* Lock up four-wheelers after calving and switch to two-wheelers to reduce fuel costs.
* Plan and limit the number of supply trips to town to save time and fuel.
* When bringing cows in, consider avoiding vehicle use all together. This gives you the opportunity to make note of any small jobs you see and potentially fix them along the way.
Reducing electricity usage
* Deal with short circuits on your electric fence systems to make sure power is used efficiently.
* Turn shed and yard lights off as soon as it gets light.
* Ensure the main irrigator is turned off when it is raining.
* Use off-peak power when possible by milking earlier.
* Switch off the wash pump otherwise it keeps turning over which consumes power and increases wear.
* Check the temperature of your hot water facility. Make sure it is not heating water too high as this will waste energy.
* Conserve water to minimise pumping. Every litre of liquid has to be pumped twice, once into the farm and again to get the effluent out onto paddocks.
Minimising costs
* Use measurers suitable for the chemicals being used. When measuring chemicals, guess-work can lead to a significant amount of waste.
* Have paddock soil tests done and gain expert advice so that fertiliser use can be targeted to the paddocks that need it. This is an area where farmers have made huge savings.
* Ensure all tools are replaced at the end of use to prevent added replacement costs.
* Regular observation of cows can have a huge effect on catching health problems before they need costly medication.
* Reduce calf feed waste by ensuring troughs are secured to the pen wall or build troughs that cannot be tipped over in paddocks.
Look after yourself
* If you don't take time out for wellness, you may be forced to take time out for illness. Take breaks away from the farm, enjoying leisure time with your family and friends.
* Look out for low-cost breaks or free activities which are often listed on local tourism websites. Make use of the fantastic free scenery we have in New Zealand.
* Encourage staff to take annual leave during quiet work times. Not only will fresh staff work more efficiently, this will help you save on annual leave payouts.
