Please Note:  Monthly Walks Program is a work in progress and some topics may change as we finalise guest speakers.

1ST Wednesday of the Month

Functions start 10.30am and end about 12.30pm.

Morning Tea, Guest speakers and bus tour are included.

All sessions are `free'

7161 Princes Highway, Terang Vic 3264

Ph: (03) 55922199

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POTENTIAL TOPICS  OR  SUGGEST  A TOPIC:



1.    Department of Primary Industries - Nitrous Oxide Project
This project uses automatic chambers to intensively study N2O losses from urine patches, using a range of application timings of both urine and an inhibitor.  Coupled with this will be satellite sites where the same treatments are applied across a range of climate and soils conditions, with these sites monitored for soil mineral N fractions and DM production.



2.     DemoDAIRY & Department of Sustainability and Environment - Carbon Tender Plot Project
DemoDAIRY entered a Carbon Tender Landowner Revegetation Agreement with Dept. of Sustainability and Environment in September 2004.  The Agreement committed DemoDAIRY to revegetate a selected parcel of land to local indigenous plants for the purposes of being a carbon sink.  The 2.2ha site was direct seeded with 8kg of seed and has the potential to absorb 258 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.  In a recent site appraisal conducted in December 08 by DSE Native Vegetation & Carbon Tender Officer, Mark Brammar the site was considered to be very impressive with good growth and that the site demonstrated that even a fertile, well watered paddock on an intensively managed dairy farm can fairly have a change in ecology and start to resemble a forest or woodland again.



3.    DemoDAIRY & Glenelg Hopkins CMA - Wetland and Drainage Line Plantations
In April 2003 a project commenced with funding from the Regional Partnership Program of the Glenelg Hopkins CMA to do earthworks, fencing and planting of a wetland and drainage line area on the west side of the farm.  The earth works included shaping of wetland, clearing of drainage line and putting in culverts under the track.  Around 1300 tubestock trees were planted.

4.    DemoDAIRY & Stephen Pasture Seeds - Pasture Renovation Demonstration Paddock
In September 2008 Paddock 7 was identified as a poor performing and weedy paddock and had a summer crop of Winifred (cross between Rape and Brassica) which was grazed twice over the summer period.  It was then over sown with millet and herbs in April 2009 and in May it had one grazing and then over sown with rye grass and will be a permanent pasture and its first grazing was in July and currently in paddock rotation.



5.    DemoDAIRY & Drain Tech - Paddock Sub Surface Drainage Demonstration Site
This work is to benefit the farms capability to increase productivity and sustainability at a higher stocking rate of 2.5 cows per hectare.  The sub surface drainage promotes healthier pastures and better soil management by reducing the amount of surface lying in the paddock after high rainfall events.



6.    Department of Primary Industries - Giberalic Acid Trial
Paddock 19 is reserved for this trial which is currently under preparation with pegging and first application.



7.    DemoDAIRY, Geoffrey Gardiner Foundation & Dept. Of Primary Industries – Determining Sustainable Application Rates of Dairy Second Pond Effluent Project
In Paddock 19 there is a project which aims to quantify the potential benefits of using dairy effluent as a source of both water and nutrients for crop and pasture production and in turn develop sustainable, long term re-use strategies that minimise the risk to the environment.



8.    Department of Primary Industries - First Pond Sludge Trial
Paddock 17 is currently the site for DPI sludge trials (one trial in 2005 and one in 2007).  The 2005 trial site is with sludge incorporated into the soil and continuously cropped.  .


9.    DemoDAIRY, Heytesbury & District Landcare Network - Cypress Removal & Native Plant/Direct Seeding Projects
In January 2006 DemoDAIRY starting a project to remove cypress from the property.  Cypress is a toxic plant to pregnant cows and can cause abortion.  Approximately half of the cypress has been removed with some of it being sold to a timber merchant (to be turned into decking) and the remainder burnt on site.  In areas where cypress has been removed there are direct seeding activities taking place.

10. Dept. Of Primary Industries - Pasture and Cropping Trials
The pasture and cropping trials are a combination of multiple sites with multiple trials.  Several Agnotes have been published as a result of these trials.

11. National Centre for Dairy Education Australia (NCDEA) Student Paddock 28
In 2008 the NCDEA students took over the management of paddock 28 and have done a multitude of activities on the paddock including determining when to harvest silage, oversowing decisions, types of crops etc.


12. DemoDAIRY Farm Track System
The track camber and width allows for smooth cow movement and the ‘loop’ design allows easier access to the paddocks.  Majority of paddocks have double gates and multiple entry/exits to reduce impact on soils as part of Wet Soil Management plan.



13. University of Melbourne - Project 3030
The 3030 farmlet experiment began at DemoDAIRY in June 2005, comparing the productivity and profit of a dairy system based on well-managed perennial ryegrass pasture (‘RMax’) with a system incorporating complementary forages (‘CF’) including annual ryegrass, tall fescue and double cropping (winter cereal for silage followed by summer brassica for grazing).



The experiment uses just under 30 ha of land and 72 milking cows from the DemoDAIRY herd.  Access to land, animals and other farm resources for the experiment is covered by a lease agreement between DemoDAIRY and the University of Melbourne.  The original lease was from June 2005 – March 2008. Last year, the lease was renewed with minor changes for the period 1st April 2008 to 31st March 2011.  The fourth and final lactation of the current experimental design is coming to a close in April 2009.  The experimental systems will change from the 2009/10 lactation.



14.  DemoDAIRY & Drain Tech - Nutrient Filter Pond
Sub-surface drainage is a fundamental necessity for efficient farming. Nowhere is this more pertinent than in the high rainfall grazing enterprises that are based in the heavy soil districts of South West Victoria.  These grazing systems are inherently “leaky” in that high nutrient inputs and high animal by-product outputs are placed into an environment that has high and intense rainfall frequency. This leads to high rates of surface and sub-surface flows from paddocks to local watercourses. Constructed wetlands (or nutrient filter ponds) are a new technique being promoted to intercept and treat nutrient removal before drainage water reaches a stream or water body. Constructed wetlands for this purpose can be located within surface drains (i.e. in-stream wetlands) or at the outlets of the drainage network of either surface or, more commonly, of sub-surface drains.



15.  DemoDAIRY & Methane 2 Markets Program  -  Creating Energy From Effluent Project
In June 2009 a project commenced at DemoDAIRY to ascertain if there is enough methane emission from first effluent pond (sludge lagoon) to generate energy.  The project has received funding from the Australian Methane to Markets in Agriculture Program, which is managed by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.



16. DemoDAIRY - Sustainable Building Design of New Research Facility
In November 2008 the new Research Facility was officially opened.  The building has all cladding insulation with high grade air cell insulation and the external plaster walls and suspended ceiling are also insulated which provides double insulation in some areas.  The window are double glazed, there is a solar hot water system and a verandah around the west, east and south of the building.



17. DemoDAIRY, Corangamite Shire and Wheelie Waste - Farm Waste Demonstration Site Project
Rubbish skip bin, recycle bins, silage trailer, metal recycling bin are now in place at the ‘Farm Waste Demonstration Site’.   This has led to a dramatic decrease in the contamination of our recyclables and less recyclables being dumped into the rubbish.

18. DemoDAIRY, GreenCorps and Heytesbury & District Landcare Network - EVC Gardens and Native Grass Seedbank
The precinct gardens contain native species indigenous to the local area.  The native grass seedbank is being added to each year and it is hoped that a significant amount of seed can be harvested for future plantations.



19. Silage Pad & Silage Pit Covers

In November 2005 a silage pad area was constructed for pit silage at a cost of $17,839.50.  Currently DemoDAIRY is using two types of pit covers – one involving the use of tyres and the other system uses sand filled bags.





20. DemoDAIRY - Safe Silo
In April 2006 WorkSafe conducted an inspection of the silo and gave an Improvement Notice and Prohibition Notice regarding silo safety.  The Board purchased a new, safer silo and after a follow up inspection in June 06 by WorkSafe the Notices were withdrawn.





21. DemoDAIRY, Corangamite Shire & Solar Lord - Dairy Solar Hot Water Systems
An award winning solar hot water system has been installed in the dairy and a meter is to be installed which will help record statistics to monitor efficiency in reducing power consumption.

22. DemoDAIRY & University of Melbourne – Dairy Alpro Equipment
The dairy has innovative equipment (Alpro) installed that allows the 3030 Project team to identify each cow milked, quantity of milk produced and how much grain/feed they need at each milking session.

23. DemoDAIRY – Automatic Cup Removers
These are a labour saving device as the milking unit (cups) is automatically removed once the cow’s milk flow rate is below pre determined and standardised levels.  This frees the time of the operators to attend to other tasks in the dairy which results in increased cow flow time in the dairy.



24. DemoDAIRY & Waste Not Feeders - Feed Pads
Two feed pads have been installed near the dairy.  The feed pads are located near the silage pads, effluent pond and close to the dairy and are used for feeding silage and hay.



25. DemoDAIRY - Concrete Etching in Dairy Yard
There is a variety of concrete etching in the dairy yard which improves cow safety.  There are varying types of etching being demonstrated.



26. DemoDAIRY – Cow Flow System (Race)
A race has been installed into the dairy which improves cow flow time into the dairy.



27. Water Re-use System for Washing Dairy Yards
The dairy yard flood wash uses second pond effluent water to wash down the yard after milking.  This occurs twice a day and uses 17,000 litres of effluent water.



Phone (03) 55922199 for further information about events at DemoDAIRY.


WestVic Dairy - Calender of Events Link:
http://www.westvicdairy.com.au/?id=calendarofevents

Department of Primary Industries (DPI) - Dairy Extension Centre - What's On Link
http://www.dairyextension.com.au/whatson/default.asp?_=What's On

Terang
DemoDairy 7161 Princes Highway, Terang (3 kms west of Terang)

RSVP: Essential, by 18 February 2010
. Use fax form over the page, or phone or email.

For more information contact Jocelyn at WestVic Dairy