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An evolving system

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Guest writer
April 16, 2016
Dairy heifers weren’t originally part of the plan for a Central Otago farm’s conversion from dryland Merino to intensive finishing, but they now contribute 30% of the gross farm income. Lynda Gray investigates. Andrew Bendall reckons he’s more or less got the measure of heifer grazing in central Otago. The farm manager of Lochar Downs, midway between Cromwell and Wanaka, has calculated a dairy heifer grazing return of 19-21c/kg drymatter (DM). That’s 2-4 cents/kg less than lambs but Bendall’s not complaining. He likes the overall simplicity of the year-round heifer system developed over the past three years and the certainty of income. They contribute about 30% of gross farm income and will remain a key component of Lochar Downs’ evolving multi-species grazing and finishing system. In addition to heifers Lochar Downs runs 800 Headwaters ewes on the dryland areas, 1600 Headwaters ram hoggets contract grazed from March until sale in February, and aims to finish up to 10,000 lambs and 200 beef cattle each year. Dairy heifers weren’t part of the plan when conversion of the farm from dryland Merino to intensive finishing started in late 2012. Instead, the emphasis was on dairy cows and in the first winter following development 2800 cows were grazed on-crop.
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It was a difficult season, which led to the grazing of fewer dairy cows in 2014 (1600) and the arrival of the first 450 R1 heifers. At the end of 2015 cows were dropped in favour of heifers with calves sourced from RD1 for grazing over two winters.

“We could see we could make the same margin from other stock. Heifer grazing is also a simpler system and doesn’t require the huge capital outlay in crops that cow wintering does,” Bendall said.

A $540 margin is made from each heifer grazed from May until May, and a $120-$130 margin for the 300 weaner heifers from December until the end of April.

“You could probably do about the same with steers and lambs. There are fewer risks with heifers, but these can be minimised with good communication with the stock owner. Really, it boils down to relationships.”

Lamb finishing is the most vulnerable enterprise at Lochar Downs.

Aquaflex soil moisture sensors are just one example of technologies used to take the guesswork out of irrigation management on Lochar Downs.

The farm has three Aquaflex monitors with one placed on each of the three prevailing soil types. The soil moisture and temperature data is used to determine when to irrigate which is ideally at the higher end of field capacity and above refill point.

Soil moisture and temperature is just one of many production variables manager Andrew Bendall is measuring and recording to get a better understanding of soils and pasture performance. Recently Superior Fertiliser did visual assessments of the three prevailing silt loam soil types.

“It’s given us a good understanding of what’s going on underground. We’re pretty happy but would like more worm activity,” Bendall said.

His goal is to record data to build a year-round picture of pasture growth, soil and moisture data.

“We have to build that data over time so we can predict with more accuracy the growth profile. The trends will give us power and confidence but you need to be patient.”

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