TALKING dairying with Mick and Paula Hughes, the subject ultimately swings to profitability.
The couple, with their children Robbie, 8, and Jorja, 4, lease 85ha plus a run-off block of 57ha and own their 270-head, predominantly Holstein, herd.
Every blade of grass becomes important in achieving cheaper milk production, especially with their goal of farm ownership.
"Because we lease everything, we want to see every hectare working," Mr Hughes said.
"We want to see everything working as high as possible, hence the higher stocking rates ... within reason."
Farming at Willow Grove, in Gippsland, the family have owned their cows for four lactations and want to expand their asset base, with plans to milk up to 300 cows.
"We will try and grow our asset - young stock and cows," Mr Hughes said.
Despite achieving 372kg of milk solids per cow a year, Mr Hughes would rather talk about profitability in terms of production per hectare.
Last season they produced 1064kg MS/ha and the family hopes to push this higher through more cows, rather than an increase in production per cow.
Mr Hughes stressed that pasture, as the "cheapest" source of feed, would continue to be the driver behind improving returns.
Each milking cow receives 861kg of grain a year.
Most of the Willow Grove farm has been sown to rye grass and this year the family cut 320 wet tonnes of silage from about 50ha of their total leased land.
A 1.6ha chicory crop has also been trialled this year in an attempt to control barley grass. However, Mr Hughes said the weather had not been "favourable" for it.
Since Mr Hughes started dairying as a 16-year-old he has had his mind set on farm ownership.
The family has signed on as one of the new GippsDairy Focus Farms and Mr Hughes hopes the information, ideas and support that will come with having their farm data tracked for two years will help the family on their way to buying a farm.
"Having a select group of people look at our business is fairly appealing," he said.
