[2] Farm visit / Dairy Factory / Dairy Research   (1 Day) Print this page
Date: Thursday 11th November 2010
Time: Please note the tour timing has changed to 0630 – 1800
Coach departs from opposite SKYCITY entrance - Federal St.
Cost: NZ$112.50 per person including GST at 15%
(includes transport)
Transport: Return transport
( SkyCity Hotel Auckland – Hamilton – SkyCity Hotel )
Minimum No: 19 passengers
Farm Visit – Bella Vista Farm
Tour Highlights
M & G Shaw milks 400 Friesian cows on 137 hectares in the Waikato region located south of Auckland. This farm is a large scale, very successful, modern commercial dairy farm and is well developed for high supplementary feed input. Producing 194,000 kg of milk solids per year this farm stands out for its pasture base geared year round supply and milk quality. Pasture dairy farm and state-of-the-art, tough tested and proven series of automation technologies.
Tour Details
Early start to maximise the time available for seeing this farm in milking operation. You will be provided gumboots and/or overshoes before arriving at the Farm. Kindly provided by GEA.
Observe milking operation
Discussion and overview of farm capabilities
Q&A about NZ dairy farm for its pasture base, management systems and high production output
Observe milk tanker collection
Fonterra Te Rapa
Tour Highlights
From cow to factory follow the milk tanker from the farm. See for yourself the milk supply chain link from farm shed to silo’s. The tanker arrives on site at Fonterra Te Rapa, unloads the milk and milk samples are collected by SAITL. Fonterra Te Rapa means the ‘seeking’ in Maori. Fonterra’s 4th largest NZ dairy manufacturing site with a maximum daily intake up to 8.5 million litres of milk in the processing season. This site has the capability of producing 185,000 tonnes of milk powders and 60,000 tonnes of cream products per annum.

Tour Details
Te Rapa Site presentation for overview of manufacturing capabilities
Site tour of Fonterra Te Rapa
Includes lunch sponsored by RML
South Auckland Independent Testing Laboratory (SAITL)
Tour Highlights
SAITL laboratory located at Fonterra Te Rapa but independently operated by SAITL tests milk samples which are used to calculate the payment to the farmers. In addition to supplier testing the laboratory performs a range of chemical and microbiological raw milk testing. Visit SAITL to receive an overview of testing raw quality milk – this in turn allows manufacturing sites to produce world class dairy ingredients.
Tour Details
Visit SAITL laboratory to learn about raw milk testing. Observe the samples taken on farm and managed into SAITL laboratory
Tour SAITL for milk testing regimes, methods, calibration equipment
Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC)
Tour Highlights
LIC is one of the largest integrated herd improvement organisations in the world. A dairy farmer owned co-operative, LIC has been providing services to farmers since 1909. Its services range from herd testing and milk analysis, to artificial breeding, animal health, farm advisory, herd recording, DNA analysis, farm automation and farm mapping systems. This is an opportunity to receive an overview of LIC and how it helps farmers achieve greater profitability through on-farm recording/management systems and higher performing animals.
Tour Details
Overview of LIC and how it helps farmers achieve greater profitability through on-farm recording/management systems and higher performing animals
Introduction to LIC’s genomic technologies
Overview of LIC’s Farm Automation/software technology
DairyNZ Limited
Tour Highlights
Located together on the Newstead campus, DairyNZ and LIC provide core services to the New Zealand dairy industry.

DairyNZ is the industry good organisation representing New Zealand’s dairy farmers. Funded by a levy on milksolids DairyNZ’s purpose is to secure and enhance the profitability, sustainability and competitiveness of New Zealand dairy farming.

DairyNZ’s work includes research and development to create practical on-farm tools, leading on-farm adoption of best practice farming, promoting careers in dairying and advocating for farmers with central and regional government.

Tour Details
Key DairyNZ staff will demonstrate how the levypayers’ money is spent to achieve best value for New Zealand dairy farmers.
Learn about current international research projects designed to keep New Zealand at the forefront of dairying, including better use of forage, lactation management, feed conversion efficiency and genetic gains in dairy animals