The project has research activities in inland South-east Queensland and Northern Victoria, with a broad aim to improve farm profitability through increasing milk yield and maintaining feed-related costs.
Farms in both regions are increasingly reliant on conserved forage for feeding cows and reducing exposure to climate variability, so growing combinations of crops with consistent yields and high quality that are cost-effective to grow, and feed is important for driving productivity.
Currently, more investigation is needed into the longer-term effects of forage crop species, crop sequence and time on the productivity and sustainability of existing forage crop production systems.
The research activity in Northern Victoria is exploring the impact of crop-on-crop effects in intensive fodder production systems – offering farmers in the region and beyond vital insights into more sustainable and profitable forage cropping practices. By deeply understanding soil health, nutrient cycling, and optimal crop sequencing, the project provides data-driven strategies to enhance farm resilience and efficiency.
At the heart of Victoria’s C4Milk activity is Dairy Australia team member and Murray region’s Research & Innovation Coordinator, Yvette Williams. Yvette has always been driven by a deep curiosity about the intricate details of dairy farming – a passion that began in her early research days and continues to fuel her work today.
With a PhD from the University of Melbourne focusing on dairy cow nutrition in the Kyabram region, Yvette has spent decades delving into the biology of cows and their digestion processes. As a respected professional on the value of C4Milk, she is committed to ensuring the research remains scientifically robust and practically relevant for dairy farmers in Victoria, and across the country.
“We’ve been fortunate to secure research sites in the Murray region, which allows us to guide the direction of the research. We coordinate the sites, ensure reporting requirements are met, and make sure the science is solid. We’ve designed the experiments well, and they’re progressing as planned,” Yvette explains.
C4Milk is just one example of Dairy Australia’s broader investment in research and innovation. With the loss of major research institutions in Northern Victoria, Dairy Australia is stepping up by collaborating with organisations like the Birchip Cropping Group and the Irrigation Farmers Network. These partnerships facilitate field experiments to test break crop strategies, enhancing crop yield and quality in intensive fodder systems.
One of the key objectives of C4Milk is understanding the cumulative effects of crop rotations over multiple years. Yvette likens this long-term approach to a marathon rather than a sprint.
“It’s about seeing the full picture. A single-year snapshot doesn’t tell us enough. Long-term research helps us understand the true agronomic and economic impacts of intensive cropping systems,” she says.
By integrating data across multiple seasons and different environmental conditions, C4Milk ensures that its findings reflect real-world variability, making the recommendations more robust and applicable to different farming contexts.
Combining scientific findings with practical experience, C4Milk is already offering farmers actionable strategies to improve productivity and resilience. Whether it’s refining crop rotations to improve soil health or optimising fodder systems to boost milk production, the research is providing critical insights that farmers can implement now and in the future.
The science of C4Milk is continuing to grow momentum. The first winter season crops were planted and harvested in 2024, and current summer crops are nearing completion at the irrigated site. This winter will see the last of the rotation strategy treatments applied with a range of different crop types planted at both sites.
“We aim to finish off with several sequential seasons of cereal-based crops to see what residual effects the break crops may have,” explains Yvette.
The project is currently due to end in June 2026. As more data is obtained, Yvette’s focus will shift to addressing the tangible implications and advancements for dairy systems across the Murray region.
By collaborating with leading experts and leveraging the latest research, she is helping to shape a future where dairy farming is not only more productive – but also more adaptable in the face of challenges like climate variability and resource constraints.
“The more we can understand and adapt, the better equipped we’ll be to support our farmers and the industry as a whole,” Yvette says.
Australia’s dairy industry thrives on continuous innovation, and Dairy Australia plays a pivotal role in collaborative research that delivers tangible benefits for farmers.
Through key investments and partnerships, we ensure that research translates into practical solutions, driving productivity, profitability, and sustainability on farms across the country. With a firm commitment to evidence-based progress, Dairy Australia fosters industry-wide collaboration to address key challenges and opportunities, ensuring the Australian dairy sector remains globally competitive.
To find out more about Dairy Australia’s services – including how we are supporting industry through herd and feed innovation initiatives – visit What We Do | Dairy Australia or contact your regional office.
This article has been written in collaboration with Gardiner Foundation.
