Wednesday, 27 June 2018 09:55

Lower revenue but less stress with OAD milking

Written by 
Gray Beagley. Gray Beagley.

The organiser of last week’s once-a-day (OAD) milking conference in Palmerston North says he is stoked at the turnout.

Gray Beagley, from DairyNZ, says 140 people attended this first national event in three years, coming from Northland and Southland, Nelson, Taranaki, South Waikato and elsewhere.

The previous conference was run by the late Professor Colin Holmes, a keen advocate and supporter of OAD.

The conference theme was ‘happiness comes before success’, with most keynote speakers telling farmers to enjoy their work and not be driven to exhaustion by the quest for profit.

“So often farmers are driven to gain the extra kilogram of milk solids that they often lose sight of things that create a happy team. The buzz and vibe in the room tells you these are guys are happy and valuing their happiness and not just the bottom line,” said Beagley.

In Manawatu, Beagley’s home region, every year he sees more farmers turning to OAD, some for part of the season to cope with weather, others taking it up full time. 

They are less stressed, so are their cows, he says, so they get in calf more easily.

Otaki farmer Kerry Walker says his change to OAD two years ago has reduced his stress levels. When he was milking TAD it was uneconomic to employ an extra worker; the switch to OAD has improved the financial viability of his farm.

“Production is vanity, profit is sanity,” Walker says. “There are two  sides to this -- revenue and costs; so maybe we lose a little bit of revenue but we can balance this up with less cost. 

“With lower stress levels I will be able to work in my twilight years.  I love farming and I don’t want to give it away.  This way I can continue farming  without having to do all those hours.”

The two-day conference had a day of speakers and the second day in the field, including a visit to Massey University’s No 1 dairy farm and to well-known OAD farmer Christine Finnigan’s property in Manawatu.

More like this

OAD arrives early in Southland

Some dairy farmers in Southland are already moving to once a day (OAD) milking because they don’t have sufficient good pasture on which to graze their stock.

The ideal cow for OAD milking

There was a large turnout on a recent DairyNZ webinar discussing once-a-day (OAD) milking, with participants joining in from Northland and Southland and all places in between.

Boomer year for OAD farmers

A leading once a day (OAD) farmer says her farm is set to have a record year thanks to a combination of favourable circumstances – especially the weather.

OAD milking offers labour solution

Once-a-day (OAD) milking could open a whole new labour market for dairy farmers, says a DairyNZ Wairarapa Tararua consulting officer Gray Beagley.

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Govt urged to reduce ETS units

The Climate Change Commission wants the new Government to reduce NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction volumes as son as…

Dairy sheep, goat woes mount

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand…

Machinery & Products

All-terrain fert spreading mode

Effluent specialists the Samson Group have developed a new double unloading system to help optimise uphill and downhill organic fertiliser…

Can-Am showcases range

Based on industry data collected by the Motor Industry Association, Can-Am is the number one side-by-side manufacturer in New Zealand.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Papal visit

OPINION: European farmers are going to extreme lengths to have their message heard.

Thai egg tarts

OPINION: The hustle and bustle of one of Bangkok's most popular fast food outlets may feel a world away from…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter