Fonterra: cubicles may tarnish dairying image

Large-scale "cubicle" farming could tarnish New Zealand's reputation for free-range dairy products, dairy giant Fonterra says.

Three companies have sought resource consents for 16 new dairy farm developments in the Mackenzie Basin, with nearly 18,000 cows to be housed in cubicle stables. Cows will be confined in the stalls 24 hours a day for eight months of the year, from March to October, and allowed outside for 12 hours a day from November to February.

Fonterra milk supply manager Tim Deane said the company had "real concerns" about the environmental sustainability of stall-based farming.

New Zealand had been showcased as an example of a country using free-range systems by the world SPCA, he said. "We will be watching carefully to see if the farms are able to comply with the regulations governing animal welfare and sustainable land use."

Mr Deane said Fonterra was comfortable with dairy farming techniques that supported pasture-based farming, such as feed pads and supplementary feeding.

"We don't believe stall-based farming of this type is consistent with New Zealand's reputation as a source of dairy products from substantially grass-fed cows."

Russ Rimmington, a Waikato dairy farmer who failed to get elected to the co-operative's board at last month's elections, said Fonterra was not doing enough to oppose the application and needed to "get on the phone and rattle some cages" on the matter.

Mr Rimmington, who agreed that the application could damage New Zealand's image overseas, said Fonterra needed to convince the Government to intervene and put a stop to the application.

"They have done a poor job on marketing free-range dairying, which is our point of difference." said Mr Rimmington, who farms at Tamahere.

Te Pahu dairy farmer John Bluett, vice-chairman of Federated Farmers' dairy section, said he did not know whether the application would have any effect on New Zealand's image.

"There's always a risk, but it's a managed risk, blowing it up in the press does not really help us."

Mr Bluett said the extreme conditions in the Mackenzie Basin would require a high degree of shelter for stock.

"In the cold and heat they would seek shelter."

The biggest risk, he said, was the possibility of imported genetically modified feed.

Prime Minister John Key said there was a chance the country's reputation could be jeopardised.

"That can always be a risk, but I think the reality is the bulk of New Zealand farming is done on a pastoral basis," he said.

"Anyone who drives around New Zealand will see that."

Southland farmer Abe de Wolde, who has used winter housing on two of his four farms for the past five years, said the cubicle description was misleading.

"People picture animals retained in small spaces, but it's not true at all.

"These animals can wander around and do their own thing as much as they want."

His cows were inside 24 hours a day for less than three months, could lie down on rubber mats at all times, and had alleys to walk in that were automatically cleaned.

Mr de Wolde said cows were only milked an average for 250 days in Southland and keeping them indoors provided an additional 50 milking days.

"It's time to acknowledge that there's different local climates and there needs to be different ways for working with them. For Canterbury it's irrigation, and for Southland it's winter housing."

More than 1.4 million of New Zealand's 4.25 million cows are in the South Island, new dairy figures show.

- © Fairfax NZ News