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New Zealand farming

Herringbone milking shed

Rotary milking shed

Work requirements on the farm change throughout the season. The season officially starts on the 1st of June and ends on the 31st of May. The following is a description of the day-to-day work:

July/September

Spring is a busy and exciting time of the year. It is calving time, the farmer needs to get up early to check the cows to see which ones have calved and if there are any difficulties. Then it's off to get the milking underway. After breakfast around 8am there are calves to feed and cows that have to be shifted and checked again. The welfare and health of the stock is paramount at this time of the year. You can really make a difference by assisting cows to give birth and by administering to animals that have health complications. This intervention can contribute to a most rewarding and satisfying part of the season. After lunch, the stock need to be checked again and any problems sorted. Then it is back to the milking again.

October/December

This is peak milk production time. Most farms milk twice a day; 5am and again at 3pm. The timing of milking will vary from farm to farm. Milking and cleaning of the milking equipment usually takes a few hours. This is also the time of year for cows to be mated, to calve again next year in Spring. As you gain experience in herd management and milk production you will need to understand the genetic options available to achieve health, reproductive and milk component characteristics you want your herd to have in the future. Regular checks are required to identify cows 'on heat' and separate them for mating. The artificial insemination technician may be visiting daily and will require assistance. This is also the time of year when surplus grass is harvested for silage and crops for wintering are planted.

January/March

Things are slowing down a bit in this part of the season; depending on the weather conditions, (and grass production) milk production may ease. Hay making is done in the early part of this period and most dairy farmers also pregnancy test their herd to aid in farm decision-making.

April/June

This is also a quieter time of the year, as the herd gradually finishes milking for the season. This time is generally used for maintenance projects, such as fences, drains, troughs, shed maintenance and tree planting. It is also the time of the year for planning ahead for next season and for attending field days shows, conferences and seminars whilst also making time for some well deserved holidays. Most cows in the South Island are wintered off the dairy farm on a runoff so one of the roles will be shifting and feeding the cows daily.















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