Staying up-to-date with data and technology has been a key to success. Photos: Genetics Australia.
The best part of farming for Chris Place has been riding behind his cows as he brings them in to milk every night.
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Twenty years ago, he may have been thinking about which ones to cull; today it’s more about how good they look and how much they will be adding to the vat.
Chris Place welcomed a recent Zimbabwean dairy delegation to his Tesbury farm.
“Years ago, I used to say we should get rid of those last 20 cows, now it’s ‘gee they’re looking good’,” he said.
“It’s very satisfying.”
Chris Place follows the Herd App for his data.
All that comes to an end on December 17 when the farm and highly ranked milking herd Chris has developed with his brother Peter are handed over to new owners.
Chris, 72, and his wife Diana, are retiring to Camperdown and Peter, 65, is also retiring, although the brothers have another property they will use for beef and raising 200 young stock.
Chris said farming today was like chalk and cheese compared to when he started 55 years ago.
“I’d like to think it’s easier, but it’s not,” he said.
“We seem to be working more hours than we used to, but we’re seeing the results.
“Cows have changed so much in the past 20 years.
“They’re more akin to athletes now days.
“They have to be looked after.
“They’re completely different to the animals we were looking after 20 years ago, but production wise, they’re probably 50 per cent better.”
It’s not uncommon for their cows to produce 50 litres, and most mature cows do over 40 litres, with strong components.
“When we had milk contracts 50 years ago, we struggled to keep above the 3.6 per cent fat minimum, today we never drop below 4.2,” Chris said.
The dairy has been constantly updated to keep abreast of new technical advances.
He attributes the improvement to well-researched sire selection, genetics, genomics, nutrition and attention to detail.
A nutritionist has also helped over the past eight years.
“That has definitely helped herd health, fertility and production,” Chris said.
“With the nutritionist, we’ve gone from 20 per cent empty cows down to eight per cent.
“We’re looking after our cows much better and that’s probably why we’re working so many hours.
“When I started farming, we fed out hay for two or three months of the year and that was it.
“Now, we’re feeding silage, hay, grain for nine months and supplementary feeding in the dairy.”
Chris Place and his brother Peter have built up one of the top Holstein herds in Australia.
The brothers have always embraced technology and supported the herd improvement industry, regularly progeny testing in the past, then using genomics, and favouring about 75 per cent Australian genetics.
Chris and Peter’s herd was number 17 BPI and HWI and number 18 SI after the August ABV release.
Chris expects their ranking in the December ABVs to improve with some prime heifers coming into the system.
They usually rear 150 or more heifer calves and genomically test them at two-weeks-old.
They sell the bottom 50, but Chris points out they are still better than the national average.
They sold heifers below 300 BPI last year and this year didn’t keep anything under 350BPI.
The need for modern technology became apparent about 30 years ago.
“We had been milking more than 350 cows in a 15-a-side herringbone dairy that was taking seven hours a day so we went to a rotary,” Chris said.
They later added automated cup removers, identification, feeding and drafting with a MISTRO shed management program, and are staunch advocates of activity monitors.
They started registering cows about 25 years ago and about a decade back decided to register the whole herd, with information going back 55 years.
After participating in the GINFO project, Chris was inspired to expand use of genomic testing, which he describes as a game-changer.
Using artificial insemination, except for some mop-up Jersey bulls for yearling heifers, and sexed semen has been hugely beneficial.
“Sexed semen has given us an extra 50 or 80 heifer calves a year which has made an enormous difference to our herd and our ability to keep the best,” Chris said.
“I support the Australian industry.”
“I generally pick the top four bulls available in Australia, and then some imported bulls. The Australian cattle are as good as anywhere.”
The Carenda stud from Western Australia is a particular favourite.
“They have produced some magnificent bulls and I’m currently milking 45 Varley heifers, and they are probably the best heifers I’ve ever seen.”
In retirement, Chris and Diana hope to do more travel and Carenda is on the agenda.
They also welcome visiting farmers and recently hosted a Genetics Australia Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers delegation.
“They were very interested in the Herd Data app on my phone, how we were feeding our cows and the quality of our pastures,” Chris said.
The Place family farming dynasty started with Chris’ grandfather coming from England as a soldier settler after World War I, settling on a neighbouring farm to where Chris farms in Tesbury.
Chris’s father Bernard had 10 children — including six sons who became dairy farmers.
“They had 10 kids and were making a living on 100 cows,” Chris points out.
Chris started farming on his own and was joined about 10 years later by Peter, forming a partnership that has continued until their retirement.
Throughout the farm’s tenure it has continued to supply Fonterra with their milk being used to make Western Star butter.
Leaving will be a bit emotional, but the time is right.
“My 72-year-old shoulders have said they’ve had enough of milking,” Chris said.
While other family members will continue the Place connection to dairying into a fourth generation, Chris and Diana’s three children didn’t want to farm.
“Our children have seen us working seven-days-a-week for 40 years and decided that’s not for them,” Chris said.
“Although it’s hard, I do like the lifestyle.
“Once you get your farm and herd up to a certain standard, you can sit back and look at it and be proud.”
Chris hopes young farmers entering the industry talk to other farmers, listen to sage advice, and use technology to make things enjoyable and easier.
“If there are parts of the farm that need fixing, fix them. You have to enjoy what you’re doing, not struggle through it.”
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