Tom Otton joins us from the far south coast of Australia to share his journey from growing up on a beef farm to operating a grazing-based dairy with his family. Tom discusses the evolution of his practices, including a heavy focus on multi-species pastures, no-till methods, and regenerative grazing—long before he even knew the word “regenerative.” He shares thoughtful insights on cow genetics, virtual fencing, and the challenges of balancing tradition with innovation, especially in the context of Australia’s extreme weather and regulatory environment.
- Transition from beef farming to dairy during Australia’s millennium drought
- Grazing-based dairy practices with multi-species pastures
- Implementing high-density rotation with 2–4 shifts per day
- Adoption and legality of virtual fencing in Australia
- Using sexed semen and beef crosses for herd improvement and profitability
- Winter planting of cereal and forage blends; native summer grass systems
- Infrastructure layout with laneways, river watering, and no indoor housing
- Honest insights on power costs, robotic milkers, and future tech
- Personal reflections on footwear, decision-making, and doing what works for you
Tom’s down-to-earth approach to grazing-based dairying in a region with both drought and flood extremes offers valuable perspective for anyone in livestock. Whether you're intrigued by virtual fencing, cow genetics, or just love hearing how others adapt regenerative principles across the globe, Tom delivers a mix of practical know-how and big-picture thinking.
Resources Mentioned
- Call of the Reed Warbler by Charles Massy
- Dirt to Soil by Gabe Brown
- Tango Holsteins on Facebook
- Tango Holsteins on Instagram
Looking for Livestock that thrive on grass? Check out Grass Based Genetics
Visit our Sponsors:
Noble Research Institute
Redmond
Grazing Grass Links
New Listener Resource Guide
Provide feedback for the podcast
Website
Insiders
Resources
Community (on Facebook)
Check out the Apiary Chronicles Podcast
Chapters
Popular Podcasts
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com