On the Farm
This chapter comprises the following relevant topics:
The Day-to-Day Running of a Dairy Farm
All the work on a dairy farm is part of a pattern that follows the milking times for the cows each day and the seasons on the farm.
Dairy cows are milked at the same time every morning and afternoon because they do not like surprises and to make the best milk you need contented cows. Milking is usually done at 5.30 am and 4.00 pm.
All the other farm work has to fit in between milking times because everyone stops what they are doing to help milk the cows. Even when the family goes to town they must be home in time for milking (unless they have other staff on the farm to help).
Managing a dairy farm is so much more than just overseeing the milking process. Farmers need to be skilled in a number of areas to run profitable and sustainable farm businesses.
Other duties that keep farmers busy are:
- managing feed for cows and sourcing feed from other farmers and suppliers
- land management: planting crops, making hay, fixing fences, planting trees, fertilising paddocks and sowing pastures
- fixing machinery
- repairing fences and sheds
- caring for sick cows
- caring for calves
- managing the financial side of the business, including bookkeeping.
In the Office
Farmers have to be good at managing the farm's finances as well as the day-to-day jobs. Farmers need to spend time working in their offices planning what has to be done and how to do it.
Many dairy farmers use computers to manage their finances, recording how much they are spending on the farm and what they have been paid for their milk.
Computers are also used for breeding and herd recording programs. These keep detailed information on each cow, work out how much to feed the cows and calculate how much it will cost. They also keep records for each paddock, such as how much fertiliser has been used. Computers are increasingly being used in the milking sheds and are linked in with the milking process. Farmers who use these systems can tell how much milk is produced by each of their cows each day and check if individual cows produce less milk than normal, which may be an indicator that the cow is ill.
Off the Farm
Farmers have to work off as well as on the farm. They need to go into town to buy supplies, do business and banking, take cattle to and from cattle sales, attend field days and all sorts of agriculture-related meetings, and perhaps even work at another job.
How Children Help on a Dairy Farm
Most dairy farms are owned by families, and everyone helps with the farm work. Children have special jobs to do and can be a great help on the farm.
An extra set of eyes is useful on a dairy farm, so everyone keeps watch for cows which might be sick, injured or in trouble.
Another important job is to look out for cows that are about to have their calves and see if they need help.
Children may:
- Help their parents with the dairy cows. They soon learn the right way to move them around the farm. Cows with newborn calves can get cross if they are disturbed, so they need to be moved quietly, gently and calmly.
- Ride motorbikes in the paddocks to help with the farm work, if they are careful and always wear a helmet.
- Help by taking cows out to a new paddock after milking.
- Take on the job of looking after the calves and hand-feeding them. When children spend time with the calves they usually grow up to be quiet, friendly cows.
- Help with looking for and clearing weeds in the paddocks.
- Plant trees to provide shelter for the cows and help the environment.
Caring for the Land
Over the last two centuries, agricultural practices have radically altered the Australian landscape. Large areas of forests and open grasslands have been converted to farmland, new plants and animals have been introduced, and water and land use patterns have changed dramatically. This has resulted in a range of adverse impacts on soils, water quality, and biodiversity.
Today's farmers have a far greater understanding of these impacts than their predecessors 200 years ago. They are continuing to adopt new innovations to prevent further degradation, and perhaps even reverse the damage caused by previous practices. Some of the land-use knowledge of Aboriginal communities that has been applied for thousands of years is now being incorporated into modern natural resource management practices.
For dairy farming, the biggest environmental challenges are:
- managing soil health and nutrient balance
- minimising the escape of nutrients into natural water bodies
- protecting on-farm waterways and remaining bushland avoiding excessive on-farm water use.
Dairy farmers are constantly finding new, more efficient and environmentally friendly ways to manage their land, stock and businesses.
Many farmers use a whole farm plan to organise how to look after their soil, pastures, water and livestock.
Better irrigation techniques and salt management are aimed at reducing the risk of salt build-up in the soil and conserving water resources.
Cattle digest their food with the help of microbes that live in their stomach. The microbes are very beneficial and help digest food that the cow is not able to do by herself. One of the by-products from the microbes is methane gas and the cows belch the methane out into the atmosphere. So it is the microbes digesting the cow's food in her stomach that produce methane gas - not the cow! Methane emissions from dairy cows makes up 3% of Australia's total greenhouse emissions.
Farm researchers are investigating ways to reduce greenhouse emissions by using different types and combinations of fodder.
Clean Water
'Clean water' is about managing our waterways and the land near our rivers and streams to help animals and farms to be healthier. When riverside areas are managed well, we see less soil erosion - the soil stays put in one place and doesn't trickle or slip away.
Dairy farmers help to reduce soil erosion by planting trees, shrubs and grasses to increase river bank stability. They also fence off rivers to stop stock trampling the plants and soil.
When the soil stays put it means all the goodness is locked up in it and the nutrients stay exactly where they are needed to grow grass.
Farmers are also careful to prevent contaminated water from dairies washing into rivers, streams and dams. Instead, they divert this water (often full of cow dung) into separate settling ponds, where nature cleans it up. Sometimes it is also processed and recycled to irrigate and fertilise paddocks.
Healthy Landscapes
Planting shelter belts of trees and plants makes life more comfortable for the dairy cows and the people who work with them. Planted in rows, trees offer shelter from wind, rain and hot sun, while across the paddocks thick pasture protects the soil and the billions of micro-organisms, worms and insects that live in it.
This vigorous pasture is the best feed cows can eat. It keeps them healthy and content and assists rumination when they lie down to rest. Down below the ground, these shelter belts and pastures, with their powerful roots, are pushing through the soil to drag up water. This means that the soil does not get too soggy or full of salt, reducing soil salinity. A web of powerful roots deep underground also helps hold the soil together and keeps the nutrients exactly where they are needed.
Healthier soils and pastures are also more able to resist attack by weeds and harmful insects. Added benefits of a thick shelter belt of trees and bushes are the protection of native animals from predators and the provision of habitats for birds and insects that control pest species.
Dairy farms are usually divided into a number of paddocks and the dairy herd is rotated through the different paddocks so that pastures have time to rest and recover.
Dung beetles are also used to keep nutrients in soil. They are environmentally friendly and are encouraged on the farm because they help recycle the nutrients in cow dung without destroying any plants. Cow manure is a good fertiliser because it contains the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that plants need to grow. Dung beetles turn cow pats into a valuable natural fertiliser for pasture plants. They also help aerate the soil which keeps it healthy and helps rainwater to soak into the ground. This means less water runs off the paddock, so the soil is not washed away.
Energy-Efficient Dairies
Farmers need everything running efficiently, from the time taken to milk the cows to the power used for milking. The more streamlined the milking process, the more enjoyable it is for the cows, and the more milk they are likely to produce.
The design of the milking shed and holding yards can improve cows' comfort and make them easier to handle during milking. Energy-efficient water-cooling systems and hot water systems; energy-efficient dairy plant equipment; replacing old, worn parts; using correctly-sized coolers and heaters connected to off-peak timers; along with regular maintenance and efficiency checks, all help make the dairy run smoothly, increase the farm's profits and create more comfort for cows.
In addition, there are several simple changes dairy farmers can make to reduce energy use (and greenhouse gas emissions). It all begins with using energy more efficiently.
Dairy farmers consider things such as:
- replacing mercury vapour lights with energy-efficient fluorescent fittings
- locating the dairy so that it is sheltered from chilly winter winds and captures cool summer breezes
- designing thermal-efficient dairies that keep out unwanted heat (or cold) and keep in wanted heat (or cold)
- using renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power.
An energy-efficient farm assists with cow efficiency and comfort. Dairy farmers design their farms to allow their cows to spend as much time as possible eating, drinking and resting, and as little time as possible walking to, from and in the dairy.
An evenly-lit area, using natural light or energy-efficient lighting, helps reduce accidents and makes the milking process simpler. Nobody likes to be pushed and shoved into a noisy crowd in a dark dangerous place ... including cows.
Now go to Milk Processing.