Dairy power
OPINION: The good times felt across the dairy sector weren't lost at last week's Beef + Lamb NZ annual meeting.
DairyNZ's extension manager Andrew Reid says there’s some truth in the suggestion that a whole generation of farmers have never relied solely on grazing their cows on grass.
He says some have fed nothing but supplements, their use having coincided with the higher farmgate milk prices.
But the last 18 months have been a wake-up call for farmers to rely more on pasture as the main source of feed.
New Zealand farmers’ ability to manage grass pastures gives them a competitive edge over other dairy farmers in the world, Reid says. This is the point of DairyNZ’s Pasture First message.
“The main thing now is for them to grow quality pasture and make efficient use of it. They can’t relax on that and should note what stock demand is and not be as ready as they have been to call in the feed truck,” Reid says.
In this season farmers should “have their finger on the button in terms of their pasture” to ensure during summer they don’t waste opportunities.
Response to the Pasture First message has been good, Reid says, but some farmers find it challenging to implement this philosophy because they appear to lack confidence to run such a system.
“For years people could afford to buy in feed; but now the fundamental message is to have the confidence to make decisions on pasture management because many cannot afford to buy in extra feed. The Pasture First message is getting through; it’s the implementation that requires extra skill.”
The season has so far been pretty variable, Reid says. The weather hasn’t been favourable in the North Island, with rain during spring, while the South Island has had the opposite. But now this is reversing.
“The challenge now is for farmers to lock in the gains they have made in the last 18 months. Their confidence in the lift in the GDT should not be a reason for farmers to take their eye off the ball in terms of the pasture message.
“They should look closely at where their farm working expenses are going and capitalise on the efficiencies from a production perspective.”
Predicting weather is difficult; in hindsight farmers last year took the El Nino forecast too literally. Reid forsees an average summer.
Rural retailer Farmlands has launched a new casual clothing range available across 42 stores nationwide and through its online store.
Federated Farmers says the health and safety changes announced this week by the Government represent the start of overdue reforms.
The Government is calling on rural New Zealanders to share their views on proposed regulations designed to improve the management of farm plastic waste.
For many urban New Zealanders, stepping into Pāmu’s Pinta dairy farm near Taupo last month was the first time they had had the chance to experience farm life up close.
After tasting 240 New Zealand made cheeses, judges have bestowed medals upon 199 of the entries.
Bay of Plenty’s top share farmers Andre and Natalie Meier are no strangers to the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards winning circle.
OPINION: Is it the beginning of the end for Greenpeace?
OPINION: The good times felt across the dairy sector weren't lost at last week's Beef + Lamb NZ annual meeting.