The Murray Muster 2019
Automation, consumers and climate
This May, pull on your boots for our inaugural industry event, The Murray Muster.
Over two days and one night, hear from Australian and international guest speakers with new research and rigorous discussion on Automation, Consumers & Climate. The Murray Muster 2019 will get you thinking about what comes next for the dairy industry in the Murray region.
Program
Day 1: Wednesday 22 May, 2019│Dookie College Dairy, Dookie
AMS: Milking from the armchair - fact or fiction?
Ever considered an Automated Milking System (AMS)? Get real information on the potential of this technology from the Milking Edge team and current operators, with a decade of research, data and analysis from commercial farms across Australia.
Milking Edge is a three-year project to support farmers to optimise the use of AMS.
At the Murray Muster 2019, the Milking Edge team will share their findings on the essentials of successful AMS farming and the major differences between conventional and robotic milking systems. They will also present an analysis of performance and economic data collected from current AMS farms in Australia and overseas.
Close encounters of the mammary kind
Join Russ Hovey, Professor at the University of California, to have a close look at the udder to better understand mammary function and development, and improve the prevention and management of related health issues in your herd. Russ will perform a dissection of the udder so you can see what goes on inside and out.
Professor Hovey’s work examines how the mammary glands respond to hormonal signals during growth, lactation or in the case of breast cancer, in particular estrogen, progesterone and prolactin. His work also looks at the effects of diet and lifestyle on tissue function. Find out about practical changes you can make to improve animal health and productivity from day one, with benefits that continue to pay off over years.
Hear from DA
Dairy Australia’s leadership team including Chair, Jeff Odgers and Managing Director, David Nation, will highlight some of the industry’s current projects and the possibilities these present for dairy farmers and businesses in the Murray region.
Hear about what Dairy Australia is doing in the areas of: research, extension, trade, strategy and promotion to enhance the dairy industry in Australia.
This is an opportunity to catch up with the leadership team and ask them your questions.
Dinner: Wednesday 22 May, 2019│Olive House, Kialla
Dairying in parallel
Russ Hovey returns to the stage, with insights from the USA when it comes to our “right to farm”. Russ will draw on the parallels between the dairy industry in California and in the Murray region including water reform, changing farm systems, shifting perspectives on animal welfare and new consumer trends.
Alongside Dairy Australia’s Issues Analyst Georgia Nicholls, who will offer a localised perspective, the evening will explore the challenges and opportunities in front of us and highlight ways to future-proof our businesses and to promote the Australian dairy industry.
Day 2: Thursday 23 May, 2019│Kyabram Club, Kyabram
The volatile water market
It can feel impossible to take the business forward whilst managing water reform, climate extremes, and market influences. This has seemed increasingly so in recent years.
So what are other dairy farmers doing? Hear from a panel with a range of strategies for farming into the future. Find out what they are currently doing, what their plans are and consider what might work for you.
Our panellists include Jeff Odgers (Ardmona), Scott McKillop (Dederang), Rachelle Moon (Numurkah), Andrew Tyler (Tongala) and Erwin Van Den Berg (Katamatite).
Dairy Australia - what’s next?
This is the final session of the Muster. Wrap up with the Dairy Australia leadership team in discussion about what’s happening in the region and what’s in the pipeline for dairy farmers to adjust to the changes, capitalise on the opportunities and consolidate the gains made in the region.
