Just like most young Irish farmers who come to New Zealand, I had my own notions of what farming was like out here; small crossbred cows, poor welfare, large scale to drive large production and higher nitrogen application than in Europe - real unsustainable farming. But as is often the case, what I’ve found is far from my preconceived ideas.

The sustainability of the grass based New Zealand dairy system from the outside seems flawless, but it has its issues. The sight of having all animals out in adverse winter weather on desperate ground conditions raises a few eyebrows and causes some debate. It certainly wouldn’t be seen or allowed happen back in Ireland.

However, the laws in New Zealand are tightening in on this. The introduction of caps on nitrogen application to protect the ground water is going to be a major hurdle to the grass based system in the future. Some farms are constructing barns to house stock over the winter. Others will simply reduce stock numbers and maintain farm output with superior producing animals.

Reducing stocking rate, increasing production

Lincoln University Dairy farm (LUDF) twined with DairyNZ are trialling a system of a reduced stocking rate with less input while still increasing production. At a recent focus day that I and the other UCD Dairy Business students attended, farmers from around Canterbury and Southland were invited to assess the trial’s progress so far to see if it could be a viable solution to the new nitrogen restrictions.

LUDF’s objective is to maximise profit while embracing a sustainable farm system. Achieving this objective will involve increasing production without increasing nitrogen application or purchased feed. They will attempt to keep all practices relevant to Canterbury and Southland and accept a higher level of risk than may be acceptable to many farmers throughout the project.

The trial is based on the 160ha milking platform at LUDF. The stocking rate for the project is 3.5 cows/ha producing 500kgMS/cow. Just 150kgN fertiliser per hectare is to be applied for the trial and less than 300kgDM supplement/cow bought in.

Reducing the stocking rate results in more of the total feed available going to production as less is required for maintenance of additional stock. This also means that the demand for bought in feed and nitrogen is reduced as there is a lower feed demand for much the same milk production. Similarly, the demand for land to winter cows and rear replacements reduces with fewer animals farmed.

LUDF farm

The LUDF farm has budgeted its cost for the coming year at $4.00 per kg milk solids, while the pay-out is likely to be $5.00 per kg or below - down from a record high last year of $8.70. The trial has only begun this spring but is already looking like a success. The good weather this spring has helped hugely, but even still, production per hectare is at par with previous years while at a greatly reduced cost of production.

The focus day at LUDF was a real eye opener to the standards both Lincoln University and DairyNZ set out for their trials. They are set in their belief that this is the way forward for New Zealand dairying to be sustainable and profitable in the future.

*Paul Connors is a 3rd year Dairy Business student at University College Dublin. His study trip to New Zealand was supported by a scholarship from the Agricultural Trust, publishers of the Irish Farmers Journal.