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
We have a new blog post from Graham Smith up on the website, where he talks about coping with the current dry conditions, his recent trip to Canada and the US, and speaking at a couple of our SMASH events in the South Island. Have a read! www.smallerherds.co.nz/travel-tales-graham-smith/
Indeed!
"I've been told there's pumps and machines that do this job far more efficiently. But why pay for that when I can make my body ache for days for free? 😂😂 Remember kids, milk is 90% water so make the 90% something you'd happily drink too!"
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“I've been told there's pumps and machines that do this job far more efficiently. But why pay for that when I can make my body ache for days for free? 😂😂 Remember kids, milk is 90% water so ma...We are coming into facial eczema season again and spore counts are on the rise. Emma Cuttance from VetEnt has written an excellent article for us covering why facial eczema control fails and what you can do to better protect your stock. To read it have a look on the website.
Are Your Cows Well Protected Against Facial Eczema This Summer? | SMASH
smallerherds.co.nz
by Emma Cuttance - VetEnt Key points Sub-clinical facial eczema (FE) is a problem on at least a third of dairy farms in the North Island. Spore counting is goodFrom the top of the north to the top of the south! Next week we are holding two events, one in Karamea, and one in Takaka. Hope to see you there! www.smallerherds.co.nz/event-list/
A great field day today at Bella Vacca Jerseys milk in Kawakawa. Diversification stories, pasture focus with a bit of crime stats thrown in!
February has brought plenty of heat to our operation, and any areas with a stone or sand base are now dead. Even my lucerne block is wilting and with growth rates at 4 kg/day silage has become the order of the day. With a 36 day round, I still have a little deferred grass, but […]
It’s been a long time between blogs and lots has been happening. The rain has been wonderful and is keeping the grass growing at exponential rates, which is a wonderful change for this time of the year. The end of 2018 was busy with normal farming life but also Mrs. Frostie took on a few […]
With the busyness and frenetic activity of the Christmas season upon us, it’s nice to take a bit of time out and tap a few thoughts on the keyboard. My last blog seems like just the other day, but I’ve just checked, and it was way back in September. So Christmas music on in background, […]
Mating this year has been a little better than in the past due to the great weather. Submission would be classed on the low side, at 85% after three weeks. I put nine cows on once a day and that certainly got them cycling. I have one cow not cycling now, so in all I […]
It’s high time I sat down and wrote a blog. Since the weather is not so good I thought it may be a good time to write and put off going outside. It feels like nothing much has happened since the last blog. It seems like I’m on the go all day and barely get […]
The sun is shining as I write this, and that certainly has made life easier. In spite of the mud calving has gone really well with one cow to go, and one milk fever. The girls are currently producing 2.27 kg per day, with grass a little short they are also getting 3 kg silage […]
With the mid-winter (or should I say mid-summer in European terms) holiday now a distant memory and the spring rush on farm now winding down, it’s time to reflect on the calving period and look forward in anticipation to the huge spring flush that is about to happen…. well the signs are certainly there, that’s […]
In my last blog I was busy writing about the winter dry period that was ahead of us. Time has rolled on now and Sam has been stuck in getting things sorted. Covers are ok, cow condition is good, it’s been a bit wet, some heifers have calved early and everything is set for calving […]
Last season was a good one to get behind us. Things were tough for a lot of the season, with too many floods and water sitting on the farm for too long leading to regrassing some areas six times. This meant we have taken a big production and financial hit. Also, council have come back […]
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.
“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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