Steps to ensure greater and/or more reliable feed supply in the face of “the dry” were needed much earlier in the season and now, for many, the only option is shopping, most likely for palm kernel. PKE probably will, as before, get us out of jail but what’s really needed is a strategic rethink about water use. It’s well known ryegrass isn’t the most efficient or drought resilient species so a bit more maize, lucerne, fescue or wholecrop cereal would go a long way to buffering our systems against rain or irrigation failure. More pit silage instead of the convenient but costly short shelf-life baleage would be a good idea too.
-
font size
decrease font size
increase font size
Better late than never will likely be some South Island farmers’ response to DairyNZ’s belated drought advice.
More like this
'Regulatory Middlemen'
OPINION: Groundswell's opinion of the incumbent farm industry representatives isn't high.
Domestic Focus
OPINION: After hogging the media limelight for telling a NZ Chinese MP to "go back home", Winston Peters has decided to focus on a domestic issue - oil and gas drilling.
A No-Brainer
OPINION: With fuel prices soaring, one would have expected most farmers to be reclaiming excise duty on petrol.
Floating Farm Sinks
OPINION: The world's first floating dairy farm, once hailed as a vision of farming's future, is up for sale after seven years.
Popular Reads
Rabobank: China Quotas, Brazil Risk to Reshape Beef Trade
Chinese beef trade quotas and a looming suspension of Brazilian beef imports into the European Union are expected to reshape…
Peters Targets Fonterra
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.Seeka Posts Record $62m Profit as Zespri Lifts 2026 Forecast
More signs of a booming kiwifruit sector.What Would Synlait Be Worth to Fonterra or a2 Milk?
Speculation of a possible joint move by Fonterra and a2 Milk to buy Synlait raises a much bigger strategic question,…NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards 2026: Supreme Champions Named
An Auckland gelato shop and an established New Zealand ice cream maker have both been named Supreme Champions at the…Featured
Why This Canterbury Cropping Farm Converted to Dairy
Converting a longstanding cropping farm to dairy was the only way to ensure the land stayed in the family long term, says new dairy farmer Rod May.
OANZ Launches Election Scorecard on Organic Policy
As the election heats up, Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) has launched its election scorecard designed to help voters wanting to support policies that grow organic and New Zealand's organic sector.
NZ Milk Price Could Hit $10/kgMS as Global Supply Eases
A 'tsunami' of milk from key exporting countries is winding down and this may be good news for New Zealand dairy farmers.
Farmer Confidence Wavers Despite Decade-High Profits – Feds Survey
Will the good times last? That's one of the key issues to come out of the latest Federated Farmers confidence survey.
John Stevenson to Step Down as Fonterra Council Chair in November
Outgoing Fonterra Co-operative Council chair John Stevenson says that it has been a privilege to represent the co-op's farmer shareholders.
El Niño Could Push NZ Dairy Costs to $9.07/kgMS
Have a plan in place for your cows and staff.
National
Fonterra Names Four Independently Assessed Director Candidates
Fonterra Co-operative Group has confirmed the independently assessed candidates standing for election to its board in 2026.
Fonterra Lifts Milk Price to $9.50/kgMS for 2026/27
Fonterra has revised its Farmgate Milk Price forecast for the 2026/27 season, lifting the midpoint and narrowing the range on…DairyNZ Resilient Pastures Trial Expands Across North Island
Farms across the upper North Island are trialling different pasture mixes as part of a research programme that aims to…DairyNZ Sets Out Election Priorities for Dairy Farmers
Election years are always a concerning time for farmers, according to DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown.Ballance Farm Environment Awards Launch on West Coast
The Ballance Farm Environment Awards are coming to the West Coast of the South Island.Machinery & Products
Canterbury Farmer Builds on 160 Years of Dairy Legacy
Gareth Hale is the current custodian of a 160-year legacy that saw his great grandfather dairying in Taranaki since the…
2026 Fencing Industry Awards Winners Announced
Now in its fourth year, the 2026 Fencing Industry Awards, formed part of the proceedings of the FCANZ Conference, held…Stihl Launches BT140, Its First Battery-Powered Auger
With battery tools becoming more widespread and more importantly, productive and reliable, it was only time before we saw augers…Pöttinger Launches TOP V 6520 C Twin Rotor Rake
Austrian manufacturer Pottinger has released details of a new compact, linkage-mounted compact twin rotor rake, without a chassis, that is…Lemken Saphir XMR: New Mechanical Seed Drill Launched
The new Lemken Saphir XMR mechanical seed drill has been introduced as the successor to the proven Saphir 10m, with…» Latest Print Issues Online
Milking It
Not Out of the Woods Yet
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
Peters Targets Fonterra
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.
» eNewsletter
