Integrating maize into a Taranaki farm’s operation has been pivotal to maintaining herd condition year-round.
Chris and Karley Amon and their three sons live on their property based just out of Waverley, South Taranaki. They’ve been dairy farming the land and shaping their legacy for more than two decades on their coastal property.
Showing a strong interest in farming at a young age and determined to follow in his father’s footsteps, Chris borrowed capital for his first farm shortly after leaving school in 1991. Since then, he has been able to expand his operation across three properties: a 90ha home dairy farm, and an 80ha dairy farm, in total milking 700 cows supported by an additional 141ha runoff block.
Operational efficiency is key on Chris’ farms. With a focus on maximising productivity while minimising cost, he has fine-tuned his system over the years. The integration of maize feeding into his daily operation has been pivotal in maintaining condition year-round. Growing maize serves not only as a cost-effective feed supplement for Chris’ dairy herd, but it also extends lactation and helps to maintain cow body condition throughout the year.
Chris’ journey is not without its trials. Located on the coastal fringes, his farm is often faced with strong winds, presenting some hurdles to growing maize. Through this, Chris has learned to leverage the unique characteristics of his land, recognising the benefits of prioritising quality paddocks for maize growing.
“I’ve grown maize here in the lighter sand areas and we’ve tried ploughing it and power harrowing it, but found the wind has had a big impact; wind is a big factor here and most people know that now,” Chris explains.
Chris moved his maize and planted further up the road onto more volcanic ash-type soil and into a more sheltered zone, which has meant that he’s been able to cultivate, with less impact from wind, to achieve great results.
Chris emphasises the importance of selecting the right maize variety for his specific needs. Through working closely with Sales Agronomist Cameron Hussey, Chris has found a reliable partnership with Corson Maize.
“We’ve planted PAC 200 previously and done really well with it, but this has now been replaced with PAC 382, which provides us with a similar long, staygreen plant with a large cob, and so we can easily grow a 101 CRM maize hybrid in this area.”
Feeding out 3kg/day/head has meant that Chris needs enough feed in the pit to last the year. A CRM of 100 is typically on the higher end of maturities for Chris’ area, but he’s been able to target that based on the staygreen of PAC 382. Having a CRM of 101 means that Chris can plant in mid-October and harvest in mid to late March, so that grass can be planted by mid to late April, which suits his system.
“There’s a lot of maize grown in this area that tends to use just the one contractor, which means that he can be very busy,” Cameron adds. “Having a plant that holds its staygreen helps to achieve yield and keeps the crop green, meaning we don’t have to rush to get the plant harvested.”
As Chris looks ahead to the next season, his priorities remain clear. With a focus on maintaining his current operational structure and prioritising maize cultivation and strategic maize feeding, he is positioned for continued success.