Dairy farmers from south-west Victoria have learnt about different pathways to farm ownership and different approaches to farm management during a study tour to Tasmania.
The Port Campbell Dairy Discussion Group tour, supported by DemoDAIRY Foundation, last week took 14 local farmers and three service providers to six different farms over three days.
Discussion group treasurer and Timboon-based agronomist, James O’Brien, said the tour had been an invaluable experience, giving participants many options to consider for their own enterprises.
Two of the farms, including the Tasmania Institute of Agriculture research farm, are utilising Halter virtual fencing and herding collars.
Mr O’Brien said an on-farm demonstration was an eye-opener. “It was interesting to watch as the cows got the message and start turning around to where they should go. They moved very easily.”
The group also visited a farm milking 10 times in seven days. “It was driven by labour shortages and they were very happy with how it was working,” Mr O’Brien said.
Six of the tour group were young farmers moving towards farm ownership who benefitted from talks with three young Tasmanian farmers on different pathways to farm ownership.
“We had quite a few young people on the trip and they got some good ideas about potential pathways to farm ownership, including some who share farm on one property and part own another property that they share-farm with someone else and employ a manager.
“We don’t see or hear of much of that in Victoria.”
There was also a focus on grazing management, though all the farms had irrigation making it difficult to compare to most local farms.
Mr O’Brien said the tour had been beneficial. “Everyone who went will think about different approaches to farm ownership and management that could be brought back here,” he said.
The Port Campbell Dairy Discussion Group has been operating for nearly 60 years and is the oldest dairy discussion group in Australia. The group usually hosts a tour every few years but this was the first in 10 years due to the pandemic.
“The idea is to expose members to other ideas and to look at other farms, which is always part of what we do as a discussion group –move around different farms and look at what everyone is doing,” Mr O’Brien said.
DemoDAIRY Foundation covered the cost of accommodation and transport, along with a produce hamper put together in Timboon to present to the host farms. WestVic Dairy organised the farm tours.
“DemoDAIRY Foundation’s input and assistance was invaluable and the participants gained a great deal from the trip,” Mr O’Brien said.
DemoDAIRY Foundation is keen to sponsor and support more people in the dairy farming industry. Further information can be found at https://lnkd.in/g656PDuV or from DDF secretary Ian Teese on 0427 358987 or itag@bigpond.com.
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