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The 186 hectare irrigated property,
of which 161 hectare 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
-
To
develop and demonstrate world-best practice in dairy farm
systems and to transfer them to dairy farms throughout
the South Island.
-
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.
-
To
use the best environmental monitoring systems to achieve
best management practices under irrigation, which ensure
that the industry’s 4% productivity gain target
is achieved in a sustainable way and that the wider environment
is protected.
-
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].
-
To
operate an efficient and well organised business unit.
-
To
provide a commercial return on adjusted capital value
to Lincoln University, and a defined benefit to each of
the stakeholders.
-
To
create and maintain an effective team environment at policy,
management and operational levels.
-
To
assist Lincoln University to attract top quality domestic
and international students into the New Zealand dairy
industry.
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Specific
objectives for the season 2007/08
-
To
deliver an Operating Profit of $6,844/ha and Return on
Dairy Assets of 15.3% from a $6.40 payout - with budgeted
milk solids production of 294,700 kg with Cash Farm Working
Expenses of $2.85/kgMS.
-
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.
-
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.
-
To
manage pastures and grazing so milkers consume / harvest
as much metabolisable energy [ME] as practicable, with
a target of 200 GJ/ha ME, using less than 200 kg of N/ha
applied. For example, this could be achieved by
consuming / harvesting 16t DM/ha with average ME 12.5.
-
To
optimize the use of the farm automation system [Protrack]
and demonstrate / document improved efficiencies and subsequent
effect on the business.
-
To
achieve an in-calf rate of no less than 88% [i.e. 12%
empty] after 12 weeks mating, i.e. 9 weeks of AM mating
plus 3 of natural mating. All AB matings to result
in crossbred replacements including replacements from
yearlings.
-
To
continue to document and measure LUDF's influence
on changes to defined management practices on other dairy
farms.
-
To
ensure specific training is adequate and appropriate to
enable staff members to contribute effectively in meeting
the objectives of the farm.
-
To actively seek labour productivity gains through adoption
of technologies and practices that reduce labour requirements
or make the work environment more satisfying.
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Ongoing
Research
-
Environmental
research
-
Effects
of 'eco-n' on nitrate leaching and pasture production
-
Sustainable
Productive Support Land for South Island Dairying
-
Pasture
species monitoring
-
Application
of Dexcel Whole Farm Model to LUDF
-
Monitoring
pasture growth, soil moisture and irrigation performance
-
IMBADA
Camera Technology for dairy farms
-
The
role of nutrition on lameness in Canterbury
-
Real-time,
on-line monitoring for animal health and environmental
impact monitoring
|
 |
To view
these PDF files you will need Acrobat Reader. If
you do not have Acrobat Reader installed on your
machine, please click
here to download. |
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SIDDC
FOCUS DAYS on the LUDF - see under 'Events'
Climate
|
Mean
Annual Maximum Temperature |
|
| Mean
Annual Minimum Temperature |
|
| Average
Days of Screen Frost |
|
| Mean
Average Bright Sunshine |
|
| Average
Annual Rainfall |
|
Farm
Area
|
|
|
|
2006/07 |
|
|
Home |
|
161.5 |
|
|
Runoff
(East Block) |
|
18 |
|
|
Heifer Block |
|
33 |
|
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Soil
|
Soil
Types |
|
|
Free-draining
shallow stony soils (Eyre soils) |
|
|
Deep
sandy soils (Paparua and Templeton soils) |
|
|
Imperfectly
drained soils (Wakanui soils) |
|
|
Heavily,
poorly-drained soils (Temuka soils) |
|
|
Soil
Test Results |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec
01 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jul
02 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oct
02 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun
03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 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 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Soil
Reserve K = 4.5 (Target = 0.8 - 1.2) |
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Fertiliser
History
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Season 2001/02 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Season 2002/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Season 2003/04 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Season 2004/05 |
|
200 |
46 |
- |
47 |
- |
57 |
|
Season 2005/06 |
Non-Effluent |
200 |
48 |
- |
76 |
- |
107 |
|
|
Effluent |
0 |
30 |
- |
53 |
- |
67 |
|
|
Non-Effluent |
200 |
49 |
- |
89 |
- |
110 |
|
|
Effluent |
0 |
20 |
- |
52 |
- |
45 |
|
Season 2007/08 |
Non-effluent |
200 |
44 |
- |
73 |
- |
96 |
|
Season 2007/08 |
North Effluent |
12 |
22 |
- |
37 |
- |
48 |
Pasture
- 2 paddocks
of Tabu Italian ryegrass
- 2 paddocks
of Bealey, and
- 2 paddocks
of Alto perennial ryegrasses [all with Kotare/Sustain white
clovers
and timothy].
To see LUDF Pasture ME for
past four 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 |
|
901m |
| |
|
|
|
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 2006
|
9
weeks AB mating to Premier Sires followed
by 3 weeks with bulls. Aim is to retain
cows that calve within the first 10 weeks.
CIDR resynchrony treatment programme one
week before PSM for cows not recorded as
cycling. Yearlings synchronised and
mating to commence one week before PSM for
main herd. First three days mating
with AB Jersey semen followed by Jersey
bulls for 11 weeks. |
|
Herd Details
| Breeding
Worth (rel%) / Production Worth (rel%) |
135/45 - 150/64 |
| Average
weight/cow (Dec) - (30) cows monitored |
470
kg |
| Calving
start date |
1 August 2007, 27 July 2008 |
| Mean
calving date |
12th August 2007 (12 days) |
| Mating
start date |
25th October 2007 |
|
Empty rate
(nil induction policy) after 12 weeks mating
after 15 weeks mating |
14% [16% 2006]
8% [12% 2006] |
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| |
03/04 Season |
04/05 Season |
05/06 Season |
06/07 Season |
| Milkers
- ave/max/wintered |
635/644/660 |
649/651/675 |
646/651/672 |
/680/706 |
|
Total kg/MS |
271,971 |
277,634 |
286,115 |
274,965 |
| Total
kg/MS/cow |
422 |
427 |
440 |
410 |
| Total
kg/MS/ha |
1684 |
1719 |
1772 |
1703 |
| Operating
Expenses/kgMS |
$2.64 |
$2.64 |
$2.63 |
$2.80 |
| Economic
Farm Surplus/ha |
$2008 |
$2768 |
$2151 |
|
| Payout
[excl. levy] $/kg |
$4.22 |
$4.56 |
$4.07 |
$4.47 |
|
Return
on Assets |
5.6% |
6.9% |
5.1% |
6.7% |
Stock Numbers
|
|
2002/03 |
2003/04 |
2004/05 |
2005/06 |
2006/07 |
2007/08 |
|
1 July cow numbers |
|
631 |
660 |
675 |
664 |
702 |
704 |
|
Maximum cows milked |
|
604 |
644 |
651 |
651 est |
670 |
670 |
|
No. Yearlings grazed |
On/Off |
0/118 |
0/139 |
0/140 |
0/172 |
0/172 |
0/171 |
|
No. Calves grazed |
On/Off |
0/141 |
0/143 |
0/162 |
0/170 |
0/175 |
0/175 |
|
Cows wintered off |
No. cows |
500 |
520 |
500 |
500 |
540 |
546 |
| |
Weeks off |
8 |
7 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
|
Stocking rate |
Cow equiv. / ha |
3.75 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
4.2 |
4.2 |
| |
Kg liveweight / ha |
1,838 |
1,960 |
1,960 |
1,960 |
1,974 |
1,974 |
| |
Kg liveweight / tDM |
76 |
79 |
83 |
77 |
87 |
|
Supplement
- Fed to milkers |
[kg/cow] |
550 |
385 |
300 |
315 |
266 |
|
|
- Made on dairy/platform |
[kg/cow] |
0 |
98 |
220 |
365 |
93 |
|
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Staffing and Management
Peter Hancox - Farm Manager
Neil Jones - Herd Manager
Conal Harkin - Farm Assistan
Ryan Moffat - Farm Assistant
Kris Wilson - Farm Assistant
| Roster System |
- Spring,
12 days on then 2 days off |
| |
- Rest of the
year, 11 days on then 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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