Pāmu Open Farm Day at Cheltenham Downs
Join us for the next Pāmu Open Farm Day at Cheltenham Downs, near Feilding, on Wednesday 25 November.
Cheltenham Downs is a 1,060ha mixed finishing and support farm with a key role across Pāmu Lower North Island operations. It finishes around 28,000 lambs annually, carries dairy-beef animals, provides dairy grazing and grows crops, including maize, lucerne and chicory.
“Cheltenham is a good example of what integrated farming looks like in practice, with different land uses and farming systems supporting each other for increased productivity and sustainability,” says Pāmu CE Mark Leslie.
Visitors to the Open Day will join a 4WD convoy around parts of the farm to explore that integration, starting with genetics before moving through organics, livestock flows, finishing, and the connection with processors and markets.
Genetics and the dairy-beef pathway
Pāmu has an ambitious target of rearing all dairy-born calves by 2030. This means a full systems change, from genetics, to calf-rearing, through to finishing and markets.
At the open day, Pāmu, Focus Genetics, and LIC will talk about genetics and how breeding decisions connect with what happens further through the farming system.
Genetics need to work for both ends of the beef-on-dairy system. Dairy farmers need calving ease, manageable birth weights and calves that are straightforward to rear, while the beef system needs growth, feed efficiency, earlier finishing and carcase performance. Visitors will also hear about Synergizer®, developed through Pāmu and Focus Genetics with LIC, and the wider shift towards using beef genetics more deliberately within the dairy system.
Organics as part of the system
Pāmu began trialling organic dairy farming in 2016, and now has 11 organic dairy farms and two runoffs across Reporoa and Moutoa, milking more than 6,400 cows. Adjacent Short Road already supports the Moutoa organic farms, growing out around 500 to 550 organic dairy heifer calves and yearlings. The convoy will visit the Forlong Road block at Cheltenham, which is now transitioning to organic dairy support.
Pāmu team members will share their experience of the conversion process, and Fonterra Organics will add the market perspective, including what is driving demand for organic milk and where the opportunity is heading.
We'll also dive into the numbers around sustainability in both the organics and conventional blocks.
Safe and capable people
While we are focusing on our land and livestock, bringing it all together comes down to our people. At Pāmu, we have a culture of safe and capable people, and visitors will hear about our latest stock-handling training and how we manage critical risks on farm.
Diversifying and collaborating
The final part of the day will look across the Lower North Island Pāmu farms and how the different farming activities connect. Cheltenham sits between dairy, rearing and finishing operations, so decisions made on one farm have implications elsewhere. Silver Fern Farms will bring the processor and market perspective to the beef-on-dairy conversation.
“There’s a lot of curiosity around our internal stock flows and the pricing model we use, along with the use of data and wearables to support farm decisions,” says Mark, “and Open Farm Days are one way we share what we are doing with farmers and industry.
Partners
“Our Pāmu farm teams will be joined by Focus Genetics, LIC, Fonterra Organics and Silver Fern Farms, with plenty of time for questions and discussion throughout the day.”
Coffee and lunch are included, with thanks to LIC and Silver Fern Farms. Attendance is free but registration is essential for more information and catering. Register here.
Wednesday 25 November 2026
Cheltenham Downs, near Feilding
Gates open at 10.30am for an 11am start
Finish at 2.30pm
