PROFILE OF A HERD IMPROVEMENT SALES REPRESENTATIVE (GENETICS AUSTRALIA)

Matthew lived on a small beef property near Ballarat. He wanted to be a vet, then decided to study agriculture at LaTrobe University when his very good marks weren't quite enough for entry to veterinary science. After a number of years, he decided he wanted a more practical oriented program so transferred to Dookie College, University of Melbourne to study the Bachelor of Applied Science in Agriculture.

Matthew said the style of the Dookie program suited his lifestyle and his career aspirations. During his course he worked with Genetics Australia during the vacation and for the research project requirement.

After graduating, Matthew worked as an Assistant Herd Manager at a 500 cow dairy farm. He said that this job played a significant part in his development and understanding of the industry. He had to put into practise the theory he had learnt in his course and had to become a more responsible person as he played a key role in the farm business.

Matthew moved on to become the Farm Manager for Eureka Breeding Program and the Research and Development Programs at Genetics Australia. The position had many challenges including the care of the surrogate cows for the cloned calves Suzi and Mazi. Matthew said the safe arrival of the calves was a highlight in his career.

After the closure of the Eureka breeding program, Matthew was reassigned to a position as a sales representative at Colac. He had to relocate his home and learn a new part of the industry. Marketing is different to the production side as it involves developing relations with farmers so they trust your advice and you need to become more fluent in public situations and comfortable meeting a wide range of people.

Matthew says that he was always interested in agriculture but until he went to Dookie and learnt more about the opportunities in the dairy industry, he had not considered a career there. He thinks the dairy industry has a big future with the increasing size of operations with the need for more skilled staff.