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The 186 hectare irrigated property, of which 159 hectares is the milking platform, is a former University sheep farm. It was converted to dairying in 2001 and is managed by the South Island Dairying Development Centre [SIDDC], representing its 6 partner organisations [refer to About SIDDC].  The spray irrigation system includes two centre pivots, small hand shifted lateral sprinklers, and k-lines. The different soil types on the farm represent most of the common soil types in Canterbury.

Key Objectives

  1. To develop and demonstrate world-best practice in dairy farm systems and to transfer them to dairy farms throughout the South Island.

  2. To operate as a joint research centre with DairyNZ, where the practical application of new technologies and on-farm forage production systems can be tested and developed.

  3. To use the best environmental monitoring systems to achieve best management practices under irrigation, which ensure that the industry’s annual profit from productivity target is achieved in a sustainable way and that the wider environment is protected.

  4. To continue the environmental monitoring programme and demonstrate technologies that will ensure that the 3-year rolling average concentration on nitrate-N in drainage water from below the plant root zone remains below the critical value [16mg N/L] that is specified in Environment Canterbury's [ECan] proposed regional rule as requiring reduction [Rule WQL18].

  5. To operate an efficient and well organised business unit.

  6. To provide a commercial return exceeding the average weighted cost of capital on annual capital evaluations to Lincoln University.

  7. To create and maintain an effective team environment at policy, management and operational levels.

  8. To assist Lincoln University to attract top quality domestic and international students into the New Zealand dairy industry

  9. To actively seek labour productivity gains through adoption of technologies and practices that reduce labour requirements or make the work environment more satisfying.
  10. To use environment Best Practices [including 'eco-n' nitrification inhibitors] to protect the environment, while enhancing profitability.

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Specific objectives for the season 2008/09

  1. To deliver an Operating Profit of $5,937/ha and Return on Dairy Assets of 8.3% from a $7.00 payout - with budgeted milk solids production of 290,700 kg with Cash Farm Working Expenses of $3.90/kgMS.

  2. To improve water use efficiency for better integrating the technologies currently existing on the farm by ensuring useable decision making data is accessible to the farm management in a timely manner.

  3. To increase the land area that effluent is applied to so that nutrients are better distributed and there is an increased range of contingency plan options.  Also, ensure that nitrate losses are not greater on effluent areas than on non-effluent areas, and that there is no significant microbial contamination of the shallow aquifers.

  4. To manage pastures and grazing so milkers consume / harvest as much metabolisable energy [ME] as practicable, with a target of 200 GJ/ha ME.  For example, this could be achieved by consuming / harvesting 16t DM/ha with average ME 12.5.

  5. To optimize the use of the farm automation system [Protrack] and demonstrate / document improved efficiencies and subsequent effect on the business.

  6. To achieve an in-calf rate of no less than 88% [i.e. 12% empty] after 12 weeks mating, i.e. 9 weeks of AB mating plus 3 of natural mating.  All AB matings to result in crossbred replacements including replacements from yearlings.

  7. To continue to document and measure LUDF's influence on changes to defined management practices on other dairy farms.

  8. To ensure specific training is adequate and appropriate to enable staff members to contribute effectively in meeting the objectives of the farm.

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Ongoing Research

  • The effect of fertilisers and other farm inputs on groundwater. 10 groundwater monitoring wells sunk to monitor and manage the effect of fertiliser, grazing, irrigation and effluent inputs over a variety of contrasting soil types.

  • Effects of 'eco-n' on nitrate leaching and pasture production

  • Monitoring pasture growth, pests and weeds monitoring

  • The role of nutrition on lameness in Canterbury

  • Real-time, on-line monitoring for animal health and environmental impact monitoring

  • Resource Inventory and Greenhouse Gas Footprint

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SIDDC FOCUS DAYS on the LUDF - see under 'Events'

.

Climate

Mean Annual Maximum Temperature

32 °C

Mean Annual Minimum Temperature

4 °C

Average Days of Screen Frost

36 Days per annum

Mean Average Bright Sunshine

2040 Hours per annum

Average Annual Rainfall

666 mm

.

Farm Area

 

                   Effective Area (ha)

Home

 

159.0

 

Runoff (East Block)

 

14

 

.

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Soil

Soil Types

% Farm

Free-draining shallow stony soils (Eyre soils)

5

Deep sandy soils (Paparua and Templeton soils)

45

Imperfectly drained soils (Wakanui soils)

30

Heavily, poorly-drained soils (Temuka soils)

20


Soil Test Results

Date

pH

P

K

S

Ca

Mg

Na

Dec 01

5.8

30

11

34

8

23

12

Jul 02

5.8

31

14

35

9

22

12

Oct 02

5.9

35

8

29

8

21

12

Jun 03

6.1

37

12

7

9

23

9

Jun 04

     6.4

   37

   13

    11

   9   

   22

   10

Jun 05

     6.1

   35

   13

     10

   9

   22

    8

Jun 06

6.3

33

15

9

10

27

11
Jun 07 6.3 39 16 17 10 29 13

Target Soil Test

5.8 - 6.2

30-40

5-8

10-12

4-5

20+

5-50

Soil Reserve K = 4.5 (Target = 0.8 - 1.2)

.

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Fertiliser History

Date

Dressing

 

N

P

K

S

Mg

Ca

  Season 2001/02

200

168

-

130

-

94

  Season 2002/03

200

45

-

2

-

90

  Season 2003/04

200

45

-

64

-

46

  Season 2004/05

 

200

 46

   -

 47

  -

  57

  Season 2005/06

Non-Effluent

200

 48

   -   

 76

  -

107

Season 2005/06

Effluent

0

30

-

53

-

67

Season 2006/07

Non-Effluent

200

49

-

89

-

110

Season 2006/07

Effluent

0

20

-

52

-

45
  Season 2007/08 Non-effluent 200 44 - 73 - 96
  Season 2007/08 North Effluent 12 22 - 37 - 48

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Pasture

  • The milking platform was sown at conversion [March 2001] in a mix of 50/50 Bronsyn/Impact ryegrasses with Aran and Sustain white clovers, and 1kg/ha of timothy.

  • Individual paddocks are monitored, and seven [33% of area] have been renovated to maintain pasture performance. 

    • -   2 paddocks of Arrow plus Alto perennial ryegrasses [all with Kotare/Sustain white

        clovers and Timothy].

    -   3 paddocks of Bealey, and

    -   2 paddocks of Alto perennial ryegrasses [all with Kotare/Sustain white clovers and Timothy].

  • Pasture consumption for 04/05 season calculated at 15.9t DM/ha, and for 05/06 at 16.1t DM/ha, and for 06/07 at 16.4t DM/ha.

    •

      

    To see LUDF Pasture ME for past seasons - Click Here

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    .

    Irrigation and Effluent System

    .

           
     

    Centre Pivots

    		   127 ha
     

    Long Laterals

    		   24 ha
     

    K-Lines

    		   10 ha
     

    Southern Cross Gun

    		   18 ha
     

    Total irrigated

    		   179 ha
     

    Irrigation System Capacity

    		   5.5 mm/day
     

    Length of basic pivot

    		   402
     

    Well depth

    		  90m
           

    Statistics

    • A full rotation completed in 20.8 hours for 5.5 mm [at 100% of maximum speed].

    • Average Annual Rainfall = 666 mm.  Average irrigation input applies an additional 450 mm.  Average Evapotranspiration for Lincoln is 870 mm/year.

    Fertigation Unit

    • Supplying the South Block

    • Automatically dissolves urea to a solution of approximately 14%N.

    • Pumped to the holding tank at the centre of the South Pivot.

    Effluent

    • Dairy shed effluent is held in sump capable of holding 33,000 litres.

    • 100 mm PVC pip to base of North Block centre pivot, distribution through pot spray applicators.

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    Mating Programme 2008

    10 weeks AB mating to Premier Sires followed by 3 weeks with bulls.  Aim is to retain cows that calve within the first 9 weeks of mating.  CIDR re-synchrony treatment programme one week before PSM for cows not recorded as cycling.  Yearlings synchronised and mating to commence one week to 10 days before PSM for main herd.  First three days mating with AB Jersey semen followed by Jersey bulls for 9 weeks.

    Herd Details

    Breeding Worth (rel%) / Production Worth (rel%) 109/46 127/69
    Average weight/cow (Dec) - (30) cows monitored
    490 kg
    Calving start date
    8 August 2009
    Mean calving date
    18th August 2008 (15 days)
    Mating start date
    30th October 2008

    Empty rate (nil induction policy) after 10 weeks mating

    after 15 weeks mating
    19% 2008 [14% 2007]

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    03/04 Season
    04/05 Season
    05/06 Season
    06/07 Season
    07/08 Season
    08/09 Season
    Milkers - ave/max/wintered 635/644/660 649/651/675 646/651/672 /680/706 /680/704
    /684/704
    Total kg/MS 271,971 277,634 286,115 274,965 281,670
    261,138
    Total kg/MS/cow 422 427 440 410 414
    385
    Total kg/MS/ha 1684 1719 1772 1703 1744
    1645
    Operating Expenses/kgMS $2.64 $2.64 $2.63 $2.80 $3.37
    $3.95
    Economic Farm Surplus/ha $2008 $2768 $2151 $3002 $8284
    2004
    Payout [excl. levy] $/kg $4.22 $4.56 $4.07 $4.47 $7.87
    $5.20
    Return on Assets 5.6% 6.9% 5.1% 6.7% 14.6%

    Stock Numbers
    2002/03
    2003/04
    2004/05

    2005/06

    		 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09
    1 July cow numbers
    631
    660
    675
    		 664 702 704 704
    Maximum cows milked
    604
    644
    651
    		 651 est 670 670 683
    No. Yearlings grazed
    On/Off
    0/118
    0/139
    0/140
    		 0/172 0/172 0/171 0/200
    No. Calves grazed
    On/Off
    0/141
    0/143
    0/162
    		 0/170 0/175 0/175 0/170
    Cows wintered off
    No. cows
    500
    520
    500
    		 500 540 546 547
     
    Weeks off
    8
    7
    8
    		 8 8 8 7
    Stocking rate
    Cow equiv. / ha
    3.75
    4.0
    4.0
    		 4.0 4.2 4.2 4.3
     
    Kg liveweight / ha
    1,838
    1,960
    1,960
    		 1,960 1,974 1,974 2,107
     
    Kg liveweight / tDM
    76
    79
    83
    		 77  87 83 89
    Supplement
    - Fed to milkers
    [kg/cow]
    550
    385
    300
    		 315 266 415 342
    - Made on dairy/platform
    [kg/cow]
    0
    98
    220
    		 365 93 95 64
     

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    Staffing and Management

    Peter Hancox - Farm Manager

    Andre Scholtz - Herd Manager

    Alan O'Sullivan - Farm Assistant

    Brad Turner - Farm Assistant

     

    .

    Roster System - 8 days on then 2 days off, 8 days on 3 days off
    Milking Times - Morning - cups on 5:00am
      - Afternoon - cups on 2:30pm

    LUDF Hazards notification

    • Children are the responsibility of their parent or guardian
    • Normal hazards associated with a dairy farm
    • Other vehicle traffic on farm roads and races
    • Crossing public roads
    • Underpass may be slippery

     

     

     

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