As 2024 closes out, it’s timely to reflect on the year. I’ve had a taste this year of what the business feels like in a steady state. We averaged 76 litres of milk a day this year, still not the 90-100 litres we’re aiming for but I’m hopeful of getting there soon, and all the indicators suggest long term viability.
We had slightly above average rainfall of 714mm, with big dumps in January and November and a drier than average autumn and spring. This meant that we didn’t get much growth in the usual times but maintained green cover for longer. Nothing beats green grass for producing milk. Even if it’s poor quality, if the grass is green it increases milk supply. This year’s rain pattern also meant we maintained ground cover reasonably well, and has given a good leg up to the few summer active perennials, which is fantastic.
2024 also marked the sad closure of Holy Goat, my dear friends and mentors. I’ve reinvested in Sellar Dairy buying some large pieces of equipment from Holy Goat: a refrigerated van and chaff cutter, a life time’s worth of cleaning products, a year’s worth of barley and many useful bits and pieces. This leaves no big purchases going forward next year, other than unforeseen maintenance.
As the factory went into its 5th year of running continuously, the first half of this year saw many systems need replacing or maintaining. Some weeks kept Oli very busy with urgent fixes.
The herd has mostly been in good health this year which greatly reduces my stress levels. We had one case of mastitis with Dapper who, thankfully, had just 24 hours of feeling rubbish before she bounced back to her noisy self.
Our main problem to manage was feet. The usual culprits of Joyce, whose feet grew too long without interventions, rubbing incorrectly and creating foot abscesses, and Quartz, whose feet are deformed though that’s only half her issue. For the first time this year we hired a professional foot trimmer and I’m now sold on this approach. Brian from Victorian Hoofcare Services came with his state-of-the-art crush which calmly holds the cow in place while he quickly trims and then glues blocks on the good toe to keep the pressure off the sore one. Brian is a professional at this so much more efficient and effective at the job than I was able to do myself. Hoof trimming has previously been one of the high risk injury jobs for human and cow. Safety is greatly improved by the purpose built crush. Joyce made a quickly recovery, but while Quartz’s foot pain was eased, she still suffers from significant spine and joint pain, and with great sadness we know she is nearing the end of her journey.
We had lots of timely calving this year, confirming that well planned and successful breeding greatly helps maintain a consistent milk supply.
We started the year with baby Jem who was completely rejected by her mother Selenite and left for us to raise. Caring for Jem brought me great joy and love at a time I needed. She then moved to a customer’s property where they are raising her to be a future house cow.
Autumn welcomed the trio of trouble boys – Hendrix from Iggy, Xander from Joyce and Bentonite (Beni) from Quartz. Between them they show the full colour spectrum a Dairy Shorthorn can produce.
Dapper calved Spiffy mid-year. In spring we welcomed our only Dairy breed heifer calf for the year, Vovo, from everyone’s favourite cow, Ginger, and Vovo’s brother Frank Sinatra from Doris Day. Chloe calved Zeus under the new Greek God family line and finally our well loved Cherry snuck through on the 30th of December with Malnuda. Adding Cherry to the herd has been particularly special after losing her mum Olive two years ago.
This brings us to the end of calves sired by external Dairy Shorthorn bulls. Teddy reached active breeding age and we currently await his first calving with Bette Davis who is ready to drop. Having a bull on the farm has been one of the biggest steps forward for Sellar Dairy. The process of loading and transporting on-heat cows to and from the bull for their hot date, used to take me at least half a day. This has now been reduced to a short walk to a different paddock a few hour’s, then back again. Where previously there were many times I couldn’t get them to the bull when my breeding schedule required, now I can stick to the plan. So far Teddy has been a well-behaved boy, never testing the electric fence. Let’s hope he stays that way and produces lots of reasonably sized healthy heifers!
Queen Berta retired from milking in 2024. As the perfect matriarch for the herd, dominant but not mean, welcoming and protective of all new heifers and calves, Granny Berta continues to live with the milking herd. Until there is an obvious good choice to replace her she can keep that title. The next in line via dominance are her two entitled girls, Iggy and Norma, but they are bullies and have not yet learned the finesse required to run a harmonious herd. We also retired Luna earlier in the year to live a life of pleasure at Fi’s farm. Luna was left with only one functional teat due to standing on two and mastitis in her first lactation.
We’ve taken on a third staff member, Thea, this year. While the business can only support two staff, having three leaves a bit more wiggle room when someone’s away or sick. I’m so grateful to be able to share the load and the joy with this team.
With more cows due to calve soon our milk will jump up a level and I will be able to open up some new CSA subscriptions, so if you’re on the waiting list keep an eye out! (Don’t forget your spam folder, in case it goes there.)
One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2025 is to turn my attention to overhauling our website and writing some more blogs detailing the set up and running of Sellar Dairy, so hopefully you’ll be hearing more from me of that front soon.
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