An interactive expo in Colac on May 28 will highlight the role maths and science play in agricultural jobs and encourage more students to consider working in the field.
The expo is part of the Maths and Science @ Work program developed in partnership between the dairy industry, the three schools and South West Local Learning and Employment Network.
Young farmers from south-west Victoria will have the chance to show off their work skills in a new farmer challenge at this year’s Sungold Field Days.The Young Dairy Development Program (YDDP) is organising the challenge which will see teams of four farmers complete a series of farm-related tasks.Some of the events will include pipe fitting, using quad bikes to move hay, extinguishing a fire, setting up a portable electric fence, shaving a balloon, finding calf ear tags in a bag of straw, applying a splint to an injured leg, and reversing a quad bike.
Farms with 70,000 cows might seem like science-fiction to most Australian dairy farmers, but to Charlie Perotti they’re all in a day’s work. Mr Perotti, a Senior Executive at Alta Genetics who manages its Global Reproduction and Premier Dairy program, will tell of his experiences at some of the world’s biggest dairy farms at the Milk It 4 More `Pathways For Your Future’ expo at Glenormiston College on August 30. The Expo is being organised by the Young Dairy Development Program and will focus on innovation and technology. As part of his role, Mr Perotti travels the world focusing on aggressive reproduction on large scale dairies. He works with a variety of clients in northern Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Russia, China and the United States, including one in Saudi Arabia that currently milks 70,000 cows.
A workshop in Warrnambool has helped dairyfarmers to learn more about increasingly complex milk price payment systems. The Young Dairy Development Program (YDDP) hosted the workshop at the Flying Horse Inn on July 17 which heard from Warrnambool Cheese and Butter, Murray Goulburn and Fonterra representatives and UDV state president Kerry Callow. Dairy Australia manager strategy and knowledge Joanne Bills also outlined the drivers of milk price and future predictions for demand and supply.
A milk price workshop in Warrnambool has heard that strong demand and a slowdown in US production should lead to improved prices for farmers. The Young Dairy Development Program (YDDP) hosted the workshop at the Flying Horse Inn on July 17 which heard from Warrnambool Cheese and Butter, Murray Goulburn and Fonterra representatives, UDV state president Kerry Callow and Dairy Australia manager strategy and knowledge Joanne Bills. Ms Bills and the milk processor representatives explained how commodity prices, world supply and demand and the high Australian dollar have impacted on this year’s opening price. However, Ms Bills said there was light at the end of the tunnel and that the recent oversupply problem would start to correct itself over the next six to 12 months.
A group of Portland students has found out that there is much to the dairy industry than just milking cows. The 15 students from Portland College took part in the region’s first Day of Dairy on June 5. The Young Dairy Development Program (YDDP) hosted the event which introduced students to the variety of job opportunities in dairy farmers. The students heard from a range of agricultural professionals, including a farmer, vet, DPI officers, experts in dairy genetics, agronomy, agricultural science, farm contracting, machinery, animal nutrition, and milk quality and supply.
Twenty five Portland students will find out about the variety of jobs in the dairy industry when they participate in the region’s first Day of Dairy on June 5. The Young Dairy Development Program (YDDP) is organising the event which will take the students to three different farms where they will hear from a variety of agricultural professionals.
Dairy farmers can find out about the latest technologies that will help them become more efficient during seminars in Warrnambool and Cobden next month. Tech 4 Dairy on April 16 will offer information about a small sample of new technologies for dairy farmers and will give a taste of what will be offered at the major YDDP Milk it 4 More Expo on August 30 at Glenormiston College.