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| Dairy SmartWhat is Dairy Smart?
Who is TIAR?
What is the objective of Dairy Smart?
What is in it for dairy farmers?
What are the types of groups that dairy farmers can participate in?
Newsletter
Workshops
Field Days
Further Information
Dairy Smart is a 3 year extension project being delivered by the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research (TIAR) through funding provided by Dairy Australia and DairyTas, with additional support from the dairy industry service sector.
The Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research (TIAR) is a joint venture between the Tasmanian Government and the University of Tasmania. The Dairy Centre is located within TIAR and is responsible for dairy research, development and extension activities.
The project’s objective is to assist dairy farmers to become profitable, resilient and sustainable so they can have the knowledge and skills to grow the Tasmanian dairy industry.
Dairy Smart is a project that will give dairy farmers the skills and information to grow their business, increase their profitability, ensure a sustainable dairy business in the long term and be able to manage changes within the industry.
Participating in the project will give options for how to go about improving a dairy business through participation in specialised dairy farmer groups.
Dairy Smart also offers technical workshops, field days, seminars and an industry newsletter.
By joining the Dairy Smart program dairy farmers will: - Increase their farm management knowledge
- Have the ability to improve farm management skills of themselves and their employees
- Have the opportunity to benchmark their business
- Develop the skills to monitor farm performance so they can make the most of their farm resources.
To accommodate for the different skills sets and needs of dairy farmers and their workers, there is a range of groups that farmers and their workers can participate in. The group that a participant chooses to join will depend on where they are with their business and what they want to do with it into the future.
The groups that are on offer include:
Advanced Learning Group
An Advanced Learning Group will help a dairy farmer to increase their skills and make the most of their farm’s resources. It will also:- Apply current skills and take them to the next step for their farm
- Provide the skills and tools required to monitor farm performance; such as pasture utilisation, break-even milk price and nutrient budgets
- Be based around a key topic such as Animal Health, Pasture Management or Soil and Fertiliser use
- Help participants improve their business how they wish.
A large part of the Dairy Smart project in Year 1 involves the Advanced Learning Groups. The following groups are well under way.
Group Location | Major Focus | Facilitator | | North-East Forage Group | Pastures/forage crops | Rob La Grange - 0408 563 762 | | Cressy Forage Group | Pastures/forage crops | Rob La Grange - 0408 563 762 | | North-West Forage Group | Pastures/forage crops | Rob La Grange - 0408 563 762 | | Deloraine Group | Animal Health | Guy Robertson - 0400 668 904 | | Devonport District Group | Pasture Management | Guy Robertson - 0400 668 904 | | Yolla District Group | Pasture Management | Guy Robertson - 0400 668 904 | | Marrawah District Group | Pasture Management | Elizabeth Mann - 0428 121 655 | | King Island Group | Pasture Management | Lesley Irvine - 0428 880 287 |
The learning areas for the groups are being directed by the group members. Each group meeting is building on the information and discussion at previous meetings and is being related to the practices and farm resources of the host farm.
The groups focusing on pasture management are covering topics such as soil management, fertiliser management, grazing management, water and irrigation use, nitrogen use, pasture renovation and forage crops. The pastures/forage groups are focusing on pastures but with a specific emphasis on forage crops. The Deloraine group will largely focus on animal health issues such as calf rearing, mastitis and reproductive performance. The group however will also have the flexibility to discuss management strategies related to dealing with the low milk price, including saving money on fertilisers and optimizing irrigation water.
Group discussions have also taken seasonal issues into consideration including how savings that can be made in years of low milk prices. Participating farms are gaining skills in ways of measuring farm performance using methods such as pasture utilisation and break-even milk price.
Growth Group
If a dairy farmer wants to grow their business but are not sure where to start, a Growth Group will help to show the way. It will also:- Provide training to develop the skills required to grow a dairy business
- Develop a "roadmap" to a successful business
- Help participants reach their growth targets.
Growth groups will not begin until 2010.
Manager and Lower Equity Sharefarmer Group
For those who manage or sharefarm a dairy farm but do not own the farm they can still be involved in Dairy Smart by being part of a group for Managers and Lower Equity Sharefarmers or Farm Employees Group. This group is designed specifically to help people develop their dairying career. It will also:- Assist development of the skills require to progress through the dairy industry
- Provide an understanding of what drives a sustainable and profitable dairy farm
- Help participants reach their career goals.
A Manager/Sharefarmer Group has been established in the Smithton region and will be completing a Pasture Management Program over the next 18 months.
Farm Employee Group
For those that work on a dairy farm and want to further develop their career in the dairy industry.
A Farm Employee Group will: - Provide training in the basics of farm management such as animal husbandry, milking management, the use of fertilisers and soil management
- Help to improve management skills of all business members Provide credit for some qualifications for the training given.
No Farm Employee Groups currently operate.
Business Innovation Group
A Business Innovation Group has formed to complement activities that are being carried out as part of the TIAR 20.12 Feedbase project. Participating farmers have high pasture utilisation. Their farming systems are analysed and modelled by using the UDDER computer model. The group discusses and then uses the UDDER information to focus on the bigger whole farm decisions by examining in depth farm system questions.
How do the Groups Work?
Groups are small in size and have a life span of 12 months. Each group sets their own objectives and outcomes, with the participants driving what they learn and how much they learn. Participants will be able to improve their skills and knowledge by learning from other participants, a qualified TIAR dairy adviser and occasional guest speakers.
Most Tasmanian dairy farmers receive a copy of Tassie Dairy News, an 8-page newsletter that is published 11 times per year. The newsletter has regular articles with information on the groups and the topics they cove. If you do not receive a copy and would like to be placed on the mailing list, contact Geraldine Treloggen, TIAR, (03) 6430 5295.
Or download the print-friendly version below.
Tassie Dairy News - November
Tassie Dairy News - October
Tassie Dairy News - September
Tassie Dairy News - August
Tassie Dairy News - July
Tassie Dairy News - June
Tassie Dairy News - May
Tassie Dairy News - April
Tassie Dairy News - March
Tassie Dairy News - February
A technical workshop will be held each year to complement group activities. The first workshop in March/April 2010 will be on advanced pasture management.
Field days will be held in three locations in February/March next year. Topics for the field days will be determined later in the year based on farmers needs.
If you are interested in joining a Dairy Smart group or participating in a training workshop or field day then contact Guy Robertson, TIAR Dairy Centre, on 0400 668 904.
Department switchboard: 1300 368 550 (local call cost within Australia)
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