Dairy cattle

Steve Duncan, Livestock Farms Manager, and Dustin Dowrick, Dairy Manager, lead a skilled group passionate about animal welfare, innovation and the future of sustainable dairy farming.

The dedicated team—equivalent to 8.5 full-time roles, each working a standard 36.25-hour week—manage daily operations across the dairy, calf rearing and feed systems.

Approximately 450 Holstein-Friesian (85%), Brown Swiss (5%), and HF × BS crossbreeds (10%), including milkers and dry cows.

225 heifers maintained as replacement stock for herd sustainability.

Producing approximately 3 million litres of milk annually, all supplied to Norco, Australia’s last major dairy co-operative.

Average production is 8,000 litres per cow, with milk solids of 4.0% fat and 3.3% protein.

Calving pattern

Seasonal calving from January to October.

Strategic use of sexed semen for elite cows, conventional for mid-tier, and beef semen for the lower tier, with Holstein bulls used for clean-up.

Beef calf rearing

Rather than sending bobby calves for slaughter, UQ Gatton raises them as beef animals, providing an alternative model that supports animal welfare and delivers valuable research and teaching outcomes.

This program contributes to our broader goals in ethical livestock management, while offering students practical experience in integrated dairy–beef production systems.

600ML of on-campus water storage, including overland flow, recycled water (150ML) and bore access.

Infrastructure includes 16ha of solid set, 3 lateral booms (12, 30, 35ha) and 2 centre pivots (15, 35ha).

Nutrient plans developed via soil testing with an agronomist.

Applications include both synthetic fertiliser and organic manure/compost on pastures and cropping areas.

Herd managed in groups (transition, fresh, late lactation) with tailored feeding.

Total mixed ration (TMR) includes cereal silage, grain, protein meals and lucerne, adjusted monthly or by ingredient availability.

The dairy’s forage program supports year-round feeding with a mix of permanent and seasonal crops. Permanent pastures are predominantly kikuyu-based, over-sown with annual ryegrass during the cooler months to maintain productivity.

Annual grazing crops such as ryegrass/clover mixes, forage oats, forage barley, lablab and forage sorghum are grown to complement the pasture base. Lucerne is cultivated for both hay and silage, providing a high-quality fibre source.

Silage crops include corn and forage sorghum during summer and wheat and barley in winter. This diverse cropping system allows flexibility in feed planning and ensures consistent supply of homegrown feed for the herd.

The dairy operates a total mixed ration (TMR) feeding system, with rations fed twice daily to support consistent intake and performance.

The herd is managed in production groups—transition, fresh and late lactation—with tailored diets reviewed monthly or as ingredients change.

Rations include homegrown silage, cereal grains, protein meals, lucerne hay and mineral supplements, balanced for fibre, starch, sugars and crude protein.

Grain and protein meals are forward-purchased and processed through a computerised disc mill. A mixer wagon blends rations for feed pad delivery.