Latest news with #dairyfarming
SBS Australia
3 days ago
- Climate
- SBS Australia
‘Dead cows in the house': How floods devastated Australian farmers
Dairy farmer Kevin Schlenert says he's continuing to find cattle who were washed away in floodwaters. Some are turning up alive, but many are still being discovered dead far downstream. Source: SBS News Content warning: The story contains distressing images of dead animals. Brothers Kevin and Doug Schlenert have been lifelong dairy farmers, carrying on in the footsteps of three generations of their family. Floods that devastated the NSW mid-north coast last week destroyed their diary production facilities and killed at least 70 per cent of their herd. "I've got no dairy now to keep going. I don't know which way to turn at the current moment,' Kevin said, speaking with SBS News at his home in Glenthorne on Sunday. "I don't know if I can bounce back from this. I really don't know.' Kevin said the water rose so fast he became trapped inside his home for 24 hours before he was picked up in a neighbour's boat. "It raised very quick. I went to the steps [of my house] within half an hour, then all of a sudden, in an hour and a half it was at the windowsill. "I sat in my bedroom on the mattress where I was found floating. "I had my dog and cat on the mattress with me. I had to vacate out the window.' He said one heifer floated into the house, while he sat on his floating mattress. "One got into my bedroom. She was alive and swimming, and she wanted to climb on the mattress," Kevin said. What he saw when he returned shattered him. "I found three [cattle] alive in my house and five dead ones inside the house. I have removed them and buried them," Kevin said. "It's heartbreaking to see them because you reared them as babies, and you get attached to them." He said he found more dead cattle downriver and heard of more washed up on beaches. Kevin's story is one shared by many dairy farmers in the area. His brother Doug, who shares the property and dairy with Kevin and also lost livestock, says the entire community is "drained". "There's a few dairy farmers here that haven't been hit bloody hard, they've been hit that hard it's not funny," Doug told SBS News on Wednesday. "One family, they've lost a hundred head of cattle — and they were big freaking cows. "The dairy industry up in the Manning is a big community. But [in] times like this we'll struggle." During a visit to the area on Tuesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited a dairy farm in West Taree. Doug says he would have liked to have seen the Albanese visit more impacted farmers. "He didn't come anywhere near me. He didn't show his face in Glenthorne." "I'd like to say to him, 'I found 32 dead cows, prime minister, are you gonna replace them?'" Kevin said cows are turning up alive, but it's difficult to get them back to the pastures. "We're not equipped to go onto the beaches and find them," he said. "We don't have horses, motorbikes to get them off the beaches, and there's still cattle running loose on the streets." Since Kevin's story was first shared this week, many have expressed sorrow and a desire to help. Kevin and Doug said they've felt touched by the messages of support, but stressed their plight was shared across the region, by dairy farmers, feed producers, oyster growers, beekeepers, shops, and residents. "If people want to help, they can help — we've just gotta get the dairy up and running. That's going to be a real big task," Doug said. But both he and Kevin said they're not sure if they'll be able to come back from this. "I think this has just pushed the boundaries too far." "I've been through the 2021 flood, and this year I think this is the fourth one I've been through, and I don't know if I can come out of this on the other side of it." "It's in our blood — my dad, his dad, and his dad. Three generations of dairy farmers," Doug said. He says they need a new vat and compressors to start up dairy production again, as their equipment was destroyed in the flood. For now, they're milking cows in a neighbour's dairy. Kevin says he's received the one-off $1,000 payment made available for flood victims. He says he's also eligible for a $130,000 two-year interest-free loan from the government. "Then I'd start paying it back over 12 years. That would be getting me close up to 70 years of age, I don't know if I still want to be dairying then," Kevin said. More than money, Kevin wants to see real and lasting change. He wants flood warning sirens installed across the Manning River catchment, which is one of the biggest in NSW. "Make sure the sirens are put on the river because you never know what Mother Nature is going to throw at us again," Kevin said. "If the river rises, they go off quicker than what the SES can get the text messages to us or any news crew get messages to us." "If the politicians don't get off their bums and put the flood warning sirens in place, it's not going to prevent another disaster like this." While in the region this week, Albanese acknowledged the particular challenge facing primary producers, including dairy farmers. "We know there are major challenges, but what we're about now is dealing with the immediate concerns of recovery and looking after people during this period," Albanese said. NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders said he'd like to see more meaningful support for farmers. "We haven't heard any indication of when a category C or D declaration might be made, which would unlock what we know is needed for primary producers and also for small businesses, which is grant funding," Saunders said. "Nobody can manage or wants another concession alone. That's currently what's on offer. Nobody can afford that. Nobody's had insurance. "If they've had a loan previously, they're worried about paying that off. They need a helping hand in the form of a grant. They do not need another loan." Emergency Services Minister Kristy McBain on Wednesday said the federal government was "hoping to enact category C ... shortly". A spokesperson for Dairy Australia said as well as financial support, the mental health of farmers is a growing concern, given the scale of the flood impacts. "Dairy Australia's regional teams are reaching out to flood-affected farmers with direct check-in calls to better understand the impact on their farms and well-being," the spokesperson said. "The locally led NSW Dairy Emergency Leadership Group is also providing practical support, prioritising immediate response needs such as assisting in allocating/sourcing fodder, generator support for those without power, milking machine techs, vet assistance, matching options for cow parking, mental health support, and communications to impacted farmers." Dairy Australia says some fundraisers have been set up for impacted farmers, but that the organisation does not endorse any specific charity or fundraising campaign. "We do note that the NSW SES is leading the flood response, and Rural Aid has stepped in to provide practical support to farmers recovering from natural disasters. Both of these organisations accept donations," the spokesperson said. Hundreds of fundraisers have been set up for residents and businesses impacted by the NSW floods. A spokesperson for GoFundMe says it has established a crisis team to oversee heightened fundraising activity. "We also launched a dedicated hub of verified fundraisers to help Australians discover fundraisers for those impacted by the floods." "It is not uncommon for those with no direct connection to launch a fundraiser, out of kindness and goodwill. In these cases, all donations are safely held until GoFundMe are able to ensure that funds can be transferred safely to the intended beneficiary. "If our specialists are unable to verify a connection, the fundraiser will be removed and donors refunded." Readers seeking crisis support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged up to 25). Readers seeking support with mental health can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. More information is available at .
RNZ News
4 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
From the Archives: My old man said follow the cows
rural farming 31 minutes ago June 1 is an important day in the farming calendar when dairy farmers relocate animals, typically from one farm to another, for the start of the new season. Back in 2009 producer Susan Murray stepped out with some farmers to find out what the day - now known as Mooving Day - involves.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
'Mooving Day': Farmers ask drivers not to honk and to 'please drive slowly' as they relocate cows
Photo: Adam Simpson "Don't toot your horns, and please drive slowly". That's the message for motorists as dairy farmers walk or transport their cows to different farms over the next couple of weeks. Moving Day, or Mooving Day as it's sometimes termed, is an annual event in the dairy farming calendar on 1 June. The term 'Gypsy Day' was formerly used - but it has been acknowledged it may be regarded as derogatory. From now until mid June about 5000 dairy farming families, and herds of cows, relocate to new farms - as it's the start of winter and many cows are not being milked. Dairy NZ spokesperson Tony Finch said Moving Day happens throughout most of the country - with more density in the Waikato, Taranaki, Canterbury and Bay of Plenty regions. Finch said thousands of people were literally moving households and farms to new sharemilking jobs and starting the new season at the same time. "It is a really busy time for a lot of people because of the volume of them moving houses, moving possessions, kids, animals, family into a new community. "It does make a big part of the annual dairy calendar and it can be stressful. There is a lot of planning involved." Finch said many cows were transported to their new farm in a stock truck, but for those not moving far they will walk on rural roads. He is urging drivers to be patient if they are delayed behind a herd of cattle, or a stock truck on a rural road. "I suppose the big thing we want to remind people is to be mindful, respectful and patient - that there's going to be a lot of traffic, potentially, and stock moving." People needed to be considerate as it was a stressful time for the animals and farmers, he said. "Impatient drivers tooting their horns is no help - for cattle walking on the roads, and cattle in stock trucks being transported to other areas. Please do not toot. Just wait." Finch said there were many rules about safely moving stock on roads, and farmers needed to have a plan surrounding their cows welfare. To prevent the spread of potentially fatal diseases, such as Mycoplasma bovis farmers have to respect biosecurity regulations. 'It is a critical part of any movement that we ensure cows NAIT (ID tags each cow wears) are up to date. We have had some big scares in the past about biosecurity and that was M Bovis so we want all stock to be tracked correctly. And that we secure boundary fencing so cattle don't get into neighbouring farms. All equipment must be clean that's left in the farms, and what is taken to the new farm." It's not just diseases that have the potential to be spread - it's invasive weeds as well. Bay of Plenty Regional Council biosecurity officer Nicky Oliver-Smith was reminding farmers and contractors that strong biosecurity practices were essential to prevent the spread of pest weeds. "We know farmers put a huge amount of planning into the shift, and good biosecurity and effluent management are key parts of getting it right. "Unclean machinery can easily spread pests. Just one seed or weed fragment on contaminated equipment can lead to a new infestation." Oliver-Smith said Alligator weed and Noogoora buras were two of the most concerning agricultural pest weeds in the region. These fast-growing weeds can reduce crop value and pose a risk to livestock if eaten. Effluent from moving stock trucks, and cows walking along roads can also cause problems on the roads. To prevent large spillages on farmers are advised to only feed their cows dry food, and not green grass, for several hours prior to transporting them to a new farm. One cow can produce about 52 litres of effluent a day.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Flood-hit dairy farmers are struggling, and it may mean higher milk prices
Exhausted and sore, slowly dragging their muddy hooves through the paddock to be milked after several days stranded. This is how some cattle emerged from the NSW floods, while hundreds more were washed away. "The calves were the ones that really took a hit," Croki dairy farmer Craig Emerton said. "We lost roughly 55 under 12-months-old." NSW is known for its fresh milk production, and typically cows are milked two or three times a day — every day of the year. The industry estimates more than 137 dairy farms across the state's Mid-North Coast and Hunter region were impacted by last week's record flooding. Some farms were isolated, equipment damaged and feed depleted. If cows were not lost, many are now unwell, suffering from lameness, mastitis and discomfort after missed milkings. "If they don't start milking again at a certain time, they stop milking," Josh Hack, a farmer and agronomist in Taree, said. "For these dairy farmers to get up and get going again … They've got no feed, they can't access feed, and now there's no cash flow." Dairy farmers have been increasingly forced to leave the industry in recent years, partly due to extreme weather, such as droughts, floods, and bushfires. Already NSW farms declined from 1,725 in 2000 to 452 in 2024, according to NSW government figures. Now farmers such as Mr Emerton — a fifth-generation farmer who lost dozens of cattle — may be the next to bow out. "I'm nearly 63. To build this back to what we had last week is going to take five years," Mr Emerton said. "Do I have it in me physically to do that now? Before this, I had been thinking about retirement." The impact of the floods could ultimately drive up the cost of milk for consumers with production expected to dwindle. Eliza Redfern, analysis and insights manager at Dairy Australia, said the challenging weather conditions across the region were having an impact on milk production at varying levels. EastAUSMilk forecast the flood could cut NSW production by 5 per cent. The price of milk will be what determines if some farmers survive long-term. On June 1, the farmgate prices will be set, which is the price paid by suppliers to farmers for milk. "We're totally reliant on this milk price being released," Port Macquarie dairy farmer Emily Neilson, said. "If it's not good enough, we're going to lose farmers in droves." Ms Neilson, whose farm supplies milk to Paul's Dairy, has a confronting few months ahead. From the outside her paddock looks lush and green, but underneath it's waterlogged. With winter approaching, it was too late to re-sow. "We don't know what we're going to feed the cows for the next six months," she said. Ms Neilson may have to buy extra truckloads of hay bales for her cows and 110 heifers. "Our feed bill per month, if we have to put everything on hay, will be a minimum of $70,000 a month," Ms Neilson said. "On the current milk price, our income is around about $65,000 a month. So if the feed bill is $70,000, I can't even pay my staff." She said currently they were not even receiving 55 per cent of the retail price for milk. The Dairy Australia outlook released this week was expecting higher farmgate milk prices for the upcoming season. Whether that gets passed onto consumers depends on retailers. "The retailers set the price paid for milk and dairy at the supermarket check-out," Ms Redfern from Dairy Australia said. If consumers don't carry the cost increase, they are often borne elsewhere in the supply chain, she added. In the short-term, Taree farmer Josh Hack said getting feed to farmers was crucial. Charity organisations such as Need for Feed were doing a great job, but it would be hard to help the volume of affected farms, he said. "For some people, this is a 12-month to two-year feed gap." Before last week's weather event, there were the 2021 floods, followed by years of more unpredictable conditions. Malcolm Holmes, chair of the NSW Farming steering committee, said dairy farming was an "intense business". Each farm employs at least three or four staff with dozens more in the community, he said. But the sustainability of the industry was being questioned in the face of ongoing challenges. "There's a lot less dairy farmers than there used to be," Mr Holmes said. "Some areas will bounce back, but I think a number of farmers will really question, 'is this really worth it'?"
RNZ News
6 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Fonterra tipped to announce second season of bumper milk prices
Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly Dairy farmers basking in a windfall season are in for more good news when Fonterra unveils what may be a record opening forecast for next season. The co-operative will release its third quarter update on Thursday with two key numbers to be released. Fonterra will report on how the current season's milk price is shaping up, that's sitting already at a record midpoint of $10 per kilogram of milk solids ($10/kgMS). And it will announce the opening farmgate milk price forecast for the 2025-26 season which is tipped to deliver high returns for dairy farmers. ASB's general manager of rural banking Aidan Gent said it's likely to be an incredibly strong forecast. "At ASB we're calling a midpoint of $9.75/kgMS," Gent said. "Our range goes all the way up to $10.50/kgMS. The spot prices are certainly selling above that so we think there's a bit of conservatism baked into that." Rabobank senior agriculture analyst Emma Higgins has tipped a midpoint of $9.50/kgMS, which relies on the weaker New Zealand dollar. "Our base case expectation is for an opening farmgate milk price of around $9.50/kgMS for the 2025/26 season, assuming a spot exchange rate of USc 0.59," Rabobank senior agriculture analyst Emma Higgins said. "While it's lower than the NZX futures markets, it would be the highest opening milk price forecast midpoint from Fonterra." Rabobank said its opening price prediction allows for seasonal volatility that can occur over the winter months and a wide range allows for any unwelcome commodity price shocks. "There's room to see the farmgate price move higher than our prevailing price forecast," Higgins said. "This will require dairy markets to maintain current export values over a sustained period. "Depending on currency capers, the farmgate milk price has upside the bandwidth to edge as high as $10.40-10.90/kgMS by the season's end - assuming commodity prices remain broadly stable." Earlier this month ANZ revised its farmgate opening forecast up to $10/kgMS. "Dairy prices have outperformed expectations in recent months as tight global supply has seen buyers compete hard for product," ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner said. "Looking forward to next season, the starting point for global dairy prices is much higher than looked likely." On the global market, France and Germany have experienced a slowdown in milk production which is driving demand. Production is starting to pick up in the United States but that follows three years of stagnant supply. Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said farmers were ending the season on a high, seeing the highest returns since 2021-22 season. And he agreed all signs point to another strong season ahead. Dairy commodity prices have steadily moved higher through 2025 so far, with a broad-based upswing. According to Rabobank's recent report, at the end of May 2025 - which coincides with the end of the 2024/25 production season - whole milk powder (WMP) prices (in USD terms) have lifted almost 30 percent higher, compared to the 2024 average WMP price. Skim milk powder (SMP) prices are nudging USD 3,000/tonne which is 10 percent higher than the 2024 average. Butter has charged to dizzying record highs in 2025 at prices 16 percent higher than 2024, and 40 percent higher than the 5-year average.
