Lack of rain in the last two weeks has accentuated the dry in the east coast of the South Island, but good soil moisture reserves in the North Island, West Coast, and Southland have seen good grass growth rates continue in sunny conditions.
Dryland farmers in the south are rapidly moving into drought management strategies not seen here for a good few years, and some irrigation systems are running low.
Mating is finished in most areas and next years calving is set as farmers look to concentrate on feeding cows through what looks to be an increasingly dry summer.
Little evidence yet, as to the cause of winter cow deaths grazing Swedes in the south, even after Dairy NZ surveyed farmers looking for more information.
A big increase in the use of fodder beet as the brassica of choice in Canterbury southwards is evident, as mangers learn the skills of how to grow and feed this forage, and utilize it’s potential production advantage, and quality attributes.
Rabobank reports it could be well into the second half of 2015 before the dairy recovery starts, and the Aussies warn that NZ’s China driven milk boom is coming to an end, as competition for this market builds.
Some hope that we have reached the bottom with results of the latest milk auction lifting 3.65%, although in an offering reduced of volumes the main commodity, whole milk powder lifted the least.
Fonterra announces that it will offer Australian skim milk powder onto the global dairytrade platform from the 20th January, as this system of sale has now become a credible transparent facility for the disposal of dairy commodities.
Southland dairy farm prices hold in the downturn, although less listings are now being posted, and it is taking longer to achieve a sale.
Polytechnic educators have created a new dairy worker qualification as the industry seeks to upskill workers to address shortages of labour within the sector.
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