Category Stock Sense

Outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) have previously occurred in Australia, but not since the 19th century. The last known incursion of the virus was in Victoria in 1872 from a bull imported from England. Since then, the virus has…

An old friend called the other day to ask my opinion on some sick cows on his farm in Central Victoria. Like many producers, Pete had been feeding out a mixture of hay and grain since January to keep the…

Significant rainfall in the past month has been welcomed across many parts of Victoria, however, the relieving rain brings with it great risks for livestock. Most losses in drought occur after we get a break. The period when animals are…

The welfare of animals in yards has multiple benefits. Reducing stress on animals reduces the stress on you and makes life simpler, calmer and safer. If you never have to use an electric prodder, poly pipe or get upset and…

Effective vaccinations for pulpy kidney have been available for over 50 years however it remains the third biggest killer of sheep, according to figures from Agriculture Victoria. Despite following the manufacturer’s recommendations you can still incur losses from pulpy kidney.…

No one wants to be seen as inhospitable but biosecurity provisions leave us in somewhat of a predicament. Your farm is often your home and your business. You don’t want to be unwelcoming but at the same time you don’t…

Livestock must have access to water; this is common knowledge. However, given recent conditions you may consider testing the quality of available water sources; with warm dry conditions resulting in dropping dam levels and dry bare paddocks. This can contribute…

As the price of conventional fodder and grain remain high there have been a number of reports of people sourcing or being offered alternative stockfeed. At a glance some of these alternatives appear to be good value but they may…

Commodity Vendor Declaration (CVD) forms are a valuable tool which can be used to determine the quality and integrity of fodder or feed purchased, so you know exactly what you’re feeding your livestock. A CVD identifies if feed or fodder…

Buying in footrot is never the plan but it is always a risk when purchasing new stock, and there are steps which can be taken to reduce this risk. No one ever knowingly buys footrot, often getting caught out when…

The Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) program is the Australian livestock industry’s on-farm assurance program managed by the Integrity Systems Company (ISC), a subsidiary of MLA. To access National Vendor Declarations (NVD), a requirement for selling livestock in Victoria, you must be LPA…

The National Ovine Johne’s Disease Management Plan will not be extended after June 2018. However, on-farm management of OJD remains the same for producers with disease management tools available through the Sheep Health Project, which is managed by Animal Health Australia.…