West Coast Monitor Farm

Westland has some unique challenges such as high rainfall and seasonal dry peroids which are variable across the region. There is debate on how pasture growth rates and annual production on dairy farms throughout Westland compares to that collected from three years of monitoring on the Landcorp Kotuku Focus Farm. Westland has now been collecting data for 6 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 four 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) Greymouth: (A Robb Coal Creek, Taylorville Rd) Hokitika: Kowhitirangi (T&R Little, Whitcombe Valley Rd).

Weekly Update - 14 September 2017

CO comment 

Making the time to continue the farm walks and monitoring average pasture covers will help keep control pasture quality.  Sometimes, to cut down the need for additional supplementary feed, the response is to move on to a quicker rotation length too early. The Spring Rotation Planner identifies that the typical time to have completed the first round of the farm is during the first week of October – many have already grazed that area already. Pasture growth rates are not yet at a level where this rotation length can be supported and the result is that average pasture covers drop rather than increase. Keep to the required area to be grazed each day and use the supplement that is available to hold the longer rotation length – it will pay dividends with a more suitable average pasture cover at balance date.

Using the Spring Rotation Planner to monitor your position and ensure good decisions are made is a good way to manage the pasture and supplement resource that’s on hand. With the financial situation still tight through the spring, having your grazing management well planned will ensure that supplements are fed only when required and not wasted.

Remember to offer freshly calved cows at least 12-14 kgDM/day for Friesian and 10-12 kgDM/cow for Jersey – this certainly a lesser amount than what they will be consuming at peak, but physiologically, that’s about all they can consume at this stage of their lactation.  Monitor your grazing residuals to ensure your targets are achieved as they will impact on both pasture regrowth rate and subsequent pasture quality. 

If you are interested in viewing the Expanded Weekly Summary of the monitoring results, follow this link West Coast Monitor Farm Full Summary

Farm Summary 

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

Click here for the full weekly summary - 14th September 2017

Previous Weekly Summaries

2017

2016

Combined Monthly Summaries

2014 - 2015

December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014