SCUDDING rail squalls did not deter more than 400 people attending to make the 20th annual WA Dairy Innovation Day at Northcliffe recently, one of the biggest and best.
The major drawcard was a chance to look over Mat and Sue Daubney's Bannister Downs new The Creamery operation, with its spectacular award-winning building and 350 hectare milking platform around a 24-stand robotic rotary dairy - the first in WA and only the fourth in Australia.
But there was also the bonus of a tour of Wally and Julie Bettinks' Westland Acres new traditional 50-bail rotary with some unique design features incorporated by Wally and their three-pond effluent system which produces water clean enough to wash down the yards with.
Dairy Australia managing director David Nation, who formally opened Dairy innovation Day, acknowledged WA's dairy industry as the smallest of Australia's eight dairy regions but its most profitable and productive based on farmer numbers.
"Wow, standing room only - that is impressive," was Mr Nation's opening comment of the event organised by Western Dairy.
