Taranaki drought leaves farmers limping toward season's end
Limping towards the end of the season is how Richard Walker describes the situation he's facing due to prolonged drought in coastal areas of Taranaki.
DairyNZ statistics show Taranaki now has 490,500 cows – 17% of the national herd, though the average herd size in the province is 283, well below the North Island average of 332.
DairyNZ held its annual meeting in Taranaki recently, showcasing the success of dairy farming in the region.
Taranaki has many more smaller herds than are found in traditional dairying regions, but they are merging Luxton says. “And quite a lot of sheep country, particularly in South Taranaki down by Waverley, has been converted to dairying in recent times.”
Small dairy farming operations can monitor and manage more accurately than some larger operations Luxton says. But he notes there are also big farms in Taranaki doing extremely well.
Many young people are farming in the province, as shown by many entries in last year’s dairy awards. “Lots of good young bright people are coming into the sector… [many of them] new farmers with university degrees; that is also upping the ante in the sector.”
Milk production in Taranaki has been good this season; the province is a “star of the dairy sector,” Luxton says. Farmers there have improved their pasture management and overall herd management as reflected in positive statistics.
And the region’s dairy farmers have shown the way with responsible environmental stewardship. About $80 million has been spent on fencing and vegetation to protect waterways. The regional council reports that farmers have completed 2882km of new fencing and 1463km of riparian planting.
