Monitor Farms

West Coast Monitor Farm

Westland has some unique challenges such as high rainfall and seasonal dry peroids which are variable across the region. Westland has now been collecting data for 9 years and continues to building on the information currently available.

This project funded by Westland Milk Products, DairyNZ, CRV Ambreed, ARL-Ravensdown and Rabobank aims to generate reliable pasture growth and quality, and soil temperature information, over the next 12 months, on three commercial dairy farms in Westland.

Farm walks schedule for this season are weekly from August to May, and monthly over the winter period.

Each week we will provide a Weekly Summary of information from the following regions:

Buller: Westport (C Gallagher, Victoria Rd) Upper Grey Valley: Ikamatua (A Mirfin, Mirfins Rd) Hokitika: Kowhitirangi (T&R Little, Whitcombe Valley Rd).

Weekly Update - as at week ending Wednesday 23 May 2018

CO comment

All known or suspect M. bovis infected properties are under Restricted Place Notices under the Biosecurity Act and cattle cannot be moved (except to slaughter).

It’s still possible that some unknown infected cattle are about, and they usually don’t show symptoms. This is one reason caution and good practice is needed for any cattle movement. Another reason already exists, as it’s expected standard practice in today’s environment. As moving day approaches and you plan cattle movement to a new location, focus on preventing contact with cattle from other herds at those locations. Ensure that any grazing, or new property has good biosecurity measures in place, such as preventing your stock from having nose to nose contact with cattle on the farm or neighbouring properties. M.bovis is not just a dairy industry problem and this includes all cattle.

Find out more at http://www.dairynz.co.nz/animal/cow-health/mycoplasma-bovis/

Farm Summary

	Westport	Ikamatua	Kowhitirangi
Average cover (kg DM/ha)	1968	2014	1741
APC (16 May)	1955	1943	1727
Rotation length (days)	38	35
Stocking rate	2.0
Percentage in milk	67.0
Milksolids kg/cow	1.01
Milksolids kg/ha	2.0
MS/cow (season to date)	373	465
MS/ha (season to date)	1090	1251

N (kg/ha) year to date	193	218	88
Current N application rate kg N/ha	20	35

	7 May	8 May
DM%	12.7	12.8
Pasture ME	12.9	12.7
Pasture NDF	46.2	42.6
Pasture CP	32.7	28.9

Target Intake (kg DM/cow/d)	17	15
Supplement (kg/cow/day)	2.75

Soil temperature (°C)		9.6	7.8
Growth Rate (kg DM/day)	22	21	7
Rainfall	82	90
Conditions for farmwalk	Heavy rain; cold	Heavy rain; Very cold; Cows dried off	Freezing cold; Snow low on mountains; Farm very wet; Cows dried off and on crop
Comments

NB: pasture quality data are for 1 sample collected from each farm

Click here for the full weekly summary - 23 May 2018

Previous Weekly Summaries

2018

				31 Jan
23 May	25 Apr	28 Mar	28 Feb	24 Jan
16 May	18 Apr	21 Mar	21 Feb	17 Jan
9 May	11 Apr	14 Mar	14 Feb	10 Jan
2 May	4 Apr	7 Mar	7 Feb	3 Jan

2017


			29 Sept						30 Mar
22 Dec	24 Nov	26 Oct	21 Sept	24 Aug		29 Jun	25 May	27 Apr	24 Mar	24 Feb	26 Jan
15 Dec	16 Nov	20 Oct	14 Sept	17 Aug	20 Jul		19 May	20 Apr	17 Mar	17 Feb	20 Jan
8 Dec	9 Nov	12 Oct	7 Sept	10 Aug		9 Jun	12 May	13 Apr	9 Mar	10 Feb	11 Jan
1 Dec	3 Nov	6 Oct	1 Sept	3 Aug		2 Jun	4 May	6 Apr	3 Mar	2 Feb	4 Jan

2016

			30 Sep
23 Dec	25 Nov		22 Sep	26 Aug		30 June	26 May	28 Apr			28 Jan
16 Dec	17 Nov	27 Oct	15 Sep	19 Aug		23 June	19 May	21 Apr	18 Mar	25 Feb
8 Dec	10 Nov	14 Oct	8 Sep	12 Aug	22 Jul	9 June	12 May	14 Apr	11 Mar	18 Feb
1 Dec	3 Nov	7 Oct	1 Sep	5 Aug		3 June	5 May	8 Apr	4 Mar	11 Feb