HOW TO PROFIT
FROM THE BASICS
By Sue Edmonds
Measuring, managing and annual liming gets results...
Dave Muggeridge of Tatuanui in the Waikato is one such farmer.
Basing his feed budgets for potential grass
growth around known figures for both farm
and region, means that small amounts of
PKE as supplement can be ordered early
and be on hand when needed.
Dave has been a keen user of DairyBase
since its inception, and the figures he
showed of the latest results for his farm,
against the average for his group,
proved that his methods really work.
Most farmers would give their eyeteeth
for an operating profit of $3.29 (55%
ahead of the benchmark for his farm type),
return on assets of 6.3%, and farm
working expenses/kgMS of $2.23 (23%
less than the benchmark) in these
uncertain and volatile times.
Dave used to apply lime on his original
farm by the traditionally used method of
1 tonne/ha to a quarter of the farm each
year. However, he noticed that by the third
year of the cycle, the colour and growth
of pasture in the first quarter treated
had faded. So he set about finding what
happened if smaller amounts were applied
to the whole farm every year. He said that
it took him three years to work out that
400kg/ha/year was the ideal quantity for
his soil type. These days, on a newer farm
not far away that he moved to 8 years
ago, he swears by the system, and annual
surveys and measurements conducted by
soil scientist Paddy Shannon on this farm,
using non-limed paddocks as controls,
have proven its worth in consistent and
sustained pasture production, providing
93% of feed in the best year so far.
Six weeks into the new season, Dave’s
cows were already producing over 2kg/MS
each and he was already 5,000kg ahead
for the season.
With his focus on healthy soil, well fed
healthy cows, Dave has a simple, but
well managed farming system which is
sustainable within his boundaries. So he
sees no reason why he shouldn’t go on
making good profits into the future, and all
he has to worry about is his tax bill!
lIME
lIME
In
In
SuMMER,
SuMMER,
FERTIlISE
FERTIlISEInInAuTuMn
AuTuMn& &REAP
REAPTHE
THEREWARdS
REWARdS– –
That’s
That’show
howit itworks
works
Contrary
Contrary
to common
to common
belief,
belief,
application
application
of lime
of lime
during
during
the summer
the summer
months
months
can can
deliver
deliver
some
some
advantages.
advantages.
• Lime
• Lime
has 80–90%
has 80–90%
effecteffect
within
within
the fithe
rst fi3rst
months
3 months
so so
it makes
it makes
sense
sense
to get
to lime
get lime
on early
on early
to ensure
to ensure
soil issoilin is in
optimum
optimum
condition
condition
for fertiliser
for fertiliser
application
application
There
There
are are
gains
gains
to be
tomade
be made
when
when
Get Get
youryour
soil soil
in in
liming
liming
in summer...
in summer...
optimum
optimum
condition
condition
for Autumn
for Autumn
fertiliser
fertiliser
application.
application.
CONTACT
CONTACT
YOUR
YOUR
SPREADER
SPREADER
NOW!
NOW!
• Ever
• Ever
crucial
crucial
pH levels
pH levels
fall on
fallunlimed
on unlimed
soil over
soil over
summer.
summer.
Liming
Liming
in summer
in summer
ensures
ensures
you avoid
you avoid
the loss
the loss
in in
production
production
usually
usually
associated
associated
with with
this this
• Clover
• Clover
responds
responds
particularly
particularly
well well
to limed
to limed
soil. soil.
The The
benefi
benefi
ts ts
of clover-rich
of clover-rich
pasture
pasture
overover
summer
summer
is well-known
is well-known
• Spreaders
• Spreaders
and and
transport
transport
companies
companies
are more
are more
readily
readily
available
available
giving
giving
you more
you more
flexibility
flexibility
and and
control
control
MCD1056
The feeding of his 270 cows (3/ha) is the
paramount driver of his farm system.
He not only grows and utilises more
grass than others in the area, but his feed
budgeting begins in March and continues
right through the winter months. Every
paddock is plated every week, and his staff
are taught right from the start to measure
the dimensions of every paddock, so their
calculations of daily feed allocations match
cow requirements, leaving no waste but
providing sufficient amounts to keep milk
supply on target.
Growth across the farm in recent years
has been 15 tonnes/ha,all of which is
consumed and supplement use is minimal.
Dave works on his milk being produced
from at least 90% grass.
MCD1053
However, these
days a dairy farmer
making serious
money needs to
have a business
plan, budgets and
cash flows, know
how to control input
costs, and measure
feed stocks
constantly.
Dave worked his way up to farm
ownership through the traditional channel
of sharemilking. These days he employs
contract milkers, but is careful to employ
people who are keen to learn his methods
and systems, and carry them out to
achieve best results.
MCD1053
Whether it was
ever possible to
farm by the seat
of one’s pants and
the back of an
envelope is a
moot point.