Getting the most from your dairy support land - tips for allocating winter forages

Abstract

As dairy farming businesses expand and the push for productivity improvement continues there is increasing pressure to maximise milksolids production from the milking platform. A consequence of this production drive is the need for off-farm grazing for replacement stock and cows during winter. There are several ways this can be met and the most common approach is to incorporate a support block into the dairy system. The South Island Dairy Development Centre (SIDDC) partners have just completed a 3-year study of dairy support blocks, especially how they can be integrated successfully into the farming business. This paper will provide an overview of the project’s findings about dairy support blocks and will focus primarily on how to make the most from winter forages. Winter is extremely important for preparing cows for the following lactation therefore planning must occur early to control winter feed supply. Gone are the days when winter was a quiet time on the farm with staff taking time off to recharge their batteries before the demands of calving.