Sustainable production and processing get results

DAIRY FINALIST 2018: SUSTAINABILITY equals profitability for Scott and Belinda McKillop.

Grass act: Scott and Belinda McKillop, with Rosie the Border Collie, are looking outside the square to lift farm profits.

SUSTAINABILITY equals profitability for Scott and Belinda McKillop.

And it is something the couple, from Dederang in Victoria’s North East, hope will propel their farming business into the future.

The McKillops are one of four farming families to form Australia’s newest co-operative – Mountain Milk Co-operative – with the aim of taking back control of their milk from processors and extracting the best-possible price for their product.

Mountain Milk, which uses the term sustainability frequently in reference to the environment, its business and community and business relationships, last year entered an agreement to supply Freedom Foods.

Scott, 44, and Belinda, 41, run 360 Holsteins, each producing 8200-8300 litres annually, on 200 hectares. They also have a 300-hectare block where they grow fodder, rear heifers and run a beef herd.

When it comes to their dairy herd, good, functional cows that last, milk well and get back in calf are vital ingredients. But the key is a production system focused on pasture management and utilisation.

Scott says having a silage reserve is fundamental to farming in his region, helping manage extremes in weather.

The McKillops see fodder as building resilience into a farming system and helping to manage risk. “You need to have insurance up your sleeve to make sure you can ride out the tougher seasonal conditions,” Scott says.

Smart operators, Scott and Belinda are firm believers that if you do not look after your cows they won’t look after you.

They incorporate state-of-the-art techniques, including genomics, into their breeding program, leading to greater genetic gain.

With “no desire” to increase production if it becomes unprofitable, the family will look to other areas to supplement their income if the need arises.

“You can make changes that will save you money, but if they end up costing you ... in terms of overworking yourselves, it’s kind of counterproductive,” Scott says.

“We have a long-term view of being in the industry.”

Making their business as sustainable as their approach.

FINALISTS: Dairy Farmer of the Year 2018

SCOTT AND BELINDA MCKILLOP, Dederang, VIC

ON FARM: SCOTT AND BELINDA MCKILLOP