2018 Milk Quality Awards

The Australian dairy industry is celebrating the success of top-performing dairy farmers producing high-quality milk.

The Australian Milk Quality Awards recognise farms that have achieved the best milk quality in Australia based on annual average bulk milk cell count (BMCC) across Australia’s milk processing companies.

Victorian-based dairy farmer Matt Coleman who farms with his wife Rosalie and their children Maya, Billy and Lilia, has been recognised as a top producer in this year’s milk quality awards.

The award is no accident, with the Colemans’ showing a commitment to good habits – both in the dairy and on the farm – that help reduce incidences of clinical mastitis.

Fifteen-year-old Maya recently attended a Dairy Australia Cups On Cups Off workshop to help her better understand the steps involved in producing low cell count milk.

“It was fantastic for Maya. It really fast-tracked her knowledge of what happens in the dairy and what happens with the cows.” Matt said.

Dairy Australia’s Kathryn Davis said the on-farm management of milk quality is key to ensuring the competitiveness of Australian dairy in the marketplace.

“Every year the Australian Milk Quality Awards celebrates the great job being done by dairy farmers up and down the country to keep milk quality at a consistently high standard and the results and quality of Australian milk are improving year on year,” Ms Davis said.

“A low cell count is an indicator that mastitis is well controlled in the herd, improving milk production, cow health and welfare. Farmers achieving a low cell count are also financially rewarded with a premium for their milk and significant cost savings on mastitis treatments and labour.”

Ms Davis said the awards were a unique collaboration across the industry to recognise high-achieving farmers.

Data for the Australian Milk Quality Awards is supplied to Dairy Australia by dairy companies across the country and to be eligible, dairy farms must have data for a minimum of nine months in a calendar year. Monthly averages are then used to calculate the annual average BMCC for each farm and the winners are that 5% of farms with the lowest BMCC.

Photo: Victorian farmer Matt Coleman with his daughter Maya.

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