Toolamba Focus Farm

TOOLAMBA FOCUS FARM

Colin and Ross Read’s dairy farm business at Toolamba West, is the first focus farm to come under scrutiny as they open up their business to their support group and to the broader dairy industry.

The brothers have worked through the worst drought in living memory and are now confronted with many decisions about what form their business might take into the future.

Colin and Ross plan to milk 250 cows on their 248 hectares in 2011/12 and they have just finished renovating their dairy to make the milking process more efficient.

Colin and Ross have a number of goals that they want to achieve in 2011/12 including -:

     1. To operate a profitable and efficient dairy farm business in 2011/12

     2. To set up their dairy business for the future considering -:

                             a. Succession

                             b. Transition

                             c. Diversification

    3. To deliver a satisfactory work/life balance for all the people involved in the business 

The Read’s have put together a Support Group of twenty-five people with a broad range of experience in the dairy industry who they are confident will help them achieve their goals for the upcoming season.

The Read’s have included a broad range of farmers, a veterinarian, an accountant, a field officer, a DPIV representative, a lawyer, a banker and a couple of agronomists as members of their support group.

When Colin and Ross heard about the focus farm project they thought that it was an opportunity for both the industry and for them.  “We have done lots of different things.  Now we want to know what might be the best way forward for our business,” considered Ross.

While the Support Group plays an important role in providing additional input into the decision making and management process, Ross and Colin remain firmly in control of their business.

For example, Ross felt that with the seasonal set up for 2011/12 it was time for a simpler approach and as such milk production will be pasture based.  It is up to the Support Group to work within this broad parameter and deliver on the goals that have been set.

The Support Group is like having additional sets of eyes looking at your business on a regular basis.  “When you have been doing something for years, someone can come onto the farm and say; ‘Why are you doing it that way?” “When you have been looking at an issue for years and never thought of tackling it in a different manner”

Colin and Ross had their first support group meeting in June and their second meeting in July.  As well as the monthly meetings with their Support Group the brothers plan to have a couple of open days on their farm during the year.

READ FARM FACTS 

Property Size:	248 Hectares
Milk Herd:	220 cows in 2010/11 and 250 cows in 2011/12
Other Livestock:	100 rising one year olds and 70 rising two year olds
Milk Production:	98,640 kg MS in 2010/11 and 119,000 in 2011/12
Water Resources:	500 ML HRWS, 100 ML of recycled waste water from GV Water
Dairy:	Renovated 20 swingover with auto cup removers
Feed Program:	Predominantly pasture (perennial pasture,annual pasture and lucerne),         supplemented with silage in the paddock and grain in the shed.

 

 

Colin, Rob and Craig	Colin	New Dairy	Inside New Dairy