1MG FlippingBooks
Bushfires devastate livestock, livelihoods
Georgia Fryer
Australian farmers have been hit hard by unprecedented bushfires, with the insurance bill now sitting just below $1bn
Photo: MarkJToomey
The Australian bushfires have taken a toll on NSW farmers who are suffering from the loss of their cattle and livelihoods, with the Insurance Council of Australia totalling claims at $995m this morning, likely to pass $1bn before Monday.
According to the NSW Department of Industry , approximately 8,669 head of livestock have been euthanised or confirmed deceased in bushfires across an estimated 16,000 affected properties.
This number includes approximately 700 stock killed or euthanised as a result of fires in the Northern Tablelands, North Coast and Hunter areas before Christmas.
Approximately 400 stock are estimated to have been killed or euthanised as a result of fires around the Lithgow and Bathurst areas over the Christmas and New Year period.
Stock losses as a result of fires in south-east NSW since Christmas have been higher, with approximately 7,583 stock killed or euthanised to date.
However, limited access to firegrounds and loss of power and phones in the area mean the full picture of losses and damage will take some time to emerge.
DPI State Incident Controller Karen Roberts said “given the scale of the fires and the areas they have impacted we expect the number of stock reported to have died or been injured to rise as landholders and our own field assessment teams are able to access properties and report damage.”
According to Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie , the dead animals present a massive biosecurity risk.
“Animal welfare is the top priority under these conditions, as is disposing of dead stock and containing spread of diseases as we move into the recovery phase,” McKenzie said.
Farmers say they were as prepared for the fire as they could be but not all livestock could be saved.
Senator McKenzie has offered 100 vets across the country to state ministers that will assist farmers in assessing the health of their remaining livestock as well as euthanising stock.
Wildlife Victoria CEO Dr Megan Davidson says “it is largely a job of euthanising at this stage, they are so severely burned that there is nothing better you can do.”
Farming organisations have requested fodder and water, which has become a priority, however there are risks that bringing hay into communities with feeding shortages would only increase the fire danger.
“We don’t want to put hay into fire zones and create more a problem,” Senator McKenzie said.
“But we also have to make sure we create a space for them to be accessible to farmers when they need it,” she explained.
Feeding shortages would result in stock perishing due to starvation causing a financial strain on farmers already struggling, according to dairy farmer Willie Hawker.
“These losses from the fires could be the last straw for some farmers,” Hawker said.
Senator McKenzie explains “farmers are having to milk a dairy herd twice a day to keep milk production, they are dealing with stock that needs to be euthanised and then fighting local fires.”
With these stock losses likely to increase, public health and biosecurity risks have been considered in arrangements for the removal of carcasses.
Senator McKenzie confirmed defence personnel will assist in the disposal of livestock killed in the fires by digging the pits to bury stock.
“Where it’s safe we need to be getting in within a week, ideally, to really be dealing with the carcasses in an appropriate way,” she said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also launched a National Bushfire Recovery Agency dedicated to rebuilding communities and livelihoods after the bushfire front has passed.
The Agency has an initial $2bn investment which will assist with restocking and replenishing, rebuilding roads and telecommunications, mental health support and helping restore the local environment and impacted wildlife.
Scott Morrison has vowed to commit “everything that is needed and more” to the recovery effort.
“If more is needed and the cost is higher, then more will be provided,” he explained.
How to care for livestock:
- Identify a safe paddock with: water, clear access, well grazed with minimal fuel, well fenced, open space.
- Hosing livestock when possible.
- Remove flammable materials from livestock and paddock.
- Species-specific bushfire injuries.
- Post-bushfire livestock assessment.
NEWS
Prodoz, a Proudly Australian and family-owned agribusiness, based in Melbourne, is strengthening its positions as national/international leader in advanced crop – science solutions through a growing portfolio of global innovation partners and a distribution footprint supported by all major distributors - includes Nutrien Ag, Elders, Lindsay Rural and Independent Rural stores.
Australia’s climate is tougher than ever. Heat spikes, dry periods, salinity, waterlogging and sudden frost events are becoming an everyday part of farmers lives.
Trace minerals are required for optimal growth, reproduction, and immunity. Optimising trace mineral status relying solely on oral supplements across a herd may fail because of variation in individual intake and reduced absorption due to antagonism of other ration components and minerals. The use of injectable trace mineral supplements has been associated with positive reproductive outcomes including improved conception rate, increased odds of pregnancy and greater final in calf rate. A study conducted on 2,168 dairy cows, administered injectable trace minerals, four weeks prior to calving and again four weeks prior to the start of mating showed treated animals had a 3.3 per cent greater final in-calf rate, and a reduced time from start of mating to conception, compared to control animals 1 . The Importance of B12 Dr Carl Eden, Technical Services Veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim says “Vitamin B12 is sometimes referred to as a ‘super vitamin’ because it is only required in very small amounts but vital to many essential metabolic pathways. However, demand for B12 can vary considerably during the year and we see serum levels of B12 fall at critical times, such as the first few months after calving.” Vitamin B12 contains cobalt, so deficiency in cobalt can lead to deficiency in vitamin B12 because ruminants get most of their B12 as a byproduct of ruminal fermentation where the bacteria in their rumen assemble B12 from cobalt for use by the cow. Sub-optimal trace mineral and vitamin B12 status at calving, mating, and drying off has been shown to negatively impact growth, reproduction, and immunity. Using a trace mineral injectable containing vitamin B12 can improve trace mineral and vitamin B12 status at these critical times. Marks-Min with Vitamin B12 – The Evidence In the largest trace element study to date, Marks-Min Injectable Trace Mineral with Vitamin B12 demonstrated remarkable results when compared to a reference trace mineral injection. “Given the differences between Marks-Min and other products on the market, we wanted to generate a compelling data set to demonstrate how effective it was compared to the pioneer product. We entrusted this work to a third-party research company” says Dr Eden. “We chose farms that were at the top of their game from a reproductive perspective. We made sure that the farms had no evidence of trace element or vitamin B12 deficiencies or excess.” Across all outcomes of interest, Marks-Min demonstrated clear non-inferiority when compared to the reference product. Outcomes measured included submission, pregnancy and conception rates, and six week in-calf rate. Marks-Min demonstrated it is highly suited as an alternative treatment to the reference product. Reference: 1. Hawkins, D., and B. V. S. Franklin. New Zealand Dairy Veterinarians Newsletter 24 (2007): 12-16 Company website: livestockfirst.com.au Company email address: CustomerCare.Australia@boehringer-ingelheim.com Company video: https://vimeo.com/1138807630?fl=pl&fe=cm
Find out why the first summer drench can be so important in protecting your flock’s health, plus what to look for in your summer drench of choice.
A NSW-based innovator has developed a patent-pending, front-mounted firefighting and utility system for tractors, giving farmers instant, in-cab-controlled fire suppression, water and fuel on hand, and safer solo operations.
Barko Security is bringing drone technology to agriculture while building on a decade of security and a lifetime of agricultural know-how.
