Dairy 4 is the largest of the two dairy farms owned by Massey University.
It is managed as a profitable, large scale, commercial seasonal supply dairy farm. It is used primarily to study the problems inherent to large-scale dairying and to provide a teaching resource for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Its facilities are also used for research and extension into innovative pastoral dairy technology systems.
Dairy 4 Farm platform
- Area – 250 hectares, 224 hectares effective
- Soils – Predominately Tokomaru Silt Loam. Compact clay loams with compact subsoil, poor natural drainage and with a tendancy to dry out in summer. Moderate natural fertility. Some Ohakea Silt Loam soils. All artificially drained.
- Cows – 600 cows. Heifer calves and yearling heifers from weaning graze off farm at Keeble Farm. Also about 200 cows are wintered off at Keeble Farm for about 60-90 days.
- Forage – predominantly perennial ryegrass/white clover species. Historically, on average Dairy4 has grown 11.4 t DM/ha/year.
- Paddocks – 90 x 1.5-3.5 hectare paddocks, all with race access.
- Infrastructure – 200 cow capacity Freestall Barn. 50 bale rotary cowshed equipped with De Laval alpro system (electronic identification, milk yield, milk sampling, drafting, in-shed feeding, walk over weighing). One concrete feeding pads with 250 cow capacity. Separate animal handling facilities for teaching and research.
To see more physical information about Dairy4 please view this information sheet Dairy 4 2020.pdf (461 KB)
Research on Dairy 4 – Pastoral 21
The project on Dairy 4 is developing a practical housing system for dairy farm cows, suitable for lower North Island region conditions. It aims to combine high production and profit with lower nitrate and phosphorous leaching.
Two dairy systems are being monitored, one with cows housed part-time in the barn (2.8 cows/ha). This is compared to a more typical management system with a herd grazed-off in winter and a feed pad used on wet days in spring and winter (2.8 cows/ha).
The Pastoral 21 project is a collaborative research consortium working to increase on-farm productivity and profitability, while reducing the environmental footprint. It is funded by DairyNZ, Beef+LambNZ, Fonterra, DCANZ, and MBIE. Other research providers involved in this programme are AgResearch, Plant & Food Research and Lincoln University.
Dairy 4 history
Massey University purchased the property of W.J. Brogden (111.3 ha) in April 1973, and the property of L.L. Lovelock (50.6 ha) later that year. The two properties were amalgamated and developed for a large seasonal supply dairy farm. In 1988, the adjoining property of G.W. Perry (58.24 ha) was added.
In early 2012, half the DCRU (Dairy Cattle Research Unit) grazing platform joined Dairy 4, and the remainder of the DCRU land (then organic) was dissolved into the Dairy 4 grazing area in early 2013.