Science coming second in water decisions
Emotions and values now come first in water quality assessment and science comes second, says a water quality specialist with DairyNZ, Tom Stephens.
THE MOOD on dairy farms around the country has lifted into positive territory as rain falls and pasture recovery is better than expected, says DairyNZ regional team manager Craig McBeth.
Nutrients locked up in the soil by the drought will feed strong pasture growth if managed well, he says.
“Euphoria might be too strong a word, but people are obviously a lot more positive now the rain has come,” McBeth told Dairy News. But he warned against complacency and urged planning ahead.
“The response of the grass has been surprisingly positive. Good moisture levels have built up quickly and coupled with warm soil temperatures, it has allowed the grass to grow strongly.
“There’s latent ability in the soil because the grass hasn’t been growing; it is been short of moisture therefore nutrients in the soil haven’t been taken up as much as usual. That’s there sitting ready to go. So strategic management, nitrogen fertiliser and maintaining your cows on a long round to give the plants a chance to get some new shoots up, photosynthesise and rebuild their stores, will lead to a very strong and excellent growth rate.”
But he warns farmers to stay vigilant. “There’s good rain falling and fairly widely but a few locations are waiting for more rain.” Kaipara in Northland had been particularly dry but he understood it got good rain last weekend.
“What is going to get farmers out of the feed deficit is the pasture growth. So we are advising farmers to stay on that long round with their cows to make sure the grass has a chance to grow … and make sure the pasture is not being damaged with the wet weather. And to use nitrogen fertiliser and other supplements to maintain that long round for the herd.”
DairyNZ held its last conference call for the drought series last week. The need to plan ahead for spring was emphasised.
“Do your planning about what pasture cover you have, what body condition score your cows are in, how long you have got to go until calving, what the growth rates are going to be and what supplements you have on hand.”
New Zealand milk production is off to a strong start, with the first month of the 2025/26 dairy season recording a whopping 17.8% jump in milk production, compared to the previous season.
With adverse weather set to rain down on the Top of the South, the Bay of Plenty and parts of Northland, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says farmers, foresters, and growers need to prepare for possible challenges.
Keep up with innovation and e-commerce in China or risk losing market share. That was the message delivered at the China Business Summit in Auckland this month.
Meat Industry Association (MIA) independent chair Nathan Guy says getting meat processors involved has been a shot in the arm for the sector's key marketing initiative into China, Taste Pure Nature.
Listed carpet manufacturer, Bremworth is undertaking a $6 million expansion at its Napier plant more than two years after the site was heavily damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle.
Federated Farmers is vowing to keep the big banks accountable for their actions and to continue pushing for meaningful change in the rural lending sector.
OPINION: Will synthetic milk derail NZ's economy?
OPINION: According to media reports, the eye-watering price of butter has prompted Finance Minister Nicola Willis to ask for a…