Feed and condition should be farmers' focus for their cows at this time of year as, unlike the weather, this is what they have control over and because if they have not got those two right, they may be limiting their options.

The grass might be growing but unless cows are being fed some fibre as well, the grass will go right through them, and they won't put on condition as fast. Farmers I have spoken to who fed fibre last spring said they were impressed at how milk production increased and that they again saw their cows chewing the cud, a sure sign their stomachs are working well to extract all the goodness out of their feed.

Many farmers will have invested time and money in renewing some of their pasture this season and now is the time to follow up that work with weed spraying to ensure the best results.

Many farmers are also feeding high energy feed to cows, including maize silage and meal supplements in the shed but unless cows have access to fibre they don't get the best from those feeds either.
Animals which don't put on condition now won't do so well at calving either, which is only about six weeks away.
While it has been reasonably mild there will be a turnaround in the weather soon and frost on top of wet ground will certainly slow down grass growth.
Many farmers will have invested time and money in renewing some of their pasture this season and now is the time to follow up that work with weed spraying to ensure the best results. Keeping pugging of paddock to a minimum is also advisable as pugging can impact on spring grass growth.
We've just returned from the South Island and there is not a lot of feed left in storage down there because so much came north to help farmers through the drought. Despite the volumes which came north there is a demand for feed here and we still have some straw, some silage and fresh rye grass straw but not a lot, so getting orders in now is a good idea.
As well as keeping animals in good condition through the winter, now is also the time to plan ahead for maize crops. Last season many growers, ourselves included, committed some of our crops for grain instead of silage because some farmers would not commit themselves to contracts early.
The previous year many of us were left with surplus maize and couldn't take the risk of being caught like that again because it is such an expensive crop to grow.
Farmers who did sign contracts got a good deal and also had peace of mind of knowing their feed needs were taken care of and exactly what it would cost so they could allow for it in their budget. That makes good sense and avoids any unpleasant surprises caused by a spike in prices or lack of maize when you want it.
We are taking orders now and will set aside the number of hectares farmers want us to grow for them, or agree on a bulk supply.