Displaying items by tag: Ian Williams

Since the introduction of Pioneer's New Zealand silage trial programme in 1991, silage yields have increased by an average of 310 kgDM/ha/year.

The challenging milk payout will have many farmers scrutinising budgets for ways to reduce spending.

The latest Pioneer brand ‘Maize for Silage 2015-16’ catalogue gives average estimated growing costs for maize silage planted in high fertility or low fertility paddocks (Table 1).

One of the biggest recent advances in maize agronomy has been the growing of maize crops under film using the SAMCO System. 

Last month saw the release of the 2013-14 DairyNZ Economic Survey, which contains a wealth of data on the average physical and financial performance of 301 randomly selected owner-operator herds during the 2013-14 season. 

Every time the milksolids payout drops, the industry starts talking about reducing production costs.

Each year, from about this time until the end of June, I am often asked to help interpret the results of maize silage feed analyses. 

I grew up in town and one of my distinct memories of summer and autumn when we went to visit our farming friends was the smell of silage. 

Many farmers are now facing hefty onfarm challenges. While the low milksolids payout is influencing cashflow and profitability, dry conditions are starting to limit pasture growth and milk flows in many key dairy regions. 

There is an old saying which states “prior planning prevents poor performance”.