Dairy

Landcorp Farming has 37 dairy farms milking approximately 35,000 cows over 13,000 hectares producing 12 million kilograms of milksolids (2009). Landcorp's dairy farms are scattered throughout New Zealand but are predominantly in Northland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Central North Island, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Canterbury, Westland and Otago. The Canterbury herds are predominantly Friesian (1,800 cows) with the balance of the herds being Friesian Jersey cross bred.

Herd sizes range from 200 - 2,000 cows milked through a variety of farm dairies from 20 aside herringbones to 80 bail rotaries.

Milk supply is predominantly from Spring calving herds although 6 of the 37 herds are split calving (Northland and Manawatu) supplying all year round milk. Milk premiums are sought through improving milk quality, winter milk, colostrum and lactose supply.

Landcorp dairies farm on land traditionally considered marginal with soil types including sand, pumice, gravels, peat and clay. Soil type milk yields range from 750 kilograms of milksolids per hectare (West Coast gravel and sand) to 1,400 kilograms of milksolids per hectare on the Moutoa silty clay loams. Cow production ranges between 300 and 400 kilograms of milksolids per cow per annum.

The dairies supply four different dairy companies - Fonterra (60%), Westland (23%), Synlait (5%) and Open Country Cheese (12%).

Landcorp Dairy's main focus is the production of seasonal milk on predominantly low cost pasture based diets although supplements (mainly maize silage in the North Island and barley in the South Island) are used to support shoulder milk.

Landcorp is a strong advocate for sustainable and environmentally friendly dairy production with a large emphasis on health and safety, training, reasonable hours of work, animal welfare protection and responsible effluent management.