After leaving the dairy industry in 2010, Dave and Joanne Schellen have returned to their roots – this time with their children by their side and a renewed sense of purpose.
Dave, a third-generation dairy farmer and Joanne, a fifth-generation dairy farmer, decided to leave the industry in 2010 due to low milk prices and drought impacting profitability.
But encouraged by their children’s interest in dairy farming, they recommissioned their Cowirra dairy in 2024 and are once again milking their own cows.
“My son Tyson is a butcher – he manages Ponde Meats – and he’s always dreamt of being a dairy farmer. My daughter Kaylee, who’s only 16, wants to show cows, and she’s interested in dairy farming. So it made sense to get back into it,” Dave said.
“For me, milking cows is the easy part of the day – I enjoy it. Milking time is thinking time. We’re going to build the herd back up to milking about 210 cows by July.”
The Schellen dairy is a seven-aside double, and while it’s an older dairy, Dave says it’s a good dairy to manage as it’s easy to clean.
“The dairy doesn’t look flash, but it’s functional. We’ve got grids under where the cows stand and when they crap, it falls through it, and it doesn’t splash. The angle of the dairy is also key – ours is 30 degrees rather than the traditional 45 degrees, which I think is neater and more space efficient,” Dave said.
The Schellens also run about 200 head of beef on their property for the family’s meat business, which is also located on the property.
“There’s a lot to do in a day. Tyson and I run the dairy, my wife Jo looks after the calves, and our daughter Kaylee helps out with milking,” Dave said.
“We’ve just decided to employ a farm hand, because I’m doing 14 or 16-hour days and I need to slow down a bit.”
Dave and Tyson also take care of dairy cleaning and hygiene. “We do a manual wash of the dairy every day to make sure it’s always clean,” Dave said.
“You have to be thorough, as there’s always a spot on a milking machine where you’ll get a buildup. Tyson is good with this as he worked in the meat department of the local IGA for 10 years before starting Ponde Meats.
“We now do a meat audit every six months with Ponde Meats. And with our dairy business, we do an annual audit with Dairysafe audits, which always goes well. Auditors will never complain if you’re making an effort.”
Dave said they are always learning when it comes to food safety.
The Schellen’s milk quality is high, averaging 166,000 cells/mL, and Dave says cow health is also good, which he puts down to being hands-on with his herd.
“We like to have a personal touch with our cows. When you see your cows every day, twice a day, you pick up hard quarters or mastitis a lot quicker,” he said.
“I’ve been milking for more than 40 years, so I feel like I’m pretty perceptive when it comes to cow health.
“It’s not just about the cows, it’s about building something our kids are proud to be part of. That’s what makes the long days worth it.”
