The Connect, Care and Grow Event

On the 25th and 26st of July 2024 Lely Australia hosted our first "Connect, Care, and Grow" event in Gippsland. The goal was to bring together traditional dairy farmers, robotic dairy farmers, and industry professionals to foster insightful discussions, learn from each other, and explore the role of robotics in the dairy industry.

Introduction

The event commenced at the West Gippsland Arts Centre, where attendees were treated to refreshments and had the opportunity to mingle. The event officially began with an introduction to Lely by our Cluster Manager Wil Van Vorstenbosch and Marketing Manager Rene Van Dalen. They gave a joint presentation on how Lely began and the many innovations that have shaped the company.

DLL

Following a short break, Alex Hucker Stewart from De Lage Landen (DLL) presented on the financing possibilities available through DLL. He explained the company’s mission and its benefits for the dairy industry. He then interviewed Rose Atherton, an accomplished dairy farmer from Gippsland who financed her robots through DLL, discussing her experiences and answering audience questions.

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Dairy XL

Lunch followed, offering attendees another opportunity to discuss their insights. Next, Ben Holscher, Global Key Accounts Manager from Lely International, gave a presentation on Dairy XL—a community of large-scale robotic dairy farms. Ben explained that Dairy XL farms are characterised by having eight or more robots or housing over 500 cows, which presents unique challenges requiring specialised support. Ben's team is dedicated to assisting these farms. New entrants to the Dairy XL community were awarded with Red Cow certificates, signed by Ben and the Lely Center manager, in recognition of their achievements. Congratulations to the Willora, Wild Dog, Vening, Radford, Bonnie View, Nangkita, Hicks-Jacobs, Fiander-Moor and Stanvale Farms!

Farmer's Pannel

The final session at the Arts Centre featured a farmer panel with Lisa and Shawn Vening from Gippsland, Asher Jacobs from South Australia and John Van Adrichem from Tasmania.These robotic dairy farmers shared their experiences, benefits, and challenges of implementing robotics, moderated by LC Gippsland Manager Dale Serong.

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Evening Program

In the evening, guests moved to New Masons for drinks and a canapé menu. Rowan Stokes from Wild Dog Dairy Farm in Tasmania gave a brief presentation on his unique setup, milking cows with both rotary and robotic systems while being a share farmer. His testimonial video was followed by a Q&A session. The night included a fun Kahoot quiz on Lely trivia, with winners receiving exclusive Lely merchandise. The evening concluded with farmers and rural professionals enjoying lively conversations and networking.

Williams Farm Visit

Day 2 began with a visit to the Williams dairy farm. Grant and Leesa Williams, innovative dairy farmers from Gippsland, showcased their use of Lely milking robots across two farms. Attendees were divided into three groups: one with Leesa and Greg Cole discussing Leesa’s journey to robotics, another with Grant and Dale Serong discussing grazing with robotics, and the third with Jake Connor and Andrea from LC Gippsland, providing an in-depth look at the Lely Horizon data management system. This station was particularly beneficial for those unfamiliar with the program, as it demonstrated the detailed data sets available for each cow and milking.

Wallace Farm Visit

Afterwards we moved to the next farm, Wallacedale Jerseys. Luke and Mel Wallace from Poowong North, known for their excellent breeding practices, shared their experiences with robotics and the positive impact on their farming life. Rabobank discussed the financial aspects of implementing robotics, while the Strzlecki Lions Club provided a delicious lunch, complemented by milkshakes from Gippsland Jersey. After visiting each station, attendees gathered for more socialising and to thank Luke and Mel for hosting.

Thank you!

We extend our gratitude to Lely Center Gippsland for their exceptional efforts with this event. A special thank you goes to Luke and Mel Wallace, and Grant and Leesa Williams for welcoming us to their remarkable farms. We are also deeply appreciative of the farmers who generously shared their experiences with the attendees throughout the event. Our sincere thanks to our sponsors, DLL, Rabobank, and others, for their unwavering support. We eagerly look forward to the next event!

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