HubWatch – 5 February 2026

Silage testing: Next week we will be testing the oats silage standing paddock on offer to ensure it meets the demands of our animals as a spring feed. We’ll share the results once they’re through.

Cow health: Two samples put through the Mastatest machine this week came back as Streptococcus species and E. coli. Using this machine means we can treat the animal with the most appropriate product, as recommended by our vets at VetSouth.

Effluent pond levels: The pond level is currently down to 30%. Heading into autumn, it’s a good time to keep levels down before conditions get too wet. This is a daily task for the team. Effluent management and operation | DairyNZ.

In-shed feed: This week we are removing in-shed feed for our future first calvers and three-year-olds with a BCS over 4.4, and cows above BCS 4, due to good pasture covers and quality silage in the stack. It was always the aim with the future herd to only use in-shed feed during a feed deficit.

New grass paddocks: These paddocks are now back into the feed wedge, allowing us to extend the round length to 32 days for the Futures and 30 days for the Standards, as we work to build cover over the next month.

Farm team roster: The team remain on a 5 and 2 roster and are loving it. It provides a good work-life balance and has proven very attractive for staff.