Dairy Push South Waikato Focus Farm

Adolf and Mary-Ann Mathis are the focus farmers for the Dairy Push programme, farming 95ha on the outskirts of Tokoroa, running 320 cows.

Through the process of creating a business plan, using DairyBase to review performance and involving rural professionals in the business, the focus farm will be looking to address the following issues:

Improving profit (EFS) by 10% each year
Reducing empty rates
Improved feeding
Improved soil nutrient management
Succession issues

We are seeking expressions of interest to join the Dairy Push participant group. To apply see the documents below:

Dairy Push Contract View PDF (156kb)
Dairy Push Target Flyer View PDF (141kb)
Dairy Push Application Form View PDF (104kb)

Post to:

Dairy Push
C/- AgFirst Waikato
PO Box 9078
HAMILTON

Or any queries contact:

Michelle Fitzgerald
PH: 07 839 2683
EMAIL: dairypush@agfirst.co.nz

Farm walks and updates

Follow the progress of this focus farm through regular FarmWalks >>More

Financial update

Read the focus farm financial update (to 31 January) >>More

Field day

Field days are held twice a year. View the handouts from these field days >>More

Feed plan data

The feed plan is a working document which helps determine the extent and timing of management decisions relating mainly to stock movements, feeding levels and supplement inputs. This should be viewed in conjunction with the fortnightly farm updates above.

View feedplan data

Base information of focus farm (AP&M Mathis Partnership)

Dairy unit:	Total Area	105ha	Effective Area	100ha
Runoff:	Total Area	72ha	Effective Area	70ha

	2007/08	2006/07	2005/06	2004/05
Effective area:	100	95	95	95
Cows wintered:	328 (3.3ce/ha)	324 (3.4ce/ha)	319 (3.4ce/ha)	317 (3.3ce/ha)
Replacements:	80 (24%)	83 (26%)	82 (26%)	74 (23%)
Peak milkers:	321	319	314	312
Milksolids:	96,134	119,558	118,345	115,054
MS/cow:	299	375	377	369
MS/ha:	961	1,258	1,246	1,211
Calves reared:	75	71	74	72
Grazing - repl.:	Off at weaning back at calving	Off at weaning back at calving	Off at weaning back at calving	Off at weaning back at calving
Grazing - cows:	100% at home	100% at home	100% at home	100% at home
Date 1st pickup:	5 August	5 August	6 August	4 August
Date last pickup:	16 March	8 May	15 May	9 May

Supplements - kgDM:

	2007/08	2006/07	2005/06	2004/05
Maize imported:	94,000	100,000	100,000	100,000
Grass silage imported:	40,000	29,000	106,000	36,000
Grass silage made:	16,500	46,000	37,000	30,000
Hay imported:	28,000	22,500	0	27,000
Threshed Rye:	45,000	0	0	0
Total Supplement:	223,500	197,500	243,000	193,000
Supplement/cow	696	619	774	618

Nutrient applied kg/ha:

	2007/08	2006/07	2005/06	2004/05
Nitrogen:		225	223	223
Phosphorus:		48	65	51
Potassium:		87	39	97
Sulphur:		54	88	90
Magnesium:		22	12	35
Calcium:		107	149	128
Lime:	60 tonne	0	0	60 tonne

Soil Test July 2007:

	pH	P	K	Ca	Mg	SO4	BS%
Home:	6.2	38	5	12	24	5	71
Effluent:	5.9	51	9	7	27	4	54

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