Heifer rearing help on its way

Photo / Glenn Taylor

DairyNZ has recognised that graziers need more support on growing heifers and is leading an initiative to rectify this

Heifer-rearing focus farms in Northland, Waikato, and North Otago are being established as part of a DairyNZ-led initiative to provide graziers with the tools, knowledge and resources to grow dairy heifers more effectively.

Open days will be held at each of the farms, starting in North Otago on November 25.

Graziers and dairy farmers are encouraged to attend, with key topics including target weights and feed planning, animal health issues, managing the grazier-dairy farmer relationship and setting calves up for the run-off.

DairyNZ productivity team leader Rob Brazendale says that though DairyNZ has done a lot of work to help dairy farmers improve herd reproduction, working with graziers on growing heifers was a gap that needed to be addressed.

"Graziers as a group of farmers have been largely left to their own devices and we want to change that by providing them with a forum to share knowledge.

"Heifers are the future of the dairy herd, and with the ban on inductions from next season, heifer rearing has become even more critical to improving a herd's reproductive performance," says Rob.

"The grazier-dairy farmer relationship is key to growing great heifers and they both have to get away from a 'them and us' situation. We want to create a win-win relationship where everyone contributes."

The focus farms will showcase good practice, provide a forum for sharing experiences and be actively involved in the development of knowledge, tools and resources for both graziers and dairy farmers. A second Northland focus farm will be established near Mangawhai on graziers John and Geraldine Taylor's farm, with an open day to be held early 2015.

DairyNZ is establishing the focus farms in collaboration with dairy farmers, graziers, grazing companies and industry organisations Beef + Lamb and the Livestock Improvement Corporation.

Focus Farms

NORTH OTAGO

Tuesday, November 25, 10.45am to 1.30pm
Tony and Megan Fox's farm
107 Brockmans Road, Oamaru

NORTHLAND

Wednesday, November 26, 10.30am to 2pm
Alister and Lyn Candy's farm
SN 1057
End of signal road, Okaihau

WAIKATO

Tuesday,December 9, 11am to 3pm
Murray and Janet Easton's farm
617 State Highway 4, Te Kuiti