Virtual reality experience brings dairy farm to classroom

Dairy Australia has produced two 360-degree immersive educational videos, including a farm tour, that is allowing students to experience what happens from farm to factory in the dairy industry.

The VR experience was on display at the Dairy SA Innovation Day, held at Mount Gambier this week, and allowed attendees to visit Bec and Rob Walmsley's farm near Myponga, plus a factory tour filmed at the nearby Fleurieu Milk Company facility.

Watchers are able to listen to the dairy farmers while standing out in a paddock surrounded by cows, while also hearing from the farmers' veterinarian and getting a close up look at the milking process.

They then get an inside look at the FMC facility, where they are shown milk being bottled and various other dairy products being produced and packaged.

Dairy Australia community engagement advisor, Jess Phillips, said they had also produced a 3D animation of a cow rumen, with a blade of grass tracked from the paddock to being eaten and travelling through the digestive system, either ending up as milk or manure.

"We want to educate kids on where their food comes from, how cows create milk and how products come through the factory," Ms Phillips said.

"We want to connect them with the process from cows grazing, to milking, to what happens at the factory.

"We've had a really positive reaction.

"Excursions to a farm are time-consuming and there is a lot of logistical considerations so this brings the farm to the classroom and allows us to reach more students."

The video was filmed using a ball camera on a swivel stick to capture 360 degree views.

The target audience is primary school students and the videos are available to schools nationally.

"Each Dairy SA region has headsets so we take them to career expos, conferences and events to hopefully inspire school leavers to consider the dairy industry as a career option," Ms Phillips said.

When the VR experience was launched late last year, dairy farmer Ms Walmsley said the need to connect the Australian farming community with wider Australia was of increasing importance.

"We're proud of the work we do on and off the farm - and we want to share it," she said.

"It's a privilege to be able to show a glimpse of our farming lives with curious students, and empower them in making conscious food choices that they can be confident in.

"Through educating students on the manufacturing process, from milking to final consumer product, we hope to inspire young Australians in making healthy food choices, to better their health and the industry."

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