Is systems research addressing the current and future needs of dairy farms?

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 1311 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. M. Raedts ◽  
S. C. Garcia ◽  
D. F. Chapman ◽  
G. R. Edwards ◽  
N. Lane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Dairy Farming ◽  
System Level ◽  
The Past ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Farm Systems

During the past decade, Australian and New Zealand dairy farmers have been increasingly exposed to volatility in milk prices, declining terms of trade, climate variability, changing regulation, and increasing consumer demand to demonstrate their ‘social licence to farm’. In response to the varying challenges, it is not surprising that we see significant diversity in dairy-farm systems in Australia and New Zealand. Despite much research effort to address these challenges at both the component and farm-system level, the evidence of adoption and dairy farming-system change over the past 5 years has been inconclusive. The present review explores how farmers and systems research have been affected and are responding, and whether systems research is developing research in the appropriate direction, proactively researching dairy-farming systems that are resilient, profitable and sustainable into the future, notwithstanding the increased volatility that dairy farms are experiencing. While much farm systems research in Australia and New Zealand has addressed the challenges associated with improving productivity and profitability, and the known challenges such as climate variability and improving environmental outcomes, there is need to fore-sight future risk, challenges and opportunities for dairy systems. It is also important that the system researchers explore alternative approaches such as working collaboratively with the known system experts, the dairy farmer, in a participatory environment to increase rate of knowledge transfer and adoption of positive research outcome.

Profitable and resilient pasture-based dairy farm businesses in New Zealand

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Neal ◽  
John R. Roche
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Strategic Choices ◽  
The Past ◽  
Farm Systems ◽  
Winter Grazing ◽  
Supplementary Feed ◽  
The Cost ◽  
On Farm

There have been several analyses of the economics of pastoral dairy farm systems in New Zealand using real farm data, as well as several relevant international studies. However, these analyses have often used a dataset with a limited number of years that do not reflect long-term exposure to volatility, or do not allow for regional differences, and often focus on imported feed without due attention to other important characteristics of profitable farms. Several prior analyses have failed to consider the importance of a business that is resilient to major risks. We re-examined the relevance of their conclusions for New Zealand dairy systems against 12 years of DairyBase data, focussing on two major regions, deriving key insights on relevant strategic choices for profitable and resilient businesses at a farm and, by extension, industry level. Within years and regions, the top quartile of observations was identified, on the basis of ranking by operating return on assets, as a proxy for farms achieving their potential, and compared with the remaining observations. Within geographical region, the greater profitability of the top quartile was associated with greater pasture and crop eaten, greater stocking rate and production per cow, and lesser operating expenses per hectare and per kilogram milksolids (MS), defined as fat plus protein. However, greater profitability was not associated with greater use of imported feed. Linear regression was used to determine that increases in total operating expenses were associated with increases in the costs of imported feed (including winter grazing and silage made on farm). On average, for every NZ$1 spent on imported feed, total costs increased by NZ$1.66 and NZ$1.53 for the Waikato and Canterbury–Marlborough regions, respectively. This is consistent with the international literature for temperate grazing systems and is likely the reason why profitability was not greater even if above-average responses to supplement were achieved on farm. Indeed, greater use of imported feed was positively associated with operating expenses per kilogram of MS, implying that the marginal cost of additional MS was greater than the cost of the base milk, and often higher than the value of the milk produced. If gross farm revenue per kilogram MS (which is largely made up of the milk price, with a lesser contribution from livestock sales) was greater than NZ$7.50 (which it was the case in only 3 of the past 12 years), farms could generate higher profit from more imported feed use; however, the reverse was true at lower milk prices. When milk prices are low, (i.e. gross farm revenue is less than NZ$6.50/kg MS, which occurred in half of the past 12 years), farmers are often under cashflow pressure. Therefore, farm systems that are less reliant on imported feed provide a better chance for farmers to meet financial commitments, although they fail to maximise profitability when the milk price is high (e.g. >NZ$7.50/kg MS). In conclusion, maximising pasture harvested, and minimising reliance on supplementary feed, and effective cost control (minimising expenditure) are the key factors that lead to profitable businesses that are also resilient to the low milk prices that occur in volatile markets.

Measuring the cost of environmental compliance for Waikato dairy farmers - a survey approach

2015 ◽  
Vol 77 ◽  
pp. 159-166
Author(s):  
T.O.R. Macdonald ◽  
J.S. Rowarth ◽  
F.G. Scrimgeour
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Environmental Compliance ◽  
Dairy Farmers ◽  
The Past ◽  
Farm Systems ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Farm System ◽  
Survey Approach

The link between dairy farm systems and cost of environmental compliance is not always clear. A survey of Waikato dairy farmers was conducted to establish the real (non-modelled) cost of compliance with environmental regulation in the region. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered to improve understanding of compliance costs and implementation issues for a range of Waikato farm systems. The average oneoff capital cost of compliance determined through a survey approach was $1.02 per kg milksolids, $1490 per hectare and $403 per cow. Costs experienced by Waikato farmers have exceeded average economic farm surplus for the region in the past 5 years. As regulation increases there are efficiencies to be gained through implementing farm infrastructure and farm management practice to best match farm system intensity. Keywords: Dairy, compliance, farm systems, nitrogen, Waikato

Farm structural change of a different kind: Alternative dairy farms in Wisconsin—graziers, organic and Amish

2008 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Brock ◽  
Bradford Barham
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Dairy Farming ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Structural Trend ◽  
Farm Production ◽  
And Performance

AbstractAlthough the emergence of large confinement operations out of a system previously dominated by mid-sized confinement has been one major structural trend in Wisconsin dairy farming since the 1990s, a second structural trend has been the significant emergence of moderate-sized dairy farms using alternative management strategies: management-intensive rotational grazing (MIRG) (25% of Wisconsin's dairy farms), organic production (3%) and Amish farm production practices (5–7%). This paper presents the first systematic and representative comparative study on the structure, behavior and performance of multiple pasture-based dairy farm strategies. Wisconsin is an ideal site for this study given the prevalence of pasture-based farms, yet many of the findings here should be relevant for other traditional dairy states where similar types of alternative farm management systems are also emerging. Divergence with respect to farm strategy has implications for structure, technology and management adoption patterns as well as farmer satisfaction levels. Our findings suggest that alternative dairy farming systems are likely to become more prevalent on the agricultural landscape of Wisconsin.

Empowering farmers for increased resilience in uncertain times

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 843 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Nettle ◽  
M. Ayre ◽  
R. Beilin ◽  
S. Waller ◽  
L. Turner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Significant Shift ◽  
Research Development ◽  
The Past ◽  
Level Of Activity ◽  
The Social ◽  
Research Designs

As farmers continue to face increasingly uncertain and often rapidly changing conditions related to markets, climate or the policy environment, people involved in agricultural research, development and extension (RD&E) are also challenged to consider how their work can contribute to supporting farmer resilience. Research from the social sciences conducted in the past decade has focussed on adaptability or adaptive capacity as a key attribute for individuals and groups to possess for managing resilience. It is, therefore, timely to ask the following: do current ways of doing and organising RD&E in the dairy sector in New Zealand and Australia contribute to supporting farm adaptability? This paper reports on results from an examination of case studies of challenges to resilience in the dairy sector in Australia and New Zealand (i.e. dairy farm conversion, climate-change adaptation, consent to farm) and the contribution of dairy RD&E in enhancing resilience of farmers, their farms and the broader industry. Drawing on concepts from resilience studies and considering an empowerment perspective, the analysis of these cases suggest that, currently, agricultural RD&E supports adaptability in general, but varies in the strength of its presence and level of activity in the areas known to enhance adaptability. This analysis is used to generate principles for dairy scientists and others in the RD&E system to consider in (1) research designs, (2) engaging different farmers in research and (3) presenting research results differently. This represents a significant shift for the science and advisory communities to move to methods that acknowledge uncertainty and facilitate learning.

The role and value of diverse sward mixtures in dairy farm systems of New Zealand: An exploratory assessment

2017 ◽  
Vol 152 ◽  
pp. 18-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alvaro J. Romera ◽  
Graeme J. Doole ◽  
Pierre C. Beukes ◽  
Norman Mason ◽  
Paul L. Mudge
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Farm Systems

scholarly journals Animal welfare of dairy farm

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. V. Nedosekov ◽  
◽  
H. V. Petkun ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Dairy Farming ◽  
Welfare Programs ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
The World ◽  
Dairy Animals ◽  
The Eu

Dairy animal welfare is of growing interest around the world, especially in developed countries, which have animal welfare programs and resources to establish optimal management systems for cows and understand that animal welfare is the foundation of innovative dairy farming. The article, based on the analysis, synthesis and generalization of world research and the results of own scientific expert assessment of animal welfare identifies the main problems of animal welfare on dairy farms, considers methods of assessing animal welfare in the world and substantiates the importance of implementing welfare programs and management protocols in dairy farming. Thus, in dairy farming, animal welfare is an important component based on world regulations. The analysis of regulations requires an understanding of the legislative aspects of different levels and examples of best practice: a) EU directives and practices, b) directives and practices of each European country c) national directives of non-EU countries, which must take into account all three legislative features. It has been shown that the EU has implemented a number of animal welfare acts, compromises between dairy producers and consumers on a number of instruments to harmonize law enforcement through audit, training, scientific expertise and consulting, and contributes to the stability of the EU food chain. In Ukraine, it is important to harmonize legislation with European Union norms and create a system for assessing the welfare of dairy animals, as well as information and educational activities and training on animal welfare on dairy farms for stakeholders and practical approaches to implementing animal welfare in production. We launched the European approach "Signals of cows" within the Ukrainian-Dutch project "Dairy farm", which allowed to work out the basic aspects of animal welfare in research farms NULES. In 2021, a new law on veterinary medicine was adopted, which implements 14 EU acts and includes a section on animal welfare, which is already a big step forward and opens new opportunities. However, in addition to the provisions on the welfare of calves (harmonization with Regulation 98/58 EC) do not consider regulations on the welfare of the dairy herd, which is not enough to develop the dairy industry in a global transformation. The article presents the basic indicators of welfare of cows, which are used in European countries and which we use in expert assessments. However, systemic data to assess the welfare of cows is not enough, because it is in the plane of consulting, which does not allow the analysis of the welfare of cows. In the context of globalization, the basic problem of animal welfare on dairy farms is the intensification, so the main welfare assessment programs (FARM, The Code of welfare, Welfare Quality and IDSW), which are widely used in milk production in accordance with current animal welfare standards. Intensification of animal husbandry, which provides greater economic efficiency, poses many threats to animal health and remains one of the biggest problems of animal welfare. The desire for profit reduces the ability to implement the principles of sustainable development. We consider it expedient to develop and implement programs for assessing the welfare of cows in Ukraine. So in the EU there is a voluntary WQ program that certifies producers and aims to meet the needs of society, develop a reliable monitoring system on farms and improve the welfare of cows in general. In New Zealand, the Code of welfare has been implemented, which forms awareness of farmers and care for animal welfare. Almost 98% of US farms are members of the FARM (USA) program, which is positioned as a voluntary program and a number of others. Thus, despite the fact that dairy farming is one of the strategic sectors of animal husbandry in Ukraine, the welfare of dairy farms is insufficiently studied and covered. In the perspective of research, it is important to analyze the experience of other countries in this area and the introduction of a system of welfare assessment, as well as the development and implementation of protocols on animal welfare in Ukraine based on the concept of "Five Freedoms". It is important to raise the awareness of stakeholders and officials to ensure proper compliance with EU animal welfare rules, taking into account national, regional and local networks, different support and understanding of the target audience (both farmers and producers, civil servants, scientists and educators, etc.). Also a priority is research on animal welfare, as well as the development of modern approaches to the legal provision of animal welfare, which will improve animal welfare. Thus, in order to ensure a high level of welfare of cows in relation to world standards of animal welfare, the priority is to assess the welfare of cows, improve the legal framework in Ukraine, further research in this area, implementation of effective programs to control the welfare of dairy animals.

scholarly journals Crop Strategies for New England Dairy Farms

1974 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 26-34
Author(s):  
Sherrill B. Nott
Keyword(s):  
Soybean Oil ◽  
New England ◽  
Protein Content ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
High Price ◽  
Feed Ingredients ◽  
The Past ◽  
Harvesting Systems ◽  
Substantial Interest

Recent changes in feed, livestock and fertilizer prices as well as breeding and agronomic practice developments have created substantial interest in their implications on profitable dairy farm cropping programs. The movement in soybean oil meal prices from under $100/ton in early 1972 to over $400/ton in the summer of 1973 increased the interest in alternatives to soybean oil meal. Dairymen searched for feed ingredients which were relatively cheap per unit of protein. As a consequence, interest in the protein content of alfalfa as influenced by variety, harvesting systems, and method of storage has been substantial in the past few months. Although soybean oil meal prices are expected to drop below the peak levels, the issues raised by the high price levels during 1973 need to be examined.

Validating satellite monitoring of dairy pastures in Canterbury with Lincoln University Dairy Farm and commercial farm data

2011 ◽  
pp. 109-114
Author(s):  
G. Mata ◽  
N. Purdie ◽  
R.N. Handcock ◽  
D. Dalley ◽  
N. Ota ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Satellite Monitoring ◽  
Standard Errors ◽  
High Quality ◽  
High Quality Data ◽  
Commercial Farms ◽  
Lincoln University

Validation of satellite-based prediction of pasture cover for dairy farms in Canterbury (New Zealand) during the 2008 and 2009 milking seasons is reported. Satellitebased predictions made using the new Canterbury model were validated against estimates from a rising plate meter for the Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) weekly farm walks and from nine commercial farms, across 15 images. Validation against LUDF data showed high coefficients of determination (mean R2 = 0.85, range 0.69 to 0.97 kg DM/ha) and low residual standard errors (mean RSE =138 kg, range 53 to 244 kg DM/ha). Validation against commercial data showed a higher level of variability between farms and images than the LUDF data. The Canterbury model accounted for a large proportion of the observed variability in pasture cover of dairy pastures when matched to high quality data, and showed seasonal trends in the model coefficients. Higher variability associated with commercial data may be attributed to geographic distribution, timing and method of data collection as well as varying levels of competency in monitoring skills. Keywords: Pasture, monitoring, satellite data, paddock ranking, pastures from space

An economically based evaluation index for perennial and short-term ryegrasses in New Zealand dairy farm systems

2016 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. F. Chapman ◽  
J. R. Bryant ◽  
M. E. Olayemi ◽  
G. R. Edwards ◽  
B. S. Thorrold ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Evaluation Index ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Farm Systems

Dairying and water-quality issues in Australia and New Zealand

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 856 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Scarsbrook ◽  
A. R. Melland
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Dairy Farming ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
The Past ◽  
Quality Issues ◽  
Environmental Limits

The scale and intensity of dairy farming can place pressure on our freshwater resources. These pressures (e.g. excessive soil nutrient concentrations and nitrogen excretion) can lead to changes in the levels of contaminants in waterways, altering the state and potentially affecting the uses and values society ascribes to water. Resource management involves putting in place appropriate responses to address water-quality issues. In the present paper, we highlight trends in the scale and extent of dairying in Australia and New Zealand and describe water-quality pressures, state, impacts and responses that characterise the two countries. In Australia and New Zealand, dairy farming has become increasingly intensive over the past three decades, although the size of Australia’s dairy herd has remained fairly static, while New Zealand’s herd and associated excreted nitrogen loads have nearly doubled. In contrast, effluent management has been improved, and farm waterways fenced, in part to reduce pressure on freshwater. However, both countries show a range of indicators of degraded water-quality state. Phosphorus and nitrogen are the most common water-quality indicators to exceed levels beyond the expected natural range, although New Zealand also has a significant percentage of waterways with faecal contaminants beyond acceptable levels for contact recreation. In New Zealand, nitrate concentrations in waterways have increased, while phosphorus and suspended sediment concentrations have generally decreased over the past decade. Water quality in some coastal estuaries and embayments is of particular concern in Australia, whereas attention in New Zealand is on maintaining quality of high-value lakes, rivers and groundwater resources, as well as rehabilitating waterbodies where key values have been degraded. In both Australia and New Zealand, water-quality data are increasingly being collated and reported but in Australia long-term trends across waterbodies, and spatially comprehensive groundwater-quality data have not yet been reported at national levels. In New Zealand, coastal marine systems, and particularly harbours and estuaries, are poorly monitored, but there are long-term monitoring systems in place for rivers, groundwater and lakes. To minimise pressures on water quality, there is a high reliance on voluntary and incentivised practice change in Australia. In New Zealand, industry-led practice change has been important over the past decade, but regulated environmental limits for dairy farmers are increasing. Dairy industries in both countries have set targets for reducing pressures through sustainability frameworks and accords. To address future drivers such as climate change and increasing domestic and international market demand for sustainability credentials, definitions of values and appropriate targets for waterbodies draining agricultural landscapes will be required. Environmental limits (both natural and societal) will constrain future growth opportunities for dairying and research into continued growth within limits remains a priority in both countries.

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