Livestock Report: A busy time for dairy farmers

Moving Day is looming for New Zealand's dairy farmers and their families.

Content brought to you by PGG Wrightson

A big day on the dairy farming calendar is coming up next month, so many Kiwi farmers will be in full swing getting readt, PGG Wrightson’s National Dairy Specialist Jamie Cunningham says.

Moving Day, which takes place on June 1, marks the start of the dairy season.

It’s when dairy farming families, their employees, and their cattle move to new farms.

Even though it’s called Moving Day, in reality, the process takes longer than 24 hours, Cunninghame told The Country’s Jamie Mackay.

“It’s a busy time of the year for our teams out there.

“A lot of the heifers have already been transacted a week or so ago, so there’s lots of activity with herds and things over the upcoming weeks, that’s for sure.”

Cunninghame said it was also a busy time for high-end genetic sales, with a couple of successful events in the South and North Island.

Nathan and Amanda Bayne’s Busybrook in Oamaru had a sale in early April, where their Holstein Friesian herd did well, he said.

“We sold 136 lots with an average price of $9246 which is a fantastic result and the top price of $63,000 which is extraordinary, really.”

As for the North Island, the Fergusons family’s Ferdon Genetics sale in Otorohanga celebrated 75 years of the stud.

Ferdon Genetics had a Jersey base but had incorporated Holstein Friesians and Ayrshires into the mix over the years, Cunninghame said.

Listen below:

“They had another fantastic sale too.”

Mackay asked what the cost of a “good average dairy cow” was these days.

While there were many variables at play, Cunninghame said for this season, the average price settled around the $1800 mark.

He said there hadn’t been much movement in prices for a while.

“We haven’t seen huge fluctuation ... $100 swing either way … has probably been the norm - if we talk about averages across the board – for the last few years.

“It’s been, been relatively consistent.”

Also in today’s interview: Cunninghame, who is based in Feilding, says there have been a few “cracking good frosts” and a little bit of rain lately but farmers are still waiting for more.