Stratford dairy farmer Jessica Knight was a speaker on a panel with other women farmers.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
More than 300 people attended the Gippsland Red Meat conference, on February 18, with dairy farmers among attendees.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Stratford dairy farmer Jess Knight was a speaker on a panel of women farmers in one of the afternoon presentations.
Jess gained a law degree before buying a dairy farm with her partner, Stephen.
They have worked together ever since, building their future in the dairy industry.
Jess was until recently on the board of GippsDairy as a farmer representative.
She publishes a blog and a podcast about her life as a dairy farmer.
Jo Trevaskis of Waiwera and Cindy Lucas, a dairy calf raiser at Bruthen.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
Conference sponsor Meat and Livestock Australia was represented by analysts Simon Quilty, and Robert Hermanns from Mercado discussed the red meat market domestically and globally.
They talked about meat processors that have increased chilled infrastructure capacity in Australia.
In 2024, this increased the weekly beef kill by 13,000 head.
Simon Quilty said a herd rebuild in the United States would lessen beef supply from the US into markets where Australia competes.
Robert Hermanns said Australian cattle were a source of trim meat for US mince.
The increased chilled capacity will have flow-on effects to cow prices.
Luke Droppert, dairy farmer at Wilandra Farms, Clydebank, Lindsay Hamilton from EE Muir & Sons, and Tom O’Leary, NAB.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
Laura Grubb, from Greenham’s, told attendees that dairy cows were strongly sought for trim meat for minced meat in the US.
Professor Richard Eckard updated attendees with knowledge about methane and farm production systems.
Veterinarian Dr Enoch Bergman talked about building a better cow by optimising the success of heifers.
Mitchell Henderson from Farm and Forest Drones, with Lisa and Mal Howlett from Traralgon and Glengarry.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
Herd Solutions veterinarians Dr Alison Gunn and Dr Chelsea Hair.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
Chris Commins, from Swifts Creek, (centre), discussing tractor technology with Max Carroll and Adam Chalmers from Brandt Maffra, conference sponsors.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
Ton van Dijk from Winnindoo, dairy farmer Sandra Jefford from Wilandra Farms, Clydebank and Ron Masin from Rabobank.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
Mark Coleman, Wellington Shire Council, a conference sponsor, and Rick Blackshaw, retired dairy farmer and member of conference organisers, Gippsland Agriculture Group.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
Stuart Bull and Ainsley Smith represented Meat and Livestock Australia, a conference sponsor.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
13°C