This year’s winners of Dairy Australia’s Milk Quality Awards, recognising outstanding milk quality based on bulk milk cell count, were announced this week.
The awards recognise the nation’s top 100 farms for milk quality as well as those farms in the top 5 per cent.
Dairy Australia technical and innovation manager John Penry said the average national bulk milk cell count was 188,000 cells/ml, while those in the top 5 per cent had an average bulk milk cell count of less than 90,000 cells/ml. Dr Penry said that put farms in the top 5 per cent “well and truly below the threshold” stated by processors for premium milk quality.
He said farmers who paid attention to detail and specifically had all people on the farm carrying out best practice management was something that stood out in the award winners this year.
“In the top 5 per cent group, there were 223 farms from all regions of Australia, so it demonstrates … irrespective of where you farm or the kind of farming system you have, the ability to have quality milk is there,” Dr Penry said.
2019 MILK QUALITY AWARDS
TOP 100
Northern Victoria
■ Beex P & J
■ Buckland G & EM
■ C & R cavallaro
■ CL Freemantle Pty Ltd
■ Couston DN & AM
■ Cremin, Helen
■ Daniel MP & JA
■ Darcy BJ & EJ
■ Elmhurst Trust
■ Harvey JP & HL
■ Hibberson C & N
■ Hollingworth GE & BA
and Sharefarmer
■McGowan DJ & AL
■ Jones SG & SJ and Sharefarmer
■ Jones GI & EA
■ M/S KJ & FI Fitzsimmons
■ RA & HJ Doolan Pty Ltd
■ RJ Perkins & SF Evans
■ SJ & AK Christopher
■ TJ & JH Campbell
■ Templeton RB & JM
■ Waters HA
■ Wild NJ
Gippsland
■ AM & DJ Zuidema
■ Araluen Pastoral Holdings P/L
■ Caldermeade Pastoral Co
■ Connelly JA & PF
■ Daryl, Jenny, Troy & Leanne Smethurst
■ Green DG & DL
■ Marco & Rita Payette
■ Moss RP & GM and Sharefarmer
■ Moore TK & Moss SP
■ Noel, Robyn &
Carissa Davis
■ Paul Crea
■ Rinaldi B
■ Rob & Beverley Lade
■ Stuart & Jenny Bland
■ Shane & Isobell Derrick
■ Terri Geary
■ Van Den Broek LW & PJ
Western Victoria
■ A & J Newnham
■ AJ & DW & JA Kordupel
■ Alnor Partners Pty Ltd
■ Ballangeich Run Pty Ltd
■ Beasley TJ & CJ
■ Buckley Andrew
■ Carrakoorte North Pty Ltd
■ CJ & AW Daniel P/L
■ Costin CJ & CL
■ CW & AM Smart
■ D C Johnson Pty Ltd
■ De Jong Farm Trust Farm 1
■ DG & RS Hallyburton
■ Doolan Family Trust
■ Dunn LA & SJ
■ DW, CG, FC &
DL Armstrong
■ Dwyers
■ Elliot H & B
■ Finlayson PA & KM
■ GA & JL Crothers
■ Gardiner M & L
■ Glenmead Pty Ltd ATF Smith Farm Trust
■ Guye A & M
■ GW & TM Stansfield
■ Heatley I & C, Hodson R
■ Hickey Pd
■ Howard Farm Trust
■ IF and CA Haw
■ ID & LJ Ballagh P/L
■ Inglis JS & JMA
■ JF & AM Boyd
■ Kenna JD & AJ
■ Lucas AH
■ Macdeb Enterprises Pty Ltd
■ MD & SA Hinkley Pty Ltd
■ MD & SM Woods
■ Michael & Nicole Uebergang
■ Morey RG & TA
■ NC & V Joiner
■ Nijskens C & M
■ O’Keeffe PG & CJ
■ Pearce DJ
■ Powell Dairy Farms Pty Ltd
■ Robertson AM & TJ
■ Robertson GJ
■ Seabrook IL & MC
■ SJ & AE Watson Pty Ltd
■ Spring Dam Dairying
■ The Trustee for B & R Couch Family Trust
■ Walder RG, CA & CR
■ White J & G
■ Willdarben Farm P/L
■ Willie Hawker Pty Ltd
Western Australia
■ Fitzpatrick L & V
■ H & J & B Harrison
■ Ian & Ruth McGregor
■ J & C Italiano Family Trust
■ Ranchway P/L (R&N May)
NSW
■ Borham PF
■ Farm Prophets Farm Profits Pty Ltd
Queensland
■ Zischke DG, AL, GR & MD
Tasmania
■ Fenton RA & PA & DR
■ Goss MD & JM
■ Heathcote RM & LM
■ Mount Patrick State
■ Schuuring LR & KA
■ Sheffield School
■ Willie TA & Son