50 Years of dedication to Dairy

Kim McKean, Manager of the University of Sydney’s dairy operation, has received the prestigious Dairy Science Award from the Dairy Research Foundation in recognition of nearly 50 years’ service to the industry through a variety of roles at the University of Sydney. He started with the university as a teenager, initially employed as an animal attendant. He quickly acquired a vast range of skills and experience taking on the management of the dairy research farm, Mayfarm, and later the Corstorphine farm. His most recent achievement has been the commissioning and running of a robotic rotary dairy, cutting edge technology which did not come without challenges. In presenting the award, Professor Yani Garcia, Director of the Dairy Research Foundation acknowledged Kim’s extraordinary dedication and commitment to dairy research. “Over the decades, Kim has trained thousands of veterinary and animal science students in practical animal husbandry; and he has provided on-the-ground support for more than 100 masters and PhD students,” Professor Garcia said. “Kim is universally respected for his passion, honest approach, work ethic and collaborative approach.“ “Time goes by but Kim’s commitment to the farm’s duty, teaching and research hasn’t diminished. In his own unassuming way, Kim has spent 49 years helping staff, students and researchers to achieve success in their respective roles and careers. He is the first to offer to help, regardless of weekends and holidays and he’s the last to leave. And even in the toughest of challenges, his positive attitude has never wavered,” he said.