Dry weather classification expands to North Island
The dry weather in some parts of the North Island has received medium-scale adverse event classification from the Government.
A predicted dry summer, thanks to El Nino weather patterns, may make weaning a proportion of the lamb crop a good option this season.
The prospect of hot, dry weather along the east coast of both islands builds a strong case for weaning at least a proportion of the lamb crop early. This will allow high-quality feed to be partitioned into lambs while ewes recover body condition. It also provides the opportunity to sell cull ewes early.
Trials run at Massey University found lambs over 20kg LW coped best with early weaning (minimum weaning weight was 16kg LW). However, it was the quality of the forages on offer that was the greatest determinant of how well lambs grew post-weaning.
Professor Paul Kenyon, who led the early-weaning trials, says early weaned lambs should be given unrestricted access to legumebased forages such as a herb clover mix at a minimum cover of seven centimetres in height.
If lambs are weaned onto the crop, they should be given time to adjust to a change in feed. Running the ewe and lambs onto the crop a few days before weaning, then running the lambs back onto the crop after weaning will help minimise the weaning check.
He says in late lactation all lambs, but especially multiples, are receiving very little nutrition from the ewe, so when grass-growth is limited the ewes are competing with their lambs for feed, compromising the performance of both.
Early weaning can also be particularly useful in hoggets as it will give them more time to recover body condition between lambing and mating again as a two-tooth.
Partitioning high quality feed into lambs in the late spring early summer period will benefit the whole farm system. It means more lambs can be sold prime before the height of summermaking more feed available for capital stock – and ewe lambs can be grown out to heavier weights early. This means there is flexibility to hold them back later when feed resources are more limited.
Nine lucky school leavers passionate about farming will join Pamu for a two-year journey into agriculture, living and working at Pamu farm, Aratiatia near Taupo.
Nutritionists are urging Kiwis to kickstart their day with a piece of fresh fruit to help improve their health and wellbeing this autumn.
Under its innovation strategy, Craigmore Sustainables says it is collaborating with new innovators of technology across sustainability, people, animals and business management to enhance New Zealand's dairy sector.
Deeply cynical and completely illogical. That's how Kimberly Crewther, the executive director of DCANZ is describing the Canadian government's flagrant breach of international trade law in refusing to open its market to New Zealand dairy exports.
This week the winner of the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy for the top Māori Dairy farm will be announced at a gala dinner in Hamilton.
Once-a-day milking (OAD) can increase or lower the amounts of proteins in milk, according to a new study published in the journal Dairy.