Heifer Management in Dry Times

What were some of the features of the Top 25% of NSW Dairy Farm Monitor farms in the 2023 financial year? This month’s podcast provides insights into some of the physical and financial metrics associated with their productivity and profitability compared to that of the remaining 75% of farms in the project.

Links to useful resources related to this podcast:

NSW DFMP Annual Report

DairyBase

Link to January 2024 podcast: Highs and Lows of Dairy Farm Monitor 2023

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter

Transcript here 

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

With a national focus on reducing dairy GHG emission intensity by 30% by 2030, farm greenhouse gas emissions are currently getting a lot of attention. This month we take a look at what has been happening with emissions on NSW dairy farms through the lens of our Dairy Farm Monitor Project.  

Links to useful resources related to this podcast:

NSW DFMP Annual Report (pg. 35-36)

Dairy Farm Emissions (Dairy Australia)

Dairying for Tomorrow – links to Aust Dairy Carbon Calculator etc.

Episode 26: Dairy Carbon Emissions - What Does It All Mean?

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter

Transcript - 

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

The 2023 financial year saw the highest average profit for the Dairy Farm Monitor participants in the 12 years of the project in NSW. Jess Bell hosts this month’s episode as she teases out what the main drivers were behind this performance with Sheena Carter. It was yet another very challenging year with more floods which had a big impact on the majority of farms across the state. 

Links to useful resources related to this episode:

DFMP Annual Report & Interactive Report

DairyBase

Farm Business Snapshot

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter

Transcript

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Rearing heifers well is an extremely important aspect of herd management. Selecting the right heifers and ensuring they reach target weights in a specified time period is integral to the future production of your herd. 

However rearing heifers is a costly exercise so thought and planning is important to ensure you get it right. Carrying too many heifers can be expensive and tie up farm resources. This is particularly so in dry times which we are currently seeing through much of NSW. Today my guest Neil Moss joins me to discuss the cost of feeding heifers and strategies to ensure you rear the number you need.

Links to useful resources related to this podcast:

Feed budgeting tool | Dairy Australia

Back of the envelope feed budget | Dairy Australia

Monthly back of the envelope feed budget | Dairy Australia

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit 

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page 

DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter

Transcript here

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

With much of the State of NSW currently experiencing very dry conditions NSW DPI reached out to Tim Ford, Director at Feed Central to provide an update for the industry on the current situation and outlook for fodder supply. Tim presented this information at our recent Dairy Breakfast webinar in conjunction with a presentation from the DPI Climate team on the seasonal conditions and tools available to farmers to help monitor the current conditions and assess forecasts for the period ahead. Feed Central link buyers and sellers of hay and grain across the country and provide feed analysis on what is being sold as well as a visual description. NSW DPI strongly encourage you to purchase feeds based on quality, so feed tests are a ‘must have’, regardless of where you purchase from.  This episode brings you a recording of Tim’s presentation and the show notes have a link to our YouTube page to view the Climate team’s update as well as Tim’s presentation. Also within the show notes are links to resources including feed budgeting tools and NSW DPI’s Seasonal Conditions Information Portal and Feed Quality Testing Service.

Links to useful resources related to this podcast:

Dairy Breakfast Webinar - https://youtu.be/fOs4pCCIOaM

Feed Central | Buy Hay | Hay For Sale | Sell Hay | Feed Testing | Bales

Feed quality (nsw.gov.au)

Seasonal Conditions Information Portal (intersect.org.au)

Drought and Supplementary Feed Calculator (nsw.gov.au)

NSW DroughtHub

Drought - Local Land Services (nsw.gov.au)

Back of the envelope feed budget | Dairy Australia

Monthly back of the envelope feed budget | Dairy Australia

Feeding & Farm Systems | Dairy Australia

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter

Transcript here 

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Dairies are complex businesses requiring a very broad range of skills to manage. In today’s environment, good business management skills are more important than ever. This is recognised by industry organisations whose role is to support farmers such as the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Dairy Australia as well as farm consultants who provide individual farm support in various technical areas. 

Jane Bower, who is an Extension Officer and Engagement Lead with Dairy NSW joins me to discuss some key support programs for available for dairy farmers. We cover off on the Dairy Business Support Services program, staffing or workforce programs to help you find staff and retain them, Our Farm Our Plan for getting a plan together that will get everyone on the same page and all driving the business in the direction needed to achieve your identified goals, and much more!

Links to useful resources related to this podcast:

Contact Jane Bower or the Dairy NSW Team (Jane 0427 929 694)

Wellbeing and Safety | NSW DroughtHub

Business Support Services Project 

Dairy Farm Jobs Board 

Dairy Standard Chart of Accounts

Our Farm Our Plan (Starting 2nd or 10th October, National Online programs)

Dairy Farm Business Analysis National Online October 2023 | Dairy Australia

Farm Business Fundamentals National Online November 2023 | Dairy Australia

Farming with My Team - Online 2023 | Dairy Australia

Farm Business Snapshot | Dairy Australia

DairyBase | Dairy Australia

Dairy Australia Farm Business Program information. 

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – please visit for further information and resources.

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter

Transcript here

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in

Recently a farmer reference group was formed in the Mid Coast region of NSW to provide information and guidance on an economic and risk analysis of rearing non-replacement calves. 

The project was led by Dan Armstrong, Senior Consultant with the RM Consulting Group. 

In the analysis, Dan and his team used two of the farms as case studies where the goal was to sell the non-replacement calves as dairy beef and investigate whether it would be economically practical to hold onto these calves and pursue this alternative pathway.

This was the second phase of a Dairy UP project looking at Sustainable Pathways for Surplus calves, led by Dairy Australia. The first phase involved a variety of consultation activities in the Nowra region with consumers, farmers, milk and meat processors and other supply chain stakeholders looking at alternative management pathways.

Useful resources related to this podcast:

DairyUP website - further information on this project and others www.dairyup.com.au 

Dairy Australia’s “Surplus Calves” and the Growing Beef from Dairy Project 

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter

Transcript here

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Interest in NSW and Australia in intensive dairy systems has grown significantly in the last decade due to many factors. These systems require significant capital investment, so it is important that if this is a system that interests you, you really do your homework. 

Through DairyUP, a large research, development and extension program in NSW, NSW DPI with joint funding from Dairy Australia, has undertaken an economic and social science project looking at the profitability of intensive farms in NSW and why people are considering and adopting them. 

This month Sheena discusses the project with Nikki Reichelt, a Research Fellow from the University of Melbourne’s Rural Innovation Research Group who undertook the farmer and consultant interviews to understand the ‘why’ of the interest and adoption in NSW and Karen Romano, National Feeding Systems Lead at Dairy Australia. Karen is responsible for a program that is providing farmers with excellent information and resources to help them in their decision making and implementation of system intensification and has a strong background in extension and farm systems. 

Useful resources related to this podcast: 

Adapting Dairy Farm Systems website (includes links to the National Guidelines for Dairy Feedpads and Contained Housing Systems and the Farm System Evaluator) 

DairyUP website - further information on the Intensive Dairies project and others R,D & E programs funded by this initiative. 

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit  (further information and resources are available here) 

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services 

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com 

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include; 

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page 

DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed 

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter 

Transcript here 

Produced by Video Lift 

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

Greenhouse gases, carbon emissions, carbon credits, mitigation strategies, emission reduction targets - these are terms that are bandied about regularly in relation to agriculture and dairying. What do they all mean and how do they impact you at a farm level?

This month, my colleague Zita Ritchie interviews Blake Cheer a Dairy Development Officer with NSW DPI and Aaron Simmons, a senior research scientist also with the DPI. Blake has a background in Climate & Environmental Management which was the focus of his work in a previous role in New Zealand, where a GHG emissions partnership for primary producers has been introduced.

Aaron’s role sees him work on activity focussed around climate change mitigation in agricultural systems and he also dabbles in the policy and market issues around efforts to reduce GHG emissions.

Useful resources related to this podcast:

Australian Dairy Carbon Calculator 

DairyBase

The On Farm Carbon Advice Project - For further information please contact the NSW DPI Team via their email address which is carbon@dpi.nsw.gov.au 

Dairy Australia online course on Climate Change:  Course: Climate Change (dairyaustralia.com.au)

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter

Transcript here

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice. 

NSW dairy farmers have faced many extreme weather and climatic challenges in recent years from severe and prolonged drought to bushfires and then widespread flooding. 

There is no doubt we will continue to see these events and others occur in the future. We need to get better at preparing for, responding to and managing our recovery in these situations.

With this in mind, last year a large collaborative research, development and extension program worth $16 million was launched. This 5-year program aims to fast track the NSW dairy industry to a position so that farm businesses have tools and options they can use to help them survive and prosper under the inevitability of changing conditions - be they economic, social or climatic.

This project is called DairyUP and is led by one of my guests today, Professor Yani Garcia who is Professor of Dairy Science at The University of Sydney and Director of the Dairy Research Foundation. We will be discussing some of the outcomes to date on a few of the projects and the implications they have for farmers. Joining us in conversation is Juan Gargiulo one of my DPI dairy colleagues who plays a leading role in several DairyUP projects.

Useful resources related to this podcast:

DairyUP website

Subscribe to DairyUP e-newsletter

Register to attend the DairyUP South Coast Road Trip (21st & 22nd June 2033)

Register for the 2023 DRF Symposium (7 - 8th November 2023)­­

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include;

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

DPI Intensive Livestock Twitter feed

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter

Transcript here

Produced by Video Lift

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice.