TIA’s dairy team conducts innovative and responsive research, development and extension to support the industry develop in a profitable and sustainable manner.
We aim to be a global leader in the use of technologies and practices that enhance pasture based dairy systems productivity, profitability and competitiveness.
We maintain a close working relationship with the industry’s peak body, Dairy Australia, along with dairy farmers, consultants, advisers, and other people working in the industry.
TIA’s Dairy research team is represented on a range of industry platforms including the DairyTas Board, Dairy Australia’s Dairy Moving Forward Community of Interest groups and the national Animal Welfare Committee.
A long-term partnership between TIA and Dairy Australia enables delivery of targeted dairy productivity research and extension services, helping to drive Tasmanian dairy farm profitability and sustainability. This includes a $7.6 million funding commitment from DA announced in 2016.
Dairy Research Facility
The TIA Dairy Research Facility is a fully operational 360-head dairy farming operation, located on 220 hectares at Elliott in North-West Tasmania.
Our researchers use the Dairy Research Facility to conduct experiments on small plots or larger-scale experiments that use part of the farm and a herd of cows.
During 2017, all cows were fitted with a sensor that enables data to be collected for each cow, measuring and recording data including feeding, activity, ruminating and resting. This data provides information for farm management and creates a database of historical information that can be used for research purposes.
Capabilities
Our research expertise includes:
- Animal nutrition and welfare
- Benchmarking and business analysis
- Biophysical and farm system modelling
- Precision agriculture and new technologies
- Optimising feedbase (pasture and crops)
- Soils and nutrient management
- Natural resources management
- People, education and training
Research and extension team
- Associate Professor Richard Rawnsley
- Dr James Hills
- Pieter Raedts
- Dr Megan Verdon
- Dr Lydia Turner
- Tom Snare
- Karen Christie
- Mark Freeman
- Lesley Irvine
- Symon Jones
- Sam Flight
- Nathan Bakker
PhD candidates
- Gustavo Togeiro de Alckmin (drones for pasture management)
- Alison Hall (farmer engagement with extension)
- Janine Chang Fung Martel (dairy climate change)
- Adam Langworthy (forages)
