I can’t believe it’s autumn already! It’s also still very hot and dry as I write this (down here anyway).
The 2025 maize crops seem to be coming off without any bother from the elements; just the usual challenges of covering stacks in between windy patches.
While I’m sure it’s funny to watch, when the wind gets under that plastic it tends to cause a bit of panic. We used a 2-in-1 roll this year. It certainly saved having to roll out the clear film and then the plastic, but there’s still an art to it.
I think the easiest way to cover your stack is to pay someone else to do it!
The mannequins I talked about at maize sowing time were repurposed to keep the cockatoos off the almond hulls and wrapped lucerne silage bales.
This report is also a chance to share with you that Murray Dairy and Dairy Australia have evolved the way they work together in the Murray region.
Going forward, Murray Dairy will continue to champion the dairy industry in the region, service local needs and issues and engage in Murray region-specific research.
Dairy Australia Murray will lead the delivery of Dairy Australia services in the region with all the familiar faces you know so well.
Navigating this change has been both exciting and intensive.
On the back of the eastAUSmilk, my mind drifted back to some of the farm tours I have been lucky to join.
It’s refreshing to spend a few days off-farm with other farmers, looking at other farms and networking. Remember how important it is to take a break, even for a few days, to recharge your batteries, re-inspire yourself, and give you some focus.
In the region, the Young Dairy Network is still going gangbusters, encompassing all young dairy people — staff, next generation farmers and some service providers.
If you have a young person on your farm, please encourage them to attend the next YDN function close to you. Give Phoebe Dillon, in the Dairy Australia Murray team a call on 0438 638 676 and chat to her about ways to get your young people along.
They’ve got a Soil and Pasture workshop happening mid-April in the Campaspe region, for example.
Murray Dairy has a great research project under way with support from Gardiner Foundation, helping dairy farmers navigate CaLD workforce opportunities.
If you would like to be involved in this project, please give Shane Byrne a call on 0402 971 593. It is in the early stages, so there is time to join this.
Bec Wyper has got a bit on with Feeding Pastures for Profit and Nutrition Fundamentals workshops in the north-east region.
The Nutrition Fundamentals one has always piqued my interest. It’s a great course to get mixer drivers to understand some of the ‘Why’ behind the ‘How’ of what we ask them to do as feed operators.
It’s also a good general workshop for understanding how to manage what feed you have and how the cow’s rumen functions. Give Bec in the Dairy Australia Murray team a call on 0493 060 095.
Hats off to the Proud to be a Dairy Farmer program and its participants this year, another cohort of young go-getters networking and learning more about the dairy world outside the farm gate.
Late March saw the Gardiner Foundation New Zealand study tour participants head off to the South Island. Another example of developing our next generation.
Both opportunities saw young farmers from right across Australia coming together to network and learn. As a parent, I also see a huge benefit in all the things available to our next generation because finishing school and landing on the farm can be quite isolating.
Hope your summer crops gave you what you need for winter. Winter cereals should be close to in the ground now, and hopefully a decent autumn break.
– Rachael Napier is the Murray Dairy chair.
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