88 | Feedpad boom after horrid Southland spring Russell Fredric The horrid Southland spring and summer of 2024/2025, which tested farmers to their limits, is prompting many to install feed pads as a long-term solution. That demand is keeping the team at Baz Janssen Building busy across Southland, where the Wintonbased contractor has completed a steady run of feed pad projects during the past 18 months. Saturated paddocks and stock traffic causing significant pasture damage on many farms highlights the value of a complementary feeding platform, Baz says. Feed pads provide flexibility during challenging periods such as calving or extended rain events and reduce soil pugging, which can take multiple seasons to fully recover from if paddocks are badly damaged. Each project is tailored to the individual farm and how the infrastructure fits within the wider farm system. “It really starts with what the farmer is trying to achieve and what their budget is. Every farm is different, and there isn’t one system that solves every problem.” Site conditions and existing effluent systems play an important role in the final design. Some farms can integrate new pads easily into their current infrastructure, while others require additional storage capacity or pumping systems. Natural ground fall, existing ponds and the wider layout of the dairy platform can all influence how the pad is positioned and how runoff is managed. Timeframes for these projects are shaped by consenting requirements as much as the physical construction work. If a farm’s existing effluent consent does not require changes, construction may be able to begin relatively soon. However, where effluent systems need to be modified, the timeline can extend considerably. Consultants preparing consent applications are often working several months ahead, and the proposal must then be assessed by the relevant authorities before approval is granted. Once approvals are in place, construction itself can move relatively quickly. Smaller feed pads can be completed in about four weeks, while larger projects typically take between one and two months from site preparation through to finished concrete. Regardless, Baz advises farmers considering a feed pad to get the ball rolling early. Recent investment in machinery for preparing sites has been a game-changer for Baz and his RURAL SERVICES » Baz Janssen Building Ltd Feed Pads Cell: 027 430 1012 Email: admin@mcgregorconcrete.co.nz Free phone 0800 225 850 • Phone plant 03 225 8503 MCGREGORS ReadyMix Concrete &Gravel team. A Deere skid steer fitted with a laser-controlled grading blade allows crews to prepare pad bases quickly and with exceptional accuracy before concrete is placed. “We can level those pads in next to no time with the laser blade. The accuracy is unbelievable and it cuts down a lot of manual labour.” A feed pad creates a lot of peace of mind, Baz says. “Farmers are just over the moon once they’ve got them. They often don’t realise how much feed gets wasted in the paddock until they’re feeding on concrete.” “It’s a real sense of achievement helping them improve their farm or solve a problem they’ve been dealing with. You’re building something that will benefit them for years.” Each project is tailored to the individual farm and how the infrastructure fits within the wider farm system. Alongside feed pad construction, Baz Janssen Building has also been constructing dairy sheds for the first time in several years. Current work includes a new 54-bail rotary shed replacing an older one in Dacre, as well as a 40-aside herringbone shed designed to suit a farm milking about 400 cows. The business currently employs around 12 staff and often operates multiple crews across Southland, allowing projects to progress simultaneously. Demand for farm infrastructure remains steady, supported by solid dairy returns and ongoing reinvestment across the sector.
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