increase font size
One of the main reasons for a shift to flexible milking is to reduce hours, make rosters more flexible and improve work.
With milkings typically taking around 17 to 24 hours a week per worker, many farmers have been focusing on milking smarter to reduce hours and creative ways to shorten the working week - like the 22% who report they are using flexible milking.
One of the milking reasons for a shift to flexible milking is to reduce hours, make rosters more flexible and improve work/life balance for their team.
For Taranaki farmers Daryl and Karyn Johnson, using 3 in 2 milking has seen their team's working week shortened by six hours each per week. Many farmers are also having success with a 10 in 7 milking schedule that maintains traditional morning and afternoon milking times but frees up a few afternoons each week.
Milking smarter has seen some operations introducing a maximum milking time (MaxT), which can reduce milking times without compromising production or udder health. Interestingly, leaving some milk behind in slow milking cows can increase the flow rate in the next milking, improving milking efficiency.
Fonterra suppliers recently received Insights reports showing their milking efficiency compared to similar operations, and how much time they could save by reaching 80-100% milking efficiency. The average possible saving at peak was 8 hours per week.
Align Farms in Mid-Canterbury allow their team to pick shifts, with the first pick rotating between staff, usually with the most popular shifts being morning and midday, leaving afternoons free.
Flexible rostering means the team control their working week, allowing them to pick shifts around other commitments and hobbies, while also allowing Align Farms to take on people looking for work opportunities, including part-time positions. They describe these workers as some of the smartest people, and the farm benefits from having a diverse and interesting workplace.
Reducing the hours your people work to 50 hours or less a week reduces stress, fatigue, and the risk of accidents, and helps you attract and keep good employees.
For more information visit www.dairynz.co.nz/milking
Seonaid Aitchison is DairyNZ solutions and development specialist.
DairyNZ says its plantain programme continues to deliver promising results, with new data confirming that modest levels of plantain in pastures reduce nitrogen leaching, offering farmers a practical, science-backed tool to meet environmental goals.
As an independent review of the National Pest Management Plan for TB finds the goal of complete eradication by 2055 is still valide, feedback is being sought on how to finish the job.
DairyNZ has pulled together tactics that will help farmers improve on-farm efficiency and have positive benefits for the environment. These tactics are based on research, data, and lessons from leading farmers.
The design and construction of an effective dairy effluent system is a complex process.
After serving three as a DairyNZ director, Waikato farmer Chris Lewis is ready for another term.
An independent report, prepared for Alliance farmer shareholders is backing the proposed $250 million joint venture investment by Irish company Dawn Meats Group.
Whangarei field service technician, Bryce Dickson has cemented his place in John Deere’s history, becoming the first ever person to win an award for the third time at the annual Australian and New Zealand Technician of the Year Awards, announced at a gala dinner in Brisbane last night.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
