InCalf is the national learning project to improve fertility in Australian dairy herds. Since its inception in 1996, InCalf has evolved through several phases – research, product development, advisor training and delivery to farmers.

Harris Park Group took over the management of the InCalf project in 2007, and our challange has been to review InCalf’s technical messages and resources and deliver them in a format that dairy farmers could most readily apply to their daily activities.

Our approach

Harris Park Group has developed a series of seasonal campaigns to reach a large number of dairy farmers, each based on a single aspect of herd fertility management.

Underlying each campaign is the ‘you can do it’ message. The technical message is deliberately simple and achievable.

Each campaign is based around:

• a ‘rule of thumb’ – an action trigger that is easy to remember and apply to a specific dairy herd
• ‘engaging advisers’ – one-on-one personal calls to inform advisers of the message and to leave a simple information kit to support conversations between advisers and farmers
• reminder products for farmers (e.g. post card or fridge magnet) to turn intention into action
• a media program to create awareness
• optional extra information which is readily accessible via the website. 

 

The first campaign – "Bulls: power up!" – rolled out in spring 2008

Subsequent campaigns have included, "Heifers: big girls XL" and "Cows in colour".