New feeding infrastructure expands large-scale trials of methane-reduction solutions in commercial-like dairy systems.
Tasmania’s dairy sector has taken a significant step toward methane mitigation research with a major upgrade to the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture’s (TIA) Dairy Research Facility at Elliott, designed to enable large-scale testing of emissions-reducing feed strategies. The enhancement transforms an ordinary commercial feeding setup into a purpose-built research system capable of delivering multiple feed supplements directly to cows during milking, offering a more precise and flexible platform for trials.
The newly installed supplementary feed facility allows researchers to administer four different dietary treatments under controlled conditions, expanding their ability to evaluate the impact of low-emissions feed additives on methane production, cow health and milk output. According to Dr James Hills, Livestock Production Centre leader at TIA, this capability means trials can now run over extended periods and at a scale that closely mirrors commercial dairy operations, supporting more reliable data and actionable insights.
The new state-of-the-art dairy equipment helps process grain on-site for first time. Image / Pulse (File)
Beyond trial flexibility, the upgrade includes key infrastructure — a new feed silo, relocated silos, a feed head inside the dairy, a disk mill and auxiliary equipment — enhancing on-farm processing capacity. Farm manager Andrew Marshall noted that the facility can now process grain on-site for the first time, reducing reliance on imported feed and lowering operational costs, as well as providing opportunities to source grain from local Tasmanian growers.
The Dairy Research Facility, which milks about 350 cows across six separate mob systems, is nationally recognised for its pasture-based research focused on sustainable, profitable dairy production. It is uniquely equipped in Australia to run multi-herd “farmlet” systems under commercial pasture conditions, enabling comparative research across different nutrition and management scenarios while maintaining relevance to real farm environments.
The facility milks 350 cows across six separate mob research systems
For dairy producers, processors and international analysts focused on reducing greenhouse gas footprints, this research expansion offers a critical opportunity to advance practical, science-based methane mitigation strategies. By enabling more accurate assessment of feed additives and their effects on emissions and productivity, Tasmania’s upgraded facility contributes to broader industry efforts to balance climate commitments with dairy economics and on-farm performance.
Source: Pulse Tasmania – https://pulsetasmania.com.au/news/tasmania-dairy-research-facility-upgraded-to-trial-methane-solutions/
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