Thread: Last Dairy farm in Biggenden closes down

Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

Bob, when I was a boy in Winton most properties had milk cows or goats. The bigger ones even employed a "cowboy" to look after the cows/goats and do odd jobs. Sometimes called a cowboy-gardener in job ads. Cowboys were often anything but a boy usually an older gent in need of less energetic employment and shelter. In those tougher times not many townspeople had refrigeration (or even electricity) so goats were popular. The shire council even had a couple of stud stinkers to improve the local flock.

I remember the goats around Longreach, they used to pull billy carts. Not sure, but I think the go with dairy cattle was the country wasn't good for them, and the little feed present was to go to the money makers, sheep and cattle. This is around Hughenden and Ilfracombe, then again maybe the owner was a tightwad. Memory does fade a bit over the years.

I think you are right - dairy cows need a lot of good feed all year round, without having to do too much walking to get it - and unless you buy it in, you don't have it in that part of the country. Or, indeed, almost anywhere inland, unless you have irrigation, which supports the dairy industry in northern Victoria, for example. But with the Murray-Darling plan, the cost of water has got too high for that to keep going much longer.

Most stations we delivered mail to had a milking cow or two or some goats. Usually kept on some good going and handy to the homestead. Not necessarily a dairy cow usually a beef breed. Many otherwise pure sheep stations kept some cattle to provide beef for the table (or lifted a cleanskin or two from the neighbours).

Probably a majority of households in Winton town then in the days of meat safes and ice chests had milking goats. Usually penned up on the back of the house block overnight and the children would take the goats down to the town common for the day. These were well handled and usually quite docile and would just about come home themselves for afternoon milking (and feeding).

Goat meat was not uncommon. Nice slow roast in the wood stove of a shoulder or leg of young goat fattened for the table.

A friend now retired had an Angora goat stud near Tiaro. After the initial boom in business by people establishing an Angora wool flock his market was mostly tree changers and near city acreage dwellers who fell in love with the "cute little goats". Fencing these little buggers in was a continual challenge. He used a 6' mesh fence with barb top and bottom. The agile little ones could leap up onto the top of a fence post, turn around, then walk along a top wire like a circus acrobat. Hence barbed top wire.

Drought and low milk prices push dairy farmers to the brink

Drought and low milk prices push dairy farmers to the brink | Australia news | The Guardian

Originally Posted by scarry

I don't think goats would get through the dog fences ......

......The scrub is also cleared minimum 6M each side of the fence.

Oh,and our dog loves to roll in those warm fresh cow pats.

Good idea clearing the scrub as goats can climb trees.

Dogs are funny like that, my mates dogs run outside and roll in the chicken droppings as soon as he finishes bathing them.

My understanding of the price that milk is sold at the shop has nothing to do with how much the farmer gets.

The farmer sells his milk to a processor. The supermarkets then negotiate with the processor.

World pricing plays a big part in it.

My local processor, Tatura Milk Industries(TMI) which is now owned by Bega Cheese, has to pay the farmers what is a sustainable price for them.

TMI does not sell milk. They make cheese, butter and baby formula, with most of it going to China.

I am unemployed at present as I was laid off (along with about 6 other drivers) from my job as a tanker driver picking up farmers milk, due to the drought and TMI losing a few farmers going elsewhere.

Originally Posted by d2dave

My understanding of the price that milk is sold at the shop has nothing to do with how much the farmer gets.

The farmer sells his milk to a processor. The supermarkets then negotiate with the processor.

I haven’t chatted to my dairy farmer mate about pricing for some time......

From memory he is with dairy farmers.....the sign a contact for x cents per liter on an agreed quota that a different amount for milk over and above the quota.

Agree, a change of price at the shop probably doesn’t change the price at the gate.

Now, before vitriolic blatherings begin, let me just say, "I know there is a politician in this. I know there's an election looming. I know the Federal Goverment was a major cause of the dairy debacle. I know said politician makes no promises, etc. etc."

Just listen to Joe!

Peter Dutton - The Last Dairy Farmer in the Region | Facebook