Macalister Demonstration Farm

Dairy Research Farm demonstrating best management practice

 

Macalister Demonstration Farm

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MDF Fortnightly Update 523: Making money from margins

September 11, 2020 by MDF

MDF Fortnightly Update 523: Making money from margins

The MDF is still wet after more rain.  The farm is milking only 109 cows. All feed margin targets, and the drivers of the feed margin, are above the July targets.  The cows are being offered a lot of grass, so pugging is not too bad, and it allows them a reasonable grass intake before the grass gets … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fortnightly Updates

Fortnightly Update 522: Keeping count of condition at the MDF

September 11, 2020 by MDF

Fortnightly Update 522: Keeping count of condition at the MDF

The MDF is now very wet although paddocks with good slope and permeable soil are holding up well when grazed, as are paddocks with functioning spinner cuts.  In contrast,  Paddock 18 has no cuts, (soil type and slope?) has surface water still lying on most of it, and it will be some time before it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fortnightly Updates

MDF Fortnightly Update 521

July 2, 2020 by MDF

MDF Fortnightly Update 521

Increasing grass consumption and eliminating silage is lifting milk response per cow at the MDF The MDF's rotation length is now out to 40 days. Paddock 23 is about to be grazed, and is at 1.9 leaves. So, LAR is 21 days, typical for July. From observation, it has grown at an average of 25 kg DM … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fortnightly Updates

Fortnightly Update 520: Managing feed margin and fodder

June 23, 2020 by MDF

Managing feed margin and fodder: The cost of grass production and the milk price are two crucial factors in determining feed margin. The MDF’s early June daily feed margins, compared to summer (mid Jan) are remarkably similar ($2,100/day). The feed margin peaked at $2,900 per day in Spring. The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fortnightly Updates

MDF Fortnightly Update 519

June 5, 2020 by MDF

MDF Fortnightly Update 519

The effect of input costs and milk price on farm margins.  The two main drivers of a higher feed margin are well above last year, but not quite at the target we set for the year.  We are feeding the same amount of concentrate and forage supplement as last year, but both at considerably lower … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fortnightly Updates

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Latest Publications

The MDF IoT Project: Introduction

December 29, 2020 By MDF

MDF Fortnightly Update 533

December 29, 2020 By MDF

MDF Fortnightly Update 532

December 29, 2020 By MDF

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About the MDF

The Macalister Demonstration Farm, formerly the Macalister Research Farm, is a farmer-owned co-operative established on April 13th 1960. A collaboration between dairy farmers of the MID and the Department of Agriculture at Maffra resulted in the … Read More

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