Research farms open up for science showcase

Research farms open up for science showcase

Monday 20 April, 2015

Waikato farmers will get the chance to go for an afternoon walkabout on DairyNZ’s research farmlets on Thursday 30 April when the industry body opens its gates to showcase its science for a day.

DairyNZ’s general manager of research and development, David McCall, says DairyNZ is holding an open day for farmers at its Waikato research farms, with the last event held in 2013.

“It was a very popular event so we have now committed to holding these open days every two years. Farmers pay for our research through their milksolids levy so it’s important they have a chance to see first-hand what science and research we are doing for their benefit. This is also an opportunity for farmers to talk directly with our scientists and ask them questions about their work and how to apply the results to their own farms,” he says.

The open day begins with a morning session at Lye Farm on Vaile Road in Newstead in the implement barn. The afternoon session is a walk to the Pastoral 21 farmlets at Scott Farm where DairyNZ has research work going on that has shown how Nitrogen leaching can be reduced by more than 30 percent. “That’s important for the industry as we need to find ways to reduce our environmental footprint but still boost farmer profits,” he says. Some of the other topics being covered at the open day include maintaining pasture quality with late-flowering ryegrass cultivars, genetic improvement in dairy cattle, Johnes disease and transition cow management.

David says the Waikato research farms are steeped in rural history.

“Captain James Runciman, who farmed the original 1200 acres as the Marshmeadow estate, was the first settler on the land after the Waikato Wars. He was an avid tree planter and some notable trees still survive on the property. One tree, a Manna gum (Eucalyptus regnans), planted in 1878, has once been recorded as the tallest tree in New Zealand.

“The properties making up the present DairyNZ farms have been well-farmed under dairying for the past 95 years by the original settlers since the government divided up the Marshmeadow holding in the late 1800s,” he says.

Farmer registrations for the open day start at 9:30am for registrations, with talks at 9.45am and the day is expected to finish at 2:30pm. A BBQ lunch is being provided.

For more information visit www.dairynz.co.nz/events

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