Dyer Feedpad Cover

Location: Taupo, Waikato

BUILDING DETAILS

Size: 88.3m x 25.5m 
Style: Gable 
Herd Size: 500 Jersey Cows

Aztech Buildings designed and built this 88.3m x 25.5m covered feedpad for Paul and Megan Dyer’s 500-cow Jersey dairy farm near Taupō. It lets them feed under shelter, protect their pasture, and add more cows without outgrowing the system.

About the Dyers’ farm

Paul and Megan run a growing dairy operation on 140 hectares near Taupō. They wanted a smarter way to feed the herd while protecting pasture and improving efficiency across the farm. With around 500 Jersey cows and plans to grow, the infrastructure had to suit where the farm is heading, not just today.

Because it was a greenfield site, they could design the system from the start. After researching their options, they chose Aztech for our experience with feedpad covers and dairy infrastructure and for the strength of the Futura Box-Beam steel roof structure.

The feedpad cover

A purpose-built gable feedpad cover that lets the Dyers feed their herd under shelter, with room to grow. 

A feedpad cover keeps rain, wind and birds off the feed, and keeps cows cleaner and more comfortable in wet weather. For the Dyers, that means:

• Cleaner, more comfortable cows
• Feed protected from the weather and bird contamination
• Less pasture pugging and better soil health
• Consistent feeding routines all season
• A system that scales as herd numbers increase

Covered feedpads also reduce feed waste. Protected feeding areas can reach up to 98% feed utilisation, compared with 60 to 70% on uncovered pads.

Location: Taupo, Waikato
Client: Farmer
Application: Farming, Feed Protection, Feedpad, Covered Feedpad, Dairy Farming
Reference: C3470