Get to know Briar McGowan - Milk Quality Manager

From retail to research farms, this Milk Quality Manager shares how a preventative approach helps support farmers before small issues become bigger ones.

When I finished high school, I didn’t have a clear picture of what I wanted to do next. I worked in retail for a while, but my sister quickly saw it wasn’t the right fit and encouraged me to come and work on-farm with her while she was sharemilking in the Waikato. I didn’t come from a dairy farming background, so starting out as a farm assistant was a steep learning curve. The more I learned though, the more my love for the dairy industry – and cows – grew.

I later worked on DairyNZ’s research farms, which helped cement that dairy was where I wanted my career to be. From there, I headed to Lincoln University and completed a degree in agricultural science. After graduating, I worked in an animal care and husbandry role with DairyNZ before joining the Co-op five years ago as a Sustainable Dairying Advisor. When a Milk Quality Manager role came up a couple years later, I jumped at the chance. It’s a role I’ve loved ever since, with a great mix of milk quality, animal welfare and working alongside farmers.

While milk quality is right there in the job title, our role also supports efficiency, food safety, Farm Dairy Assessments and animal welfare concerns. I work across the South Waikato and Bay of Plenty and split my time between on-farm and at the computer. For me, the best part of the job is getting out on-farm and being in the shed or out in the paddock.

A big focus of the support Fonterra offers is taking a preventative approach where possible and acting fast to get on top of things before they snowball. We’re seeing more farmers wanting to proactively improve their milk quality and milking efficiency, which is where our free support visits come in handy. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes and some simple recommendations can go a long way.

No two days are ever the same, which is something I really enjoy. I like being challenged, especially when farmers ask tough questions or the solutions aren’t exactly clear. I’m lucky to be part of a team with a wide range of experience and strengths. We work together to make sure we’re giving farmers the right support and practical solutions.

Over time, my respect for farmers has only grown. They’re animal husbandry experts, mechanics, pasture specialists, accountants and people managers – often all in the same day. Our role is to support them where needed, especially by helping identify risks early and making practical changes that protect milk quality.

Starting the season strong with good practices and procedures in place and everyone on same page goes a long way in keeping somatic cell count down right from the start. I’d recommend:

• Teat spray springers in the weeks before they calve as teat canals start to open. Extra emollient in the mix will also help get teats in good condition for milking
• Trim tails when entering the colostrum mob to keep udders and teats clean
• Strip colostrum cows daily to pick up infections ASAP
• Be strict when using RMT: use it as your last line of defence – don't put cows in the main herd unless clear. Subclinical mastitis is invisible, so visual assessment of milk isn't enough.