The Dairy Australia Situation and Outlook report for March once again highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the dairy industry including an increasingly volatile climate, inflation and the geopolitical environment.
At Dairy Australia and WestVic Dairy we value the importance of innovative ideas that can be put into action to overcome challenges and ensure the long-term sustainability and profitability of farm businesses.
This is why ‘innovative thinking’ is one of Dairy Australia and WestVic Dairy’s values.
Innovation was the key focus at WestVic Dairy’s ‘From Idea to Innovation’ forum I attended at Deakin University, Warrnambool on February 21.
The forum looked at future farm trends and underscored the significance of innovation in overcoming challenges and ensuring the industry’s future success.
A panel discussion featuring innovation experts emphasised that innovation can be as simple as finding solutions to problems, and that teamwork is the key to success.
A great example of innovation to solve a problem that I enjoyed hearing about at the forum came from local Grassmere dairy farmer, Liam Ryan.
Liam’s passion for the industry and progressive attitude was inspiring. Liam manages a third-generation dairy business. The set-up of the farm operation was making it difficult for him to manage taking time away from the farm to spend with his family, and to manage staff.
Liam quite recently had the idea that the solution to this problem was to extend a typical calving system out to a rolling lactation of 400 days-plus.
Liam is still monitoring how this idea is working but demonstrated he had seen improvements in a number of aspects of his business including cow quality, fertility and especially ease of management.
This this innovation has allowed Liam to spend more time with his family, and his staff theirs, especially in those school holiday times when kids are at home. It has also had major implication for feed, livestock management and finances.
While it’s not a system that would suit all farms, I found this to be an excellent example of innovation — a new perspective that found a solution to a multifaceted problem.
Teamwork was highlighted as a crucial aspect of successful innovation, and it is something Dairy Australia and WestVic Dairy always works for and does well.
Dairy Australia collaborates with various partners, both within Australian and internationally, to innovate and deliver value to Australian dairy farms.
Collaborative efforts have already yielded positive results, such as the increase in genomic testing for cattle, which has provided better quality genetic information for breeding and management decisions.
Thanks to the partnership with DataGene and research initiatives, the industry has seen genetic gains in the quality of cattle over 40 years.
Despite the initial challenges in implementing new ideas, persistence and research brings about technology and knowledge that works on-farm to enhance production, sustainability and profitability.
Our vision at WestVic Dairy is a vibrant, profitable and valued dairy region.
We are presently developing the 2024-25 Operating Plan and as ever, the WestVic Dairy Board seeks farmer input and welcomes suggestions and ideas. I encourage you to reach out to me or to the other board directors for further discussion.
By embracing fresh perspectives and collaborations we can ensure that our region’s dairy industry remains resilient and strong.
I am writing this mid-March, and I hope by the time you receive this you have all enjoyed a good autumn break and that we’re seeing some green grass starting to return across the region.
Brendan Rea is the WestVic Dairy chair.
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