Delivering meaningful support to dairy farmers

Shannon Logan is the first in her family to have pursued a career in agriculture, and now she is a passionate member of the dairy industry.

Shannon is a Dairy Australia extension advisor, covering the central region of South Australia (SA) – incorporating the Mid North, Barossa Valley, River and Lakes, Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula, and the South-east.

It is a large area, but the role enables her to share her passion and knowledge by helping connect those in the dairy industry and support farmers with their businesses.

Having completed a Bachelor of Animal Science, Shannon specialises in animal health and welfare, and is also SA’s Young Dairy Network Coordinator, where she hopes to inspire the next generation of dairy farmers.

“I’m really passionate about providing learning opportunities and sharing knowledge to ensure that farmers are armed with the best information that can help improve their business,” Shannon says.

Shannon also completed a Masters in Global Food and Agricultural Business, focusing on genetics of dairy beef, international trade and policy of dairy, and the sustainability of robotic milking systems in SA.

Her knowledge was recently on display at the Zweck family’s Donava Holstein farm, near Blyth in SA’s Mid North, where the state’s first barn-style robotic dairy is in operation.

Open day success

Gary, Ros and Justin Zweck are six-generation dairy farmers. They milk about 300 cows with a GEA DairyRobot R9500 in an open-sided barn, using a total mix ration (TMR) feeding system.

The family - with support from Shannon and the Dairy Australia team, along with GEA Farming Australia – recently hosted a successful open day with more than 130 people in attendance.

Through her role with Dairy Australia, Shannon was able to help facilitate the open day to enable information sharing between farmers.

Shannon says that hearing the Zweck’s story first-hand can help farmers decide if going down the robotics path could benefit their own farm business.

“Robotics aren’t for everybody. It requires a shift in mindset away from traditional operations,” she says.

“The open day gave dairy farmers a chance to hear real-life experiences – especially about some of the early challenges, particularly in the first three to six months. These involved setting up the system and getting it working.”

“It’s important for farmers to hear from those who have already been through the process and have come out the other side.”

Adding value for dairy farmers

Extension advisors like Shannon work with dairy farmers to support their needs by connecting them to the right experts, services and resources. Dairy Australia is part of local dairy communities in eight regions, including South Australia - with extension providing a wide range of services.

These include personalised workshops, training and educational resources to help pinpoint priorities for farmers and their businesses.

The services align with all aspects of farm business – from profitability to responsibility and sustainability – and farmers can be connected to other service providers in the industry for wider support, and to ensure everyone is on the same page.

“Extension advisors and activities empower farmers to put their farm values first,” Shannon says.

“Through DA, farmers can expect support from team members who genuinely care about them succeeding, someone to listen to them regarding all issues, and a friendly face to help them prioritise their business values.”

Farmers and industry members looking to find out more and register for future extension activities can visit Events | Dairy Australia or contact their regional team.