2 minute read
Farmer has goals set in place for his career
After a childhood growing up on a dry stock farm in Hampton Downs and spending time on his grandparents’ dairy farm at Clarks Beach, Waiau Pa, becoming a farmer himself was a no brainer for Jimmy Cleaver.
e 2022 NZ Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) Dairy Manager of the Year for Auckland/Hauraki worked on a dairy farm through his schooling, and passed a Certi cate in Agriculture with distinction at Telford, while it was part of Lincoln University.
Setting high standards
In his rst year working after Telford he was promoted to manager after one year. He is now in his third season at Riverview Oaks, Rangiriri, as manager for Grant Clune, with two more full time sta . Riverview Oaks is 140 hectares, run under production system four, with 360 mixed breed cows milked through a 40 bale rotary shed.
Cows are fed in shed or on the feedpad with a custom blend that changes to suit the time of year. Maize is bought in and grass silage is cut from the farm.
“Our numbers rose to 420 cows in the 2022-23 season as I bought 60 cows as part of my own asset building towards a sharemilking position. ese are leased to Grant and run as part of his herd.”
Jimmy also has 20 replacement heifers that he grazes o farm.
Commendable approach
Jimmy treats all the cows as if they were his own and it is important to him that all the animals in his care are healthy.
“I set a goal of working out why some of the herd were empty. Using our herd records, I was able to pinpoint that it was metabolism issues stopping them getting in calf.”
Jimmy talked to people and researched before changing things ready for the next calving season. is included measures like feeding calcium supplement prior to calving so levels were already high in the cow when it was needed.
Jimmy has a commendable approach to pasture.
“I o er the cows much more grass than I think they would eat and move them on sooner. A larger area is grazed but a higher residual is left behind and grows back faster. Our milk production noticeably went up that season.” e farm was averaging 360 kg/ MS per cow previously and in the 2020-21 season went to an average 400 kg/MS per cow after Jimmy’s changes. His goal is further improvement and 2021-22 averaged 405 kg/MS per cow and 2022-23 is well on track for 460 kg/MS per cow
People management
Sta management and well-being is important at Riverview Oaks.
“We do 12/2 over calving and 11/3 during quiet times which gives us roughly every other weekend o .
“ roughout the year we get a sleep in one week in three, and our goal to nish by 5.15pm during calving. It’s really important we get time o and aren’t overworked.”
Jimmy was awarded the LIC Interview Award at the 2022 National Finals, and he jokes about having to wear a suit, “I mean can you even imagine me in a suit?”.
“It’s like a corporate interview where you get asked random questions, with no preparation and under pressure.”
To his surprise Jimmy actually enjoyed the interview and after he’d answered all his questions “promptly and in a con dent, relaxed manner”, the judges left the room saying they “felt very happy about the new generation entering farming”.
Jimmy’s future plans include discussions with his farm owner Grant about sharemilking or possible equity partnerships.
“I’ve had an awesome opportunity with Grant, and I would love to stay on this farm and be part of its future.”
