Waikato Regional Council dairy winter grazing survey 2011

Report: TR 2012/30

Author: Versus Research Limited and Angela Davies (Waikato Regional Council)

Abstract

Waikato Regional Council (WRC) commissioned Versus Research to survey dairy farmers (farmers) in the Waikato region to investigate farmers' winter grazing practices and management decisions in order to better understand the impact these practices and decisions have on nutrient run off and leaching in the region. This study builds on the qualitative research of Davies and Topperwien (2011) which investigated (n=36) Waikato region farmers‟ winter grazing practices and which segmented farmers based on their stand off practices (wet soils management) and wintering off practices.

The key research objective of the current study was to quantify the proportion of farmers in each segment identified in the qualitative work by Davies and Topperwien (2011) and to identify any other segments. The current study sought to quantify the stand off infrastructure that farmers have and to quantify farmers‟ wintering off practices.

Waikato Regional Council dairy winter grazing survey 2011 [PDF, 1.1 MB]