Milking longer with maize silage
This season's dry conditions have made one thing clear: not having enough feed on hand can bring your season to an early close.
There are just a few days left for people to enter the 2013 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards and stake their claim to the $140,000 in cash and prizes on offer.
Entries in the New Zealand Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year, New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year are being accepted online at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz. Entries close at midnight on Thursday, December 20.
"There are no late entries, so it's the last chance for people to get their entry in," national convenor Chris Keeping says.
"Once people are entered, they have the opportunity to win great prizes and to progress their career by meeting individuals that can help them achieve their farm, business, and personal goals."
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles NZ, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown and RD1, along with industry partner AgITO.
Entrants first compete in one of 12 regional competitions held around the country. The three winners from each region then progress to the New Zealand finals. In 2013 the national final will be held in Wellington on May 24.
"The response to this year's awards has been fabulous. We're received 477 entries so far, including 125 entries in the sharemilker/equity farmer contest, 134 in the farm manager contest and 218 from dairy trainees wanting to take the next step in their career."
Keeping expects a similar number of people to enter the 2013 awards as entered this year's contest, when a record 525 people entered.
More information on the awards can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
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