Winter grazing: West Otago dairy farmer keen to do it right

West Otago sharemilker Rick Munro outlines his winter grazing system. Photo / Sally Rae

Dairy farmer Rick Munro says doing the right thing with wintering is no tick-box exercise.

Munro is 25 per cent sharemilking on a West Otago dairy farm owned by the Brenssell family and described himself as lucky to be where he was.

Previously farming at Mossburn, he lost his job, along with a raft of others when the property was sold about four years ago.

He moved to Tapanui to butcher and work at a timber business and ended up back in the dairy industry.

His passion for the industry was reignited and he had “definitely” got the bug again, he said.

The 348-ha property, which was converted from sheep and beef about 22 years ago, had a very low stocking rate, a conscious decision by the owner.

It wintered 580 cows and would peak-milk about 560 cows.

Aside from young stock which was sent to a family member’s property, all other stock was wintered on the property with fodder beet, 700 bales of baleage and 350 bales of straw.

“Goodies” including molasses and minerals were also provided.

Cows were in mobs of about 150 and they wintered well.

Body condition scores were recently done and they averaged about 5.2, Munro said.

Wintering properly was not a tick-box exercise; rather, there was a desire to do it well, for himself and the owner, for the opportunity they had afforded him.

“I want to leave it in a better shape going forward than I got it.

“The cows have never done any better; they are happy campers.”

Dairy farmers were very animal-conscious and wintering plans were also required by the likes of Fonterra and the Otago Regional Council.

There was a lot of education and training available, he said.

In wet and snowy weather, cows were moved to shelter and they were fortunate there were hedges and large trees on the property.

The property was going through a development stage, which included an effluent system being installed.