Young Nullawarre dairy farmer Sam Kermond has been hungry to learn all he can after returning to the industry earlier this year.
Now he’s going to get the opportunity to find out how New Zealand dairy farms operate after being supported by DemoDAIRY Foundation to participate in an upcoming study tour.
Along with Sam, Max Bond, Cooriemungle, Jack Hutt, Bostocks Creek, and William Rea, Allansford, have received scholarships from the DemoDAIRY Foundation to join the five-day tour in late November.
The New Zealand Dairy Study Tour, supported by the Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), will take participants to five different NZ dairy farming systems, including high production, efficient pasture-based systems, and extended milking interval farms.
Sam, 23, completed a fitter and turner apprenticeship before returning to work on his family’s farm at Nullawarre earlier this year.
“I’m fully committed to the dairy industry,” he said. “I wanted to get something under my belt and to be able to bring that back to the farming business.”
So far this year Sam has immersed himself in workshops and training programs covering everything from rearing calves to dealing with mastitis, and he’s an active member of the Young Dairy Network.
But the opportunity to see farms in another country was too good to pass up. “I haven’t been on anything like this but I’m sure it will be a great experience,” he said.
“I hope to learn about different farming systems and what things farmers do that we don’t. Everyone has a different system and I want to find out what they do that I can take home and apply to our system, whether it’s calving, grazing management or genetics.”
Sam learnt of the DemoDAIRY Foundation scholarship through his involvement in the Young Dairy Network. “It’s great for social networking, developing people skills and we can all learn from each other and get ideas from other farms,” he said.
It won’t be Sam’s first visit to New Zealand, but he doesn’t remember anything about the country. “I was only three years old,” he said.
DemoDAIRY Foundation will also consider applications for grants by individuals or groups to fund attendance at any dairy related short courses, special seminars, study tours or events such as the Australian Dairy Conference.
More information can be found at https://www.demodairy.com.au/scholarships-and-grants/ or from DDF secretary Ian Teese on 0427 358987 or itag@bigpond.com.