North Coast current advice

Current advice for farmers on the North Coast

Autumn is a key time for landholders to plan, prepare and make informed decisions for the seasons ahead, particularly as conditions continue to vary across NSW.

Small decisions made across the season can have a significant impact on feed costs and farm performance.

Pasture and cropping advice for producers

Fuel and fertiliser costs are front of mind for many dairy farmers this season, with rising prices and supply uncertainty adding pressure to already tight decision timeframes. 

A range of options for maintaining feed supply and production without increasing costs or risk beyond what the business can carry are outlined in Ryegrass planting options considering fertiliser and fuel supply.

Pest control update

A feral deer management program is underway in the Port Macquarie-Hastings area. Clover traps will be placed in targeted areas where deer activity has been identified. Captured animals will be safely sedated by trained staff, fitted with GPS collars and released, allowing for ongoing monitoring of their movements.

Residents can help with monitoring efforts by reporting feral deer sightings through the FeralScan DeerScan app.

Read more in the media release GPS tracking program to improve feral deer management,

Animal health conditions to watch out for

Buffalo fly - With treatment options changing recently, and diazinon-containing products no longer available, many livestock producers have changed their management strategies for buffalo fly in their herds.

Liver fluke- Infestations can be high at this time of year with stock having picked up burdens over the summer and autumn period. We have seen fatal cases in a number of herds recently in the northern area of the North Coast region.As the burden at this time of year will often include early immature, immature and adult fluke it is recommended that a product which controls all stages of liver fluke is used.

As liver fluke distribution across the north coast can be very variable it is recommended that you only treat for liver fluke if it has been confirmed on your property. Tests can be performed on faeces, blood or milk and can be done on pooled samples to keep costs down. 

Tick management - There have been confirmed cases of tick fever in recent months, from Woodburn to the Queensland border. Tick fever is a disease of cattle which is spread by the cattle tick, but only appears in a small percentage of cattle tick infestations. As more tick fever outbreaks occur, more carrier cattle exist to infect those tick populations, further increasing the risk of more tick fever outbreaks. Eradicating cattle ticks will prevent them from spreading and establishing further south or west.