MilkHub helps drives productivity and profit gain for Landcorp

In Landcorp’s recently released 2011 Annual Report, Chief Executive Chris Kelly announced that Landcorp Farming has recorded one of its most profitable years with a $42.2 million net operating profit before tax, up from $10.0 million in the previous year.

Mr Kelly noted that along with product prices up across the board and favourable growing conditions, Landcorp’s long-term strategy of diversification, people development and best practice farming has definitely paid off over the past year.

Part of Landcorp’s strategy is to embrace new technologies and technology transfer including the installation of MilkHub dairy automation and herd management software in the majority of Landcorp’s rotary dairies.

Landcorp 2011 Annual Report“We put increasing emphasis on performance by the individual animal in dairying as well. MilkHub, the in-dairy management system, has become an extremely useful tool for monitoring cow performance, and for decision making on herd composition, feed regimes and animal health. MilkHub has been rolled out progressively since 2007 and is now operating in 19 of Landcorp’s dairies. Its value continues to grow as more information is assimilated and managers become more expert in its use. MilkHub helps drive productivity through efficient feed allocation, and smarter management of herd condition and performance.

The system requires individual animal identification using electronic ear tags and radio frequency (RFID) readers. Landcorp is well advanced in adoption of this technology for MilkHub, and also for smarter management in beef and deer operations. We are ready for the launch of National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) in the New Zealand livestock industry in 2012, but our commitment to RFID and data gathering goes far beyond NAIT compliance. For Landcorp, individual animal monitoring is a key enabler of productivity gain,” said Mr Kelly.

View the full 2011 Landcorp Annual Report here.