As 2023 draws to a close, South Africa’s dairy sector has reason to look back with mixed feelings. The year brought major changes, serious challenges and important opportunities, leaving a clear mark on the industry. For farmers, the pressures were not abstract: scheduled and unscheduled load-shedding, climate extremes that brought floods in some areas and severe drought in others, rising fuel prices, animal diseases and vaccine shortages, and international wars that pushed costs higher. These pressures arrived alongside challenges specific to dairy, including changing consumer preferences and misleading claims about milk production circulating on social media.
The practical lesson is not that farmers can control every disruption. It is that preparation, sound management and strong relationships can help farms respond more effectively when conditions change.
Prepare before the pressure peaks
Seasonal planning offers one straightforward example. A change from autumn to winter is a busy transition, particularly for dairy-cow rations. The advice is to start early: the longer preparation is delayed, the harder it becomes to manage the transition, and the risk of winter feed shortages can add to existing concerns. Early preparation gives a farmer time to make adjustments, address problems before they become urgent and secure enough raw materials.
That preparation should include checking feed stores and keeping a close eye on nutrition management. Body-condition management, feed-flow planning and ration management all matter. Cold temperatures and changes in the nutritional value of pasture affect what cows need, so rations may have to be adapted to help animals maintain condition and production. Where the best option is uncertain, work through the alternatives with a nutritionist and choose a solution suited to the herd.
This same readiness mindset applies beyond winter feeding. In a year marked by animal disease and shortages of some vaccines, the importance of a complete vaccination programme developed in consultation with a veterinarian was emphasised. Shortages led some farmers to use unregistered vaccines, but veterinarians warned that farmers should use registered vaccines only. Reliable planning with professional support is preferable to making rushed decisions when a health issue becomes urgent.
Treat sustainability as a route to better farming
Sustainability requirements can feel like an additional burden, but they can also create an opportunity to improve the efficiency and overall profitability of a farm. That was the message from Niel Wilke, winner of the 2023 MPO Nedbank Stewardship Awards. He encouraged fellow farmers to invest in sustainable practices rather than viewing the associated requirements only as a sword hanging over their heads.
The awards, held annually in partnership with The Dairy Mail and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), recognise farmers who go the extra mile to farm sustainably. Their work combines commitment and innovation in managing the environment, protecting their legacy and advancing the dairy industry. MPO chief executive Fanie Ferreira said the 2023 awards had been a success, that the process had taught the organisers a great deal, and that they looked forward to expanding the project in 2024.
The broader point is that environmental responsibility need not sit apart from business performance. Wilke’s perspective encourages farmers to consider sustainable practices as investments in farm effectiveness and long-term viability, while recognising that the sector still needs to learn and adapt.
Build resilience through people and trust
A farm is more than its cows, water, grass, rocks and roads. Its people can make or break the enterprise. The everyday work of milk producers, employees and families carries the product along its journey to consumers, yet their sacrifices can be easy to overlook when attention is fixed on producing quality milk. Farmworkers may live in surrounding communities and experience the impact of long hours, seasonal conditions and the effort of completing skills programmes. They are part of the industry and its stewardship.
Investing in good relationships with the workforce is practical, not merely generous. The episode’s passage notes that good relationships can lead to increased profits and that people flourish in a workplace where relationships are good. It also points to the value of listening to different perspectives: people on a farm may see different ways to solve complicated problems. Recognising staff, family members and colleagues—and making room for their ideas—can strengthen the cooperation that daily farm work depends on.
The industry’s wider support network matters too. The Milk Producers’ Organisation (MPO) works with members and staff to share information, develop workforce skills, support industry needs and contribute to a sustainable environment. Fanie Ferreira likewise points to inspiration across the sector: conservation scientist Sue Viljoen has worked with the dairy industry since 2014, after more than 16 years in the conservation NGO sector, while researcher Dr Heinz Meissner has contributed to dairy farming research for decades. Families and loyal workers are among the industry’s often-unrecognised heroes as well.
Respond to change without losing sight of the facts
Dairy is changing quickly, with new technologies and scientific breakthroughs emerging as the industry seeks to produce more milk sustainably with fewer resources. At the same time, online platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram have become information sources for some consumers and channels through which false claims about dairy can spread. The 2023 review also described changing consumer preferences and the growth of products labelled as dairy alternatives that contain no milk.
These developments make credible information and clear communication important. The sector’s response should not be to dismiss the need to protect the planet: the year-end reflection recognises that there is only one Mother Earth and that everyone should do what they can to protect it. Instead, it calls for farmers and the industry to show how responsible practices can support both environmental care and a viable dairy business.
Looking ahead, the year’s difficulties offer a useful checklist: plan feed and seasonal transitions early, work with nutritionists and veterinarians, use registered vaccines, invest in sustainable practices, and recognise the people whose skills and commitment keep farms going. None of these steps removes uncertainty. Together, however, they can help the dairy industry meet change with better preparation, stronger relationships and a clearer sense of opportunity.
Key points
- Start seasonal feed planning early, check supplies and adapt rations with a nutritionist to protect cow condition and production.
- Develop vaccination programmes with a veterinarian and use registered vaccines, even when shortages create pressure.
- Treat sustainable practices as investments that can support farm efficiency and profitability.
- Build good workforce relationships, recognise farm families and staff, and make use of their perspectives.