NEWSLETTER – OCTOBER 2017
Happy 10th Birthday MFS
MFS recently celebrated its10th Birthday at a co-hosted
field day with Rabobank in Nimmitabel on the 6th
September where 60 people attended. Rabobank
speakers, Marc Oostdijk and Georgia Twomey
discussed global Industry image and market trends in
the wool Industry.
Phil Graham gave a three month outlook for feed
availability and pasture growth based on historical
weather data and data gathered from soil moisture
probes located at four Monaro sites; Rhine Falls,
Bungarby, Bombala and Delegate.
In terms of benchmarking data for the Monaro, Sandy
McEachern (Holmes & Sackett) gave another overview
of Monaro farm business performance compared to
previous years.
There has been a slight reduction in profitability for the
Monaro (with approx. 25% increase in land values) in
16 / 17 with an average 6% ROAM (return on assets
managed) compared to 8.5% ROAM in 15/16.
The top 5 Monaro businesses show a ROAM of 11.5%
again demonstrating the variation between businesses
and the capacity for improvement. Prime lamb was the
least profitable enterprise in 16/17 with a profit of $17
($/DSE) compared to the most profitable, dual purpose
at $39 ($/DSE). This was followed closely by beef at
$32 ($/DSE) and wool at $25 ($/DSE).
Again the disparity between the top 20% producing
businesses and the “average” was highlighted with the
top producers enjoying a wool profit of 48 ($/DSE)
compared to 26 ($/DSE) for the average.
Jo Powells from South East Local Land Services
finished of the afternoon by presenting the results of
the serrated tussock herbicide resistance project. 13
sites were sampled across the Monaro region in mid
December 2016 to test for resistance to the herbicide
flupropanate. 5 of the 13 samples showed a high level
of resistance to the chemical.
In this issue
MFS to take the lead...Native
Vegetation legislation
Soil Moisture probe website launched
Project Updates…P efficient pasture
trials…2018 traineeship…worm egg
counts…funding success for S work
New MFS Industry Board appointment
Next Event – Soil Club Field Day & Xmas
lunch -December 7th 2017
MFS NEWSLETTER
Native vegetation legislation
Following a recent poll of members, which showed
unanimous support (87% response rate), MFS will now
work closely with LLS and private sector professionals
to drive research and fieldwork to assist in the
development of evidence based policy for native
vegetation management on Monaro farmland.
It is hoped this will result in;
greater accuracy in identification of higher
conservation native grasslands;
accurate assessment of the economic impact of
current and future legislation on agricultural
businesses;
documentation of the economic and
environmental effect weeds such as African
Love Grass and Serrated Tussock have on
agricultural enterprises.
This will be kicked off at the soils club field day on the
7th of December where we will have speakers
Agricultural Minister Niall Blair (tbc), Richard Bull
(Acting Chair of the state board of LLS) and Kristian
Holz (Group Director Sustainable Land Management)
as well as a Federal Government representative to
explain the interpretation of the current legislation and
what local farmers can and cannot do within the
current legislation.
Soil Moisture Probe Website Launched
http://www.soilmoistureprobes.com.au/
The LLS/MFS/TFS website is now live which
showcases the 14 probes across the Southern
Tablelands. The 4 Monaro probes (Muniong,
Bukalong, Delegate, Bungarby) can be accessed
24hrs a day for current soil moisture and rainfall
information. MFS is currently working with a software
programmer who will link in these probes on the MFS
homepage. It is hoped members can then customize
their homepage to show the moisture probe data most
relevant to them.
This information will also be used by Doug Alcock
when running his Grassgro® seasonal outlooks.
Example of the data display
Expressions Of Intrest - serrated tussock
An expression of interest (EOI) process is now open to
landholders who are interested in testing for
flupropanate resistance on their own properties.
If interested please contact Jo Powells
([email protected]) or Nancy Spoljaric
([email protected]) to get a copy of the
form.
EOI's need to be received by close of business,
Tuesday 31st October. Subsidised test cost $50.
MFS NEWSLETTER
P Efficient Pasture Trials – (CSIRO, NSW DPI)
The sites were sown on the 12th and 13th of April into reasonably good soil moisture at Glen Finnan
but the site at Redcliff had dried out considerably.
Seedling counts show germination appears patchy with serradella (cv Avilla) seedling density less
than 40 plants/m2 at Glen Finnan. Numbers are better at Redcliff with plant densities averaging
around 60 plants/m2. Given the sowing rate of 5kg/ha it would be reasonable to expect 150-200
plants/m2. Poor rates of germination might be the result of variable sowing depth due to the rough
surface of the seed bed and it is possible that there is a considerable amount of seed yet to emerge.
“Overall the plots look better than I expected given the establishment counts and the way the season
has been. Nonetheless there is not much biomass yet.” Doug Alcock, site visit Redcliff October 2017.
Soil test results at the Glenfinnan site
Colwell P Olsen P PBI PBI KCl40 Colwell K
mg/kg mg/kg colwell unadjusted mg/kg mg/kg
Glen Finnan South
Rep 1 37.4 12 76.1 69.3 10.6 51.2
Rep 2 41.2 14 71.6 64.1 8.79 57.7
Rep 3 32.6 11.7 48.1 42.6 7.27 46.8
Glen Finnan East
Rep 1 18.4 6.2 44.2 41 6.5 81
Rep2 20.5 6.25 45.3 41.8 6.6 82.2
Rep 3 19.3 5.71 43.2 46.5 6.4 69.5
The soil at this location is derived predominantly from the typical slate/shale association that
crosses the Monaro and is a soil type that represents around a third of the arable area in the region.
MFS NEWSLETTER
Soil test results at the Redcliff site
Colwell P Olsen P PBI PBI KCl40 Colwell K
mg/kg mg/kg colwell unadjusted mg/kg mg/kg
Redcliff East Rep 1 16.1 4.74 56 53.2 5.5 279
Rep 2 15.3 5.7 55.5 52.8 7.7 291
Rep 3 13.5 5.81 56.8 54.4 7.5 284
Redcliff West Rep 1 23.3 6.13 109 104.3 8.8 296
Rep2 25.3 5.42 107.1 102 8.7 353
Rep 3 21.4 5.54 94.3 90.2 7.2 288
The soil at this site is also derived predominantly from the typical slate/shale association that
crosses the Monaro. The target starting P level was around 20 mg/kg so the Redcliff East site was
given some additional P prior to sowing.
Photos taken of the Redcliff site 11th October 2017 East Site – yellow serradellas (Santorini, Avila) with phalaris
MFS NEWSLETTER
West Site – pink and yellow serradellas and sub clover
A biomass assessment was recently conducted at both sites, results to be presented in the next newsletter.
2018 MFS Traineeship Program
Applications are now open for the MFS 2018
traineeship program. Thanks to all our
producer hosts we have enough commitment to
support one full time position. For the first time
next year the program will include 4 weeks of
fully paid training (covered by MFS funds) which
includes the 3 week Hay Inc certificate. The
position will be advertised in the local papers for
two weeks starting October the 25th. If you
know of anyone interested in applying please
let them know or they can contact Nancy for an
application or download one from the MFS
website.
http://www.monarofarmingsystems.com.au/proj
ects/mfs-agricultural-traineeships-program/
Funding success for S trial work
MFS has been successful in securing $67,845
($16,961 to be contributed as a cash
contribution by MFS) through the MLA donar
company. This one year project which will
commence in Jan 2018, titled “Solving the
Sulphur Story” was developed in conjunction
with Richard Simpson (CSIRO) to try and
address the glaring Sulphur (S) deficiency issue
on the Monaro identified by the soils club. The
phosphorus (P) story in soils is well understood
and has led to significant improvements in
correcting P deficiencies across the district
however the Sulphur story is not, either on the
Monaro or at a wider Industry level.
MFS NEWSLETTER
The project will look at determining the
distribution and content of extractable S in five
(5) soil profiles under the three (3) main soil
types on the Monaro (i.e. basalt, granite and
shale-derived soils) by soil testing to 50cm and
also looking at pasture and soil test
responsiveness to S applications in a replicated
trial design. This will hopefully lead to helping
develop a guideline for fertiliser application rate
calculations and more work on comparing
elemental versus sulphate Sulphur products and
their effectiveness.
New MFS Industry Board appointment
Three very high caliber candidates (Ian
Johnsson, Warick Badgery and Chris Copeland)
have recently been considered by the Board to
fill the vacant Industry Board director position
vacated by Phil Graham. The successful
candidate was Warick and we look forward to
welcoming him onto the Board.
The bulk of Ian Johnsson’s background and
capability is in animal science (including
physiology, nutrition and genetics) and he is an
exceptional specialist in livestock R&D having
worked for the sheep and biosecurity CRC’s,
MLA, Australia Pork and in a private
consultancy capacity.
Chris has a solid background in the commercial
aspects of rural products and services having
run Landmark in Yass for 15 years and worked
as the Merial representative for 10 years
covering Southern NSW.
Warick has extensive experience in grazing
management systems, particularly in native
pastures and serrated tussock management
having working for NSW DPI for twelve years.
He is currently a NSW DPI Research Leader for
rangelands.
Lamb Finishing project kicks off…
John Jeffreys will be the first of five producers
involved in the lamb finishing project to wean
lambs onto his clover/chickory/lucerne/plantain
pasture at Delegate River. Doug Alcock
recently performed a biomass assessment with
the total green herbage mass calculated to be
3595kgDM/ha. Feed quality samples have been
sent away with the DM digestibility expected to
exceed 80%. A sub-set of the lambs have been
tagged with EID and entry and exit weights will
be taken along with an interim weight if
possible. With the dry seasonal conditions the
brassica and lucerne systems to be measured
are still in the establishment phase. Lambs are
soon to go on to the other improved pastures
and rye grass and chickory / clover systems.
Delegate River clover/chickory/Lucerne/plantain
NEWSLETTER – OCTOBER 2017
MFS Worms Club – Sept 2017 Update
Please remember to send any copies of worm tests to Nancy so they can go in the worms club data
base (anonymous) for district reporting updates.
NEWSLETTER – OCTOBER 2017