Milk production off pasture in New Zealand

Abstract

The management of the predominantly ryegrass‐white clover pastures for milk production in New Zealand is determined by five main factors:

1. the seasonal pattern of dry matter production from pasture, as determined primarily by species composition and the seasonal light and temperature regime;

2. the varying requirements of the pasture plants at different times of the year, as determined by their morphological and physiological condition;

3. the necessity to utilise a large proportion of the dry matter produced if animal production per hectare is to be maximised;

4. late ‘winter calving in over 90% of the dairy herds; and

5. the nutrient requirements of the herd at different stages of lactation.

The aims of maximum production per unit area of land are achieved by an integration of these factors in intensive rotation systems in which the size of the daily break offered to the animals is varied to ration intake and control the frequency and intensity of grazing.

Uittreksel

Die bestuur van die oorheersende raaigras/klawer weidings vir melk produksie in Nieu‐Seeland is hoofsaaklik deur vyf faktore bepaal:

1. die selsoenspatroon van produksie van droë materiaal vanaf die weidings soos hoofsaaklik deur spesies same‐stelling, seisoenslig en ‐temperatuur beïnvloed;

2. die wissellende vereisles van die weidingsplante gedurende verskillende tye van die jaar, soos deur hul morfologiese en fisiologiese toestande benodig;

3. die noodsaaklikheid om ‘n groot deel van die droë materiaal opgelewer, te gebruik om die hoogste diere‐produksie per hektaar te verkry:

4. laat winter kalwing in meer as 90% van die melkkuddes: en

5. die voedingsvereistes van die kudde gedurende verskillende stadiums van laktasie.

Die doelstelling van maksimum produksie per hektaar word verkry deur ‘n samevoeging van bogenoemde faktore in ‘n rotasiestelsel. In so ‘n stelsel word die daaglikse hoeveelheid weiding wat voorsien word, aangepas ten einde inname asook die gereeldheid en intensiteit van beweiding te beheer.