Autumn 2017

IN THIS EDITIONWomen in FodderOrganic FodderFibre Up, Protein Down This Season

Be Aware of Golden DodderWarning for Lucerne Seed Producers & Users – Page 13

focus on FODDER

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Letter from the ChairAs this edition of AFIA’s Focus on Fodder publication reaches our members and stakeholders, the challenges of the current fodder season are still well and truly top of mind for most of us. With such a substantial fodder production season and with many of our customers still sitting out of the market, you can’t help but begin to wonder when interest for our products will start to pick up again. Patience is a virtue in many aspects of our lives and that is particularly true of those of us who make our living from the land and agriculture. The vagaries of seasons and markets never seem to diminish from your thoughts for long and a good season brings as many challenges as a poor one. It is no wonder that Australian farmers of all persuasions have been such wonderful innovators; they have had to learn to survive not only the bad times but also the good, ironically.

As the Chair of the Board of Directors of AFIA, I am pleased to see the renewed innovation in programs that your representative organisation has started to undertake in 2017. On Thursday 16 February, a free Women in Fodder Social Media Teleconference was organised by the AFIA office in association with Australian Women in Agriculture, providing registered attendees with an interactive forum to understand different social media platforms and what they're used for, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

We have also started planning for a series of workshops throughout 2017, at this stage numbering ten, designed to build engagement with fodder end users and increase their knowledge of the fodder production industry. To be coordinated in association with our partner TPC Agriculture, these workshops will be arranged across two themes: Our Place, and Technical Workshops.Planning for the 2017 National Fodder Conference (7-9 August 2017 at the RACV Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast, Queensland) is also in full swing. The 2017 Conference theme is ‘Feeding Innovation, Growing Success’ and will be the must-attend event for 2017 for everyone involved in the fodder industry.As mentioned by our CEO John McKew in his CEO Report following in this edition, the new AFIA Strategic Plan Framework has been developed and accepted by the Board. This document will drive our focus and resource allocations over the coming years as we continue to position AFIA as the Australian fodder industry’s peak body. The Board and staff look forward to delivering this plan and working with our many members, sponsors and industry stakeholders to grow the industry in which we are all passionate participants.

Ann Collins

Autumn 2017

In This IssueIn Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Export Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52017 National Fodder Conference . . . . . . 7Focus on Women . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Quantity Is Not Necessarily Quality . . . . . . 9Dairy Project: Accelerating Change. . . . . . 10Fodder Producers Be Aware of Golden Dodder 13Member Profile Revisited . . . . . . . . . 14New Machinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Organic Hay – Is it Right for You? . . . . . . 19Autumn Climate Outlook . . . . . . . . . 20AFIA China Agricultural Tour 2017 . . . . . . 22Vox Pop: Supply and Demand . . . . . . . 24

Australian Fodder Industry Association LtdThe Australian Fodder Industry Association Ltd (AFIA) is the peak body for the Australian fodder industry covering all sectors of the supply chain, from seed to feed.

Since it was established in 1996, AFIA has worked to help the fodder industry grow through sharing information, assisting trade and promoting research and development. It also works closely with government regulators to ensure its members have a favourable environment in which to do business.

Its members are the Australian fodder industry—farmers, contractors, transporters, fodder testing labs, researchers, service providers, domestic hay traders and exporters—all committed to growing the fodder industry together.

AcknowledgementsEditor: Jesse Lourey

Industry Development Officer, AFIA T 03 9670 0523 or E jesse@afia.org.au

Design and layout: Di Holding AnDi Communications www.andicom.com.au

Cover photo: Adam Fraser

Photos: by AFIA staff or article author unless otherwise noted.

AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017 [1]

AFIA Unveils New Free Events for 2017AFIA is increasing its presence in and around Victoria in 2017 by holding ten new free events. These events will look to increase our engagement with our members and sponsors by presenting useful, innovative information. The ten events will also be an opportunity for AFIA to grow our current membership base by targeting fodder end-users, particularly those in the dairy industry. The events will be grouped into two categories as follows:

Our Place - Meet the ProducerEvery year we hear your feedback and are thrilled by the success of the Our Place sessions at the National Fodder Conference. We’ve decided to take this a step further by offering six ‘Our Place - Meet the Producer’ days which will include farm tours by some of AFIA’s most respected members. These days will also provide networking and sponsorship opportunities, offering presentations related to the business of fodder production. The ‘Our Place - Meet the Producer’ days will offer a great opportunity to hear and learn from some of the best in the fodder business and offering the opportunity to ask those fodder questions you have always want answered.

Technical Workshop DaysWe will also be running four technical workshops in 2017, covering seasonal and regionally specific information. These workshops will include presentations from industry experts and will delve more closely into the technical areas of fodder production including feed testing, understanding feed test information and how to translate feed test information into better fodder buying decisions.

Each event will be facilitated by TPC Agriculture and will be attended by AFIA staff and/or Board members. Stay tuned for more information regarding the first Our Place – Meet the Producer event in northern Victoria. ■

CEO ReportWelcome to the Autumn edition of AFIA’s Focus on Fodder publication. This year is shaping up as another busy one for the fodder industry. The focus now is on the management of buoyant supply together with subdued demand. Despite this current imbalance, the forthcoming seasonal conditions, especially an adequate, timely and wide-spread Autumn break, will quickly determine if that imbalance will last long. It remains a buyers’ market now but I think we all understand that this can change very quickly depending on what the seasons decide to do. Astute users of fodder will have already started their forward purchase planning, based on different scenarios and contingencies. This forward planning, especially when there is adequate supply, may seem overly cautious but it can result in improved purchasing decisions and significant savings. When current fodder supply tightens, as it inevitably will, finding quality becomes more difficult and depending on distances to supply, transport costs can become a major factor.

In taking over as CEO for AFIA, the Board asked me to formulate a Strategic Plan for the organisation. This has taken me some time to accomplish, due to the ongoing development of my understanding and appreciation of the industry. After several versions, most of which have now been discarded, I now have a strategic vision for AFIA which was presented to the Board, and accepted, at the most recent meeting on Monday 20 February. In its summary form, the new Strategic Plan Framework for AFIA states the organisation’s reason for existence as:AFIA is recognised and respected as the Australian fodder industry’s peak body; networking, educating, influencing, innovating, communicating and developing the fodder industry’s contributions, value and impact in both the domestic and export markets. AFIA will strive to become the Australian fodder industry hub, able to connect, link and advocate across all sectors of the industry from producer to customer/end user, domestic and export, capable of delivering high-quality market intelligence, information and products.

Six key areas of focus have been identified within the new Strategic Plan Framework to which AFIA will commit to investing its resources. They are:1. Networking & Connecting2. Educating3. Influencing4. Innovating5. Communicating & Informing6. Developing

The next stage of this strategic planning process is to start developing programs and products under these six key areas of focus. Many existing AFIA programs and products already sit within this framework. For example, our National Fodder Conference arguably sits across all six. Recent initiatives

In Brief

[2] AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017

Raking hay while the sun shines. Photo: Charlie Williams

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2017 Field Days CalendarHere’s a list of upcoming Fields Days for your calendar. Let the AFIA team know if you’re heading along as some staff, board members or sponsors may be attending.

March25 The Weekly Times Rural Lifestyle Expo,

Ballarat VIC30–Apr 2 Farm World, Warragul VIC

31–Apr 1 Karoonda Farm Fair, SA

April6–19 Sydney Royal Easter Show, NSW

28–29 East Gippsland Field Days, Bairnsdale VIC

28–30 Royal Bathurst Show, NSW

May4–6 Agfest Carrick, TAS

12–13 Riverina Field Days, Griffith NSW

15–17 Ausveg National Convention, Adelaide SA

17–18 Civenex, Eastern Creek NSW

19–20 Mildura Field Days, VIC

such as the Women in Fodder Social Media Teleconference is an example of Educating and Developing.

A valuable outcome of a Strategic Planning Framework such as this is that it provides a clear direction for the organisation to take- a roadmap if you like. Equally important, it provides a framework whereby any new proposed programs or investments can be easily evaluated. If a proposed program or investment does not fit within our Strategic Planning Framework, it can quickly be dismissed, significantly reducing wastage of valuable and limited resources, especially time and money.

We look forward to continuing to communicate the ongoing development and implementation of the AFIA Strategic Planning Framework with our members, sponsors and all other stakeholders. ■

Photo: Cam Parker

keys toproducingquality oat hay

Chapter 1 why grow oat hay?

Chapter 4variety selection

Chapter 7 weeds, diseases & pests

Chapter 2 oat hay planner

Chapter 5 establishing the crop

Chapter 8 making oat hay

Chapter 3 market requirements

Chapter 6crop nutrition

Chapter 9 transport & storage

Oat hay provides enterprise diversity bringing financial and agronomic benefits.

Select varieties to meet market, region and disease resistance requirements.

In-crop weed and disease control options are limited. Plan ahead.Abide by all product labels.

Paddock selection and pre-seeding weed control are essential for quality oat hay.

Calculate seeding rate on 1000 grain weight.More seeds generally increase quality, yield and weed competition.

Bale when 12-14% moisture.Different variety maturing extends cutting date more than spreading sowing date of the same variety.

Know your market.Talk to your hay buyer before sowing.

Soil test: sow in paddocks with low nitrogen (N).Understand variety N requirement and importance of potassium.

Store export hay in sheds.Monitor hay moisture.Know and implement transport laws.

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Export ReportMunro Patchett General Manager, Gilmac

Demand from all major markets is strong. Most exporters would be at capacity with their shipments – a situation that will probably be maintained until the new US crop becomes available from June onwards.

All grades are selling well and pleasingly, China, which up until this year had only been buying higher grades, is now buying and demanding good volumes of middle and low grades.

While volumes to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are consistent or reducing slightly, Chinese enquiries are turning into increased orders. The only factor

that appears to be preventing an increase in shipments is pressing capacity. This is being addressed with two new export plants coming on-line in Western Australia and two more announced in Victoria. This should help push Australian fodder products over and beyond the one million tonnes that has been touted for some time. This extra capacity will be needed if Australian products follow the same growth that has been achieved by United States alfalfa suppliers in recent years.

It is important to ensure that the oaten hay that is grown for export is a quality product that is protected. Australian oaten hay has had a good reputation in markets for being safe and consistent. Many people are now professional hay growers with significant investment in

equipment and sheds. This ensures that hay is made correctly and stored safely and securely for export.

This year has highlighted the importance of having hay under cover and protected. Rain over Christmas in eastern Australia and significant rainfall in Western Australia over the last month has damaged many stacks left outside that are now not suitable to export.

Key things for growers to consider: ■ Who are you growing hay for? ■ What are their requirements for quality?

■ What are their terms of trade? ■ How much hay can you grow and deliver or find secure storage for?

■ Do you have a back-up plan for additional tonnes e.g. extra sheds, tarps, hay caps etc.? ■

AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017 [5]

Export Corner

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2015201420132012 20162011

Alfalfa Exported to China from USA

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Source: US Department of Commerce

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Munro Patchett checking some export hay ready for baling.

2016 Australian Fodder ExportsJohn McKew AFIA Chief Executive Officer

Australian fodder exports for the 2016 calendar year have ended almost 5.7% higher in volume terms compared to 2015. In all, 989,287 tonnes of fodder were exported from Australia in 2016 compared with 936,329 tonnes in 2015, an increase of nearly 53,000 tonnes. On a value basis, 2016 Australian fodder exports achieved over $395 million, a 3.2% increase on the 2015 result of $383 million.

Japan remains Australia’s largest export destination for fodder products, taking almost 481,000 tonnes or 49% of total exports in 2016. China is the second largest export market with over 221,000 tonnes or 22% of total fodder exports. The Republic of Korea and Taiwan are the third and fourth largest markets, respectively. In total, these largest four markets accounted for 94% of all Australian fodder exports.

Whilst the value of Australian exports of fodder products may be considerably smaller than that of other export commodities, the export potential of Australian fodder continues to grow year on year. As intensive livestock industries, specifically in dairy and red

meat production, continue to develop rapidly in several of our key export markets, Australia is well placed to secure and maintain long-term supply arrangements for fodder into these markets. Australia’s fodder export industry has a reputation for reliability and quality and as a nation with a long and successful history in agricultural production itself, it also brings substantial credibility and experience to its fodder export program.Date sourced from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resource Economics and Sciences ■

Export CornerFodder Volumes

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2016 vs. 2015 Australian Fodder Export Volumes

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Photo: United World Enterprises

[6] AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017

2017 National Fodder ConferenceAFIA is proud to present the first of our speakers for the upcoming National Fodder Conference- RIRDC Chair Mrs Kay Hull AM. Kay will be officially opening the conference on Tuesday 8 August.

This year’s conference will take place at the stunning RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, Queensland from 7–9 August. More information will be available to delegates shortly, however if you would like to know more about sponsorship please contact Pru Edmonds at pru@afia.org.au or call the AFIA office.

RIRDC Chair - Mrs Kay Hull AMKay Hull is a Riverina personality, business woman, community leader and former Federal Member of Parliament.

Kay served as a National Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from October 1998 to August 2010, representing the Division of Riverina, New South Wales. She was the first female NSW National elected to Federal Parliament and the first female Chief Nationals Whip.

With a passion for food and fibre production, Kay ensured the agriculture sector had a strong voice in Canberra in relation to water access for irrigation. From 1999 to 2010 she convened the Parliamentary Cancer Network, and continues to serve on boards and committees related to achieving equitable access for country cancer patients.

Before entering Federal Parliament, Kay served on Wagga Wagga City Council from 1991 to 1998, including five years as Deputy Mayor, and was Chair of the Council of Tourist Associations in NSW from 1995 to 1998. Kay was a Ministerial appointment to the Board of Tourism

NSW from 1995 to 1998, receiving the Rod Murdoch Award for Contribution to Tourism in NSW in 1998.

Kay has a strong background in business, having been a medium enterprise owner operator in the Motor Vehicles Trades and Services sector since 1978. She was awarded the Golden Crow Roll of Honour Award for contribution to the Wagga Wagga business community in 2010, and received the Freedom of the City of Wagga Wagga in March 2011.

She was appointed by the NSW Minister for Education to the NSW Skills Board in 2013 and Chair of The Australian National Advisory Council on Alcohol and Drugs by the Commonwealth Minister for Health in October 2014. Kay was awarded an AM in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours for her contribution to the Parliament of Australia and her leadership in the Riverina. ■

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Women in Fodder

AFIA and Australian Women in Agriculture (AWiA) Join Forces for Social Media TeleconferenceAre you digitally savvy? Do you know the difference between Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn? Are you connecting with your family, community or business via social media? Are you aware of digital privacy, sharing documents and data online (cloud computing)?

These were the questions AWiA and AFIA were tackling during the recent collaborative teleconference in February. The link between AFIA and AWiA started when AWiA secretary Elizabeth Brennan was invited to speak at the 2016 National Fodder Conference’s Women in Fodder workshop. Liz presented a number of interesting anecdotes about her personal and professional life which led her to volunteer for AWiA. She also spoke about the work the organization does in bringing agriculturally focused

women together and giving them a voice.

The AFIA members present at the wokshop identified a major hurdle for their own Women in Fodder group building towards an AWiA model was their ability to communicate online. It was at this point the two associations came together to offer a free educational workshop.

Women from around the country were represented with many thrilled simply by the opportunity to connect with their friends in New South Wales, Victoria or Western Australia. The presentation from Liz was lively, and the information concise and easy to follow.

“I wanted the teleconference to run as an interactive workshop,” Liz said. “By using this medium anyone can join regardless of their postcode from the

comfort of their own home, office or even the roadside.”

The content included an in depth explanation of the most commonly used forms of social media. Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google +, and Linked In were all covered and a number of tips and tricks provided for each.

If you would like to know more about AFIA’s Women in Fodder group, or the resources available from the teleconference, please do not hesitate to email jesse@afia.org.au

If you would like to know more about Australian Women in Agriculture, please email Elizabeth Brennan at secretary@awia.org.au ■

Subsidized Access to Women’s Leadership Events AvailableWomen & Leadership Australia are currently offering 20 Australian Fodder Industry Association members the opportunity to attend the 2017 Australian Women’s Leadership Symposium for $400 off the standard rate.

The Symposium is the most highly attended women’s leadership event in the country and provides women a critically important platform to explore leadership, life and career development. They will take place in all capital cities across Australia later this year.

To take advantage of the discount:1. Simply go to www.wla-symposium.

com.au/2017events.html2. Select which city you would like to

attend3. Click ‘Tickets Available Here’4. Enter your First Name, Last Name

and Email Address, then click ‘Next’5. Enter your Company, Title, Work

Phone and type in ‘Australian Fodder Industry Association’ when answering the question ‘How did you find out about this event?’, then click ‘Next’

6. Click ‘Finished Adding People’

7. Enter Discount Code ASC2017 and click ‘Apply’ to get the $400 discount off the standard rate

8. Complete your Payment Method, tick ‘I agree to the Terms and Conditions’, click ‘Finish’ and then your confirmation will be emailed to you.

Only twenty Symposium seats are available at this rate. For further information about the Symposiums, simply go to www.wla-symposium.com.au

Women in Fodder

AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017 [9]

Quantity Is Not Necessarily QualityProteins Down, Fibres UpRick Stadler FeedTest – Agrifood Technology

A wet winter and spring resulted in a late start to the hay harvest, although it has produced massive yields and huge numbers of bales. Concerns over the quality of hay has led to record numbers of samples being tested. At FeedTest the season started a month late and as yet has not abated.

Numbers of cereal and grass/legume hays make up most of the increase, with a lower number of wheat hays after the frost-affected crops from last year.

Samples Tested 2016 2017

Hay 3184 4238Silage 385 410Grains 353 252

A comparison to last year’s results shows some interesting differences. As would be expected, quality this season can be summed up by higher ADF and NDF fibres with correspondingly lower proteins and ME. Grasses, cereals and vetch show the largest differences, whereas legumes have generally held their proteins.

The data comes from across Australia. While there are some differences in specific regions, low numbers make it difficult to draw definite conclusions.

The season has had the larger effect on the results this year rather than the traditional stage of maturity. A mild, wet winter has stimulated a lot of growth that has led to a large amount of fibre in the paddocks, hence high yields. A weak spring has not given a strong flush of growth that would stimulate protein and sugar. Proportionally, fibre remains the dominant feature.

Mould has been an issue for many hays and the tests that we have done show predictably high results. High counts do not necessarily mean a toxin problem, although they certainly influence how the fodder is used and the associated risks.

More detailed season averages will be available on the Feedtest website in the not too distant future. ■

Comparison of season 2016 and 2017 average results for fodder testing from across Australia.

Type of Fodder

Crude Protein (%) Metabolisable Energy (MJ/kg)

Acid Detergent Fibre (%)

Neutral Detergent Fibre (%)

Water Soluble Carbohydrates

2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017

Cereal hay 8.7 6.3 10.0 8.3 26.9 32.2 51.8 59.3 23.1 18.3

Grass/legume hays

11.4 9.1 10.0 8.6 29.1 33.8 52.0 58.8

Legume Hays 17.5 16.8 10.2 9.0 28.6 32.8 41.6 47.6

Vetch Hay 20.2 19.6 11.2 8.8 26.4 33.7 38.4 49.8

Silage 15.4 13.0 10.6 10.1 26.8 29.4 48.4 51.3

Grains 13.9 12.1 13.1 13.2

Fodder Quality

Accelerating Change Successful Summer CroppingMurray Dairy

Murray Dairy’s Accelerating Change project supports dairy farmers in northern Victoria to develop efficient and profitable feedbase systems. The project toured the Riverina in January to have a close look at the soil and agronomic factors influencing summer cropping performance this year, above and below the surface. Forty-six farmers and agronomist came together to discuss feedbase planning, ground preparation, crop nutrition, weed control, irrigation management and the impact of sub soil constraints on yield. The tour kicked off at Mark & Phillipa Flemming’s at Tocumwal to look at grazed millet and conserved sorghum, and how these crops fit into their feeding system. The next step was

Malcolm Holm & Jenny Wheeler’s farm at Blighty, where the group visited two maize crops that were subject to the same agronomic management but were performing vastly differently. The final stop was at Rob & Gaye Singleton’s at Finley where the group looked at an additional three maize sites, where a comparison was made on the impact of crop rotations and soil preparation on the development and yield potential of this year’s maize crop.

The following take home-messages were discussed on the tour:1. Agronomic timing is critical but not the only factor that determines yield

Many farmers are familiar with the need to follow the ‘recipe’ for summer crops, to ensure the result is more sponge-like rather than pancake. Maize and sorghum have consistent agronomic needs in terms of timing of sowing, nutrient application and irrigation. It is critical to get these things right in order

to reach full yield potential. However, it is also important to note that even if the time of planting is optimal and agronomy follows ‘best practice’, yield potential may be limited by un-diagnosed soil constraints. Having a look beneath the soil surface may reveal factors that limit productivity. It’s important to do this before you start preparing for your summer crop. Once it’s in and growing there, will be little you can do to address constraints.

2. Know your soil inside and out!

Variability in yield across the tour’s maize sites can be attributed to variability in the availability of topsoil and the effective root zone (subsoil). Topsoil depth is a relatively fixed property, which is often modified from landforming. The take-home message for farmers and agronomists was ‘topsoil is your horsepower and your subsoil is your water tank’. The less topsoil you have, the less productivity capacity the soil has overall. In a lot of the region, topsoil depths are limited

[10] AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017

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due to soil type and older practices of cutting and filling. Knowing the depth of the topsoil and the variability across a field or farm will assist you to understand the yield potential of the site you select to grow summer crops (or any crops) but also assist in soil management decisions. There is a delicate balance between cultivation practices that will ensure appropriate seed soil contact and a uniform seed bed and practices to preserve topsoil. Variability in yield potential is also related to effective root zone depth.

3. Effective root zone is how much of your water tank you are actually using

There were vast differences in the tour’s maize sites in terms of root development down the profile. Some sites demonstrated hard panning (consolidated or compacted layers beneath the topsoil) which drastically stunted root development and impacted crop performance. The shallower the root system, the smaller the ‘water bucket’ and less efficient the delivery of nutrients for crop uptake. Management will determine how the root zone develops. If a hard pan or a hostile subsoil is not addressed, plant roots will not be able to elongate past these barriers. Additionally, if soil is kept too

wet at the start of crop development, roots won’t push down to find water. If it is kept too dry, yield potential is restricted from early in the crop’s life. Maintaining moist but not wet soil is critical. This can be difficult to achieve under border check irrigation because irrigation applies a large volume of water and control of soil moisture conditions is difficult.

4. Get deep ripping right for productive purposes

Many sites had a hard pan at depth that was a significant limitation to root development, water movement and aeration. Soil structure was deemed ‘massive’ or structureless. Deep ripping can be used to shatter soils and improve structure but for a deep rip to be effective, the soil needs to be stabilised as well as shattered.

Deep ripping should aim for a depth that will just shatter the hard pan you want to remediate. Stability is achieved from organic matter and top soils from the surface moving down the profile, application of gypsum, and the movement of nutrients. Best results are achieved where organic matter moves down the rip line behind the ripping tine. This keeps the rip line open and stabilised, providing a space for root growth. It also assists with cycling organic matter at depth. If you don’t stabilise the soil when you rip, the soil may slump back down and the full benefit of deep ripping may be compromised.

5. Know the soil constraint you’ve got before you actually remediate

It’s particularly important to know the difference between a physical soil constraint including structure and other problems associated with soil chemistry.

Summer Cropping

Maize site that was deep ripped after having a deep-rooted cereal crop grown over winter that was mulched. Effective root elongation through the profile.

Maize site that was pugged over winter and multi-disced, with hard pan at depth and stunted root development.

Maize crop at different stages of development due to differences in effective root zone depth across the check bank.

AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017 [11]

One of the maize sites showed the importance of knowing the difference between slaking and dispersive soils. According to Dairy Australia’s Fert$mart Program, soil slaking is related to structural stability, which is the soil’s ability to retain aggregates and pore spaces under various environmental conditions. This means the soil slumps and consolidates resulting from a lack of organic matter. If you have soil slaking problems, gypsum responses are often limited and a more effective treatment is building organic matter through correct tillage and agronomic practices. Dispersion is usually a problem of soil chemistry (namely, high levels of exchangeable sodium and potassium). Dispersion can be treated with calcium ameliorants including gypsum.

6. Improving and preserving soil structure – it’s a long term plan

Rotations as well as seasonal management will contribute to preserving and improving structure. In irrigated systems with high clay percentages, such as deep cracking clay soils, opportunities to dry the profile, achieve cracking and self-mulching of topsoil and organic matter are often limited. This means that the clay component of the soils cannot enact normal swelling and shrinking processes to maintain structure. The lack of shrink-swell can aid the formation of hard pans in soils where slaking and dispersion under constant wet or saturated conditions occurs. Growing a rotational crop such as a cereal crop and taking it to the grain stage can give the soil an opportunity

to dry at depth, use up subsoil moisture and improve the structure of subsoil clay. The straw retained after harvest will also assist with building organic matter and an improved root system will improve the chances of achieving optimal yield potential.

7. Soil moisture monitoring – not just to inform irrigation!

Soil moisture monitoring can also assist you to identify from what depth in the profile the crop is drawing water. This will help identify the effective root zone which will influence your irrigation management and also inform your management decisions for the next season.For more information and resources visit www.acceleratingchangeproject.com.au ■

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Lucerne Australia Calls for Fodder Producers to Be Aware of Golden DodderJenny Aitken Lucerne Australia Executive Officer 0439 538 332

The Government of South Australia has received funding through the Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper to assist in the development and implementation of a national Lucerne Seed Industry Biosecurity Code of Practice (COP).

Lucerne Australia is working with Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) and the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources to develop a national COP, which focuses on the management and prevention of golden dodder, a declared weed in South Australia due to its impacts on production, in particular, the lucerne seed industry.

Australia has enjoyed a ‘golden dodder free’ reputation. Loss of this status or contamination of Australian lucerne seed with dodder could halt exports as no export destinations accept dodder-infested seed.

Producers who have a golden dodder infestation are severely impacted by the

loss of hay production and graziers also have limitation on stock movements. Lucerne Australia is hoping that all sectors of the lucerne industry take threat of golden dodder seriously.

Fifteen years ago, there were less than four detections of golden dodder. During the 2016 harvest, there were 19 detections, highlighting the importance of action to avoid it escalating further.

The main actions are preventing introduction in stock seed, on-the-ground early detection and a rapid response to prevent spread, which will all be focuses in this project. Effective implementation of reliable detection methods is crucial to success.

Since 2013, outbreaks have been identified using a world-first test, developed using DNA assays and based on quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), to detect dodder seeds and stem fragments in commercial uncleaned lucerne seed samples.

The lucerne seed industry in South Australia embraced this new PCR technology following an industry driven-campaign to adopt the test in 2012, taking uncleaned samples at cleaning sheds. Although 700–800 tests have been conducted annually since, a true understanding of the efficiency and adoption of the technology needs fine-tuning.

Current industry-led methods for managing dodder outbreaks need

further refining and validating, from paddock through to port. This refining of methods will occur in conjunction with greater uptake of these methods throughout the industry nationally.

Practically, this project will review the current sampling methods undertaken, validate the most effective sampling technique, compare positive PCR test readings to dodder seed counts, refine how to manage a positive test and how to manage on-farm inspections. It will also research testing protocols for basic, pre-basic and mother (breeder) seed being introduced to Australia from overseas. The outcomes of these reviews will be incorporated into a refined methodology (the COP) for managing dodder incursions.

In the longer-term, the COP will assist to enhance Australia’s clean, green image as a major grower of lucerne seed and improve market access.

Industry participants including growers, contractors, processing facilities and marketers will all be engaged to gather information on current methods and issues.

Project activities are being led by Nicola Raymond, former Executive Officer of Lucerne Australia, in conjunction with its current Executive Officer Jenny Aitken and PIRSA staff. The project commenced in January 2017 and will take six months to deliver. ■

AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017 [13]

[14] AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017

Member ProfileStatewide Ag Services

Interview with Contractor Scott Williams Statewide Ag ServicesWhen AFIA last checked in with Scott Williams for a member profile in 2014, his contracting business was really gaining some traction. With an ambitious outlook and a solid work ethic, it’s easy to see how Statewide Ag has spread its network so quickly throughout the southern-most state. AFIA’s Industry Development Officer Jesse Lourey spoke to Scott recently to see how things had changed since 2014 and what was in his sights for the coming year.

G’day, Scott. Let’s go back a bit and give everyone a bit of a recap. How and when did the business get off the ground?

G’day, Jesse. No worries. The business has been here for forever and a day, but not in the capacity that it is now. Dad started it as a small contracting business that only ever did small square bales. When he passed the farm over to me in 2005 I decided I needed to add value to a number of areas; but I was limited in what I could do to the farm because of the restricted water we had. So I thought if I can’t work with the land, I’ll work with the machinery. That’s when I decided to branch out with the square baling and we went further and further out of the district as the business grew.

Our farm is 120 ha and we run 30 Murray Grey breeders, 100 cross bread ewes and 150 merino weathers. I have reduced the number of sheep and increased the cows to reduce the work load as the contracting is taking up more time than before.

Statewide Ag Services itself has been a registered business for 7 years.

It’s grown a lot in that time.

Bloody oath, it’s been incredible.

Who’s involved in the business now?

My two boys Nathan and Luke, Luke’s son Nathan and myself are the permanents. Also my partner Lisa’s son started with us last year. Lisa also plans to move across and work in the business too. She’ll make the transition in the next few months and will run all the accounts and behind the scenes work. We’ve also got two casuals and two sub-contractors.

Who are your main clients?

The main clients here range quite a bit. We’re currently working with Casella’s Wines at Redlands. They’re a big client, but we do everything, from them to the sheep and beef graziers as well as a lot of dairy.

All right, let’s get into the important stuff: what sort of machinery do you use?

There’s nothing but John Deeres on this place. The two sub-contractors also have John Deeres. All the hay gear is Krone now and the wrappers are McHale. Got to keep that green and yellow going you see!

In total we’ve got: ■ one Krone six meter trailing mower conditioner ■ one Krone three meter trailing mower conditioner ■ three Krone Fortima balers ■ one Krone twin rotor rake ■ one Krone eight meter tedder rake ■ one Keverneland twin rotor rake ■ two McHale wrappers ■ four John Deere tractors ranging from 90 hp to 215 hp ■ one Vaderstad seed drill ■ one Amazone 28 meter boomspray ■ one Great Plains multi-disc ■ one Gibbons Rawlings offset disc.

We’ve also got an International SLine prime mover with a 46 foot dropdeck trailer that spreads to four meters wide for transporting headers etc. It’s custom built for moving hay and only 12 months old.Statewide Ag Services seeding outfit.

Part of the Statewide Ag Services fleet of machinery which is dominated by John Deere tractors and Krone hay gear.

Member ProfileTasmania

How are things shaping up for the rest of 2017? How’s Tasmania sitting at this point?

It’s looking pretty good, really good actually. It’s been a good season and if we get an autumn break now and get some good autumn rain we’ll go into winter in tip top condition I reckon. It’s a bit of a turnaround from 12 months ago.

My truck won’t do a whole lot this season. The last three seasons we’ve been flat out, but now every corner of the state has some grass there’s not as much need for us to cart hay from one end to the other now.

So tell me what’s on the horizon for Statewide Ag Services?

Moving forward, we want to be the biggest hay traders in Tasmania.

We’re currently constructing a new website that will enable anyone to physically look at the fodder they’re interested in. The price will be on the website and the feed test will be aligned to it. It will be only our fodder, not a website where people can post their own. This means it will only be stuff we know is excellent quality because we’ll only be using guys I’ve dealt with for a long time and who I know produce quality fodder.

Exciting times ahead, Scott. Thanks for chatting to us.

No worries, Jesse. Any time.

Statewide Ag Services has invested in a custom built dropdeck trailer which can be spread to four metres wide to transport machinery as well as hay.

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New Machinery

Lely’s Latest Gives Contractors and Big Farmers Options AplentyLely’s new Welger RP 180V variable chamber baler offers the ultimate in flexibility.

The Welger RP 180V is the big brother of the RP 160V model which was introduced last year. With the two new balers Lely can meet the needs of farmers and contractors who want to produce bales in sizes of up to 1.8 m.

The Lely Welger RP 160V and 180V variable chamber balers are designed to deliver outstanding performance and perfect bales in all types of crops and conditions.

Lely product specialist Thomas Schuppert says a year on from when it was introduced, the Lely Welger RP 160V has exceeded expectations and he expects the new RP 180V will follow suit.

The Lely Welger RP 180V range consists of three models: the Classic,

Master and Xtra, each of which is available with different specifications.

Options include different pick-ups, chopping units, tyres and control units. The E-link control terminal is standard on the RP 180V Classic models, while the E-link Pro is standard on the Master and Xtra models.

“Our field tests have shown that the Lely Welger RP 180V is suitable for baling any type of crop, be it 1.2 m diameter bales of wet silage or 1.8 m bales of short straw. This versatility makes this machine perfect for contractors with a short pay-off phase,” Thomas says.

The performance of the Welger RP 180V is thanks to the combination of the smart design of the press chamber and the ‘Constant Pressure System’. The results are perfect, high-density bales which are perfectly tied.

The net reaches the bale’s edges, so that water and soil do not have a chance to contaminate the crop.

Maintenance is quick and easy and you can do it yourself. The doors open easily and the knives in the chopping unit can be replaced swiftly.

It is simple to adjust the various setting using the advanced E-Link handset from the tractor seat.

Thomas says baling in tight time frames requires smooth, high-volume crop throughput. The new Welger RP 180V delivers this, even at the maximum bale diameter without overloading the machine.

Also, the unique Hydroflex control system removes any blockages that may occur. It is easy to manage this two-step system quickly and easily from the tractor seat.

The RP 180V is especially suited to bigger farms and contractors and

produces bale in diameters from 0.9 m to 1.8 m.

All models in the Lely Welger RP 160V and 180V variable chamber baler range have a Powersplit gearbox, a drive shaft with cam type clutch, Additional Drive System (ADS), and OptiClean rubber rollers.

They also have a 2.25 m-wide camless pick-up with guide wheels and

Windguard roller, Varionet net wrapping with ELS easy load system, and automatic chain lubrication.

RP 180V Master and Xtra models can be specified with a 2.25 m-wide pickup.

RP 160V Classic makes bales up to 1.23 m x 1.6 m (or 4’ x 5’3”) and the RP 180V Classic makes bales 1.23 m x 1.8 m (or 4’ x 6’). These models have

an E-Link control terminal, star type rotor system and 19.0/45-17 tyres.

RP 160V Master (Rotor Feed) makes bales up to 1.23 m x 1.6 m (4’ x 5’3”) in diameter. It has the E-Link Pro baler control monitor, automatic chain lubrication, 19.0/45-17 tyres and bale discharge ramp.

RP 160V Master MC13 makes bales 1.23 m x 1.6 m (4’ x 5’3”) in diameter while the RP 180V Master MC13 makes 1.23 m x 1.8 m (4’ x 6’) bales.

Master models have the ‘Master’ rotor feed system with 13 knives and Hydroflex control. Other features on Master are auto chain lubrication, 500/45-22.5 tyres, and a bale discharge ramp.

RP 160V Xtra XC17 makes 1.23 m x 1.6 m (4’ x 5’3”) bales. It has the E-Link Pro control monitor and ‘XtraCut’ type rotor feed system with 17 knives. Its tyres are 500/45-22.5. ■

Contractor Impressed with Pottinger’s New BalerVictoria contractor Jacob Marshall made 632 bales in a single day with his new Pottinger Impress baler and he says its impressive work rate is saving his family business considerable time and money.

Jacob works in his parent’s contracting operation, Bundy Ag, which is based in Maffra, Gippsland. Bundy Ag offers a wide range of services, including bulk silage, hay cutting and baling, full cultivation and transport.

Pottinger will introduce its Impress baler next spring, but the Marshalls have received an initial test unit to run in Australia. Bundy Ag has been running Pottinger loader wagons for several years and they began trialling the Impress in September.

Jacob says the Impress baler has been designed and built from scratch and differs considerably from other balers on the market.

“The rotor spins the opposite way to a traditional baler. The product goes over the top of the rotor to go into the chamber instead of going under the rotor. It means you can put more

product in and you can driver faster,” he says.

“It also presses the bale a lot tighter than other brands we have had.”

The Impress is the first baler Pottinger has designed and it complements the company’s extensive experience in designing and manufacturing grass harvesting equipment. It will be available as a fixed-chamber baler, variable round baler and in combination with a bale wrapper.

The Liftup rotor, which turns the crop upside-down and conveys it over the rotor, rather than under, enables a natural flow of crop. The forage enters the bale chamber at an ideal angle to give higher intake capacity, which translates into high baling performance.

Jacob says the Impress has significantly increased his throughput of bales.

“I’m baling almost 20 bales more an hour with hay. In a good crop, I can bale 60–75 bales an hour, and I was doing under 50 an hour with other balers,” he says.

“With silage, I used to average about 80 bales an hour but I managed to get about 100 an hour in one day with the Impress. I had a good heavy crop and I was popping a bale out about every

New Machinery

AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017 [17]

New Machinery

28 seconds. That’s a big saving of time and money.”

By early December Bundy Ag had already done about 4000 bales with the Impress this season, and had another 4000 to go.

The baler features a five-row, floating pickup that is 2.3 m wide and equipped with a wind guard with swath roller and transfer bars, as well as two cross-conveyor augers.

The bale chamber is designed to deliver high baling compression and productivity.

Jacob says the Impress makes a noticeably heavier bale, which gives their clients value for money.

“With hay, the bales are about 40–50 kg heavier than other bales we’ve made, depending on the crop,” he says.

Another advantage is the crop enters the bale chamber uniformly across the whole width. This means the driver does

not have to make steering adjustments to produce perfectly shaped bales, and the bale always starts to form reliably in any situation. Any crop that does fall through is fed back into the flow by the patented cleaning rotor.

“It makes a really nice firm, square edged bale,” Jacob says.

“You don’t have to weave through the windrow to fill the edges in; you can go straight through and it makes a nice square bale.”

The Pottinger Impress features the Flexcut 32 short-chop system which uses up to 32 knives and has an individual knife protection system that ensures the best forage quality.

The bale chamber has two aggressive starter rollers above and below to make sure the bale forms consistently in every situation.

The variable chamber baler has three endless belts while the fixed chamber baler has large, 50 mm diameter self-aligning bearings and two different

compression rollers to ensure reliable rotation in every operating situation, even with straw.

Jacob says the Impress baler is fully automatic. When the net feeds into the bale chamber, the pickup automatically lifts to prevent any extra product being sucked in when the net is going on. When the net is cut off and finished, the tailgate shuts off and opens automatically.

“You don’t have to pull any levers, which helps with driver fatigue.”

The Marshalls have not had to do any maintenance on the Impress yet but greasing is easy. Each grease point does about ten different bearings at one time.

Bundy Ag runs the Pottinger Impress with a 140 HP Massey Ferguson tractor and Jacob says the baler’s big tyres provide great stability in soft ground. ■

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Organic Hay – Is it Right for You?A growing interest in organic dairy in Australia has resulted in some thought-provoking calls to the AFIA office of late. Few organic fodder producers currently operate on our shores, so we’ve decided to look to the US to find out whether this current trend is a potentially lucrative business strategy.

Glenn Shewmaker via Progressive Forage

With the low hay prices of 2016, some producers may be thinking of trying to get into the organic hay market. Organic farming systems rely on practices such as cultural and biological pest management, and virtually prohibit synthetic chemicals in crop production and antibiotics or hormones in livestock production.

My advice is that you really need to do some research and market development before you jump.

The top 10 organic hay production states are California, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, Wisconsin, New York, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas and Iowa. The top three states produce 32 percent of the national tonnage. Although the organic hay market has followed the organic dairy market, it is still only seven percent of the total forage acreage in the U.S. Transition into organic takes three years, so there is an investment before any premium can be realized.

Organic ManagementOrganic production requires a higher level of management and commitment, not less. Organic pest management requires an integrated approach. The list of organic pesticides is limited and usually expensive. Thus a more sustainable system of control is necessary for effective pest and weed control, and that is more sustainable in the long term for all of agriculture. Cultural and biological control methods used together in a system will be much more effective and probably make the difference of being successful in organic production.

A young producer asked me how to do organic production. I replied that he should think about how his grandpa farmed in the ’50s to ’60s. Although commercial fertilizer was being used, we didn’t use many insecticides or herbicides back in those days. Some tillage and grazing were used to control weeds and insects. I remember my dad telling me that grazing the alfalfa stubble would decrease the alfalfa weevil problems. Also proper timing of tillage, which is usually in the late fall and very early spring, can be effective annual weed control. However, I would caution producers that dragging a spike harrow with a Ford 8N had much less compaction than a JD 8300 all weighted down.

Nutrient ManagementNutrient management was more sustainable in the old days when each farm fed a few cows because that was how much of the forage was marketed, through the cows, and the nutrients stayed mostly on the same farm, although not equally on all acres. Conventional as well as organic hay production systems need to have good nutrient management plans. Mylen Bohle conducted organic nutrient source trials for Oregon State University and recommends a good program of soil testing. Then choose a field that is high in phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), if you can, so you don’t need to start adding expensive nutrients initially. Fields that test low can be used for conventional hay production until you build them up. Manure and compost are the most economical nutrient sources for organic and conventional production.

Record KeepingIt is important to keep up-to-date and detailed records for organic certification. Program registrants submit to their state department of agriculture an application, appropriate fees and a producer/handler organic plan with maps. An inspector will visit each

farm or handling operation during the growing season, and samples may be taken for pesticide residue analysis. Additional unannounced on-site inspections may be conducted.

Weed ControlOrganic production does not mean you don’t have to control noxious weeds. Producers who think organic production is easy and highly profitable are likely to fail spectacularly. In addition, a producer who allows weeds to go to seed may actually cause more use of herbicides by his neighbours because they will be fighting more weeds. Harvesting weedy crops for haylage before weed seeds are viable is a good option. Grazing when weeds are palatable is recommended for organic hay production to reduce weeds.

Yield and EconomicsThe premium for organic hay may be $10 to $30 per ton. Fortunately, the average yield gap from organic to conventional alfalfa mixed hay is only about 2 percent compared with 20 percent for organic corn silage. The yield gap for grass and cereal hay is about 20 percent, and is probably due to insufficient nitrogen fertilization.

Is organic hay production for you? There has been a steady demand for organic hay following organic dairy production, but the demand has limits. Develop a good market and business plan before you make the investment into organic hay production. ■Glenn Shewmaker is an extension forage specialist with University of Idaho.

Organic Fodder

AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017 [19]

Autumn OutlookFollowing a summer of volatile weather, AFIA checked in with the Bureau of Meteorology to find out what’s in store for the coming months. Here are their predictions for the March-May period.

Rainfall ■ A drier autumn is likely for southern and central Australia.

■ March is likely to be drier than average across most of Australia. The west of Western Australia, the Top End of the Northern Territory, Cape York Peninsula in Queensland and parts of the NSW coast have roughly equal chances of a wetter or drier month.

■ Autumn (March to May) rainfall is likely to be below average for the southern two-thirds of Australia. Elsewhere, the chances of a wetter or drier season are roughly equal.

■ The drier than average outlooks are likely a result of forecast higher than normal pressure over western and southern Australia, meaning fewer rain-bearing systems are likely to cross the coast.

■ Historical outlook accuracy for March to May is moderate to high over eastern and northern Australia as well as parts ofwestern Western Australia, with mostly low accuracy elsewhere.

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Climate Outlook

Long term median rainfall for Australia from March to May.

Temperature ■ A warmer autumn is likely for most of Australia

■ Daytime temperatures are very likely to be warmer than average in March for most of southern and eastern Australia.

■ Autumn (March to May) maximum temperatures are likely to be warmer than average across most of Australia, except the northern Northern Territory, where daytime temperatures are likely to be cooler than average. Most of the country has high chances of warmer days, with the likelihood exceeding 75%

across most of southern and eastern Australia.

■ Similarly, autumn minimum temperatures are likely to be warmer than average across most of Australia, but cooler than average in northern Western Australia, and the northern Northern Territory.

■ Maximum temperature accuracy is moderate to high over most of Australia, except the southern mainland, where accuracy is low to very low. Minimum temperature accuracy is moderate to high over the northern half of Australia and Tasmania and low to very low over the southern half of the mainland. ■

Climate Outlook

Forecast chance of above median maximum temperature for Australia for March to May 2017.

Forecast chance of above median rainfall for Australia from March to May 2017.

AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017 [21]

2017 National Fodder

Conference7–9 August

Royal Pines Resort Gold Coast, Queensland

Pre Conference Tour

4–6 August

AFIA China Agricultural Tour12 Days

Departing 2 June 2017

China 2017

[22] AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017

DAY 1 Fri 02 Jun Check in for your flight(Inflight meals)

Meet your tour escort and fellow passengers and check in for your Singapore Airlines flight at Melbourne Tullamarine International airport late this evening. Once you have checked in please proceed through immigration and security, this can be a lengthy process hence the 3 hour check in. Please check your boarding card and airport monitors for information relating to your gate and boarding time. Overnight: In Flight

DAY 2 Sat 03 Jun Melbourne – Fly To Beijing (D)Depart Melbourne just after midnight on board our Singapore Airlines flight to Beijing via Singapore. On arrival into the capital of People’s Republic of China this afternoon we are met and transferred to our hotel for our three night stay in this bustling city and the remainder of the afternoon is at leisure to rest. Overnight: Beijing

DAY 3 Sun 04 Jun Beijing sightseeing (BLD)This morning is an introduction to the imperial city with a stroll around renowned Tiananmen Square, bordered by the Great Hall of the People. Afterwards walk to the Forbidden City, the complex of the imperial palace which was home to the Emperors for over 500 years. Grand halls and courts gradually give way to more intimate domestic quarters, giving an insight into the pampered isolation of the emperors. This afternoon visit the remarkable Great Wall of China. First built in the Warring States period (475-221BC) as a series of earthworks, the wall was erected by individual kingdoms as a defence against each other as well as from invasions from the north. The current wall remains from the Ming dynasty. This evening enjoy a traditional Peking Duck banquet dinner. Overnight: As Above

DAY 4 Mon 05 Jun Beijing farm visits (BLD)This morning drive approximately 1½ hours to visit a dairy with 3500 cows along with its feed storage and talk with the manager about their technology and management. Afterwards visit a cattle farm with 2000–3000 head of beef cattle and walk around the feedlot including its small feed workshops. Time spent talking with manager about his formula for feed used at this particular farm and enjoy a special beef hot pot lunch here. This afternoon we drive back to downtown for dinner. Overnight: As Above

DAY 5 Tue 06 Jun Beijing – Xi’an (BLD)Today visit an Agricultural Machinery Factory and talk with experts about livestock and fodder machinery, harvesters and potato specific machinery. This afternoon take the bullet train to Xi'an, arriving at approximately 8:45 pm for a late dinner. Xi’an was the cradle of ancient Chinese civilization dating back to 4000 BC and the capital of China for 11 dynasties from 1046 BC to 907 AD. It is from here that caravans started on the Silk Road to Europe, changing the Western world forever. Overnight: Xi’an

DAY 6 Wed 07 JunXi’an – Terracotta Warriors & Horses (BLD)

First thing this morning visit the Museum of the Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses. This is one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in the world with three exhibition halls, the largest of which is 180 m x 60 m, housing the continuing excavation of an army of 8,000 terracotta soldiers and horses that guard the tomb of Qin Shihuang, the first emperor of the unified China and it is a stunning exhibition of ancient artefacts. Afterwards visit the City Wall with the opportunity to ride bikes along it. This evening enjoy the spectacular Tang Dynasty Show with dinner. Overnight: As Above

DAY 7 Thu 08 Jun Xi’an – farm visits (BLD)This morning drive to Shanxi County located on the Wei River, one of the main tributaries of the Yellow River. Visit two wheat farms including a cereals processing plant and meet with local officials and farmers to talk about agricultural administration and agricultural commerce. Lunch will be arranged at one of the local farms. This afternoon on the way back to the hotel (time permitting) we visit some peasants’ villages and families including time to discuss how the local farmland has been irrigated from both the river as well as underground and how much it costs for one family to irrigate their fields each year. A late dinner at the hotel this evening. Overnight: As Above

DAY 8 Fri 09 Jun Xi’an – fly to Guilin (BLD)Board a morning flight to Guilin, a city in southern China located on the west bank of the Li River known for its interesting landscape of strangely shaped limestone karst (hills) which border the city. At the centre are two lakes, the Cedar and Banyan, which remain from a Tang Dynasty moat that once surrounded the city. This afternoon visit an animal feed processing factory guided by experts and afterwards enjoy an evening river boat cruise to see the traditional Cormorant fishermen at work and receive a demonstration on how the farmers teach the cormorant birds to catch the fish. Overnight: Guilin

DAY 9 Sat 10 Jun Guilin (BLD)After breakfast depart from the hotel for a cruise along the Li River which runs through the heart of this region, and have the opportunity to see the water buffaloes working in the fields. Following this is an interesting visit to a water buffalo dairy farm where the focus of the visit will be talking about their feeding system with the dairy manager to compare the differences between this and those in northern China. Overnight: As Above

DAY 10 Sun 11 Jun Guilin – fly to Shanghai (BLD)After breakfast transfer to the airport for your flight to Shanghai, China’s largest city with a population of approximately 16 million people. On arrival visit the original waterfront area of the city known as the Bund. The river is the main shipping artery for the whole of southern China and the main form of transport for goods to and from the interior of the country and is China’s largest foreign trade port. Time for shopping on renowned Nanjing Road and afterwards a tour to the Pudong New Developed Area on the Huangpu River viewing the third highest TV Tower in the world as well as the Jinmao Tower. Overnight: Shanghai

DAY 11 Mon 12 Jun Shanghai – fly home (B)An early breakfast then visit the beautiful Yu Gardens, an island of tranquillity amid the hustle and bustle of the city. Covering nearly five acres it contains over 30 pavilions and has numerous features characteristic of the architectural style of the Ming dynasty. Late morning transfer to the airport for your early afternoon flight home via Singapore.

DAY 12 Tue 13 Jun Arrive home (-)Arrive home early this morning, so ending a wonderful journey through China

Stopover packages are available in Singapore on the return journey; enquire for details

Tour Cost: $6,925.00 per person twin share**Tour cost is subject to air/tax increases

plus currency fluctuations

Based on a minimum of 10 passengers travelling

Expressions of interest are now open. Please call Jesse Lourey on 0418782382 to register your interest or for more information.

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Supply and Demand: How is Your Region Faring After Summer?Darryl BishopWestern AustraliaThere were two halves to the hay season, the early half and later half. Anyone that was forced to cut or chose to cut early couldn’t get the hay to dry. Those that went later were fine. There is a lot of frosted wheat and low grade hay on the market. Obviously the exporters wrapped up a lot of the good quality hay.

There’s no real screaming out for hay domestically. There is that much feed around. Guys that got say 300 rounds off a paddock last year, this year they got 1200. So there is a surplus that’s for sure. People will just use up what they’ve got and then, with new grass coming through farmers will just give sheep a bit of roughage.

What impact did those big rain events have on your area?

Our first rain was on the 28th I think. And then we had another big rain on the 6th or 7th of February. That’s when we had the big one that went down south; the big cyclonic one that wiped out all the bridges. We won’t be moving down there for a while. It’s a bit of a

pain because we just can’t finish the season basically. But there are worse things that could happen I suppose. There was a lot not far from us that had 250 mils in a 24 hour event. That was about 10 kilometres down the road from where we had 100 mils on our paddocks. Then you add another hundred to that; so they had 350 mils of rain in two weeks.

Everyone’s been trying to get onto paddocks to spray and getting bogged. We’ve got a lot of boom sprays so we’ve done a few of ours, but we were just shifting sheep and bogged the Patrol going from paddock to paddock.

Tom ShanahanCentral South AustraliaThere’s not a whole lot of anything trading. I could give [an overview] to you in about 20 seconds flat. The hay market is dead as a doornail. There’s a load around, but there is none moving. Apart from what the exporters are consuming. Obviously with Balco’s dilemma it’s brought things to a stalemate. But domestically I’ve had no phone calls for months.

Is it reasonably dry across the region?

Not at all, it’s green everywhere. We’ve had heaps of summer rain all over the place. I think the state’s as green as it’s ever been for this time of the year. I don’t know when we will [start selling hay again] to be honest. There won’t be a lot of demand; there’ll be a little bit

but not much. Everyone accumulated so much and there are areas that would traditionally be very dry now, but they’ve got green pick. And given it was such a wet year last year, pretty much record rainfall for a lot of areas, hay just might not be needed.

Mark LoureySouth-west VictoriaAt the moment with the current rains we’ve had- we’ve just had 20 mm again a few days ago- the countryside is looking really good. There’s green pick around most of the dairy farms in the Western District. Guys are feeding silage, plenty of grain, and they’re getting a fresh green pick and dry feed. So demand is very, very low. Nearly to the point where it’s none existent. There’s enough feed in the district at the moment without having to buy.

Some farmers are concerned whether we’ll get a break or not, but speaking generally, at this stage the things are looking very good for them.

Has the recent rainfall had much of an impact of hay quality?

Absolutely. There’s a lot of hay stacked out in paddocks. No one would want top bales now because they’ve had too much moisture. Depending how much more rain we get, it won’t be long and we’ll have to take out the bottom bales out too. But yes, because of the boost in production there’s a lot of hay that can’t be moved or shedded so is sitting in paddocks getting wet. There’s growers happy to sell hay at $80/t ex farm, but still not a market to take it.

Steve RockleyAtherton Tablelands, QueenslandThere’s bit in sheds in the region. Everyone’s doing grass feed this time of year and hay sales are pretty slow. We’re selling a bit through the shop still, but it’s mostly pretty slow which is to be expected around his time. We haven’t had a substantial amount of rain, our big dam is at about 45 per cent but the region is looking pretty green. Saying that, some more rain would be good. For a lot of the big suppliers up here the demand relies on what happens with the boat cattle out of Townsville.

Vox PopSupply and Demand

[24] AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017

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AFIA Focus on Fodder Autumn 2017 [25]

Luke FelminghamGoulburn Valley, VictoriaHigh supply and no demand. There’s a little bit of silage and protein hay being sourced from dairy farmers that didn’t opt to put in a summer crop, but the majority of the region has put in a summer crop and they’re not looking for much. I’m starting to see a lot more hay being advertised in the local area. Prices are probably easing a bit as well.

Cameron AngelDarling Downs, QueenslandI started to have a few enquiries. I can feel it starting now. I think the cow guys have started to realize this season might not happen. No one did any millet and water allocations are low. It’s very dry but the demand hasn’t quite come yet. I’ve had a few more call this week and its building momentum. I wouldn’t say it’s going gangbusters yet though. Cereal hay is still hard to shift. Most enquiries are for pasture hay and straw.

Do you the hay made locally or in the region will go the distance, or will you need to move hay from down south?

No, hay will definitely need to come from the south. All my local straw is just about gone or has been committed. We’re looking over the boarder now. I know a fair few [hay traders] down there who’ve ask if I can shift this and that, but it just hasn’t lifted enough up here yet. I’m advertising everywhere and I feel like it’s just about to go.

Wayne WilliamsCentral West New South WalesWe’ve got an oversupply of hay around. We had an enormous year for making cereal hay but, not that much on high quality hay. There’s a bit of demand for it, but only specialty stuff like the horse industry. There’s a big glut of cereal hay that was supposed to be exported but hasn’t quite made grade and they’ve reneged on a lot of contracts. They still want the hay, but are only going to pay half as much. There’s a lot of that going

on. That means there’s a lot of good domestic market hay. The domestic market has actually just started to lift bit. It’s still generally pretty quiet on the selling side but there’s quite a bit going into Queensland now. Things are starting to dry out, but we’ll have to wait and see what the winter does.

Will RyanGippsland, VictoriaWhen I was on the way back from work today actually, I was surprised by the amount of sheds that are full of big squares now. I think the pressure has been taken off the dairy farmers a little and there’s a bit more cash around to buy hay. We’ve had excellent seasonal conditions for the most part, also reasonable commodity prices. Guys are taking advantage of cheap hay and good value feed and getting in early. The quality of hay has been lower compared to previous years. Most silage is testing badly too. A lot of farmers and getting supplements to add ME and protein to combat this. ■

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