Milk Production Systems

On this page:

• Diverse application
• Intensive grazing
• Extensive grazing
• Feedlot
• Models and case studies

Diverse application

The growth regions of South Australia can accommodate a range of different production systems as well as wide variation in the scale of individual dairying enterprises.

This is regarded as a strong advantage of the region - investors in dairy farming are not confined by a narrow set of “models” or conventions for milk production, allowing a tailoring of approach and a development path that is suited to:

• The skills of the investing enterprise owner
• The capabilities of available dairy properties - including conversion
• Available natural resources and feed supplies
• The attitude to market risk of the investor

Intensive grazing

The intensive grazing model is based on a strategy that offers high volume, low-cost milk production for larger scale dairy herds.

It features:

• Concentrated dairy cattle feed management using a rotation of grazing through a number of irrigated pasture blocks - each block typically having a water source
• Higher stocking rates than traditional or extensive pasture grazing
• Supplementary feeding of forage and supplements
• Higher fertiliser usage for greater pasture production of dry matter

The South East region has recorded pasture productivity rates of 25 tonnes of dry matter per hectare using this method.

The practice offers better productivity of pastures in terms of forage from available land areas, and a lower cost than intensive feedlotting operations.

Extensive grazing

The Western Victorian and SE South Australian region is best known for pasture grazing. 

The extensive grazing system may be based on either irrigated pastures or a dryland production system or their combinations.

Feedlot

There have been several developments of feedlot-style dairy operations in recent years.  The feedlot style operation follows the approach used by a large number of operations in the western states of the US, adapted for Australian conditions and feed availability. 

The feedlot model features:

• Year-round calving to produce a relatively flat milk production curve
• Dairy cattle housed or confined to sub-herd accommodation
• Requirement for a significant portion of own-farm feed production, including forage cropping of lucerne, maize, and grains
• Higher portion of bought-in feed (this will vary depending upon feed available from own resources)

Models and case studies

A variety of successful case study enterprises exist in each of the above production systems across the growth regions of South Australia.  Regional centres can place interested parties in touch with appropriate producers and consultants depending upon:

• The production scale of the enterprise that is contemplated
• The production system that the expansion or new enterprise seeks to employ
• Available land use and water access options that are accessible
• Available feed options that are accessible

<previous      next>