Project - Feeding Pastures for Profit (FPFP)
Profitable dairying is built around efficient use of the feedbase. Recent industry market research (Dairy Moving Forward – Taking Stock) shows that improved management of the feedbase is the highest priority on the majority of farms.
The project
Feeding Pastures for Profit is a DEC flagship program and continues to be demanded by farmers. It is a practical, well regarded 7 day program spread over 12 months. The first 2 days build the underpinning knowledge required to manage a feeding system. The remaining days are on farm and provide an opportunity for participants to put what they have learnt into practice. Each group is then offered a second year of meetings to consolidate their learning.
FPFP was developed in response to a need to focus on profit and systems; linking pasture and supplements together. It has been developed over the last 6 years but has been based on many years of research and years of experience in innovative extension practices.
FPFP provides tools and concepts so that the farmer can then adjust their system based on changing conditions (milk or supplement price, seasonal growing conditions). It is important to understand that this isn’t a recipe for farming – it is a systems based approach. This approach allows the farmer to understand how the decisions that he/she makes impact on the components of the system and the system as a whole, and allows the farmer to repeat success even when conditions change.
Achievements
Up to June 2010, 69 courses have been run throughout Victoria with an average of 15 participants per course (1,035 farmers). There were 5,400 dairy farms registered in Victoria in 2008-09 which means that the current participation rate equates to 20% of the total number of farmers. The potential target market (of farmers interested in structured learning) is estimated to be one third of all farmers.
"Maintaining cow production at 31lt – fat and protein are holding. The cows are looking to peak higher than ever before. I didn’t think this farm could grow this much grass – no extra supplements are being used, this tool really works and works well." (South West FPFP participant, July 2009)
"I haven't fully implemented the Feeding Pastures for Profit system on my farm but since I have begun allocating the feed according to the Rotation Right tool my milk production has lifted, compared with last year, and this is from fewer cows". (Donald Peters, Arawata, Gippsland)
A comprehensive economic evaluation has revealed an average Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) of 35:1. This means for every dollar spent to deliver the program by investors, the return from that investment has been $35. This is significant considering investors are willing to spend money when the BCR is 4:1 or greater.
The success of FPFP is widely recognised and DEC is now providing training to milk companies so staff can build their skills and deliver the FPFP principles to their farmer clients. This has provided greater access to farmers and is increasing the skill set of the service industry. DEC staff have also trained service providers from Department of Primary Industries NSW, Western Australian and UK consultants to be able to deliver to their clients. Farm business consultants are also using the principles in their work out side the dairy industry with pasture based businesses.
Impact
Not only has the FPFP program provided the key technical support that underpinned the DEC’s response to the drought and milk price drop, it was one of the first programs to link with the new national education training framework through the National Centre for Dairy Education Australia (NCDEA). DEC worked closely with NCDEA to validate course materials, train trainers and share resources to deliver the FPFP program. It was also one of the first programs to work collaboratively with business consultants to develop the concepts and changed from the traditional technology based model of extension to systems thinking.
