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Events Calender
PasturePlus - Wellsford, 11 May, 10.30 - 1.30pm
Discussion around pasture management. Bring your plate metres! How can we increase APC leading up to calving - 77 Parker Rd, Wellsford. Contact: Dave Swney 021 242 5719
Tight Management Farm Field Day - Awanui, 11 May, 10.30 - 1.30pm
This is the final Tight Management field day to be held on this farm. Location: Dave and Heather Gray’s property, 73 West Road, Awanui S/N10102
Tight Management Farm Field Day - Pukekohe, 11 May, 10.30 - 1.30pm
This will be the last in a series of field days tracking the Mills’ physical and financial performance throughout the season. Location: Steve & Andrea Mills, Wesley College Farm. Gellert Rd, Pukekohe.
Green to Gold Group - Northland, 17 May to 20 May
Green To Gold group annual field trip to Southland. Looking outside the square by visiting high performing businesses in Southland to get ideas on how to generate more profit and be sustainable. For more information contact: Tafi Manjala 0274 999 021
Otua/Aka Aka Farm Systems Group, 18 May, 10:45am-1:30pm
The Waiau Pa/Karaka group discusses and investigates the farm system on the host farm.
It is a chance to discuss current issues and up and coming seasonal topics in an open forum. Location yet to be confirmed.
Drought Field Day, 18 May, 10:30am-1:30pm
Discussion around drought recovery and a financial focus. Location: Greg & Philippa Foster. 733 Tomarata Valley Road, Tomorata, S/N 15495
Contact: Dave Swney 021 242 5719
Highlight
Dave Swney - Dairy NZ consulting officer for Lower Northland touches on some of the highlights that will be covered in the Drought Field Day on the 18 May 2010.
The Current Situation
• Average pasture covers 1100-1400kgDM/ha
• Drought has cost on average $1-$2/kgMS this includes production lost and extra money spent on supplements
• A lot of farmers have already used up winter supplements, therefore this is a critical issue going forward
• Farmers need to do a feed budget and know what position they are in now to make informed decisions to get them through the winter.
Field Day Key Points
• Focus should be placed on extending out round lengths when it rains. This can be achieved by feeding supplements. Apply Nitrogen up to 40kgN/ha once pastures start growing, this will boost pasture growth and will allow you to reduce the use of supplement
• Be aware of nitrate poisoning when it rains, especially in the new pastures. Parasitism will also be an issue when it rains due to the high number of worms under cow dung so consider drenching your herd and young stock
• Offer sufficient feed for dry cows to gain condition score. To gain 1CS over 60 days cows need 8.8kgDM/cow/day for jersey and 10.7kgDM/cow/day for Friesian. Moving a dry cow from a condition score 4 to 5 will generate $105 per cow in production and reproduction benefits
• Management decisions to help us achieve body condition score targets and pasture cover targets
• Recent research has shown it takes 125 – 150 kg DM/BCS for supplements (maize silage, grass silage, PKE and maize grain; 475 kg lwt cow) vs. 210 kg DM/BCS with autumn pasture.
