pasture in prime position - dairynz - dairynz into spring, it has also set them up ... meant leslie...

December 2015

Your levy in action

Setting up summer feedDon't be caught short

PASTURE IN PRIME POSITIONStaying on track for a summer pay off

Preparing for an El Niño

Summer Management Plan included

Inside Dairy is the official magazine of DairyNZ Ltd. It is circulated among all New Zealand dairy farmers and industry organisations and professionals.

Contents

ISSN 1179-4909

DNZ03-166

FEATURES...

2 Cover story

Pasture in prime position

Staying on track for a summer pay off

8 Setting up summer feed supply

Don't be caught short

Insert

Preparing for an El Niño

Summer Management Plan

included

over the fence...

At DairyNZ we’ve been struck by some of the touching stories we’ve heard

of how farmers are helping each other.

We’ve heard of farmers secretly leaving baking at cowsheds of people

doing it tough, of people offering up spare rooms and home cooking in their

houses for farmers who need a break.

One farmer volunteered to host three school groups each week on his

farm to help us clear a waiting list of children wanting to visit a dairy farm as

part of our Rosie education programme.

Fifty people turned up in Taranaki to help clean up flood-hit farms.

Farmers took in extra cows that needed to be milked when paddocks were

under water in Manawatu.

Many farmers have helped us with our Tactics campaign – hosting events

and sharing knowledge, experience and tips on how to get through a low

milk price. Your knowledge and support has been invaluable.

We've got good reason to be proud of the industry we work in.

Family, friends, looking after your health, enjoying your farm and the

cows, paying it forward, doing something every day for someone else – just

as someone else does something for you, that’s what really matters, and I

think it's what our industry has always been good at.

Christmas is the time to celebrate all that kindness and generosity in this

past year. It is what counts – and we can count on that getting us through

the next year. The summer is almost here – check out the great tips in this

issue, especially the farmer stories.

I welcome your feedback. Feel free to email me at

[email protected].

Tim Mackle

Chief executive DairyNZ

It’s hard to believe it’s December already. While we have faced some challenging times this year, looking back, it’s not the ups and downs of the milk price that have stayed with me, it’s the people who have chipped in to help others within the industry that stand out for me.

just quickly...

IN THIS ISSUE...

1 Just quickly

10 Reviewing herd numbers

13 Grass roots

Dry summer management

14 Once-a-day milking

16 Tactics for summer

Take five: ways to stay well

18 Grazing heifers off-farm

20 Biz page

Farm Working Expenses

21 Bits & bobs

22 DairyNZ directory

Seasonal diary

23 Regional update

2 18

14

We appreciate your feedback

Email [email protected] or call us on 0800 4 DairyNZ (0800

4 324 7969). Alternatively, post to: Inside Dairy, Private Bag 3221,

Hamilton 3240. For information on DairyNZ visit dairynz.co.nz.

New chair electedWaikato farmer Michael Spaans was

elected in November by the DairyNZ

board as its new chair. Michael has been

a member of DairyNZ’s board of directors

since 2008.

Farm roster – now quick and easy!Can you put together your employee

roster in just three minutes from start

to finish? DairyNZ’s new online Roster

Builder can help you do it. Exploring

different options, making changes and

sharing the roster with employees is now

quick and easy. Tested and refined by

dairy farmers, you can create a custom

roster for your business with as much or

as little detail as you want to include. Get

started now and take the stress out of

workforce planning – visit dairynz.co.nz/

rosterbuilder for more details.

Feds launch grazing agreement Federated Farmers have released a new

grazing agreement that offers three

agreements in one. They have improved

their existing grazing agreement and

expanded it to cover both heifer and

winter or seasonal grazing. It costs

$80.50 for members and includes 15

minutes of free legal support from the

Federated Farmers support line. Visit

fedfarm.org.nz/grazing or call Federated

Farmers on 0800 327 646.

On the cover: Bay of Plenty farmers Jens Wulff and Leslie Coetzee with DairyNZ consulting officer Kevin McKinley.

Inside Dairy | December 2015 1

2 Inside Dairy | December 2015

PASTURE IN PRIME POSITIONStaying on track for a summer pay off


The farm team has gained an average cover of 300kg dry matter (DM)/ha and is on track to achieving their goal of capturing an extra half tonne of DM before Christmas.

While the review visit in August ensured their pasture was in a prime position going into spring, it has also set them up for summer. “We have learnt lessons we will apply every season,” they say.

Learning how to use the Spring Rotation Planner (SRP) properly

was one of the best things to come out of the feed visit say Jens

and Leslie.

“I’ve always done grazing management and paddock

allocation by the seat of my pants,” says Jens. “It does make it

hard to teach and to know if I’m exactly on point.

“I understood the concepts of the SRP but I’d never been

talked through the detail in relation to our situation.

“Learning how to use it properly and applying it on our farm

meant Leslie and I could really nail it.

“Having a set plan to follow immediately gave us confidence.

“Once I knew how to use it, I realised it’s not hard to do. It’s

about following a plan to ensure pasture management stays on

track. It’s definitely paid off going into summer.”

A ONE-ON-ONE DAIRYNZ FEED REVIEW VISIT ON THEIR FARM HAS SET BAY OF PLENTY DAIRY FARMER OWNER JENS WULFF AND CONTRACT MILKER LESLIE COETZEE UP FOR MANAGING THROUGH WHAT IS LIKELY TO BE A DRY EL NIÑO SUMMER.

Farm owner Jens Wulff, contract milker Leslie Coetzee and DairyNZ consulting officer Kevin McKinley are “stoked” with the farm's pasture cover.


FARM FACTSJens and Min Wulff – farm owners

Leslie and Jan Coetzee – Contract milkers

Hannah Towgood – Farm assistant

Location: Pyes Pa, Tauranga

Farm size: 115ha effective

Cows: 372

System: 3

Leslie says the SRP is now their ‘go-to’ tool.

“I wouldn’t consider doing grazing management without it,”

says Leslie. “It removes the guesswork – as soon as we started

using it I felt like we were in the right position. If you’ve got a

good plan in place it’s easier to deal with tough situations when

they come your way.”

In turn, Jens says he was really happy

knowing Leslie had a robust plan to work

from.

“I would recommend all farmers sit

down with their consultant and learn

how to use the SRP to its full potential.

It makes achieving grazing management

targets a whole lot easier, especially if

there’s more than one person involved in

managing pasture.

“It’s removed a lot of stress from an already tough season and

alleviated or removed a lot of the problems we would have been

facing now.

“Knowing you can get through a feed supply shortage takes a

big weight off your mind.”

Spring Rotation Planner in practiceFor the farm team, the practical application of the SRP meant

allocating smaller breaks.

“Allocating the correct feed every day meant we were able

to increase pasture cover through winter and end up in a good

position come spring,” says Jens.

“It also meant we were allowing pasture

to get to target pre-grazing yields, ensuring

we had enough pasture for the next round,”

says Leslie.

In October, the team was happy with their

cover of 2200kg DM/ha, an average gain of

about 300kg DM/ha.

Balance date for the farm was October

10. At the start of October the farm was

on a 26 day round and since balance date they have been

shortening the round.

“With AB (artificial breeding) starting on October 19, having

adequate feed on-hand is as important as ever,” says Jens. “It’s

one of the flow-on effects of good levels of quality pasture –

we’re aiming for a good submission and conception rate.

“If you’ve got a good plan in place it’s easier

to deal with tough situations when they

come your way.”

The farm team use DairyNZ's grazing management guide to get grazing targets bang on.


“We’ll start to increase feed coming into AB – and we’ve now

got plenty of pasture on-hand to do this.”

Key changes yield big results“Our main takeaway message from the feed assessment was

that we could feed slightly less per cow,” says Leslie.

“It was good getting that reassurance that the cows would be

fine on 14kg DM – it’s gaining that confidence that you don’t

have to ‘feed them heaps’.”

Pasture allocated to the milker and colostrum herds was

reduced to 14kg DM/cow (they had been allocated 16kg DM/cow

and not eating it at all) and the dry cow herd was reduced to 9kg

DM/cow.

Allocating less feed in spring meant slowing the rotation. “We

concentrated on fully utilising pasture – grazing a little bit lower

and harder,” says Leslie.

Top tips for improving pasture management

Learn how to use the Spring Rotation Planner and

use it as your shared go-to planner – it will pay

dividends.

Have a plan to follow.

Assess residuals and cover properly – no

‘guesstimating’.

Use it or lose it – meet target residuals (1500-

1600kg DM) for quality pasture.

Use DairyNZ’s pocket guide to grazing

management in spring with clear pictures and

explanations to help meet targets.

Work as a team with a shared resource such as

the Spring Rotation Planner.

“It was good getting that reassurance that the cows would be fine on 14kg DM.”

Farm assistant Hannah Towgood.


“Ensuring target grazing residuals were met meant we had

enough pasture for the next round of grazing.”

Jens says if they hadn’t made the changes they might have

matched production up to start of October but they would have

been left with no pasture heading into mating and the worry of

‘where to’ next.

“We wouldn’t have been able to maintain production and it

would have cost us more in supplements,” says Jens.

“Instead, cows remained in good condition and we have

peace of mind knowing there is adequate feed going in to

summer.

“We’re concentrating on a pasture-first mentality and getting

grazing right; we know that’s what gives the best returns in the

long run.

“We weren’t way off track, but some key changes meant we

were able to maintain adequate pasture cover going into spring

and be well set up for summer.”

Dry summer preparationIn preparation for a dry summer, a crop of turnips will be

fed from January 20 onwards for about six weeks, followed by

maize silage.

“We’re doing turnips instead of PKE this year as it’s a

cheaper feed, plus we’ll get the new grass from that,” says

Jens.

“We usually manage to stay on a 21 day round all year quite

comfortably and stay milking twice a day for the majority of the

season,” says Jens.

Heifers are on once-a-day (OAD) until the end of AB and

we winter the cows off-farm from June 1 in three mobs on

separate properties.

Feed review visitJens says the opportunity to have the on-farm pasture

assessment couldn’t have come at a better time.

“We usually try to go into winter with an average cover of

2000kg DM/ha. Instead, we were sitting at about 1800kg DM/

ha. We knew we were going to be in trouble if we kept going

the way we were.

“It was very beneficial having a consultant on-farm to see

the real situation. We received guidance to point us in the right

direction and reassurance where we were on the right track.”

The team’s farm visit was held on August 3 with their local

consulting officer Kevin McKinley.

“It’s removed a lot of stress from an already tough season and alleviated or removed a lot of the problems we would have been facing now.”

Contract milker Leslie Coetzee does regular pasture walks.

DairyNZ's Spring Rotation Planner is now the team's “go-to” tool for grazing management.


Don't be caught short Managing feed supply this summerInformed feed supply decisions made in early December can help ensure the herd’s production remains profitable for the remainder of the season. DairyNZ developer Sean McCarthy provides insights and points to new resources that will help you make the best decisions over the next few months to ensure feed supply is managed in an effective way.

Ensuring feed supply matches demand, for many, will mean

continuing to meet pre-grazing leaf stage and post-grazing

residual targets to encourage as much pasture growth as

possible. It may also include the use of summer crops, nitrogen

(N) fertiliser and supplements where it makes economic sense.

Assuming sensible culling and dry off decisions are made to

manage feed demand, the focus shifts to supplying high quality,

low cost feed.

Before culling and dry off decisions can be made, it is

important to have the right information. Knowing the average

pasture cover and feed on-hand will enable you to determine

if a lift in farm cover is required and whether December is a

good time to apply N fertiliser to encourage greater growth

rates in early summer. N boosted pasture is a valuable feed

source, and even if ensiling is required, it will cost less than

many supplements (for an evaluation framework, see the article

Supplements, surpluses and savings, pg 12, Inside Dairy October

2015).

Slowing grazing roundA dry summer will slow pasture growth, so slowing down the

round in early December by increasing the number of days in

the rotation will help achieve maximum growth during summer

and help ensure there is adequate feed ahead of your herd for

grazing. It will also allow for grazing of pastures closer to the

target three-leaf stage, therefore capturing the 40-50 percent of

the high quality leaf growth from the second to third leaf (see

Perennial ryegrass grazing management booklet at dairynz.co.nz/

grazing-management).

Target residuals for high quality pastureThe way to increase feed is by a slower rotation, not higher

residuals. There is a misconception that leaving higher residuals

in December will increase feed availability in summer and help

capture moisture. Leaves have a limited lifespan so higher residuals

will in fact reduce pasture growth and any remaining high

quality feed will decay and not be available later in the summer.


Therefore, leaving high residuals in December won’t help fill a

feed deficit later on; it will simply result in wasted pasture now

and reduced pasture growth and quality in the months ahead.

Residuals of 1500-1600kg DM/ha will ensure the plant

maintains its energy reserves and will provide some shading of

the soil surface.

Feeding summer cropsWhile the area in crop has by now been determined, it is

important to measure and monitor yields so this feed is allocated

accurately. Information on managing and feeding individual

crops can be found at dairynz.co.nz/crops.

Ask why before you buy Decision rules around feeding supplements need to be

made alongside knowledge of overall expected feed supply and

demand (see article on reviewing herd numbers on pg 10).

DairyNZ’s new “Summer Feeding Check” worksheet will take

you through the steps to work out when you will get a good

financial return from using supplements.

The “Weekly feed management check” template included will

help you monitor grazing indicators (pre-grazing yield, rotation

length, average farm cover, post-grazing residuals) alongside

supplement use to determine whether or not money will be made

from feeding supplement.

It also provides a checklist of questions that need to be

considered before supplement is purchased.

The worksheet can be downloaded from dairynz.co.nz/

publications/feed.

Supplement use after culling decisionsDairyNZ’s online Supplement Price Calculator will help you

determine how much you can pay for supplementary feed during

a shortage. It provides a more detailed output with regards to

different feed types, amounts and time of the year.

It must be noted that the milk response in these resources is

determined based on energy being the limiting factor to milk

production. While this is typically the case when cows are eating

high quality pasture, in summer/early autumn the availability

and quality of the pasture declines and the use of low protein

supplements (e.g. maize silage, fodder beet) increases. Therefore

in some instances protein may be limiting milk production.

However, protein supplements are usually expensive and even

with a milk response, the extra milk revenue does not typically

outweigh the cost of feeding a protein supplement (See article

Should I supplement with protein in summer? pg 26 in Inside

Dairy February 2015).

Another factor to consider if using large amounts of

supplements in summer is to ensure cows have adequate effective

fibre. For example, although PKE is high in neutral detergent

fibre (NDF), it contains no effective fibre. From a rumen health

perspective, a forage source (pasture, straw, hay) may need to be

included in the diet if PKE is being fed. For more information see

DairyNZ’s FeedRight booklet at dairynz.co.nz/publications/feed.

Summer Management Plan includedReduce the impact of an El Niño summer by

completing the Summer Management Plan included with

this month’s Inside Dairy.

To find out how to best use this plan, go to a DairyNZ

discussion group where the focus will be on helping

farmers create a plan for an El Niño summer.

Visit dairynz.co.nz/events to find a discussion group

near you.

Quick tips:• Assess average farm cover

• Assess crop yields

• Apply N fertiliser

• Create a feed budget

• Reassess feed demand (culling) in late January after

pregnancy test

QUICK TIPS

DairyNZ's new Summer Feeding Check worksheet.


Reviewing herd numbers for the best returnsManaging through a drought or very dry summer requires two key outcomes to be kept in mind; keeping some cows in milk for when it rains and protecting next season.

DairyNZ feed and farm systems specialist Kim Mashlan says with a predicted El Niño summer in some parts of the country, and low milk prices, now is the time to review the expected feed situation and herd numbers.

Planned decision rules around early culling, early dry off and

selective dry off, as ways to reduce feed demand, ensure clarity

for the business and lower the stress of having to make quick

decisions in a difficult environment.

When faced with a shortage of feed there are two options;

reduce the feed demand or increase the feed supply. Here we

consider reducing feed demand options.

Early cullingThe first decision to make about culling is “What could be

culled early?” e.g. obvious culls, empties and voluntary culls.

To calculate the number of voluntary culls, take current cow

numbers on hand and add the number of in-calf heifers to enter

the herd on June 1. From that figure, subtract the number of

empties, the number of known culls (e.g. persistent mastitis,


Gains - decreased costs if animal is culled Losses - decreased revenue if animal is culled

Feed saved Days Kg DM/c/d Total kg DM

saved

Milk (kg MS/

cow)

Total MS lost $4.60/kg MS

Jan 15 16.6 249 1.3 20 $90

Feb 28 15.2 426 1.1 31 $142

Mar 31 13.7 425 1 31 $143

April 30 12.2 366 0.8 24 $110

May 15 12.2 183 0.8 12 $55

Total kg DM feed saved 1648 Total MS "lost" 117 $540

Average price of supplement ($/t eaten) $350 Reduction in milking costs at

30cents/cow/day

$36

Value of supplement saved assuming all feed at same

MJME/DM (total feed per cow x $/t)

$577

Overdraft interest saved from cull cow revenue (10%

interest over 4 months*)

$23

Total gains $599 Total losses $504

Net gain from early culling $96

Table 1 Gains and losses from early culling (per cow)

Possible savings from milking and feeding less cows (dairy shed, electricity, vehicle R&M and fuel, labour costs.

*Interest calculated on cull value of $675/cow (@225kg cull weight and $3/kg net of charges).

lameness etc) and deaths. The difference between that figure

and the minimum number required to winter is the number of

voluntary cull cows.

The second question is “What feed would these animals

require if they remained milking?”

When an animal is culled, extra feed is available for the

remaining cows, meaning less supplements are required to cover

the feed deficit. Therefore the marginal benefit is the saving

on supplement not purchased, minus the lost revenue from the

culled cow’s milk production.

Thirdly, the value that selling culls early will have on cashflow

could be considered, and is obviously impacted by the beef

schedule with early culls typically worth more than late culls.

Though not a large amount, this equates to a further $23/animal

reduction in interest in the example below.

The example in Table 1 indicates where culls are producing

less than the herd average (in this case 20 percent less) and

supplements cost $350/t, it was more profitable to cull the

animal than buying in feed to keep it milking.

The breakeven price for supplement, where it could be

worthwhile buying in supplements to keep milking the cull would

be $290/t eaten in the above example. Remember this is after

you have allowed for wastage. If wastage was assumed to be 10

percent more, then the amount you can afford to pay, including

delivery, is $261/t. At 20 percent more wastage then the amount

you can afford to pay is only $232/t before it is better to cull

animals, based on the example above.

Early dry off of whole herdModelling (using Farmax) was used to look at the impact

of very early and early dry off of the whole herd for a typical

farm in both Canterbury and Waikato under pasture growth

rates for a typical El Niño year. The results indicated very early

dry off (milked for 182 days and dried off end of February)

was not profitable, even at a $4/kg MS milk price. This is not

recommended.

The early dry off option milked for 237 days and was

marginally better than milking to the normal dry off time (267

days) if some of the cow related variable costs (dairy shed

costs, electricity, labour, machinery and fuel) could be reduced.

Decisions like this need to be done for your own farm with input

from advisors.

Evaluating the worth of selective dry offSelective dry off is when some of the cows are progressively

dried off through the later part of the season to match feed

demand and supply and to ensure body condition score and

pasture targets are met.

DairyNZ’s new milk on versus dry off calculator (available now

through your DairyNZ consulting officer and on the DairyNZ


Selective dry off Keep milking & buy feed

Time period MS/cow/day Avg. milkers Avg. drys Avg. milkers Avg. drys

Jan 1.5 500 0 500 0

Feb 1.2 420 0 420 0

March 0.9 300 120 420 0

April 0.8 200 220 420 0

May 0.7 420 0 420

Table 3The effect of feed type and price on the profitability of keeping cows milking when feed has to be purchased

Difference in returns for each scenario at $4.60/kg MS

FEED OPTION 1 FEED OPTION 2 FEED OPTION 3

Feed (tonnes) Selective dry off

Keep milking & buy feed

Selective dry off


Selective dry off


PKE ($275/t) 272 360

Maize silage ($270/t) 268 268

Baleage ($450/t) 265 265 220 220 269 357

Maize grain ($430/t) 242 310

Margin $15,927 $26,606 $6,466 $11,853 $16,599 $11,107

Difference $10,679 $5,387 -$5,491

Note: In all feed options, target pasture covers and body condition score targets are achieved, and pasture growth rates and milk produced/cow are

kept constant.

website in late January) evaluates the options of selective dry off

compared with continuing to milk the whole herd and buying in

more feed.

The calculator takes into account the expected pasture

growth rates, body condition score targets, the type and cost

of supplements needed, (feeding out costs and utilisation),

milk price and expected response to supplements. Using this

calculator shows how feed type and costs can alter the margin

between milking on versus a staggered dry off (Table 3) and

effect on achieving target pasture covers and body condition

scores.

The mix of feeds used and the price/tonne has the biggest

impact on whether it is better to selectively dry off or continue

buying in feed.

In Table 3, Feed options 1 and 2, result in a higher margin if

all cows are kept milking and feed is purchased than if cows are

selectively dried off.

However, a change in feed type and price, shown in Feed

Option 3, means although both milking on and selective dry off

provide a positive return it would be better to selectively dry off.

If low producers are selectively dried off, then this feed, if used

by the remaining herd, would increase milksolids production.

Due to the many factors that need to be considered when

making these decisions it is important to use tools like this

calculator to estimate the returns for your own farm.

Key pointsFeed price and utilisation will determine if milking on

decisions are economical.

Ensure next season’s performance is protected by

reaching target pasture covers and BCS targets.


grass roots

At this point in the season farmers have put a lot of effort into managing pastures to ensure they are in a good state for summer. DairyNZ scientist Cáthal Wims explains the need to continue the focus on grazing management through summer, with particular emphasis on tightly controlling post-grazing residuals.

Summer pasture management

As pasture supply reduces over the summer months it’s

important to think about how to avoid overgrazing; which occurs

when pastures are grazed below 7-8 clicks (as measured on the

rising plate meter).

This summer’s weather prediction for an El Niño will bring

drier conditions in the north and east and below average pasture

growth rates to some areas (see mpi.govt.nz).

The temptation during dry summer months is to harvest more

pasture by grazing cows to residuals of less than 7-8 clicks, but

this practice is detrimental to pasture recovery following the

autumn rain and the longer term persistence of the pasture.

The summer and early autumn period is generally the most

stressful on non-irrigated pastures. As well as the drier conditions

and higher temperatures typically experienced during the

summer months, perennial ryegrass pastures can be subject to

additional pressure from insect pests.

Avoid overgrazing Pastures will be subject to further stress if overgrazed.

Perennial ryegrass maintains energy reserves which are stored in

the 4-5cm of plant above ground level (the stubble). The plant

uses these energy reserves during the initial stages of regrowth

to regain leaf area.

Summer overgrazing depletes these energy reserves resulting

in reduced pasture recovery following the autumn rain, and

severe or repeated overgrazing can result in plant death which

will have negative consequences for the longer term persistence

of the pasture.

Early December is a good time to think about managing

pasture residuals over the summer, which unlike the weather

and insect pests, are under farmers’ direct control. Think about

the level of supplement you have on hand, consider options to

reduce demand (e.g. culling, see pg 10) and develop a plan to

manage residuals to 7-8 clicks and don’t let them get below this

during the summer – it will pay dividends in the autumn.

Nitrogen applicationNitrogen application is a relatively cheap way to gain

additional feed and applying 25-35kg N/ha in late spring/early

summer (moisture permitting) will help boost pasture supply over

the coming months. In addition, nitrogen application in early

summer will boost the growth of new perennial ryegrass tillers,

or ‘daughter tillers’, which will help thicken up the pasture going

into summer.

dairynz.co.nz/feed


Once-a-day milking post Christmas Latest research by DairyNZ senior scientists Jane Kay and Claire Phyn provides valuable insights on what to expect for farmers considering once-a-day (OAD) milking post-Christmas.

Christmas often marks a waypoint in the dairying calendar

for deciding how best to approach the remaining four to five

months of the season.

Reduced milk returns and the strong likelihood of an El

Niño weather pattern delivering dry weather for farmers from

Northland down to the east coast, have seen many farmers

approaching DairyNZ about the economics and practicalities of

going to OAD milking post-Christmas.

Results from OAD milking trialFrom January 2013 until the end of lactation, 52 crossbreed

cows were split into two herds, one milked twice a day (TAD)

and the other OAD. Cows’ feed intake was analysed, along with

milk production, somatic cell count (SCC) and body condition

score (BCS) gain.

The trial discovered production per cow dropped 10 percent

while cows were being milked OAD.

In this particular trial, the 10 percent loss in milksolids

production occurred when production was past its peak and

cows had already delivered about two thirds of their season’s

total yield. This meant the overall impact on the season’s

production was approximately four percent.

Small decline in feed intake The trial found the decline in feed intake by the OAD herd

was not as great as expected. Cows milked OAD ate about three

percent less than cows milked TAD, says Jane.

This small decrease in intake needs to be considered if milking

OAD during a dry summer. With similar intake levels, but with

less energy being put into milk production, the OAD herd was

in a better energetic state. This resulted in OAD cows being on

average a quarter of a BCS unit more at dry off than the TAD

cows.

“This meant cows being milked OAD in late lactation had

Once-a-day (OAD) milking compared

with twice-a-day (TAD) for three

months in late lactation:

• 10% decrease in milksolids production

(while cows were on OAD)

• ¼ body condition score (BCS) unit

increase at dry off

• Approximately 3% decrease in intake

KEY RESULTS


Once-a-day part of summer routineThe big drought of 2007-08 prompted Waikato

sharemilker Mark van Hellemond to try putting his herd on

OAD milking for the first time.

“It was almost unheard of at the time to consider going

OAD after Christmas, but that is how dry it was that year,”

says Mark. “We felt it was the best option to try and

continue milking in a season where the dry had come very

early.”

Since then he has not looked back, and now the herd goes

OAD early January every season.

Mark’s 460 head herd of larger Friesian cross cows are

typically producing 1.7kg MS a cow a day when he switches

to OAD.

“We only get a small drop in production, usually by about

0.2kg MS (to 1.5kg MS/cow/day). They will sit on that until

March when they drop to 1.3kg MS, then down to 1.2kg MS

in April.”

“I go to OAD before feed tightens up and before I have to

start feeding supplement, putting them on 24 hour grazing.”

Mark maintains the 11 percent drop gets channelled into

body condition instead.

That in turn reduces the need to increase condition score

over winter, has the cows peaking higher the following

spring and achieving better cycling and in-calf rates. He

regularly achieves the national goal of 78 percent in calf

within six weeks.

He knows his bulk somatic cell count will double the

first day he starts OAD milking, but settles back to the TAD

average after three days.

“If you leave going OAD too long and milk volumes have

already dropped down to 1.2kg MS or below, then you will

run into problems.”

This season’s lower milk price had prompted him to

consider OAD before Christmas.

“But that’s pretty hard to do when your cows are still

producing 2kg MS/cow/day.

“Going OAD is hard that first year, you do forgo a bit of

production, but you can make it up the following season

with better cow condition into spring.”

slightly less BCS to gain through the dry period in order to

achieve BCS targets at calving” says Jane.

“The BCS improvement does take time though; it wasn’t

until after six weeks of OAD milking that there were detectable

differences in BCS.”

Although SCC was not greatly affected in this trial, it did

increase in OAD cows as lactation progressed and milk volume

decreased. The impact on SCC of switching cows to OAD milking

in mid/late lactation needs to be considered, especially in the first

few days.

“The bulk tank SCC needs to be able to double without

grading when cows are switched to OAD. Cows with mastitis or

high SCC are not good candidates for OAD milking and should

be either dried off or continued to be milked TAD” recommends

Claire.

Alternatively, the switch to OAD can be staggered over several

days to prevent a large spike in SCC.

DairyNZ researchers have also dispelled the “mammary

memory” myth that implies putting a cow on OAD will negatively

impact on future lactations.

“We followed the cows that had been milked OAD into the

next season and there was no reduction in milksolids yield when

they commenced TAD milking again after calving” says Jane.

“If anything, these cows will have a higher BCS at dry off,

are more likely to reach the BCS targets at calving and reap the

production and reproduction benefits of this,” says Claire.

Milking the cows OAD also did not extend the cows’ days in

milk.

“When we used drying off decisions based on milk production

and BCS, the OAD cows were dried off in slightly better

condition, but did not milk longer.”

If contemplating milking OAD post christmas, these

performance factors need to be considered alongside other farm

specific variables such as lifestyle and milking associated costs.

Waikato sharemilker Mark van Hellemond.


Take five Ways to stay well this summer

DairyNZ’s Sarah Tully is involved in developing DairyNZ’s Farmer Wellness and Wellbeing programme. Sarah, along with husband Ciarán, is a dairy farmer in Thames. Here she talks about what farmers can do to stay healthy and strong.

“Those who do not make time for wellness will eventually be

forced to take time for illness,” is a quote worth bearing in mind.

As farmers, there is always something going on so it is unlikely

that we ‘find the time’ – it has to be made a priority.

There are five key components of wellness as shown in the

diagram below. Spending time on these will help you meet the

demands of work, be sharp in the face of challenges and change

and get more enjoyment from life.

Connect and give – simply spend time with people you enjoy

being around, or attend functions or discussion groups. You

could volunteer your time to groups that your kids or grandkids

are involved in.

Keep learning – how about using some television time to

instead read things which stimulate your mind – we receive

plenty through the mail! Try surprising yourself by learning new

skills; many schools run evening classes for adults. Maybe finish a

project that’s been sitting in the garage for ages?

Be safe – have a culture of safety around your business, staff

and family. Are your insurances up to date? Do you have back-

up plans and contingencies in place for volatile times?

Rest and take notice – do you pay attention to the simple

things or just be ‘in the moment’? Often we are too busy

thinking ahead on our ‘to do’ list. Holidays and breaks don’t

need to cost the earth, but getting off-farm is a must. Try not to

underestimate the restorative power of sleep either.

Be active and eat well – try not to always choose the

motorbike, could you walk to get the cows? Good nutrition really

helps our bodies regenerate – think lean protein and three veg.

If you do feel a ‘downer’ coming on, be proactive about moving

your mood. It’s ok to talk to someone about how you’re feeling –

chances are you’re not alone.

Now, coming up to Christmas and New Year is a great time to

sit down and think about how you will focus on your wellness.

Focus on one thing at a time if you have to. Remember wellness

takes time.

The five elements that help us stay healthy and happy

Connect and give

Keep learning

BESAFE

Rest and take notice

BE ACTIVE AND EAT WELL

DairyNZ's Farmer Wellness and Wellbeing project is jointly funded with the Ministry for Primary Industries through the Primary Growth Partnership.


Keeping the big picture in focus

Keeping an eye on the big picture has helped Leo Pekar

and his partner Maricel overcome a case of bad timing.

This year they moved from a lower order sharemilking role

into 50:50. This coincided with a record low milk price and a

very wet June, when Invercargill recorded 120 percent more

rain than normal.

The couple have learnt to keep things in perspective and

ride the ups and downs of dairying to maintain balance.

“Don’t forget the big picture, do things that are

inspirational to you and give you a break from farming.

Remain positive and support others,” says Leo.

Leo and Maricel, who farm in Waikaka Valley near Gore,

have an eight year plan which helps guide their decisions in

their new 50:50 role.

“It’s important for us to focus on our eight year plan. I

thought to myself, it would be ridiculous to think that all

those eight years would be rosy – there is going to be a

tough one.”

Leo emphasises the importance of taking time out from

the farm. For him, listening to music and going mountain

biking with friends is a great release.

With two children; Ailin (11) and Iara (8), the couple know

to leave work at the door. “We are ambitious but we aren’t

going to do it at a cost to the family,” says Leo.

Dairy farmers Leo Pekar from Southland and Robert Ervine from Wairarapa share how they have managed to stay positive during a very challenging year. They are two of 29 farmers who are sharing their experiences in facing a low milk price as part of DairyNZ’s Tactics campaign.

Taking time out

Robert Ervine is taking two floods, a low milk price and

the threat of an El Niño effected summer in his stride this

season.

Over the years the Rangiotu farm owner has developed

strategies to cope with events beyond his control, so even

when facing a tough year, he has the tools to respond.

“Having had some fairly high stress periods in life you

hopefully learn some skills to negate them so that if things

are getting tough you have ways of dealing with it,” says

Robert.

About 10 years ago, after suffering a marriage break-up,

Robert had to take a step back from farming.

“During that period of life, I finished up with ‘brown out’.

It wasn’t burn out, but it was close.”

“Taking some time off and just smelling the roses allowed

me to pull my life back together. I recognise the signs of burn

out more now. If I am making poor decisions, or not making

any decisions at all, that is usually the time to take a break .”

LEO PEKAR

ROBERT ERVINE

For more on Leo and Robert’s stories visit dairynz.co.nz/tactics.


Grazing heifers off-farm: how does it stack up?Heifer grazing is a major expense and the quality of heifers entering the milking herd will have a significant impact on future milk production and farm income. For these reasons, the farm policy of grazing heifers off-farm warrants regular review. DairyNZ productivity team leader Rob Brazendale provides steps for comparing costs with the value received.

When reviewing a heifer grazing policy, two key questions

should be addressed:

• Should my replacement heifers be grazed off-farm or grazed

on the milking platform?

• Am I getting value for money from my grazier?

Grazing off versus on the milking platformIf heifers are grazed on the milking platform, the number of

cows milked will need to be reduced by around 0.7 cows for

every heifer to match the extra feed needed. i.e. if 100 heifers

are run on the milking platform, cow numbers should be reduced

by 70 cows.

The value of running heifers on the milking platform depends

on the milk price, production/cow and the cost of grazing.

A partial budget template has been developed to help farmers

evaluate grazing on the milking platform and is available at

dairynz.co.nz/heifer-partial-budget.

As a guideline, the breakeven price for heifer grazing on the

milking platform is shown in Table 1, using different milk prices

and production/cow levels.

Table 1

Breakeven heifer grazing costs ($/heifer/week) at different milk production levels and milk prices

Production/cow/year

300kg MS 350kg MS 400kg MS 450kg MS

Mil

k p

rice

$4.00kg MS $9.90 $10.70 $11.40 $12.50

$5.00KG MS $12.60 $13.60 $14.50 $15.80

$6.00 MS $15.40 $16.50 $17.60 $19.10

Heifers aged 9 months to 21 months

Added value from graziersFactors other than economics, such as your own workload and

focus, also need to be considered when working out the value of

grazing on the milking platform compared to off-farm.

The milking herd is the primary focus for dairy farm managers

and heifers can become the forgotten stock class, whereas

quality heifer graziers are highly focused on this stock class.

If you have a grazier who is doing a quality job and returning

heifers at or above target liveweights, breaking this relationship

during low milk price times may be difficult if not impossible to

restore when better milk prices return.

Am I getting value for money from my grazier?When reviewing heifer grazing options, the value of grazing

needs to be compared with its costs. Low cost grazing is not

necessarily good value, just as paying ‘top dollar’ for grazing

does not guarantee top results. Two examples on the following

page demonstrate cost versus value.


Lower cost of grazing with heifers coming back under target weight

Crossbred heifers are grazed off the milking platform

from December for 78 weeks (to the following May).

Average start weight: 100kg

Grazing cost: $7.50/week for R1 (rising one year olds)

(first 26 weeks); $9/week for R2 (52 weeks)

Heifers return to the milking platform at an average

weight of 350kg, which is 50kg below target for their age.

Working out cost of grazing

26 weeks x $7.50/week = $195

52 weeks x $9.00/week = $468

Total cost of grazing = $663/animal

Weight gain

350kg on return – 100kg at start of grazing = 250kg Lwt

gain/animal

Value of grazing per animal

Cost of grazing / weight gain = value of grazing/kg Lwt gain

$663 / 250kg weight gain = $2.65/kg Lwt gain

Higher cost of grazing with heifers coming back above target weight

Crossbred heifers are grazed off the milking platform

from December for 78 weeks (to the following May).

Average start weight: 100kg

Grazing cost: $10.50/week for R1 (26 weeks); $12.50/

week for R2 (52 weeks)

Heifers return to the milking platform at an average of

450kg, which is 50kg above weight target for their age.

Working out cost of grazing

26 weeks x $10.50/week = $273

52 weeks x $12.50/week = $650

Total cost of grazing = $923/animal

Weight gain

450kg on return – 100kg at start of grazing = 350kg Lwt

gain/animal

Value of grazing per animal

Cost of grazing / weight gain = value of grazing/kg Lwt gain

$923 / 350kg weight gain = $2.64/kg Lwt gain

Although the second example is 30 percent more expensive up

front, the immediate value for money is similar and the long term

benefits also make the value greater over time.

For many dairy farm businesses, the policy of grazing heifers

off-farm remains a profitable strategy, even at relatively low milk

price levels.

DairyNZ heifer grazing projectDairyNZ is leading a heifer grazing project that aims to improve

the growth of young stock, in-calf rates and the dairy farmer-

grazier relationship.

The project is being led in partnership with dairy farmers,

graziers, Beef + Lamb, LIC and other industry partners, with five

focus farms established around the country.

For more information and resources from the project visit

dairynz.co.nz/heifergrazing.

Example 1 Example 2

A fielday at the King Country heifer grazing focus farm.

The heifer grazing project is jointly funded with the Ministry for

Primary Industries through the Primary Growth Partnership.


farm biz

Building this season's lessons into long term profits2015 will go down in memory as one of the toughest seasons in the last 25 years. DairyNZ business specialist Lynaire Ryan considers it will be a pivotal year for setting the platform for how businesses are run in the future.

Average Farm Working Expenses (FWE)

have increased from $2.50/kg MS in

2000 to $4.35/kg MS in 2014 (as shown

in Figure 1). From 2000 to 2006, FWE

averaged around $2.50/kg MS.

In 2007/08 the milk price reached

a record high, above $7/kg MS. A

fundamental change in expenditure

occurred with FWE increasing by more

than $1/kg MS. Feed costs were the

largest contributor to the increase in FWE.

The last two seasons have seen

reduced expenditure, with many farmers

targeting costs between $3 and $3.50.

Understandably some cost reductions are

one-off and not sustainable over the long

term.

This is an opportunity for the industry

to make a fundamental adjustment and

focus on retaining FWE around $3.50

going into the future. The focus would

move to maintaining a low cost structure

and increasing the profit margin as the

milk price lifts.

Detailed budgets sharedMany dairy farmers already operate

their business like this. Several top

performing dairy farms achieving FWE

below $3.50/kg MS have shared their

detailed 2015/16 budgets on the DairyNZ

website for farmers to compare costs.

These businesses have learnt lessons

from the past and built resilient systems

to survive at a low milk price, with little

change in costs at a high milk price,

except to bank bigger profits. The key

points these farmers demonstrate include:

• clearly defined business and farming

principles that deliver a profitable

business

• a strong focus on maximising pasture

growth and utilisation, regardless of

system operated

• an emphasis on budgeting and regular

monitoring of budgets

• simple and repeatable systems which are

clearly understood by the farm team.

The case study of a Canterbury system

3 top farmer, aims to keep FWE around

$3.40/kg MS consistently. Very little

change is required between a ‘good’ and

‘bad’ year. In the high milk price year of

2013/14, their FWE were $3.67/kg MS.

This season they have budgeted on

FWE of $3.10/kg MS. When the milk price

dropped they only needed to make minor

adjustments, so the drop was not a major

stressor. The most significant reduction

was in fertiliser, with minor savings in

animal health, breeding and herd testing.

Take advantage of the changes you

have made during this challenging season

and build a sustainable business which is

profitable at a $5 milk price, not $6.00, as

many farmers previously budgeted on.

If the medium term milk price

forecasters are correct, then great – bank

or invest the extra $1.50. If forecasters are

wrong, then the business will be in a more

stable position to weather the storms.

To view the case study budgets online, visit

dairynz.co.nz/budget-case-studies.

$4.50

$4.00

$3.50

$3.00

$2.50

$2.00

$/kg

MS

2000

-01

2001

-02

2002

-03

2003

-04

2004

-05

2005

-06

2006

-07

2007

-08

2008

-09

2009

-10

2010

-11

2011

-12

2012

-13

2013

-14

2014

-15p

2015

-16f

Owner operator Farm Working Expenses 2000 – 2016

Farm Working Expenses Inflation adjusted FWE

Source: DairyNZ Economics Group p = provisional f = forecast


bits & bobs

WEB WATCH

New waterways web section helping farmers future proof

A new waterways

section on DairyNZ’s

website has been

designed to help farmers improve water quality and

get the best value for money when investing in the

environment.

It provides step-by-step actions for fencing and

planting waterways, controlling erosion, protecting

wetlands, constructing crossings and managing drains to

reduce the amount of sediment, nitrogen and effluent

entering waterways.

A supporting planting guide for each region will help

farmers nail down the best planting options for their

area, with a table of top plants and planting calendar.

Make your investment count – check out

dairynz.co.nz/waterways.

News scoopNew Zealand’s dairy story

Fancy a virtual flight around the globe so you can

discover where in the world your milk goes? Try out the

DairyNZ online interactive model which visualises data

about dairying in New Zealand in a three dimensional

model using gaming technology.

DairyNZ’s brand marketing manager Andrew Fraser says

the new tool tells the New Zealand dairy story in a way that

makes it easy to understand and interesting to view.

“We will use this with teachers as we are developing

new educational resources for schools that use the 3D

Dairy model as a source of information,” says Andrew.

“When regional production and dairy herd statistics

are updated each year, we will be sending journalists to

the model to view the latest information. We will also

use this with key stakeholders who are not familiar with

the scale and scope of the industry. The general public

and all our industry partners can view it too.

“We think it is world leading. We have not seen online

models anywhere else that present this amount of data

in such a simple and interactive manner. It takes tables

of data and turns them into interactive information that

has more context – giving it much wider appeal than just

looking at statistics on a page.”

View and interact with the model at 3ddairy.co.nz.

BY THE NUMBERS

14percent improvement in

water clarity since 1989.

(Environment Aotearoa

2015 report)

24,000kilometres of waterways

(94%) from which all stock

are excluded.

(Reported by dairy

companies)


DAIRYNZ ON FACEBOOK & TWITTERJoin our Facebook and Twitter

pages to stay up to date with

the latest events and industry

news. You can also read farmer

success stories, join in the

AgChats, share photos and provide feedback.

Join us at facebook.com/dairynz and

twitter.com/dairynz.

Order your publications online at dairynz.co.nz or call 0800 4 DairyNZ (0800 4 324 7969).

NEW HOUSED COW CLEANLINESS SCORE CARDKeeping housed cows clean is important for good health and

hygiene. This new scorecard uses

pictures to show standards for cow

cleanliness so you can rate your

cows and determine if improvements

need to be made or if you’re spot

on. Keeping cows clean will reduce

the risk of lameness, skin parasites,

infections and udder health

problems. Download your score card

from dairynz.co.nz/cleancows.

dairynz directory...the seasonal diary

For more seasonal information or to order your copy of the Seasonal Diary poster, visit dairynz.co.nz/seasonaldiary.

DairyNZ Seasonal Diary

Farm nutrient managementNutrient managementDiscuss with your nutrient management advisor (or fertiliser representative) ways to improve the efficiency of nutrient use on-farm. Three useful indicators to look at are:N conversion efficiency: describes the proportion of nitrogen (N) going into

your farm that is converted to N in saleable product (primarily milk). N leaching loss: kg N/ha/yr. Estimate of the amount of nitrogen leached from

the farm from soil and drainage water. P runoff: kg P/ha/yr. Estimate of the amount of P lost from the farm.Options to improve• Better effluent management: applying the right amount of effluent

at the right time will ensure the nutrients in effluent are kept in the root zone and utilised by plants.

• Optimise soil fertility: make sure your soil fertility levels are in the target

range, and apply fertiliser only where necessary to maintain optimal levels.

Look at soil test graphs in your nutrient management plan. Are they in the

right range? Seek advice from your nutrient management advisor if you are outside the agronomic optimums.• Better fertiliser management: match fertiliser N inputs to feed budgets

and pasture growth rate. Avoid applying when pasture growth is low (too cold, soil temparature less than 7°C). Use non-N alternatives to boost pasture production (e.g. gibberellic acid).• Use other mitigation options: consider other practices and technologies

to further improve nutrient use efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

To protect pasture and soils, use on-off grazing when wet; waterway fencing and planting; improve feed conversion; winter management systems

etc. Visit dairynz.co.nz/nutrientmanagement.Effluent management• Effluent storage: storage capacity is critical to managing effluent

system risk. Keep the ponds empty by applying effluent at all available opportunities. If the pond is full, you have no storage.• System management: utilise the regional Compliance Checklist to

identify areas where you may be at risk of non-compliance or where improvements could be made. Seek advice to remedy any aspects that need attention. Walk the effluent system regularly to make sure there are no areas requiring attention.

Tip For more information, visit the publications section (environment) at dairynz.co.nz and the DairyNZ Compliance Checklist dairynz.co.nz/checklists.Managing team motivation

Take time to celebrate the end of calving and mating with your team. Think about ways to keep motivation high over the next few months. ReviewCapture feedback from your team on:• what went well over calving and mating?• what could be done better next time?This information helps to fine-tune what you do and helps the team understand

what ‘good’ looks like.

FeedbackComplete performance appraisals. This is an opportunity to:• give feedback to your team so they know what they are doing well and

areas to keep working on• identify the skills and experience for your team to develop to improve

business performance. Also talk about the skills they would like to build• work with your staff to develop a training plan to meet these needs.

Consider both on and off-farm training• don’t forget you are part of the team! Ask staff and other observers for feedback on your performance and build a personal training plan too.

Tip Use the performance appraisal templates for different farm roles found in

DairyNZ’s Quickstart People Productivity Kit dairynz.co.nz/quickstart.TrainingOnce you have identified training, make sure it happens. To help your people get

the most out of it make sure they know:• why they are attending• what you expect them to do differently• how you will support them to put this learning into practice.Tip Get training tips at dairynz.co.nz/people.Time-off

• With your team, plan holidays and the roster through to late January. With

staff away, the workload can greatly increase for those still at work. Make

sure this is managed carefully.

Reviewing the season so far• Are you on track to achieve your goals for the season and beyond? It’s

not too late to request a copy of the DairyNZ QuickPlan booklets to guide you through this process, helping develop a written plan in less than two hours. Visit dairynz.co.nz/quickplan or call 0800 4 DairyNZ (0800 4 324 7969).

• Keep your records up-to-date – staying on top of things during the year will make end of year accounting and reconciliations easier. Now is a good

time to update your DairyBase Level 2 recording workbook.• Review and update your cashflow, monitoring the budget and using it as a

decision tool will help with cashflow management. • Using the updated budget, take a look at your overdraft limit. • Many people are receiving a copy of their annual accounts. Have you

considered inviting your key professionals to discuss where your business is going, how it is performing and ideas for improvement? An informal AGM bringing your accountant, banker and farm consultant together can be extremely useful.

• Year-end accounts should be complete. Talk to your accountant about provisional tax planning. Get the maximum value from these accounts by having them entered into DairyBase (dairynz.co.nz/dairybase).

Pasture quality vital for summerMaintain a consistent, even grazing height going into summer i.e. clumps are

grazed into. Pasture quality has a big impact on summer production.Paddocks above the targeted pre-graze level (2800-3200kg DM/ha) should be

dropped from the rotation for silage. Increasing residuals is not advised, as:• ungrazed leaves are less efficient at capturing sunlight and die before the next grazing, reducing feed utilisation and the amount of feed grown

• when it rains, dead plant material rots and is lost• it increases the risk of facial eczema. When cows graze to a lower residual after a period of higher residuals: • energy intake per cow is reduced, due to the lower quality feed eaten• pasture plants have a reduced chance of survival, due to being grazed

below their growing point• pasture growth and persistence are reduced because pasture reserves for

growth are depleted• the risk of facial eczema increases.Consider applying 30kg N/ha in late November/early December.• N going into summer promotes vegetative tiller growth and ryegrass

persistence.• If the farm is prone to summer dry, N application coupled with longer

rotations (27-30 days), will improve feed availability through late January and February.

Irrigated and summer ‘safe’ farms should:• monitor pasture cover and maintain quality by keeping pre-graze and post-graze pasture at recommended levels• continue to harvest a surplus by making small, light silage crops – reducing

the chance of creating a feed shortage• consider applying N during December, to ensure new tillers are vigorous going into summer.

Tip For more information visit dairynz.co.nz/pasture.Other farms• These farms should already be on summer rotation lengths and have a

summer action plan in place.

Tracking herd reproduction• Track early mating progress using your Fertility Focus Report from about

week four of mating. Reassess bull requirements, in light of estimated 6-week in-calf rate performance.• Re-check calf and heifer liveweight targets and involve graziers in a plan

to achieve growth rate targets during summer and autumn. Use liveweight

BV formula (mature cow liveweight = 500kg + Lwt BV) to customise weight-for-age targets for each age group (InCalf Book pg 42-44).

• Choose a pregnancy testing strategy based on your information needs. Decide maximum total length of mating (12 weeks). Accurate expected calving dates are essential for next season’s plans and can be obtained by early aged pregnancy testing. Contact your vet beforehand.

• Enter foetal aged pregnancy test records to get a detailed InCalf Fertility Focus Report. Review past performance and prioritise, with advisor input, the areas to improve such as calving pattern and heifer rearing.

For more information visit dairynz.co.nz/incalf.

Wise supplement use• Remove genuine culls before feeding supplements. • Calculate the amount you can afford to pay for supplement, using the

online DairyNZ supplement calculator which accounts for wastage, milk response and required profit.

• Feed supplements only when cows are grazing less than 7 clicks on the RPM or 1500 kg DM/ha, using the winter formula.Tip Refer to the ‘response to summer feed’ table in DairyNZ Facts & Figures, pg 33.Monitoring cow healthMastitis management• A rough guide to what your SCC (somatic cell count) at drying off will be,

is twice the SCC on peak day.• Look out for bulk milk SCC spikes and strip cows to find new mastitis clinical cases for treatment.

• Strip high SCC cows (>500,000/ml) after each herd test. Treat clinicals only.• Watch for signs of contagious spread e.g. growing number of heifers with

a SCC over 120,000/ml. Get expert help to review your systems.• Keep using MRS T to ‘mark, record, separate and treat’ clinical cows. Make

sure all staff know your marking systems.• Continue teat spraying after every milking. Check coverage and volume being used each month (should be about 20ml per cow per milking).

• Check teat condition. If teats are not supple, add emollient to the teat spray – 10% of the mix, by replacing the same amount of water.

• Replace inflations after 2500 milkings. This may mean replacing inflations every two months in a ‘swing-over’ herringbone milking 10 rows per side per milking, or every four months for a rotary milking 10 rounds per milking.

Tip Refer to DairyNZ Healthy Udder for more information or visit dairynz.co.nz/smartsamm.Facial eczema• Start monitoring spore counts and begin zinc treatment as risk

conditions increase. • Review your management plan for stock affected with facial eczema. Tip Refer to DairyNZ Farmfacts: Facial eczema – zinc treatment, recipes and

dose rates (3-7) and Facial eczema – treatment and prevention (3-6).Heat stress• Look out for signs of heat stress such as panting, crowding at the water

trough, reduced time spent grazing during the day, a drop in milk production and shade seeking.• Provide shade and water sprinklers at the dairy, where possible. Reduce

walking distance during the mid-afternoon and ensure that cows have ready access to sufficient clean water. Milk earlier in the morning and later

in the afternoon. Tip Refer to DairyNZ Farmfact: Managing heat stress in dairy cows (3-15). Also see

the October 2012 DairyNZ Technical Series article ‘keeping your cows cool’ pg15-19.Lameness• Check and maintain races.• Check and treat cows, if necessary.Young stock liveweight targets• 30% mature liveweight at 6 months.• 40% mature liveweight at 9 months.Visit dairynz.co.nz/animal.

DN

Z05-

004

For more information visit the DairyNZ website dairynz.co.nz 0800 4 DairyNZ (0800 4 324 7969)

MID LACTATION – DECEMBER

Feed � Consider applying 25-35kg N/ha in late November/

December to ensure new tillers are vigorous going into

summer.

� With the prospect of a dry summer, think about the level of

supplement you have on hand, consider options to reduce

demand (e.g. culling, see pg 10).

� Monitor pasture cover and maintain quality by keeping pre-

grazing and post grazing pasture levels at recommended

levels. Keep post-grazing residuals at 3.5-4.0cm (7-8 clicks

on the rising plate meter). Any lower risks over-grazing.

StockReproduction

� Enter foetal-aged pregnancy test records to get a detailed

InCalf Fertility Focus Report. Review past performance and

prioritise (with advisor input) the areas to improve. e.g

heifer rearing.

For more information visit dairynz.co.nz/incalf.

Facial eczema

� Start monitoring spore counts and begin zinc treatments as

risk conditions increase.

Refer to DairyNZ Farmfacts: Facial eczema – zinc treatment,

recipes and dose rates (3-7) and Facial eczema – treatment and

prevention (3-6).

Heat stress

� Look for signs of heat stress such as panting, crowding at

the water trough, reduced time spent grazing during the

day, a drop in milk production and shade seeking.

� Provide shade and water sprinklers at the dairy where

possible.

People & business � Review and update your cashflow budget.

� With your team, plan holidays, the roster and extra cover (if

needed) over the Christmas period.

� Complete performance appraisals; provide feedback, identify

areas for development and consider options for on and/or off-

farm training. Appraisal templates are available in DairyNZ’s

People Productivity Kit and dairynz.co.nz/performance.

EFFICIENT MILKING ANIMATIONSWith milking occupying over half of the annual work hours on

the average dairy farm, a lot of research has gone into finding the

most efficient milking methods in both herringbones and rotaries.

Applying these time-saving milking techniques is now easier than

ever, with online animations showing exactly how the concepts

work in practice. Check them out at dairynz.co.nz/milking.


regional update LOWER NORTH ISLAND

Saving time and money when milkingMilksmart is coming to Masterton in March as part of DairyNZ’s national series of Milksmart events for 2016 focusing on milking efficiency.

Milksmart is an ideal opportunity to take home specific

answers to milking efficiency issues according to Wairarapa

dairy farmer and part time farming consultant Aidan Bichan.

“You can choose the topics you’re interested in – you don’t

have to go to everything. With access to the experts you have

the chance to drill into your own farm issues and very often

come away with an immediate fix,” says Aidan.

Aidan is a part owner of a 900-cow dairy farm and has

participated in Milksmart events over several years. In his dairy

farming consultancy business he has seen many examples of

farmers attending Milksmart, putting in place relatively small

changes and achieving significant results.

“From what I’ve seen, it’s not uncommon for farmers to find

ways to knock two to three minutes off per row or rotation.

Add that up and you’re talking 20, 30 or even 40 minutes

saved per milking. That’s a lot!

“Different people make use of that extra time in different

ways. There are of course also cost savings from running your

plant for less time by using less power, but for the people

working on the farm, finishing earlier at the end of the day

is a massive benefit. On our farm we have a target that most

people finish by 5pm, and we usually achieve that because of

milking efficiency.

Some of the solutions Aidan has seen making an impact on

time saved include optimising platform speed, refining milking

technique, improving cow flow along the race or from yard

to bail through solving lighting issues, changing the angle of

gates, changing breast rail height and changing right angle

corners to gentle sweeping bends.

“Milksmart allows you to identify areas where you can

capture savings and gives you some options and potential

solutions. Many of the changes you can make yourself without

a lot of cost and apply straight away for immediate benefit.”

Milksmart 2016 “Find another hour, save another

dollar” will be held in Masterton on March 10 and

at seven other locations around the country during

February and March. There will be sessions relevant for

all experience levels. Some of the topics to be covered

include milking frequency, cow flow, udder health,

milking efficiency, milking skills and stockmanship.

Milksmart is free to DairyNZ levy-paying farmers and

their staff and lunch is provided. Registration is essential

and will open on December 1.

For the full programme and to register visit

dairynz.co.nz/milksmart.

MILKSMART 2016

“...it’s not uncommon for farmers to find ways to knock two to three minutes off per row.”


regional update dairynz.co.nz/events

DairyNZ runs a wide variety of farm system discussion groups, field days and specialist events. For the full list of what’s on near you, visit dairynz.co.nz/events.

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

DECEMBER EVENTS

NORTHLANDNorthland’s Dairy Connect service received a new

coordinator recently. Sue Rhynd, a dairy farmer at Tangiteroria

hopes to help boost Dairy Connect’s presence in Northland.

Dairy Connect creates a link for farmers who are looking

to find support and information, putting them in touch with

another farmer who has experience in working through

similar issues. Sue sees a lot of value in sharing ideas

amongst farmers, particularly those who have been through

a similar situation or change.

To find out more about Dairy Connect visit dairynz.co.nz/

dairyconnect.

BAY OF PLENTYA field day in Whakatane on December 3 will cover tactics

for the summer season.

DairyNZ senior economist Matt Newman will lead a

discussion about the breakeven milk price and how this has

been affected by the past season. The field day will also

cover ‘plan B alternatives for summer’ and focus on how

two different farmers have responded to the challenges

this season has posed. The Tactics field day kicks off at

10.30am. For more information contact DairyNZ consulting

officer Wilma Foster on 021 225 8345.

SOUTH WAIKATO Farmers will get to see award winning pastures at Pasture

Renewal Persistence Competition field days in December.

The field days provide farmers with an opportunity to see

some of the best pasture growing practices in the region

and gain tips from the winners.

There are two categories: pasture sown this year (from

January 2015) and pasture renewal from more than three

winters ago (prior to May 2012).

These events will be held between December 11-17. For

more details visit dairynz.co.nz/events.

NORTH WAIKATOFarmers in the Matamata Piako District Council area are

invited to sign up to a farmer-led initiative called Matamata

Piako Three Rivers Trust. The initiative aims to build farm

profitability, improve environmental sustainability and lift

team performance. All farmers are welcome, from contract

milkers through to farm owners. The programme will

provide individual mentoring and consultancy for business

owners along with specialist group days over three years.

While farmers are asked to make a monetary contribution,

the greatest cost of the programme is covered by DairyNZ

and other key supporting organisations. For more

information email [email protected].

2 CANTERBURY/NORTH OTAGO

Maniototo Farm Systems Group.

3 BAY OF PLENTY

Tactics for Summer – Whakatane.

8 TARANAKIMidhurst Discussion Group – Christmas BBQ.

9 LOWER NORTH ISLAND

Once-a-day Discussion Group.

11 NORTHLANDFarm Supervisors Group.

15 SOUTH WAIKATO

Paterangi Discussion Group.

17 WESTLANDCentral Grey Valley Farm Systems Group.

22 NORTH WAIKATO

Waiau Pa/Karaka Discussion Group.


NorthlandRegional Leader Chris Neill 027 499 9021

Far North Kylie Harnett 027 243 6503

Lower Northland Mark Forsyth 021 242 5719

Whangarei West Corey Thorn 027 886 0221

North WaikatoRegional Leader Phil Irvine 027 483 9820

South Auckland Jamie Haultain 027 486 4344

Hamilton North Jaimee Morgan 021 245 8055

Matamata/Kereone Brigitte Ravera 027 807 9685

Morrinsville/Paeroa Aaron Traynor 027 293 4401

Hauraki Plains/Coromandel Willy Burnell 021 242 2127

South WaikatoRegional Leader Wade Bell 027 285 9273

Te Awamutu Steve Canton 027 475 0918

Otorohanga Sarah Dirks 021 770 859

South Waikato James Burrows 027 483 2205

Bay of PlentyRegional Leader (Acting) Wilma Foster 021 246 2147

Western Bay of Plenty Kim Reid 021 225 8345

Central Bay of Plenty Kevin McKinley 027 288 8238

Central Plateau Wilma Foster 021 246 2147

Whakatane Julian Reti-Kaukau 027 593 4123

TaranakiRegional Leader Katrina Knowles 021 831 944

South Taranaki Erin Hutchinson 021 246 5663

Central Taranaki Shirley Kissick 027 704 5562

Coastal Taranaki Michelle Taylor 021 276 5832

North Taranaki Lauren McEldowney 027 593 4122

Lower North IslandRegional Leader James Muwunganirwa 027 499 9020

Horowhenua/Wanganui/ South Taranaki

Scott Cameron 027 702 3760

Wairarapa James Muwunganirwa 027 499 9020

Tararua/Coastal/Southern Manawatu

James Muwunganirwa 027 499 9020

Southern Hawke’s Bay/Central/Northern Manawatu/Rangitikei

Julie Morris 021 222 9023

Top of South Island/WestlandRegional Leader Wade Bell 027 285 9273

Nelson/Marlborough Wade Bell 027 285 9273

West Coast Ross Bishop 021 277 2894

Canterbury/North OtagoRegional Leader Virginia Serra 021 932 515

Hurunui Virginia Serra 021 932 515

North Canterbury Jo Back 021 246 2775

Mid Canterbury Erin Christian 021 243 7337

Central Canterbury Natalia Benquet 021 287 7059

South Canterbury Caleb Strowger 027 593 4124

North Otago Trevor Gee 021 227 6476

Southland/South OtagoRegional Leader Richard Kyte 021 246 3166

Central Southland Richard Kyte 021 246 3166

South Otago Guy Michaels 021 615 051

Northern Southland/West Otago Lucy Hall 027 593 4121

Western Southland Monique O’Connell 027 702 2219

Eastern Southland Nathan Nelson 021 225 6931

DAIRYNZ CONSULTING OFFICERS

WEST COAST/TOP OF SOUTHWith a high chance of El Niño this summer, farmers are

encouraged to seize the opportunity to learn from and offer

support to their peers through local discussion groups.

Farmers are invited to attend one of the many discussion

groups which will cover topics such as summer decision

making. These groups are a great way to connect with

other farmers and gain constructive ideas for on-farm

improvements.

Check out dairynz.co.nz/events to find a group near you

and enjoy a Christmas BBQ to celebrate the end of another

year.

CANTERBURY/NORTH OTAGOOperations managers and farm supervisors in the

Canterbury and North Otago area are encouraged to join

a specialist discussion group where they can share ideas

related to their role.

The groups provide a platform for connecting with other

farmers in the same position, while exposing them to a

range of different farm businesses with different structures.

If you would like to find out more about this group please

contact DairyNZ regional leader Virginia Serra at virginia.

[email protected] or phone 021 932 515.

TARANAKIThis month Taranaki farmers are getting into the

Christmas spirit during the next round of discussion groups.

The groups will focus on setting up for summer and offer a

great networking opportunity for farmers to connect with

like-minded individuals.

A BBQ meal will be provided so come along and bring a

friend.

To find a discussion group near you visit dairynz.co.nz/

events.

SOUTHLAND/ SOUTH OTAGOThe Southland region has 350 sharemilkers, 592

farm owner/operators and milk production contributes

$1,896,533,912 to the region.

Dairy farmers can find these figures and more in a new

interactive website which visualises data about dairying in

New Zealand in a three dimensional model using gaming

technology.

This new tool tells the New Zealand dairy story in a way

that makes it easy to understand and interesting to view.

Go to 3ddairy.co.nz.


To find out how to best use this plan, go to a DairyNZ farm discussion group where the focus is on helping farmers create a plan for an El Niño summer.

To find these discussion groups go to dairynz.co.nz/events.

dairynz.co.nz/tacticsdairynz.co.nz/events

Use the Summer Management Plan

included to help you reduce the impact

of El Niño this season while still

ensuring your cows and pastures are in

good shape for next season.

Summer management plan

1. Building up feed before it gets dry Apply nitrogen to whole farm by this date

Application rate of nitrogen (kg N/ha)

Rotation length by 10 December

Rotation length by 10 January

2. Summer crops Crop 1 Crop 2Planting date for summer crop

Dates nitrogen to be applied to crop

Application rate of nitrogen (kg N/ha)

Use the Feed Inventory Table on page 6 to work out A, B and C.3. How much feed do I have on hand for summer? Supplements on hand Supplement required for winter

Supplement required for autumn rains A - B - C = Total available to feed out over summerDivided by number of cows (after culling, grazing off)Total supplements available per cow

Divided by supplement required per cow per dayTotal days supplement available

4. Destocking

All known culls to be gone by

Whole herd pregnancy test date

Herd test to identify low producers/high SCC cowsDry off high SCC cows once counts get over

Dry off cows once daily MS per cow drops below

Successful summer management depends on planning, monitoring and taking action. This checklist will help you formulate a

plan for summer, preparing you for whatever weather conditions eventuate.• Use the tables and information on pages 2,3 and 6 to help you fill in the plan on this page.• Share this information with your staff. • Monitor the situation monthly – update the plan if you need to.

dairynz.co.nz

5. Cow condition – I will dry off:1st lactation cows under condition score 3.5 by

Cows under condition score 3.5 by

1st lactation cows under condition score 4 by

Cows under condition score 4 by

I will dry off the whole herd if there is no rain before

1

Regular monitoring of both the farm and wider situation is important, as it allows you to evaluate the options available for stock and feed management, based on the most accurate information.

dairynz.co.nz/farmwatch – DairyNZ Farmwatch provides farmers with a weekly summary of the on-farm situation observed throughout New Zealand, plus timely advice.metservice.co.nz – Short and long range regional weather forecasts are available here.farmmet.niwa.co.nz – This is a subscription weather forecast and information service designed specifically for farmers. Pasture Growth Forecaster – The DairyNZ Pasture Growth Forecaster is an easy-to-use web-based tool to help predict how much grass grows on your farm. Visit dairynz.co.nz/pastureforecast > custom forecast.

Monitoring the situation

Make best use of farm advisors be they veterinarians, farm consultants, DairyNZ consulting officers, bankers, or feed reps with specialist knowledge. There are plenty of organisations who can offer support. • DairyNZ – we can refer you onto the right people if you are unsure who to call. Phone 0800 4 324 7969 or email [email protected].

• Rural Support Trust – challenging weather conditions can bring stress to people. Contact Rural Support Trust if you or someone you know needs help 0800 787 254.• Dairy Connect – this DairyNZ service can help you tap into the experience of another farmer. Visit dairynz.co.nz/dairyconnect.

Access support

A

B

C

1. Tips to build up feed

Early summer nitrogen• At a research trial in Hamilton in 1997, applying nitrogen (two dressings of up to 50kg N/ha) during early summer (December/January) stimulated the development and growth of new ryegrass tillers.• An 8:1kg DM response per kg of nitrogen (N) was obtained in the trial with an additional 66kg MS/ha. This practice could currently generate profit of $130/ha @ $4.60/kg MS.

• Use Agrotain coated urea to help stop summer conditions degrading the N. This should allow lower rates of N to be used• Start applications early enough to avoid major moisture deficits (i.e. late November).

Early summer rotation length• Increase rotation length towards 30 days while there is still sufficient pasture cover to avoid reductions in production. Ryegrass leaf emergence rates slow as soil moisture reduces and temperatures increase which means the plants need more time between grazings to recover and generate new leaves.

To increase rotation length• Twice a week, from late November, change the normal grazing order so that the longest (or largest) paddocks in the rotation are left to accumulate some extra growth for two days. Return to graze these paddocks after two days, using the additional area and length, to get an extra grazing for the herd. By doing this there is potential to gain an extra six days between grazings in the rotation over the next 30 days.

• In a dry summer, where nitrogen has been applied, there is little gain from trying to create a rotation length longer than 30-36 days. New leaf emergence rates are 10-12 days.

Crop yieldDaily intake (kg DM/cow)

3.0 4.0 5.0 6.08 t DM/ha 375m² 500m² 625m² 750m²10 t DM/ha 300m² 400m² 500m² 600m²12 t DM/ha 250m² 333m² 420m² 500m²14 t DM/ha 215m² 280m² 360m² 430m²

2. Tips for establishing summer cropsPlan how the crop will be fed and likely grazing and re-grassing dates before sowing to ensure the crop selected fits your system. See Feeding Summer Crops on page 5.

• Green feed maize, sudan and sorghum are crops that can be established in November and early December. Sudan and sorghum need high soil temperatures.• Time from sowing to grazing is 45- 55 days for greenfeed maize (though longer will achieve higher yields), and 35-45 days for sorghum or sudan forages.

• Summer crop options such as turnips or chicory are limited past early November.• For turnips and chicory crops already established, apply N and invest in weed control.

Crop area required to feed 100 cows

3. Tips for feed

Winter feed• It’s important that during a dry period, supplements required to get through the next winter aren’t used. Ensure this is marked in some way (e.g. spray paint a line on the silage stack, ring fence or mark bales with spray paint).

When it rains• Up to 50 percent of pasture DM will disappear once it rains (rots). Allow at least 100kg DM/cow of supplement (2-3 weeks feed) for this period. On very dry farms up to 160kg DM/cow will be required post rain. After rain, ensure rotation length is held (not sped up).To work out how much feed you have on hand for summer, complete the table on page 6.

2

Calculate number availabe to cull Cow number

Cow number – e.g.

Current cow numbers on hand500Number of in-calf heifers to enter the herd June 1 (use averages from previous years) 100

TOTAL600Less number of empties in the mixed age animals

Scanning can confirm not in calf 35 days post end of mating *50

Less known culls and an estimate of deaths Known culls can be identified and listed based on Production Worth, repeat clinical mastitis (three strikes and out), high somatic cell count, temperament, udder conformation, old age, lameness etc.

20

Number after involuntary culls530

Minimum number required to winter This should be based on peak number you wish to milk next spring.

520

Voluntary cull cow number Cull cow number =10

4. Tips for destocking

Reducing cow numbers to 80-85% of peak numbers as soon as possible reduces the amount of feed being used on the farm for maintenance, and can divert more feed into the cows remaining on the farm. It’s a myth that empty cows milk better then pregnant cows. Research with twin cows in New Zealand shows that empty cows did not milk better than their pregnant twin until 250 days of lactation and the differences were small.Check how to use Breeding Worth (BW) and Production Worth (PW) for culling decisions at dairynz.co.nz/indicies.

*e.g. for PSM 15 October + 12 weeks total mating is 7th January + 5 weeks minimum before PD = 11th Feb, 11 weeks mating = 4th Feb and 10 weeks mating = 28th Jan; allowing all empties to be culled by end of January.

Once-a-day (OAD) milking• Somatic cell count (SCC) typically doubles when cows are switched to OAD. • Staggering the herd’s transition to OAD milking over a few days can help prevent a big spike in SCC.

• Cows milked OAD during mid/late lactation are approximately a quarter body condition score more at dry off compared with those milked twice-a-day.• BCS improvement takes time, it’s not until about six weeks of OAD milking that BCS differences are detectable. • Milk production drops by approximately 10% when cows are milked OAD post-Christmas.

• In order to gain BCS benefits, and prevent large drops in milk production don’t underfeed cows while they are on OAD milking. There is only a small decrease in feed intake (approx. 3%), when cows are milked OAD.• Farmers recommend switching to OAD while feed is still plentiful (4-5 days of feed ahead or supplements available).

Irrigation restrictionsAim to continue irrigating the most productive part of the farm well, rather than poorly irrigate the whole farm. Monitor soil moisture deficits, forecast rainfall etc. Heat stress

Be mindful of heat stress. Visit dairynz.co.nz/heatstress for information on how to prevent heat stress. There is also a calculator helping you determine when cows are most at risk.

Other considerations

3

Body condition score Days cow needs to be dry before calvingMature

cowRising three-

year-oldAutumn pasture

(days)Autumn pasture and high quality supplement fed above maintenance (days)

3.0 3.5 1601203.5 4.0 1301004.0 4.5 100804.5 5.0 70605.0 5.5 30305.0 5.5 Calving

Calving

Drying off time based on cow BCS and time to calving

NOTE: includes 10 days when cows are being dried off and not gaining BCS and 30 days when cows do not gain BCS before calving. For this strategy to work, dry cows must be allocated a minimum of 9-11 kg DM/day (depending on breed).

December 2015

M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 2021 22 23 24 25 26 2728 29 30 31

January 2016

M T W T F S S

1 2 34 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 1718 19 20 21 22 23 2425 26 27 28 29 30 31

February 2016

M T W T F S S1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26 27 2829

March 2016

M T W T F S S

1 2 3 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 2021 22 23 24 25 26 2728 29 30 31

April 2016

M T W T F S S

1 2 34 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 1718 19 20 21 22 23 2425 26 27 28 29 30

May 2016

M T W T F S S30 31

12 3 4 5 6 7 89 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 2223 24 25 26 27 28 29

pasture in prime position - dairynz - dairynz into spring, it has also set them up ... meant leslie...

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