Victorian scientists are working on ways to reduce emissions to create a more profitable and sustainable dairy sector, honing in on the environmental footprint of the Australian dairy cow.
In early August, Victorian Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas launched DairyBio21-26 — a five-year, $55 million research partnership between industry and government to address many of the issues facing dairy farmers, including how to breed more productive cows that produce fewer emissions.
The partnership with Dairy Australia and Gardiner Dairy Foundation will support scientific research focused on genetic improvements to animals and forage species.
The long-term vision is to provide farmers with the tools and information they need to breed and feed cows that produce more milk, healthier calves and less methane in a changing climate.
“DairyBio21-26 continues the focus on two of the major drivers of industry success — improving the herd and improving pastures,” Dairy Australia chair James Mann said.
“New inventions, matched with real industry needs and support from across government and commercial sectors, are what excite us at Dairy Australia.”
As a result of climate change and other regulatory and trade changes, forecasts suggest that dairy farmers will need to increase their productivity by 1.5 per cent per year to maintain profitability.
DairyBio21-26 will support scientists to meet this challenge, targeting an additional value of $200 per cow each year for Australian dairy herds by 2040. This will be achieved through genetic improvements that will result in cows that live longer and produce fewer emissions — with the flow-on benefits of reduced costs.
“Many technologies and products from DairyBio are already available and delivering significant value to farmers today,” Gardiner Dairy Foundation chair Dr Len Stephens said.
“The next five years of DairyBio will bring about a broader range of outputs, including some exciting new forage cultivars, that will deliver sustained value to dairy farmers.”
Victoria’s dairy industry accounts for 77 per cent of Australia's dairy exports — valued at $2.1 billion — with the gross value of milk produced in Victoria worth $2.7 billion (2018-19).