Collaborate to Innovate Forum

Market report for 15th and 16th March 2017 Wednesday Fat Sale 275 head. Thursday Bull and Cow Sale, 36 bulls, 427 cows

20 less cattle came to Wednesday fat cattle sale from last week. Again we saw some very good vealers sold to top at 385 cents per kg, demand was stronger. Steers saw more interest with some top class cattle coming forward. This week’s yard average was 308.5. 10 heifers made to 332, firm and averaged 294. 44 steers made to 347.6, firm and averaged 284. 221 veal made to 385, firm and averaged 320.1 With the yarding of 200 more cows than last week, the cows sold about the same as last week with some lighter and Friesian.

Heifers, the yard average was down 8 cents. This week’s bull market saw 36 bulls sold to a top of 269.2, down 5 cents with more dairy bulls sold. Cows reached a top of 276.6, down 2 cents.

4 Lim 7 Lim 1 Lim 1 Lim 3 Lim 1 Lim 1 Lim

5 Ang 1 R/A 2 Ang

J&L Oldham, N/South MG Maskell S Failla, Willow Grove R Smith, Bunyip NJ&ME Braithwaite, Bena D&W Beilharz P/L, L/L N&M Inglis, Glengarry

J Malia, Moe Sth A Moyes, Boolarra G Jung, Moe

2 Lim G&J Budge, Yallourn 1 Ang Mrs J Omeara, Narracan Export Cows and Heifers 2 Ang JB&SE Heenan, Gains/B 1 Lim DJ Britt, Lillico 4 Ang M Romanin, Ellinbank 1 Hfd I Manson, Newry 3 Ang RK Smith, Bunyip 4 Ang AP Slater, B/Buln East 1 Hfd H&S Ziebell, Warragul 7 Ang I&M Hill, B/Buln East Dairy Cows 7 Flec RJ&CE Monk, Poowong 2 Frn JB&SE Heenan, Gains/B 1 Frn NG&RD Cranston, NNG 1 Frn Oanway JE Farm, L/warry 1 Frn DJ Armstrong, Gains/B 3 Frn CW Honson, Cora Lynn 1 Frn G&L Hillbrick, Coalville Bulls 1 Lim 1 Gelv 1 Hfd 1 Hfd M&B Harding, Hill End Pepper Hill, Willow Grove I Manson, Newry PE Brown, Lardner

3. Elders, 4. Landmark, 5. NGL.

325 385.0 361 384.6 320 382.0 300 382.0 370 376.0 385 375.0 390 370.0

471 347.6 475 316.2 488 284.6

528 332.0 510 264.6

615 257.6 565 252.2 568 234.2 740 232.2 670 230.0 620 230.0 655 230.0 741 228.6

628 250.0 533 230.0 680 225.6 715 225.0 725 224.6 697 220.0 555 217.2

1251 1479 1222 1146 1391 1443 1443

1637 1501 1387

1752 1349

1584 1424 1330 1718 1541 1426 1506 1694

1568 1568 1534 1608 1628 1532 1205

915 269.2 2463 900 268.2 2413 905 265.2 2400 1030 259.2 2669 1. Scotts, 2. SEJ,

The 50th Anniversary of Farm World at Lardner Park provides an opportunity to reflect on how far this event, and the agricultural industry as a whole, has progressed over the last half century.

If the event can grow from a small display of tractors in a paddock, to the professional and progressive industry it is today – imagine where Farm World will be in 50 years from now.

The Collaborate to Innovate Forum aims to explore this very question. The free event, supported by The Society of Precision Agriculture Australia (SPAA) and Young Farmers Ministerial Advisory Council (YFMAC), will be held on Friday, March 31.

The forum explores ways that smaller operators can work together to access technology to enhance their farm management and output. Case studies will be used to illustrate how collaboration can enable access to ‘big-farmer’ technology and the innovation that can follow.

The forum will kick off with a session from Erika McInerney from Mac&Ernie which will get the creative juices flowing with some of the best tips to learn, share, connect and be inspired through social media.

Janice Dowe from Southern Farming Systems (SFS), a non-profit organisation helping high rainfall farmers with practical research and information to produce sustainable results, will present on the Soil Moisture Probe Network, detailing how grain farmers from across their membership region can access data from a web based platform called Probe-Trax.

Amy Cosby will deliver an overview of precision agriculture in Australia and focus on a few livestock monitoring and grazing management technologies that can be used to make data driven decisions on-farm. Dr Cosby’s PhD looked at using soil and pastures sensors to identify redheaded cockchafers in dairy pastures in Gippsland and is currently working on the SmartFarm Learning Hub project to develop agri-tech learning modules for tertiary and high school students, which farmers can also access free of charge to improve their knowledge and understanding of precision agriculture.

The final session will see a panel of representatives from three different agricultural sectors, who will share their experience of innovations and technologies, with plenty of opportunity for attendees to ask questions.

Panelists will include Nuffield Scholar and Victorian Farmers Federation Horticulture Group vice president Emma Germano from Germano Produce; Andrew Bulmer from Bulmer Farms, who is a former AUSVEG Young Grower of the Year; and Hill End dairy farmer and Nuffield Scholar Aubrey Pallet,who has an interest in robotic dairying.

The forum will conclude with a networking session to foster further collaboration and exchange of ideas between speakers and attendees. Entry is free but bookings are required online at www.lardnerpark.com.au