More good follow up rain will have added to grass growth prospects, as feed conditions are now above average and most cows will be fully fed on pasture alone.
Although in some areas such has been the rapid growth of the grass some are complaining it is too soft and are adding straw and pke to the diet so it can be fully utilised by the animals.
The Opuha dam in South Canterbury is full to overflowing and other water storage schemes in Canterbury are near to securing adequate irrigation supplies for the dry months ahead.
The big rise in soil temperatures has lifted supply above animal demand, and paddock rotations are being sped up with some are now being shut for silage.
In the North Island most of the management issues centre around too much rain, with the Waikato region recieving 24 rain days in the last 26 and some farmers are reporting milk flows are back on last year.
Wet conditions have held up silage making and any summer crop preparation, and muddy pastures have seen managers resorting to faster rotations with higher than optimal residuals, to ensure animals only eat quality feed.
Soft lanes have caused some feet issues and toppers will be needed soon to tidy up unutilsed pasture as a result of the wet conditions.
Southland has reported a bumper spring and while they are further from mating, they are still near to shutting up silage to keep pastures under control
Well fed cows have stimulated cycling, and with body condition scores better than the norm, managers are hoping for a successful mating.
Rabobank has reported that global milk supplies have fallen faster than expected in the face of firm demand for dairy products, and this is the driver for the recent upturn in pricing.
However last week’s global dairy trade event saw prices ease by 3% with the powders leading the fall, as the market looked to settle after the big rises in the last two months.
Palm kernel biosecurity became an issue as a ship with poor documentation was prevented from discharging its cargo as MPI officials stood firm to prevent a breech.
Shortages of quality calf milk powders has disappointed rearers, after it appears more young calves have been kept to satisfy the beef demand, and fill predicted shortages of female replacements as dairy’s prospects improve.
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11 Comments
It has been unbelievably wet in the Waikato, to the point where some farms have been forced to go on to once a day already because the grass quality is too low or it is so wet that people have had to go back to a longer rotation.
I have some Silage bales for sale at the moment and there has been a lot of interest in the last week from dairy farmers who are out of feed, so a lot of people won't be making silage.
Had a couple of sunny days in a row now though, must be starting to grow some grass and dry out some of the mud.
I know there's a bit of an aversion to being negative but jeez. Latest figures from Fonterra put it 10% down in the North Island, that's huge it's probably two Litchfield driers worth. Had a discussion group here and with a few hills we aren't to bad, -4% YTD -12% month some on flats are -15% and -30%. A very very difficult start to the season and most have no money to throw at the problems.
Don't worry the USA has your back.
U.S. milk production projection was raised for the second consecutive month as the cow inventory has grown more rapidly than previously expected.
http://www.attenbabler.com/u-s-milk-production-projected-higher-oct-16/
redcows we are okay ytd but October we are suddenly 22% behind mtd and last year was very ordinary for us and we are milking 30 more cows. Farm so wet now having lameness issues, a worry as mating has started. Don't know where to turn - have been reading Andrewj's less than glowing comments on the beef job, the dairy job and even the Auckland house market - what's a poor man to do?
The only person I found who really made me think about the way I farm, where unnecessary costs are hidden and what I can do to make a constructive difference was Barrie Riddler from GSL.
Give him a ring, he lives in Napier somewhere, his analytical ability is amazing and it forced me to rethink a lot of what had basically become bad habits reinforced with an unwillingness to change on my behalf.
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