The Taranaki Agricultural Research Station (TARS) has produced 52% more milkfat/ha than the average Hawera farm through the 1980s. Respective stocking rates (3.7 vs 2.8 cows/ha) are the major reason for this production difference. Very little improvement in relative performance has been made over the decade. Monitoring projects in South Taranaki during 1988-89 and 1989-90 have shown that adopting a monitoring programme can result in increased production. The quantitative information collected provides farmers with the information and confidence to make major changes in their farming system. Dairy farmers need to monitor their own farms themselves. The programme chosen should be simple so that it can become incorporated into the farming routine. A simple method of monitoring is described that is based on recording pre- and post-grazing level on 2-4 selected paddocks. Research and extension organisations need to adopt a number of recommendations if farm monitoring is to be taken up by the majority of dairy farmers: pasture assessment methods need to be standardised; production of a simple monitoring handbook for farmers; the publication of regular comaprative data from dairy companies and research organisations; and the commercial production of predictive computer-models. Keywords monitoring, stocking rates, decisions
