With dairy opening prices set, Murray Dairy’s Focus Farm open day at Whorouly was well timed as suppliers finalise their season plans.
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It was the second open day for Elise and John Pethybridge, who run a milking herd of 220 at Whorouly South.
About 70 people attended, with presentations from dairy consultants John Mulvany and Phil Shannon as well as the Pethybridges.
“I think people were positive. There’s no point being negative. You’ve got to be a bit of realist in the industry,” Mr Pethybridge said.
“Things are looking better. They’re not looking really amazing but they are looking better.”
The open day came the same week Murray Goulburn, which the Pethybridge’s supply, bowed to market pressure and upgraded its farmgate milk price to 5.20/kg of milk solids after opening at $4.70kgms two weeks ago.
The opening MG price was followed by offers above $5 from competitors, including Fonterra, Bega Cheese and Warrnambool Cheese and Butter, all keen to attract suppliers from MG.
Murray Dairy extension coordinator Ross Read said farm finances, stocking rates and herd reproduction performance were among topics covered at Wednesday’s event.
“It was a good day for people to get off farms and really get back to having a chat and understanding that everyone’s a bit in the same boat, whether it’s floods, drought or milk price,” Mr Read said.
The Focus Farm open day brought not only dairy farmers together but also more than two dozen support services to share experiences and advice.
Mr Read said it enabled operators to re-focus on their own farm production.
“It’s really about concentrating on your own business and what you can control, and trying to limit the outside noise about what’s going on,” he said.
“We can’t influence milk price, grain price, hay price. What you can do is work out how they’re going to affect your business and how to manage those risks.
“It’s really about concentrating on what your business needs to do and then the rest will sort itself out.
“Trying to chase an extra 10 cents here or there might actually end up costing you 20 cents.”