LOCAL dairy farmers will next week have the chance to learn about some of the newer ideas around feed systems, and see how one farmer in the area has improved his farm to suit local conditions and save money and feed.

Third generation Allestree dairy farmer Jake Coates is hosting the local workshop at his farm on Thursday, February 23, he said that after more than three decades he decided to look to science, technology and new ideas to improve his methods and keep his small scale family operation viable.

At the workshop, Pip Gale from FeedWorks will introduce each farm’s feedbase systems and infrastructure and explore why they choose the particular farming system they use.

He will also provide an overview of the Advanced Nutrition in Action Program (ANIA) which will run in the WestVic Dairy region in 2023.

Mr Coates is an alumni of ANIA, and said the course has been valuable in helping him keep in touch with a moving industry, and looks forward to sharing what he has learnt with others.

“Dad's always said if pop had a front end loader, he would have lived long enough for me to get to know him, and I reckon if my dad had a feed pad, he would have enjoyed winter,” Mr Coates said.

“So taking this course is about looking for that next thing that I’m missing.”

As part of the course participants had to develop something for their operation that would improve their business.

Mr Coates followed through on his idea and built a loafing pad, which in combination with his feed pad protect his pastures and soil from damage over the wet winter months.

“We actually went ahead with it and I’m glad we did because we worked out that it had already paid itself off in the first year.”

Also at the workshop Ruairi McDonnell from Dairy Australia will discuss recent developments in the Forage Value Index, which makes it easy to select the best pasture seed to meet your farm's unique feed requirements.

“You can’t help but be inspired and motivated when you visit these farms and hear about the farmers pathways to success,” said extension officer Peter Gaffy of WestVic Dairy, which his hosting the event.

“Having a strategy to get to a winning position doesn’t just happen. Getting started can be challenging, so DA have developed the Advanced Nutrition In Action (ANIA) program to help farmers develop their own nutrition strategy.”

 As for the industry generally, Mr Coates said he still believes there is a place for smaller scale family dairies, like his operation, running a dairy with 150 head on 140 hectares of the property alongside a small beef herd.

While trades or university might be appealing to many school leavers, there are some unique lifestyle benefits of dairy farming are worth exploring.

“If they're the type of kid that likes to work independently, I think dairy farming can suit them quite well, you’re in great outdoors, and all the sort of machinery work, getting around, fixing things and solving problems, and there’s lots of opportunities to be successful.”

To Register for the workshop call WestVic Dairy on 5557 1000 or visit westvicdairy.com.au.