Kevin and the crew are going well. There were a few teething problems
at the start but that was expected with such a unique new venture!
Calving is slowing down and we have just started mating, so we are
getting into the usual routine now and things are picking up. We have
started out with basically 2500+ heifers so it is nice to finally get
to the stage where they have all settled down now. The weather is
perfect at the moment so we have tonnes of grass and plenty of grass
silage to make! It is really interesting here comparing the situation
with NZ and overcomming the hurdles.
Where abouts in NZ are you Ashley?
Michelle.
On 5/17/06, Ashley and Charlene Clements <clements@wave.co.nz> wrote:
> How are the Van Der Pouls doing in MO? I think this was their first season?
>
> Ashley
> New Zealand
>
> William Burgess wrote:
>
> > Hi Dave
> >
> > Yes I am fully aware of the dairy industry here in the USA. I have
> > friends from NZ who have set up a NZ-style seasonal pasture based
> > dairy in Missouri. Obviously my advice was for farmers who were
> > aiming at achieving a seasonal dairy, rather than the conventional
> > operations. The New Zealanders over in Missouri, as well as many
> > other Americans, have chosen to use NZ semen completely.
> >
> > You give the impression that you think seasonal farming is for a
> > lifestyle choice only. May I comment that there is a shocking
> > proportion of conventional dairys going out of business every year
> > here in the USA, where as many seasonal dairys are becoming very
> > profitable in countries all over the world.
> >
> > Fertility is obviously an important issue to the seasonal farmer
> > (otherwise he is left milking all year round again like most
> > conventional farmers). Your USA Holsteins have had barely any
> > selection placed on them for fertility compared to NZ genetics.
> > Becoming a seasonal farmer doesn't mean you have to milk Jerseys or
> > Crossbreds. We have a great line of Holstein-Freisian genetics suited
> > for seasonal dairys - and approximately 60-70% of NZ cows are pure
> > Holstein-Friesian.
> >
> > You are fortunate to have dairy cattle worth so much here in the USA,
> > so what my NZ friends are doing is leaving the bulls in with the cows
> > all year round (except just before and during artificial breeding!))
> > so that any cows that would normally be empty/open will be in calf and
> > can be sold as an incalf cow rather than an empty like in NZ.
> >
> > If "US buyers need milk all year round" there are 2 things
that must
> > happen in the future in the USA if there is to be a stop to the number
> > of dairies going out of business. Either the buyers need to start
> > paying more for your milk, OR the conventional farmers must become
> > more innovative and find a way to produce milk cheaper all year round.
> > Needless to say there will always be conventional farmers in the USA
> > producing milk all year round for the foreseeable future, thus the US
> > buyers may not be too concerned right now about a few seasonal
> > dairies.
> >
> > Michelle.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On 5/16/06, Dave Gneiser <bonniedave@dotnet.com> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >>
> >> >
> >> > I am from New Zealand, in the USA at the moment. > be an
effective
> >> way of
> >> > getting cows in calf early to ensure a compact
> >> > mating period.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > I really recommend NZ genetics for these farming systems as
this is
> >> > the pressure these genetics have been up against for
decades, and they
> >> > have had to do it on grassed based diets. Visit
> >> > www.newzealandgenetics.com for more info.
> >> >
> >> > I hope this has helped
> >> >
> >> > Good luck,
> >> > Michelle.
> >> >
> >> Your advice is appropriate for New Zealand. The US is an entirely
> >> different
> >> situation with a all year around milk market and the way milk is
priced
> >> under the US system is vastly different than NZ's system. New
Zealand
> >> genetics are appropriate for NZ.
> >>
> >> Farmers (speaking in generalities) in New England and mid-Atlantic
> >> states
> >> mostly supply the fluid market, beverage milk for the cluster of
major
> >> population centers there. Holsteins may be the best choice for
that
> >> market.
> >>
> >> Here in WI, 95% of our milk ends up in a cheese vat, so higher
> >> component
> >> breeds may be the best choice there. And US buyers need milk year
> >> around,
> >> not just seasonally. That is not to say that one can't choose
> >> seasonality
> >> as a lifestyle choice. But anytime a cow gets bred here in the
US,
> >> it is a
> >> good thing. If you don't want to milk her, there are plenty of
> >> buyers for
> >> replacements that will.
> >>
> >> Dave G.
> >> WisCOWsin
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
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> >>
> >
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