Extended Lactation Trial Update 3 Sept 2026

 

This project compares the impact on productivity, profitability, people and the environment on three farms:

  1. Baseline Farm – Spring calving, twice-a-day milking, 3.0 cows/ha
  2. Extended Lactation TAD Farm – 50% herd calving each year, full season twice-a-day milking, 3.0 cows/ha
  3. Extended Lactation OAD Farm – 50% herd calving each year, full season once-a-day milking, 3.0 cows/ha

This project is funded by DairyNZ.

Update 3rd September 2026 Baseline Farm EL TAD Farm EL OAD Farm
Average Pasture Cover (kg DM/ha) 2,334 2,352 2,326
Pasture Growth (kg DM/ha/d, last 2 weeks)* 41 45 43
Rotation Length last 10 days (days) 42 41 44
Cows into vat/Total Cows 69/80 76/82 68/81
Average Body Condition Score

(EL = Extended Lactation, NC = New Calvers)

  

4.7 Milkers

 4.7 EL Milkers

4.6 New Milkers

 5.0 EL Milkers

4.7 New Milkers
SCC last 10 days (‘000) 118 156 122
Litres/cow/day (average of farm) 22.9 18.5 13.8
Kg MS/cow/day 2.10 1.93 1.46
Kg MS/cow, season to date 57 96 75
Kg MS/ha, season to date 169 284 221
Supplement offered (kgDM/c/d) Nil Nil Nil
Purch Supp Fed, season to date (kg DM/c) PKE 271

Baleage 61

 PKE 353

Baleage 125

 PKE 334

Baleage 125
Managers Worry Score (1 = Low, 10 = High) 3 2 3
Rainfall (last two weeks) 29 mm

*Pasture growth rates are calculated using platemeter readings in conjunction with Halter estimates

CURRENT MANAGEMENT

  • Pasture growth and covers have lifted in the last week. It seems we are past balance date where pasture growth matches demand. Pre-graze pasture covers are around 3,000 kg DM/ha and rising.
  • We have identified 3 – 4 paddocks on each farm (around 15% of the farm) to drop out for silage and likely will add a few more paddocks next week, effectively speeding the round up to keep pre-graze covers in the target zone.
  • Supplement feeding stopped a few days ago on all farms and is unlikely to restart for some time, weather permitting.
  • Cows are milking well on the Baseline and EL TAD farms. Especially pleased how the extended lactation twice-a-day cows have held on through winter. Extended lactation once-a-day cows have dropped, with around 10% of them now <1.0 kg MS/day. Cow condition is also holding well, especially on the once-a-day farm.
  • Nitrogen will continue behind the cows at 70 kg/ha urea. We debated reducing it further, however we have chosen to drive as much pasture growth as possible for silage conservation due to the threat of a dry summer. The drop in the price of nitrogen also helped this decision.