Winter Grazing

Intensive Winter Grazing

Contiguous Operation: M W Farms Ltd

Person in Charge: Blair Hamilton

Property Addresses:

Marchwood Dairy and Support Blocks
315 Glen Settlement Rd
Georgetown
LOTS 1-2 DP 1999 PT SEC 2S GLENN SETTLEMENT PT SECS 11 16 BLK V AWAMOKA SD 

Awamoko Dairy
159 Ngapara-Georgetown Rd
Georgetown
LOTS 1-2 DP 463246 SECS 1S GLENN SETTLEMENT
Block size (Awamoko and Marchwood): 530.04ha

Brookstead Support Block
168 Brookstead Rd
Island Cliff
LOT 3 PT LOT 4 DP 797 LOT 1 DP 11228
Block size: 125.91ha

Strachans Support Block (lease)
163 Glenn Settlement Rd
Georgetown
SEC 74 PT SECS 70-71 BLK I SECS 12 19 27 PT 16 BLK V AWAMOKO SD
Block size: 290.71ha

Palmerston Support Block (lease)
61 Chisolm Rd
Palmerston
Lot 1 DP 15888 Section 1-2 Sec 33 Block IV Moeraki SD  Section 1-2 Sec 34 Block IV Moeraki SD Section 1 Sec 35 Block IV Moeraki SD Section 1-2 Sec 8 Block III Moeraki SD Section 1-2 Sec 9 Block III Moeraki SD Lot 1-2 DP 448012
Block size: 242.30ha

Marchwood Contiguous Operation Farm Size: 1188.96ha

Total Wintering Area: 1188.96ha

Maximum Annual Wintering Area: 145ha 

Description: Winter grazing on fodder beet, rape, swedes and kale for dairy and beef cows, young stock and dry stock.

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 in wet conditions from 1 May to 30 September each year - these areas are left in grass, or if in crop upper reaches are grazed while dry or lifted rather than grazed.

• The only CSA's grazed are swales within the paddock which have grass buffers before reaching waterways. A CSA is dry enough to graze if no pugging results. However, where no alternative exists to feed stock it may be considered dry enough if there is no surface water in it at the time, it only runs in the rain, and any resulting pugging is no more than ankle deep on average. However, wherever possible CSA's should be grazed where there is no pugging resulting at all.

• Stock are excluded from CSA's with a buffer of 5m, or up to 20m if steep. These buffers may be in a grass paddock lower down the CSA and may be supplemented by a temporary bale detention dam.

• 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.

• Where safe to do so, 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.

• Animal health is monitored by collars which inform decision making during tranisition in particular.

• 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.

Winter Grazing Plans 2025

The policies for 2025 are the same as for 2023 in the RDA Consulting winter grazing plan but with different paddocks with plans shown below.