Ensuring future generations have the flexibility to evolve the family dairy farm underpinned infrastructure planning for one North East Victorian business.
And the added benefits of improved milk production, fertility and opportunities for growth have delivered on efficiency, sustainability and profitability goals.
Stuart Crosthwaite told the 2024 Raising the Roof dairy conference in NSW that building a barn for 500-cows at Kergunyah South has provided opportunities.
“It’s an amazing facility, we can take the farm any way we like,” he said.
“It has opened a Pandora’s box for our farm into the future.”
Stuart and his wife Sarah wanted to protect their herd from the harsh summer conditions and wet and cold winters to improve animal welfare and business sustainability.
They chose an Entegra-built loose-housing (compost) facility after extensive research and business planning.
Stuart told the conference there were many factors that contributed to the whole farm business case, but projected improvements in fertility and a “conservative” 10 per cent increase in milk production ensured a pay-back period of four-to-five years.
Removing cows from harsh seasonal conditions has already started to pay-off, with production in February 2024 – the warmest month since the facility began operating – up 35 per cent.
The barn will also enable Stuart and Sarah to grow herd numbers without having to purchase “expensive” land.
Another benefit was no longer “wasting” 10-12 hectares a year calving cows in wet and muddy paddocks.
Feed wastage is down – with more eaten by the cows – and the business also generates another 200-300 per cent more effluent – thanks to the barn – and this is collected and used as fertiliser.
Importantly, Stuart told the conference that making work “easier and more efficient” for staff should help retention.
One example he used was no longer having to delay the start of evening milkings on hot days until 5 or 6pm because the cows were cooler coming into the dairy from the shed.
Building a Ridgeback®: The benefits outweigh the cost. The results of the Rangers Valley trial, where partially covered housing in the final 100 days boosted cattle performance – as presented by Dr Melissa George at BeefEx’s R&D session.
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