Merry Christmas from Southern Dairy Hub
As 2024 draws to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on what has been an incredibly productive year for the Southern Dairy Hub. It's been a year of growth, collaboration and exciting developments. We’ve had the privilege of working closely with many of you, continuing to test new practices and contribute to Southland's dairy sector with vital research.
As General Manager, I’m constantly amazed at the work being done here – not only on our research farm but also in how it benefits local farmers. I’m also very appreciative of our committed and hardworking team — thank you for being so awesome.
The Hub continues to be a vital resource for trialling ideas that could shape the future of dairy farming. Whether it’s testing new farm systems, exploring environmental practices, or supporting farmers with practical, real-world data, the work we do at the Hub impacts everyone in the region.
And in breaking news, I'm excited to share our plans for a new project that is aimed to get more real time data direct to you – our southern farmers – when you need it. It's called the Future Farm Systems Demonstration Project and the attached document gives a high-level view of what demonstration will look like over the next 18 months, as we look to our next farm system research trial. You can check out our new strategy here.
If you haven't yet visited the Hub, I encourage you to do so in the coming months. Our field days are a great way to see the research and demonstration in action, meet the team, and connect with other farmers. To all of you working through the holiday season, I wish you a restful break, good weather (we have our fingers crossed), and healthy cows. For those taking some time to relax, I hope you enjoy the Christmas break with family and friends. Here's to a successful 2025!
Andrea Dixon – General Manager, Southern Dairy Hub
The SDH team enjoying a bit of Christmas cheer
Year in Review: Highlights of 2024
Field Days and Industry Engagement
We kicked off the year by attending the Waimumu Field Days — an event that provided valuable insights into the future of farming, and an unmissable opportunity to engage meaningfully with hundreds of people across three days. Our interactions with farmers highlighted the importance of hands-on demonstration, sparking ideas for how we can share more insights with the community.
In March, we hosted a Field Day with special guest Andy Macfarlane from Fonterra and ANZCO, where we explored exciting innovations in dairy farming. DairyNZ and AgResearch also contributed by leading discussions on plantain as an effective nitrogen mitigation tool, showcasing its role in farm systems and its potential to boost sustainability efforts.
The momentum continued with our ‘Farming for the Future’ Field Day in July, where farmers, industry partners and stakeholders gathered for a day of engaging presentations from DairyNZ, Fonterra, Environment Southland, and Recycle South.
Our September Field Day focused on topics like genetic gain and dairy beef systems, with expert speakers Ben Watson from GENEZ, Jason Archer from Beef and Lamb Genetics, Elyse Fletcher from NZ AgBiz, and Alex Field of Waipuna Farm and Pamu.
Research Milestones
Our research efforts continued to build momentum throughout 2024, with significant progress in several key areas.
Our ongoing farm systems comparison trial has given us valuable insights into winter management practices, with half the cows wintered on fodder beet and the other half on baleage. We also look forward to seeing the information collected by DairyNZ using the ICE Cube accelerometers from the respective wintering system research trial. These ongoing studies are giving us a clearer picture of how to improve farm management and animal wellbeing.
Collaborations and Partnerships
Our commitment to collaboration has been evident throughout the year. We recently worked with Ben Watson from GENEZ, focusing on a new traceability programme for dairy beef calves in Southland. This initiative aims to track calves through the supply chain, improving profitability and ensuring optimal growth and fat content, which translates into premium pricing for grazers.
We've also enjoyed engagement with various groups on farm, including the Australian Young Dairy Leaders, Dairy Trust Taranaki, Northland Agricultural Research Farm, and Teagasc, among others.
The Hub remains an open and accessible space for tours, and we invite all farmers to visit and engage with our research.
Governance and Structural Changes
The Southern Dairy Hub underwent an important governance restructuring in June 2024, bringing operations and asset ownership under a single entity and Board. This new structure has enhanced the Hub’s ability to serve the interests of Southland’s dairy farmers, ensuring a more efficient operation as we enter our sixth year.
Weather Challenges
2024 has been a year of navigating particularly challenging weather. Spring brought persistent wet conditions, putting pressure on the farm's operations and the wider community. The unpredictable weather made daily farming tasks especially difficult for many in the region. However, in true Southern fashion, we faced these challenges with resilience and came together to support each other through the tough times. It’s a reminder of how strong and adaptable our farming community is, even in the most unpredictable of seasons.
It's a wrap
As we wrap up 2024, we are grateful for all the collaborations, insights, and hard work that have made the past 12 months so productive. We look forward to another year of progress and continued support for Southland’s dairy community.
