Dairy farms impacted by bushfires may need to temporarily relocate milking cows to an alternative farm where they can continue to be milked. This can be a short term emergency arrangement or a longer term business agreement.
Bega Cheese and Saputo Dairy Australia have agreed to facilitate cow parking arrangements between farms in fire-affected areas. Farmers with milking cows requiring relocation or farms able to offer cow parking for milking cows should contact these processing companies directly.
‘Cow parking’ refers to the relocation of milking cows from their farm of origin to an alternative farm where they continue to be milked but ownership is not transferred. This may occur under short term emergency arrangements to provide immediate relief from natural disasters, feed or water scarcity. Alternatively, it may be undertaken as a formal, long term business agreement which requires additional considerations. Whilst cow parking can provide immediate solutions to feed and water availability, there are several factors that need to be considered when evaluating the suitability of these arrangements in order to minimise the associated biosecurity and financial risks.
Cow parking carries a high risk of introducing mastitis bacteria and/or other animal diseases and should be avoided wherever possible. However during crisis situations it may be the only viable option to get cows milked.
Read this fact sheet with information on milk quality and animal health considerations associated with cow parking (including vaccinations and traceability requirements).
If you require assistance with cow parking or can offer this service, please contact:
Bega Cheese T: 02 6491 7787
Saputo Dairy Australia T: 03 9040 5000
Requests and offers for agistment of non-milking animals in Victoria should be directed to Victorian Farmers Federation T: 1300 882 833
For information on more support services for farmers affected by bushfires, please click here.
Source: Dairy Australia