TIA’s livestock productivity and welfare 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 livestock productivity and welfare 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
