US scientist with a knack for explaining his research in simple terms, which is exactly what he does when talking about the ongoing effects of heat stress on dry cows and heifers. His research indicates that up to four litres per cow could be lost for an entire lactation if dry cows are heat stressed, with further impacts on calf weight, development and milking potential.

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In the first DairyPod episode for 2021, we speak to NSW farmer Colin Thompson, who has developed a successful Total Mixed Ration (TMR) farm system after starting out as a pasture-based farmer. Colin’s story has lessons for every farmer, with his insights into how to run a profitable dairy farm making this a must-listen podcast.

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Equity partnerships are still rare in Australian dairy, so this episode should interest anyone looking to grow their business or ease out of the industry. Western Victoria farm owners Bruce and Andrea Vallance started an equity partnership with Issac Fynn two years ago. It’s the second time the Vallances have successfully ventured into an equity partnership, so they have a wealth of knowledge to share. It’s a full house for this episode with Issac joining Bruce and Andrea in the pod, as well as farm consultant Angus Drummond who has helped facilitate the partnership. Fiona Smith, who co-ordinates DairyBase for Dairy Australia will lead the discussion.

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With the release of the December Situation and Outlook Report we look at how Australian dairy is tracking in Indonesia. In this episode, Ausfine Foods’ Garry Embleton talks to Dairy Australia's John Droppert about the trade opportunities and challenges for dairy in the world's fourth most populous country.

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Adelaide Hills dairy farmer Rick Gladigau explains how fire ripped through his local farming community on December 20 last year. Rick, who recorded this episode earlier with DairySA regional extension officer Beck Burgess, shares some of the decisions that helped save his dairy and some mistakes that could have been extremely costly.

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For many farmers, antibiotics are a major cost that impacts on the bottom line of their farm business. One farmer recently saved $100,000 in antibiotic costs by changing herd health procedures. It’s also a community-wide issue about protecting life-saving medicines that can be weakened by over-use. In the episode, Gippsland vet and mastitis guru Mark Humphris looks at how prevention and improved drying off techniques can dramatically cut antibiotic usage. In a wide-ranging discussion with Steph Bullen from Dairy Australia’s animal health and nutrition team, Mark explains how dairy farmers can develop systems and procedures that reduce antibiotic usage (and vet bills) and improve herd health.

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If you’ve ever wondered about adding a beef component to your breeding program, then this DairyPod is well worth a listen. With beef prices riding high and on-going community concerns over replacement cows, breeding calves for beef is an increasingly attractive option for many dairy farmers. In this episode, Dairy Australia’s Sarah Bolton talks to Charles Sturt University researcher Michael Campbell on the pros and cons of adding dairy beef to your system, how overseas markets view dairy beef products and how the domestic market is growing.

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With the release of the October 2020 Situation and Outlook Report, Dairy Australia’s John Droppert chats with Rabobank analyst Michael Harvey about where the industry is placed, where it is likely to be heading and what international markets are telling us about dairy supply in a Covid-19 world. Topics covered include improving trends in farm profitability, the impact of Victoria’s food service restrictions and where the Chinese market is heading.

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In a tough year, Justin Walsh made Earnings Before Income and Tax (EBIT) of more than $3.50 per kg of milk solids or around $2000 per cow. It’s an amazing result - and even more so when you consider Justin put in less work last year than he ever has before. There’s no silver bullet behind Justin’s success. Instead, he explains how he picks the brains of good farmers, has reassessed his farm business to get the big settings right and looks for the source of problems, rather than continually dealing with the results. DairyNSW’s Greg Duncan visited Justin on his South Coast farm near Nowra to find out how this young farmer is working less and making more money.

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In the second instalment of Frank Mickan’s silage production podcast, the man known as Mister Silage shares his thoughts how to improve harvesting and ensiling of your spring pasture. As anyone who listened to the previous podcast will know, Frank has a wealth of knowledge, and in this episode he discusses a wide range of topics including wilting rates, silage machinery, compaction and density, face management and plenty more.

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When it comes to silage, Frank Mickan has probably forgotten more than the rest of us will ever know. For over forty years, the man known as 'Mister Silage' has been turning pasture and fodder conservation research into practical outcomes, helping farmers produce consistently better silage and boost their profit margins in the process. In the first of two podcasts, Frank shares his know-how with GippsDairy regional extension officer Karen Romano.

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Don and Jen Stolp, who farm at Mt Gambier in the south east of South Australia, have built a farm business from scratch, moving from farm employees to 50/50 share farmers on one of Chris Proctor’s SA farms. DairySA’s Beck Burgess will guide us through this great story of how smart and bold decision making, surrounding yourself with good people and sheer perseverance have helped carve out a profitable niche in the dairy industry for a young farming couple.

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To celebrate the latest Milk Quality Awards, renowned mastitis expert Rod Dyson explains how farmers can improve their milk quality through better mastitis control. Rod, who is considered one of the leading experts on the subject, joins Dairy Australia’s Steph Bullen to drill down into the techniques and procedures that can really make a difference to lowering cell counts and improving what goes into your vat – and your bank account.

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Internationally renowned management consultant, Nollaig Heffernan, unpacks the importance of valuing and investing in your people, and how understanding yourself as a person - and an employer - will help you succeed. For more information on becoming a better employer, go to thepeopleindairy.org.au

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In this podcast, internationally renowned expert Neil Chesterton looks at how you can reduce lameness through improved cow-flow and better stock handling. Neil has dedicated his career to preventing lameness and is adamant that all farmers can cut their vet bills and improve cow welfare by following some simple recommendations.

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In this episode, Dr. James Hills from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture and DairyTas regional extension officer Liz Mann will take you through the steps for preseason checks and, once it’s all up and running, how to set your intervals to make every drop count. James is also a lead researcher for Smarter Irrigation for Profit Phase Two, so he’s up to date with all the latest information for boosting productivity on irrigated farms.

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Farm consultant Matt Harms guides you through the milk supply contract maze in this must-listen DairyPod episode. With contracts needing to be signed by June 30, Matt drills down into the detail of what is contained in various contract offerings and how you can find the best deal for your farm business. He also looks at the Dairy Industry Code of Conduct and offers his opinion on whether loyalty should still be a factor when farmers sign on the dotted line.

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With the shadow of COVID-19 looming over the world, global markets – including dairy – have been more difficult than ever to analyse and forecast. In the latest DairyPod episode Dairy Australia’s Industry Insights and Analysis Manager, John Droppert, will shed some light on the factors that have driven a significant recovery in national milk production and boosted dairy farmer confidence in many regions. John will guide us through the highlights of the June 2020 Situation and Outlook Report and also take a look at some of the market forces from around the globe that influence your farm gate milk price. If you want to more from the Situation and Outlook report go to www.dairyaustralia.com.au

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The pre-calving 3 week transition period is critical to improved herd health and reducing milk fever risk. Gippsland vet and dairy farmer Jakob Malmo has over 6 decades of experience in the industry, and in the latest Dairypod he outlines his simple but effective approach to transition cow management (TCM). Jakob has shown on his farms that by implementing some simple interventions to his transition feeding approach, you don’t always have to feed an expensive transition diet to still see real benefits.

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If you’ve ever thought of installing a feedpad or upgrading your current system, this is a must listen podcast. WestVic Dairy’s Peter Gaffy caught up with AgVic’s Scott McDonald to examine the pros and cons of feedpads, including the hidden costs that catch out many farmers.

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In the latest episode of DairyPod, Riverina farmer Ruth Kydd talks about the exceptional herd fertility results she and husband Neville have been able to achieve. By matching their calving pattern with availability of homegrown feed, the Kydds have been able to build their farm from a modest size to a large-scale operation. It’s a great story of how ordinary farmers have been able to achieve extraordinary results through a focus on fertility improvement. Joining in the discussion is breeding consultant Leo Bydevaate who has helped shape fertility decisions on the Kydd farm.

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Farm consultant Phil Shannon talks to Dairy Australia's Ruairi McDonnell about increasing profits from grazing management and maximising home-grown feed on your farm - particularly from direct grazed pasture. If you follow Phil's advice, you could be leaving less money in the paddock and putting more in the bank.

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In the latest DairyPod episode, Down to Earth Advice Ltd consultant and former DairyNZ scientist Dr John Roche gives his thoughts on some of the main challenges facing Australian dairy farmers in the future, and how decision making can be the difference between a successful or struggling farm business. From marginal milk to production costs, the internationally renowned dairy consultant provides a fascinating insight into how the best farmers approach decision making and how good choices can improve your balance sheet and lifestyle.

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Northern Victorian dairy farmer Dehne Vinnicombe, who has tested positive for COVID-19, speaks to Murray Dairy’s Lachie Barnes about operating a farm under the threat of coronavirus spread and how he has adapted his farm business to minimise the potential damage that can be caused by the virus.

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This episode looks at how markets, both internationally and domestically, are shaping up in the post COVID-19 world. Dairy Australia’s Industry Insights and Analysis Manager John Droppert caught up with Fresh Agenda director Steve Spencer whose analysis of the food industry, especially dairy, is always worth a listen.

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Gippsland dairy farmer Andrew Perry talks us through the critical steps he's taken to protect the people on his farm and the farm business itself from COVID-19. Andrew, who is also a highly respected vet, believes dairy farmers need to treat COVID-19 seriously or risk damage to their business – as well as their health. Steph Bullen from Dairy Australia’s animal health team caught up with her fellow vet to find out what exactly he’s doing to fight COVID 19 on his farm.

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Steph Bullen from Dairy Australia’s animal health team and DA’s technical and innovation manager John Penry will take you through some of the fundamentals of how to deal with the threat of COVID-19 on your dairy farm.

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Still unsure which perennial ryegrass variety to choose for sowing this autumn? Hear Dairy Australia’s Ruairi McDonnell chat to Prof. Kevin Smith from the University of Melbourne about the Forage Value Index, including how to use it on your farm to select the most profitable cultivar.

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With lots of farmers around the country focusing on Autumn calving, it’s a good time to have a listen to Dairy Australia’s Ruairi McDonnell speaking with Dr Bob James, a dairy consultant from the US who's had a long and productive career in extension, teaching and research, specialising in dairy calf management and rearing. In a thought provoking discussion, Bob spoke about several aspects of calf rearing, including: - How much milk should you feed your calves each day - Target weight gains pre-weaning - Long term effects of how heifer calves are reared on their milk yield as mature cows - Pros and cons of automatic calf feeders - Antibiotic use in calves - Role of “secondary” or transition colostrum in calf performance

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Western Australian farmer Jacqui Biddulph talks dairy life with northern Victorian farmers Peter and Susan Wearden who’ve seen the highs and lows of dairying over almost three decades and have developed strategies for staying optimistic even in the toughest times.

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Gippsland dairy farmer and vet Andrew Perry recently caught up with Ruairi McDonnell to discuss his approach to management and rearing of heifers on his farm, including: - What is the true cost of heifer hearing on dairy farms? - Key targets to aim for when rearing heifers to enter your herd - What the ideal number of heifers to rear each year? - The role of the export heifer market in Andrews farm system

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Dairy farmer and CFA captain Mark Billing speaks to WestVic Dairy regional extension officer Peter Gaffy about how to protect your farm and animals in the event of bushfire. Mark has great tips on preparing for fire season, what to when the fire front is on its way and how to recover once the flames have died down.

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Renowned farm consultant Ian Gibb has seen the highs and lows over decades in the dairy industry. In the first DairyPod from northern Victoria, Murray Dairy regional extension officer Lachie Barnes talks with Ian about resilience during tough times and where he sees the industry heading.

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Nitrogen expert Professor Richard Eckard is warning farmers that they may only have a small window to maximise the potential of N this spring. In the latest DairyPod, Richard talks about how to make the most of your nitrogen budget to put grass in front of the cows and into the silage pit. He also discusses broader issues of how to strategically use N to make the most of growing conditions. If your farm business relies on growing grass, then spend half and hour listening to this podcast.

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Veteran contractor Duncan McNeil has seen and done just about everything in the world of silage production. In this episode of DairyPod, Duncan discusses changes in production methods, the habits of the best dairy farmers he has dealt with, the best way to identify good contractors and how to maintain a relationship when you’ve found a contractor that suits your needs.

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With many farmers currently selecting their AI bulls for the spring joining period, how important is it to consider daughter fertility? GippsDairy’s Ruairi McDonnell spoke with vet Dr Ee Cheng Ooi in the latest DairyPod episode where she explained why it really is worth selecting for high daughter fertility and also explained a recent study where she validated the daughter fertility ABV and proved it does work to improve herd fertility on Australian farms.

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With feed prices still high and many regions experiencing long term changes to rainfall patterns, GippsDairy’s Ruairi McDonnell spoke to PGG Wrightson Seeds agronomist Darrel Rowe about the pros and cons of various cropping options and how these crops may fit into your farm system.

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If you listen to one farming-related podcast this year - make it this one. Dairy farmer Aaron Thomas’ story of how he self-destructed and then rebuilt his life is both inspiring and educational. He shares his warts and all history with GippsDairy’s Karen Romano in the latest DairyPod episode. There’s some mild swearing and we advise that, if this podcast raises personal issues for you, go to www.beyondblue.org.au, speak to your local doctor or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. And please, share this through your networks so as many people as possible can hear Aaron’s story.

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What is the ideal dairy farming system to optimise profitability in southern Australian pasture-based dairy farms? In the latest episode of DairyPod, Maffra based Vet and Consultant Dr Richard Shephard discusses this question and outlines the key areas that he feels farmers should target on their farms in order to be profitable and manage risk.

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In the third DairyPod episode, Gippsland vet Steph Bullen shares her tip and tricks for better drying-off of cows and Dairy Australia's Jo Coombe talks about antibiotic resistance and what it means to animal and human health.

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Consultant John Mulvany features again in the second episode of our new DairyPod podcast, this time discussing how dairy farmers around the country are tracking financially and how farmers themselves are assessing their level of financial performance. You can now subscribe to DairyPod on iTunes or listen on Soundcloud.

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In the first Dairy Pod episode from GippsDairy, legendary farm consultant John Mulvany explains how dairy farmers can use marginal milk as a driver of profit.

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DairyPod: Recent Episodes