Southern Pastures.
Native Planting.
A changing sector, a consistent purpose.
Aotearoa New Zealand’s food and fibre sector is driving economic performance, with a 7.4% rise in value-added output and GDP contribution above 5%. In April, New Zealand export values again outpaced imports, led by sustainably produced meat and milk. These gains benefit all New Zealanders, supporting investment in health, education and infrastructure. Southern Pastures is part of this shift. Their ability to deliver high-performing, low emissions dairy relies in part on smart infrastructure, both on farm and in the reliable water delivery behind it.
CPWL’s water plays a key role in enabling that performance — lifting productivity while reducing pressure on aquifers.
Regenerating from the soil up.
Southern Pastures operates 18 dairy farms across South Waikato and Canterbury, underpinned by intergenerational capital and a long-range outlook. The business reflects a broader shift across Aotearoa New Zealand’s food and fibre sector toward smarter farming, resilient operations and values-aligned food production.
10 Star Certified Values™.
Southern Pastures developed its own independently audited 10 Star Certified Values™ system, to meet customer and consumer expectations of ethical dairy farming. The 10 values span environmental care, animal welfare and climate mitigation — and they all come back to the basics of good farming: healthy animals, healthy land and healthy people.
Cow health and welfare.
Cow health is treated as both a productivity driver and a risk-reduction strategy. A well-fed, healthy herd forms the foundation of a productive dairy farm. At Southern Pastures, cow health and welfare contribute significantly to production efficiency — healthy cows produce better milk, require fewer interventions and are more resilient.
Antibiotic stewardship is central to this approach to animal health. Treatment is only administered when necessary for animal welfare, with affected cows tested and cared for individually. Infrastructure upgrades and well-maintained lanes help reduce the risk of injury.
Calves receive quality colostrum and are raised in clean, sheltered conditions until ready for pasture.
Livestock innovation.
Southern Pastures is also steadily increasing the number of non-replacement calves reared, creating value beyond the milking herd. These ‘beef from dairy’ calves are sired by a specialised Rissington breed selected for ease of calving and efficient feed-to-weight gain. Their carbon footprint is approximately 30% lower than traditional beef animals, while still delivering desirable eating quality. Southern Pastures partners with local calf-rearing units to support growth in this space and strengthen viability across the supply chain — a positive shift for both the dairy and beef sectors.
Getting more from less.
Southern Pastures’ Canterbury farms run at a stocking rate of 3.7–3.8 cows per hectare. This moderate intensity reduces pressure on pasture and soil, supports healthier cows and helps lower nutrient losses. The focus is on lifting performance through good nutrition and low-stress conditions, rather than simply running more cows.
Pasture-fed.
Southern Pastures’ farms are pasture-based, with cows free range and grass-fed year-round. Around 96% of their diet comes from pasture (no palm-kernel extract), keeping inputs moderate and supporting soil health. Grazing enhances environmental outcomes aligned with long-term food production goals.
Soil health and natural systems.
Through partnership with Dung Beetle Innovations, dung beetles have been introduced to help recycle nutrients, reduce fly populations and naturally control parasites. These beetles tunnel through the soil, boosting aeration and water movement while improving ecosystem health. Their activity also supports carbon sequestration by breaking down organic material and storing it in the soil over time. They also assist in reducing the methane and nitrous oxide footprint.
Earthworms further support this system — feeding on organic matter, moving nutrients through the soil and improving porosity, root growth and water retention.
Space for nature.
Biodiversity has a role to play in building productive, resilient farm systems — and in transforming the way agricultural landscapes function over time. Southern Pastures is applying this approach on the ground, with around 3% of its Canterbury land now in native plantings, shelterbelts or biodiversity corridors.
This includes over 56 kilometres of planting along farm boundaries, 18 kilometres of which was established in a single year (2018) to enhance biosecurity by increasing separation distance from neighbouring stock. These boundary plantings varied from one to three rows deep, depending on available space.
These plantings provide vital shade and shelter, reducing heat stress, supporting animal welfare and creating more comfortable environments for stock.
Shelter, shade and a place to thrive.
In total, Southern Pastures has planted more than 52,000 native trees and shrubs across 20 hectares of Canterbury farmland, combining boundary plantings with areas of retired land repurposed for shelter, biodiversity and restoration.
These plantings create space for all kinds of life to return — from invertebrates to native birds, pollinators and rare plant species, including those unique to the Canterbury Plains — helping restore balance, protect habitat and leave a lasting legacy across the landscape.
A remnant population of Olearia adenocarpa, a nationally critical plant endemic to the Canterbury Plains, was discovered on a river margin close to one of the Southern Pastures farms. The team protected the site and have since planted 675 more, effectively doubling the known population and helping to secure the future of a species few people even knew existed.
Larger corner areas feature up to 50% tōtara, selected for their longevity and potential to form semi-permanent native forest cover. Species have been chosen in partnership with Brailsfords and sourced locally from the Canterbury Plains. Mountain flax has been grown under pivots to provide shelter without the need for trimming, with irrigation helping to ensure strong establishment.
The planting mix draws on species once common across the region, helping restore natural patterns and attract native wildlife. Brailsfords now collects seeds from these plantings to support biodiversity on neighbouring farms, scaling up regionally adapted restoration.
In-paddock shade and shelter trees, including Alnus cordata, have also been introduced. These nitrogen-fixing trees grow to around 20 metres and will create future canopy cover between pivots.
Smart water, better results.
In Canterbury, most of Southern Pastures’ farms are supplied by alpine-fed, pressurised surface water delivered by CPWL. The shift to gravity-fed irrigation has dramatically reduced the need for on-farm pumping, lowering energy use and easing pressure on local aquifers.
Since switching to centre pivot irrigators and adopting CPWL’s run-of-river water, the farms have recorded a 14% increase in pasture production — along with reduced nutrient loss risk.
From farm values to food values.
Southern Pastures also owns Lewis Road Creamery and NZ Grass Fed Products to capture value beyond the farm gate. Strict environmental, animal welfare and quality principles apply across all operations — aligning premium production with high-integrity supply chains.
Southern Pastures shows how smart water infrastructure supports more than productivity — it enables farming systems that are resilient, efficient and future-focused.
CPWL’s role is to provide reliable, low-emissions water that lifts performance behind the farm gate. Together, we’re enabling better outcomes — for farms, food and the environment.
