My observations of milk farming in New Zealand

Cow farming unlike sheep farming is growing here in New Zealand. There are 16 sheep for every person in New Zealand but the numbers of cows are increasing because of the world demand for milk. There are the most shwep in the south of the south island with huge cow herds in the middle and northern part and smaller herds on the northern island. there are no real predators here so farmers can easily keep their calves and cows in pasture year round. No foxes, bearsm coyotes, cougars, bobcats. but lots of pests including hares, possums, weasels, cats and dogs. Each small farm may have 100-300 cows at a gross profit of $1,000/cow. And each farm has its own milking shed where the cows are milked 1x or 2x a day. Smaller milking farms are found on the North Island and families seem to make a pretty good living out of it. There is a "Meat Works" down the road. This is where newly born young bulls are sent off to be butchered along with females about age 7 that are not producing as well. Cows produce milk productively for about 7 years and then they are sent to be turned into petfood. Females who do not get pregnant by awrtificial insemination or by bulls are also sent to the Meat Works. This place is the largest employer in Te Aroha with I believe several 100 employed. Trucks regularly stop by to load the cows and huge milk trucks stop by once or twice a day as well. Very well organized system that is for sure.

I met a cow farmer on the west coast of the South Island who has 4 partners, over 25 staff and several herds of cattle numbering in the thousands. He is a very wealthy man, loves his life and says that most Kiwis hate milk farmers because they are destroying the environment. I asked him why the price of milk here in NZ was so high considering that it is produced so efficiently in everyone's backyard. Stunsaid that since they get more money on the international market, the general population hates them then why wouldn't they charge as much as they could.

The smaller farmers in Te Aroha certainly seem respected by the other professionals in the area and I have to say seem to have a wonderful network with each other through farming, social events, sports events and their chikdrens schools.