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To pick up some ideas on where you may be able to use your nutrients more effectively here are some examples from farmers from across the country who are managing their nutrients in a variety of ways in order to become more efficient. |
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Greg and Renee Rooney, Lake Brunner, West Coast Sustainable dairying in a P-sensitive catchment Achieving farming objectives while managing environmental issues is especially challenging in the Inchbonnie catchment. Not only can farm discharges impact on the pristine Lake Brunner, but farmers have to cope with excessive rainfall and are regularly subjected to gale force winds. Maintenance or enhancement of water quality of P-sensitive Lake Brunner and its catchment waterways is a high priority on West Coast. However, over the past 5 years Greg and Renee Rooney have followed a sustainable farm plan and achieved great results in lowering nutrient losses from their dairy farm.
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Stephen and Rhonda Korteweg, Clutha River Herd Home® – an option for wintering stock on low-lying land Stephen and Rhonda Korteweg farm in the Clutha River delta and winter 580 cows on soils with a high water table. For 30 years they faced the challenges of wintering cows on swede/kale crops or grazing off. The alluvium soils could yield 12-18t DM/ha crops, however, feed utilisation was the problem. Being open to the elements meant dealing with climatic vagaries resulting in large yield variations.
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Wynn and Tracy Brown, Matamata, Waikato Growing maize crops on effluent block paddocks is a winner Wynn and Tracy Brown milk 700 cows on their family equity partnership farm near Matamata. A dairy conversion was planned in the mid-1990s on their 350 ha property with a 240 ha milking platform on the lighter Kereone silt loam soil, a 100 ha dairy support block on heavier Peria hill soil and the remaining steeper 10 ha is retired from grazing. Replacement stock are carried on the farm. As the area is prone to being summer dry, the Browns aim to have 75% of milk production achieved before Christmas. So maximising the nutrient value of effluent to grow extra pasture has been a long-term priority.
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Chris and Charleen Withy, Dipton, Southland Effluent management – matching application rate to pasture needs Dipton farmers, Chris and Charleen Withy have recently completed a sheep to dairy conversion. Having the advantage of planning from scratch on effluent management they sought advice from Environment Southland and DairyNZ and installed a weeping wall to separate solids, a large storage pond for effluent and, since taking over, have replaced the travelling irrigator system with a low application rate irrigation system.
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Bryan and Kim Roach, Taranaki Utilising pond effluent nutrients through land application rather than losing nutrients from discharge to water Four years ago, coastal Taranaki farmers, Bryan and Kim Roach,built a new rotary shed for their 550 cows. At the same time three large effluent ponds were constructed according to Taranaki Regional Council (TRC) design. The 230ha property has two resource consents: 1) land application, 2) pond discharge when it can meet the dilution factor. However it soon became evident to Bryan that the discharge was unacceptable for waterways. After notifying the TRC he was told he had to do something about it.
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Alan and Alison Grant, Mid-Canterbury Changing from border-dyke to centre-pivot irrigation increases water and nutrient efficiency Alan and Alison Grant have been progressively enlarging their irrigated dairy conversion property in the border-dyke area of Mid-Canterbury. They want to do this in a sustainable way. The area is subject to wet winter/spring periods, alternating with usually dry summer/autumns. Factors affecting pasture growth are low soil temperatures (< 5°C) between May and August and an annual rainfall of 750mm that occurs mainly between April to December.
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John and Jill Bluett, with son Nathan, Pirongia, Waikato Managing nutrients – key to the whole farming system John and Jill Bluett, with son Nathan, farm in the shadow of Waikato’s Mt Pirongia. After farming on several farms in the region they learnt that if nutrient levels are out of balance stock health issues arise and milk production suffers. Earlier experience
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Stuart and Dena Turner, Dannevirke, Manawatu Upgraded effluent system in the Manawatu River Catchment Stuart and Dena Turner inherited an effluent system that was not up to the standards required by the Horizon’s Regional Council for this targeted water quality area. The farm has a feed pad that is used for 10 months/year to supplement pasture diet. The feed pad effluent contributes about 10% to the total effluent volume. But with just one days’ effluent storage capacity in the dairy sump meant that daily irrigations were required which was too hard to manage on their Dannevirke property.
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Mac and Lynda Pacey, Lake Rerewhakaaitu, BOP Profitable and sustainable dairying beside a sensitive lake Mac and Lynda Pacey have lived opposite Lake Rerewhakaaitu since 1981. Being passionate water skiers they are keen to see that there is no decline in the lake’s water quality. They have shown their commitment to protecting the lake from further environmental degradation by being actively involved in all phases of Project Rerewhakaaitu. Research studies by both NIWA (surface runoff) and AgResearch (sediment, nutrient management plan) have been conducted on their farm.
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Ross and Kristy Conder: Gordonton, Waikato Careful feed monitoring improves nutrient efficiency Like other Waikato farmers, Ross and Kristy Conder, have found it harder to grow more pasture each year. The variable order share milking couple, who farm on a 188ha Gordonton property, are finding it harder to manage the seasons because of either drought or lack of sun. Milk production is still the same each year even after PKE is imported. Ross believes the answer is to face the reality of erratic seasons and farm accordingly.
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Ben and Sharon Smith, Hikurangi swamp, Northland Using latest technology to manage nutrients Northland couple Ben and Sharon Smith, with parents Edwin and Beverley, run a family farm on the Hikurangi swamp. Being sick of facing a lack of feed and skinny cows during harsh Northland summers they thought outside the square of the typical NZ farming system. Their profitability has been significantly increased by sourcing low-cost alternative feeds and using technology, combined with measuring and monitoring, to convert feed into milk as efficiently as possible.
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Allan and Julie Maxwell, Wyndham, Southland Self-feeding silage stack – easy to manage wintering system For 30 years Wyndham couple, Allan and Julie Maxwell, wintered their herd on swede/kale crops. However they found this time of year was taxing on both cows and people. Allan and Julie have environmental concerns about lack of containment of effluent while cows were wintered on crop paddocks. This led the couple to search for alternatives and they eventually opted for a self-feeding silage stack.
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Bryan and Jackie Clearwater, Mt Peel, Sth Canterbury Profitable organic dairying with low environmental footprint Previous work experience on organic farms in England convinced Bryan Clearwater that the organic principles were viable. After marrying Jackie they took the plunge into dairying, built up equity through sharemilking, and eventually bought a farm near Mt Peel in South Canterbury. The Clearwater’s found their niche in dairying by supplying quality dairy food through winter milking and yoghurt making marketed under the ”Clearwater’s Cream Top Yoghurt” brand.
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For more information:
- Get the most out of the nutrients in your effluent
- Get the most out of the nutrients in your fertiliser
- Farm Enviro Walk
