This programme is designed to provide graduates with the skills and knowledge required to take responsibility for the day to day operational management of a dairy or livestock breeding/non-breeding farm. All learners will gain skills in coordinating daily farm activities, communication, use of technology, taking responsibility for vehicle and machinery maintenance, benchmarking and reporting farm physical performance and implementing and monitoring health, breeding, feeding and environmental plans.
This programme is targeted at people who are experienced workers in the farm sector and are looking to move into, or are at, a management level position. The programme has strands in either dairy farming, breeding livestock farming or non-breeding livestock farming and students can choose the strand option they wish to study upon enrolment.
Compulsory across all Strands
| Course Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| NZAGL4.0001 | Technology on Farm |
| NZAGL4.0002 | Farm Benchmarking |
| NZAGL4.0003 | Farm and Livestock Reporting |
| NZAGL4.0004 | Maintenance Schedule |
| NZAGL4.0005 | Environment and Farm |
Dairy Farming Strand
| Course Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| NZAGL4.0006 | Milking |
| NZAGL4.0007 | Dairy Health |
| NZAGL4.0008 | Dairy Reproduction |
| NZAGL4.0009 | Dairy Nutrition |
Outcome Statement and Pathways
Graduates of the qualification will be able:
- Coordinate agribusiness activities using appropriate technology and a range of effective communication and interpersonal skills
- Benchmark a farms physical performance against data from industry high performers to ID strategies for improving farm physical and financial performance
- Produce routine management reports to inform decision making for a farm production system
- Take responsibility for routine maintenance of vehicles, plant, machinery and equipment
- Implement and monitor a farm environmental plan
Graduates of the Dairy Farming strand will also be able to:
- Implement and monitor milk harvesting and milk quality plans
- Implement and monitor a dairy livestock health plan
- Implement and monitor a dairy livestock breeding plan
- Implement and monitor a dairy livestock feeding plan
Education Pathways:
On completion of this programme, students may progress on to the New Zealand Certificate in Production Management (Level 5) and Diploma in Agribusiness Management (Level 5).
Employment Pathways:
Graduates of this qualification may be employed in roles within the pastoral sectors where they take responsibility for the day to day operational management of a pastoral farming production system.
Duration of Study
44 weeks part time
Entry Criteria
Applicants must be in full-time employment on a farm
Academic Achievement
Applicants should demonstrate an ability to succeed in tertiary study, shown by the completion of any of the following qualifications or courses of study:
- National Certificate in Agriculture (Level 3).
- A minimum of three years prior experience within the farming industry.
English Second Language Students
Applicants whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools or other teaching institutions is not English, require an ELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 5.5 or above (or equivalent) for enrolment.
Life Skills/Work Experience
Applicants who do not meet the academic entry criteria above may be admitted to the programme/course of study if they are able to demonstrate:
- Equivalent farming knowledge and skills (minimum three years in the
- industry); and/or
- Previous and relevant life skills or work experience; and/or
- Other formal or information study such as to suggest likelihood of successful course completion e.g. career changer.
Dairy Farming Strand – $490
Agriculture (Level 4) FAQs
- This course is a 100-125 credit NZQA course, which aims to teach students the skills needed to move into Junior Management roles on farm.
- You will gain your NCEA certificate in Agriculture Level 4. Upon graduation from this course, you will be able to take on the responsibility for the day-to-day operational management on farm.
- Upon completion of this course, you will earn your New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture (Level 4). This is essential for those who want to continue to higher level qualifications and responsibility in the agricultural industry.
- It ensures graduates have the skills needed to take on Junior Management responsibilities. They can be left responsible to complete tasks unsupervised and help with the day-to-day operational management on farm.
This course runs for a minimum of 44 weeks, part-time only, with a period over the calving, lambing/docking where students do not need to attend class. It will cover all four farming seasons.
- You will have on farm visits from your tutor once a fortnight and will need to come into class once a fortnight for in-person learning.
- This course is part practical work and part paper based, theory work.
- You will have to do around 32 hours of practical work a week.
- You will need NCEA level 3 or above, or equivalent to apply.
- You can see our full list of equivalent life skills and work experience needed for this course, above. Or you can call us on ‘0508 TRAIN ME’ to learn more about the qualifications needed.
This course does require you to be employed full-time on a farm.
This course is currently held in Whangarei
Learn more by enquiring today…
I got my level 3 Dairy Farming through Land Based Training. It was so cool. I met nice people and the tutor is awesome. I class them all as the naki whanau
Yeah the best course around to be honest. Learnt so much!
I’m a level 2 Horticulture student and the tutors are so awesome and supportive. The other students are cool, we are a fun bunch. I have learnt so much in a short amount of time.
Awesome course, learning heaps & loving it! Free knowledge, a priceless gift I will always be grateful for.