It was a big day for Calmo Farms Jade and Belinda Clymo who debuted their new 120-unit GEA T8900 rotary dairy with a public open day in June which attracted more than 400 people.
This is only the second 120-unit rotary dairy of its kind built in Australia and will enable the family to milk around 800 cows an hour.
Both Jade and Belinda ran a series of tours throughout the day, with many people blown away by the scale of the operation — which included, for example, seven milk filters and an electrical switchboard that alone cost $300,000 (Jade joked he could buy a Lamborghini for the same price).
Jade said he was surprised by the interest the general public had in the open day.
“We were expecting about 70 people, and I can’t believe so many people have come here today,” Jade said.
“Our old dairy is 30 years old and has milked way too many cows, and is well past its use by date.
“The building of this dairy is the last piece of the puzzle after building two barns and half over the last five years,” Jade said.
The couple, along with their son Fynn and 40 staff, are milking 2900 cows — a number Jade’s mum Jan still finds astonishing, considering she and her husband Trevor started out milking 120 cows 53 years ago.
“It’s just amazing really, and I can’t believe it, but we are both very proud of what Jade and Belinda have achieved,” Jan said.
The process to build the barns and dairy parlor involved years of planning and trips looking at dairy set ups in the USA, and talking with farmers to find out what works and what doesn’t.
Initial plans began five years ago and the dairy barns were constructed with the new dairy in mind.
The actual earthworks started 18 months ago and the steel and concrete work started about 12 months ago.
Jade said the hardest part about the build had been all the red tape he has had to deal with, particularly around fire regulations.
He said the local council had been great.
“They are great supporters of ag,” Jade said.
The development itself covers 4300 square meters and includes an undercover holding yard which will comfortably fit 750 cows.
About 12 months ago, the cows transitioned away from being fed in the bale.
“That was a psychological barrier I had to get through, but once I got past that, it has been a great decision, and the cows are just fed a TMR in the barn.”
The family will start milking in the new dairy at the end of June.
GEAs national sales manager Jurgen Steen said the 120-unit dairy was the biggest rotary in the world and was launched by the company nine years ago.
He said the dairy had the capacity to milk 2000-8000 cows.
“I met Jade and Belinda three years ago, and they have invested in their future growth,” Jurgen said.
“They are thinking about tomorrow and are ready for the next decade.”
Dairy News will feature the Clymo’s story in more detail in the August edition.