2. What is needed on a dairy
farm?
• Cows
• Grass
• Cool climate
• Milking machine.
3. Basics for farming
• Cows which are kept for their milk are called
dairy cows. This is because they produce dairy
products – milk.
• Dairy cows need good grass to eat. Healthy,
fresh grass.
• Dairy farms are found in cool climates. New
Zealand has the perfect conditions.
• Dairy cows are milked twice a day. Once in the
morning and once in the evening.
• Most cows are milked by a machine.
4. Breeds of cows
• The main breeds of dairy cows in New Zealand
are Friesians, Jerseys, and Ayrshires.
• Friesians are big robust cows, usually black
and white in colour, that eat a lot of grass and
can give up to 30 litres of milk a day.
5. Breeds of cows
• Jersey cows are smaller, light brown cows with big eyes and
pleasant faces.
• They produce very high-quality milk but produce only about 18
litres.
• They also eat less grass.
• They are not as strong as Friesians.
6. Breeds of cows
• Ayrshire cows are a red-brown cow at an in-between size and
milk volume.
• They are smaller than Friesians but bigger than Jersey cows.
• They also produce less milk than Friesian cows but produce
more milk than Jersey cows.
7. Grass
• Cows need to eat on average 18kg a day from the paddocks.
• When the grass in the fields is not growing in the winter, the
farmer will ensure that the cows get enough food by feeding
them silage (fermented grass) or hay (dried grass).
• A big part of the dairy farmer’s work is making sure that the
paddocks grow a lot of healthy grass for as much of the year as
possible.
8. Climate
• New Zealand is the best place to have to a dairy
farm because our climate is cool.
• We get enough sunlight for the grass to grow
and enough cool weather. It is a good balance.
• The cows can stay outside all year and eat
grass.
• New Zealand farmers are lucky because grass
grows faster and for more months of the year.
9. Recap
• What do cows produce?
• Describe the grass that cows need to eat
using 3 adjectives.
• What are the 3 best types of dairy cows?
• Why does New Zealand have perfect
conditions for dairy farming?
• What do cows eat when there is no fresh
grass to eat?
10. Recap
• What do cows produce?
• Describe the grass that cows need to eat
using 3 adjectives.
• What are the 3 best types of dairy cows?
• Why does New Zealand have perfect
conditions for dairy farming?
• What do cows eat when there is no fresh
grass to eat?
