Critical reproductive challenges arising from genetic selection for milk yield will be front and centre at the University of Sydney Dairy Research Foundation’s 2017 Symposium at Port Macquarie next month.
A total of 200 plus producers, researchers, industry specialists and science PhD candidates are expected to attend the farmer-oriented symposium to be held over three days from Tuesday July 25.
The theme of this year’s symposium is the four-letter acronym MILC or More Income Led by Cows.
Keynote speaker is a world-recognised expert in dairy cattle reproductive biology, management and nutrition and Professor of Animal Sciences at the University of Florida, Dr. Jose Santos.
Jose Santos’ presentation will focus on important husbandry changes in the US that have allowed milk yields to continue to grow alongside greatly improved cow reproduction performance.
The program will showcase also the talents of emerging dairy scientists with interactive presentations by PhD students competing for audience points based on quality, relevance and interest.
DRF director Yani Garcia said today the program was designed to deliver valuable fresh intelligence on issues including genetics, animal health and welfare, environmental stewardship, diary marketing and management and new technologies.
The agenda on Tuesday July 25 is tagged as an Industry Day and includes a NSW Farmers’ dairy committee AGM; Dairy Connect Farmers’ Group meeting; an industry forum; and a ‘pathways to change’ panel discussion closing the day.
On Wednesday July 26, the morning speaker program includes Jose Santos, Dairy Research Foundation director, Yani Garcia, the Blue River Group’s Grant Fuzi, dairy producer Tim Bale and Gundowring ice cream guru James Crooke.
In the early afternoon, successful industry players, Rob Cooper, Adam Darley, Chris Shirley, Jamie Drury, and Leppington Pastoral Company executive Michael Perich will discuss instances where they have used outside experts to improve their enterprises.
Later that day, the CSIRO’s Steve Crimp will help delegates explore megatrends that are expected to impact on agriculture during the coming 20 years and Scibus’ Neil Moss will address extreme weather events.
Jose Santos will re-emerge to present the latest news on US heat-stress research and Agriculture Victoria’s DairyBio team spokeswoman Jennie Pryce will canvass her preference for heat tolerant cows and the impact of climate on diary production.
On Thursday July 27, interested delegates will board buses for a Hastings Park Dairy working farm visit at Brombin with hosts Leo and Sue Cleary and Luke and Meaghan Cleary who switched to exclusively A2 milk production in 2012.
At the farm, delegates will also attend professional platforms presented by young emerging scientists exploring breeding and genetics, feed and feeding and environment and welfare that day.