With plenty to do on this family milking operation smartphone technology to monitor cow movements has proved a vital and secure time saving
For the Bevan dairy farming family who supply Dairy Farmers, their move into smartphone-linked technology is having a big impact.
Fifth-generation dairy farmer Henry Bevan farms with his wife Anna and two younger siblings in the Tablelands Queensland, has found the technology has been life changing.
The GPS ear tag technology implemented on the Bevan farm can track the activity of each cow in their herd, revolutionising the way that the farmers monitor the health and welfare of their cows through real-time insights delivered straight to their smartphone.
Taking care of their animals, combined with spending more time together as a family is a priority for the Bevan family, so introducing a technology-based herd tracking system made possible through grants provided by Bega’s Better Farms Program*, has been a game changer.
The Better Farms Program is run by Dairy Farmers’ parent company, Bega, and supports eligible dairy farmers’ big ideas to continue moving Aussie dairy forward and makes up to $1.1 million dollars’ worth of financial grants available to eligible dairy farmers in its network through the program each year.
So far, over 620 projects have been completed since the program’s inception in 2018.
Adopting current age farming practises for the Bevan family means they can keep their herd’s wellness front and centre, continue to improve the sustainability of their farm and its productivity, and still have time to spend together.
This includes the kids’ favourite activity – meeting Dad and the cows for a picnic in the paddock.
“Monitoring cows from afar while still being on top of all the health alerts allows Henry to spend time with the kids and myself making really important memories. The family loves to gather for a picnic in the paddock, especially if it has been a busy day,” Anna Bevan says.
“Being able to utilise programs like Better Farms makes it more achievable for the everyday dairy farmer to move to methods and practises that will see us continue farming for many generations to come.
“What we love most about dairying is doing it together, but even more than that – we just love being able to supply the Aussie-owned Dairy Farmers milk brand,” Anna Bevan added.
The dairy industry is a vital contributor to regional Australia, and Bega’s iconic dairy brands, such as Pura, Dairy Farmers and Masters are produced locally in regions from Morwell in Victoria, across country New South Wales and to Malanda in Far North Queensland, as well as West Australia, South Australia, Tasmania.
A final word from Bega Group’s Head of Milk Supply Glenn Bake, “Next time you’re in the dairy aisle, we encourage you to choose Dairy Farmers. It’s milk that means more, for Australians, for our farming families and our local communities.
“Your choice can make more of a difference than you think and can help Bega Group in supporting the Aussie dairy industry,” Glenn Bake concluded.
This program has delivered over 620 grants, with $1,927,688 dollars granted to eligible dairy farmers since its inception in 2018. Bega’s Better Farms Program provides financial grants to eligible dairy farmers with milk supply agreements with Bega Group or other Program participants. You can find out more at www.betterfarms.com.au.
