Focus on heifers

The field day on March 15 will be held at Craig and Graham Anderson's farm near Waipukurau. The Andersons run a mixed business with heifers, winter cows, cropping, hogget grazing and some beef across four blocks totalling 1600ha.

DairyNZ consulting officer Scott Cameron says the field day will focus on helping farmers manage through dry periods with a view to setting up for next season.

"Summer can be quite extreme in Central Hawke's Bay. The timing and location of the field day was planned so farmers can see how the Anderson's manage through dry weather," says Cameron.

"Autumn is often the most challenging season to grow heifers due to low pasture growth rates and peak animal demand. To cover all bases we'll look at 'what-if' scenarios and strategies that can be put in place to ensure target weights that are set out in grazing contracts are met.

"The Andersons run 1200 heifers and 820 weaners with no irrigation, so careful planning is needed to reduce the impact of summer dry – that plan will be discussed at the field day."

Cameron says as well as talking through the Anderson's plans, the field day will provide an update on the region's heifer grazing focus farm near Marton, owned by Andy Stewart.

"To date we have run four field days hosted by Andy. These have covered a wide range of topics as we have tracked the animals from weaners in December through to in-calf heifers in May when they leave the farm," he says.

A final focus farm field day will be held at Andy's farm in May.