ENVIRONMENT BALLANCE AWARDS
W WINTERING
better
A change of systems to wintering barns has proved a winner in Southland. Words and photos by Karen Trebilcock.
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ith the spotlight on wintering, especially in the south, it was timely a dairy wintering operation was the regional supreme winner in the Southland Ballance Farm Environmental Awards this year. Kevin Hall’s Hollyvale Farm, in Waimahaka, winters his 670 mixed-age cows under cover and further 255 R2s and 245 R1s plus about 80 beefies on grass and balage. “It was very special to win,” Kevin said, “and a real thrill to see what we’re doing recognised. “After years of wintering on crop, we knew something had to be done to winter better. We knew change was inevitable so we thought it was better to go ahead and do it and then we would feel a lot more comfortable.” When he bought the farm in 2008, the 400 hectares were running sheep and beef. He sold 150ha that was on the other side of the road and built two wintering barns. “There were one or two Redpath sheds around then, but we were on our own designing a wintering and effluent system that worked for us.” With two nearby dairy farms of cows and young stock to winter, the decision was made to build barns. Two were built the first year and three years later he built the third, making refinements along the way. “It took a bit of capital, but the wintering barns mean we have a guaranteed cow condition in the spring, regardless of the winter weather, which flows into the rest of the season meaning better cow health and better milk production.”
Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | August 2022
