Dairy farmers welcome NZ’s revised 2050 methane target
The Government's revised 2050 biogenic methane target range of 14-24% by 2050 is being welcomed by dairy farmers.
As calving approaches, farmers need to get their teams ready for what lies ahead in the coming months.
That's the advice from Tony Finch, DairyNZ's national engagement lead, who says calving is just starting in the north of the country and will work its way south over the coming months.
He says a key thing for farmers at this time of the year is to manage and preserve feed as best they can, manage animal health and keep up the condition score of animals prior to calving.
Finch says by and large the season has been better than some had anticipated, but he says farmers in some regions are still managing the hangover from dry autumn weather.
"This is the sting in the tail from El Nino and we still have some regions that went in with low covers and finished milking with low covers and their winter crop yields were well back. They've been having to manage body condition score, and it's challenging and it comes at a cost, because of the extra feed they have had to provide," he says.
On the upside, Finch says the frosts that would normally stunt pasture growth have in this case been a help. He says feed utilisation on the harder ground has been good. He says also the winter so far has been a bit warmer than expected, allowing what he calls "compensatory growth" or late grass growth, which has helped some farmers.
"Some regions like the West Coast had a brilliant season and some farmers are growing up to 30kgDM/day which is amazing for this time of the year.
"So overall, some winter crop yields are down in yields, but the compensatory growth and greater utilisation means that by and large the country is coping pretty well. It would seem that teams are well prepared and ready for calving and looking forward to what's in front of them - 'the havoc season' aka calving," he says.
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| Calving has started north of the country and will work its way south over the coming months. | 
Tough Times
Tony Finch says while things are better than some had predicted, dairy farmers are still apprehensive about the future - particularly about what the farmgate milk price might end up being.
He says while on-farm inflation has come down, it's still high, as are interest rates. He reiterates that many farmers will come into winter feeling the cost of feeding out in the dry autumn. He says while the weather has been kind so far, winter is far from over and farmers need to plan for the unexpected.
"Southland is a classic case. They had a really wet May and June and it got pretty hard down there. But it's since settled down and they've had some nice weather, but all it takes is another front and things can revert to where they were," he says.
Acclaimed fruit grower Dean Astill never imagined he would have achieved so much in the years since being named the first Young Horticulturist of the Year, 20 years ago.
The Ashburton-based Carrfields Group continues to show commitment to future growth and in the agricultural sector with its latest investment, the recently acquired 'Spring Farm' adjacent to State Highway 1, Winslow, just south of Ashburton.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
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