PRIMARY producers are invited to join a webinar next Wednesday week designed to help them understand the quality aspects of drought fodder options.

New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has convened the webinar in response to numerous drought-impacted livestock producer inquiries to NSW DPI for information on the topic.

Guest speaker will be NSW DPI researcher John Piltz. Mr Piltz is based at the Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute where he conducts research on feed testing of relevance to southern farming systems, livestock nutrition and forage conservation.

• During the webinar he will address several key questions:
• Feed test results: which are the most important numbers and what do they mean?
• What is the best role for hay in drought feeding situations?
• Where can producers find information about interstate or unusual feeds?

The webinar titled “Understanding drought fodder quality” will take place from 10am on Wednesday 5 September. Registering for the webinar will allow you to watch the recording at a later time, and participants will receive a reminder closer to the event.

Click here to register for the webinar, or contact Todd Andrews [email protected]

Communicating and monitoring freight prices

The New South Wales Government-appointed drought transport subsidy integrity advisor Derek Schoen has been monitoring instances of people’s concern about potential improper pricing behaviour affecting farmers due to the high demand for stock feed.

The task includes making sure there are no extortionate demands, Mr Schoen told Grain Central.

“In most situations market prices can be reasonably explained.

“People with concerns about freight prices should contact [email protected],” he said.

Evaluating performance versus price

Mr Schoen said it wasn’t necessarily the lowest tonne price of feed which gave best value because factors such as moisture content and nutrient value of feedstuffs will affect performance.

It’s a good idea to evaluate and compare, in nutrient terms, the landed value of feedstuffs.  The high price of cottonseed for example might be justified on analysis of its nutritional value, provided it’s within an acceptable range of dollars per unit nutrient value.

“Livestock producers are purchasing sight unseen and it’s not always easy to do probity checks of fodder quality but it’s important, if you can, to do the proper checks.

As part of a $500 million NSW Emergency Drought Relief Package, the NSW Government this month announced drought transport subsidies worth $190 million to cover up to 50pc of the full cost of transporting fodder, water for stock and livestock to pasture, slaughter or sale.

Source: NSW DPI