Taking time out for technology

eastAUSmilk held a succession of workshops across the Southeast Corner last month as part of the Dairy Farmers Technology Uptake Program, funded by the Queensland government’s Backing Bush Communities Fund. The first day of workshops started out in the Scenic Rim near Roadvale, venturing up to Esk then across to Pinelands, North of Toowoomba. Warwick was next on the list, finishing up the workshop with a tour and walk around Rob Stewart’s farm. The workshops finished at Gympie looking at automation and monitoring systems within Barb Gear’s dairy.

John van Bergen from Jantec Systems was welcomed along to speak about his herd monitoring systems, dairy shed automation and automated grain feeders. He was able to discuss with each farmer the individual benefits a farm could gain from each bit of technology and how it could be tailored to their systems and integration with heat detection systems. A big focus was on the mechanisms of the CellSense, the somatic cell count monitoring system, which has a benefit to farm managers who aren’t always in the milking parlour.

Farmers were also advised on the different grant opportunities in relation to on-farm technology improvements opening over the next few months. eastAUSmilk was also offering grants via the Backing Bush Communities Fund to improve technology uptake with a successful first round of grants being completed. Farm businesses were able to acquire grants for improving internet connection around farm, upgrading radio towers on irrigation systems, adding extra collars or heat detection units on a current system, autodrafting systems and autosteering. Round two has closed with similar projects proposed by interested farmers to improve labour demand for jobs, herd health and overall business efficiencies.

eastAUSmilk will also be visiting North Queensland to host two more workshops in the last week of November, dates to be announced.

Jade Chan, eastAUSmilk Project Officer