How a stint on a NSW buffalo dairy could result in a similar operation in the shadow of a French castle
Updated
Waking up in the shadow of a 700-year-old French castle on the family's Charolais stud is vastly different to working on a buffalo dairy on the New South Wales mid north coast.
Key points:
- French university student Lucie Rouyer has been working on a buffalo dairy on the NSW mid north coast
- She says she would like to introduce buffalo to her family's Charolais stud
- The dairy's owners say having an agriculture student working on their farm allows them to experiment with different techniques
However the experience, which is part of a French university agriculture degree, has led to a 20-year-old student to seriously consider combining the Charolais operation with buffalo.
Lucie Rouyer has developed an affinity with the buffalo while working at Burraduc Buffalo Dairy. Convincing her father, however, might take some effort.
"The management of the farm in France is vastly different to here," Ms Rouyer said.
"We bring our Charolais in to shelter because the winter is very cold and wet.
"Here, in this area, the buffalo can stay outside all year round."
Growing trust
Her love of the buffalo has helped her develop an affinity with them. That has surprised Burraduc owner and cheese maker Elena Swegen.
She marvelled at how well the French-born farmer worked with the beasts and had witnessed the trust that has grown between them on the farm located in the Great Lakes area, near the hamlet of Bungwahl.
Although Ms Rouyer was aware the animals enjoyed "cuddles", she was not blasé when it came to dealing with them after being initially surprised at how they reacted to her.
After growing up with Charolais, she noted the buffalo were very different to the more domesticated beef and dairy cattle.
"They are not as close — they still have that wild part and I really like them for that," Ms Rouyer said.
"When I first arrived, the buffalo were a little scared of me but working with them every day, they know me and I know them.
"But I always treat them with respect as they are wild animals, but they have to respect me as well. If there is no respect, they could hurt me very badly."
Being involved with the buffalo whether in the paddocks, milking or helping with the cheese — and yoghurt making — had her considering running them when she returned to France.
"We have some buffalo farms in France, but it is new as well like here," she said.
In the shadow of a castle
If she managed to pursue her interest in buffalos, it would be alongside her father's much-loved Charolais, near the castle bordering the family stud.
During the First World War, the castle was converted to a hospital to tend the wounded during the fierce fighting around her home town of Verdun.
Given there had been several generations of her father's family raising Charolais, going with buffalo would take some persuasion, she said.
The subject had been broached in conversations with her family back home.
"If I am taking the farm over, I will certainly have some buffalos, but my father is not ready to change that," Ms Rouyer said.
"He really likes his cattle and he doesn't really want to be milking buffalo every morning," she said with a smile.
Having a French university student working on the property had also been a learning experience for Andrei and Elena Swegan.
"It's always a learning experience for us, we have learned also from Lucie," Mr Swegen said.
"I guess it's working toward a common goal — we are always open to trying new things and experimenting.
If it works, good, if it doesn't then move on."
Apart from family and friends, Ms Rouyer missed traditional French cuisine, despite being impressed with the local fresh produce.
There was another aspect that was driving her ambition to have buffalo back in France.
"When I arrived in Australia, I didn't drink milk although I did eat some dairy products as I like yoghurt and cheese," Ms Rouyer said.
"However, I started to drink a little bit of buffalo milk and now I have it every day. I don't know how I would go back in France without my buffalo milk."
Topics: agribusiness, women-in-agriculture, dairy-production, food-and-cooking, food-processing, food-and-beverage, university-and-further-education, bungwahl-2423, port-macquarie-2444, france, coffs-harbour-2450
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