Dairy farming feels like home to Bruce Saffin. “At the end of the day dairy farming is my comfort zone,” Bruce says. “I grew up on a dairy farm near Mount Gambier and then spent 24 years working other jobs, before coming back to dairying. “I’m now managing my third dairy farm in the last 25 years.” Bruce spent 10 years as a shearer, then purchased and drove his own truck for 14 years, carting wood, vineyard posts and commercial timber locally and interstate. Then he returned to the dairy. Bruce and his wife Janet have since raised their three children, Troy, Kelsey and Tim, on dairy farms at Kongorong and Mt Schank. They now milk 430 cows off a 40-rotary dairy. “It’s a good little farm and runs off a simple way of farming. The dairy has cup removers and two centre pivots, so we have one person milking. “We follow the New Zealand method of farming, cattle are grass fed with some grain. It’s a simple way of farming but probably the best. With fluctuating milk prices this type of operation will survive the ups and downs.” The pair have worked with Midfield for almost all of their dairying lives, and are now valued UDC suppliers as well. “Working with Midfield worked all those years ago at the start, and it still works now. “We feel very comfortable dealing with an Australian and family owned company where the owners are just a phone call away. “They’ve developed it from a small to a big business and it’s been great being part of that journey.”
