Do I need experience with cattle, or my own herd?

No. You don't need cattle, land or any prior study to enrol. Most assessment is written work completed online. If you already work on a beef or dairy farm, you'll be able to relate each unit to the herd in front of you.

How long does the Certificate in Beef & Dairy Cattle Farming take?

Most students finish in 10–15 weeks part-time. The two modules total about 200 study hours, at your own pace. You have 12 months' access, and extensions of up to 12 months are available on application (an extension fee may apply).

Will this help me get a job on a dairy or beef farm?

It can help you show an employer you understand cattle production, but it doesn't guarantee a job. It's a non-accredited short course, not a nationally accredited VET qualification such as a Certificate III. Farm employers often value practical experience alongside knowledge. If a role legally requires a specific qualification, check with the employer.

Can dairy cattle be used for beef?

Yes. Calves not kept as dairy replacements, and cows at the end of their milking life, often go into the beef supply chain. Dairy-beef crosses are also bred for meat. The Beef Cattle Farming module covers beef from dairy stock in its final unit, so you'll see how the two industries connect.

What is dairy share-farming?

Share-farming is an arrangement where a share-farmer runs a dairy with the landowner, supplying labour and sometimes stock or machinery, in exchange for an agreed share of the milk income. There's no standard agreement, so get independent advice before signing one. Adding Farm Management helps you understand the business side.

Livestock & Farm Management Courses

Certificate in Beef & Dairy Cattle Farming Course Online

Two cattle industries, one course. Learn both, then choose.

See how beef and dairy herds are bred, fed, housed and managed, side by side, so you can work confidently in either industry or decide which path suits you. Online, self-paced, with a tutor on hand.

100% online
2 core modules
approx. 200 study hours
12 months' access
Tutor support 6 days a week
Certificate + transcript

Download the brochure Speak to a course consultant

Cattle moving through dusty yards at sunrise

What is the Certificate in Beef & Dairy Cattle Farming?

The Certificate in Beef & Dairy Cattle Farming is a self-paced online cattle farming course covering both of Australia's cattle industries. One module covers beef production, from breeding and handling to feedlots and supply chains; the other covers dairy, from AI and milking facilities to rations, mastitis and herd records. It suits cattle workers, aspiring share-farmers and people choosing between beef and dairy.

Course overview

Know cattle, whichever way they're farmed

Beef or dairy? The animals share a lot of biology, but the businesses are very different. A beef herd is managed for calves and weight gain; a dairy herd for milk, twice a day, every day. This course teaches both side by side, so you understand what each industry asks of its cattle and its people.

Compare breeds and breeding – Weigh up beef and dairy breeds, crossbreeding, progeny testing and the basics of artificial insemination.
Feed for meat or milk – Learn beef rations and protein needs alongside heifer rearing, lactation feeding and dairy feed-flow planning.
Handle, house and milk – Cover cattle yards and husbandry procedures, plus milking equipment, milking machines and shed types.
Keep both herds healthy – Do health checks and body condition scoring, and manage common diseases, including mastitis in dairy cows.

Not sure which cattle career fits you? Learn both and decide with confidence.

Who this course is for

Cattle workers who move between beef and dairy jobs, or want to.
Aspiring share-farmers who want to understand dairy production, and the beef side of the herd, before taking on an agreement.
People deciding between beef and dairy as a career or on their own land.
Mixed-district farm hands in areas where beef and dairy properties sit side by side.

What you'll study

You'll start with a short Student Induction module that sets you up on the learning platform. Then you'll complete two core modules.

Module 1: Beef Cattle Farming (approx. 100 hours)

The meat side of the cattle industry. You'll see how a beef herd is built for calves and weight gain, and where dairy-bred cattle fit into beef production.

Breeds – anatomy, world breeds, selection, and marking and tracking.
Breeding – heritability, crossbreeding, calving percentage and weaning systems.
Reproduction – fertility, pregnancy, calving and growth.
Handling Cattle – yards, dehorning, castration, injecting, drenching and welfare.
Nutrition – feed types, rations and lot feeding, minerals, toxicity and water.
Plant Protein – protein types, amino acids and nitrogen conservation.
Health – vital signs, body condition scoring and prevention.
Disease – viral, bacterial, parasitic and protozoan diseases.
Farm Management Part 1 – extensive and intensive systems, feedlots, commercial and stud herds.
Farm Management Part 2 – transport, beef cuts, beef from dairy stock, records and the supply chain.

Module 2: Dairy Cattle Farming (approx. 100 hours)

The milk side. You'll learn how a dairy herd is bred, fed and milked, and what a well-run dairy needs in facilities and records.

Breeds – anatomy, breed selection, dairy breeds, and marking and tracking.
Breeding – breeding programs, family grouping, bull value, inbreeding, performance testing and AI.
Reproduction – fertility, pregnancy and calving, mammary glands and milk composition.
Facilities & Equipment – treatment facilities, milking equipment, milking machines, shed types and milk spoilage.
Nutrition – feed types, rations, vitamins and minerals, deficiencies, toxicity and water.
Growth & Feeding – heifer rearing, lactation-cycle feeding, ration calculations and feed-flow planning.
Health – vital signs, body condition, health issues and prevention.
Diseases – mastitis and its management, dry-cow therapy and common diseases.
Dairy Cattle Management – animal and financial management, records, herd replacement and welfare.
Infrastructure and Natural Resource Management – planning a new dairy, siting, milking shed routine and dairy room.

How you'll learn and be assessed

Online, any time – study 24/7 on any device, around early milkings or late musters.
Quizzes and tutor-marked assignments – a short quiz after each unit, and written assignments with personalised feedback.
Two sets of practical calculations – calving percentage and beef ration proportions, plus dairy ration and cost calculations and a feed-flow planning scenario.
Competency-based, no exams – if work isn't there yet, your tutor explains what to improve and you resubmit. Tutor support runs 6 days a week by phone, email or video call.

Tailor your course with add-on modules

Any certificate can be tailored with add-on modules from our catalogue. Add the skills that suit the cattle path you choose.

Farm Management

Run the farm as a business: farm and business planning, budgets and cash flow, staff, operations, business structures, WHS, land, water and soil management, and diversification. Essential if you're heading toward share-farming or managing a property. It's the module that turns stock knowledge into a working farm business plan.

Pasture Management

Grow more feed from the same paddocks: pasture plants and species selection, soil and water, pests and weeds, machinery, establishing new pasture and managing grazing. Beef and dairy herds both depend on pasture. It shows you how to grow and ration the feed both herds rely on.

Animal Health

Recognise and respond to illness in livestock: signs and symptoms, how diseases are classified, caused, diagnosed and treated, and how animals heal. Builds on the health units in both modules, for people who'll be first to spot a sick animal.

Ask a course consultant about adding modules when you enrol.

Career pathways and earning potential

Knowing both cattle industries widens the jobs you can apply for and helps you choose where to build a career. Roles graduates often explore include:

Dairy farm hand – milking, calf rearing, feeding and herd health on a dairy farm. Dairy Farm Hand average $72,500 (most common $70k–$75k, advertised salaries), Jora.
Stockperson (beef) – handling, feeding and treating cattle on a beef property or feedlot. Stockperson average $67,500 (most common $65k–$75k, advertised salaries), Jora.
Dairy share-farmer – running a dairy under an agreement with the owner, in return for a share of the income. Earnings depend on the agreement, so no figure is given.

Figures are advertised salaries (SEEK, Jora) or median full-time earnings (Jobs and Skills Australia), accessed October 2026. Pay varies with experience, location and employer. Figures are a guide only.

Course details

Study mode: 100% online, self-paced
Core modules: 2 (plus Student Induction)
Study time: approx. 200 hours at your own pace (most students finish in 10–15 weeks)
Access: 12 months
Support: tutor support 6 days a week
You'll receive: Certificate of Completion, Certificate of Attainment and transcript
Payment: upfront or interest-free payment plan

Download the brochure Speak to a course consultant

Download your Certificate in Beef & Dairy Cattle Farming brochure

All 20 beef and dairy units, how assessment works and payment options.

Frequently asked questions

Beef farming produces cattle for meat, so the focus is on calving, weight gain and selling stock. Dairy farming produces milk, so cows are milked daily and the focus is on milk yield and quality, feeding through lactation, and milking facilities. Dairy work runs to a fixed daily routine; beef work tends to be more seasonal. This course covers both side by side.