Owl Farm case study - Biodiversity

Owl Farm case study - Biodiversity

Owl Farm

This page from Owl Farm, a demonstration dairy farm in the Waikato, covers the stock-excluded trees, scrub, wetland and native plantings across its landscape. It reports on Ecoblitz surveys carried out by Lincoln University in 2015 and 2017, which recorded hundreds of bird, insect, plant and mammal taxa on the farm and surrounding school campus.

It also covers the farm's Integrated Planting Plan and its partnership with St Peter's School students, who pot up a thousand native seedlings a year through the Trees for Survival programme.

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Have you thought about

On-farm actions

  • Owl Farm case study - Environment plan

    Whenua
    Farm environment plan
    Farm planning
    On-farm actions

    Follow how Owl Farm's environment plan guides its land, water and effluent management.

  • Owl Farm case study - Soil health

    Whenua
    On-farm actions
    Soil
    Sustainability

    Discover how Owl Farm tests and protects its soil's physical, chemical and biological health.

  • Cassie’s Farm - Establishing native forest from scratch

    Climate
    Biodiversity
    Conservation
    Forestry
    On-farm actions
    Regeneration
    Sequestration
    Sustainability

    Cassie’s Farm is restoring native forest on their 220-acre drystock farm.

Biodiversity

  • Owl Farm case study - Wetland performance

    Climate
    Biodiversity
    Regeneration
    Water

    See how Owl Farm's constructed wetland strips nitrogen and sediment from farm runoff.

  • One Billion Trees Programme science projects

    Climate
    Biodiversity
    Conservation
    Forestry
    Regeneration
    Sustainability

    Read about a range of science projects related to the 1BT Programme.

  • Bagshot Farm, Wairarapa

    Climate
    Biodiversity
    Farm environment plan
    Sheep and beef

    Explore how a Wairarapa sheep and beef farm cuts nitrogen while restoring wetlands and natives.

Fertiliser

  • Owl Farm case study - Nitrogen management

    Whenua
    Fertiliser
    On-farm actions
    Soil

    Explore how Owl Farm has lowered nitrogen fertiliser use and modelled nitrogen loss.

  • Owl Farm case study - Paddock performance

    Enterprise
    Fertiliser
    Productivity
    Soil

    Discover which paddocks grow the most feed and why some fall short.

An alternative perspective

  • Owl Farm case study - Milk production

    Enterprise
    Dairy
    Productivity
    Profitability

    Compare season milksolids results against Owl Farm's production targets.

  • Owl Farm case study - Herd reproduction

    Enterprise
    Dairy
    Livestock
    Productivity

    Track how a Waikato demonstration farm lifts its 6-week in-calf rate each season.

Explore related content

Owl Farm case study - Summer crops

Enterprise
Arable crops
Dairy
Productivity

Find out how brassica crops are grown to fill the summer feed gap.

Owl Farm case study - Feed budgets

Enterprise
Dairy
Farm planning
Productivity

Learn how feed budgets keep pasture cover and cow condition on target.

Owl Farm case study - Greenhouse gas performance

Climate
Emissions reduction
Greenhouse gas
Methane

Learn how Owl Farm cut biological greenhouse gas emissions over a ten year period.

Owl Farm case study - Milk quality

Enterprise
Compliance
Dairy
Productivity

See what keeps Owl Farm's alert, grade and demerit counts falling.

Owl Farm case study - Herd genetics

Enterprise
Dairy
Livestock
Productivity

Read how genetic selection keeps Owl Farm's herd among the nation's best.

Bringing Native Bush Back to NZ Farmland

Climate
Biodiversity
Conservation
Pests and diseases
Sustainability

Adam Thompson helps farmers plant native trees on their land, promoting biodiversity and sustainability.

Owl Farm case study - Youngstock rearing

Enterprise
Dairy
Livestock
Productivity

Explore how replacement calves are reared and grown out to entry weight.

Owl Farm case study - Imported supplements

Enterprise
Dairy
Productivity
Profitability

Check how imported feed is used strategically to lift milk from pasture.

Wetland planting

Whenua
Biodiversity
Community
Conservation
Sustainability
Water

Learn how to plant and restore wetlands in New Zealand for better ecosystems.

Owl Farm case study - Lameness management

Enterprise
Livestock
On-farm actions
Wellbeing

Learn how Owl Farm halved its lameness rate by changing yard flow and race care.