Know risks of Q fever

Market report for 14th and 15th December Wednesday Fat Sale 548 head. Thursday Cow Sale 40 Bulls, 234 Cows.

With 80 less vealers this week saw the yarding numbers decrease to 548 head for the fat sale. There was a large line of vealers from one vendor, comment from buyers was you would not see better line of vealers anywhere. Processor veal topping out at 377.6, same as last week. This week the yard average was 320.8. 24 bullocks topped at 298, up 4. 19 heifers topped at 307.6, back 7 and averaged 254.4, back 7. 22 steers topped at 315.2 and averaged 279.3, back 9. 525 veal topped at 377.6, same and averaged 332.7, up 9. A larger number of bulls on Thursday sold to stronger demand making to 303.2 cents, this was up 3 on last week and the average of 242.9 was back 10 cents. 234 cows also sold well making to 297.6, and although this was up 27 on last sale the average was back 1 cent to 217.4 with a more consistent price range over the pens. The yard average for Thursday was 5 cents back at 223.6.

1 Bld D&F Waite, Glengarry 385 377.6 2 LimX D&S Russell, Buln Buln 365 365.6 2 LimX J&L Oldham, Neerim Sth 370 355.0 1 Lim MG Maskell, Poowong Est 385 355.0 7 Bld D&F Waite, Glengarry 338 354.1 4 CleyX G&L Bennett, Trafalgar 385 350.0

1 Ang 1 B/B

4 B/WX B&A Marslen, W/Grove

1 B/WX B&A Marslen, W/Grove Ang McCrorey P/L, Trafalgar

1 Ang L Barrett, Trafalgar 3 Baz Linderbrook Past, Bunyip 1 Ang L Barrett, Trafalgar 1 Ang Lockier & Smith, D/West 3 Bld S Granieri, Warragul 5 CleyX DG Tomasetti, Drouin

1 Frn 1 Frn 2 Frn 1 Frn 1 Frn 1 Frn

1 Frn 1 Frn 1 Frn 1 Ayr 3 Frn

McCrorey PL, Trafalgar Milvan Farm P/L, T/dale

Smeethurst Farms, Athlone 655 239.0 Bradwell Dairy Co, H/field 535 237.0 G Gardiner, Yannathan 645 232.6 NG&RD Cranston, NNG 720 227.6 N Brajkovic, Neerim Sth 585 225.6 Nyora Estate, Nyora 610 224.2

JHC Farm 23, Jindivick Parise Farm, Trafalgar Oanwayje, Modella P&L Sherar, Loch Jayanal P/L, Longwarry

595 285.0 570 275.0

553 298.0

425 307.2 520 254.6

505 285.0 507 278.2 610 276.6 495 270.0 698 238.0 734 235.6

1060 257.6 2730 1035 256.2 2651 835 256.2 2139 830 281.2 2713 778 241.2 1876

First sale 2017 fat sale, Wednesday January 4,

1453 1334 1313 1366 1195 1347

1695 1567

1647

1305 1323

1439 1409 1687 1336 1661 1729

1566 1271 1500 1638 1319 1367

Suggestions are to have sprinklers that can operate on a 15-minute cycle where the system is on for one to three minutes and then remains turned off until the commencement of the next cycle.

This allows enough time for cows to be wet to the point that excess water does not drip down the udders, as it is important to not increase the risk of mastitis.

You also don’t want extra water contributing to the effluent stream.

You can hose down the collecting yard before bringing in the cows. This will cool down the concrete surface and will help to keep your cows cooler. In combination with sprinklers, fans and ventilation systems in the dairy also keep cows cool.

During extreme hot weather, a cow will reduce her feed intake and try to consume most of her feed in cooler parts of the day.

This can compromise rumen function, causing a wider variation in rumen pH and a greater risk of ruminal acidosis.

A diet that combines high-quality fibre with increased energy and a high rate of buffers can help minimise these effects.

For high-producing herds, it is even more important to manage diet and it would be worth discussing with your nutritionist other options like slowly fermentable sources of starch, feeding partial-mixed rations and fat supplementation.

During the cooler times of the year, some longer-term solutions can be implemented.

These include installing water troughs, shade cloth over the dairy yard and a roof over the feed pad, depending on the farm’s feeding system.

For the even longer term, you could plant trees across the farm to provide shade, but ensure you do this as part of your whole-farm plan.

Farmers will get a knowledge booster from an extensive awareness campaign into the risks of Q fever, to be launched early next year by the Victorian Farmers Federation livestock group.

The $100,000 campaign, supported by Midfield Meats, includes industry workshops, preparedness toolkits and targeted advertising to promote the dangers of Q fever and the importance of vaccination.

“This is a prime example of the supply chain working together for an outcome that benefits the whole industry,” said VFF Livestock President Leonard Vallance.

“Our aim is to raise awareness about the impacts on human health and highlighting the importance of vaccination against the disease.

“We need to ensure that producers and people in rural areas who handle livestock have the knowledge and the skills to manage Q-fever.

“It’s vital for people handling livestock to understand the potential impact of Q fever on their health.”

Q fever is a flu-like disease carried by cattle, sheep and goats, as well as feral animals such as bandicoots and rodents.

The disease can be transmitted to humans and poses the greatest risk to people working with livestock, such as farmers, abattoir workers, veterinarians and animal handlers.

“Every year, about 600 cases of Q fever are reported across Australia, so this is a massive issue for industry,” Mr Vallance said.

“The campaign will spread right across next year to ensure the whole supply chain has an opportunity to improve their knowledge of Q fever and how they could be affected if they aren’t vaccinated.”