Westland Monitor Farm Project - PDF Free Download

Westland Monitor Farm Project Weekly Update 29 May 2015 CO comment With the end of this season and the start of the next imminent, there will be new staff starting out on farms. Ensure you have employment agreements in place for all employees on your farm permanent, fixed term and casual. Employment agreements are quick to implement, minimise risk and are the right thing to do for everyone. If you haven t got them, visit www.fedfarm.org.nz to purchase farming specific employment agreements. An important point to note is that if you have new employees starting on farm and want to use the 90 day trial period (which must be in good faith) ensure you have this clause included in your employment agreement before your new employee starts work otherwise the clause is void. Set aside time to introduce any new employees to your farm through a good orientation process. Taking time now will save you time later, fast track productivity, reduce stress and mistakes and increase the commitment of your team. Visit www.dairynz.co.nz/people or order a copy of the DairyNZ QuickStart Recruitment Kit for an easy to follow orientation checklist. To ensure you are compliant, keep timesheets for all employees now so you can monitor the hours people are working. Use the results from these to drive productivity and create good work/life balances for all people on farm including you! Visit www.dairynz.co.nz/people or www.fedfarm.org.nz for timesheet templates. Farm Summary Average cover (kg DM/ha) 1998 1993 2068 1813 APC (22 May) 2024 1956 2054 1813 Rotation length (days) 40 25 40 34 Stocking rate 1.8 2.4 1.3 2.2 Percentage in milk 100 100 100 100 Milksolids kg/cow 0.79 1.09 0.89 1.00 Milksolids kg/ha 1.9 2.5 1.5 2.2 MS/cow (season to date) MS/ha (season to date) N (kg/ha) year to date 15 35 None None Current N application rate kg N/ha 284 286 278 48 10 April 10 April 1 April 10 April DM 15.1 11.5 13.5/11.4 11.8 Pasture ME >12.7 >12.7 12.4/12.3 12.3 Pasture 44.4 41.5 49.9/47.9 46.5 Pasture CP 32.0 35.7 27.4/31.0 29.6 Target Intake (kg DM/cow/d) 17 20 18 16 Supplement (kg/cow/day) 3.7 4.0 5.0 3.5 Soil temperature ( C) 13.0 8.3 7.6 2.3 Growth Rate (kg DM/day) 29 31 19 6 Rainfall 36 50 29.5 50 Conditions for farmwalk Rain cold Fine frost Fine frost cold cold Comments NB: pasture quality data are for 1 sample collected from each farm

Average monthly growth rate for each region compared with the 6 year average 90 80 Pasture growth rate (kg/ha/day) 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 2008 14 Av 0 June Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Average monthly soil temperature for each region compared with the 6 year average 25 20 Soil temperature ( C) 15 10 5 2008 14 Av 0 June Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

Weekly Pasture Growth Rates 100 Pasture growth rate (kg DM/ha/day) 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 10 Jun 10 Aug 10 Oct 10 Dec 10 Feb 10 Apr 2008 14 Av Weekly Soil Temperature 25.0 20.0 Soil temperature ( C) 15.0 10.0 5.0 2008 14 Av 0.0 10 Jun 10 Aug 10 Oct 10 Dec 10 Feb 10 Apr

Pasture Quality NOTE: We sample the paddocks immediately in front of the milkers, to height of 3.5cm (7 clicks on the rising plate meter). The RPM data in the table is the pre-grazing clicks recorded on the day of sampling. Description Date RPM DM Prot ADF OMD MJME /kg Pdk 46 2 Nov 15.1 22.0 3.8 25.6 51.2 17.4 85 12.7 Pdk 20 1 Dec 12.5 26.6 3.5 24.9 47.6 12.6 >85 >12.7 Pdk 38 12 Jan 15.8 25.1 3.9 23.4 48.6 14.4 >85 >12.7 Pdk 27 9 Feb 14.5 31.6 4.8 23.4 44.1 12.5 >85 12.5 Pdk 43 6 Mar 12.1 28.9 4.1 26 53.4 9.8 83.7 12.2 Pdk 26 10 Apr 15.1 32.0 4.1 23.8 44.4 14.8 >85 >12.7

Description Date RPM DM Prot ADF OMD MJME/kg Pdk Reids 3 Nov 17.1 21.7 4.2 22.5 45.9 20.0 85 12.7 Pdk West Nolan 2 Dec 14.8 21.1 3.6 26.3 48.6 15.4 82.9 12.1 Pdk White Pine 13 Jan 20.0 20.1 4.2 22.3 47.8 20.5 >85 12.5 Pdk Back Payne 10 Feb 15.2 25.4 4.5 22.3 39.2 21.6 >85 >12.7 Pdk Hold 6 Mar 16 22.1 3.7 25.1 52.8 15.5 80.8 11.8 Pdk Reids 10 Apr 11.5 35.7 4.6 22.1 41.5 11.8 >85 >12.7

Description Date RPM DM Prot ADF OMD MJME /kg Pdk 40 4 Nov 14.8 27.8 4.4 23.2 48.7 13.2 85 12.4 Pdk 27 4 Nov 13.5 31.1 4.9 21.1 44.9 13.8 85 12.7 Pdk 31 2 Dec 12.1 24.5 5.0 23.2 43.2 15.4 >85 12.6 Pdk 41 2 Dec 13.2 25.3 5.1 25.3 13.0 14.8 82.4 12.0 Pdk 23 5 Mar 12.3 35.6 5.9 25.3 45.6 7.9 81.7 11.9 Pdk 8 5 Mar 12.8 33.7 5.3 25.1 42.9 8.3 80.1 11.7 Pdk 11 1 Apr 13.5 27.4 4.0 23.9 49.9 10.5 >85 12.4 Pdk 36 1 Apr 11.4 31.0 4.9 24.2 47.9 8.6 83.9 12.3

Description Date RPM DM Prot ADF OMD MJME/k g Pdk 20 4 Nov 17.8 24.2 4.0 24.1 49.1 18.2 85 12.7 Pdk 50 3 Dec 14.5 22.7 4.2 23.5 38.5 15.9 >85 12.5 Pdk 19 14 Jan 16.4 26.1 4.3 24.4 45.3 16.3 84.5 12.3 Pdk 25 11 Feb 17.2 19.5 3.8 25.2 53.2 15.9 81.9 12.0 Pdk 12 6 Mar 12.3 25.3 3.2 27.5 61.3 10.5 84.3 12.3 Pdk 17 10 Apr 11.8 29.6 4.7 23.4 46.5 11.9 84.5 12.3

Westland Monitor Farm Project Weekly Update 22 May 2015 CO comment If you haven t completed a feed budget for the winter already, it s still not too late! Preparing a winter feed budget is essential if you want to get to spring with cows in the right BCS to calve and sufficient feed on hand to fully feed them through the spring. Have a look at http://www.dairynz.co.nz/file/fileid/48652 - it s a simple feed budget which includes a cow BCS calculator. It will help ensure that you include all the critical factors when you re putting the feed budget together. Remember to protect next season s pasture production by using stand-off pads, feed pads and on-off grazing to minimise pugging during the wet underfoot grazing conditions. Farm Summary Average cover (kg DM/ha) 2024 1956 2054 1813 APC (14 May) 2096 1987 2090 1963 Rotation length (days) 36 25 20 34 Stocking rate 2.1 2.5 1.6 2.2 Percentage in milk 100 100 100 100 Milksolids kg/cow 0.98 1.09 0.89 1.04 Milksolids kg/ha 2.2 2.5 1.5 2.3 MS/cow (season to date) MS/ha (season to date) N (kg/ha) year to date 281 280 278 48 Current N application rate kg N/ha 25 30 - None 10 April 10 April 1 April 10 April DM 15.1 11.5 13.5/11.4 11.8 Pasture ME >12.7 >12.7 12.4/12.3 12.3 Pasture 44.4 41.5 49.9/47.9 46.5 Pasture CP 32.0 35.7 27.4/31.0 29.6 Target Intake (kg DM/cow/d) 18 17 Supplement (kg/cow/day) 3.2 4 3.5 Soil temperature ( C) 13.0 12.2 11.6 13.0 Growth Rate (kg DM/day) 34 40 27 12 Rainfall 56 125 87.5 75 Conditions for farmwalk Dry overcast, warm Dry overcast, warm Comments NB: pasture quality data are for 1 sample collected from each farm Warm

Westland Monitor Farm Project Weekly Update 15 May 2015 CO comment May is a month of variable growth rates, so continue to regularly monitor pasture cover. Make sure you have a plan for drying off the herd and have revised your autumn feed budget with figures based on what you actually have been growing. Confirm your dry cow therapy options with your veterinarian. Give priority to drying off earlier calving cows as they will have less time over the dry period to put on the required body condition. It is one thing to have enough supplements in your feed budget but do you have enough time for cows to physically gain weight. Farm Summary Average cover (kg DM/ha) 2096 1987 2090 1963 APC (8 May) 2179 2096 2183 2099 Rotation length (days) 26 25 20 34 Stocking rate 2.3 2.5 1.9 2.3 Percentage in milk 100 100 100 100 Milksolids kg/cow 1.11 1.21 0.91 1.11 Milksolids kg/ha 2.7 3.0 2.0 2.5 MS/cow (season to date) MS/ha (season to date) N (kg/ha) year to date 275 273 278 48 Current N application rate kg N/ha 20 30 None None 10 April 10 April 1 April 10 April DM 15.1 11.5 13.5/11.4 11.8 Pasture ME >12.7 >12.7 12.4/12.3 12.3 Pasture 44.4 41.5 49.9/47.9 46.5 Pasture CP 32.0 35.7 27.4/31.0 29.6 Target Intake (kg DM/cow/d) 18 18 17 17 Supplement (kg/cow/day) 2.1 4.0 0 4.0 Soil temperature ( C) 15.5 13.0 12.0 11.0 Growth Rate (kg DM/day) 44 35 42 23 Rainfall 109 75 130.5 260 Conditions for farmwalk Rain Rain Heavy rain wind Comments NB: pasture quality data are for 2 samples collected from each farm

Westland Monitor Farm Project Weekly Update 8 May 2015 CO comment The recent announcements of further reductions in the expected payout for this season wasn t good news, but not entirely unexpected. What is important to realise that the cash received inside next season is likely to be very similar to that received this season with a significant change the final winter payments will be starting later and are unlikely to be adequate to fund winter and early spring expenditure on their own. What this will mean is that either funds will need to be carried forward from now on, or overdraft levels will increase to ensure that the essential early season expenditure is able to be met. A combination of these two measures will be the likely approach for many, but identification of the level of additional funding needed will be important if the appropriate seasonal facilities are to be put in place. That work needs to start now so that both you and your financier have a good understanding of what is going to be required. The next Tactics for Tight Times fielday, to be held on Monday 18 th May, from 10.30am 1.00pm, will be focussing on providing you with the tools and resources to identify this for your business. You ll receive more information on this soon, but put the time aside to come along. Farm Summary Average cover (kg DM/ha) 2179 2096 2183 2099 APC (30 April) 2285 2264 2150 Rotation length (days) 25 25 27 34 Stocking rate 2.5 2.7 2.1 2.3 Percentage in milk 100 100 100 100 Milksolids kg/cow 1.27 1.05 1.13 Milksolids kg/ha 3.2 2.2 2.6 MS/cow (season to date) MS/ha (season to date) N (kg/ha) year to date 268 268 278 48 Current N application rate kg N/ha 15 30 25 None 10 April 10 April 1 April 10 April DM 15.1 11.5 13.5/11.4 11.8 Pasture ME >12.7 >12.7 12.4/12.3 12.3 Pasture 44.4 41.5 49.9/47.9 46.5 Pasture CP 32.0 35.7 27.4/31.0 29.6 Target Intake (kg DM/cow/d) 18 18 17 17 Supplement (kg/cow/day) 1.4 3.5 2.0 Soil temperature ( C) 14 12.5 14 Growth Rate (kg DM/day) 52 45 36 Rainfall 59 125 92 140 Conditions for farmwalk Fine, cold wind Overcast Heavy rain Comments

NB: pasture quality data are for 2 samples collected from each farm Weekly Pasture Growth Rates 100 Pasture growth rate (kg DM/ha/day) 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 10 Jun 10 Aug 10 Oct 10 Dec 10 Feb 10 Apr 2008 14 Av Weekly Soil Temperature 25.0 20.0 Soil temperature ( C) 15.0 10.0 5.0 2008 14 Av 0.0 10 Jun 10 Aug 10 Oct 10 Dec 10 Feb 10 Apr

Pasture Quality NOTE: We sample the paddocks immediately in front of the milkers, to height of 3.5cm (7 clicks on the rising plate meter). The RPM data in the table is the pre-grazing clicks recorded on the day of sampling. Description Date RPM DM Prot ADF OMD MJME/kg Pdk 46 2 Nov 15.1 22.0 3.8 25.6 51.2 17.4 85 12.7 Pdk 20 1 Dec 12.5 26.6 3.5 24.9 47.6 12.6 >85 >12.7 Pdk 38 12 Jan 15.8 25.1 3.9 23.4 48.6 14.4 >85 >12.7 Pdk 27 9 Feb 14.5 31.6 4.8 23.4 44.1 12.5 >85 12.5 Pdk 43 6 Mar 12.1 28.9 4.1 26 53.4 9.8 83.7 12.2 Pdk 26 10 Apr 15.1 32.0 4.1 23.8 44.4 14.8 >85 >12.7

Description Date RPM DM Prot ADF OMD MJME/kg Pdk 40 4 Nov 14.8 27.8 4.4 23.2 48.7 13.2 85 12.4 Pdk 27 4 Nov 13.5 31.1 4.9 21.1 44.9 13.8 85 12.7 Pdk 31 2 Dec 12.1 24.5 5.0 23.2 43.2 15.4 >85 12.6 Pdk 41 2 Dec 13.2 25.3 5.1 25.3 13.0 14.8 82.4 12.0 Pdk 23 5 Mar 12.3 35.6 5.9 25.3 45.6 7.9 81.7 11.9 Pdk 8 5 Mar 12.8 33.7 5.3 25.1 42.9 8.3 80.1 11.7 Pdk 11 1 Apr 13.5 27.4 4.0 23.9 49.9 10.5 >85 12.4 Pdk 36 1 Apr 11.4 31.0 4.9 24.2 47.9 8.6 83.9 12.3

Description Date RPM DM Prot ADF OMD MJME/kg Pdk 20 4 Nov 17.8 24.2 4.0 24.1 49.1 18.2 85 12.7 Pdk 50 3 Dec 14.5 22.7 4.2 23.5 38.5 15.9 >85 12.5 Pdk 19 14 Jan 16.4 26.1 4.3 24.4 45.3 16.3 84.5 12.3 Pdk 25 11 Feb 17.2 19.5 3.8 25.2 53.2 15.9 81.9 12.0 Pdk 12 6 Mar 12.3 25.3 3.2 27.5 61.3 10.5 84.3 12.3 Pdk 17 10 Apr 11.8 29.6 4.7 23.4 46.5 11.9 84.5 12.3

Westland Monitor Farm Project Weekly Update 1 May 2015 CO comment Cooler growing conditions will bring a corresponding slowing in pasture growth rates. Carefully consider the urge to capture those last few kilograms of milksolids this season, especially given the short supply of purchased supplement from Canterbury and the more marginal economics of using imported feed to extend lactation this season. Be careful, do your homework and make sure you have the feed on hand to achieve any extra milkings without compromising the farm setup for next season. Current production levels are unlikely to meet the cost of the extra feed if it needs to be purchased to replace feed required for winter and early spring. Stretching your feed supply too thin will be at the cost of cow condition or pasture cover heading into winter. The focus needs to be on setting the farm up adequately for next season check your feed budget to keep you on track, whatever decision you end up making. Farm Summary Average cover (kg DM/ha) 2285 2264 2150 APC (24 April) 2247 2250 2198 2046 Rotation length (days) 25 25 34 Stocking rate 2.6 2.7 2.3 Percentage in milk 100 100 100 100 Milksolids kg/cow 1.36 1.4 1.18 Milksolids kg/ha 3.4 3.7 2.8 MS/cow (season to date) MS/ha (season to date) N (kg/ha) year to date 264 258 22 Current N application rate kg N/ha 15 30 None 10 April 10 April 1 April 10 April DM 15.1 11.5 13.5/11.4 11.8 Pasture ME >12.7 >12.7 12.4/12.3 12.3 Pasture 44.4 41.5 49.9/47.9 46.5 Pasture CP 32.0 35.7 27.4/31.0 29.6 Target Intake (kg DM/cow/d) 18 20 17 Supplement (kg/cow/day) 2.0 4.0 1.0 Soil temperature ( C) 15.5 15.0 12.2 Growth Rate (kg DM/day) 71 69 44 Rainfall 72 12 257 Conditions for farmwalk Rain windy hot Rain Comments NB: pasture quality data are for 2 samples collected from each farm Rain wet underfoot