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Today is 12:00 PM — Eric T. Thrush
Dairy farmers in New Zealand are working at a slower pace towards the end of the milking season. Milk production in April has decreased significantly compared to last year. This follows a trend that started in March. Dairy farms have been hit hard by the drought.
DCANZ figures show milk production fell 4.1% in April to just over 1.46 million tonnes. In March, milk supply in New Zealand fell by 3.5% due to unfavorable weather. During the New Zealand summer (January to March) drought reduced grass growth in many areas. Irrigation barriers were also in place to maintain groundwater levels. As a result, the season, which runs until June 1, ends on a negative note for New Zealand dairy.
Milk production in the 2023/24 milking season is very consistent with the previous season’s and five-year averages, as the graph shows. In the first eleven months of this season, milk production was more than 20.2 million tonnes, only 0.5% more than the same period of the previous 2022/23 season.
Milking season in New Zealand peaks from September to January. In the following months, dairy farmers slowly work towards winter, which lasts from June to August. During this period, cows are dried off before calving and fresh grass is less available, which traditionally reduces milk production significantly.
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