Massive Expansion in New Zealand Dairying
21st November, 2002
Milk output per farm in New Zealand has increased by 250% during the past 15 years, the Teagasc National Dairy Conference was told.
John Roche, a senior research scientist in New Zealand, said that farmers have counteracted decreasing margins by increasing scale.
"In one region in New Zealand, farm size has increased by 50% to an average of almost 200 hectares and the average dairy herd has doubled . The typical dairy farmer in this region has now in excess of 500 cows", he said.
"Projections for 2010 have average farm size at close on 300 hectares with a dairy herd size of over 1,000 cows. Average milk output per farm is expected to be 6 million litres (1.3m gallons)," said Mr Roche.
He said the rapid expansion of milk production has been made possible by conversion of traditional sheep, beef and tillage land to dairying.
"Ten years ago, milking 1,000 to 3,000 cows in one unit was difficult to imagine. Now, 500 – 1000 hectare farms are being converted from dryland sheep and tillage farming into irrigated, highly productive dairy units within 12 months".
"Also, farm amalgamations, multiple farm ownership, share milking arrangements and ownership of farms in equity sharing arrangements facilitated the switch to dairying", he said.
Mr Roche said that high labour productivity is now a key feature of New Zealand dairy farming, with one labour unit managing 200 cows.
The complete proceedings from the National Dairy Conference are now available. Click here.
