Page 36 - ACV Journal DECEMBER 2015
P. 36
Reports
STATE REPORTS
NEW SOUTH WALES
Andrew Havadjia
Continued record beef cattle prices have led to an increase in enquiries for did hear of some helpful falls during November. Here’s hoping for some more
artificial breeding programmes in herds in our district as herds try to improve follow up rain by Christmas. Conditions on the South Coast are holding up
their genetics. Although prices are high by historical values they are only fair well although predicted higher temperatures in summer may lead to conditions
value in my opinion as input prices for fertiliser, fuel and other inputs have drying up.
increased significantly in the past decade. Even though dairy prices have
dropped from record highs 12 months ago, chopper prices are holding. It is NSW dairy framers will now be available to sign up for the NSW JD cap
most likely that prices will hold as the number of beef cows in Australia is at an programme. This scheme has been available in Victoria for some time and is in
all time low and we are still seeing significant demand for our beef exports. It the process of being rolled out in NSW.
is hopeful that all these free trade agreements can see continued demand four
our beef/dairy exports. I encourage all members who are considering coming to the cattle conference
in Alice Springs in April to register as soon as possible and to book flights and
Significant areas of the northwest of the state still are still in drought although I accommodation in order to receive the best deals.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA Best wishes and Merry Christmas to you all.
Andrew Hoare
Most of South Australia has had a pretty dry spring and it shows when you are again. With the poorer season it’s pretty easy to sell your pregnancy testing
driving around. The higher rainfall parts of the state had less rain in the growing service in these years and hopefully try to develop some more work with Bull
season than last year which was a particularly poor spring so hay and fodder testing before the start of the Autumn mating period.
crops have been a bit patchy. Some of the cropping areas received rains at
harvest which made for some nervous grain producers but these areas seem We will have run the third ultrasound pregnancy testing workshop in
to have progressed on to a fair harvest. A lot of crops which were lacking rain Warrnambool by the time this has gone to print. The workshops would not be
have been cut and baled in hope of getting some return from the seed and possible without organisation of the weekend falling mainly on Jon Kelly from
fertiliser invested earlier in the year. Grain will be reasonably hard to source Warrnambool Vet Clinic, who organises the farms and cows for the practical
in the early part of the New Year but cereal hay is fairly abundant around the sessions from the clients of the clinic. Also to the other tutors, Matt Izzo and
roads at the moment. Matt Dwyer, who provide excellent help and tuition during the weekend to the
attendees. So long as there is a captive audience of vets who want to improve
Local cattle prices have been excellent after the small blip in October. One their ultrasound skills we will try to keep running the workshops. Also a big thank
Lower South East producer sold weaners for $4.36 per kg at one of the recent you to Chris Graham from BCF Ultrasound, who helps out with equipment and
store cattle sales, lets hope the prices stay high so the buyers of these grower information for the weekend and his technical knowhow in fixing the technical
animals get some money back in the future on their purchases. Most of the vets glitches that all way seem to happen on these electronic weekends.
in the area have been busy preg testing due to the dry season and high prices
which may make for a little bit of quite time after Christmas before calving starts I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year
and hopefully see you at Ayers Rock.
ACV DAIRY REPORT
Craig Dwyer
While prices are not through the roof, most dairy farmers are getting through attend remember the Alastair Henderson memorial fund where you can apply
the season ok with some welcome rain helping a lot of the southern dairy to help with the costs of this representation while also helping us push the
farmers. A recent welfare issue in New Zealand highlights the risk posed to ACV brand. Speaking of brand, the ACV will again this year having a stand at
the industry by mistreatment of calves and incorrect practices being carried International Dairy Week, anyone who can help get in touch with the office or
out by farmers. Cattle veterinarians really need to be at the centre of these Matthews (Izzo and Peterson).
discussions and promote best practice in farms. A recent audit of dairy farmers
by an overseas company which purchases Australian milk identified as a The ADF also continues to progress their change of policy to phase out calving
critical non compliance the issue of no pain relief for calves at disbudding, inductions. Thanks to all the practices that confidentially submitted their data
vets need to be part of these discussions. The recent Dairy Cattle Welfare on inductions, this has given the industry a good starting point and this is
symposium in Melbourne organised by the ACV was a great success with being used to help set future targets. One area that we really need to help the
farmer representatives, milk supply companies, ADF, Dairy Australia, Welfare industry in is the use of late inductions. This practice continues to be used and
groups and the executive coming together to discus welfare concerns and provides no reproductive benefit to the cow, we as cattle vets need to stop this
ways the industry can work together to promote best practice. It certainly has practice unless for welfare or medical reasons as it is a real risk to the industry
put the ACV out there as the go to group of veterinarians in the dairy welfare and our profession. It is hoped that a meeting can be organised in February
forum and we need to continue to push into this area as we are the best place to bring representatives together in practices where calving inductions are still
to give unbiased, scientifically sound, practical advice to the industry and used to bring them up to date with what is happening and advise them on the
individual farmers. If members have committees, meeting they would like to future direction of the ADF in relation to inductions, watch out for more details.
36 The Australian Cattle Veterinarian | volume 77 | December 2015 www.ava.com.au/cattle
