The University of Sydney Page 1

Past, present and future research in dairy production

Sergio (Yani) Garcia Dairy Symposium 2017

Port Macquarie, NSW

The University of Sydney Page 2

Outline

Past Present Future

The University of Sydney Page 3

Dairy Research

Foundation (DRF)

DRF

Re

se

arc

h a

nd T

ea

chin

g

Ind

ustr

y

Dairy Science

CIAG

The University of Sydney Page 4

The University of Sydney Page 5

FutureDairy’s FEEDBASE journey…

Complementary

forage rotations

Complementary

forage systems

Commercial farms

(Hunter Valley, N. Vic)

N & Water

use

efficiency

The University of Sydney Page 6

Key achievements of FutureDairy (Feedbase)

22 ton

utilised

DM/ha

40 ton

utilised

DM/ha

28,000 L /ha

from home-

grown feed

7,700 L /cow

with 1 ton/cow of

grain

Brassica

Legume

Maize

CFS

CFR

The University of Sydney Page 7

FutureDairy’s AMS journey…

Pasture-based

AMS

Co-

development

of AMR

Large-herds

Adoption

barriers

The University of Sydney Page 8

Associate Professor

Kendra Kerrisk

The University of Sydney Page 9

Legacy AMR: more options for Australian farmers

The University of Sydney Page 10

Legacy

AMS Large

Herd Guidelines

The University of Sydney Page 11

Over 70 scientific papers

Over 40 Technical Notes

and articles

Over 3,000 media hits

The University of Sydney Page 12

Dr Cameron Clark

The University of Sydney Page 13

Education through science

Mariana Pedernera

(PhD)

Helen Smith (PhD)

Daniel Dickeson

(MSc)

Rene Kolbach(MSc)

Kamila (PhD)

PanchaShrestha

(MSc)

RavnetKaur (PhD)

BertinKabore(MSc)

Santiago Fariña(PhD)

Nico Lyons (PhD)

SharanikaTalukder

(PhD)

Michael Campbell

(PhD)

Tori Alexander

(PhD)

Ash Wildridge

(PhD)

MomenaKathun(PhD)

Ali Green (PhD)

Alex John (PhD)

MardhatiMohamed

(PhD)

Helen Golder (PhD)*

Rachael Rodney (PhD)*

Juan Molfino(PhD)

Meagan Douglas (PhD)

Stuart Scott (PhD)

John Gardenier

(PhD)

The University of Sydney Page 14

Current research areas

AMS (FutureDairy)

Health & welfare

Feedbase

Barriers to adoption

Extension & training

Address complexity

HEADS: High Efficiency Automated Dairy Systems

MLADC

RRDFP/ Virtual

fencing

Smart Automation

The University of Sydney Page 15

Current projects

Ash Wildridge(PhD)

Momena Kathun(PhD)

Ali Green (PhD) Alex John (PhD)MardhatiMohamed (PhD)

Juan Molfino(PhD)

Meagan Douglas (PhD)

Stuart Scott (PhD)

John Gardenier(PhD)

Dr Sabrina Lomax

Heat stress

Cow traffic

(AMS)

Mastitis

(AMS)

Cow

behaviour

(AMS/CMS)

Cow feeding

& traffic

(AMS)

Cow intake

(AMS/CMS)

Cow

efficiency

(AMS)

Pasture

quality

(AMS/CMS)

Data

(AMS/CMS)

Lameness

(AMS/CMS)

Virtual

fencing

(AMS/CMS)

The University of Sydney Page 16

Health and welfare phenotypes

Health &

welfare

The University of Sydney Page 17

Lameness phenotype

John

Gardenier,

PhD student

(Engineering)

The University of Sydney Page 18

Li-dar - stereo cameras – machine learning - neural networks

The University of Sydney Page 19

Tolerate

Minimise

Avoid

Dr Sabrina

Lomax

Virtual fenceFeed

The University of Sydney Page 20

Pasture height

with stereo-

cameras

20.6 cm 12.0 cm 6.7cm

Li, Underwood,

Clark, Islam y

Garcia 2016

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0

1

2

3

4

5

High Medium Low

Ste

reo C

am

era

(m

)

DM

Yie

ld (

g)

DM Yield Stereo Camera Height

Feed-base

The future: opportunities

The University of Sydney Page 22

Automatic milking systems (AMS)

• Economic narrative

• Extension & training

• Addressing complexity

Address barriers to

adoption through:

The University of Sydney Page 23

‘Smart’ Automation

Data capture

Data Analysis

Optimisation

Automated action

Measurable change

• Strategically directed

• Tailored to individual needs

• Self-learning

• Linked to automated action

✓✓✓

✓✓✘

✘

✘

The University of Sydney Page 24

How will future

generations of farmers

produce milk?

The University of Sydney Page 25

The University of Sydney Page 26

sergio.garcia@sydney.edu.au

The University of Sydney Page 27

The Dairy Research Foundation’s2017 Symposium

26th July 2017

Port Macquarie NSW

#drfsymposium

The University of Sydney Page 29

PérdidasLosses

15-20 vs 40 ton

The University of Sydney Page 30

Lots of practical messages…

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

0 124246354484 0 124246354484 0 124246354484 0 124246354484

0 33 66 100

Fo

rag

e y

ield

(t

DM

/ha

)

Nitrogen (kg/ha)

Tota

l a

nnua

l yie

ld (to

n D

M/ha

)

Maize

R Islam & SC Garcia, FutureDairy

Brassica

Legume

Irrigation (%)

The University of Sydney Page 31

The Concept

Voluntary

Milking

Unit

Cow entry

A position: Robotic

arm attaching cups

to cow on the right

bail.

B position:

Robotic arm

retractedBail C is

always vacant

Cow s may exit at any

time after milking is

f inished and cups

removed automatically