THE latest trends, technologies and dairy farming practices were on-show at the 2024 GippsDairy Muster, with over 200 dairy industry members gathering on-farm in Trafalgar.
Held this month, the theme of the day was Pasture, Pathways and Performance, and it showcased the latest trends, technologies, and practices in dairy farming.
Emceed by Trish Hammond – a dairy farm owner from West Gippsland – attendees heard from a range of industry experts and Gippsland farmers on ways to optimise pastures, business succession plans, and overall performance.
Farm hosts Graeme and Louise Paul, Belinda Egan, and Simon Reid shared their dairying stories and highlighted their current farm system as sharefarmers.
The keynote speaker was DairyNZ senior scientist in the farm systems research team, Dawn Dalley. She discussed national and international drivers behind environmental regulations for water quality and greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand.
Having spent eight years in the Feedbase and Nutrition team at Ellinbank Smart Farm, Dawn has a sound understanding of Victorian dairy systems and their similarities and differences to New Zealand’s systems.
There were four breakout sessions for attendees to choose from. These included Productive Pastures, Pathways and Progression, Stepping Back: Planning for the future of your farm, and Performance in a Changing Environment.
Among the attendees were a group of eight agriculture students from Foster Secondary College. The students had the opportunity to network with local dairy employers and members of the Gippsland Young Dairy Network and join the career pathways and progression breakout session.
GippsDairy Regional Manager, Karen McLennan, felt the diverse range of speakers throughout the day was a key factor in the success of the event.
“We were very fortunate to have industry experts from Australia and overseas in attendance,” she said. While experts provide an essential part of the learning objectives for the day, they stood alongside the stories and experiences of some of Gippsland’s own dairy farmers during the breakout sessions.
“One of the things we learned from our last Muster was that farmers want to hear from other farmers. Events like these give farmers the opportunity to network and find out how others have managed the same challenges that they are also experiencing.”
