Feb 8, 2021 | Articles
The last article was written prior to the release of the Climate Change Commission’s draft plan for slashing New Zealand’s emissions. From the article ominously titled, The Government will not hold back, there is a call for a 15% reduction in animal numbers, less...
Jan 14, 2021 | Articles
In the last 60 years walk through cowsheds have been replaced by step-ups, then herringbones, and now rotaries. And robots! Fifty dairy cows used to be an economic family farm in the 1960’s, and in the 1970’s a 150-cow unit was regarded as the maximum that could be...
Dec 2, 2020 | Articles
As a sharemilker, coming from an education background with only school and university holiday experience on dairy farms and hungry for information, I collected and stashed any interesting and potentially useful information. It’s been kept in boxes and added to over...
Nov 11, 2020 | Articles
There ae differences between farms. Size and contour vary, as does the type and number of animals grazed. However, whether dryland or irrigated, there is one constant, the necessity of nitrogen for pasture growth. The air we breathe is 78% nitrogen, so there is no...
Oct 16, 2020 | Articles
As I write this article pasture growth in many farming regions is restricted by a lack of moisture and a genuine spring flush has not arrived. It’s easy to say that we shouldn’t worry about stuff we have no control over, however a lack of rain this early in the season...
Sep 16, 2020 | Articles
That change is coming in the agricultural sector is not in question, the only questions are, how big and how soon? With environmental degradation heading many people’s priority list it’s almost inevitable the incoming government will grasp the opportunity to make...
Aug 12, 2020 | Articles
That permanent grazed pasture plants require a steady supply of nitrogen for optimum performance is not in question. Nitrogen is usually supplied in one of two ways, either in the form of urea, or from the atmosphere fixed by bacteria on the roots of clovers, lucerne,...
Jul 6, 2020 | Articles
Without energy life does not exist, and the purpose of pasture is to convert energy from sunlight into food, providing the energy essential for human survival. The conversion process is known as photosynthesis, whereby via plant leaves sunlight interacts with carbon,...
Jun 20, 2020 | Articles
That the country is resolutely heading towards a carbon neutral economy is not the least bit secret, nor will the target change with a different government. Farming will, over the next few years, become increasingly buoyant with not only higher market prices but a...
May 20, 2020 | Articles
Many areas have received insufficient rain for strong growth before the middle of May, which means there’s little time left before the winter slow growth period sets in. The question often asked is whether compensatory growth is likely during winter. While soil...
