Winter Grazing Plan

Contiguous Operation:
Waitahanui Farms Ltd

Contiguously Operated Farms:
Home Farm
Currie Rd
Woolshed Rd
McCones

Person in Charge:
Mark Purugganaan

Winter Grazing Description:
Winter Grazing on fodder beet and rape for mixed age dairy cows, dry stock and young stock.

Consent

• Winter Grazing Consent RM22.645.01

• Up to 30ha allowed under consent conditions, and any additional hectares including any on McCones block are not included under the consent.

Critical Source Area Management

Critical Source Areas are areas that collect surface water and can transport nutrients to waterways or groundwater. Critical Source Areas (CSA's) are marked on the Winter Grazing maps. 

• Winter grazing does not occur in CSA's from 1 May to 30 September each year - these areas are left in grass and stock are excluded.

• Stock are excluded from CSA's with a buffer of 3m, or up to 10m if steep. 

• Bales are placed on higher areas of crop paddocks away from CSA's in areas where tractors can safely access.

• Slopes are grazed top to bottom toward CSA's and waterways if possible.

• Winter grazing does not occur within 5m of any waterway, or 100m of a water abstraction point. Any crop in these areas is lifted.

• Backfences are used to protect previously grazed areas and they are replanted as early as practicable. 

• Crops are sown along the contour where safe to do so.

Wet Weather Planning and Animal Welfare

• During wet weather when the paddock is becoming pugged beyond ankle height stock are run off to a sacrifice paddock with a large break to minimise damage and this is typically next years crop paddock.

• Pugged paddocks are renovated with full cultivation back to grass including ripping if necessary.

• Stock are given extra feed in wet, snowy or cold conditions.

• Bale positions are moved daily to leave straw beds for stock to lie on.

• Cows are scanned and drafted into early, mid and late calvers so springers can be moved onto grass paddocks ahead of calving.

• Stock are consciously monitored daily for animal health issues such as acidosis, lameness, mastitis, condition loss, slowness, bagging up or calving. These animals are monitored, treated and separated as required.

• Transition typically begins with 30 minutes on the first week from first cow on to last cow off and increases 15 minutes increments.

• Mob sizes are restricted to 300 maximum during winter to limit competition and pressure on paddocks, cows and staff in difficult conditions. Milking mobs grazing on/off can be 400.

• A feed budget is used based on square metres and crop residual is monitored.