Dairy farmers produce more milk worldwide.
According to a FAO forecast, global milk production is expected to increase by 1.0% in the year 2025. The biggest growth is expected in Asia, as reported by the ZMB.
New Zealand is a dream destination for many dairy farmers. The almost year-round pasture-based system and favorable conditions for beginners make it an attractive place to start a dairy farm. However, even in New Zealand, there are specialists like Jenny Mackie.
Jenny Mackie is the most well-known calf rearer in New Zealand, raising 720 calves annually.
New Zealand is still considered the ultimate "start-up" dairy farming country. In the mid-1970s, only about 6 billion kilograms of milk were produced, but today, the country produces over 21 billion kilograms of milk per year. The number of cows has also more than quadrupled during this time, with around 10,600 farms on the islands having an average herd size of nearly 440 cows. Due to the declining profitability of sheep farming and the ability to intensively manage larger pasture areas with new irrigation methods, farmers started transitioning from sheep farming to dairy farming.
Specialist in Calf Rearing
Jenny Mackie, a very determined lady and part of the younger generation, is the most well-known calf rearer in New Zealand. She individually raises 360 calves twice a year, managing six groups of 60 calves each at two feeding stations with three calf feeding machines. The calves receive both whole milk and milk replacers. She has designed special training pens where the calves are placed immediately after birth to learn to suckle. There, the calves are given colostrum through special containers and some guidance, allowing more than half of them to learn to suckle from the machine in the first few days because the colostrum feeding is very similar to the stations at the feeding machine.
Minimal Losses or Animal Treatments
With this method, she achieves an average milk intake of 5 to 6 liters on the first day and continues with an ad libitum program at the machine until the calves are weaned at 84 days old. The success speaks for itself: less than one percent total losses and less than three percent treatments with daily weight gains of around 960 grams are exceptional in New Zealand. She has been using this system for eight years, benefiting the lactating herd as well. The milk dry matter content has increased by twelve percent during this time.
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