Dairy Systems

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Estimated total time commitment (including non-contact time): 170 hours.

Q Fever

It is a core participation requirement of this subject that students be vaccinated against Q Fever. Do not enrol into this subject if you are unable or unwilling to be vaccinated against Q Fever. For further information please go to: http://students.fvas.unimelb.edu.au/my-studies/q-fever

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit:http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

The Australian dairy industry has the third highest gross value of production of all the primary industries. Dairying is largely concentrated in Victoria (65% of total national production), and uses pasture as the main feed source for lactating animals. Dairy businesses are under increased pressure to maintain profit margins and sustain the quality of natural resources in the face of climatic variability and climate change, decreased water allocations, increased input costs (especially feed grains), labour supply shortages, and volatile milk prices. Meeting these challenges requires sophisticated understanding of how dairy production systems are constructed and managed, and what drives profitability.

In this subject students will:

• Develop an in depth understanding of dairy production systems, and current research issues
• Evaluate the role of the various aspects of dairy systems management within the production systems
• Identify important social, ethical and natural resource management issues in dairy production
• Integrate knowledge from different sources to critically evaluate issues in dairy production systems

• Two ten-minute oral presentations of 10 minutes completed during timetabled classes worth 20% each (total 40%)
• Two 1500-word written assignments due approximately one and three weeks after the conclusion of the intensive, worth 30% each (total 60%)

Holmes, C.W. et al. Milk Production from Pasture (2nd edition). Butterworths

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject students should have developed the following generic skills:

• Academic excellence
• Greater in-depth understanding of scientific disciplines of dairy production systems and their responses to constraints imposed by environments and markets
• Critical thinking and analysis and problem solving
• Flexibility and level of transferable skills should be enhanced through improved ability to communicate ideas effectively in both written and verbal formats

Q Fever

It is a core participation requirement of this subject that students be vaccinated against Q Fever. Do not enrol into this subject if you are unable or unwilling to be vaccinated against Q Fever. For further information please go to: http://students.fvas.unimelb.edu.au/my-studies/q-fever