204-306 Dairy Production

Note

Availability

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

204-203 Ecology and Management of Grazing Systems.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

The objective of this subject is to enable students to:

• understand the structure and nature of the Australian dairy industry in its global context and the influence of the global environment for the marketing of Australia's milk products on producers;

• understand, and have working experience with, the physiological and management concepts underpinning the efficient production of milk of high quality in pasture-based production systems;

• and analyze and evaluate biological, technological, economic and industry factors affecting management decisions at the farm level.

The subject will focus on efficient and profitable management systems for pasture-based milk production, and will include:

• the scale and structure of the Australian dairy industry; the major dairy-producing regions of Australia, and their distinctive features;

• the basis of the Australian dairy industry's international competitiveness, and its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; genetics and breeding including analysis and interpretation of Australian Breeding Values in the dairy industry, and the economic value of improved animal genotypes;

• nutrition of the dairy cow, including principles and practice of supplementation and ration formulation for pasture-based systems, and pasture x supplement interactions;

• pasture and grazing management for efficient milk production;

• factors influencing the intake of the dairy cow; whole-farm feed management;

• reproductive technologies and breeding management in the dairy industry, including the principles and practice of achieving desired conception and calving patterns in pasture-based systems;

• animal health;

• basic lactation physiology;

• milk harvesting;

• and aspects of sustainable resource management in the dairy industry, in particular the efficient use of water.

The analysis of topical industry development, technology, and national and international socio-political issues, and the appropriate industry response to change in these areas, will be an integral part of the subject

Assessment

One Three-hour exam (60%); two assignments equivalent to 3000 words (20% each).