A survey of dairy cow wintering practices in Canterbury, New Zealand

Abstract

Low pasture growth rates in the South Island of New Zealand dictate the use of grazed crops and stored supplements over winter to feed dairy cows. However, grazed crops represent a significant risk for nutrient loss. Little is known about the extent of different wintering practices. The aim of the present research was to document the prevailing winter management practices in Canterbury, allowing changes in management to be tracked in the future. A telephone survey of 238 dairy farms in Canterbury (20% of the total 1208 farms) was completed in March 2016. Results indicated a heavy reliance on wintering off the milking platform (93% of the cow.weeks), mostly on support blocks managed by the dairy farmer (68%). Twenty-five per cent of the wintering occurred on a farm not owned or managed by the dairy farmer, commonly on arable farms. Kale (46%) and fodder beet (40%) were the most common winter crops fed to cows. Optimising kale and fodder beet management represents a significant opportunity to improve nutrient management and reduce nutrient loss from grazed crops.