TONY HOPKINSON

IN-SHED FEEDING to dispense PKE, minerals and molasses – plus automatic cup removers – have greatly improved cow flow, labour use and stock health on John and Colleen Campbell’s farm at Awakeri, Bay of Plenty. They have owned the farm since 1985.

The milking platform is 232ha (eff) plus an 80ha self-contained run-off used for rearing replacements, growing maize for silage and harvesting grass silage. Wintering is done there for 50% of the milking herd.

The milking platform is flat and free draining, centrally raced with a 46 bail rotary built in 1995. They milk 840 Friesian and Friesian X cows, supply Fonterra and begin calving 10 July. Rainfall is 1400mm and the area can become dry in the summer.

Maize (250 t DM) is fed to the milking herd in autumn as the rotation is slowed and to improve cow condition before winter. The maize is fed in the paddock using a feed wagon.

“Last winter was wet – 1m of rain in one month – and some of our paddocks suffered damage,” says Campbell.

On the damaged paddocks they are planting 24ha of turnips and chicory. The chicory will handle the dry weather, continuing to grow and at five-six weeks can be grazed again. The ground will be returned to new grass before next winter. Campbell says they are feeling their way but if this is successful they intend to continue.

 The farm is managed by lower order sharemilker Gregg Young with staff Harry Brown, Justin Engle and Jordan McDonald and casual staff for calf rearing. “I am still involved on the farm in an executive floater/go-fer position,” says Campbell, with a smile.

In 2006 they started feeding PKE to their stock from portable troughs. The PKE was supplied by J Swap Stockfoods. It was fed through spring until November, to fill feed gaps in summer and mixed also with the maize in autumn.

This feeding was labour intensive so in June 2011 they installed a Corohawk in-bail dispensing system. There are three silos holding 48 t adjacent to the shed. The feed is augured to the milking platform feeding trough where a measured amount is dropped in front of each cow as it enters the platform.

“Chris Hawkins designed the dispensing system for PKE minerals and meals and he got it right,” says Young.

The set-up can also dispense molasses at the same time to the rotating feeding trough. Rumensin, magnesium, zinc and other minerals can be mixed with the PKE before dispensing into the troughs.. The mixing is through an in-line mineral dispenser which is part of the total installation.

“This removes another labour intensive job as we no longer have to dust the paddocks in the spring and summer,” says Young.

He believes he is using less as the animals are all getting their quota and bossy cows do not upset feeding patterns as they did with trough feeding. 

A major side effect is that all stock including first calvers are quieter and keen to enter the bail area. Little use is made of the backing gate, reducing stress.

“We have always got our PKE from Swaps. We have an excellent working relationship and they give us top service,” says Campbell.

This season they have added other meal/tapioca mixes to the PKE; these mixes are also supplied by Swaps. With three separate silos storage has not been a problem.

A FREE trade agreement with Chinese Taipei would boost returns for New Zealand dairy farmers, says Dairy Companies of New Zealand (DCANZ) executive director Simon Tucker.