Building Off‐Paddock Infrastructure: Insights, Decisions and Lessons Learnt from Southern New Zealand Dairy Farmers

Many regions across New Zealand experience cold, wet winters with low pasture growth. Consequently, farmers often rely on winter forage crops to feed cows, resulting in challenges with animal welfare, environmental damage and operational difficulties. Despite the potential of off‐paddock facilities to overcome negative outcomes of crop wintering, only 15% of New Zealand dairy farmers have off‐paddock facilities. This study aimed to document farmers’ experiences when planning, building and using off‐paddock infrastructure and involved interviews with five dairy farmers who had recently built infrastructure. Early, strategic planning to include sufficient time for thorough consent preparation, establishing values, visiting farms with infrastructure, financial planning and alignment with farm operations was essential for success. Siting considerations, such as visual appearance and proximity to housing, were important for community acceptance. Farmers should consider appropriate long‐term supply of feed and bedding materials, understand effluent management and allow for flexibility in use. Finally, selecting a reputable project team with strong communication and problem‐solving skills was vital. The findings highlight the importance of comprehensive planning and stakeholder involvement from the outset. Insights from the project can help farmers “build it once and build it right,” avoiding costly mistakes with financial, environmental, social and animal welfare implications.