Feed management and computer practices on a sample of New Zealand farms

Abstract

In an environment where producers are faced with the need to continually improve productive efficiency in order to generate higher levels of net income, a fundamental aspect is the provision of appropriate quantities of feed for animals while maintaining a stocking rate consistent with management and marketing requirements. The basis of low cost animal protein production in New Zealand is the low cost, relative to other countries, of the production of animal feed, namely pasture production. However, low cost production of feed is only ""well used"" where feed utilisation is optimal. In order to achieve this, feed budgeting techniques are required. Farmers allocate feed to their animals using a variety of techniques which range in sophistication. A result of this is the maintenance of a significant buffer between the optimal pasture production level and the feed demand. Better feed budgeting techniques would allow higher stock carrying capacities to be achieved, greater output for given levels of inputs and therefore higher productive efficiency.

This Research Report presents the results of a survey of farmers which investigated their feed budgeting practices and their ownership and use of computers. It is anticipated that in future, computer packages/systems will be developed which can aid in the feed budgeting activity and therefore contribute to higher productivity on New Zealand farms. This Report is the first in a series of five which will review computer use and the application of an expert systems approach to farm management.