Strong uptake of good wintering practices
DairyNZ has seen a significant increase in the number of farmers improving their wintering practices, which results in a higher standard of animal care and environmental protection.
The dairy industry is humming with strong pasture growth, thanks to a kind winter and a mild spring.
Many farmers are already turning surplus pasture into silage.
DairyNZ acting general manager farm performance Sharon Morrell says the good grass growing conditions are a “get out of jail free card” for many farmers who endured a prolonged drought last season.
“It’s been a good spring so far and winter growth rates were fantastic, comparatively...It has allowed a lot of people to recover much quicker from the drought,” she told Rural News.
Morrell says the good grass growth was setting things up well for farmers in term of milk production.
“Farmers are always thinking that if I can get X amount of milk in the vat before Christmas, the rest of the season is a bonus.
“This is the part that really counts.”
While DairyNZ doesn’t collect figures on milk production, Fonterra says its peak milk – the highest daily collection of the season – was on October 18 when it processed over 80 million litres of milk.
“Last year we processed over 80 million litres on our peak day and we processed about the same this year – all with the extra challenge of significant Covid-19 precautions still in place across our manufacturing sites,” a spokeswoman told Rural News.
She says October is a busy time right across the co-operative, with Fonterra tankers are picking up milk from farms every nine seconds. October milk collection data will be released at the end of this month.
Fonterra says its peak milk was on October 18 when it processed over 80 million litres. |
Despite the good pasture growth on farms, DairyNZ is urging farmers to be ready for a dry summer.
Morrell says NIWA suggests La Niña conditions – warmer than average ocean and air temperatures for New Zealand – are coming.
She says some farmers are setting themselves up by storing away silage and planning extra summer crops like maize.
“Their recent experience with how dry last summer was and how long it extended, there’s probably more proactive thinking about putting as much silage away as they can,” she says.
“Some farmers are planting little bit more maize than they might normally have. Some are also thinking about summer crops.
“With recent experience, it tends to remind everybody to approach things in the best practice way.”
She points out farms were getting dry around the country, but several bouts of heavy rain last week have been a blessing.
However, North Otago and South Canterbury still remain areas of concern.
Morrell says even irrigators are starting to think about how to manage their summers if the current weather persists in these areas.
Her message to farmers is to be actively thinking about setting up for summer.
“Review plans and make decisions early. During the last summer drought, those who were decisive fared much better than those who were hopeful that things would change.”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the relationship between New Zealand and the US will remain strong and enduring irrespective of changing administrations.
More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.
The a2 Milk Company (a2MC) says securing more China label registrations and developing its own nutritional manufacturing capability are high on its agenda.
Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.
As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.
Livestock can be bred for lower methane emissions while also improving productivity at a rate greater than what the industry is currently achieving, research has shown.
OPINION: NIWA has long weathered complaints about alleged stifling of competition in forecasting, and more recently, claims of lack of…
OPINION: Adding to calls to get banks to 'back off', NZ Agri Brokers director Andrew Laming has revealed that the…