Pasture growth rates have responded well in those NI areas that have received rain and the West Coast and Southern NZ are also growing good grass.
In all other unirrigated areas, heavy supplementation, culling and OAD milking are techniques managers are using to squeeze the milk flow into the autumn.
Some dairy farmers in the Waikato are having to deal with the third dry summer in a row, and are weary after more supplementary feeding, and advisers suggest they should switch to the new seasons preparation, and at all costs maintain BCS, as it’s now only 120 days to calving.
As the Opuha dam stops supplying irrigation water, more plans are being revealed to store unutilized water from the Rangitata diversion scheme, into ponds on the north side of this alpine river.
Farmers are busy cultivating and sowing into the dry soils ready for any autumn rains, and palm kernel extract demand has increased rapidly as managers look for solutions to fill the feed supply gaps, created by the dry conditions.
The figures are now starting to emerge of the downward fall in production, with Oceania Dairy reporting a 9% drop for February, and Fonterra closing the Studholme plant for maintenance, and processing their milk at other bigger plants, as they adjust their national milk flow forecast to 3.3% down on last year.
Fonterra maintained the $4.70 payout forecast in their latest update, as demand out of China remains weak, but lower global supply is still predicted to stimulate prices next year.
The dairy auction overnight rose again this time by a modest 1.1%, on the back of Fonterra announcing it is going to increase the volumes of product offered at auction.
Whole milk powder eased slightly from last auctions big lift, but skim milk amd butter milk powders firmed strongly to help maintain the recent price impetus.
Dairy Companies have announced they are investing $5million into developing better predator control technologies, as they look to prevent feral pests contaminating farmed animals with tuberculosis.
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