Sustainability of Dairy Industry
Sustainable dairying occurs when there is a balance between social, economic and environmental goals. Dairy farmers are innovators in applying environmentally friendly practices and pursuing new technologies as their businesses and ultimately their livelihood depend on their dairying practices being sustainable. Dairy farming will not be sustainable if natural resources are degraded to boost farm income; nor is dairy farming sustained if economic and environmental pressures make it unfeasible to farm profitably. The dairy industry has shown leadership in developing the Dairy Industry Strategy for Sustainable Environmental Management, with its vision of “enjoyable, profitable dairy farming that looks after the environment for future generations of farmers. Dairy farming is an attractive and respected land use in pastoral environment”. The most successful the strategy is, the greater the risk of it being undermined by bad environmental or welfare practice. Domestic pressure can be a more significant influence than international market demands.
- Breeding practices in dairy farm
- Condensed, dried milks and by-products
- Determination of heat stability
- Financial performance of spring-calving, pasture-based dairy farms
- Cattle dehorning procedures and ethical concerns
- Automatic Miliking System (AMS)/ Robotic milking facilities