Milking longer with maize silage
This season's dry conditions have made one thing clear: not having enough feed on hand can bring your season to an early close.
Fonterra's TAF (trading among farmers) is underway.
And within minutes, the selling price of Fonterra share units rose 21% to $6.66.
Shareholder Philip van der Bijl rang a specially crafted bell to launch the share trading scheme at its new Darfield site at midday. About 100 farmers and Fonterra staff witnessed the launch.
Fonterra chairman John Wilson says it has taken time to launch TAF that will entrench 100% ownership and control.
"We have paced the introduction of changes that will give farmer shareholders more flexibility to maage their businesses and Fonterra shareholdings."
"We have taken our own time to reach this point in our history."
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
OPINION: The world is bracing for a trade war between the two biggest economies.