Lincoln dairy overcomes challenges

DairyNZ developer Steve Lee (left) watches while Lincoln University Dairy Farm manager Peter...
DairyNZ developer Steve Lee (left) watches while Lincoln University Dairy Farm manager Peter Hancox gives a season update at the farm's spring focus day last week. Photo by David Hill.
The Lincoln University Dairy Farm is in good shape, despite early season challenges.

DairyNZ developer Steve Lee and farm manager Peter Hancox told farmers at last Thursday's spring focus day that milk production was up and pasture production on track despite the heifers returning to farm for six weeks due to flooding, a cold September and last month's storm.

''We have had a bit of a roller-coaster season so far, but we're pretty happy with the way things are going. The cows are in good condition and we are now well situated to grow good quality pasture. It has been an interesting year,'' Mr Lee said.

The farm's heifers made an unscheduled return to the milking platform for six weeks in June,

grazing on a farm at Lakeside when flooding occurred at Lake Ellesmere. ''Peter came back from holiday and had to do quite a bit of juggling to cope with the heifers coming back,'' Mr Lee said.

''One of the key things we saw was while we didn't have a huge amount of rain, the ground was very slow to dry out, but August was really kind to us in terms of our recovery from having those heifers back for six weeks and the pasture was growing again.''

However, Mr Lee said the dip in temperature in mid-September meant the silage wagon was brought out to keep milk production up. Despite the mixed season, Mr Hancox said milk production was 2.5% on the corresponding time last year.

There were fewer animal health issues so far this season, with just 27 cases of cow lameness compared with nearly 70 at the corresponding time last year.

Cases of mastitis were also well down, with 23 compared with nearly 40 last season, Mr Hancox said. ''We only lost one milking with the power cut from the storm and we had eight cows with mastitis the following week, so it had a bit of impact.''

Winter grazing costs were $11,693 over budget due to higher market costs for grazing, but other costs were tracking according to budget.

- David Hill.

 

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