Advancements In Farming Practices At Lincoln University Dairy Farm

1.Briefly describe the resources of LUDF and summarise the main demonstration activities  undertaken on the farm. 

2.Summarise the reasons for the development of the dairy farm, the basic infrastructure  required and the costs involved. Hint: a table listing capital costs should be included. 

3.List the annual calendar of major management operations involved in running the farm.

4.Describe the key points of the pasture and herd management policies in operation this  season.  

About Lincoln University Dairy Farm

Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) is a farming development facility which looks after the advancements of farming practices which occurs in the South Island area. The firm is also indulged in development of dairy farming as well as other types of farming activity development in the area across the Canterbury Region. It is important to consider that the organization has created different stages of advancing activities such as  Stage 1 to 3 have been completed. Success in  the organization has advanced the dairy farming procedures in the region and in the current stage which is stage 4. The company looks forward to develops the farm’s environmental impact while operating in acceptable animal welfare standards for the development of the farming area and to better in the future days of time.

1.1 Describing the resources of LUDF

The presence of natural farming land is one of the biggest resources which the organization has in order to make sure that farming in the current days has better practices so that farming blooms in the future. It is to be mentioned that the firm has an evident amount of farming land in which 160 ha is used for milking platform, 15 ha is used for runoff and the other 6.7 ha land is unproductive in nature. These land resources also stated that the company has a huge number of cattle and animals which gain are resources to the farming activities which the organization wants to develop. Hence farm areas, cattle, human resources and financial resources are the major resources which are present with the company for there future operational activities (Glover & Kusterer, 2016).    

1.2 Summarizing the main demonstration activities undertaken on the farm

The demonstration activities performed by the farm in the current stage of operation are that the organization has adopted nil Infrastructure farm system which is considered to be adopted to counter environmental requirements which are increasing day by day.  The ongoing farm demonstrations and activities that have taken place are implementations of better dairying system for the increasing the productivity of the cows so that there is high production by staying in limits of animal welfare standards. The demonstrations in relation to financial sustainability have also been performed within the company which eventually means to incur high sustainable profit from farming activities and without increasing the environmental footprint of farming in the current context (Jayne, Chamberlin & Headey, 2014). Hence it can be said that there are widespread activities and demonstration which is done by LUDF in this area of farming.

The Resources Present at the Farm

2.1 Reasons for the development of the dairy farm

There are various reasons which can be stated for development of dairy farming in the region through the assessment of these reasons the committee has come up to the advancement of dairy farming in the region to make things better for the future of farming within this region and the reasons are as follows:

1. One of the biggest reasons which can be stated for the development of dairy farming in the region is to optimize the use of all nutrients and effluents which is required for the farming process making the process more practicable (Willer & Schaack, 2015).
2. The second reason for the development of the dairy farming in the region is to decrease the use of farm automation system and to demonstrate a better effect of business without the use of such system within the operations of farming.
3. Meeting market demands and industry targets is another reason why there are development and advancements made in this dairy farming region
4. The organization also looks to invite international students to the Lincoln University for high-class study over dairy farming. 

2.2 Basic infrastructure required

In order to develop dairy farming in the region the basic infrastructure required are as follows:

1. Paddock layout: Now for grazing of cattle there is a need of having a suitable and effective paddock layout which helps the operations of grazing. Proper subdivisions and paddock lands are essential to help in successful pasture management for effective rotation intervals, in this way the farming activities will be improved (Lanfranchi & Giannetto, 2014).
2. Roadways: Roadways is an effective infrastructure which is to be looked upon in order maintain and develop an effective dairying farming system an effect roadway system will mean that the movement of livestock is safe, faster, and cleaner which easily accessible to the paddock fields making the process more effective for dairy farming (Sourisseau, 2015).
3. Fencing: Fencing is also very important to increase the utilization of grassland and to make sure that proper optimization of grassland usage is done. Fencing ensures the boundary of grassland which can be used for grazing decreasing the labour work and to develop the farming activity.
4. Water system: Proper water system  and irrigation system is the first-hand requirement for the farming as this helps in proper production and health welfare of the livestock which required in paddock fields, dwellings and dairy activities (Martin, 2015).

2.3 Costs involved

Table 1: Total Capital Expenditure

(Source: Self-generated)

The following calendar shows the list of management activities which will happen for the future development of farming in the region with their respective dates.

The organization will implement average pastures cover as a key indicator of the amount of pasture available for the livestock. Rotation planners and pasture improved schemes will be implemented to maintain an effective and high grade of pasture grazing which will be effective to improve the health of the animals (Buyel, 2015). The policies will forward on optimizing the use of fertilizers and influences to make the pasture organic and natural feed for the animals which will be good for the health and for the productivity level as well. Herd management is well adaptable in every season, allowing the herd manager to plan for the worst case scenario. The pasture management policies will look forward to increase the quality, quantity of pasture and the number of animals in the livestock can be fed. The increment of the labour efficiency is one of the benefit that can be extracted for the utilization of herd management. Better achievement of herd nutrition is also guaranteed by herd management.

Conclusion

Concluding in the light of the above context it can be said that through the use of effective planning and implementation system Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) can increase its positivity and develop its dairy farming system. Development of key infrastructure stated will help the firm in the development of the farm and its farming activities. The company has also to manage the pasture policies to ensure that there wider amount of grazing fields to increase the production of animal products. 

References

Buyel, J.F. (2015). Process development strategies in plant molecular farming. Current pharmaceutical biotechnology, 16(11), 966-982.

Glover, D., & Kusterer, K. (2016). Small farmers, big business: contract farming and rural development. Springer.

Jayne, T. S., Chamberlin, J., & Headey, D. D. (2014). Land pressures, the evolution of farming systems, and development strategies in Africa: A synthesis. Food Policy, 48, 1-17.

Lanfranchi, M., & Giannetto, C. (2014). Sustainable development in rural areas: The new model of social farming. Calitatea, 15(S1), 219.

Martin, G. (2015). A conceptual framework to support adaptation of farming systems–Development and application with Forage Rummy. Agricultural Systems, 132, 52-61.

Sourisseau, J. M. (Ed.). (2015). Family farming and the worlds to come. Netherlands: Springer.

Willer, H., & Schaack, D. (2015). Organic farming and market development in Europe. In The World of Organic Agriculture. Statistics and Emerging Trends 2015 (pp. 174-214). Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM).