TB slaughter levy for dairy jumps 75c/head
TB differential slaughter levy rates are changing with dairy animals paying $12.25/head, an increase of 75c from next month.
Good effluent management on the dairy farm combines a well-designed system with proper processes to ensure the right amount of effluent gets applied to pasture at the right time.
This not only saves on fertiliser costs and enhances soil health but also helps prevent animal health problems and ensures compliance with local rules.
Understanding soil water deficit is crucial to prevent run-off and applying effluent to saturated soils.
There are tools available, such as the DairyNZ farm dairy effluent spreading calculator, to help manage the application of effluent nutrients with precision.
Finally, regular maintenance of your irrigation application equipment is vital for optimal performance.
Good effluent management is a combination of having a well-designed effluent system and processes for people that make sure the effluent the system collects is applied to pasture in the right amount at the right time.
On-farm benefits of good effluent management include:
Making good effluent irrigation decisions
The key to good decision making is understanding the soil water deficit. It is essential to prevent ponding and runoff and to avoid applying effluent to saturated soils.
Soil water deficit is the amount of water (effluent) which can be applied to the soil before it reaches field capacity (which refers to the amount of water held in the soil after excess water has drained away). If effluent is added at field capacity it will likely result in ponding, runoff or leaching.
Effluent spreading
New Zealand’s dairy farm systems produce a large amount of nutrientrich effluent which is captured from milking sheds, holding yards, feed pads, standoff pads, and animal shelters.
The average dairy cow produces about $25 worth of nutrients annually as farm dairy effluent (FDE). For a 400-cow dairy herd this represents about $10,000 of nutrients annually. Using effluent to supplement fertiliser presents an opportunity to capitalise on a cost-effective nutrient resource while improving whole farm nutrient use efficiency.
Effluent is commonly grouped into three broad categories based on dry matter (DM) content: liquids (0–5%), slurries (5–15%) and solids (>15%).
Application of effluents is typically via land.
Effluent application to pasture
To get good value out of effluent and reduce environmental risk consider:
Article by DairyNZ.
A hundred primary schools across New Zealand are now better resourced to teach their students about food and farming after winning ‘George the Farmer’ book sets in a recent competition run by rural lender, Rabobank.
Kiwifruit growers are celebrating a trifecta of industry milestones next month.
TB differential slaughter levy rates are changing with dairy animals paying $12.25/head, an increase of 75c from next month.
Taranaki's Zero Possum project has entered a new phase, featuring a high-tech farmland barrier and a few squirts of mayo.
The recent Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) conference in Wellington was signalling cautious optimism on the back of rising milk and store cattle prices and drops in interest rates.
OPINION: Common sense has prevailed.
OPINION: How do you get people to stop drinking milk and switch to foods like fruit, vegetables, nuts and grains?
OPINION: It seems that our friends at Greenpeace are never satisfied.