Click here to Sign up for Weekly SDF Newsletter and Access SDF's FaceBook Pages.
Providing economic, social and environmentally sustainable solutions for the Southern South Island dairy farming community.
The 295 hectare property at 105 Wallacetown-Riverton Highway, was leased by Southland Demonstration Farm Limited, controlled by the Southland Demonstration Dairy Farm Trust, on 1st June 2007, to operate as a commercial demonstration farm. The farm provides a focal point for the dissemination of information to Southern South Island dairy farmers.
The milking platform is approximately 260 ha with a further 32 ha [approximately] per year of brassicas and fodder beet for winter feed. The farm milks 790-800 cows and supplies Fonterra’s Edendale Factory targeting annual production of 340,000 kg/MS (1150 kgMS per total ha / 1300kgMS/ha off the milking platform).
|
Spring |
Summer |
Autumn |
Winter |
Annual |
Mean Annual Maximum Temperature (ºC) |
14 |
18 |
15 |
10 |
14 |
Mean Annual Minimum Temperature (ºC) |
5 |
9 |
5 |
1 |
5 |
Mean daily temperature (ºC) |
10 |
13 |
10 |
5 |
10 |
Date |
pH
|
OlsenP
|
K
|
Sulphate Sulphur
|
Mg
|
Ca
|
Na
|
Organic S
|
TBK
|
2007/08 Average |
6.1
|
29.8
|
7.4
|
7.5
|
10.7
|
23.2
|
12.7
|
6.5
|
1.8
|
2008/09 Effluent 2008/09 Non Effluent |
6.3 6.0 |
28.5 34.1 |
9.0 6.9 |
5.5 9.9 |
31.0 22.0 |
14.5 11.3 |
18.5 13.7 |
5.2 3.6 |
|
2009/10 Effluent 2009/10 Non Effluent |
6.0 5.9 |
35.5 34.6 |
10.0 5.8 |
8.5 9.6 |
36.0 22.1 |
14.5 11.1 |
16.5 9.9 |
3.6
|
|
2010/11 Effluent 2010/11 Non Effluent |
5.9 5.9 |
35.0 34.4 |
7.0 5.7 |
8.3 8.9 |
27.8 20.2 |
12. 39.0 |
14. 58.3 |
||
2011/12 Effluent 2011/12 Non Effluent |
6.3 6 |
33 31.8 |
8 7.9 |
10 8.8 |
34 23 |
14 10.8 |
20 11.7 |
12 8.5 |
2008/09 |
N |
P |
K |
S |
Lime |
Non Effluent |
180+ |
41 |
20 |
50 |
250kg/ha |
Effluent |
100 |
27 |
0 |
32 |
250kg/ha |
2009/10 |
N |
P |
K |
S |
Lime |
Non Effluent |
170 |
38 |
40 |
35 |
400kg/ha |
Effluent |
120 |
18 |
0 |
22 |
400kg/ha |
2010/11 |
N |
P |
K |
S |
Lime |
Non Effluent |
180+ |
41 |
40 |
48 |
400kg/ha |
Effluent |
100+ |
18 |
0 |
22 |
400kg/ha |
New Grass Paddocks |
197 |
64 |
40 |
77 |
400kg/ha |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2011/12 |
N |
P |
K |
S |
Lime |
Capital P Areas |
Average 250 KgsN/ha across whole farm area including winter crops.
|
90 |
40 |
121 |
400kg/ha |
No P Areas |
4 |
0 |
121 |
400kg/ha |
|
Rest of Non Effluent |
42 |
41 |
51 |
400kg/ha |
|
Effluent |
22 |
0 |
27 |
400kg/ha |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2012/13 |
N |
P |
K |
S |
Lime |
Whole farm average |
213kgN/ha |
36 |
17 |
45 |
225kg/ha |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2013/14 |
N |
P |
K |
S |
Lime |
Whole farm average |
245kgN/ha |
59 |
30 |
75 |
400kg/ha |
Pastures are progressively being renewed each year through a renewal programme that incorporates both winter crops such as swedes, kale and fodder beet and short term ryegrasses prior to new permanent pasture being sown. Half of the winter-crop area is returned to new pasture each year and the other half cropped for a second season. The farm has re-grassed approximately 1/3 of the property in the past 4 seasons. Each new pasture is a perennial ryegrass/white clover combination, with strategic placement of particular cultivars across the farm differing in ploidy (diploid/tetraploid), flowering date and more recently different novel endophytes. A small area of the farm was sown directly in short term ryegrass without clover to increase the amount of re-grassing on the farm and address some of the weed issues on farm. The ryegrass acts as a forage crop in its own right, this will be wintered cropped and returned to permanent ryegrass / white clover. Permanent pastures are sown at 20kg/ha diploid ryegrass and 25kg/ha tetraploid ryegrass with 6kg/ha white clover.
SDF has a part time Business Manager (30 hours/week), full time farm manager, 2IC and two farm assistants. Additional relief staff employed as required to assist with calf rearing and relief milking.
The normal roster is 8 on / 2 off till Christmas, 9 on / 3 off after Christmas
Milking Times – Morning: cups on 5.00 am Afternoon: cups on 2.30 pm
HERD DETAILS AND MATING PROGRAMME - Click Here
PRODUCTION DETAILS / FINANCIAL RESULTS - Click Here
Soil moisture levels in Southland - Guidelines for farm dairy effluent irrigation.