Doing nothing is never an option!

Making decisions and sticking to them is essential in drought management.  This summer looks like it will continue to test the resilience of producers across eastern Australia.  No rain and record heat have pushed most areas into another challenging drought.  

In recent Rayner Reckons, I've written a lot about the importance of making plans with trigger points for action and the importance of sticking to that plan.  In the last few days plenty of people have spoken to me about the plans and options ahead.

Unfortunately drought management is not easy, and hard decisions have to be made.  

The worst thing is to do nothing.  

Last week I was incredibly distressed to hear some producers talking about the drought, saying they had no options left but to let their animals die, as well as asking to be exempt from prosecution under animal cruelty charges if they let their stock perish. 

I can never accept this argument.  This drought has been developing over several months, and the producers I know and work with have been working and following their plans.  

Part of the plan is to de-stock.  Yes they have had to accept low prices, and often they have lost money.  But that was an option which had to be taken.  Some other producers have kept some stock, choosing to feed them to a certain point and then deciding on selling as the drought continues.  Again they have had to take a loss.  Unfortunately that was what happened, and while not wanting to accept a loss for their livestock, it was planned and was the best option for those individuals.

For the producers who haven't been been decisive and made timely decisions, time has run out.  I appreciate they may have no money to feed stock.  I appreciate they may have stock which cannot be transported for sale or slaughter.  

For these people it is not a case of having no options.  There is only one option left.  Their animals cannot be left to die.  The producers must humanely destroy their animals.

I reckon we have a moral obligation (as well as a legal one) to ensure the welfare of our animals.  There are plenty of people wanting to question our treatment of animals exported overseas.  We can't ever afford to neglect welfare and ensure our standards never fall.

Droughts are never easy.  They require hard decisions and sometimes those decisions are distressing.  But as managers of livestock, we can never do nothing.  

The week before Christmas

The last week before Christmas is often full of last minute jobs! I reckon the last week before Christmas is one of the busiest and most stressful times of any persons year!  As someone who has just as many last minute jobs to get through, I probably can't offer too much advice on managing this week!  Having said that, there are a few reminders which might help with managing some of those tasks a little easier!

Most people who run spring calving herds will have taken the bulls out of their joining mobs or are just taking them out this week.  I reckon its important to look after your bulls carefully in these next few weeks.  Its a good idea to put your bulls into a larger paddock and if possible keep them in their mating groups.  If you mix your bulls up following joining, they will want to fight and re-establish their pecking order.  

After a joining period, some bulls may not be in their most robust condition and  if they are fighting the chances of injury increases.  If you are having a break over Christmas, the last thing you need is to be worrying about injured bulls.  So try and mange them with a bit of space and if possible in a paddock with a reasonable feed supply to help them regain condition post joining.

Summer and Christmas is generally hot and trying for all of us.  The heat can be just as testing for livestock as well. If you can, place your stock in paddocks that have plenty of shade.

One of the challenges in keeping livestock cool is providing enough shade.  Cattle need to have some room around them to allow their accumulated heat to disperse.  

When cattle or sheep bunch up close to each other, its much harder for them to cool down.  

So if you can plan to use paddocks with good shade and water as well as sufficient feed over the next few weeks.

The list of jobs you have is probably still a bit long, particularly if you are trying to finish harvest. I reckon the most important thing to remember in this week before Christmas is to take some time for yourself and your family.  If you've sorted your stock out and have a plan for feeding or for the next few weeks to follow, then you really have no excuse not to relax and enjoy a break.  

Taking time for a break is important for your own outlook, health and to get a perspective on how you're travelling.  If you don't make time for yourself it can be hard to see a clear way forward.  So taking some time is important not just to enjoy time with family and friends, its important for yourself.

Its been a big year for all of us involved in agriculture.  I've found it a challenging and exciting time establishing RaynerAg.  I'm very grateful for the support of so many people who have taken up the services I'm providing.  I'm going to enjoy my break over Christmas and I'm planning on being refreshed and ready to make 2014 a great year.  I hope you and your family have a happy and safe Christmas and a rewarding 2014.

A personal milestone

Yesterday I had the opportunity to celebrate a personal & a career milestone. I graduated with a Masters of Philosophy from the University of Queensland - Gatton.  An MPhil is awarded for research.  My research project focussed on improving the way extension activities are carried out in the Australian beef industry. I definitely couldn't have achieved this result without so much support from my family, friends, colleagues and from farmers who shared their thoughts and experiences with me.  

There were a lot of people graduating alongside me yesterday.  There were several PhD graduates, a few more with MPhil, Masters of Agribusiness, and a huge class of undergraduates from Agriculture and Applied Sciences.  I have to say I was excited and pleased to see so many people choosing to study and to take a career direction based in agriculture.

The welcome address to the graduates yesterday by Professor Peter Hoj struck a chord with me, and with many other people listening.  He talked about the tremendous opportunities and the excitement of working in agriculture.  In particular the vital importance of feeding and clothing our nation and the world.  There are other opportunities such as working in bio-security to protect our industries, or for the fact that agricultural degrees can lead to careers which can change peoples lives and societies for the better. He also remixed graduates that their qualifications shouldn't be just for academic roles (as valuable as they are) but they should be used to make a difference.

I've been asked why did I do more study and why an MPhil.  The simple answer is I want to keep pushing myself to find better ways to help farmers.  

The great thing about my research project was it let me ask and learn from producers what they wanted from advisory and extension services.  The things I've learnt should help shape future projects in a way that makes them useful for farmers, and not just become another project or worse, a talk feast.

The hard thing to know with this type of research is if you have really got it right, and what your examiners will think of it.  I was lucky I had two great supervisors in Dr Don Cameron & Dr Jeff Coutts, to give me feedback before I submitted my findings.

My thesis was examined by two international examiners.  One from Indonesia and one from the United States.  Both of them were happy to accept my research which was exciting.  

More exciting was to hear the US examiner had changed some of his extension and advisory programs to use some of my findings.  His feedback was that the changes worked really well with his farmers.  Its exciting to think that the lessons I've learnt with NSW farmers have been used to help farmers in another country. 

My goal has always been to work with farmers and people involved in agriculture so we can find better ways to produce food and to get paid for it.  I reckon my challenge is to keep looking for those ways which are practical and useful for producers as well as for the wider industry.  Its pretty exciting and I'm looking forward to sharing a few ideas with you on your farm.

Managing your pastures

Pasture management is critical skill for graziers.  I reckon pastures are the cheapest form of feed for livestock, and good management is essential in meeting livestock production targets.  

There's actually a lot more to good pasture management than many people realise.  Its not just growing a pasture and letting animals graze it.  Good management addresses pasture species, as well as the amount of pasture available to animals, and just as importantly the quality of the pasture.

The amount of pasture needed for livestock is one of the things I often find producers underestimate.  Cattle have difficulty meeting their daily requirements when pasture mass falls below 1500kg / DM /Ha.  

As pasture mass declines, cattle need to graze longer and work harder to achieve intake, which means production suffers.  

At the same time pasture quality is also influencing how much cattle can consume and how well they will perform.

Quality describes the energy and protein of the pasture.  The easiest way for producers to understand the quality of their pasture is to consider its digestibility.  Digestibility is directly related to the energy levels of the pasture.  High digestibility (68 - 72%) can have energy levels of 9 - 10ME 

This type of pasture is generally a green leafy pasture.  Not only does it have good energy levels, the high digestibility means it will be quickly digested and the animal can graze more frequently and increase its intake.  The increase in intake results in improved performance.

When digestibility falls the energy level of the pasture also falls.  It results in longer digestion times, which reduces the grazing and intake of stock.  

Recognising this is a challenge for all producers.  Just as not having enough pasture mass impacts on animal intake,  having too much pasture mass also causes problems.  I reckon many people don't realise that having pasture over 2600kg /DM / Ha won't actually increase the amount that stock can eat.  

Firstly, cattle will only eat until the achieve gut fill.  Over 2600kg / DM /Ha the digestibility of pasture is often falling, so it takes longer for the feed to pass through and what feed is consumed is lower in energy, limiting performance.

At the same time there are the challenges of managing pastures to ensure they can establish roots successfully, as well as to allow seed set to happen.  

Balancing the demands of stock against pasture quantity and quality is a constant task.  

To get the balancing act right, I reckon you need to learn three key things.  

First is develop and constantly practice assessing pasture mass in kilograms of Dry Matter / Ha (kg/ DM /Ha).

Secondly learn how to assess pasture quality by assessing pasture digestibility.  The window for animal performance is limited pretty much to a range of 60 - 70%.  Slight changes in digestibility, for example between 68 and 65% can see significant differences in intake and in animal performance.  

To assess digestibility I usually look at both the stage of plant growth, and at cow pats!  

Thirdly you need to actually appreciate the daily requirements for the stock you are grazing and start to match those with the pastures you have.  

Working on these three skills opens up the opportunity to undertake pasture budgeting.  It will also help you make better decisions for your livestock, and if you use supplements to choose the most appropriate options for your situation.

Don't forget, if you want to become a better pasture manager to get in touch with me and we can work through these skills and how best to use them on your pastures.

Managing Stock Water

How are your water supplies at the moment?  Water quality & quantity is vital for livestock health & performance. Unfortunately I reckon many people don't manage their water as well as they could.

How much water stock need to drink each day depends on several things.  First it depends on what class of stock they are.  Lactating cows need more water than dry stock will.  Secondly it depends on the feed that stock are grazing.  High quality pastures have more water content compared to a dry standing feed and this influences daily water intakes as well.  Finally temperature has a big influence on water intake.

This might seem like common sense. But do you have any idea how much water your cattle need every day?

NSW DPI has two excellent publications outlining water requirements for livestock and to help audit your water supplies.  

The daily requirements for cattle are much greater than many people realise.  

Lactating cows on grassland will require between 40 - 100 litres. On saltbush country this increases to between 70 - 140 litres.  

Dry stock (400kg) will require 35 - 80 litres.

In hot conditions you should expect the daily requirements of your stock to increase by up to 40%

So how much water do you have to get through coming months?  I reckon now is a good time to conduct a quick check of your water supplies.  

Many people talk about trucking water for cattle.  I reckon trucking water is a huge undertaking if you are to actually supply your stock with the required water levels each day.

The other question to ask yourself is how well are you managing your water supplies?  If you are allowing your stock to trample the edges of the dams, you will lose water quality through silt and animal waste pretty quickly.  Not only does this ruin the water quality,  it promotes algae blooms and pugs up the dam.  When stock are weak, wading through mud and silt to get a drink wastes precious energy.

Ideally managing water well, means maintaining both quality and quantity.  

Keeping cattle from fouling water supplies might mean investing in some ploy pipe, a trough, and some electric fencing to keep them off the dam.  

I know this might be a hassle to set up. However in the long term, if it maintains your water and helps you meet your animals daily requirements, I reckon its worth doing.

As we come into the hotter months, the importance of good water quality will be just as vital as having enough for your stock each day.

Keep an eye on your water.  Running a check should be part of your drought management plan.  If you are keeping track, you are much less likely to get stuck in a difficult situation if the drought worsens.

Why we need the NLIS

A few days ago I was chatting with a beef producer from Northern NSW about my recent overseas trips to China and Malaysia.  He was very interested in the work I was doing with supply chains in Malaysia. However he was much more interested in my take on the Chinese expectations for food to be safe and healthy.

As we talked about my experiences, he asked me what I thought about criticisms of the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS).  I reckon I should share my response to that question.  The NLIS is absolutely essential to our industry and essential for any beef producer serious about their business.

I have to admit I feel so incredibly frustrated when I hear claims of how much NLIS costs individual producers, what a burden it is, and how it achieves nothing. 

Our industry has so many unique advantages.  We have an international reputation for the safety of our food; the quality of our food and the reliability of our supply chains.  As I've said before, this reputation has been earned, but is underpinned by our ability to trace and prove our cattle are exactly what we claim them to be.  

We export to over 140 countries.   Without our ability to prove our integrity of supply and safety, plenty of those countries wouldn't buy our product.  There are other countries who want to take our share of these markets.  They can probably do it more cheaply than we can.  Yet we keep that share because consumers value safety and health when it comes to their food.  

I reckon if we lost a few export markets the flow on effect to farm gate prices would be significant.  So at that level NLIS is essential.

So how much does NLIS cost an individual?  I spent a little time looking at the NLIS tag costs on line.  The price per tag ranged from $2.70 to $3.50

Now some people will instantly multiply these figures by the number of animals they own and tell me the cost is crippling them. Instead of arguing next time I'm going to ask what is their actual Cost of Production for a kilogram of beef. 

The last time I did that, the person didn't know.  If you know your Cost of Production you can start to hone in on costs, like NLIS.

A couple of years ago I had a producer show me their figures for their Cost of Production per kilogram.  

They spent: * 0.6c on animal health

* 3.2c on Drench 

*7.5c on commission

*14.7c on Fertiliser

Their NLIS cost was 0.8c. This operation was an EU Accredited operation and had over 3300 cows. All of these had NLIS tags, yet the cost of this was less than a cent per kilogram of beef!   

For producers who use NLIS in most basic form, to transfer sale cattle off their property, the cost per kilogram of beef is much lower than 0.8c

For the producers I work with, minimising costs is one thing.  However we know costs only account for 20% of the variation in an enterprises Cost of Production figures.  The kilograms of beef produced per hectare accounts for 80% of the variation.  If you are serious about becoming more profitable, you are much better off focussing on improved production.

In this case NLIS is a vital tool to record and monitor the essential parts of your herds production.  I reckon if you can't identify a cow which hasn't or doesn't calve every 12 months you are already losing kilograms of beef per hectare.  If you can't monitor growth rates to a target market specification, you are potentially missing the full grid price for your cattle.  If you can't identify the calves of the sire you spent $4000, can you tell if those genetics are taking your enterprise in the right direction?

I'm passionate about helping producers achieve their goals for production and profitability.  If we can't measure how we are going, we can't manage what we are doing, and we won't achieve those goals.  

So I reckon if you are really serious about making money in beef production, NLIS is essential to you and to the industry.  

Choose your feeds carefully

The increased drought conditions across QLD & NSW are challenging more producers each week.  Droughts are some of the most testing of circumstances for any producer.  The indefinite nature of the drought, combined with the pressure to maintain the business & care for stock places a lot of pressure on everyone.  One of the hardest things to do in a drought is to maintain your own health and attitude.  

I reckon its very easy to get caught up in "drought mode". When that happens, producers stop socialising, or being part of their normal networks.  If I've learnt anything in dealing with droughts, is it is just as important to get off the farm, go and see your other friends and give yourself a chance to refresh your outlook and your perspective on things.  More than anything, trust your drought plan and take the time to look after your self and your family.

Drought feeding stock is physically demanding. It can also be mentally very draining, particularly when you need to start thinking about what feeds you can use and where can you get them from.  As droughts worsen, people often take short cuts, which can result in significant issues.  The most immediate issue is physical injury.  Sadly its pretty common to hear of injuries which happen when farmers are tired and get in the way of bales of fodder, or machinery used to prepare feeds.  The simple message is to think about what you are doing and look after yourself as you do your work.  Don't take your mind off your feeding tasks, even if you've done it plenty of times in the past!

The other big risk with feeding occurs when people start using unusual feeds.  The difficulty in finding conventional feeds such as grain, hay or silage can lead people to use other feedstuffs.  Before you go down that path, you need to consider a few things.  

Firstly, what are these unusual feeds you are considering?  Are they actually suitable for livestock?

Do these feeds actually pose a risk?  Many alternative feeds have been treated with chemicals, which may be ok for their intended purpose, but if eaten by livestock may cause a residue risk and threaten our markets.  

I reckon when you're tired and stressed, thinking about residues in feeds, does get a bit forgotten. And this is when issues occur.  

Setting a drought plan up early can help avoid this potential risk.  Adding a check list for unusual feeds can remind you to check the suitability and value of feeds before you decide to use them.  If you can do this before you get tired and stressed it might help avoid a residue disaster.

Just remember if you do purchase this feed, you should ask the vendor for a By-Product Commodity Vendor Declaration.  This will help you complete your own NVD is you have to sell livestock.

If you are choosing unusual feeds, think about the practicality and availability of that feed. Can it be stored easily; how will it be fed; is it actually providing value for money.

If you are choosing unusual feeds, or you want to have information to make decisions about these feeds, the NSW DPI have a data base on feed values as well as a useful Prime Fact on unusual feeds.

If feeding stock is part of your drought management strategies, I reckon time taken to consider your options will help prepare you to manage the physical and mental demands feeding involves.  I'd like to see you manage these demands without unnecessary risks to yourself and your livestock.

How are your cows holding up?

The last two weeks have seen extraordinary weather experienced across NSW.  Some of the worst bush fires in recent NSW history have burnt across the Hunter and Blue Mountains.  Yet down south in Southern NSW, frosts have damaged grain crops and slowed pasture growth. Throughout the last two weeks, significant rain hasn't fallen, and combined with hot dry winds and high day time temperatures have pushed drought conditions further across the state.

In my last post I encouraged producers to be implementing drought planning.  The keys to the plan include a realistic assessment of your situation and some defined trigger pints and dates where you will take action.  Following that post I was able to help several producers in making the first steps of a drought plan, and to set some clear dates for action. The result was not only a good plan, but relieved producers who could focus on their way ahead.

With all the driving around I've done in the last two weeks, I've noticed many cows and calves.  Most of these cows are doing it pretty tough.  Their body condition is generally in the range of Fat Score 2. This has serious implications for the calf, the cow and for next years production.

Cows in a Fat Score 2 condition will be using their body reserves to produce milk for their calf.  In the long term this isn't sustainable and milk production and subsequent calf growth will suffer.

For the cow, falling body weight will impact on her ability to return to oestrus and this will impact on the fertility levels of the herd next year.

In most situations I've seen, the big limitation is the lack of pasture feed.  Some producers are attempting to provide supplements, but the choices they are making are actually not working!

Lactating cows have a huge demand for energy. If the pasture feed is lacking in quantity, as it is in most places during a drought, adding a protein supplement, such as a block or dry lick will not achieve any lift in cow performance.  Right now most cows need a boost in energy.  This means any choice for feeding is going to be based on energy dense feeds such as grain.  

Some people try to keep their cows going using options such as hay.  Hay is a good feed, but often won't have the same energy levels as grain, and therefore you have to feed more hay to achieve the same result, which can become very expensive.

Lactating cows have huge demands for energy and feed.  Feeding lactating cows can be expensive and time consuming.  In drought situations it can often be much more efficient and effective to consider early weaning the calves from the cows.  

This does two things.  First it reduces the amount of feed you need to provide to the cows, as they are now dry cows with lower energy demands.  Secondly, you can manage the calves and keep them growing as a group, which means they will be similar weights and ages which is important for future marketing.

If you are considering early warning, take some time to plan how you will go about doing it.  The calves will need to kept in a secure yard, which is well watered and drained.  They will need to be feed a good quality feed and managed properly. The NSW DP has really useful fact sheet to help in the planning and practice of early weaning. (Feeding Calves in Drought)

I reckon many producers need to be including early weaning into their drought management planning.  

Once the calves are taken care of, attention can be given to ensuring cows will go through joining successfully.  

Dry cows are a much easier group to manage.  They can be pregnancy tested earlier, and its also easier to reduce numbers from the dry cow mobs if that is part of your drought plan.

If you are unsure how to go about drought management of your cows, putting a drought plan together or early weaning, don't hesitate to get in touch with me for some advice.

Don't fall for the "what if"

In the past three weeks I've actually been working in Malaysia.  The work was a great opportunity to see tropical agriculture.  After three weeks working in tropical conditions, in and around palm and rubber plantations, coming home to the dry of northern NSW was a big visual shock.

This shock got me thinking.  Drought conditions can quickly become a feature of what we see, particularly this current season.  We become so used to see the brown colours and the dry feed, we don't always move as quickly on drought planning as we should.

There is no doubt, Northern NSW is now under drought conditions. However I reckon many people have become so used to seeing the dry conditions over the last few months, they haven't adjusted their plans from a dry season to drought management.

Successful drought management is based on good planning.  Plans need to be based on a realistic assessment of:

How much feed do you now have in your paddocks?

How many head of livestock do you have?

What is the production status of those livestock?

How much water is in your dams, or reserves?

What is the quality of that water?

The next questions need to be asked and answered honestly. 

What will change if there is no rain in 4 weeks?  What about in 6 weeks?  What about in 12 weeks?

Finally, if it rains within the next 3 - 4 weeks will you actually get useful feed or water supplies?  

These questions are the basis of all successful drought management plans.  They provide the information that can help make effective and realistic short, medium and long term plans for your enterprise.  

I reckon when you ask these questions, you can start to then identify some options.  If you don't have enough paddock feed, what animals should you be selling first?  Which are the high value animals and which are the ones which you shouldn't keep in the enterprise.

How good is your water? Water is a huge limitation to grazing programs.  Cattle need up to 150lts of water a day, depending on their size, their production status and the temperature around them.  Its almost impossible to truck enough water every day.  Its better to realise this early and plan accordingly, rather than leave it too late.  

Are your cattle wading into dames, fouling the water and wasting this resource?  Can you put a temporary fence and trough system in place?  These are all questions which you need to answer earlier rather than later.

Some other useful tips for droughts:

• De-stock early to manage feed and to prevent long term destruction of your paddocks. When it does rain you want the pasture to come back quickly

• Identify which cows to sell first. Older and non pregnant animals should be the first to go

• Consider options to value add steers or cows to get them to weight and fatness to sell quickly. Weigh up this option as it sometimes works well for producers early in a drought

• Review your finances and talk to your bank and accountant

• Consider early weaning

• Temporary electric fencing to divide paddocks helps manage grazing pressure and allow plants some recovery which is important

I reckon the two most important things producers need to remember is:

1) Make a plan and stick to it!  Don't wait of become victim of the "what if" scenario.  When you work on the "what if" it becomes an excuse not to be proactive. People who work to the "what if it rains next week" keep putting off decisions and never recover from a drought.

2) Seek advice and second opinions.  When you look at your paddocks and cattle every day you get so used to what you see.  Get someone you trust to look at your plan and help you stick to the plan.  

By doing this, I reckon you can manage a drought with more confidence than by waiting on a "what if.."

Reputations are earned

I've been really fortunate to travel through China over the past fortnight.  The trip was called the China express tour and was a chance to see the amazing Terracotta Warriors, the Great Wall and many other iconic parts of the country.  Agriculture is fundamental to the Chinese way of life in many places we visited.  I was fascinated to see small plots sown to maize, vegetables or to orchards.  

Amongst all the overwhelming sights, sounds and smells I caught a glimpse of a sign of a steak house themed restaurant promoting Australian beef. 

The words I saw which stood out for me were "Natural & Safe" and "Australia".

Now while some people might be more excited by seeing a breed name on the sticker, I think that isn't as important.  

It certainly doesn't seem to be as important when talking to Chinese consumers, who want to know more about the natural and safe reputation of our beef.

Australia exports beef to over 140 countries.  Our market access to these countries is always under challenge.  The price of the Australian dollar, cheaper beef producing countries or countries which are physically closer to these markets are constant threats to our market share.  

I reckon as producers, there's not much we can do to alter these threats.  What we do have the power to control is our reputation for natural and safe production methods.  This reputation underpins our market share internationally and is a reputation we have earned, not bought.

The importance of traceability, correctly completing vendor declarations, ensuring that Withholding Periods are observed are among the essential on farm actions which allow our industry to compete and maintain market share, and in many cases actually allows our market access to increase.

If you wonder why traceability is so important, or correctly completing the NVD is essential, then I reckon you should think about how good it is to see a sign in a city in another country promoting Australian beef as the "Natural & Safe" option.  

I was very proud to see that sign in China.  I was proud because I know we take production, quality assurance, animal welfare and consumer expectations seriously.  

Like any reputation which has been earned, our reputation shouldn't be taken for granted.  I'm always happy to talk with producers to find ways which can help improve your on farm systems which underpin the international reputation of our beef.

Is your bull ready to work?

For producers who run spring calving herds the annual joining period is not far away. Joining is a significant event in the annual cattle production calendar.  To ensure its a successful event, I reckon its important to do some preparation.

Ensuring your bulls are fit and ready to work is essential.  Even if you have only recently purchased your bull, you should still bring him in and put him through a check.

You should be looking for signs of injury or lameness. Remember if your bull has trouble walking, he will be less willing to search out and join cows.

A complete physical check includes looking at eyes, teeth, sheath, pizzle, testicles and feet.  Its definitely worth restraining the bull in a crush and checking the testicles feel firm and sound.

Checking your bulls at least a month before joining will ensure your bulls are physically ready to work. Its important to ensure your bull is in a sufficient Fat Score to undertake joining. The ideal Fat Score for bulls is a Fat Score 2.5 to 3.5

Be prepared for bulls to lose condition during joining, so its important not to have bulls below a Fat Score 2.5 at the start of joining.  Below this bulls tend to have less energy and willingness to work which can impact on a successful joining season.  

Over a Fat Score 3.5 and bulls will lay fat around the testicles which can cause fertility issues.  I often find fat bulls tend to be much more lazy and less inclined to work, particularly as the days get hotter during the late spring, early summer joining time.   

As well as checking your bulls, consider the size of your joining mobs. Most bulls could be joined at around 3% of the number of cows.  Try to have mobs which allow the right number of bulls.

When you do put your bulls out, think about which bulls will go out to work with each other.  The last thing you need is to have bulls fighting each other and not working.  

I reckon taking the time to do some pre planning for joining, inspecting your bulls and drafting up your joining mobs will let you approach and manage joining with much more confidence.  

If you do need to replace a bull before joining, at the very least a month gives you a chance to contact your bull supplier if you need a replacement.  Or it allows you to find alternatives such as reworking joining mobs or even deciding which paddocks could be used for joining to suit your adjusted team of bulls.

Don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like a hand or a second opinion when you are assessing your bulls for the season ahead. I'll be very happy to give you a hand to check your bulls and help put some plans for a successful joining season in place.

How good are you in the yards?

I reckon there can be no doubt that handling cattle is a skill.  Whether its mustering in extensive paddocks, moving them through the yards or undertaking routine husbandry, all producers need to handle their cattle at some point.  While every producer may have to handle their cattle, there is a huge variation in the handling skills producers possess. 

One of the big misconceptions I run across is producers who think they were born with stock handling skills or that these skills will just develop because they live on a farm.

I reckon the truth is, like any skill, safe handling skills are a result of education, knowledge and practice.  

So how much time do you put into your handling skills?  Have you done any training, or at the very least thought about how your actions cause your animals to respond to you?  Do you think much about how your stock behave and try to modify your actions to work with their natural behaviour patterns?

One of the best things I have done in my career was to have participated in a stock handling school.  The two days I spent encouraged me to reconsider the way stock behave, and the ways my actions cause them to respond. 

Some of the things I learnt weren't new.  There were some ideas and actions I was used to using.  But there were plenty of new things I picked up.

Building your skills is one thing.  Maintaining your skills takes practice and requires commitment.  In our business I reckon we need to spend more time working on our skills and recognise that we don't always know it all!  

There are some simple principles which underpin good stock handling skills.  The first is to have patience. The second is to have a sense of humour.  And third is to remain alert and respond positively to the animals.  If you can do that, the animals will respond positively to you. Essentially, good stock handling skill is about having the right attitude and the right skills.  

If you're not too sure about your skills, ask yourself these questions.

• Can you identify the flight zone for the group of animals you're working with?

• Can you pick the lead animal?

• Can you get the mob to move without making a lot of noise or by physically touching those animals?

• Do you know where you should be standing or riding to get the mob to stop or slow down?

These are just a few questions which you could use to check on the state of your stock handling skills.  If you weren't too sure about them, I reckon its not a bad idea to think about a stock handling course.

Even if you could answer those questions easily, I still think its not a bad idea to do some skills development.  Consider it refresher training, but I reckon you will have a similar experience to me.  And that is, you will be challenged, excited and enthused about your skills and how much you will enjoy working with your stock.

If you'd like to arrange for some training or skills maintenance in stock handling, feel free to get in touch with me, and we can arrange some training for you and your team.

Profitable beef production

How profitable is beef production?  Its really common to hear people state they are only getting paid at the same levels as they were in the 1970's.  The people making these statements generally compare the average price per kilogram they received in the 1970s with the current average price per kilogram they are receiving.

While it is simple to directly compare these prices, I reckon its not actually a fair comparison or an accurate measurement of the profitability of beef production.

There has been plenty of work done with producers to evaluate the drives of profit in a beef enterprise.  In simple terms, the profit of a beef enterprise is driven largely by the costs of production.  In fact work by Holmes & Sackett identify that 80% of the variation in beef enterprise profitability is due to the variability in cost of production.

So the average price per kilogram received in beef enterprises only accounts for 20% of the variation in profitability.  Cost of production can be really variable.  Costs don't really change a lot between enterprises.  The big variable is the amount of kilograms per hectare an enterprise produces.

The big driver of beef profitability comes back to how many kilograms of beef produced each year.  So I reckon if you want to do a truly fair comparison between the profits of the 1970s and now, you need to be discussing how many kilograms of beef you produce per hectare and look back at how much that has changed.

The opportunities to produce more kilograms of beef per hectare have never been greater for producers.  The past 30 years have seen massive improvements in cattle genetics; pasture varieties; fertiliser choices and a range of other management options.  

I reckon for producers who want to be profitable or want to be more profitable, there are fantastic opportunities. Choosing to believe comparisons based based purely on historical prices won't do anything towards helping drive your profits.  

If you really want to work out how far your industry or your own enterprise has come, then take the time to work out how much your production levels have changed.  If they haven't really changed, then I reckon you need to look at some options to take you forward.

It doesn't mean that the average price per kilogram that you receive isn't important.  There are plenty of options to improve that price.  However I reckon the big wins will always come from focussing on production first, because these wins can often happen through some simple on farm changes.

So in simple terms, I reckon beef production is much more profitable than 30 years ago.  Once you compare the increases in your kilograms of beef per hectare, I'd be surprised if you didn't reckon the same.

Vaccination makes sense

Clostridial diseases are unfortunately pretty common across Australia and without good management will have a big impact on herd health and production.  Clostridial diseases are caused by bacteria which live in the environment, generally in soil.  However some bacteria can also live in populations in the intestines and tissues of healthy animals.  

The five most common Clostridial diseases are Tetanus, Malignant Oedema, Black Disease, Black Leg and Enterotoxaemia or Pulpy Kidney as its more commonly known.

These five disease often cause most of the production losses experienced by producers.  The bacteria enters the animal through cuts, wounds, abrasions or in the case of Pulpy Kidney when the feed the animal consumes allows the bacteria to multiply rapidly and overwhelm the animals immune system.  

Fortunately producers can manage for these diseases with a readily available vaccination.  The 5 in 1 products are designed to vaccinate and boost an animals immunity to the Clostridial diseases.

Now while the vaccinations are readily available, I reckon a lot of producers don't always use them correctly and so miss out on the full benefit of the vaccinations.  Ideally these vaccinations should be given as a first shot, followed by a booster 4 to 6 weeks later.  The animal then receives an annual booster shot.

Understanding how vaccinations work is important if you are to get the full benefit from the program. Following the first vaccination, the immune system takes a few days to build up a level of immunity where the animal is protected from the disease. This initial immunity does decline over a four to six week period which is why giving the second vaccination within this time is so important.  After the second shot is given the immunity levels are then usually sufficient to carry the animal through for 12 months.

In the those first few days, the animal is still not fully protected from the effects of the disease.  

I reckon one of the biggest problems with vaccinations is producers often have too long a gap between the first and second shots.  If your practice is to give your first shot at marking and the second shot at weaning a few months later, then the vaccination program isn't really effective!

Marking is a time when animals will be really exposed to cuts, abrasions and the conditions which suit Clostridial bacteria that cause disease such as Tetanus.  If your first vaccination is at marking, and it takes a few days for the immunity response to occur, there is a great potential your animals could be impacted on by these diseases.  

If you don't provide your second shot within the optimum 4 to 6 week period and wait a few months until weaning, you again expose your animals to a potential risk where they are not protected.  

I reckon the ideal program sees calves given their first vaccination 4 weeks prior to marking, and the second is given at marking.  I reckon that provides the best level of immunity for calves.

I've had quite a few producers tell me at length why doing it this way doesn't work or that it costs too much.  But I reckon if you can reduce your pre weaning losses from something preventable, just by changing your management program slightly, it is worth it.  

MLA have developed a really handy calculator which you can use to work out the potential costs or vaccinating or not vaccinating.

Getting a good vaccination program in place can help you prevent common diseases and can contribute significantly to lifting your herd health and your enterprise production and profits.  I reckon it is a must do in every enterprise.

How big do your cows need to be?

How big are your cows?  That's a question I ask producers in almost every conversation.  Not because I think bigger is better! Rather knowing the size of cows helps me to develop recommendations from feeding through to stocking rates and options for markets.

How much a cow needs to eat each day is driven by her weight.  Saying this often seems to be quite simple and not at all surprising!  I reckon its so simple, people often don't think about it properly, and more importantly, they don't appreciate how important this simple fact is for cow fertility, beef production and to enterprise profitability.

To show how intake changes, I thought I would refer to the intake chart used in the ProGraze courses.  

I like this table for a few reasons.  The first is that it shows how intake increases as cow weights increase. What it also shows is how much more feed cows require once they start lactating.  In the case of a 500kg cow, she will need an extra 3.8kg of feed each day when she calves.  

I guess 3.8kg may not sound like much, but over 100 cows, thats an extra 380kg/DM a day, or 2,660kg/DM a week.  

If cows don't get that extra feed at lactation, they will lose weight.  In some cases using body reserves for lactation can be an efficient option.  However, if cows are in Fat Score 2 or below, they won't have sufficient body fat to really make up the difference.  As a result their return to oestrus will be delayed - meaning a longer calving interval. And they will produce less milk, meaning you will have lighter and less valuable calves.

The profit driver on any beef enterprise is kilograms of beef produced per hectare.  The key to this in breeding herds is to have a cow produce a live calf every 12 months.  

Based on the intake chart above, we can do some quick comparisons between the requirements of 500 and 600 kg cows (based on a mob of 100 head).

The daily intake for 100hd of 500kg cows would be 690kg/DM.  

This compares to the intake of 100hd of 600kg cows. They would need 840kg/DM a day.

The difference between the two is 150kg/DM.  In practical terms this could mean either you could run around 20 more 500kg cows or more likely you would be probably running a smaller herd of 600kg cows.  Less cows will mean less calves and therefore less profits.  

If you did try to run the same number of larger cows you would have to be prepared to provide supplementary feeds to meet their daily requirements if your pastures were lacking.  Doing this will also erode the profits of the enterprise.  However without feed, your cows will be less fertile and productive.

As with any of these questions, the size of your cows should be balanced against your environment and your markets.  If you have the pastures and the market options for moderate size cows, then you should be using those resources to improve your productivity.  But just remember, bigger cows don't always give you the most flexibility when the season gets touch or your market specifications change.

Its a simple thing, but knowing how much your cows weigh lets you know how much they need to eat and to be productive.  Know this, and you can start to manage your herd to be productive and profitable. 

If you want some advice or to look over your cows, don't hesitate to get in touch. Often a second opinion can make the evaluation process a lot clearer for you.

Preventing Lepto

In northern NSW its been a pretty mild winter.  I've noticed plenty of growth in paddocks as I've been out and about.  I've also seen plenty of new calves.  I haven't talked to many people about the calving rates just yet, but every year there are always a few disappointments following calving.

Calving losses can be caused by a number of things.  These range from physical difficulties in calving such as breech birth.  Large, heavy calves often cause losses.  Big calves can be the result of the nutrition offered to cows before calving, or from the choice of the bull.  Often these two factors are the biggest causes of calving difficulty.

Losses at calving are an issue.  However there can be other reasons for low numbers of calves born each year.  One of the big causes isn't always easy to observe.

Leptospirosis is a bacteria which infects cattle causing abortions, and in some cases will also reduce the level of milk production in females.

The abortions caused by Leptospirosis often occur after 5 months of pregnancy.  If you have pregnancy tested your females earlier than this, losses from Lepto won't be picked up until calving time.  

Leptospirosis can effect all livestock as well as feral animals including pigs and native mammals.  The real risk with Lepto is it can also effect humans, and cause real health problems (http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/110084/leptospirosis-in-cattle-herds.pdf).  

The disease is spread through animals shedding bacteria in their urine, or in fluids at birth or abortion. The bacteria can survive in the environment, particularly in mud, damp soil and water.  Cattle can ingest the bacteria from any of these sources.  

So how widespread is Leptospirosis?  Its a very common disease, but getting some numbers on the levels of infection has been a challenge.  Last week I saw some figures from a study conducted by Jillian Kelly, the District Vet with the Central West LHPA.  This study was done with unvaccinated cattle herds in the Central West.  

The study found 16% of feral pigs on farms were likely to be shedding the bacteria.  The study also found 22% of mobs of pigs (more than 5 pigs) had an active shedder.

In cattle, the study found 25% of the herds were infected with the Pomona strain of Lepto, and 38% with the Hardjo strain.  

I've no doubt there is plenty more to learn from this study.

I reckon what we have learnt is that Lepto is an issue which is bigger than many people recognise.  The Hardjo strain is responsible for "abortion storms" and if this occurs after pregnancy testing, then the losses won't be picked up until calving, and can cause huge impacts on the profitability of the enterprise.

I'm also very conscious of the need to protect yourself, your family and your staff from the risks of this disease.  I've spoken to people who have had Leptospirosis and the stories of their illnesses are really distressing.  I reckon when you know you can prevent something from occurring for human health reasons, let alone for productivity reasons, you'd be mad not to have a prevention plan in place.

Leptospirosis can be prevented through good vaccination programs.  I reckon vaccination is essential. When you get this in place, then you can start to address other issues, like your feral pig population!  If you want some advice in putting a vaccination program together, don't hesitate to give me a call and we can work out the best program for your situation.

Hitting the Specs

Beef production should be profitable.  No matter how much we like working with cattle, without making a return no-one can stay in production for long. 

So what drives profit in a beef herd?  Most people think profit is driven by the average price you receive per kilogram of beef produced.  In actual fact, the average price received only accounts for about 20% of the variation in profit for most beef enterprises.  

The big driver of profit is the cost of production for a kilogram of beef.  Cost of Production is driven not just by costs, but by the kilograms of beef produced.  Across Australian beef enterprises, 80% of the average variability in Cost of Production is due to the variation in kilograms of beef produced by the enterprise.  

I reckon the most effective way of improving profit in a beef herd is to look at more efficient methods of producing beef.  There are lots of simple ways to improve a herds production levels without increasing costs.  

Now thats not to say that your shouldn't focus on ways to increase the average price per kilogram you receive.  Whats important is you shouldn't be spending a lot of money chasing a higher price!

I'm constantly surprised at how many producers overlook the importance of hitting market specifications. Its even more surprising when those producers tell me they want to make more money for their cattle.

Specifications define the weight, fat, age, sex or breed of cattle most suitable for a particular market segment.  Cattle which meet these requirements will be paid accordingly.

By hitting the specification you can budget on the price you will receive per kilogram.

However if cattle don't meet the specification, the price received will be lower.  And the further outside the specification the bigger the price drop.

So what does that really mean? Industry figures suggest the cost or the loss from cattle not meeting specification is almost $130m annually!  

At a farm level, around 25- 30% of cattle don't meet specifications.  Putting some value on this is a challenge.  However some work by the CRC for Beef cattle provides some good figures (http://www.agrifood.info/review/2009/Slack-Smith_Griffith_Thompson.pdf).

The estimates from this paper, and other industry studies suggest losses per head can be up to $60.  Over the average sale lot, these losses can mount up and become pretty savage towards the enterprises profits. 

Specifications are not just important for cattle sold to the processor.  Feedlot operators set requirements. Non compliance can result in deductions of up to $0.10/kg.  If you were working on a slim margin to start with, a loss of $0.10/kg can turn a slight profit into a loss!

I reckon the opportunity for producers to make a little more comes down to a few things.  Firstly addressing production.  Secondly, take the time to work out your Cost of Production and then start addressing issues which can improve your profits, like your market compliance rate.  Focussing on these areas might be the most efficient way to increase your profits without having to make huge changes to the way your run your business.

If you do want a hand to look at ways to do this, don't hesitate to get in touch with me.  I'd be surprised if we can't come up with a few new ideas.

Should you use a consultant?

Following a couple of discussions I had at a recent bull sale, I decided this weeks Rayner Reckons could be a little different.  Before the sale one farmer wanted to tell me I should be still doing my job as a beef cattle officer and there's no way anyone can afford to pay for livestock advice.

It was an interesting conversation! As a Livestock Officer (Beef Products) with NSW DPI, I loved the opportunity to work with producers.  The role was not just about giving advice.  We did lots of problem solving, teaching new skills, and coming up with new ways to be profitable and sustainable in beef production.  When the Livestock Officer positions were completely deleted from NSW DPI, I knew I wanted to keep doing these things with producers.  And so I founded RaynerAg.

Shortly after that conversation, I was in a yard looking at some bulls, when another farmer came up.  He was someone I've known for a long time.  He also wanted to talk about my old job! But he wanted to know; now he didn't have a beef cattle officer, should he pay for a consultant.  I replied to him, "So you're asking my advice on paying for advice?"  It made us both laugh, and I'm off to visit him in a few days. 

So these two conversations have made me think.  Should you be using a consultant?  Should you be paying for advice?  Is it worth it?  I reckon anything I say to answer those questions might be seen as biased, so I wanted to share a link to a publication I found from the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/07-103).  Its basically a guide to finding and working with consultants on your farm business.

I reckon getting an independent source of advice is essential for your business.  Farming is constantly changing, and farmers have more than enough demands on their time, without adding on time to research and explore new ways or ideas to use on their business.  The independent advice a consultant brings isn't just a fresh set of eyes to your operation, its also a fresh set of ideas and experiences, which can help you get to your goals a lot more quickly.

Is it worth paying for advice? Good advice can result in more money.  I often see my advice being used to save a lot of money.  A couple of weeks ago Rayner Reckons looked at reducing the amount of hay which gets wasted when feeding cows.

After that article, I received an email from a farmer, which he was happy for me to share.  He told me that after reading that article, he worked out he was probably wasting $350 worth of hay a week. He only fed hay for 6 weeks and so he was shocked to realise that he was wasting over $2000.  I'm really pleased to help sort that issue out, and after a day with him, we've picked up a few other ideas, which will also save a heap of money each year.  

The RIRDC report highlights the reasons farmers use consultants.  Some of the reasons included 

• needing advice to expand and diversify the business

• having advice on the timing of decisions

• having a fresh set of eyes

• because the bank manager or accountant strongly advised them too

• because farmers valued independent advice which wasn't linked to commission on sales of product

There are some really good tips and suggestions in this guide.  So if you identify with any of those points above, or you would like to push your program along, then maybe using a consultant is the next step.

It would be great if I was the person you'd like to work with. If you think I can help you save some money or make a some more, then please feel free to get in touch!

Don't waste your hay

Late winter can be the coldest time of the year in Australia.  The weather has been really variable in the last few weeks.  Last Thursday I was in Armidale and it was sleeting, while this week we've had temperatures in the low 20's!  The BOM has some great tools to use for farmers looking at the season ahead.  Its definitely worth looking at the BOM website http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/ahead/temps_ahead.shtml so you can plan ahead for the next few weeks.

Cold, windy weather often occurs over the next few months.  In these conditions, hay becomes an important option for farmers seeking to look after their stock more effectively.  Hay offers several advantages at this time of the year.  

Firstly good quality hay should have reasonable levels of energy (ME / DM). This is handy when pastures are short and green, as it can help meet the energy requirements of lactating cows.  Secondly hay is rumen friendly, so it can be fed without requiring an introductory feeding period (which you have to do with grain).  Most importantly for cold, wet and windy weather, as cows digest hay, the rumen is working a little bit harder and so generates more body heat.

While hay is a great option for these reasons, it also has another advantage.  Hay is fairly easy to handle and to feed out.  Cattle don't take long to learn to eat hay, and so it's a pretty simple feeding option.

Just because hay is simple and effective, doesn't mean you can be casual about how you feed it to your cows!

Good hay isn't cheap. Yet some people seem to feed hay in such a way that up to 35% of hay gets wasted.  I reckon if you did your sums correctly, you wouldn't be happy about wasting this much money!

So how do you avoid wasting hay? There are a few things you can do. Firstly hay should be fed in ring feeders or racks.  Using a feeder can reduce waste from 35% down to around 5%.  Secondly you should have more than one feeder. This gives all of your cows a chance to access the hay.

Putting too much hay out will also result in increased losses.  Research from the University of Missouri (http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G4570) looked at how much hay is wasted by putting out lose on the ground vs using hay racks.  The study also looked at what happened when hay was fed every day vs every 7 days.  

When large round or square bales where fed in racks or rings, the waste was around 4.9%.  This compared to a rate of 12.3% when fed across the ground. These losses were just on 1 days worth of hay.

For 7 days supply, the waste level in rings went up to 5.4%. But for 7 days worth of hay spread across the ground, the waste was 43%.  

Sadly its not unusual to see a round bale dropped in a paddock, or rolled out across the ground.  This method of feeding results in waste from trampling and by contamination from dung and urine.  

I reckon its a huge waste of good feed, and a really unnecessary economic waste for any enterprise. 

Investing in some hay racks, or ring feeders will pay off very quickly once you work out just how much hay you can save.

The other handy thing about investing in hay racks or rings is they will come in handy when weaning comes around or to use with some hay to settle your new bulls into the yards on their first night in their new home.

Don't forget if you want some advice on feeding your cows, or anything to help your beef business become more efficient to give me a call.  I'd be very keen to share a few ideas and see how we can achieve your goals more easily.

How much feed do your cows need?

I really enjoy being out on farms at this time of the year.  In northern NSW and parts of southern Queensland there are plenty of little calves in paddocks.  I love seeing calves grouped up in nurseries, watched over by an older cow.  

When you see this, you know that the cows are off grazing, or possibly watering, and they will be back to let their calves get some milk shortly.

Grazing time is vital for lactating cows.  When a calf is born, a cows daily energy intake doubles.  

Its vital that a cow gets adequate energy from her diet in order to produce enough milk for her new calf.  

Spring calving can be a challenging time for cows, as the supply of feed can be quite limited.  

In many cases the extra energy cows need will come from a combination of daily feed intake and metabolising body fat.

I reckon its really hard to stop cows losing weight after calving.  Most pastures, particularly semi improved or native pastures won't contain the energy or the protein lactating cows need.  Using body fat will help address the deficit and ensure milk supply to the calf.  

The trouble with using body reserves is the flow on effect on the cows returning to oestrus for joining in late spring or early summer.   A big loss in body reserves will delay the cow returning to oestrus, and this can impact on your herd fertility levels.

So just how much feed do your lactating cows need?  This will depend on the live weight of your cows. Bigger cows need more energy for their own maintenance as well as for their milk production requirements.

To give you a basic idea, a 440 kg lactating cow requires a daily intake of 100 MJ ME and 700g of Crude Protein.

Heavier cows will need more than this!

Knowing what your cows need is just part of the challenge.  You need to know what your pastures can provide.  

For example a pasture comprised of Phalaris & Clover should have around 10 MJ/Kg & about 140g CP/Kg.  

If that 440kg cow ate 10kg of this pasture daily, her requirements should be met, and you wouldn't see too much wight loss, or issues with fertility later on.

This is all very good in theory.  In practice the quality of feed at winter, the amount of feed and the intake of your cows will vary.  I reckon the best thing you can do is recognise your cows need a lot of energy and be prepared to closely monitor your cows & their feed intake and be prepared to intervene with some supplements if you think the pastures are not providing all your cows require.  Intervention with supplements or moving to better pastures may prevent more costly losses later on with lower herd fertility.

Don't forget, if you have any questions after reading this, or about how to manage your cows during this time, you can always contact me for some advice.