Australia is highly regarded as a world-class producer of milk and dairy products. It has one of the most efficient dairy industries in the world, helped by the country’s  lush pastures, disease free cows, recycling of waste products and strict quality control.

Australian dairy farmers depend almost entirely on grass based feed for their herds. Supplementary feeding has increased  however, as well as wider use of higher-yielding pasture  species, with them coming improved productivity. The use  of irrigation water systems by Australian dairy farmers  have been a feature of the last 50 years, as part of improved  pasture management processes.

Markets
The Australian dairy industry exports over $2 million  worth of product each year. Exports are  greatest to Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and  Malaysia. Other important markets are the US, the UK, Saudi  Arabia, Canada and the European Union.

Products
Main exports are milk, milk powder, yoghurt and desserts, butter and cheese. A very successful emerging market is the high quality niche dairy products readily available  in Australia.

Low fat products in particular  are proving extremely popular. Products aimed at sports people,  dieters, the young and the elderly include a range of milks  - flavoured, low fat, calcium and protein rich; luxury dairy  products such as rich ice-creams, fromage- frais varieties  and a wide range of cheeses, including King Island Brie, Gippsland  Blue and cheese with fruit.