Partners Networking to Advance South Island Dairying
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 10 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 two 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: Mawheraiti (Stu and Deb Bland), Westland: Kowhitirangi (Anna and Jeremy Hart).
Weekly Update - as at week ending Wednesday 24th October 2018
CO comment
There has been some welcome rain for many parts of the region this past week, although some are still falling somewhat short. It would be pertinent to use this time to think about potential summer dry strategies for your farm. Previous seasons have taught us that it is always good to have a plan and if it ends up it is not required, that is fine. You can find some tips on managing pasture through a dry period at https://www.dairynz.co.nz/feed/seasonal-management/summer-management/summer-strategies/
Many farmers on the West Coast are mentioning pasture quality as a focus at present and understand its effects on milk production. Some are choosing to top paddocks which have not been grazed down to residual targets. Mowing resets the residual but should be the last resort option as mowing reduces pasture regrowth compared with grazing. Be cautious not to mow the farm into a feed deficit.
I am often asked about pre-graze mowing and whether it increases dry matter intake. A recent trial concluded that the dry matter present does not increase because of mowing and wilting. There is just less water present, not more dry matter. The rate of dry matter intake may increase after mowing but not the total intake. Cows will finish the feed offered quicker, but it’s not more feed. All trials found that eating pre-mown pasture compared with unmown did not increase MS production.
Farm Summary
|
|
Mawheraiti |
Kowhitirangi |
|
Average cover (kg DM/ha) |
2222 |
1999 |
|
APC (17th October) |
2133 |
2025 |
|
Rotation length (days) |
25 |
25 |
|
Stocking rate |
|
|
|
Percentage in milk |
|
|
|
Milksolids kg/cow |
2.12 |
1.99 |
|
Milksolids kg/ha |
5.9 |
4.0 |
|
MS/cow (season to date) |
|
|
|
MS/ha (season to date) |
231 |
192 |
|
|
|
|
|
N (kg/ha) year to date |
|
|
|
Current N application rate kg N/ha |
37 |
25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1st October |
2nd October |
|
DM% |
13.5 |
15.1 |
|
Pasture ME |
>12.5 |
>12.5 |
|
Pasture NDF |
47.1 |
43.2 |
|
Pasture CP |
27.7 |
22.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
Target Intake (kg DM/cow/d) |
20 |
18 |
|
Supplement (kg/cow/day) |
|
2.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
Soil temperature (°C) |
13.8 |
|
|
Growth Rate (kg DM/day) |
59 |
37 |
|
Rainfall |
2 |
|
Click here for the full weekly summary - 24 October 2018
Previous Weekly Summaries
2018
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
