Publisher

Owl Farm

owlfarm.nz

Owl Farm is a 160 hectare demonstration dairy farm at St Peter's School in Cambridge, Waikato. It has run since 2015 as a joint venture between the school and Lincoln University, with funding partners Ravensdown, DairyNZ, Fonterra, PGG Wrightson Seeds and Westpac.

The farm trades as a commercial business and reports its real results in public. It publishes its own figures on greenhouse gases, soil, water, nutrients, pasture, herd performance, animal well-being and farm finances, and opens the gate for focus days, farm walks and school visits.

Owl Farm logo

Publisher's content

Owl Farm case study - Milk production

Enterprise
Dairy
Productivity
Profitability

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

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 - Paddock performance

Enterprise
Fertiliser
Productivity
Soil

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

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 - Youngstock rearing

Enterprise
Dairy
Livestock
Productivity

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

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.

Owl Farm case study - Biodiversity

Whenua
Biodiversity
Conservation
On-farm actions

Track the native species and planting programme behind Owl Farm's biodiversity.

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 - 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 - Soil health

Whenua
On-farm actions
Soil
Sustainability

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

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.