Farming has turned full circle for Kiarna Murfett who got a head start on her career with a DemoDAIRY Foundation scholarship and now manages the former DemoDAIRY farm.
At just 21, Kiarna has two staff and 280 cows under her control and she’s thriving with the position.
Terang farmers Paul and Christine Moloney bought the old DemoDAIRY farm in 2018, and appointed Kiarna as manager late last year.
As she comes up to her 12-month anniversary in the role, Kiarna says she’s enjoying the challenges that come with it.
As farm manager, Kiarna has responsibility for staff management, paddock rotations, ensuring the cows are well fed, organising summer crops and fertiliser programs, and organising the milking roster.
“It has been good; it’s definitely more responsibility trying to manage staff which is a new thing for me,” she said.
The cross-bred herd is milked in a new 55-unit rotary, which replaced the old herringbone used during the DemoDAIRY years.
Kiarna used the DemoDAIRY Foundation scholarship to help her complete her Certificate III and Diploma in Agriculture and to buy tools and work clothes.
She says her study put her in good stead for a management role. “It’s definitely helped having more knowledge to mix with my hands-on experience.”
“I wanted to progress and do something like this. When I was offered the position, I didn’t know if I was ready but thought I’d give it a go and I’m pleased I did.”
The season is shaping up well for the business. “We’re struggling for grass at the moment but hopefully it takes off in the next few weeks,” Kiarna said.
Kiarna’s sister Taleah Murfett also received a DemoDAIRY Foundation scholarship and works on a district dairy farm. The sisters along with younger sister Nikaiah grew up on their parents’ dairy farm at Framingham.
Last year Kiarna was sponsored by DemoDAIRY Foundation to join a New Zealand Dairy Study Tour, supported by the Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC).
In 2015, the Board of the former research and demonstration DemoDAIRY farm on the Princes Highway announced it wouldn’t operate as a milk production business from April 2016. They planned to lease the farm but that didn’t work out and in 2017 they began the process of winding up the cooperative and removing cows after exhausting all options to remain open. The property was sold via expressions of interest in February 2018.
DemoDAIRY Foundation will wind up in 2027. It is no longer offering scholarships but will consider study tour grants for farmer groups or individuals to learn about dairying and farm business management in other areas.