SMASH has been set up to help dairy farmers, particularly those with smaller operations, to run successful businesses. We mainly achieve this by running events throughout New Zealand. These give farmers the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills which will stand them in good stead back on their own farms.
We also want to foster a supportive farming community – we are all in it together! SMASH is run by a group of New Zealand dairy farmers with a passion for the industry and for helping to build a strong and sustainable future for dairy farming. Read more
SMASH On-Line
Milk Price Fixing – The Fundamentals
Gaynor Tierney currently farms with her husband in Ngaruawahia, milking 240 cows on a OAD system. They returned from overseas in 2000 and progressed through the industry, from managing, through to sharemilking and farm ownership. All in the local geographic area.
They supply Fonterra and this season made the call to fix 30% of their milk supply. They had recently purchased a new property and made the decision based on their need to ensure an average milk price of $6 for cashflow purposes. At the time, the economists and banks were predicting a milk price as low as $5.40. Since then the future looks very different and whilst they are somewhat disappointed at their call it gave them income certainty for the year ahead. It is a tale of two sides!!
Streaming live on YouTube and Facebook youtu.be/mQk7fSabg5w 12 pm – 12.40 pm, Friday 4th December
What have your experiences been with using deferred grazing?
Wendy Griffith's (DairyNZ) talk on her deferred grazing research at our recent field day was pretty interesting. Several people had already given it a go or were thinking about using it. There is some more info about it on the DairyNZ website www.dairynz.co.nz/news/deferred-grazing-on-trial/.
www.dairynz.co.nz
In March 2018, DairyNZ started a plot-scale trial to look at ways of recovering perennial ryegrass populations through grazing management.Spotlight on the System Field Day – Te Aroha
How low can you go? Grade free
Steve, from AgriHealth NZ, will delve into the secrets to our host’s exceptional BMSCC results (31,180 cells/mL in 2019/20 – the second lowest Fonterra supplier). Also, he will talk about how you can prevent and manage mastitis on your farm, and how to get to the root of a mastitis problem. Register at www.smallerherds.co.nz/smash-events/spotlight-on-the-system-te-aroha-november-26th/
Steve has over two decades of experience as a dairy practitioner, having worked for the Veterinary Enterprises Group in the Waikato. His focus over the last 6 years has been on mastitis management. He helped to establish PureMilk and was a senior mastitis consultant.
Spotlight on the System Field Day – Te Aroha
Flexible milking – the ins and outs
Paul, from DairyNZ, will outline some of the practicalities of the various flexible milking options. Also, the latest research on 3in2 milking at different stages of lactation and the effect of different 3in2 milking times at peak lactation. This information will help you to identify the options that will best suit your business and make the switch successfully. Register at www.smallerherds.co.nz/smash-events/spotlight-on-the-system-te-aroha-november-26th/
Paul works at DairyNZ Lincoln where he is involved in a project looking into flexible milking and its potential to improve the work environment of dairy farms. He is also involved in the Forages for Reduced Nitrate Leaching project.
I thought before I go on about the farm, I would recap my current situation. This is a small farm with a small herd, 80 cows, and there has been a need to diversify to defy the trend of small farms merging into bigger ones. My decision to go with timber has been a good […]
It’s a great little country that we live in! As I watch the rest of the world struggling to cope with Covid I really do appreciate this slice of paradise. The cows are just starting to calve and at time of writing there is plenty of grass and it has been mild weather. Cover is […]
Strange how life can be thrown a curve ball by a bug. We went from planning a holiday to hunkering down on the farm and making face masks! The Waikato Times ran an article from the French Embassy about travellers stranded in NZ. We replied to their request for help and then received a large […]
I’m not going to mention the “C” word at all as I strive to focus on something other than what has been on the minds of most New Zealanders for the past 4 or so weeks. Today is the 21st day of lockdown and once again I extol the virtues of being a person of […]
The way things are going it is going to be a long summer. Feels like it started last November! My rainfall records show last year as the third driest on record, with annual rain 300 mm below the average. Going back to 1992 my records show a year like this about every 10 years on […]
Welcome to 2020. The beginning of a new year and all the promises, plans and New Year resolutions that we are all bound to keep and break, some of us more one way than the other. I find the Christmas season is always so enjoyable, with so much happening throughout December, culminating in a very […]
Lately there have been quite a few thunderstorms raging around. I just wish they had deposited a bit more precipitation here! Plenty of noise but not much action, just like those politicians in Wellington. Just over the hill got 55 mm in the last storm and we were lucky (? ) to catch the edge […]
The end of another weekend is nearing, and I am home from open homes and theatre practice. Too early to relax in the chair as Sam is still milking and I get the guilts if I’m relaxing and he is working. I can’t admit to those same guilts affecting me if Bev is working around […]
It’s been a long time between blogs for the Frosties – one daughter has been to the US to be a camp counselor with camp America and is now back, working hard to save for uni next year. One son has finished his degree this week! The other son has been studying with YWAM in […]
Thank you and your committee for your great work re SMASH events. We have gained several life changing ideas from these events.
At SMASH events we met like-minded people doing similar things.
It gave us confidence to know that there are people out there doing the same thing we are doing.
The positive vibe and the feeling of community amongst the farmers here was a highlight.
Can't sleep as am too excited after events!
This was a brilliant day. Refreshing, informative, varied and motivating.
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“We have kind of gone off discussion groups because they tend to just look after our little district. Discussion groups are mainly people checking up on what the neighbours are doing whereas SMASH events are different, we get a lot more from them. I wholeheartedly loved it. It is good getting out of the area too.”
The strong working partnership of smaller herd farmers Matt and Sarah-Jane Yates has been a cornerstone to the success of their farming business. Matt started his career drystock farming on the family block, but its sale enabled him to buy his own property.
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