Nfd2013 by Sun Media

SPRING

Showcasing 33 of New Zealand’s newest dairy farm developments

2013

A special supplement by

Sun Media Ltd 07 578 0030

Winchmore-Mitcham LP

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Grassmere Dairy Page 54-

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Inside the country’s newest dairies

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Coast & Country

New Farm Dairies is brought to you by...

New Farm Dairies is New Zealand’s most comprehensive guide for farmers planning a new farm dairy construction.

Each dairy is a high-tech food handling facility

It showcases a range of the newest farm dairies in the country, offering farmers a vital, in-depth reference for their own dairy projects. We distribute more than 30,500 copies of the FREE publication to all dairy farmers throughout New Zealand, reaching all corners of the country’s vast dairying industry.

No.1 The Strand PO Box 240 Tauranga 3140 phone 07 578 0030 fax 07 571 1116 email ads@thesun.co.nz

Lois McKinley Sarah Adamson Advertising Graphic Designer 027 281 7427 Page Layout Coordinator

Brian Rogers Director/Editor

Claire Rogers Managing Director

Merle Foster Journalist

Elaine Fisher Editor

Some of the New Zealand’s most high tech food handling facilities are to be found on dairy farms up and down the country. The brand new or renovated dairies featured in the 2013 edition of New Farm Dairies incorporate advanced technology for collecting, handling and storing milk which go far beyond anything the industry’s pioneer farmers could imagine. Every aspect of animal management, health and comfort, through to testing and storing milk from cows and goats ready for collection, has been revolutionised by technology. Technology is moving so quickly, it has already advanced in the time it has taken from the writing of these articles to the completion of this publication. However, technology companies allow for this and by keeping in touch with their local dealers, farmers can find out what’s new on the market for the planning of their new dairy, or to upgrade their existing facility. What is also new in the industry is the increasing number of dairy goat farms which are giving rise to purpose-built dairy parlours, fitted with high-tech equipment either adapted from that used for cows, or designed especially for goats. Not only are goats smaller and lighter than cows, they are also smarter, and dairies have to be designed to ensure goats don’t figure out how to open the gates and wander off where they please. The drive to build new, improved dairies for milking cows is not slowing; and while this issue features dairies from the Far North to deep in the South, there’s no shortage of yet more dairies to add to the list for the 2014 New Farm Dairies publication.

Lois McKinley, New Farm Dairies consultant, is already taking bookings from contractors wanting to showcase their newest sheds in next year’s publication. “I encourage, builders and contractors who are currently working on projects or in the construction planning process to contact me now so we can ensure we have room for their dairy parlour to be showcased in the 2014 edition,” advises Lois. New Farm Dairies is a must read resource for anyone planning a new dairy project – and many of those featured this year had used previous editions of NFD as a valued research tool. The New Farm Dairies team of reporters has been again impressed by the dairies and farms they visited and by the warm welcome and generosity of farmers and all involved in the projects in sharing their knowledge and experiences of building a new farm dairy. That willingness to freely share knowledge and information is a unique feature of New Zealand where farmers focus on the greater good of their entire industry, rather than keeping what they know to themselves. Sharing knowledge and experience is also one of the reasons the industry is able to make rapid advancements. While farmers learn from the companies who produce the technology installed in their dairies, those companies in turn learn from farmers what works, what doesn’t, and what is needed to make the farm business efficient, economically viable and environmentally sustainable. To be featured in New Farm Dairies 2014, call early to avoid disappointment. Contact Lois McKinley on 06 3429602 or 027 281 7427. Publishers Brian & Claire Rogers.

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Farm kid loves choices on offer My earliest childhood memory is waking up to loud clatter of a milking machine churning with rhythmic clicking of pulsators – and looking at happy cows, milking, chewing their cud.

In 1981 my parents turned Grandad’s 10-bail walk-through into a 12-aside herringbone on their Far North farm, in my family four generations. With busy parents, in the mid1980s, I was in the shed as much as them. They built me a chicken mesh pen, up high, looking over the bails. Wrapped in warm clothes at 4am milking, and locked in the mattress-laiden pen with drink, food, blankets and toys while mum milked – I loved it. As I grew older, I’d listen to Saturday morning kids’ radio shows – like ‘Br'er Rabbit and the Tar-Baby’ – while I rounded cows from the yard into the bails. My favourite job was washing down the yard with high-pressure hose – I could hardly drag or hang onto it – wasting lots of power and water as I went. Now a 28-year-old townie, I’ve been visiting new sheds in Northland, Bay of Plenty and Canterbury for this publication. Wow – how dairy sheds have changed. Today, products, services, and inventions save labour and give such accurate information on cow health and production. In today’s shed, there is no washing yards by hose, no getting out of the pit thanks to backing, drafting and drop chains gates; and farm kids enjoy modern nurseries on-site. Forget Grandad’s GVB (Gordon Vacuum Break) bucket machine.

New milking machines run quietly; and instead of pushing five buttons in a precise order to start it, the vacuum pump and turn on the water – you push one. Mum’s old chalkboard is redundant thanks to herd management systems – and you don’t even need the yellow book that gets wet during calving. Milk meters perform daily mini herd tests and teat spraying happens automatically. With a new rotary, like the flash ones in Canterbury, Dad wouldn’t have needed mum hanging around – or vice versa – with most plants having automatic cup removers, inshed feeding, and automated plant/ platform wash systems, making it a one-man or one-woman operation. Nearly everything is fool proof or what one farmer described as ‘KISS’ – ‘Keep it Simple Stupid’. And every farmer can pluck ideas and mechanisms to suit their style – whether it be technology-heavy or minus the bells and whistles. Energy use and supply, water consumption and effluent discharge are still top of farmer woes – but there is lots of gear to deal with each. However, the right choice of product depends on who you ask – new-to-dairy farmers see things differently than the traditional herd. While these contraptions make big herds easier and faster to milk – it’s heartening to see there are still farmers who hold innate care for their herds – and have a pet cow or two. I will never forget my memories of the good old days in our dark, dingy shed – but for farmers of today, the future of building new dairies is bright. By Merle Foster

FARM

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Taha Awa MacPhail Pizzini Trust Wairio Farm Company Graejo Dipton Mokoreta Dairies Marire South Tunoa Downs Blackpine Komano Terry Farms Grassmere Dairy Glen Athol Fern Hill Murray & Sons Cawte Farms Pamment S&S Moffitt McGougan Maraeroa Oturoa Trust Easton Waitangi Dairies Stratford Island Cliff Dairy Barrhill Tarawera Winchmore Mitcham LP Walker Methven Dairies Canterbury Grasslands Parautika

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TAHA AWA FARM LTD

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Fascination leads to goats Why diversify into goats? Stuart and Michele Clarke decided this would be the best option for their fertile flat land near Morrinsville in the Waikato. Stu already owned 20 hectares and in 2003 acquired another 80 hectares next door in partnership with his wife, Michele. They had been running it as a crop and beef farm. By Helen Wilson

“I had been fascinated with the dairy goat industry and when I started to make some enquiries about farming them, it was a closed shop. It was very difficult to get any kind of information and the milk supply quota was strictly controlled by existing farmers. I knew there was an international demand for goat’s milk so I persevered and finally got some answers,” says Stu. They acquired a herd of 400 milking does, mainly Saanen with a few Nubians and some cross breeds from a friend who was selling his herd. Now the goat herd had been organised, the next stage was to build an efficient milking shed. They decided to use Morrinsville builder WD Davenport which has been building dairy sheds for more than 20 years. “Stu and Michele did some research on the internet on goat flow and milking sheds in New Zealand and Europe and decided that the most efficient goat dairy shed would be a 60 bail rotary. We were given the specifications of the platform and then designed and built around that. It was similar to dairy cows but on a smaller scale. We have our basic herringbone and

rotary dairy shed designs which we are always able to adjust to the client’s requirements,” says Warren Davenport. The project was progressed in good time with three or four builders on site. The bails are smaller, have high solid sides as the goats do tend to be inquisitive and will jump over if there is something that attracts their attention. The goats have adapted to the rotary a lot quicker than cows and are always eager to get on to the platform. The building’s walls are made of refrigeration poly panel for easy cleaning and the roof is low maintenance colour steel. The goat dairy shed has been designed to cope with up to 800 goats. The Clarkes intend to increase their herd in the next few years. Goats are getting more popular and WD Davenport Builders have had lots of interest and at least four solid inquiries on four more goat rotaries. Graham Silvester, owner of Silvester Electrical in Morrinsville has installed the electrical requirements for a number of dairy goat sheds. “I have learned through experience that goats have peculiar habits like chewing anything available so we had to make sure all the wiring was out of reach or well covered. Other than that it was really similar to any other rotary dairy shed,” says Graham. Most of Silvester Electrical’s work is around Morrinsville, with rotary and herringbone dairy sheds, effluent systems and all farm installations and maintenance as well as domestic and commercial work. They provide service you can rely on 24 hours, seven days a week. “Stu contacted us to advise us of his intentions to build and convert to goat milk supply, and asked for information on options that were available for the milk cooling process. For a premium product the milk has to be cooled to the required temperature, ready

The goat dairy shed has been designed to cope with up to 800 goats.

Coast & Country Taha Awa Farm

There is plenty of room for the goats in the large shed.

for pickup by the tanker. Stu decided to keep things simple and chose the Centigrade designed, built, tried and tested two stage precooling system consisting of an ice bank with an independent direct expansion vat cooling unit. Ice bank cooling systems have been around for many years and with a few modern tweaks not only cools the milk very efficiently, in this case, producing energy saving tempered water for plant washing purposes at the same time,” says Centigrade Ltd’s project manager Paul Donderwinkel. The two separate chilling systems provide back up which means that “not all the eggs are in one basket”. Additional controls were also devised to avoid freezing milk during low milk volume periods.

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TAHA AWA FARM LTD The 60 bail rotary with solid sides.

The goat dairy shed looks stunning in its landscaped grounds. Warren and Pete Davenport, Stu and Michele Clarke and Graham Silvester.

These look different, only two teat cups in a cluster.

The goat rotary has platform with a difference Rural Engineering is based at Waihou just out of Morrinsville, and has gained a reputation for quality when it comes to designing yards for dairy sheds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This was the first rotary goat dairy shed we have designed. It was similar to a dairy shed yard but little things like mesh around the outside of the round yard to stop the goats putting their heads out and getting stuck with the backing gate and spring loading gate latches to stop the goats opening them. Goats love a challenge so we had to make sure the yard was secure,â&#x20AC;? says Rural Engineering manager Brad Johnson. Rural Engineering caters for new dairy sheds right through to repairs and maintenance and general engineering. The Milfos iCOMPAC GS Goat Rotary Platform is truly a platform with a difference. The design borrows heavily from the technology that is employed in the Milfos range of cow milking rotary platforms. It is supported on a set of precision nylon rollers and each roller has four heavy duty bearings to ensure long life and also a compensator system that ensures the weight

of the platform is evenly distributed on all rollers. An automatic grease dispensing system takes care of lubricating the beam and rollers and does not make a mess like oil based systems can do. The platform is driven by twin variable speed opposing thrust drives. This system allows the use of large diameter drive wheels. The large diameter wheels enable the tension required to drive the platform to be reduced to a minimum, therefore reducing side loading on the drive and wear on the drive wheels. The chassis of the platform is constructed from precision laser cut components and supports a laser cut 5mm hot dip galvanized steel chequer plate deck. The bail construction is also fully hot dip galvanized and features built-in feed bin dividers and solid panels to separate the goats. The platform also features a continuous stainless steel feed trough and is designed to accommodate the full range of Milfos Automation Solutions. The Taha Awa platform is an external Operator model. Milfos also has an internal Operator variant of this platform avail-

able. The Milfos iCONVEYER GS milking system has been designed for high performance and ease of use. The lightweight iTP 205 goat clusters are easy to use. These clusters incorporate a unique shut off valve which automatically controls the vacuum supply to each liner during milking. Milfos iPULSE pulsation is installed and the rates and ratios of the pulsation are controlled by the iNTELGEN. The machine also uses iCIP cluster washers that are specially modified to suit goat and sheep milking applications. These have adjustable flow rate control and a non return valve that allows the operator to begin placing the clusters on to the cluster washers while the last goats are still being milked, therefore saving time during the wash up. Milk is handled by an iNTELCENTER which uses variable speed to control the milk pump, ensuring that the milk passes through the plate at a slow speed to maximise cooling. The milk purge and automatic wash valves are also controlled by the iNTELCENTER. This

CONGRATULATIONS!

means that the operator can switch the machine from milk to wash mode without having to manually operate any valves, saving time and ensuring that the plant is always configured to wash correctly. Milfos has installed the latest technology in rotary glands on the Taha Awa platform; the Hi-Flow 3C with Plus Kit. This gland is capable of supplying vacuum, milk, power, and data, wash water and compressed air all through one unit. This means that the platform does not need to be parked during the wash cycle which also saves time during clean up. There is also no need to install a noisy compressor on the platform to operate the automatic valves and milk purge unit. All milk, wash and purge functions are operated remotely from the iNTELSTART which sends the signals to various controllers via the Milfos interactive data network. The iNTELSTART also controls the vacuum pump and water flow through the plate cooler ensuring that the cooling water is turned on only when required.

TAHA AWA FARM LTD

Page 6 Michele and Stu Clarke and some of their goats.

Coast & Country

Right: Graham Silvester indicates the switch board.

Taha Awa Farm

Zero-grazing keeps up to eight hundred goats warm and dry There is a double bank plate cooler installed which allows for efficient primary cooling via the farm water supply and a second chilled water circuit to maximise cooling efficiency before the milk enters the vat. The iROTAVAC Rotary Lobe Vacuum Pump is controlled by an iNTELVAC variable speed vacuum pump drive, this ensures that the vacuum pump only runs at the speed required to maintain a constant vacuum level, therefore reducing both noise levels and power consumption. Post-milking teat care is handled by an iSPRAY compressed air teat spray system. This high volume teat spray vessel is manufactured from heavy wall schedule stainless steel and is designed to handle highly corrosive iodine solutions for many years of operation. The Milfos milking machine was installed by the Milfos agents, McLarens Rural Services based at Morrinsville. They provide a complete service to farmers, from pump installation and service to mowers and chainsaws and are available 24 hours a day, every day. “We are very pleased with the way the goat rotary has worked, the yards are well designed the large Aztech shed is well positioned at the end of the yards and being built from natural wood it blends in well and provides the best

housing for the goats,” says Stu. with Aztech’s barn designs to enable maximum Taha Awa Farm Ltd’s new Aztech Buildfresh air and productive conditions. ings’ dairy goat barn utilises the zero-grazing Another of Aztech’s clients says of the buildtechnique where dairy goats achieve optimum ings; “The structural integrity and permanent production and do not graze directly on the pas- design of the building provides total assurance ture. Fresh grass is cut and carried to the goats that our animals are safe in harsh weather condialong with other nutrients and supplements tions. The durable timber structure is warmer through an automatic feeding system. The goats but breathable and also dampens the noise. are a lot happier in the warmer and Production from our herd is our income, so dry environment of the barn. we couldn’t afford to put their health “The demand for goat and safety at risk during construction milk outreaches the and for years to come. We comTraditionally the does current shortfall of pared any alternate option and can kid within the goat farmers, and knowing that a lot of other dairy in having a proven farmers were pleased with Aztech first two weeks and track record in Buildings along with payback most of them have permanent goat calculations helped reassure our twins and triplets housing, Aztech is initial decision. We then proved the continually conlevel of customer care and service by structing various barns the Aztech team who surpassed our for the industry,” says Matexpectations and it didn’t just stop there, it is thew Hoyle, from Aztech Buildings. like a lifelong relationship”. Aztech sustainable timber structure design proThe benefits of the zero-graze technique are vides optimum warmth and permanent safety available online along with the full dairy housfor the herd. Although the goats don’t eat off the ing blueprint for farmers incorporating dairy ground, they have access to the outside to soak feed-pads and stand-off barns. Aztech also up the vitamin D from the sun and for further specialise in a full range of rural buildings from fresh air. Air-flow and temperature is optimised calf sheds to lifestyle buildings.

Taha Awa Farm is a seasonal goat farm with the does kidding at the end of June. “Traditionally the does can kid within the first two weeks and most of them have twins and triplets,” says Michele. The goats are housed in the shed to eliminate worms and hoof problems and fed fresh grass, goat meal, hay and silage four times a day. There is a nursery set up where the kids are kept after two days on their mother. Michele then bottle feeds them until they can manage the adlib feeder. After 10 to 12 weeks they are weaned. There is good demand for young milking does so any that are not kept for replacements are sold to-up-and coming dairy goat farmers. The males are sold for meat. “It takes two people about 55 minutes to milk, one at cups on and one at cups off, and then 15 minutes to clean up. Goats are a lot gentler to milk and they all have their own personalities,” says Stu. There is very little effluent to worry about and any that there is will be spread back on to the paddocks. Most of the liquid is wash down water. There is an increasing global demand for goat’s milk and at present it is processed into powder and most is exported. By Helen Wilson

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TAHA AWA FARM LTD

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Coast & Country

From dairying to maize and back again By Elaine Fisher

Sixteen years ago a microscopic organism led to a dramatic change in farming practices on David and Kath MacPhail’s Tirau farm. Called Neospora caninum, the protozoa caused one-third of the dairy herd to abort – and a disheartened David sold the cows and ploughed the paddocks for maize. Now the farm has come full circle. The maize has gone, the cows are back and there’s a brand new dairy parlour too. “We were milking 240 cows here but when around a third of them slipped because of protozoan Neospora caninum I decided get rid of the cows and to try something else,” says David. Fences and water troughs were removed, the old dairy de-commissioned and maize planted. The crop was rotated with pasture to graze sheep through the winter. “We had good maize crops but over time

saw the fertility decreasing and decided, as this is some of the best dairy land around, we should go back to milking,” says Kath. The new herd has been tested and found clear of the protozoa and David hasn’t been completely out of touch with dairying. He’d been involved in dairy conversions in the South Island.

Partnership

When the neighbouring farm on Lewis Rd at Tirau became available, David and Kath went into partnership with Mark and Jenny Coppard to buy the property, as it opened the opportunity to milk up to 400 cows. Currently, 280 are being milked on the original farm. The new acquisition is still growing maize but will be re-fenced and readied for grazing soon. The conversion of the family farm to dairy began last year as soon as the last of the maize crop was harvested. A construction site for

the new dairy, on the opposite side of the tanker turnaround, was prepared and the farm re-fenced into 2 ha to 2.5 ha paddocks.

Waihou River

“On this farm we don’t have any hills but we do have sidlings, leading down to the Waihou River,” says David. Much of the farm is flat, sloping to the river on three sides. David has owned the property for more than 30 years and continued the tree-planting tradition of its earliest owners, creating an attractive property at the end of a quiet country road. The decision, over which style of dairy to build, was easy. “The herringbone is about half the price of a rotary,” says David. Although

David and Kath decided to return to dairying – they didn’t plan to return to hands-on milking. So David made a phone call to his son Hayden in Berlin, asking if he was ready to come home. “The timing of that phone call was great. I’d been away for four years and was really ready to come back. This is a great opportunity for me,” says Hayden, who was playing social rugby for the Berlin team at the time. He’d had a number of jobs during his OE, from farming to cropping to being a ghillie for deer stalking clients in Scotland. “That was a good job. There are some magnificent red deer in that part of the world.”

Old stables and outbuildings from pioneer days add a rustic charm to the attractive landscape of the MacPhail property.

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Simplicity of design and efficiency of operation Waikato Dairy Builders constructed the dairy Hayden came home to milk in and Jim Harris says it is a simple, practical parlour which took about three weeks to build and is based on a tried and true design. “It’s the design we’ve been using for years and know works well, however, we aren’t hard and fast on design, working with clients to build what suits their needs. Everything in the MacPhail dairy is pretty standard. This dairy has lots of natural light and is quite spacious as we put in feeders to make one side wider so you can get easy access to cows when doing AI. “The pipework is also our standard design because once again we know it works. One of the biggest changes in recent years has been the move from 660 to 700 centres which makes herringbones flow well.” A feature of Waikato Dairy Builders’ sheds, which have become increasingly popular, is the kids room where children can play safely while parents are milking, says Jim. “This room where kids can be safe and warm, with a covered porch

The yard is a standard Waikato Dairy Builders design, proven for ease of cow flow.

outside has become just about standard in our dairies now because it works so well.” All construction materials are low maintenance and Jim says should any part of the building be damaged, replacement is relatively easy.

Cup removers Milk ‘n’ Water Services Matamata installed the Milfos milking system for the 36-aside dairy and has provided second to none service and training which offers real value to the business operation of the dairy. This is something that all GEA Farm Technologies Service Partners pride themselves on. When David was looking at the options of which brand of milking machine to go with, he decided on a Milfos machine as the value of the total package allowed him to go straight to automatic cup removers, which were outside MacPhail of the budget on other quotes.

Hayden, David and Kath MacPhail are pleased with the simplicity and efficiency of the new dairy.

The Milfos iCRs are a high-spec cup remover mounted directly to the swing arm. This opens up the milking pit, improves cluster alignment with a mixed size herd, and with a one-man operation it means that in a long 36-aside, Hayden will not over milk the cows. The Milfos iCRs have the function Jim Harris of Waikato Dairy Builders which constructed the where, if a cow kicks off MacPhail dairy.

the set of cups before the minimum milking time is reached, the cluster drops down in the pit just off the floor and activates an LED light kick-off alert. This means that the operator can easily see if a cow has kicked off, at a glance, and re-cup as required. This is just one of the features of this cluster remover which is normally only reserved for high-end rotary machines in some brands.

Swing arms

Milk ‘n’ Water Service director Shaun Jellie says the milking system is simple and efficient. “Milfos swing arms leave a nice clear pit and are probably the one thing which has caused the biggest revolution in herringbone sheds in the last few years. They can also be fitted to existing dairies to free up the whole pit.”

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MACPHAIL

Coast & Country

Set-up offers water and energy saving features The installation also has a variable speed IntelVac vacuum pump for stable vacuum, swing down-jetter line for ease of placing the cups in the jetters, and Intel-Jet 2 which creates turbulence in the wash cycle to make sure the plant stays well-cleaned. Another key feature in the MacPhail’s dairy is the Milfos Intel-Start, which is located at a handy central point in the shed. This eliminates the requirement for the electrician to place start switching for the plant; and controls the plate cooler water pump so the water is not running unless the milk pump is running, so saving water use in the shed. It also controls the plant stop, purge and pump out options. This is networked to the end of the milking pit so all these functions

MacPhail

Milfos swing arms leave a clear pit in the herringbone dairy.

Buster Cover installed this 16 tonne, American-made VALCO Meal Silo for the in-shed feed system.

are available from any working part of the dairy. The system is all low voltage and is fitted by the machine fitters.

Energy saving

The compact pumps are installed in a pump shed close to the pit entrance. “The variable speed drive vacuum pump is now a standard fixture because of it efficiency and energy saving features.” Having the water tanks adjacent to the pumps help

GEA area sales manager for south & west Waikato Paul Gilling and Milk ‘n’ Water Service director Shaun Jellie with the Milfos milking system in the MacPhail 36-aside dairy.

make installation straight forward, says Shaun. King Electrical, which celebrates its 50th jubilee next year, carried out the wiring for the MacPhail dairy. Director Adrian Baker also describes it as a simple, straight-forward building. “We had to re-route power to the site and one of the specifications for the dairy wiring was that it should be future-proofed to allow for growth.” Adrian says King Electrical has worked with the builder and other contractors before and the job went well. There should be no risk of stray voltage in modern herringbone or

rotary dairies but Adrian says King Electrical has invested in a costly piece of equipment which can detect very low levels of voltage, and uses it to check each job when complete.

Meal feeder

As a last minute add-on to his new dairy set-up, David decided to install a quality Buster Cover Ltd in-shed meal feeder. Buster Cover Ltd, a family owned and operated business is situated in Te Poi, near to David’s site, and has been installing in-shed meal feeders for the last 10 years – and has developed its systems dramatically over that time.

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MACPHAIL

Page 11

Feed, effluent, water sorted The in-shed equipment installed on the MacPhail farm included a 16 tonne, American-made VALCO Meal Silo, continuous stainless steel trough and one dispenser-per-cow system. “We have developed our own meal dispenser which is now produced in Hamilton and David’s shed was the fourth shed to have these new BCL dispensers,” says Talya Raumati of Buster Cover. “Our experienced installation team said the install went very well. The shed is very spacious and well thought out, which made it ideal for installing an inshed meal feeder system.” Reid and Harrison has installed one of its latest, multipurpose pumps to run both the effluent and fresh water systems on the MacPhail Farm.

Brett Clow of Tanks & Silos with the 1.257 million litre effluent holding tank the company installed on the MacPhail farm.

The team behind the MacPhail’s new dairy are from left: Jim Harris of Waikato Dairy Builders, Hayden MacPhail, Seaton Dalley of Reid & Harrison, Brett Clow of Tanks & Silos, Adrian Baker of King Electrical, Shaun Jellie of Milk ‘n’ Water Services, Paul Gilling of GEA and farm owners David and Kathy MacPhail. Reid and Harrison co-director Seaton Dalley says the new PTO-driven, twostage pump is the equivalent of a 50 to 60 hp electric pump. It will suck effluent from the bottom of the 1.257 million litre tank to be spread on pasture. “If Dave should get an allocation to take water from the Waihou River, that same portable pump, attached to a three-point linkage on the tractor, will be able to run a water irrigation system too.” Seaton says the new pump is more efficient than a standard Yardmaster pump and can handle solids too. Reid and Harrison has also supplied the 10 hp electric stirrer inside the tank. “Effluent from the dairy runs through a

wedge sand trap to remove gravel before being gravity-fed to the tank. The stirrer will probably run for an hour before pumping. We estimate it will take 20 hours to pump the tank empty. The aim is to empty it as fast as possible when there is a nice clear window to apply effluent at the right application rate. When conditions mean it can’t be applied, then the farm has the storage required.”

Glass-steel tank

In the hollow, dug below the dairy, stands the brand new 1.257 million litre Tanks & Silos glass-fused-to-steel tank which took six days to install. Brett Clow of Tanks & Silos says the 23.91 metre diameter tank will provide up

to 90 days’ effluent storage for the MacPhail farm. It is constructed on a concrete pad, from panels 2.83 metres by 1.4 metres, which weigh about 140 kg each. These panels are bolted together and sealed to become water-tight and the finish is hard wearing, colour-fast, low maintenance and easy to clean. “These tanks have the best properties of both materials – the strength and flexibility of steel combined with the corrosion resistance of glass on both interior and exterior surfaces, which provides a unique liner-free system,” says Brett. David and Kath have plans to plant flaxes around the tank, helping it blend in to the already attractive environment of By Elaine Fisher their farm.

Page 12

PIZZINI TRUST

Coast & Country

Three-week-old shed already has milker’s ‘seal of approval’ Martin Pizzini knows a thing or two about time management and efficiency – he has to – he runs his own contracting business plus the family’s 125ha Morrinsville farm. An example of that efficiency is the generator he installed to power the milking plant in his new dairy. It doesn’t reflect poorly on the local power supply – it’s just more cost effective. As the contracting and the farm grew, and both needed his attention, Martin separated the two and this season gave up dairy grazing to put more time into the contracting side. Then he hired sharemilker Norman Burgoyne, and built a new Waikato Milking Systems 36-aside herringbone to handle the increased 400-strong herd. Martin’s a firm believer in supporting local industry, so after he’d completed the groundwork he called in the locals to complete the dairy – Morrinsville companies PW & RP Anderson and Crossroads Engineering for the buildings and yards; and Geo Hutchinson to fit the Waikato Milking System.

‘Nothing’s a problem’ First in was Paddy Anderson, owner manager of Morrinsville company PW & RP Anderson Builders. Martin liked Paddy’s designs, his ‘nothing’s a problem’ attitude; and the reputation for quality work that he’d built during 25 years of design-

ing and building dairies. When the concrete was put down, Paddy set in place all the galvanized steel uprights and posts for the yard and building. Then Graeme McIntyre from Crossroads Engineering (another local company) welded on the structural steel for the building. And while Paddy built the dairy, Graeme got on with the bails and the rails out in the yard.

By Graeme Dobson

Josh Norquay from Waikato Milking Systems, sharemilker Norman Burgoyne, Waikato’s Morrinsville agent Brian Crowe from Geo Hutchinson and farm owner Martin Pizzini. All up, it is a well-coordinated and efficient system developed over years of working closely together – in fact it was Paddy who first encouraged Graeme to start Crossroads in 2008. “We normally do three or four sheds a year, but there’s not many conversions like Martin’s left around Morrinsville now. It’s mostly farmers buying up the neighbours and building bigger dairies for bigger farms,” says Paddy. “I do a lot of maize bunkers and feed pads, as well as buildings. I’ll do pretty much anything in the building line.” Paddy designs his own build-

The dairy shed that Paddy Anderson from PW & RP Anderson Builders built.

not working on dairies with Paddy or one of the other local builders, Graeme looks after local farmers’ welding needs with both new fabrications and repairs. And it’s keeping him pretty busy – something that tends to happen when farmers find a good, reliable tradesman.

ings to suit his customers, making Local and NZ-owned sure he leaves room for later Speaking of reliability, that’s just expansion. “Herringbones are more what Martin went for when he chose popular in this area and the way we Waikato Milking Systems and their design them, with the flat roof, it’s Morrinsville agent easy to add Geo Hutchinson. on to later. “I went with Waikato Milking “I went with The pit and Waikato Milking Systems because they’re local, platform are Systems because New Zealand-owned and all on the they’re local, New their gear’s proven.” same angle, Zealand-owned and so they can their gear’s proven,” be just extended. We’ve had a few says Martin. “With that combinathat have started off small and then tion you’re sure of good service and if anything is needed it’s on hand, no grown,” says Paddy. When he’s

waiting for it to be imported.” Actually, Waikato is the only major New Zealand-owned company remaining that can supply their own complete milking systems. The system Martin installed is all efficiency oriented or, as local Waikato Milking Systems’ sales manager Josh Norquay describes it, “a high end base model”. “On the one hand, it’s got the high quality SmartDrive variable speed milk pump controller and the Supa4 – a really good washing system with a full length 50mm stainless steel slugwash line – and a Hush Kit to quieten it all down. This is the most common design for Waikato Milking Systems’ herringbones and the Supa4 can be used from four to 40 sets of cups,” explains Josh. “There’s also high-end G2 Cluster Washers and 320 claws with the five-year warranty on them. But on the other hand, the dairy itself has been kept basic for ease of operation for sharemilkers.”

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PIZZINI TRUST

Efficient farmer goes for efficient shed “The almost complete lack of computers means the electrics could be kept simple and robust to cope with power fluctuations that can come from generator power supply; the variable speed milk pump needed protection,” adds Brian Crowe, from Geo Hutchinson. Brian had the job of installing the milking plant along with all the plumbing and pumps. Brian and his crew of five or six fitters are more than qualified for the job – Brian was working with milking systems for about 16 years, then he took a ‘break’ and worked on farm effluent systems for eight years before returning to the milking side five years ago. ‘Hutchies’ (as GEO Hutchinson are known locally) still do effluent systems – in fact they do anything, on or off the farm, that involves moving or storing liquids, whether it’s installing or just selling any of the pumps and equipment they’re agents for.

In-shed feeding

Once Graeme had the bails in, in-shed feed equipment suppliers Corohawk installed the feed troughs, pipes and augers to bring supplementary feed from the big silos out front into the dairy. Corohawk began in the Waikato 30 years ago as suppliers of feeding

equipment – silos, augers and delivery systems – to poultry farms before adding dairy in-shed feed systems to their services in the late 1990s. Chris Hawkings, manager of Corohawk, tells me that they have been NZ agents for the American poultry feed supplier Josh Norquay from Waikato Milking Systems and Waikato’s Chore Time for two years Morrinsville agent Brian Crowe from Geo Hutchinson. and import a lot of gear from them. But their feed cally with individually formulated rations. systems are Corohawk-designed for each Or they can be integrated with any dairy client. Their stainless steel feed trays and computer system, no matter how complex plastic dispensers are produced here and or simple. the imported plastic dispensers have to be The Corohawk in-bail feed system is one adapted to suit New Zealand conditions. For example, our harsh sunlight breaks down the of the few extras that Martin has put into the operation and, like everything else in opaque plastic many of the components are made from, so they have to be UV stabilised. the dairy, had to demonstrate that it would make a significant contribution to efficiency Most other components are sourced locally before it got the nod. or imported. The two big Chore Time grain In the end, Martin has got a very good, silos were imported directly from the US, and very cost effective unit. assembled and delivered onto site. It was completed just three weeks ago and Corohawk feed systems range from the so far there’s been only a handful of cows basic manual control (as Martins has) up to through it. But it already has Norman’s seal incorporating enough computer power to of approval. allow individual cows to be fed automati-

Page 13

Paddy Anderson from PW & RP Anderson Builders and Graeme McIntyre from Crossroad Engineering. Below:

Corohawk in-shed feed system. Chore Time silos from Corohawk.

Page 14

WAIRIO FARM COMPANY

Coast & Country

From sheep to dairying for Dixons By Helen Wilson

The second herd coming in to the yard.

What started out as the family sheep farm is now part of a large dairy farm at Wairio, near Wrey’s Bush in Southland. “My family has always lived in the area and all I knew about was sheep. In the midnineties we thought about dairy farming and now we have two adjacent dairy farms run separately but have the luxury of sharing staff and cows, depending on how the season is progressing,” says Kevin Dixon. Kevin and Wendy Dixon’s dairy farms are a family owned company and there is quite a bit of competition between the two. “When we first started dairying we had some equity

partners to ease the burden financially but we bought them out over five years,” says Kevin. The farm the newer dairy is on is 308 hectares with 295ha effective and at present milking 920 cows in two herds. The total land area consists of four purchases of sheep and beef farms over six or seven years and gradually converted to dairying. The 14-year-old 50-bail rotary dairy and the infrastructure was not coping with the extra cows. “There were just too many cows for the laneways.” The best solution was to split the herd and

the farm and build a new dairy. Centrally located, the longest distance the cows have to walk is 1.8 kilometres. The dairy is a Milfos iFlow 64 bail rotary with EL cup removers, Intel Wash auto wash system and Milfos cow restraints which keep the cows on the platform when necessary for a second round due to kick off or because of abnormal milking. The platform has a double beam with nylon roller technology which is hydraulically driven, saves wear and tear and creates a quieter smoother milking. It also eliminates any stray electricity which cows will easily detect

and react to by kicking off the cups. The drop down cup remover system directs the cluster under the bridge out of the way so the cows avoid getting tangled and saves any damage to the cluster. There is a two port Hiflow wash gland which allows the plant to be washed as the platform is moving. Each bail on the platform has Milfos iPud leg spreaders to help with cup alignment. The Milfos iNtelstart start which puts the plant into milk, wash and purge is all connected to the iNtelcentre which means the plant can be started with the press of a button anywhere in the dairy.

New laneways were put in.

WAIRIO FARM COMPANY

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Page 15

Wairio

Zac Gallagher, Grant Jackson, regional manager for LIC, Ryan Cornes and Daniel McDonald of Protrack support services.

Audio keeps milkers on track Invercargill based company Nind Dairy Services are the Milfos service partners for Southland and Otago and with their expertise and experience this dairy had the same “turnkey” package with the farmer just turning the key and everything works. “One of the differences here is that Kevin is using the hydrant we installed which can be switched between green water for the yard and clean water for other use. He has found it convenient and cost effective,” says Nigel McClymont managing director of Nind Dairy Services. Nind Dairy Services have catered for all aspects of dairy farming for the last 30 years and

• • • • • • •

dairy conversions are still proving popular in the Southland region. Kevin has opted to put in an LIC Protrack system which was also installed by Nind Dairy Services. “What this creates is the ability for Mitchell (the farm manager) to go motor biking with friends and the cows will get drafted automatically,” says Ryan Cornes, who is the Protrack support specialist. Once the Protack system is installed Ryan and his team come in and fine tune it and individualise it for each dairy farmer’s requirements. “The LIC Protrack System is labour saving, cost saving and allows easier management of

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animal health issues on detection by the farmer before they become a real problem,” says LIC regional manager Grant Jackson.

Electronic tag

Milfos EL clusters.

Each cow has an electronic tag and as she steps on to the platform Protrack can detect her number and she will be allocated to the correct bail within Protrack. “The key times of the year that Protrack is used for drafting is mating, scanning, calving and drying off,” says Grant. The Protrack monitor is located at the “cups on” or “cups off ” areas so the milker can see which cow they are dealing with and saves jumping up on the platform to read the ear tag.

Not only is there visual identification there is also an audio message over speakers placed in the dairy. This means the milker does not have to always watch the screen on the monitor. The Protrack system allows the farmer to have accurate useful information about each individual cow so they can make informed decisions about culling, treatments or feed requirements. “The Minda software sold by LIC serves as a useful interface between farmers and the dairy industry database with useful information. We understand that 90 per cent of farmers use Minda and Protrack is the only system that integrates directly with Minda. It’s clean and not clunky,” says Grant.

Page 16 Aaron Bremmer, owner of Hecton Products.

WAIRIO FARM COMPANY

“This system will measure the correct quantity for each group of cows through the Protrack system and can also be used without Protrack. It can be adapted for herringbone and robotic dairies. It’s an all-round versatile efficient system” says Aaron.

Measured feeding “I am really pleased with the way the Protrack system integrates with Milfos. It’s a real winner,” says Kevin.

Feeding system

With automation being the key to this dairy it seemed logical to install an automatic feeding system. Hecton Products are based in Invercargill and have been in business supplying farmers with essential equipment for more than 40 years. “Up until 2005 we were only supplying sheep handling equipment to farmers and now dairy farmers make up at least half of our business,” says Aaron Brem-

Coast & Country

mer owner of Hecton Products. The company installed the stainless steel feeding trays on the platform, the silos and the Feedtech automatic measuring system. “This system will measure the correct quantity for each group of cows through the Protrack system and can also be used without Protrack. It can be adapted for herringbone and robotic dairies. It’s an all-round versatile efficient system,” says Aaron. Hecton Products get lots of unusual requests for specific equipment and they will always try to supply what the farmer or lifestyle block owner wants. They supply trailers throughout New Zealand, export sheep handling equipment to

Looking from the yard. Australia, United Kingdom and the United States. “Kevin has been dealing with us for at least 30 years, firstly with sheep handling equipment which has not changed for 40 years and now that he has gone into dairy farming we were able to supply him with the equipment he needed,” says Aaron. During winter Hecton Products has to increase its staff from 12 to 16 to keep up with demand. Kevin has installed a Hynds precast rein-

Glen Palmer, GEA Farm Technologies: Kevin Dixon, farm owner: and Nigel McClymont, from Nind Dairy Services. forced concrete stone trap which takes care of stone, gravel and other items that come into the yard on the cow’s feet. The stone trap is designed in such a way that these are retained and allowed to settle preventing serious wear and tear on expensive effluent pumps.

Stone trap

The trap has been designed so a tractor with a bucket attachment can easily empty out the stones once it is full.

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WAIRIO FARM COMPANY

Page 17

Liquid effluent.

Energy saving water system The effluent comes into the stone trap at an angle that slows it down making the settling period more effective. The Hynds stone trap is easily installed and as part of the whole effluent system Kevin has found it very beneficial. The effluent storage ponds have also been installed by Hynds. They are easily constructed on-site and produce a leach free result. David Jack of Jack Refrigeration has been installing Wairio refrigeration

units for 24 years. He has now started up his own business based at Invercargill and he covers the Southland area. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The unit installed at Wairio South is a standard refrigeration unit. Its job is to keep the milk at the required temperature in the milk silos and it is coping well,â&#x20AC;? says David. They also installed a heat recovery system where the warm water is recycled and stored in the hot water cylinder saving on water heating costs. David employs three other staff and the company also supply refrigeration units for fish processing factories, supermarkets, cafes and bars, charter boats, freezing works, butcher shops

and live crayfish export. They provide a 24-hour seven days a week backup service for their clients and their mobile service vans are all equipped as workshops. The dairy was built during summer and completed on March 12 which meant any small problems were sorted out before the busy spring milking time. Kevin and Wendy Dixon have resource consent to increase their herd to 1200 cows and are looking to milk 1100 next year. Last year Wendy and one other helper raised 650 replacement calves. It has been a good season with the herd producing 470kgs ms per cow on average. By Helen Wilson

The large effluent pond.

Separated solid effluent.

Page 18

WAIRIO FARM COMPANY

Coast & Country

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WAIRIO FARM COMPANY

Page 19

Page 20

Graejo

GRAEJO TRUST

Coast & Country

Rotary best option for Graejo “At present the farm is milking 650 cows off 220 hectares of flat fertile land ideal for dairying.”

Situated close to Riverton in Southland, Graejo dairy farm is the culmination of several land purchases and is owned by Taranaki couple Graeme and Josie Reid and managed by Karl Moore. The Reids bought the original piece of land as a sheep farm in 1994. They supervised the development into a dairy farm milking 320 cows from their home farm in Taranaki and built a 38-aside herringbone dairy which was more than adequate at the time. “I started here as second in charge three years ago and worked my way up to manager. We have three permanent staff and my partner does the calf rearing and other odd jobs

around the farm,” says farm manager Karl. On leaving school Karl went to polytech and studied engineering but decided to try dairy farming in Southland for four years. After that he also tried fruit picking for a year and forestry work and has now been back in dairy farming for five years. The farm is seasonal with calving starting in mid-August. The total land area now is 450 hectares with access to dairy support and runoff land. At present the farm is milking 650 cows off 220ha of flat fertile land ideal for dairying. Graejo expect to increase the herd size to 750 cows next year and then 800 the year after. “In the morning it was taking two milkers four-and-a-half to five hours to milk the cows with one other on “herds”. The afternoon milking took at least three-and-a-half hours.

This added up to a lack of productivity with the cows spending too much time standing in yards,” says Karl.

Efficiency

It was time to think about a more efficient dairy shed which would cut down on milking time and attract and keep quality staff. Graeme and Josie sought the expertise of farm advisor Ross Cottier, from FarmRight Limited, a farm consultancy business. They did some investigation, looked at other dairies and talked to other farmers who were successfully using a rotary dairy and decided the best option would be a 54 bail rotary with a Milfos milking system. “Milfos was very competitive in their pricing and from experience I knew their components were reliable,” says Graeme. Building started at the end of March and

was completed in time for when the first cows stated calving in August. The new milking parlour was sited in the centre of the farm and made use of the existing laneways with the addition of only one new laneway.

Turn-key

“We call this a ‘turn-key package’, which means the farmer comes in and all they have to do is turn the key and everything starts working. We installed the milking plant, electrical system, plumbing and refrigeration which means the customer is dealing with one company all under one roof,” says Nigel McClymont of Nind Dairy Services, based at Invercargill. They are the Milfos service partner for the Southland and Otago areas and have a branch at Balclutha.

GRAEJO TRUST

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Page 21 Nigel McClymont from Nind Dairy Services, farm manager Karl Moore and Glen Palmer from GEA Farm Technologies.

Gains in efficiency and production The dairy shed is a Milfos iFlow-iCoveyer 54 bail rotary with EL cup removers, iNtel auto wash system and Milfos cow restraints which keep the cows on the platform for a second round when necessary for kick off, or abnormal milking. The platform has a double beam with nylon roller technology which is hydraulically driven, saves wear and tear and creates a quieter smoother milking. It also eliminates any stray electricity which cows will easily detect and react to by kicking off the cups. The drop down cup remover system directs the cluster under the bridge out of the way so the cows avoid getting tangled on exiting and saves any damage to the cluster. There is a two port Hiflow wash gland which allows the plant to be washed as the platform is moving. Each bail on the platform has Milfos iPud leg spreaders to help with cup alignment. The Milfos iNtelstart which puts the plant into milk, wash and purge is all connected to the iNtelcenter which means the plant can be started with the press of a button anywhere in the shed. “Graejo have a much more efficient milking system now and intend to upgrade to more milking data at a later date, such as individual cow information

and mastitis detection,” says GEA Farm Technologies area sales manager Glen Palmer.

Magic eye

Nind Dairy Services has catered for all aspects of dairy farming for the last 30 years and dairy conversions are still proving popular in the Southland region. As well as installing the milking plant the dairy shed has a Nind teat spray manager, a solenoid on the bridge controlled by two magic eyes and a limit switch which can detect an empty bail or if a cow is still milking. A huge cost saving is the hydrant which has been installed for use at a later date, to switch between fresh water and “green” water for washing the yard. David Rider of RDAgritech Ltd was responsible for the entire effluent pond design and construction process at Graejo. This included investigation, sizing, soil assessment, reporting, construction observation and final certification to Southland Regional Council for the project. RDAgritech Ltd is a specialist agricultural professional engineering company helping farmers obtain economic, robust, durable and environmentally

respectful effluent systems and other core services. Central government’s new mandates for improved water quality, nutrient management and sustainable best practices have created a capital cost implication for farmers. To adequately address this requires specialist expert input to achieve the goals, in the most effective way. Doing so can actually improve profitability alongside of ensuring compliance.

The pit area.

Risks

The Graejo effluent system pre-design site analysis identified some specific risks and considerations that were encompassed and addressed within the design. “The team at RDAgritech can provide a whole system design approach right down to the training required for the individuals that will be responsible for the systems effective operation,” says David. “The new rotary dairy has reduced milking time to three hours using one milker and one on ‘herds’ and we have had the highest producing season so far for seven years,” says Karl. This sounds like a good reason to invest in an efficient quality dairy shed.

Milfos EL cup removers.

By Helen Wilson

The effluent system.

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Page 22

Coast & Country

Frost protection for pipes part of dairy design

Dipton

The dairy shed sits in front of a range of hills. The team: Daniel McDonald, Dale Williams, Ryan Cornes, Mark Hosie, Leigh Walker, Peter Excell and John Ferris.

“It’s all go here at the moment,” says Dipton Dairies Ltd equity partner Tim Dawkins. By Helen Wilson

On the day the writer called it certainly was with digging machines working, a tractor and trailer moving dirt, a quad bike getting the next herd in, backing gate beeping, milking machines going and a loud speaker calling out the numbers of cows that needed some sort of attention from the operator. This was a normal day on a large busy dairy farm. There are two other equity partnerships in the operation including John Ferris of Sirref Corp Ltd. He is a farmer’s son from Te Awamutu and after leaving school went to Massey University and gained a Bachelor of Agriculture degree.

Farm equity partner, Tim Dawkins.

He has been dairy farming for 10 years in partnership with his brother and parents. The recently converted dairy farm was bought in February 2012. It adjoined land the equity partnership already owned and had successfully converted to dairying. The 360ha farm is flat, has a range of hills running alongside it and is situated at Dipton West in Southland. “It does get cold here in the winter.” “The conversion to dairy from sheep farming was started immediately, in the middle of February, and was finished on August 27 ready for the new season,” says John. The two farms are run as separate entities and between the two of them they are milking up to 2400 cows. This latest farm is currently milking 1150 cows and will start with 1200 next season.

“With the experience of building the first rotary dairy shed, the builder, Peter Excell, was able to tweak this one a bit and make a few improvements. Such as being able to draft two ways with an extra side yard using the LIC Protrack system, the silo sited against the wall to keep the pipes frost protected,” says John. Peter Excell Building Limited is based at Invercargill and they were recommended to the Ferris’s because of their price and quality of building. “We can build anything; houses, dairy sheds, bridges, effluent ponds and commercial buildings. John and Kevin Ferris changed a few things to suit their requirements and overall they have found it works really well,” says Peter. The walls are made of insulated panel which are strong,

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Page 23

DIPTON

The cows wait patiently in the yard to be milked.

Mastitis data, cow by cow at every milking cost effective, quiet, and easy to keep clean and the roof is colour steel. The south end of the dairy shed is covered in for protection against the weather and for the comfort of the milker. Peter Excell Builders also built a three bedroom house for the farm manager with an office, mud room and washing facilities in the carport, a practical farm house. “We can build to the client’s design if required as every situation is different or we can supply a design. There are a lot of new dairy sheds being built in Southland and we are pricing more at the moment,” says Peter.

There is a good reason why Waikato Orbit Rotary Platforms can be found on most new farms, their reputation is second to none and they integrate well with the milking equipment. At Dipton a 60 bail Orbit rotary has been installed. Concrete platforms have proven their worth over many years offering reliability, durability and great value for money. Their modern design incorporates many features that makes milking more efficient, faster and easier. The installation includes a range of laboursaving equipment. Waikato Milking Systems have a unique machine mounting system that

makes installation quicker, maintenance faster and they have specialised milking equipment that turns milking into an interesting and informative process. SmartD-TECT, a world first development designed in New Zealand by Waikato Milking Systems, provides the milkers with live mastitis data, cow by cow - at every milking. This makes it easy for anyone to detect, isolate and treat cows before these problems become severe. When integrated with Protrack Vantage, SmartD-TECT is complete. Animal ID and auto drafting becomes available and the system is operated automatically.

��

Background photo: On the way to fresh pasture. A powerful Waikato BP400 blower vacuum pump provides the vacuum and like the high quality Fristam milk pump operates from a SmartDRIVE variable speed control system. It is product combinations like this that help reduce wear and tear on expensive equipment, save energy and enhance milk quality. Proven Waikato 320 Cluster sets, G2 Cluster washers, SmartPULS electronic pulsation and a milk recovery System combine to make a very efficient milking system.

DIPTON

Page 24

Push of button cow control

Coast & Country

Dipton

Tania Black putting the cups on.

The cows stand square on in the bail.

Background photo: The new rotary working well. Dipton Dairies has installed an array of modern Waikato Milking Systems dairy equipment and a 60 bail Waikato Milking Systems Orbit Rotary Platform that will take them well into the future. Progressive Engineering based at Invercargill is the Waikato Milking systems agent for Southland. “We supplied and installed the milking machine, rotary platform, all the pumps and the plumbing. This was similar to the previous dairy shed but with a few updated ideas,” says Mark Hosie, owner of Progressive Engineering. Their main busi-

ness is the dairy industry supplying new dairy sheds and upgrades. They will maintain and service any brand of milking systems and have a large expert team to take care of effluent requirements. Progressive Engineering employs approximately 30 full time staff and has just employed Leigh Walker, who has 28 years of milking experience and eight years of experience in selling dairy chemicals. “Protrack, an LIC product is the most popular data recording system in New Zealand and works in closely with Waikato Milking Sys-

tems and provides farmers with access to the national dairy database and to the conductivity of each quarter of each cow pre-empting any health issues before they become a major problem,” says Dale Williams, Protrack solutions manager for central Southland. “LIC’s Protrack is always there before me and ready to work. When I am away I can see what’s happening at the dairy shed via a laptop or mobile phone,” says John Ferris, who is obviously pleased with the way Protrack is performing. Daniel McDonald is a qualified engineer

and now a Protrack installer and customer support specialist. “I make courtesy visits to the farm every three months and sort out any problems. We also give the customer training and make sure they get the most out of the Protrack system,” says Daniel. The most important times for using the LIC Protrack system are mating, pregnancy scanning, drying off and calving; all at the touch of a button. With more and more automation in rotary sheds, the automatic teat sprayer perfectly complements automatic cup removers and

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Page 25

Tailored to suit the individual farmer’s needs

A spray of water keeps the cups clean during milking.

The builder, Peter Excell.

Background photo: Some of the herd enjoying the lush pasture.

other technology, freeing up operators to attend to other tasks during the milking routine. WETiT’s Platform Magic teat sprayer is tried and true, reliable, accurate and consistent. With many accessories available such as cups-on and retention bar detection, draft and herd split alarms, no-spray switches and more the system is designed to be tailored to suit the individual farmer’s needs. These accessories are also easily added to existing systems should the need arise later. The WETiT Wave is the original foot

placement device, developed to complement the Platform Magic teat sprayer, with the many benefits of the positioning device quickly becoming obvious. The whole milking routine is quicker, cleaner and easier. The WETiT Wave is now available in two versions – glue down or bolt down. The Platform Magic–WETiT Wave combination is installed in thousands of rotary sheds, in New Zealand and overseas, with many satisfied WETiT customers re-installing their systems when they build new sheds.

Platform Magic teat spraying is accurate and consistent, ensuring a job well done every milking. Winton company Bulleid Engineering did all the pipe work for the new dairy shed. “We built the backing gate and the top gate in the yard and welded all the galvanized pipe rails and posts in the yard,” says Mark Hindle, owner of Bulleid Engineering. Most of their business is plant and farm machinery maintenance and they do about one or two new dairy shed conversions a year.

Agcool Refrigeration based in Invercargill installed the refrigeration. “I’ve been in the refrigeration for 40 years and the last 35 years installing refrigeration in dairy sheds,” says Dave Yates of Agcool Refrigeration. Dipton Dairies refrigeration requirements were in good hands with this sort of expertise. The landscape around Dipton is certainly changing with traditional sheep farms being converted to dairy farms and dairy sheds replacing shearing sheds.

By Helen Wilson

MOKORETA DAIRIES

Page 26

Coast & Country

Catlins conversion was easy Situated in the Catlins Forest Park in Southland, James and Fleur Worker have purchased, as part of an equity partnership, a 400 ha converted bull farm. By Lois McKinley

The farm was previously owned by Steve and Jenny Bevins, who are part of the equity partnership, and used as a run off – so the land was already partly con-

verted for dairying with the raceways all done and the fencing completed. This made the rest of the conversion much easier because there wasn’t quite so much to do. The surrounds are currently being worked on with plantings taking place. The farm is a credit to those who worked on the project. It is immaculate. Other couples in the equity partnership are Matthew and Vanessa Richards, Richard and Mandy Jones, and Phil and Karne Stirling.

James grew up as a ‘townie’ living in Palmerston North. He went to Massey University, and then went farming for three and a half years in the Manawatu. Moving to Southland after that, he has now been dairying down there for a further three and a half years. James says he prefers the Southland climate as it doesn’t dry out nearly as much as it does up north. Fleur was born up north where her parents farmed in Te Puke before they moved south in 1995. Fleur did all her schooling down south,

then after university, she did the city thing, spending time in Wellington, Auckland and Sydney before deciding to settle down in Southland. Fleur met James a week after returning to the south, and the rest, as they say is history. Fleur and James are in their second season sharemilking together; and James sharemilked on his own for a season, prior to that. James and Fleur jumped at the chance to become equity partners in the new dairy farm. “It was such a good opportunity,” says James.

Wintered 800 cows on farm. Next season they are planning on wintering 900 cows.

Left: Front view of the new shed highlighting the beautiful entrance with high windows. Middle: The Hypond effluent tank. Right: The Hynds storage bunker which holds the dried and augered sludge from the effluent pond.

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PH 07 578 0030 Left to Right: Doug MacDowall, Nigel McClymont and Alister Pearce from Nind Dairy Services, Fleur, Sam and James Worker.

Doug, Nigel and Alister.

• • • • • • •

Plans to grow herd to 1050

They are now 20 per cent lower order sharemilkers on the farm as well as equity partners. The farm was purchased with 45 ha of crop already planted, hence the farm only wintered 800 cows on farm. Next season they are planning on wintering 900 cows. Mokoreta Dairies is planning on increasing herd numbers during the coming few years until they reach about 1050 cows, dependant on how grass grows. The farm is gently rolling and flat consisting of 400 ha, with 370 ha of effective land. “There is a lot in crop,” says James. “We have fodder beet which we use for wintering, kale which is our spring feed and wheat which we harvest for silage in autumn.” James and Fleur employ three full time employees. Fleur works full time rearing calves with baby Sam, who at the time of my visit was nine-and-ahalf months old. The dairy parlour and effluent system were the main priorities for construction, with the races

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Page 27

managers’ milking regimes and herd. Automation was also up for discussion, where it was agreed to add cluster removers and cow restraints to the Milfos milking machine. This Site preparation ensured Mokoreta Dairies had a very reliable cup Site preparation and remover with the scope to upgrade in the future excavation of the raceto receive more production information such as ways was completed by cell count and yield information. Kelso Kontracting from In general, Steve and all involved ensured Gore, who has been this project ran smoothly with an impressive servicing the Otago and end result and a very well-functioning milking Southland regions for system. Glen said it was great to have had the 16 years now. Hamish positive feedback, after the build, on how well from Kelso Kontracting the dairy is functioning and living up to expectasays he also helped with tion. rock crushing for the An entry level 64 bail Milfos rotary shed with races, as well as digging cup removers has been installed, which means out the effluent pond. milking is a breeze. The cups are on by 5am and “As far as sites go, this was not a major,” says everyone is home by 8am. Hamish. “It was quite an easy site to prepare.” The Milfos platform is concrete, with a roller system underneath, and a twin I beam. There are Value for money no bearings, and no steel on steel to wear out. “This has been built to The partnership chose a Milfos plant because it was value for last,” says Nigel. money. “There wasn’t a lot of Another brilliant feature The Milfos difference in them all,” says is that the farmer can alter James. “It was much of a settings for the milking platform is concrete, muchness, but it came down system via his palm pilot. with a roller system to price and the package in The water heaters are underneath, and a twin the end.” hooked up to the heat “We had never dealt with exchangers on the outside, I beam. This has been Nind Dairy Services prior to ensuring they get the 45 built to last. this, but they are great – they degree celsius water coming are always there too if there are into the cylinders, then the eleever any problems.” ments in the water tanks take over Glen Palmer from Milfos, and Nigel and continue the heating process. from Nind Dairy Services first sat down with New Fonterra requirements mean there are two Steve Bevins early in 2012. milk filters in the shed. There are Their first job was to come up with a specificaIntel start boxes all over the shed, and they are all tion for the milking machine and automation to linked by data and can be started suit Steve and his farm from anywhere. and tanker track being upgraded due to extra usage.

MOKORETA DAIRIES

Page 28

Pumps save on energy In the engine room is a hydraulic pack, which in the event of power loss can be linked into the tractor to rotate the platform so the cows can exit. The same oil must be used in the tractor that is used in the hydraulic pack for this to work. A teat spray system is also part of the system, with WETiT waves on the platform so the cows spread their legs properly for an even coating of teat spray. A lot of milk is wasted over a season when putting the water through after milking, so a compressed air in the line has been installed to purge the milk prior to water going through.

Coast & Country

Mokoreta

Carbon footprint

Opus Group from Invercargill was on hand to provide professional advice to Mokoreta Dairies in the areas of resource management planning, engineering design and construction management of the effluent system. The planning stage included preparing and lodging of consents for land use, water take and discharge that complied with the council requirements. The design phase included investigaVariable pumps tion of the farm for suitable sites to The effluent One noticeable thing that Ninds do locate the effluent system. Initially, now with all their pumps is to put storage pond is a two sites were looked at on the top them on variable speed. They are of hills but both had high water HDPE lined earth fully automated and just require tables so an alternative site in a pond, with the the hose to be turned on and they small valley was picked. will run at a constant pressure. This transfer tank being This site also utilised an existmakes for a huge power saving. ing raised stock track as one a 100,000 litre Sometimes it’s the little things that of the bunds for the pond. make a big Difference. Hypond. Local sources of rock (from The one thing I the farm) were used in the noticed in this shed was design, to minimise the amount how clean and tidy it was. The of material that had to be brought skirt under the platform was spotless. in (which also helped to minimise the In a lot of sheds the skirt gets dirty carbon footprint). Geotechnical testing and is hard to clean. This was not the was undertaken to confirm the suitcase here. Nind Electrical invented a ability of the site and the materials to brush system that has a squirter (as be used. Opus designed the effluent described by Nigel) which squirts a management system using a Hynds jet of water onto the skirt as it rotates, Hypond and a Hynds precast stonefollowed by the brush which scrubs trap. off the loose shit. The effluent storage pond is a HDPE There is also another squirter facing lined earth pond, with the transfer tank the other way that squirts the walls, being a 100,000 litre Hypond. The stonewhich keeps the walls wet throughout trap is the collection point for the effluent milking and ensures the walls are kept from the yards and includes a 66,000 litre flood wash system for washing the effluent spotless and clean, and ensures a far off the yards. easier clean up.

The Milfos filters.

The Milfos platform, with WETiT waves.

The stonetrap at end of yard.

The floodwash at full flow.

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MOKORETA DAIRIES

Page 29

Green water wash system Opus Group also managed construction of the various components that make up the effluent system and provided engineers, who visited the site to direct the contractors, on the best and most efficient method of completing the work.

Effluent

Steve Bevins has been a client with Progressive Engineering for many years. Because of the history of working with similar projects in the past and the fact that Steve knew Progressive would deliver the project on time, in spec and within budget, he chose them to design and install the effluent system. The 100,000 litre Hypond with a submersible pump feeds up to a screw press separator, with the solids ending up in the bunker. A green water buffer tank is beside the system. Due to automation, the tank has the capability to recognise where the green water needs to go. It can go to the tank at the shed if it is nearly empty, otherwise it is diverted to the effluent pond. The effluent pond also acts as a progressive cavity pump which delivers effluent through the uni sprinklers and K-Lines over the pasture. Certain complexities of the system had to be dealt with, such as the amount of effluent going through the system needing to be disposed of quickly, the height of the effluent ponds, and the automation required to ensure the flood-wash system

worked efficiently and without fault.

entire yard. The overflow from the stone-trap is piped down to a Hypond further down Flood-wash is gold the race. In the Hypond there is a One of the better features submersible stirrer which keeps the The flood-wash of the shed is the green sludge from settling and the effluent water flood-wash system. is then run through a separator and cleans the entire This uses recycled green where the solids are squeezed dry, yard which water from the Hypond augered and dumped into a Hynds means absolutely after it has been through effluent bunker. The solids are later the separator. removed and put back onto padno yard washing The flood-wash system docks. The green water left behind is required by was designed by Nind Dairy goes into a tank, and is used for the Services and McMaster Engiflood-wash. This is a constant recycle staff. neering â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they both mucked of the same water, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very cost effecaround with a design until they tive and very efficient. came up with something that everyone All electrical work for the effluent system was liked. executed and perfected by Ninds. The flood-wash cleans the entire yard with There is a lengthy entry race which is all green water, and roughly once a month a fresh concreted and has hoses running the length of water wash is performed to stop slime buildit. This entry race has a smaller stone-trap at the ing up and to end of it, for the run off from the cleaning of keep the smell race. This run off also goes into the Hypond. down. There is a laser level in place over the Hypond, The floodwhich has been installed by Ninds. wash cleans the entire yard which means absolutely no yard washing is required by staff. Once the cows have been That sums it up milked the quite nicely. backing gate is reversed with the dungbuster lowered right to the ground. This scrapes the muck down to Glen Palmer from the bottom of the yard and into GEA Farm Technologies. a sand trap. The flood-wash is then activated to clean the

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MOKORETA DAIRIES

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Mokoreta

Coast & Country

Sweet treat moves cows

The laser level has a set height and when Hypond level reaches that height an alarm sounds and a strobe light is activated to alert people that there are issues that need attending to. The levels generally rise if the sludge pump stops working. The telephone system will notify if the green water tanks need to be filled, then it is a simple process to change valves and the tanks will be automatically filled.

Unique leach free

The Hypond is a unique, site-assembled, precast effluent tank that comes in four standard sizes and provides leach-free results.

Nigel McClymont from Nind Dairy Services next to the chiller units.

The panels can be easily loaded into place with a suitable excavator, and it’s normal volume capacity is 40,000 to 145,000 litre.

The McMaster backing gate can be operated from out in the yard. This saves time rushing to the shed to press a button to lower the backing gate.

Feeding and Yarding

The extensive yard work and feed system was constructed and installed by McMaster Engineering in Winton, which also manufactured and installed the backing gate. Owner Garth McMaster says he had four men working on the job. McMaster Engineering has been in business for 22 years, and services the Southland and Otago regions but also offers many other services throughout the country. The McMaster backing gate can be operated from out in the yard with the use of a console installed by Nind Dairy services. This saves time rushing to the shed to press a button to lower the backing gate.

Feeding the team

Cows can find it difficult to come into the dairy shed, especially a new one. As result, Fleur and James Worker use 4 Seasons Molasses as an enticement to move the herd through. Dairy cows love the smell of molasses and once they get a taste for it, they are more enthusiastic to walk onto the rotary platform.

The clean yard after floodwash has finished.

Milfos Crush Switch.

Mokoreta Dairies has a 30 tonne molasses tank, feeding into the platform on the rotary. It comes out of a single outlet, running out as the platform turns. The cows love it, and 4 Seasons Molasses tanker drivers say if cows are near the ‘molly’ tank, they can smell it coming, and will walk along the fence beside the truck, it’s that good! Shed flow is only one of the values of using molasses. The workers also use molasses to give their cows extra energy in spring when it’s cold and wet, and to get the cows cycling for breeding. It is a great companion feed for PKE, helping the cows eat PKE which would otherwise be not so palatable and easy to digest. When heading towards drying off, molasses also gives the girls that little bit of energy at the end of the season.

Nigel McClymont with the Nind teat spraying system.

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Page 31

Open and airy design beats the summer heat

User friendly switchboard Nind Dairy Services installed the switchboard so that it is user friendly. Living in such a remote area would entail high costs if servicemen had to be called out too often – so now if something goes wrong the farmer will ring Nind and read out messages on the screen of the switchboard, thus allowing Nind to talk the farmer through the necessary repair or quick fix.

The flood-wash cleans the entire yard which means absolutely no yard washing is required by staff.

Safety in the shed

There has been a dual rope switch installed for safety. One is a stop-start rope, the other is an emergency rope which will shut down the entire system and activate a siren on the back wall, which will sound until it is reset. The backing gate has a dragline, which goes along the outside of the gate, and can be activated so the backing gate just drops in stages which avoids animals getting trapped

as the gate lowers. One of Nind’s biggest callouts was for the jetter hosing getting ripped off the wall, so they have introduced overhead jetter lines to avoid this happening again.

Advancement for Protrack

All the consoles are geared up for LIC’s Protrack electronic cow ID system. Currently, the basic system is installed and is set up for advancement in the coming years.

Enhanced beauty

Overall, the shed is very open with lots of clear spaces and lots of light. The ability to open doors is an added bonus for the hot summer months when air needs to be circulated throughout the shed. It is incredibly easy to keep clean and tidy – and a credit to all involved. Plantings around the outside of the shed, still taking place at the time of my visit, will only enhance the beauty that was already there. By Lois McKinley

MARIRE SOUTH

Page 32

Coast & Country

Conversion from sheep to dairy

Marire South

Neil and Chris Love Thomson were originally sheep and grain farmers on a farm at Cookston, near Tapanui in West Otago. Two years ago the sheep farm across the road came up for sale. “It was the old family farm so I knew the farm well and it has felt a bit like coming home,” says Neil. By Helen Wilson

Equity partners: Harry Van Woerden and Neil Thomson. Adding the second farm to the existing area brought the total area to 350 hectares of flat to rolling land, growing lush pasture – ideal for dairy farming. “We converted to dairying in 2012 and to help us get started we involved Waitago Farms (Harry and Jeanette Van Woerden) and the Pearsons as equity partners. With their experience of dairy farming here in Cookston, their advice has been invaluable in setting up the

dairy farm,” says Neil. To help with the transition from sheep and grain to dairy they have started with 590 cows and intend to increase that number to around 700 to 750 as the farm conditions allow. The rotary dairy shed is centrally located on the farm so the cows benefit from the minimum walking distance. Staff includes herd manager Guus Ter Woorst, Neil and two others. Neil’s wife, Chris, does the calf rearing and is a qualified AI technician.

Neil and Chris called on the experience of the Herdflow team to develop a 54 bail rotary dairy shed at their Tapanui farm. A new style Herdflow dairy shed was designed with an open-front design including an additional portal for added protection for the cows. Double clear-light panels in the roof and additional side windows promote exceptional airflow throughout the shed while maintaining protection from the elements – especially during warmer months. The Thomson dairy shed has been built to withstand any condition and ensure operator comfort and ease. It has 1200mm high tilt

The large circular yard.

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panels topped with a 75mm chiller panel on all walls. Construction steel is of galvanised RHS portal construction quality for premium strength and durability. It is a light and airy shed and other features include a raised office and vet area. The site determined that a round yard construction was the most suitable, so Herdflow provided two round yard backing gates coupled with a Herdflow electric top gate. The crew at Herdflow built to the specific needs of the client and ensured that they were closely involved in all aspects of the design.

PH 07 578 0030

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MARIRE SOUTH

Light and airy design allows for optimum cow flow “We are very proud of the facility we have provided for Neil and Chris. Our light and airy shed design has met their expectations for optimum cow flow and ease of operation,” says Herdflow director John Perrin. Many new dairy sheds being built include a Dungbuster auto yard washing system for the many benefits it offers over and above manual washing and provides a good step forward to sustainable use of resources. On circular yards, the Dungbuster also offers a wetting spray of the cows to keep them cool which can increase production by up to five per cent. Effluent management and sustainability starts with less water use in dairies which is often forgotten, but very important. Every drop of water pumped into a dairy and mixed with dirt, dung and waste becomes effluent. “Water is precious and should be used wisely, so to save water use Dungbuster automatic yard cleaning system,” says Harmen Heeson, group CEO of Technipharm Group companies. By installing a Dungbuster, there is significantly reduced water use, less pumping in, less effluent generated and less effluent to manage – and a consequential saving in power. Dairy farmers who have installed a Dungbuster report that water use is down by up to 40 per cent, and

Precision post placing by Jamie Whyte of Whyte Contracting.

effluent reductions have been of similar amounts. “Additionally, labour savings of up to four weeks (per year) for most farms mean a saving or reallocation of at least $3000 to $4000 of time. Dairy sustainability and production growth is all about making our natural resources go further and better use of resources is more profit in your bank. This winter will be ideal for farmers to install a Dungbuster. If you order now you will reap the savings next year,” says Harmen. “I have found that it is best to deal with people who have the expertise and knowledge when taking on a huge project like this. We have been very impressed with Waikato Milking Services who took the time to show us similar dairy sheds. We even checked out their factory in Hamilton. Harry has had first-hand experience with them in the past so with his recommendation we decided on Waikato Milking Services for the milking plant,” says Neil. Marire South’s dairy shed includes a 54 bail Centrus composite Kevlar rotary platform made from the very latest in building materials. It incorporates new designs with specialized engineering methods to achieve a modern rotary platform that is 80 per cent lighter and five times stronger than one made in a conventional manner using concrete or steel. “Everything about the Centrus platform is unique from the way it is built, to the replaceable rubber cow mats designed to increase cow comfort during milking. Centrus is packed with user-friendly features.” The Waikato Milking System includes SmartD-TECT,

The Waikato Milking Systems Centrus platform.

a state of the art system designed and developed by the company to detect mastitis in its earliest stage of development, and at a time when treatment is most effective, says Dave Cassells, Waikato Milking Systems executive manager for International Sales and Events. “A suite of Smart products enhance the performance of the milking system and include the latest SmartDRIVE variable speed control systems that efficiently operate the milk pumps and vacuum pumps and reduce energy costs,” says Dave.

The Herdflow backing gate.

Neil Thomson hoses down the Dungbuster.

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MARIRE SOUTH

Page 34

Coast & Country

Recovery system installed to catch every drop of milk Maintaining efficiency and productivity is important and having a reliable milking system is paramount. The BP400 Blower vacuum system installed on this farm is all of these things and more. Despite its size and power, it runs quietly, controlled by the SmartDRIVE and maintains accurate vacuum while producing vacuum on demand. It is clean and requires very little maintenance. Every drop of milk is money in the bank is reason enough for the milk recovery system which has been installed. At the end of each milking, an air purge clears the milk delivery lines to the vat and ensures the very last drop of milk is accounted for. The savings gained in this respect can be considerable because delivery lines these days are much longer and hold more residual milk. As result, it makes sense to save the milk residue if you can and the milk recovery system does just that. The Waikato Milking Systems’ suite of products includes SmartSPRAY – an automatic teat spray system designed specifically for rotary application. Future proofing is a key philosophy of Waikato Milking Systems which is clearly demonstrated at Marire South farms. Stresscrete at Gore installed the precast panels for the dairy shed. Concrete is advantageous because of its durability and the ease of cleaning it after milking. They’re also cast to provide the farmer with a non-slip surface. The precast panel walls in the dairy shed have all been sprayed with a protective coating by Roger Farley of Modern Coatings Limited. These are easy to keep clean, hygienic and look good too. Balclutha company Edwards Plumbing provided the plumbing services. They are a small, very experienced team and have a reputation for a high standard of workmanship. The farmer’s requirements are always taken into consideration and Neil has been

very pleased with the workmanship. They also provide an excellent backup service. With automation being the key to this dairy shed it seemed logical to install an automatic feeding system. Hecton Products are based in Invercargill and have been in the business of supplying farmers with essential equipment for more than 40 years. “Up until 2005, we were only supplying sheep handling equipment to farmers and now dairy farmers make up at least half of our business,” says Aaron Bremmer owner of Hecton Products. The company installed the stainless steel feeding trays on the platform, the silos and the Feedtech automatic measuring system. “This

system will measure the correct feed quantity for each cow and can be adapted for herringbone dairy sheds. It’s an all-round versatile efficient system,” says Aaron. Hecton Products get lots of unusual requests for specific equipment and they always try to supply what the farmer or lifestyle block owner wants. They supply trailers throughout New Zealand, export sheep handling equipment to Australia, United Kingdom and the United States. During winter they have to increase the staff numbers from 12 to 16 to keep up with demand. To make it easy on the staff and the cow a ‘Wrangler’ has been installed. If there are any

Marire South

The automatic meal feeder.

The light and airy interior of the dairy shed featuring the Waikato Milking System cluster.

hoof problems the cow can be safely restrained. The belly straps help to relax her so the operator can lift whichever foot needs to be treated. They are easy to install either in a new dairy shed or existing one and will be fixed at the correct position for optimum efficiency. Jamie Whyte had to call on all of his precision skills when he was contracted to dig all the holes for the yard poles in the new dairy shed. “There was sort of a plan to follow and I had to manuvoere my machine around existing pipes. I also backfilled behind the tilt panels which was also a bit tricky,” says Jamie, who started his business, Whyte Contracting, two years ago. He also dug the trenches for the pipelines to carry away the effluent from the dairy shed and the collection of rainwater from the roof. Heriot Earthmoving carted the rock crusher dust from the Heriot Quarry, “there were truck loads,” so Jamie could place the gravel over the pipes for protection. Jamie also made sure the back fill was leveled out on the site, “and I think I did a good job because there are no puddles lying around”. He works in with Murray Young of Heriot Earthmoving on some of the excavation work and this is the third new dairy shed he has worked on. As well as excavation work he does tile, trough and tank cleaning, drain-laying and gravel supplies with a four tonne digger and an Auger driver from 300mm to 900mm. “I really enjoy being my own boss and working my own hours and seeing a job well done,” says Jamie. Although challenging at times, the transition from sheep and grain farming to dairying, has overall, gone very smoothly – and Neil attributes this to having the best people available to complete the job to a very high standard. Neil and Chris Love Thomson are now looking forward to many more years of successful dairy farming. By Helen Wilson

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TUNOA DOWNS

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Tunoa Downs is set in a truly unique area full of wildlife and scenery – the Southland and Otago regions are outstanding.

Coast & Country

Tunoa Downs

By Lois McKinley

There’s just nothing like it in the North Island. Arriving just before milking at the Otago shed, nestled in an idyllic countryside setting, I could see why the McHaffie family was intent on keeping their 100-year tradition of farm ownership alive and well. The family originally owned 360 hectare of farmland at Popotunoa, which has been in the family for more than 100 years. Twelve years ago, a further 200 hectare was purchased by the family and an outside partner. This land, plus a further 50 hectare, is now leased by Tunoa Downs. The farm is self-contained, and run by a contract milker. The farm currently milks 630 cows, with the intention of increasing cow numbers to 800 in the future. Tunoa Downs is a new conversion, having previously been a sheep, beef and dairy grazing farm. Once the decision was made to convert to dairying, the natural choice was to find a suitable milking plant. The partners decided on a DeLaval system because

Looking in at the shed from the yard. they felt it was a good product and this area there were a lot of DeLaval dairies. They thought it would also be a good choice as far as service went.

Cows being milked by Karla Dowdall.

Full design service

I met up with Hamish Keith from Clutha Chain & Mesh, who showed me around the DeLaval setup at Tunoa Downs’ new dairy at Popotunoa. This was a standard DeLaval job with top of the range automation. The whole dairy is based around functionality and economic use. CCMP did the entire design and build for this job, including the yards. The design included working around labour efficiency, and the installation of the DeLaval PR2100 full ALPRO automatic drafting, herd-management and milk metering system. “The job evolved into a lot more automation than originally planned,” says Hamish. The whole dairy is based around functionality

Hamish Keith from Clutha Chain & Mesh and variable order sharemilker Steve Sanders.

Hamish Keith explaining how to use the controls.

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TUNOA DOWNS

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Simplifying the daily farm operation and economical use of capital. The partners decided to put in a base-level dairy with more automation. “They were originally going to upgrade in stages, but then decided to go the ‘whole hog’ and do the lot.” A 54 bail DeLaval PR2100 rotary has been installed with auto drafting. This copes with the 630 cows that are milked twice-daily. The focus of the investment was definitely on automation. For a first year conversion, it’s a big commitment, especially with a new person running the farm. CCMP constructed higher than usual yard rails, including a sort gate, which makes drafting really easy. The dairy machine itself is incredibly quiet when operational. You can barely tell its running. Training for the herd management system is staggered throughout the year, that way staff are only learning what they need, at any given time, rather than overloading them with instruction they will not need for a few months. The platform is concrete, with the platform structure being constructed back at CCMP’s Balclutha premises. The concrete is poured on-site once the base is in place. There are standard tapered steel rollers under the platform. CCMP have been building rotaries for 25 years, in their family-owned business. Hamish says people seem to think that New Zealand is a big dairy player, “but it’s only a big dairy player in the export side of things”. “Globally, we’re only about 2.5 per cent – it’s just that other places in the world don’t need to export. “The advantage with DeLaval is that we get a lot of technology that’s already been developed, and we couple it up with New Zealand technology,” says Hamish. “Rotaries are designed in New Zealand and built in New Zealand and then exported to the overseas market. We are able to tailor the overall project,” says Hamish. “So, we work in with each individual client’s requirements.”

The Aakland cleaning schedule.

Cows out in the yard.

The ALPRO system is the efficient tool that simplifies the daily operation of dairy farms. It analyses what is happening and provides long-term planning. The ALPRO modular system means that the farmer can start with their most immediate need, and gradually add more herd-management functionality as funds or requirements allow. Each cow is clearly identified and individual milk yield and deviations can be tracked. Labour can also be reduced with the automatic sorting system. The software programme processes all the information; and the large working database holds comprehensive cow milking, feeding, breeding and health records, plus historical data on individual cows and the whole herd.

Lift that leg

The partners decided to install the TechniPharm Hoofcare Handler which provides the ultimate in hoof care and general handling of dairy cows. The TechniPharm Dairy Handler Headbail is designed to hold cows properly and provides safe and easy, stress-free handling for cows and people alike. The head bail is also ideal for EID tagging. Clearly defined front hoof trim modules, for front feet trimming, and the variable rear pulley provides rear leg lifting for any size cow. When no hoof trimming is needed, the unit provides for full animal access for general vet work

The effluent pond.

Keeping it clean

Looking down on the shed.

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There is a vast array of Aakland Chemicals in the shed, which are used for cleaning the plant and keeping the dairy in tip top condition. Aakland Chemicals of Christchurch produce a range of MAFapproved dairy parlour cleansers and sanitisers; and ARB-licensed animal health products. All in all, it’s another clean and tidy dairy that is being well maintained and cared for.

By Lois McKinley

BLACKPINE

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Coast & Country

New dairy nestled at Centrebush Explore the world’s most scenic landscapes with View of the new shed from the tanker track.

LEISURE WALKING & CYCLING HOLIDAYS

Kees Zeestraten owns five properties in the Winton district with Blackpine being the latest addition. His sons Jevon and Rico Zeestraten are operations managers for the farms. By Lois McKinley

Although Kees lives one hour north of Christchurch, he still maintains a house on the farm for himself and he still travels down once a week, to visit the farm and his sons. Blackpine is situated on the outskirts of Winton in a delightful rural community

known as Centrebush. Nestled at the bottom of hilly surrounds, Blackpine is in a very scenic part of the country. The Blackpine property has been in the family for three-and-a-half years at the time of my visit in December. The farm was previously a beef and sheep farm, and when the acquisition was made, it was unviable to build a dairy shed, as milk prices were down and generally dairying was not looking that great. So the Zeestraten’s ran the farm for winter grazing and stock, plus grew crops. The first year, all the pasture was sprayed out and re-sowed and planted in crops.

The dairying started on the farm in year three. As there was no dairy shed on the farm, it was the obvious choice to put one there. The Zeestratens chose to go with a GEA WestfaliaSurge system, purely for the reason that the other four farms were WestfaliaSurge, and the Zeestraten’s have had a pretty good run out of them. Jevon says “we don’t use the automated side of things to its full potential like we should”. The shed is currently milking 800 Friesian and Friesian-cross cows on 220 hectares of slightly rolling countryside. Jevon Zeestraten showing the chiller units.

The backing gate manufactured by Winton Engineering. Chris, Jevon & Martin.

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The GEA WestfaliaSurge plant that Jevon had installed in the new shed, is a 60 bail yarroweyah rotary platform. The platform has a concrete sloping base, which allows water to runoff away from the milkers, and runs on nylon rollers, which eliminates maintenance on them. The platform comes in kitset form from Australia, and is erected on-site, prior to the concrete being poured on. The local dealer installed the equipment and platform. They have included a full milk metering plant with bale ID and drafting.

BLACKPINE

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Page 39

Picking up mastitis made easy

Martin Heanue from GEA showing off the clusters.

The 60 bail AR1 Yarroweyah concrete platform, with twin hydraulic drives and super quiet operation, is also installed with low maintenance nylon rollers. This comes with a 10-year guarantee on all the steelware. The plant is equipped with Dairypro which monitors milk yields and conductivity. Mastitis can be picked up very easily, as generally cows have a higher salt content when they are sick or have mastitis. The system auto alerts the milker via text speech, via computer. A fully automated wash system has been installed along with a vacuum pump Tefloncoated lobe type, so any contaminants are forced out the exhaust. The vacuum pump is run by a variable speed drive, resulting in significant power savings.

The yard and yard-work which was constructed by Steve Geary Engineering.

The drafting system is an AS3000, which has three-way drafting; and stock can be drafted via the computer into groups, or cows can be drafted separately via the terminal at each bail.

4 Seasons feeding

The new feed system in the shed allows for greater cow satisfaction during milking. There is a mix of PK, mixed with 4 Seasons molasses, supplied by Aacklands in Christchurch. The Dairyplan allocates feed to each cow based on individual weight and milk yield. Any cows that are dropping off from lactation get a decrease in feed. Steve Geary from Steve Geary Engineer-

ing in Winton was contracted to construct and erect the portal for the builder. Steve also manufactured and erected the extensive yard-work for the shed. Steve said: “There was quite a bit of work involved with the rectangle yard”. Steve has been serving his community now since 1985, his business has an extensive repertoire from general engineering, dairy sheds, yard-work, augers, machining, fabrication, engineering supplies right down to consumables.

Robots galore

Twelve hundred calves are reared every spring with a further 200 reared during winter.

Chris Dunn from WETiT. Bull calves are also reared to 100kg. Jevon employs two full time calf rearers to oversee this part of the operation, with 800 calves being fed off Lely robotic feeders. At four-days-old, the calves are put on the robotic feeders. The automated calf feed system scans the calf tags, and allows the calves a certain amount of feed per day. Once they exceed their given dosage they are refused more milk. It’s a very simple but effective feeding system. Hay and meal are always available to the calves too, so that they can feed on that instead of gorging themselves on milk.

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BLACKPINE

Coast & Country

Working nights at Blackpine gets job done The Lely Calm automatic calf feeder guarantees the optimal growth and development of these young animals. Calves can still enjoy their natural behaviour and drink whenever they want, in a controlled way, while labour

Zeestratens. The maintenance of these is also an on-going project too. Assisting with the harvesting of maize was also contracted to McDowall Transport. Gordon McDowall explained that McDowall Transport has been in business in the Winton area for 60 years now, having been a family business – and this is something he is proud of, and for good reason.

has been in the Winton area for 13 years, and although most of his work is local, he also works further afield with the cowhouse-side of the business. He is currently constructing two wintering sheds in South Canterbury. These are built right from consent process through to the cows going through the shed.

Teat magic

With more and more automation in rotary sheds, the automatic teat sprayer perfectly complements automatic cup removers and other technology, freeing up operators to attend to other tasks during the milking routine. WETiT’s Platform Magic teat sprayer was released in 2000 and there has been ongoing development ever since, meaning new accessories such A lovely, clean and tidy shed. as cups-on and retention bar detection, draft and herd split is reduced to the minimum. After all, today’s alarms, no-spray switches and more, are easily calves are tomorrow’s high performance cows. added to existing systems. The WETiT Wave The Lely robotic calf feeder has four stations was developed to complement the Platform and each feeder feeds about 250 calves. Magic teat sprayer, with the many benefits This doesn’t eliminate the need for human of the positioning device quickly becoming staff entirely, as it still requires someone to obvious. This combination is installed in constantly check the machines are still workthousands of rotary sheds, with many satisfied ing effectively and not breaking down. WETiT customers re-installing their systems when they build new sheds. Platform Magic Effective backing gate teat spraying is accurate and consistent, ensurWinton Engineering was contracted to ing a job well done every milking. manufacture and design the backing gate for Chris Dunn is the Southland WETiT rep Jevon’s new shed. It is a standard drop down and installer. He explained to me that it usubacking gate, which works very effectively. ally takes him a day to a day-and-a-half to Winton Engineering owner Roger Short do a full install. With the Blackpine install

By Lois McKinley

More of the pipework. he came in at night, as the cows were already being milked in the shed. Thus by doing the job at night it allows the glue to cure properly before the next milking. Chris has been with WETiT for six years and “absolutely loves it”. Being an ex-dairy farmer gives him the advantage of being able to relate to the industry.

Laneways on the go

McDowall Transport established approximately 8 kilometres of laneways for the

The GEA platform and equipment.

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Page 41

BLACKPINE

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Coast & Country

Rising from floods to new dairy Shaun and Linda McGinty came on to their Feilding property after the Manawatu floods of 2004 and set about building it up to its present 320hectares – 240ha of their own and another 80ha being leased.

ting only one rail between bails instead of the usual two, they could fit 60 bails on it to maximise the use of the space. “It was a tight time frame – the work started on 15th May and was all finished by the 20th July,” says John. “But we got it all sorted without any problems.” The platform was manufactured in Valentine’s factory in Palmerston North, and then assembled, fitted, and the concrete poured inside the old building. They were easily able to meet the McGinty’s specs because they build to accommodate all milking systems.

By Graeme Dobson

Currently, they’re milking 1100 Jerseys (in three herds at peak time) with the help of four staff. Apparently, all staff were well and truly needed in the summer’s drought when the cows kept getting lost against the backdrop of dry grass – that’s one advantage to Friesians. Since they’ve been on the place, the McGinty family has steadily upgraded the dairy with Steve Bromley from Bromley Dairy & Pumps installing jetters in 2006 and cup removers in 2008. In May 2012, it finally came time to put in a new platform as the old steel one was disintegrating.

Plant adapted to suit

Once the platform was installed they brought back Steve Bromley to set up the milking plant. Bromley Dairy & Pumps are specialists in the supply and installation of all brands of milking systems and are quite used to ‘mixing and matching’ between brands to suit their customer’s requirements. Steve adapted the plant to suit the new, bigger platform before refitting it, along with a few other features, such as new variable vacuum pumps. With all that experience, Steve knows his way around the McGinty’s operation – which is very helpful when his team do the annual service (as they do for all their customers). Bromley Dairy & Pumps can mix and Dairy match Farm refrigeration support by with any brands, and can supply and install the highest quality milking equipment from basic plant through to full robotic milking systems. Included with the upgrade was a new 16,000litre FARM VAT REFRIGERATION SPECIALISTS vat, so they hired Matt Parkinson from Crozier Service, Installation, Maintenance, Advice. Refrigeration Ltd to install it.

Built to fit

The McGintys had specific criteria for their new platform – with the size of their herd they needed to maximise the number of bails for efficiency – but they also had to fit it into the existing building. They took their problem to Palmerston North rotary milking platform manufacturers and installers J E Valentine Engineering. The Valentines have been building heavy duty milking platforms since about 1990 and have installed them all over the lower North Island – and occasionally as far north as the Waikato. John Valentine checked out their building and suggested they use a 50-bail platform and, by put-

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KOMANO

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Old steel meant a new platform

With the McGinty’s split calving system there’s milk to collect year-round.

Future-proofed vat “We supplied a new refrigeration condensing unit for the new vat and did all the maintenance on the rest of the refrigeration. The unit is sized so it can handle more than he has at the moment so it has been future proofed,” said Matt. Also in Shaun’s future plans is a heat recovery unit and Matt’s own invention, a milk monitor unit that sends alarm texts any time there is anything going wrong with the refrigeration – a nice bit of added security. One of the features that Shaun and Linda installed is Radian Technology’s MilkHub,

which uses electronic ear tags to individually identify each cow. Linda explained how it works. “As the cows come on to the platform the MilkHub EID reader checks her number and tells us what cow it is and what bail she’s in. Then all her information comes up on the screen and we can put in whatever information we want – mating, calving date, pregnant or empty,” says Linda. “It shows us how fat she is, because she gets weighed as she comes off. “We get alerts if there’s something wrong, which is really handy with a herd this size. And the best thing about it is if I want to draft one particular cow, out

of 1000, I just have to do it on the computer and the MilkHub drafting gate takes care of it. That’s really, really good.”

Saving feed waste

MilkHub was created by Radian Technology as a dairy management system specifically for New Zealand farmers – and one of its most important features is the ability to control the in-shed feed system. This enables Linda to feed her cows individually with different amounts and even different foods, which is quite important with the split-calving system they work on. Palmerston North-based Central Silo

Systems Ltd set up the actual feed system in the dairy, supplied and installed all the feed silos, augers and delivery pipes, and linked their controls into the MilkHub system. Just another routine job for Bernie and Sean Curry, of Central Silo Systems Ltd, who, between them have more than 50 years’ experience in the feed business. “The feed could be done manually just by turning it on to deliver a fixed portion of feed to every bail,” explains Linda. “But with MilkHub, if there’s an empty bail or a cow going round a second time no feed is delivered. It saves a lot on waste; it’s a really good system to have.”

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KOMANO

Page 44

Coast & Country

Less pain in progressive upgrading

And speaking of good systems, tucked away to one side of the yards is an excellent example of good Kiwi ingenuity – a Wilco & Waverley ‘Wrangler’ hoof trimming press. Linda says that their Wrangler is one of the most valuable pieces of equipment on the farm. “I love it. It’s so easy to use on your own. Very easy to lift a cow’s feet up, and for dealing with the whole cow – it’s made a difficult job so easy. Now

Matt Parkinson from Crozier Refrigeration Ltd.

we wouldn’t be without one,” says Linda. Wrangler uses a system of slings and ropes to manually (but easily) lift and restrain each leg so the hoof can be worked on accurately and safely – and, unusual in today’s modern dairy, it does it all without a computer – in fact without any electronics at all. On the subject of cow health, Shaun and Linda are well aware of the importance of cow udder hygiene, so they use the WETiT system to ensure their cow’s teats and udders are well protected. WETiT has been in the business of teat sprays for more than 17 years and their research has contributed to development

The MilkHub control screen.

Steve Bromley’s work van.

of a system that gives teat coverage second to none. Shaun and Linda’s dairy has used some pretty advanced technology, and it’s been well ‘future proofed’ with the capacity to add on almost limitlessly whenever the McGintys decide they need it. As Steve Bromley says: “There’s a lot less pain in progressively upgrading than doing it all in one hit”.

By Graeme Dobson

Feilding farmers Linda and Shaun McGinty with Matt Parkinson from Crozier Refrigeration Ltd.

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KOMANO

Page 45

TERRY FARMS

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Coast & Country

Two farms and sheds transform to new dairy

By local standards Leslie Terry is a new farmer in the district – her farm near Dannevirke has only been in the family for about 45 years.

dairies and they had absolutely no reason to change. “It’s quality equipment and also the backup, having the local service here, is a major peace of mind,” Leslie’s partner, Graeme, said. Up until last year, when Leslie’s son Colin The back-up he was referring to is provided took over sharemilking her full 180ha, the by Craig Fairhurst, milking division manager property had been divided in two – with from local DeLaval agents, Davidson Engitwo herringbone sheds – a 25-aside and a neering. Craig has been with Davidsons for 16-aside (at the other end of the property). nearly 30 years, so he knows his way around “I’ve been on the farm for the last nine a milking machine. years,” says Colin. “Sharemilking on the But Davidsons was DeLaval agents for 60hectare bit for the last six. Then last year at least 10 years before Craig came along, we decided to amalgamate the two, bought which makes them one of the longest lasting some more cows to bring the herd up to 480 relationships in the trade, which says a lot for and built this new dairy to handle them.” their competence and reliability. The new dairy is on the site of the old So far they haven’t installed anywhere near 25-aside herringbone (originally the site of all the features that DeLaval has available, but an old walk-through for 40 cows when they they can be retrofitted whenever they want – started out with 40 years ago), to make full then they can choose from almost any level use of the existing infrastructure. of DeLaval automation, computerisation and apps they can think of – and probably a lot Dairy Farm refrigeration support by No reason to change not yet imagined. The new dairy is a 50-bail rotary with a “It’s all about designing around a budget, DeLaval milking plant and PR 2100 ‘cabinet which is a very sensible way to go,” says bails’, which are pre-formed to hold and seal Bruce Battersby, DeLaval’s district sales FARM VAT REFRIGERATION SPECIALISTS the centre console neatly, allowing the farmer manager. “But there is one very important Service, Installation, Advice. to install added automation when ready. featureMaintenance, they did install – the DeLaval drafting The Terrys had DeLaval plants in theirFree other Phone: 0800COLDMILK Cell: 027 442 3925 Fax: 06 3544389 Email: matt@coldmilk.co.nz

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gate that enables them to draft cows from anywhere on the platform.” It’s like having another set of hands in the shed. And for the cows they’ve put in their very own cowscratcher out in the yard.

Green water makes savings

that they assemble and install the Reporoa backing gates and a Dungbuster on-site, then provide on-going 24-hour, seven days a week after-sales service. The gates are designed to keep a gentle but insistent pressure on the cows to move forward.

As well as being DeLaval agents, Davidsons also do general engineering, water pumps, effluent systems and general farm maintenance, so while they were on-site Colin took the opportunity to upgrade the effluent system. The upgrade consisted of extensions and additions, including adding the capacity to use ‘green water’ to flood-wash the yard.

This is a considerable water saver and augments the TechniPharm supplied Dungbuster that Rongotea company, Farm Supplies Central Ltd, installed in the yard on their backing gate. Farm Supplies is the area agents in the lower North Island for Reporoa Gates. Brice Ebert, coowner of Farm Supplies, tells me

Farm owner Leslie Terry, partner Graeme, Leslie’s son and sharemilker Colin and DeLaval’s district sales manager Bruce Battersby.

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Page 47

TERRY FARMS

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Designing things around the budget “A hock-rail is set on the gate at an ‘annoying height’ for the cows; they don’t like it touching them so they keep moving. If the rail starts riding up it means the cows aren’t moving which trips a sensor that stops the gate. There’s also an overload switch that stops the motors if the gate comes under too much pressure,” says Brice. As the gate moves back, the fully-automated Dungbuster mounted on it scrapes the dung off the yard and the floodwash cleans it. “It all works really well, although we’re not using the water on the Dungbuster because of the green water flood-wash system. All up it keeps the yard really clean,” says Colin. Although Colin gets his water saving from the green water flood-wash, water jets on a Dungbuster can reduce water use by up to 40 per cent, which reduces electricity usage and wear on pumps. That’s 40 per cent less effluent to be pumped on to pastures – a major consideration when the ground is already saturated.

Innovations sold worldwide

Another local (well almost), Matt Parkinson from Palmerston North company Crozier Refrigeration Ltd took care of the refrigeration. The main reason the Terrys called Matt is the reputation for a strong service ethic he’s developed since he began operating independently in 2007. That fact, plus the top quality equipment he installs. Matt puts all his

The new milking platform with DeLaval’s P2100 Cabinet Bails.

customers on a regular annual service contract and he’s on-call 24-hours for any emergencies, but he only installs the best so there’s seldom a problem with his jobs. Where the available gear isn’t up to his standards he improves on it until it is – which has led to some of Matt’s innovations being sold around the world. Palmerston North-based painters Surfatex Ltd finished the job by applying a bright, welcoming and, more importantly, hygienic coat of Acraflex to the walls. Acraflex is designed specifically to seal walls and prevent bacteria build up in dairy

Matt Crozier from Crozier Refrigeration.

sheds and give a hard wearing and easy to clean finish. Surfatex are the only licensed applicators of Acraflex in the lower North Island. When asked about the new dairy Colin just said “Awesome”. And with the built-in capacity to upgrade, who knows, they might be still in it when they finally cease to be ‘new blood’ in By Graeme Dobson the district.

Cow’s eye view.

This is a DeLaval dairy.

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Page 48

GRASSMERE DAIRY

Coast & Country

From government to farmer – son takes over Grassmere farm in Feilding has been in the Hocken family since about 1890 – just recently they received their ‘Century Farms’ award and a plaque from the Minister of Primary Industries. Owner Ross Hocken tells me the farm has just grown during the years, especially since converting from dry stock and cropping to dairy in 1975. Now it’s changing hands again – to the next generation. “I’m due for retirement,” says Ross. “My son Mat has come home from Australia – he’s worked in a government agency, but now he wants to carry on the farm.” Last year they were milking 800 cows off the full 300ha in one shed, but it was inefficient so they decided to build a duplicate 50-bail rotary dairy and divide the farm and the herd. Now they run one herd of 450 on about 135ha on one side of the road and 550 cows on the other, with two-and-a-half staff to each.

Customer satisfaction

To build the new dairy Ross engaged Foxton-based Caldow Builders. Owner and director Rodney Caldow says he’d started 38 years ago as a house builder, now he has 17 staff – mostly long-time employees with about 275 years’ experience between them – and a comprehensive fleet including trucks, tractors, diggers, Hiabs and cranes. This means he’s self-reliant and is able to ensure jobs are done to a high standard and on time. “We pretty much do everything from insurance work, house alterations and factory maintenance through to big jobs, like the Foxton Medical Centre. We design and do site works as well as building; and we place a great deal of importance on leaving our customers satisfied,” Rodney says. For his steel work, Rodney works closely with Kim Kuiti from Tenua Engineering. Their adjoining yards make it easy to maintain a close business relationship – where appropriate they generally visit clients and work through jobs together.

Kim’s whole working career has been in rural buildings, cow-sheds and yards – and Rodney doubts there is anyone around with more experience in rural engineering.

Only the best

For the milking platform and plant Ross went back to Waikato Milking Systems because, as he explains, when it came to the milking plant only the best would do. “We did our sums in 2005-2006, after we’d been in the other shed a year or so and decided we wanted to go to the next level. We’ve got very high quality cows, but we were only getting half to two-thirds production out of them.” Nathan Hitchcock from Moa Milking & Plumbing, Waikato Milking Systems’ dealer based in Inglewood, assembled and installed the Waikato rotary platform along with the milking plant. “I worked for Waikato in the UK, and about eight years ago they approached me and said that there’s a good opening in NZ if I wanted to come back, so I did. I started Moa and had a couple of years by myself, but now it’s built up to 15 staff all up and two branches – one in Matamata and one in Inglewood where I’m based,” says Nathan.

Farmer Mat Hocken with Waikato Waikato Milking Systems’ agent Nathan Hithcock from Moa Milking, and plumbing at Mat’s new dairy.

Super shed Ross wanted the best and that is what he got. The Waikato system Nathan installed is regarded inFarm therefrigeration support by Dairy trade as a ‘super shed’ because it utilises the maximum technology currently available. One of the features the Hockens particularly like is Afilab. Waikato Milking Systems are NZ agents for Israeli company Afimilk that FARM VAT REFRIGERATION SPECIALISTS make Afilab and other herd management technology. Service, Installation, Maintenance, Advice. Afilab is a total milk analysis system that comes as a Free Phone: 0800COLDMILK small unit located under each bail. Cell: 027 442 3925 Fax: 06 3544389 Email: matt@coldmilk.co.nz

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Above: Nathan Hitchcock installed all the Waikato Milking Systems’ plant, including the Afilabs under each bail. Left: Caldow Builders did all the concrete work, including this concrete effluent pond. Dairy Farm refrigeration support by Dairy Farm refrigeration support by Dairy Farm refrigeration support by

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GRASSMERE DAIRY

Page 49

‘Best of best’ dairy eases job transition It records milk fat, solids, protein, lactose and cell count – a full herd test every milking. Afilab also weighs each cow after every milking and records her movements during the day through pedometers, all to help the farmer make decisions on individual cow management.

Milk security guards

And staying with the best, Ross went to Matt Parkinson from Crozier Refrigeration Ltd for the refrigeration vital to maintaining a top quality product. “We’re like the security guards for the milk, we make sure it gets to the tanker in perfect condition,” says Matt. “It’s all about risk reduction. By installing the best of the best you’re minimising your risk.” For added security Matt has invented a control unit that will text the farmer if the milk’s taking too long to cool, is too cold or if the power goes off. Matt’s continually improving the unit, but already he’s

sold them around the world. Back in the dairy, Afilab helps determine each cow’s nutritional and supplements needs, which are then supplied by Leon Currie, Denver Stock Feeds’ sales manager.

Very customised

“We supply the grain and mineral feeds through in-shed feeding. We’re a bit different to other companies in that we completely tailor our product to each farm – if needed, we come on

James Christensen from Blackley Construction beside the effluent pond, which Blackleys installed.

farm to help evaluate the pasture and determine nutrient needs. It’s very customised, although we do offer a standard product based on experience and the season,” explains Leon. The pelletised feed is specially formulated in Denver’s pharmaceutical grade facilities with all the trace elements and nutrients precisely measured and bound together with molasses. This means when Mat wants to feed a given rate and mix that is exactly what the cow gets, not an approximation;

one man to get. No problems at all, they just come and do the job and go.” Neither was there any question that Ross would get anyone other than Top quality finish Blackley Construction Ltd to install Finally, the top quality dairy needed the 2300m3 effluent pond. a top quality finish and getting Palm“Blackley’s are very well-known for erston North-based painter Surfatex their land drainage – we do a lot of Ltd for the job was a no-brainer, drainage around the Manawatu and according to Ross. Wairarapa – but effluent ponds are “He painted the shed over the road becoming more part of our busiand he did a great job, so when it ness due to all the regulations that came to painting here there was only surround them,” explains James Christensen, Blackley’s rural contract manager. Moving from government to farmer is going to be a big change for Mat, but he’s moving into the ‘best of the best’, which should ease his transition. And he won’t lack for intellectual stimulation – Grassmere is a training farm for vet students from Massey. In return, they get veterinary Rodney Caldow and his team services ‘at a very reasonable’ rate. from Caldow Builders, they are still busy with the feed pads. Like the rest of Ross’ set-up – it’s a win/win arrangement. By Graeme Dobson and a link to Afilab delivers individual portions of pellets to each cow according to her requirements.

GLEN ATHOL

Page 50

Coast & Country

Farm add-ons make case for new dairy a conference with all the contractors, the first on-site was local firm Watson Earthworks to sort the building site, races and digging out of the effluent ponds.

Real work of art

Colin and Sharron Caseley’s Wanganui farm is one of those that has simply grown organically during the years. By Graeme Dobson

“My parents owned the farm across the road where they milked 55 cows. Forty two years ago, they built a 22-bail rotary, which gave us the extra milking capacity to increase cow numbers and we bought this 45 hectare bit. Then a few years later, another neighbour asked me if I wanted to buy his farm, so I did, then another small 30ha block, now a 45ha sheep farm. And, who knows, there might be more yet,” explains Colin. “We had a herd of 410 until we bought the sheep farm 18 months ago and it’s just getting going – there’s quite a bit of hill country there so we haven’t had a great deal of grass off it up until now.” The old dairy was too small and old for the herd, which has now grown to 450; and it was poorly located for the new 220ha farm’s configuration, so a new one was called for. The old shed still works, which is important because there is no down time on a farm that milks in two herds – spring and autumn.

The minimum number of cows milked is about 130 from about March to July, so there was no opportunity to shut down to build anew.

Experience and innovation

Colin and Sharron decided on all DeLaval equipment in their new dairy because it offered them the quality, service and the level of technology that they wanted – and by choosing DeLaval they have the benefit of DeLaval’s more than 125 years’ experience and innovation in the business. Today, they offer milking plants ranging from efficient basic systems to very complex ones with all the computer apps you could imagine. The site the Caseleys chose for the dairy is central and reduces the distance the cows have to travel, but it was all ‘green field development’ – which meant that everything had to be started from scratch. So, after

“They’re actually relations – now I don’t normally deal with relatives, but in this case I made an exception because they’ve got very good machinery and very good staff. They dug all the clay out of the effluent pond and bought it all back here to build up and level the building sites and the exit races.” There were challenges along the way – while the dairy was being built Watsons had to come in the end door and excavate for the platform while the building was going up. “It was a real work of art,” says Colin. “I’m most impressed with these guys that could bring their big diggers through that door, walk them down through that hole and then poke the bucket back out through the door to load a truck – all while they were building around them.”

A New Zealand first

Once the site and building had been completed, Hotter Engineering Ltd built and installed the 50-bail rotary

info@aspectlining.co.nz

0800 464 235 0800 464 235 0800 464 235

platform. DeLaval has very good reason for teaming up with Hotters – in 1969 T.E. Hotter Ltd designed and installed the world’s first rotary milking platform near Eltham. The name Hotter soon became synonymous with state-of-the-art technology and, through a company called TurnStyles Ltd, they were soon exporting world wide. Then, 20 years ago Russell Hotter bought the firm off his father and created Hotter Engineering Ltd – and what he doesn’t know about rotary platforms isn’t worth knowing. “The farmers all support him because they know that they wouldn’t get a better fabricator than Russell,” says Bruce Battersby, DeLaval’s district sales manager. “You won’t get a stronger platform than one of these, and the expansion joints ensure that there’s no cracking,” he adds. The very high quality of the platform is no accident – Hotter Engineering Ltd is continuously conducting research and has a trial platform that runs 24/7 where they test new products and ideas. The Caseley’s dairy is state-of-the-art – with all the ‘bells and whistles’ as Bruce says – and features the new DeLaval PR1500 concept platform, the first to be installed in New Zealand.

NATION WIDE

info@aspectlining.co.nz NATION WIDE info@aspectlining.co.nz NATION WIDE

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Page 51

GLEN ATHOL

New software is customer-driven “The PR1500 is a more open bail that features extra strong construction with heavy-duty cattle rails, ‘3 inch’ [75mm] posts to contain all the hoses and cables and have the space to allow future upgrades,” says Bruce.

A mass of data

“We collect a mass of data from the cows that help the farmer make informed management decisions – like milk yields and blood and conductivity as part of the milk metering. Reports come up in the software and if a milk yield is down or conductivity is up [indicating high cell counts], the cow is automatically drafted out.” Development of new software is customer driven, the farmer identifies a need, tells DeLaval and they develop the program to meet that need, says Bruce.

“It’s a process of learning on both sides – you don’t just pick it up straight away. As part of our contract with the farmer we run three, free two-hour training sessions. Then we have a regular annual programme to get all the users of our farm management packages together. And we run local training where they can share information among themselves, but that’s up to the individual farmers.”

Quick, efficient job

The DeLaval plant was installed by DeLaval’s agents, DairyproHawera. Right from the beginning of a job, when they go out and see the farmer before a sod is turned, Bruce works very closely with Gary Wallace, DairyproHawera partner and installation manager. DairyproHawera services South Taranaki with a staff of five fitters, says Gary.

The DeLaval hub.

The DeLaval PR1500 bail on the Hotter platform (2).

No shutdown needed to build new shed

DairyproHawera partner and installation manager Gary Wallace and DeLaval district sales manager Bruce Battersby.

send them through to the next course for more of the top-end training – for the likes of this shed,” Gary adds. “The software changes fairly regularly and it’s up to us to tell the farmer exactly what it does and if he thinks there’s a benefit we can upgrade his programme.”

Easy to use technology

However, DairyproHawera do have their limits, so they had Todd Carne from Summit Electrical wire the dairy – everything from the pole back, including the effluent system and all the other associated ‘bits and pieces’. Because Todd was wiring all the high voltage equipment inside the dairy, he had to integrate well with the DairyproHawera technicians. Like DairyproHawera, Summit is a local company (based at Waverley), so they know each other pretty well and have an excellent relationship.

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The DeLaval PR1500 bail on the Hotter platform (1).

“We work together as a team to get everything done as quickly as possible. We all have our own specific areas so that when we go out on a job one person can be working on one thing while another is working on something else,” says Gary. “This ensures that a job like this is completed quickly and efficiently.” But the systems are very complex, so DeLaval installers have to be highly skilled and well up with the latest technology. “DeLaval has an intensive, high-end training programme for their dealers. Gary’s been on all the farm management training courses and we have a lot of technical information on CD and paper for all our dealerships,” says Bruce. “As the DairyproHawera technicians progress with the company, and their skills improve, we

GLEN ATHOL

Page 52 Cow in the Wrangler waiting patiently.

Technology-loaded but easy to use “We specialize in rural work, pretty much everything from wiring sheds and installing effluent and feed systems to designing systems and consoles,” says Todd. “The technology in here is right up there. We just sat down with Colin and Sharron and between us we tried to make things as simple as possible. It’s got all the technology, but at the same time it had to be easy to use, not only for the regular milker but also relief milkers. We worked out the design for the console, and I put it the way they wanted, including the backing gate controls, different coloured buttons for each pump and indicators for what’s going or not going. I’ve just made it easy.”

Leaders in the field

As well as the DeLaval gear, DairyproHawera installed the water pumps, the plumbing and the effluent pump to take the dairy’s effluent to the pond. The 30,000m3 effluent pond, dug by Watson Earthworks, was lined by Aspect Environmental Lining (AEL) with a durable geosynthetic pond liner. AEL geosynthetic liners provide a tough, impervious and UV resistant membrane that eliminates effluent seepage. AEL directors Craig McMillan and Greg Terill formed the company seven years ago and have built a reputation as leaders in the field – with more than 40 years’ experience in pond lining in NZ, Australia and the Pacific, being a major factor in that. Before it reaches the pond the effluent goes through a screw press (also installed by DairyproHawera), that removes all the solids. These solids accumulate and dry in a concrete bin before being collected and spread as a dry fertiliser by Westmere Bulk Haulage, using one of their bulk spreaders. “He just comes in, we load him up and away he goes. Does a marvellous job. His bulk-spreading machine can easily handle this stuff and it makes a very good job of spreading it,” says Colin. “And,” he adds, “it’s a very good service, I call them and usually they’re there the next day”.

The DeLaval drafting gate. The effluent pond lined with a geosynthetic liner, from Aspect Environmental Lining.

Left: The effluent screw press with solid waste, ready for Westmere Bulk Haulage to spread.

Coast & Country

Unparalleled service

Outside the dairy, PPP Industries installed feed silos that DairyproHawera connected to the bails using a DeLaval auger, and then linked into the over-arching DeLaval programme, which checks cow weights and feeding data so

the farmer can feed individual cows or groups to maximum effect. Auckland-based stock food company PPP has been in the business for more than 50 years, and during that time their system has evolved through the application of good Kiwi ingenuity. Servicing the poultry industry in the 1960s through to developing New Zealand’s first in-shed feeding system in the 1970s, today PPP’s dairy in-shed systems have become their main business. They’ve built up a wealth of experience in the business and created a nationwide installation and after-sales network, stretching from Kaitaia to Invercargill. By maintaining their focus on a user-friendly and cost effective service, they are able to meet any demands farmers may have and provide them with unparalleled service. The silos are built to contain dry feed, but liquid nutrients, such as molasses, can also be added to the mix from a plastic tank if the farmer wishes. Their system may not be as elaborate as some of its competitors, but it loses nothing from its simplicity which helps with its easy integration into dairy management systems.

Kiwi ingenuity

Like PPP, the Wilco & Waverley ‘Wrangler’ hoof trimming press in Colin’s yard is another excellent example of good Kiwi ingenuity. Many farmers say that the Wrangler is one of the most valuable pieces of equipment on the farm because it makes treating cows hooves safe and easy. The Wrangler came about nearly 20 years ago when a young sharemilker, Wilco Klein Ovink, invented a safer way to treat cow’s legs and hooves by using a system of slings and ropes to manually (but easily) lift and restrain each leg so the hoof can be worked on accurately and safely. And, unusual in today’s modern dairy, it does it all without a computer, in fact without any electronics at all. Colin and Sharron initially started out wanting just the basic platform, but they got talking and decided to make an investment for the future now rather than wait. It was a brave decision because at the time they were coming from a fairly low technology base – but they haven’t regretted it. Actually, Colin’s just back from France where he had a good look at robotic milking – I can’t actually repeat what he said about them, but he was clearly very impressed. So perhaps he can see robots in his future – but with the dairy he has now it’ll be some way down the track before By Graeme Dobson he needs them.

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Page 53

GLEN ATHOL

ImagIne a mILkIng sysTem you gRow InTo noT ouT of

When you’re investing in a new rotary milking system, you want to be sure that you’ve future proofed your purchase. You may need to increase your herd size, add automation capabilities or new technologies.

By choosing DeLaval, you are removing the hassle and expense of trying to integrate systems from different suppliers, while feeling secure in the knowledge that everything works well together. It’s the smart choice for today and the future.

As your farming needs change, you can be 100% confident that the DeLaval Parallel Rotary PR1500 will easily adapt to meet your latest challenges.

To receive your free PR1500 planning guide and DVD, contact your local DeLaval dealer. Call 0800 222 228 or visit www.delaval.co.nz

FERN HILL

Page 54

Coast & Country

Mixed low-stock farm gets high-tech dairy

The Christensen family have been on their Wairarapa farm for a long time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; about 130 years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which means that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had enough time to get to know their land and the best way to look after it.

Jason and Henry Christensen with Trevor Ward, area sales manager for Milfos and GEA Farm Technologies.

By Graeme Dobson

They seem to have a subtly different, practical (and perhaps) slightly old-fashioned way of farming which, with climate change, may be the way of the future for everyone. Henry Christensen, the senior member of the family partnership, tells me that up until a couple of years ago they had just 110 hectares. Then they bought a neighbouring property which brought their land to 515ha. With this amount of land theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been able to cover their backs by not putting all their eggs into one basket (or is that cows in one paddock?). Only 156ha is run as a dairy operation, the rest is mixed dry-stock. This means that when the droughts bite â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as one did recently â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they can sell dry stock to leave more grazing for the dairy cows. They also have the capacity to make all their own fodder on farm so they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t end up paying inflated prices when demand is high. And, as the farm is at quite a high altitude where pasture doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t grow quite as well as lower down, they have a fairly

low stocking rate on the dairy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; just 400 cows â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which keeps the pressure off the land. But not being as intensive as some farms doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean they havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t kept up with technology. Last year they commissioned a new Milfos 44-bail high spec dairy featuring a heavy duty iDURO rotary platform, iCONVEYER milking and iDATA management systems. Also included is Milfos milk meters, automatic cup removers, a drafting gate, HEATIME to detect cows on heat, upgradeable iPUDs in each bail â&#x20AC;&#x201C; pretty much the works.

First in Wairarapa

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Before we built this we had a 16-bail rotary I built in 1971,â&#x20AC;? says Henry. It was the first rotary in the Wairarapa, state-of-theart and it cost just $10,000. Back then he was milking 130 cows. But by 2012, he was milking 368 and it was definitely time for a new dairy, but the old 16-bail shed is still used for cows with colostrum. Before deciding on a replacement, the Christensens had a

good look at what was available, and then asked for quotes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We put the job out to tender, when it came back there wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t much difference in the prices, but we went with Milfos because of the modules, we wanted to be able to add on as we go,â&#x20AC;? says Henry. And Milfos supplied exactly the dairy they wanted. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a modular system where everything is upgradable if we want more technology in the future,â&#x20AC;? says Henry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very well future-proofed.â&#x20AC;? Many of the features pay off in added efficiency, but one that is really paying for itself financially is the Milfos iCONVERTER snap chilling glycol unit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The glycol cooling system saves a lot of energy by freezing glycol using off peak power and then using it during the day to keep the milk at 4 degrees Celsius; and it uses the heat recovered from the milk to heat water to about 78 degrees Celsius â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this is enough hot water to hot-wash twice a day,â&#x20AC;? says Trevor Ward, area sales manager for Milfos and GEA Farm Technologies.

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Future-proofing family’s 130-year-old farm Another important feature is the in-shed feedto-yield system that feeds each individual cow according to her milk yield – the higher producing she is the more feed she gets in the bail. “I set the parameters, so if a cow is yielding within the high yield parameters I put her number in and the computer feeds her accordingly,” says Jason, Henry’s son and farm manager. “And then there’s a default setting that the ones at the bottom get. The actual feed delivery system is not Milfos, but it’s all integrated and controlled by the Milfos computer.”

Anything to do with liquid

The Milfos system was installed by Cartertonbased Cooper Farm Services the local Milfos agents. Coopers is a family owned and operated business that’s been in business for seven years. They’re well qualified for the work – manager Wayne Cooper has a certificate in Agricultural Engineering from Massey University and has been installing milking machines for 20 years. They also employ four other fitters as well as a qualified light fabrication engineer and a drain layer so they can also do water filtration and pumping, reticulation and effluent management systems – pretty much anything to do with liquid movement on the farm.

Attractive finish

Palmerston North-based painters Surfatex Ltd were brought in to apply the all-important finishing touch with a protective coating of Acraflex Dairy Wall Coating, designed specifically to seal the walls with an extremely hard-wearing and easy to clean finish. Acraflex is ideal for dairies and gives a bright, attractive finish. Surfatex is the lower North Island’s only licensed applicators of Acraflex and have built a reputation for both a quality job and very competent and friendly

tradesmen, who are only too happy to co-operate with other contractors to achieve timeframes set by customers.

Natural feel under-hoof

Finally, Jason had one other feature added – Numat Industries’ AgriMat. The cow’s entry and exit platform is a high impact area and a hazard for cows, especially when they’re exiting. They have to back out of the bail, then turn in a fairly tight space and the potential for slipping causing injury serious or hoof damage on the hard concrete is always a danger. The Christensens have reduced this hazard by fitting Numat Industries’ Kura AgriMat; a very hard-wearing matting that creates a more natural feel under the cow’s hooves. The Kura is the ‘Rolls Royce’ of Numat’s range of agricultural matting – it was developed for the cow houses of Europe where it’s in use for 12 months of the year. “The concrete in the old shed used to wear the hooves down, so we put AgriMat in over there. It gives good grip and stops a lot of the slipping over,” says Jason. Having a more natural surface underfoot makes the cows more confident and relaxed going in and out of the dairy, reducing stress and therefore improving cow flow. And less stress means happier cows and usually more milk. Agrimat comes as interlocking mats that can be cut and fitted exactly to the entry/exit area; and firmly held in place with AgriMat Mat Anchors, so once it’s fitted there’s no worries about it moving under the cows. The latest generations of Christensens have maintained the long family tradition of practicality in their choice of dairy and, with the future-proofing Milfos has allowed for, it will serve them well into the future – maybe even as long as the old 16-bailer. By Graeme Dobson

TOGETHER, WE’RE BUILDING NEW ZEALAND

Numat Industries’ Kura Agrimat.

Milfos’ iPUD bail insert.

Above: Milfos

platform with inset iPUDS and cups.

Left: Trevor

from GEA Farm Technologies shows the iPUD bail insert.

Page 56

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MURRAY & SONS

Page 58

Coast & Country

Grandfather drained and cleared the land from swamp Murray

One hundred years ago George Murray pitched a tent on the highest point in swampland near Whakatane and began the arduous task of draining and clearing it for pasture. George lived in Opotiki and regularly travelled to clear the farm. Eventually he and wife Mary raised a family there. Son John took over the property in Grieve Rd, and 40 years ago built a 28 bail rotary – among the first in the district. Last year, John’s sons Bruce and Ian built a 50 bail rotary near where their grandfather pitched his tent. There’s nothing much wrong with the former shed except its no longer big enough. “It works really well and has excellent cow flow so when we decided to build a new one, we wanted it based on that design,” says Bruce.

The farm has trebled in size with acquisitions of adjoining land, taking it to 186 ha with capacity to milk up to 750 cows.

Sharemilkers

The brothers, who operate the agricultural contracting business JL Murray & Sons, employed Gareth and Kim Beynon as lower order sharemilkers, assisted by Filipino farm workers Dom and John. Bruce and Ian prepared the building site for the new rotary, excavating, bringing in fill and raising the yards and feed pad to enable gravity to assist water flow and cleaning.

Complexities

After visiting several dairies, they chose a Chapman Dairy design, constructed by now retired builder Clive McIndoe, whose skill and experience the Murray brothers greatly appreciated. Don Chapman says the complex is fairly typical of a Chapman Dairy but

Scott Vierboom and Mike Bird with the control system Mike Bird Electrical installed for the effluent system on the Murray farm. the size (roughly 80m by 100m) and complexities of the site were challenging. “We kept the dairy handy to existing farm infrastructure but had to find room, between drains and away from houses, and redirect some farm races.” Chapman features include easy clean, low maintenance materials, wide opening windows, ventilation and lights, a replaceable centre post and line in the yard and two backing gates for two herds. There are two separate holding areas and three-way

drafting plus an external, sheltered and lit vet facility with easy access to the vet area inside the building. Don says Clive turned out his usual high standard of work on the Murray project and will be missed as a member of the Chapman Dairy team, but the company has another very competent builder in the Whakatane area. The DeLaval parallel rotary PR2100 platform and a DeLaval milking machine with state-of -the-art design allows the Murray

Wilco Klein Ovink and the brand new Wrangler, his company produces, installed on the farm where the idea was first born. farm to take full advantage of current and future advancements in milking equipment and herd management technology. The installation was carried out by King Farm Services of Edgecumbe and sales manager Will King says because the platform and milking systems are designed to work together, they provide a seamless milking operation. “It is this seamless integration that gives the complete system improved cluster alignment, low stable vacuum and easy adaption of automation equipment.

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Page 59

Platform constructed in five days Overall this solution gives superior milking performance.” The DeLaval Alpro herd management system is a modular concept which allows staff to manage drafting, feeding, milking, breeding and health recording. “Receiving timely accurate information from the Alpro system means you can immediately take action if necessary,” says Will. “Vacuum can be with-held from cows that require checking prior to attaching the clusters. All treated cows will also have vacuum with-held and require manual intervention to allow the cluster to be attached. “The Alpro system is the dairy farmer’s best decision making tool, providing rapid access to correct information which makes it easy to make the right decisions, saving time and increasing profitability.” The vacuum system, run by an 11kw variable speed pump, moves 4500 litres of air per minute and also operates the drafting gate. At the end of milking, air purges the delivery lines to send every last litre of milk to the vats. “Milk delivery lines can hold around two litres of milk per metre and every drop in the vat is money in the bank,” says Iain Watson of King Farm Services, which also designed and installed the dairy water system. The concrete ‘Reinga’ platform was constructed on-site by a team from Hotter Engineering. Lester Baker, factory manager for the New Plymouthbased company, says the 50 bail platform weighs about 25 tonne, yet is perfectly balanced and requires just two .75kw motors to drive it. Once the steel rollers and track were installed, the platform was poured in place, using aluminium shutters and steel reinforcing, pre-fabricated in the factory. “Among the unique features of our platforms is the fact that the steel ribs are cast inside the concrete, rather than exposed,” says Lester.

Hidden

Mike Bird, of Mike Bird Electrical at Matata, says it’s hard to see the work of his team. “Seventy per cent of what we installed is under the concrete.

Will King (left) and Iain Watson of King Farm Services Ltd which installed the DeLaval Alpro system, and designed and installed the water system in the Murray dairy.

This is the first time we have worked on a DeLaval system and it went well,” says Mike, who has run his own business for 10 years and as well as wiring dairies, and also carries out domestic work, often for farmer clients, and commercial businesses. The concrete for the dairy parlour (with the exception of the platform), the yards, the associated feed pad was poured, and tilt slabs for the effluent system installed, by local company Beulah Services, which employs a team of 12 and operates its own concrete batching plant and fleet of ready-mix concrete trucks.

Large project

The Murray project was among the biggest Beulah Services has carried out, because the whole complex was constructed at the same time, says Wade Rika. In 2011, Ian Murray contacted WETiT Teat Sprayers general manager Karen Crisp to discuss installing the company’s system in the new dairy. “Ian said he had looked at other options but preferred to go with ours as they were proven,” says Karen. As result, a WETiT Platform Magic automatic teat sprayer and WETiT Waves, were installed. The WETiT Wave is the original foot placement device, developed to complement the Platform Magic teat sprayer. “After many years of R&D by experienced designers, WETiT Waves encompass vital design elements which arent obvious and are not present in imitations, meaning they simply don’t achieve the results that the WETiT product does. The whole milking routine is quicker, cleaner and easier,” says Karen.

The platform can also be controlled from the pit, which is an advantage during herd testing.

The DeLaval milking system is designed to withstand the tough dairy environment.

The Don Chapman design dairy is light, practical and constructed on maintenance-free materials.

Prototype

Wilco Ovink of The Wrangler is delighted Ian and Bruce have installed a new Wrangler in their dairy. “I started sharemilking for them in 1991 and came up with the concept of the Wrangler,” says Wilco, who entered his design in the Fieldays Innovations Awards and won, giving him and wife Waverley the confidence to begin their own company. By Elaine Fisher

it a

pays to have wrangler

Cups on the DeLaval milking plant.

CAWTE FARMS

Page 60

Coast & Country

New generation goes shopping for new shed Nestled in the low hills within spitting distance of the Bay of Plenty’s famed beaches is the Cawte’s 180 ha ancestral (in the family for five generations) holding.

to a central valley. That not only reduced the maximum walking time to about 30 minutes, it also meant the cows only walked downhill with full udders. The reduced stress lifted production. But, as James remarked wryly, “it made them lazy and now they don’t like climbing hills at all”.

A quality dairy

By Graeme Dobson

Relocating the dairy meant upgrading from the old herJames Cawte, part of the latest generation, returned from ringbone, so the Cawtes went shopping. First they needed overseas a couple of years ago full of enthusiasm, and together a builder and a plan they were comfortable with. And, after with his father Barry, set about lifting production of the 550 looking at several new dairies, they decided on Te Awamutuherd. The farm based Gibson Rural Builders as the could be best best value for money. described as rolling “You get what you pay for and to steep with a few we wanted the best,” says James. hectares of low land, “One of the main things that and the distance the decided us was all the other sheds cows had to walk to we saw had pooling, but the conmilking was a major crete work in Pat’s sheds was dead. factor – the longest And they proved awesome to work was an hour-andwith.” a-half – so they The Cawte’s dairy stands out in its valley. When Pat Gibson set up Gibson relocated the dairy

Rural Builders in 1998 he saw a huge opportunity in building quality, modern dairies. He soon built a reputation for quality and reliability, and gained a significant market share to the point where he is now a major player who offers a complete package and project-manages from start to hand-over. The Cawtes had prepared the site ready for Pat to start as soon as he arrived – and preparing the site had been no mean feat. The dairy is located on low swampy ground, so they had to move a nearby hill to build a raised, solid foundation. With a good level base to work with, Pat built a state-of-the-art 54 bail rotary dairy. The building is a structural steel construction with bright red steel cladding (it really stands out in the landscape) and timber-framed walls, so all the wiring and plumbing is out of sight.

Whole management package

For inside the dairy, they called Hamilton-based Milfos International (recently purchased by GEA Farm Technologies) to supply and install the plant.

be will 2012 ears of 50 y iness bus

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CAWTE FARMS

Milking cows not money Platform Universal Devise, or iPUD, Mike Prendergast, GEA Farm that spreads the back legs of the cow Technologies area sales manager, says and allows the use of a teat spray after that first they put in a Milfos iFLOW milking. The iPUD’s are integrated platform on maintenance-free nylon with the iCR intelrollers; and then ligent cup remover, under that they put so if the cow has a an iCONVEYER ‘kick-off ’ it won’t milking plant. spray her because “On the platform she’ll be coming there’s a lot of high back around to the technology that operator and staylinks back through ing on the platform iNTELLAB and for a second round. iNTELSENSE to For refrigeraour whole manageMilfos’ ICONVERT keeps the tion, the Cawte’s ment package called milk at 4 degrees Celsius, while chose a Milfos iDENTITY. The iNTELLAB moni- delivering 85 degrees Celsius hot iCONVERTER water to the dairy. which uses off tors milk yields, peak power to fat, protein, lactose super chill glycol and freeze ‘phase and conductivity. The iNTELSENSE change nodules’. These nodules store is spaced at one in every fourth bail the cold and are used during the day – over a week a cow will get read in that bail on average twice a week, that instead of drawing on peak power to chill the milk. That’s a significant will give us an accurate somatic cell saving to the farmer – and he gets free count,” explains Mike. hot (85 degree CelThey’ve also integrated Heatime sius) water from HR, a motion-sensing collar worn by the iCONVERTthe cow that detects any decrease in rumination or change in activity, indi- ER’s heat recovery. All Milfos’ systems cating if she’s on heat or sick. Then were installed and it tells the Milfos automatic drafting gate (part of the iDENTITY package) wired by Te Puke company Conway & to automatically draft them out. Carpenter Electrical “Then there’s a data screen either Ltd. When Karen and side of ‘cups-on-cups-off ’ that allows the guys to manually put information Russell Parton took over the business in and gives warnings on cows coming from Lee Hughes 20 years ago, they onto the platform that have any prob- saw many challenges and opportunities that came with the changing lems or that need treatment.” needs of their expanding clientele, so Another new Milfos product is a

when the kiwifruit industry took off they were at the forefront of automated monitoring and management innovation. And with the advent of Psa-V they adapted again and turned their eye on the rapidly developing dairy industry. They soon realised that much of the unique automation they’d developed for the kiwifruit industry could be adapted to dairy. And so they developed a remote monitoring system (ConCar RMS) for farms. “When we looked at the dairy industry we saw a surprisingly large hole in farming,” says Russell Parton. In the Cawte’s dairy, Conway & Carpenter Electrical Ltd staff applied all their accumulated knowledge to meet the challenges of the job. The ConCar RMS had to provide industrial-level stability while remaining easy for the operators to manage – and be rugged enough to cope with being exposed to all environmental conditions. They set up a data network for the dairy (and the farm) with a robust wireless internet link to the primary control point in the shed’s switchboard, which housed both the high voltage and high current mains and the low voltage control and data cabinets. “You have the whole farm in here, you can even control the lights in the shed,” explains Russell.

“ You have the whole

farm in here, you can even control the lights in the shed

”

The control centre of the dairy with Milfos’ INTEL control boxes and Conway & Carpenter’s touch screen.

The PPP control centre delivers individual portions to each bail.

CAWTE FARMS

Page 62

Russell Parton from Conway & Carpenter Electrical Ltd shows how their touch screen works.

The entire farm can be monitored and managed from a single touch-pad screen, mounted on the wall alongside the Milfos control boxes – or by stakeholders from anywhere else in the world – and records data for compliance reporting.

Accurate, individual feeding

The dairy is fitted with an in-shed feeding system supplied by Auckland-based stock food company PPP. The PPP system is not as elaborate as some of its competitors, but it loses nothing from its simplicity. The system consists of two large corrugated metal dry-feed silos, linked by an auger that delivers a fixed portion of grain or other dry feed to each bail via a control unit. Liquid nutrients, such as molasses, can also be added to the PPP mix from a plastic tank situated next to the shed. The PPP control unit provides very accurate and individual feed drops for each cow, which means that James can program in a tailor-made feed regime. Or he can choose to remove all the PPP controls and fully integrate it with the iDENTITY management system. PPP has been in the business for more than 50 years and during that time their system has evolved, through the application of good Kiwi

Coast & Country

Farm monitored worldwide ingenuity, from servicing the poultry industry in the 1960s to developing New Zealand’s first in-shed feeding system in the 1970s, through to today when dairy in-shed systems has become their main business. This wealth of experience, along with a nationwide installation and after sales network that stretches from Kaitaia to Invercargill, provides farmers with an unparalleled service. By maintaining their focus on a user-friendly and cost-effective service, PPP is able to meet any demands the farmers may have. In a bay, to one side of the shed, there’s another excellent example of good Kiwi ingenuity – a Wilco & Waverley Klein Ovink’s Wrangler hoof trimming press. Many farmers say that the Wrangler is one of the most valuable pieces of equipment on the farm because it makes treating cows hooves safe and easy. The Wrangler uses a system of slings and ropes to manually (but easily) lift and restrain each leg so the hoof can be worked on accurately and safely. And, unusual in today’s modern dairy, it does it all without a computer – in fact without any electronics at all. The Wrangler came about nearly 20 years ago when Wilco Klein Ovink, a young sharemilker, invented the Wrangler as a safer way to treat

cow’s legs and hooves. Now he works flat out in his small Bay of Plenty factory to satisfy demand. As Milfos Dairy Solution Specialists, Te Puke company Think Water BOP was brought onto the Cawte’s job to install the Milfos dairy plant. On this job they worked alongside other contractors to ensure a top quality job, and now the plant has been commissioned and is up and running, they are heavily involved with its ongoing servicing and maintenance. Think Water BOP’s 32 years’ experience in the Tauranga / Papamoa / Bay of Plenty region has given them a huge presence in the area; and their experience in the field has made them specialists in the design, supply and installation of all forms of water management systems – pump installation, irrigation, effluent, trenching and drainage. It’s also made them leaders in related activities, such as kiwifruit frost protection. And, back in the office, they’re agents for a range of water pumps and associated water management equipment At the end of the day, was it all worth it? Well, with the addition of another 50 cows, James reckons he’s ‘on target’ to double production by next year. Now he’s looking at what else he can improve on. By Graeme Dobson

He’s farming witH

James Cawte with the family’s new dairy.

The Milfos drafting gate works with the ‘Heat Time Two’, part of their iDENTITY package, to automatically draft out cows on heat or that may be sick.

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PAMMENT

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Coast & Country

Simple dairy suits people and surrounds By Merle Foster

It doesn’t have the bells and whistles – but a new Te Puke dairy is a simple, effective, custom-built herringbone suiting its people and surrounds down to the ground.

Te Puke farmer Doug Pamment likes to keep things simple. So, when opportunity arose, he planned to extend his tired 24-aside herringbone. But, last minute advice from Water Solutions saw him “go the whole hog”, demolish the dairy and build a new extension with a brand new milking plant. A land swap with NZ Transport Agency (for Tauranga Eastern Link highway) saw the farm increase in size with a Friesian cross herd of 700 for the 2012/2013 season. A 40-aside dairy, built in seven weeks, accommodates more cows and a higher milk volume with Caleb Lalley, Tyler Hamlyn and Steven Hodge, milking twice-a-day. Neighbouring farm employees Mark Bennett and Cameron Duff stripped the site and Mark replaced railing and poured concrete. “They spent days working while looking after their own farms,” says Doug.

Smooth base

Gus Cantlon, owner-operator of Digger and Dozer, lifted up the old yard. “It had to be picked up and removed, and after

ADDLINE TRANSPORT LTD

Pamment

From left, farmer Doug Pamment and milkers from the neighbouring farm Cameron Duff and Mark Bennett spent hours helping to build this Te Puke dairy.

demolition, we levelled the site and excavated a new pit by extending the existing structure,” says Gus. “I levelled fill and Doug’s staff rolled it.” He landscaped around the new dairy, formed races with new drainage and a feeding pad. “The race has new culverts and bridges – so we spent a lot of time here.” Based in Te Puke and working alone, Gus enlarged the effluent pond, dug trenches and re-laid pipes from shed to pond. He says Digger and Dozer completes jobs – big or small. “I do a lot of dairy work, mainly contracting of races, drainage, standing pads and effluent ponds,” says Gus.

Hauling product to the site for more than a week, Addline also transported pumice and metal for the entry and exit races, and the feeding pad. “Pumice is Gus Cantlon, owner-operator of Digger and Dozer created readily available, the race which enters connect two farms and provides easy located nearby, price cow flow into the new dairy. is important and this is an “It’s not unusual for Doug to ring me and all-weather product.” Doug is happy with he likes to do everything properly.” Addline which has serviced the farm since Previously owning a large North Island 2001. “In the past, we’ve carted race pumice, contracting firm, Gus knows the industry palm kernel, metal and animal feed products well. “Now I like to work by myself for the to the farm,” says Kerry. local farming community.” Based at Welcome Bay, Addline has 16 staff offering a range of excavation services Pumice races perfect to cover all earth moving needs. “Our core work is bulk transportation of fill, pumice, The farm is characterised by flat peat land, metal, sand, topsoil, mulch, maize, hay, and the dairy site needed raising. Addline silage, and kiwifruit bulk and bins exTransport Ltd used three truck and trailer orchard.” units to bring fill and pumice for the base. The team is equipped with precision “We supplied and carted 1500m3 of pumice, 650m3 rylite and about 200 tonne of metal machinery to complete any project – product,” says owner Kerry Addison. according to any budget.

PAMMENT

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New dairy optimum environment for milkers and cows n From left: Kelvi Witheford, , Russell Corfield Gordon Cassey, Doug Pamment and Josh Norquay all played part in creating Doug’s new dairy at Te Puke.

line to clean it extremely well,” says Gordon. With minimal prospect for unwanted grades, milking staff reckon the herd’s low cell count is helped by the quality of pulsation.

Kelvin Witheford and his sparky Shane Rei first-year apprentice d and Nathan Whitehead, installed a new electrical system and re-wired the new dairy.

System suits staff

Water Solutions BOP Ltd director Gordon Cassey and three staff worked two weeks to meet the short deadline to install the herringbone milk system from Waikato Milking Systems. With the existing structure gutted, the pit extended and the milk room ceiling partially lifted – Water Solutions installed the milking plant, stainless steel componentry and water systems. This included a Supa4 system with a superior wash. “A slug wash line sees an air purge push water and air, at high velocity, down the

MOWERS

Water Solutions installed two 500 litre water cylinders, a high volume maxi milk filter with a top-loading hinged lid, and a high-volume single bank industrial plate cooler. It’s a basic, straightforward shed without bells and whistles, Gordon says. “It doesn’t have automation features but it has top of the line pulsation and is really robust.” Water Solutions, the local Waikato Milking Systems dealer, stripped and serviced existing water pumps, and installed several new pumps and pipework. “The milkers are keen on wash down hoses so we installed a new pump and plumbed in the old one – when it kicks in they have three hoses going for it.”

Fast, clean, quiet

Waikato Milking Systems supplied Doug with a Supa4 herRussell Corfield of Corfield Refrigeration and Electrical ringbone with a single 100mm milk line draining into a receiver Ltd with the new Fonterra compliant vat stand twin can set. control box that controls the refrigeration The high flow-rate milk line unit and cooling of the vat.

makes milking fast and uninterrupted. Complemented by SmartPULS pulsators, and high quality G2 cluster washers, electronic pulsation is “top of the line technology,” says Waikato Milking Systems Bay of Plenty territory manager Josh Norquay. “Electronic pulsation means you only have to feed power to the pulsators which manage themselves, they’re individually programmed and have their own circuit boards.” Five kilometres from Papamoa Beach, salt air poses corrosion risks. “These pulsators are silicone-dipped with sealed wiring looms and no wiring or soldering of joins, and a power supply in the milk room avoids water and salt air contamination.” A galvanised pump stand and belt covers promote safety first. The SmartDrive variable speed drive blower pump doesn’t use water or oil for lubricating itself. It makes milking quiet (running on idle without needing high revs for maximum efficiency), and saves on power. “It’s independently tested by Genesis to have a 46 per cent power saving capacity,” Josh says.

PAMMENT

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Coast & Country

New dairy is a better environment for staff With distribution centres internationally, including USA, UK, South Africa, China and Australia, Waikato Milking Systems is internationally successful. However, research and development, and product design, is all done at the head office in Hamilton. “We’re New Zealandowned and operated with the bulk of our gear manufactured locally.” With Water Solutions being Waikato Milking Systems’ Te Puke dealer, Gordon says this is the beauty of working with Waikato Milking Systems. “We can talk directly to the people making the gear.”

Wired for easy use

Operating 45 years around Te Puke, Witheford Electrical installed underground mains, the switchboard and re-wired the new dairy. Owner Kelvin Witheford, sparky Shane Reid (with Witheford 11

Russell Corfield of Corfield Refrigeration and Electrical Ltd installed a refrigeration unit to control cooling of the 16,000 litre vat.

years) and first-year apprentice Nathan Whitehead kept it cost effective and simple to operate. Separate circuit breakers for each circuit including the milk pump and vacuum pump accompany an over-load unit for the wash down. “Milkers control wash down and an automatic backing gate from the pit removing the need to get in or out.” In the milk room, a control box is simple to use – the vacuum pump works from the turn of a switch. “You’re not running around pushing buttons,” says Kelvin. When on, the effluent pump stops. To change to wash you press one button – it stops the water pump plate cooler simultaneously so hot water cleans milk lines but doesn’t go through the cooler. Witheford attached a waterproof casing to a beam, for wire cabling, by the milking bales – which future-

proofs the dairy. Waterproof fluorescent lights don’t get drenched in wash down. Outside, four 400 watt halo floodlights shine – a bulb gives 1500watt of lighting and a life expectancy of up to 30,000 hours. Servicing Papamoa to Matata, Kelvin admits this is a simple setup. “All Doug wants is to get good milk out of cows without a lot of fuss and bother.” This offers easy operation to relief milkers.

Cool milk is key

Refrigeration and Electrical Ltd installed a Patton Pack 13 horsepower free-standing refrigeration unit. “Demands for cooling of milk meant the site needed a suitably sized refrigeration unit hooked to the 16,000 litre vat to meet compliance,” says Russell Corfield. Special valves control the amount

Water Solutions gave the water pumps a new set up and a birthday clean up.

cell count

Pamment

of refrigerant to between the vat cooling 50,000 and pad to give best and came back performance. with a good price 80,000 The refrigeration for the system and unit automatiinstallation.” cally flicks on at 6 He thinks the degree Celsius to hold milk first season went exceptionally temperature between 5 and 6 degree smooth. “We’ve kept our cell count Celsius. “It means a tanker driver between 50,000 and 80,000 and can get an instant reading of vat the vacuum levels and plant seem to milk temperature, from the control be working very well.” box, and make a decision whether He likes the herringbone “with or not to pick the milk up,” says nothing too fancy” and is happy Russell. with the staff help in the project. Doug says milking hours are less and cow flow is optimum. “It’s a Dairy great for cows better environment for staff and Doug, who initially hoped to that’s what I was aiming for.” change only parts of the milk line, In the new dairy’s debut season, says the logic of totally re-fitting the herd hit 200,000 kg ms – the plant has paid off. “Water limited by a long, dry summer. Solutions came to the farm straight For, 2013/2014, the target is away without notice. They recom240,000 kg ms. By Merle Foster mended Waikato Milking Systems

Gordon Cassey and Josh Norquay next to the pump stand with belt covers – it’s a galvanised bolt-together kit-set – and is very safe for milkers.

WMS supplied the Supa4 milking system that sports a single 100mm milk-pipe draining into a receiver can set at one end of the pit which was installed by Water Solutions.

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PAMMENT

KITCHEN

DINING LIVING

ENTRY

computer BED 2 BED 3

GARAGE

BED 1

BATH

WET ROOM

AREA : 164.94m²

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S&S

Coast & Country

Couple climb dairy ladder to build first dairy

Mountain view from the yard.

All the precast walls, panels and laminated timber beams are made in Fabish & Jackson’s yard – everything gets done in-house, comes out on a truck and erected on site, enabling a quick and efficient job.

Quality and flexibility

Inside the dairy the Keechs opted for a Waikato Milking Systems platform and plant. Nathan Hitchcock from Moa Milking & Pumping Ltd, Waikato’s dealer based in Inglewood, told me:

Sheldon and Sarah Keech have been on their new 140hectare property abutting Egmont National Park for 12 months now, a time spent by working hard to convert it from dry stock to dairy. The work is being done in stages – last year they milked 190 cows off 75ha, this year they’ll milk 250 cows off 100ha – and there’s still a bit more tidying up to do. To get started they’ve put in a new basic 36-bail rotary dairy. “We’ve kept it simple because we had a pretty tight budget, but it’s just what we want at the moment,” Sheldon says. “We started building this time last year. The site work was done by the 10th June, the builders started between 20th and 25th and

“When Sheldon asked if I could do his dairy, I told him we could do everything, the entire milking platform, plant and plumbing in one hit. It was ideal for both of us. It was fast and easy, we were in and out, well within his timeframe.” Like the rest of the shed, the milking plant Nathan installed has few frills – yet. The beauty of Waikato Milking Systems’ technology is that you can buy in at the entry level and add technology later as you go for additional benefits, which is very important for Sheldon

we were milking in it by the 1st August. We set that deadline at the start and sat down and made sure everyone was comfortable with the time frame.”

Quick, efficient job

Sheldon’s dad Alistair was able to help them out with the site preparation and earthworks (he was their main digger driver); then it was all go with one of Fabish & Jackson’s OCTA-LOCK prefabricated buildings, designed and engineered in New Plymouth and manufactured in Inglewood. “We had two quotes and we ended up going with Steve (Fabish) mainly because of his experience and his team. We were confident they could do the job in the time, and they didn’t let us down.”

and Sarah; and they ultimately opted for a Waikato Milking Systems’ plant and platform because of this quality and flexibility. “We’re very happy with the way it’s all worked out with Nathan and Waikato,” says Sheldon.

‘Make farming ezy’

For all the wiring, Chris Perrett, from Chris Perrett Electrical Solutions Ltd, was hired as he’s been in the trade for 16 years; out on his

own and specialising in the dairy industry for the last two. “I sat down with Sarah and Sheldon and made a plan that suited them and their budget – that’s what I do with all my customers, simply work out what they want and how to give it to them,” says Chris. As an integral part of herd hygiene Chris installed a TechniPharm walk-over teat spray unit in the yard, situated so that each cow gets an accurate disinfectant spray on her teats as

Rural specialist with over 15 years experience who has a genuine with interest installing Rural specialist overin15 years experience electrical systems that let you who has a genuine interest in installing getsystems the bestthat from dairy electrical letyour you get the best shed. from your Dairy Shed. Call Chris for all your electrical needs.

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Page 69

No-frill dairy spot-on for new Taranaki farm The Keech’s new dairy is a Fabish & Jackson’s OCTA-LOCK building.

The platform from Waikato Milking Systems is very neat and has clean lines. Chris Perrett with the dairy’s control console. she passes over it. TechniPharm is a Rotoruabased, New Zealand-owned company with production facilities in NZ and across the ditch in Bendigo, so they can readily service farmers here and in Australia. With TechniPharm, the Keechs have an award-winning brand with the goal (and motto) ‘to make farming ezy’.

A luxury item

Outside, the yards were made and installed by Daniel Williams from Puniho Engineering. Daniel set up his business just outside Puniho three years ago and has built a strong reputation as a good tradesman who reliably services his customer’s varied needs, from welding through a range of general engineering and contracting to the odd bit of hay making. When building the yard Daniel had to allow for one of the Keechs’ few ‘luxuries’– a LIC Protrack automated drafting gate.

Russell from LIC with the Protrack Drafting Gate.

“It’s awesome!” Sarah enthuses. “Brilliant, like having another man on the farm.” She’s not alone in feeling that – there’s 1300 Protrack gates in NZ and the number’s growing all the time. Russell from LIC told me: “They’ve just got the basic system for now, there’s a whole lot more to Protrack that they can add on later – such as in-shed feeding, onplatform identification, milk metering, pretty much all of it.” They do have one other impressive LIC feature – an app that enables them to record cows for drafting from anywhere, just by putting the cow’s numbers into their iPhone, it downloads them onto Protrack.

Finishing touches

To finish the dairy they brought in Palmerston North-based painters Surfatex Ltd. Surfatex came highly recommended, not

Cow’s eye view of the Protrack Drafting Gate.

Sheldon and Sarah with Russell from LIC, Sheldon’s father Alistaire, and Chis Perrett from Chris Perrett Electrical Solutions Ltd.

surprising considering they’re the lower North Island’s only licensed applicators of the Acraflex Dairy Wall Coating, designed specifically to seal the walls with a hard wearing and easy to clean finish ideal for dairies. Away from the dairy they engaged local builder John Neil to put up two new calf sheds. On this project the Keechs were surrounded by people like themselves – young and dynamic – and John was no exception. He’s has been in business just a year or so, but already he’s building an impressive reputation locally; and since the Keech’s calf sheds he’s built his first dairy, and by all accounts has made an excellent job of it. Further out still, Marc Gopperth from Gopperth Contractors, and Brian and Lisa Schrader from Coastal Wrapping, helped get the farm in order. Marc carted the metal needed to do the new races, helped out with preparing ground-

work for the shed and digging out effluent ponds. A lot of stones came out of the ground when he dug the ponds, giving a ready-made source of material for the races. Then the new races had to be fenced, which is where Brian and Lisa came in with their post rammer. Eight years ago they gave up milking and started Coastal Wrapping as a hedge mulching business, which grew into general farm contracting as they included hay contracting, fencing and a bit of general ‘handy-man’ work. Sheldon and Sarah have worked their way up through the ranks, from farm workers to sharemilkers, and now to new farm owners – and the dairy they have just built suits their needs perfectly, for now. Plus with the built-in capacity to upgrade, it will serve them well – far into the future. By Graeme Dobson

MOFFIT

Page 70

Coast & Country

Perfection without being a palace By Graeme Dobson

For many people, Bruce Moffitt’s farm would be a dream come true – a few hundred metres from his new dairy lies one of New Zealand’s premier surf breaks – and an hour or so in the opposite direction the snows of Mt Taranaki offer quality skiing and snow-boarding. The farm has been in the family for four or five generations, and during the years it has grown to its present 128 hectares and 420-cow herd of Jerseys. As the farm grew, the dairy was upgraded several times to keep up with its expanding needs and new technology. “Ten years ago I was milking about 240 cows in a 16-aside herringbone, when the herd went up to 400 I extended the shed to a 36-aside,” Bruce explains. Then last year he upgraded again to a 40-bail rotary. Like all sensible farmers he had a look around and asked a lot of questions before deciding on a builder and milking plant. “I didn’t want a palace,” says Bruce. “I wanted something in keeping with the farm. I’ve got a friend not far away who put a Milfos plant in his shed and used local Taranaki company

Fabish & Jackson Builders. I went and had a look at it and asked a lot of questions, then I pretty much copied him,” admits Bruce. He liked Fabish & Jackson’s OCTA-LOCK buildings with their neat finish and no wasted space – and he particularly likes the vent in the central peak. “In the summer the heat just goes, and we don’t get the flies like we always had in the herringbone.” Fabish & Jackson design and prefabricate their popular OCTA-LOCK buildings in their Inglewood factory before shipping them out to the customer. Their design is constantly evolving to meet the customer’s requirements – this year they’ve gone to all aluminium windows for added durability. “When their sales guy suggested we have windows instead of perspex I was a bit sceptical, especially when he said we would be only the second to have them. But he took me to see the other shed and I was convinced, it made it brighter and looked much better,” says Bruce. He also liked the speed of construction that the prefabrication allowed. “I had time constraints and it was very important to have a team that worked together. I didn’t have the time for friction so I used Fabish & Jackson, their sparky Sinclair Electrical,

a Milfos milking plant installed by Milfos’ agents Dairy Pro 2010 – they handled all the water reticulation as well – and Surfatex for painting. I knew that this team worked well together and this, along with the price, was the deciding factor for me.”

Flexibility to grow

Bruce hadn’t used Milfos before, but he did his research and decided on them this time, mainly because he needed a top quality milking plant that didn’t need expensive add-ons to function at full capacity. He wanted to keep his operation quite basic and opted for a minimum of computerisation to start. “One of the things I really like about the Milfos set up is that it’s very modular, so you pay for what you want or can afford at the time – it may be the difference between being able to achieve a project or not.” With Milfos, there’s also capacity to add features later on without having to rip out something you’ve already paid for. The key to it is ‘future proofing’ Bruce explains. And that’s exactly what Milfos gave him – the flexibility to grow, as and when he wanted.

MOFFIT

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The aluminium windows on the Fabish & Jackson Octalock are a new and attractive feature.

Page 71

New dairy improves farmer’s health By Graeme Dobson

Dairy Pro 2010 Ltd took care of the plant installation – and all other plumbing. Dairy Pro is the local GEA Farm Technologies Service Partner and offer installation and service of the Milfos brand as part of this partnership. “They had a lot of sheds on the go last year when they were doing ours, but they’re very accessible. If I have any issues they’re happy to come out any time, or even guide me through it over the phone if that’s possible. I had them in my old shed and it’s easy to carry the relationship on,” says Bruce.

Matching up yards

When Bruce extended the old herringbone he’d upgraded the yards, so he situated the new rotary to take advantage of those yards and other existing infrastructure. He called in local tradesman Daniel Williams from Puniho Engineering to work with the Fabish & Jackson team to match the existing yards to the new dairy. “Daniel hasn’t been in the game too long, but he’s picked up a lot of clients and he’s done a few sheds now. He does a lot of

work for me on the farm and does a very good job.” To complete the dairy Palmerston Northbased specialist painters Surfatex Ltd applied a strong, long lasting protective coating. “He was brilliant, fast, and a good guy as well. He was in and out in a week – he probably would have liked more time, but we were right behind him with a herd of cows,” says Bruce. “Painters usually want everyone out so they can have the site to themselves, but this guy worked in with everyone else – and he was polite into the bargain. He did a fantastic job”.

Affordable new rotary

Another local company, Sinclair Electrical, was brought in to wire up the new dairy. Sinclair has often worked with Fabish & Jackson, so Bruce was quite happy to go with his recommendation when it came to putting in the dairy’s wiring and refrigeration. Sinclairs is based in nearby Opunake and have a reputation among the locals for being good and reliable tradesmen, as well as being pleasant to deal with.

At the start Bruce set a tight budget, which meant keeping costs to a minimum without compromising on quality. A part of this cost-saving was recycling a few items from the old shed – such as the variable speed pump (only one-year-old), the water heaters and vat wash – and requiring Sinclair to integrate them into the new dairy. But for the main part he kept the new package intact and sold the old shed and plant as an almost complete unit.

Price challenge

“I set a challenge for myself to do the job for a price – to show that it doesn’t have to break the bank if you don’t let it. The key to the shed is future-proofing – it doesn’t have to be overly expensive, but it’s not something that you can cut corners on,” says Bruce. “With the people I’ve gone with, I’ve been able to afford the rotary I needed, which has improved my health. Now I do the milking and come home and I’m not stuffed and cranky. Everyone benefits.” And Bruce’s budget? In the end, Bruce reckons he managed to complete his new dairy for under $600,000.

Bruce Moffitt with his new dairy.

Neat and tidy Milfos bails.

ENGINEERING LTD

Page 72

McGOUGAN

Coast & Country

Old dairy joins dad in retirement

The McGougan family have been on their 135ha Taneatua farm for about 105 years, and Gavin McGougan and his brother worked it for a good part of that time. During that time he became a master of good old Kiwi ingenuity and sheer practicality. Now he’s passing that nous on to his son, Fraser. But pretty much as soon as Fraser took over the farm a couple of years ago, the old dairy decided to join Gavin in retirement. “It was built in 1976, it was one of the first rotaries and worked on a stop-start hydraulic system. Metal fatigue had set in, and it was sort of ‘walking’ and cracking hydraulic hoses – we were replacing 20 litres of oil every three or four weeks. Eventually the platform broke completely, fracturing all the hydraulics. It was just time for it to go,” says Fraser.

The building and some of the fittings, such as the clusters, were still serviceable – so a new 34-bail platform from Waikato Milking Systems with bar restraints was installed, much of the electrics and refrigeration upgraded and some new concrete yards and water tanks. After the old platform had been removed for scrap, the first contractor in was local company Tracks Concrete to put down the concrete needed for the new platform and do some additions to the yards. “I went to Tracks Concrete because I knew I’d get the level of service from them that I wanted. And they’re local, it’s important to support local business where you can,” says Fraser.

Top quality service

The milking machine upgrade was handled by Rick Finucane, owner of Whakatane-based Bay Milking Equipment. Rick says they’ve been in

Milking Systems ever since he started Bay Milking Equipment back in 1990, and is now even prouder because they’re now the only New Zealand milking machine manufacturer to still remain New Zealand owned. Fraser and father Gavin with their new dairy. The McGougans also reckon that it’s important to support NZ companies, business for 22 years and service the greater Bay but the main thing that convinced Fraser to of Plenty area. install Waikato gear was its quality and the way That’s a lot of territory and, although dairy the components can be upgraded step-by-step, farms become fairly few and far between the as needed. further east they go, it’s still keeping them busy. Rick installed Waikato Milking System’s Rick’s been servicing the McGougan’s milking Ultimate Cup Removers and looped Milk machine – along with their water pumps and Lines – the Supa4 was the first 100mm milking effluent system – for years and Fraser knew that system to be sold in New Zealand and Waikato all their technicians are qualified with the MilkMilking Systems have spent two decades pering Plant Testing Association, so he knew he’d fecting it – and now it out-performs all other be guaranteed top quality service. systems in its class. Rick has been a proud agent for Waikato

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McGOUGAN

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Page 73

Young farmers’ food for thought He also fitted Waikato’s SmartPULS digital pulsation system, with PulseGuard in-line filters to protect the pulsators.

Electrical dairy specialist

Equipment is also agents for Aqua Tanks and can offer Aqua Tanks’ full range of high quality, New Zealand-made polyethylene tanks. Aqua Tanks are a division of Galloway International – a 100 per cent New Zealand–owned and operated company that’s internationally recognised as a leader in concept and design.

Upgrading meant rewiring and, sticking with the locals, Fraser called Mike Bird – owner of Matata-based Mike Bird Electrical. With his staff of three, Mike will take on pretty much any Leader in tank design Aqua Tanks are New Zealand’s highwork, but prefers to concentrate on dairies and est accredited polyethylene water tank rural work. manufacturers and offer a wide range of “This was basically a revamp, matching up water storage options, from the new gear to a re-built 295 to 31,000 litres, includswitchboard that could The new platform has ing underground storage, handle it, and putting the a 24 volt console and slim-line tanks, storm-water switchboard in a waterproof fibreglass housing,” control system to eliminate retention and tanks for export water and portable Mike explains. “The any free voltage water storage, as well as all new platform has a 24 pre-tank filters and volt console and control accessories. Aqua system to eliminate any free voltage,” he adds. Tanks manuAnd while he was at it, Fraser had Mike upgrade the lighting and fixtures to meet Fonter- facture pretty much everything ra’s standards. needed for domestic, Meeting temperatures commercial But, as anyone who has fixed old cars knows, and rural if you replace one part another’s bound to fail – Above: Gordon Faber from applications and the old dairy was no different. Independent Refrigeration, – and they “When we put in the new gear and the new make them Mike Bird from Mike Bird wiring, the old refrigeration failed. So we got in a range Electrical and farmer Gordon in,” says Fraser. “With Gordon’s advice we’ve upgraded the refrigeration to meet the new of colours Fraser McGougan. to suit every coolant temperatures which Fonterra’s talking situation and underwater once every about.” back all their prodfour years, on average. That’s Gordon Faber from Whakatane firm ucts with a 10-year But it can happen up to Independent Refrigeration, who installed a unit ndent four times in one year. epe Ind m fro warranty. But it’s ber Fa with the capacity to run a snap chiller, a heat Above: Gordon his chiller unit. The floods, however, have not just water that they deal recovery unit; and that can cope with any future Refrigeration with a plus. To cope with the increases in herd size. The snap chilling and heat with – Aqua Tanks can also be used for molasses, colostrum and their chemiunpredictable loss of grazing, Fraser puts aside a recovery system are all Gordon’s own design cal storage tanks are approved to AS/NZS4766 great deal of supplementary feed, mostly maize and are getting a very good reception from his and Code of Practice HSNOCOP 61. grown on the farm (producing about 30 tonne/ customers. The McGougan’s farm comes with its ha), which makes them mostly self-sufficient Finally Fraser went back to Rick for one of his challenges – like about one-third of it going come flood or drought. other needs, new water storage. Bay Milking Faster cooling of milk using Carel Electronic expansion valves. 5 Feb

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Above: Fraser

with the new Aqua Tank water tank.

Increased efficiency

The new dairy is not large, but Fraser says it has increased the efficiency of milking his 270 cows to match any he has seen. Nor has it many of the bells and whistles, but Gavin has added a few of his own. “We’ve got an excess of compressed air, and one of the cool things Dad’s set up is a puffer system to puff the cows off, and he’s linked it to a cup spray and a teat spray. It’s tripped by the bar restraint as it comes up,” says Fraser, justifiably proud of his dad’s inventiveness. With ingenuity and practicality like that, Fraser has achieved all the efficiencies he needs for an outlay of under $200,000 – certainly food for thought for young farmers. By Graeme Dobson

Page 74

MARAEROA OTUROA TRUST

Coast & Country

Neighbour turned sharemilker builds trust’s dairy Thirty-year-old dairy farmer Murray Scott is someone who lives and breathes farming. Not content to own a farm with his wife Beck, where they milk 800 cows, the couple is also 50/50 sharemilkers for the Maraeroa Oturoa 2B Trust’s newly converted dairy farm at Mamaku near Rotorua. The trust is made up of five trustees; Heather Smith, Lillie Walton, Henare and Ratema Mohi and Alan Simpkins. “Up until three years ago, the 386 hectare block was leased out to a number of lease holders. It was a dry stock farm and the last person to lease it was Murray and Beck,” says trustee Lillie Walton. The trustees decided that the farm would be more profitable if converted to dairying. Murray and Beck owned the farm next door and were leasing the trust’s land to use as a run-off. “We came to an arrangement with Murray and Beck that they would be our 50/50

sharemilkers on this farm – and with Murray’s expertise in dairy farming – it was logical that he became the project manager for this set up,” says Lillie.

Lay of the land

Originally from Tirau in the Waikato, Murray has been dairy farming for five years. With this experience he knew what sort of dairy shed would best suit the trust’s farming philosophy, and take advantage of the existing lay of the land. The decisions were mainly Murray’s – but always in consultation with the trustees. Together, they visited several dairy sheds around the area, compared notes and then came up with a design for their specific requirements. “We decided that a 60 bail rotary would be the most efficient and would handle the 720 cows we planned to start off with. The idea is to increase to a maximum of 800 cows next season. The trust want the farm to run as environmentally-friendly as possible and animal welfare is the top priority,” says Lillie. “A happy cow is a high producing cow.” Lowe Builders from Matamata was con-

Maraeroa Oturoa Trust

tracted to build the dairy shed. “They had “We included an underground passage to the a good reputation and specialized in dairy centre with entrances from either side, for easy sheds, both rotary and herringbone,” says access if something needs attending to. It’s a Murray. light, airy building with plenty of room for “The Maraeroa Oturoa 2B Trust chose one milkers to move around in,” says Paul. of my standard rotary designs and made a few The dairy shed was sited on the highest modifications. We started building the elevation of the farm because it was feeding pad first and then progressed central, and the effluent is gravity on to the dairy shed,” says Paul A few challenges fed into the ponds, which elimiLowe, managing director of Lowe nates the need for a pump. – one being the builders. Originally a house builder, “There were a few challenges Paul has diversified into weather as it is sev– one being the weather as it dairy sheds and employs six eral degrees colder is several degrees colder on the builders. top of the Mamakus, it rains “The two dairy sheds on on the top of the often and the ground is hard,” my own farm have DeLaval Mamakus, it rains says Paul. milking systems and I have found them very reliable so it often and the seemed logical to go with the Light airy building ground is hard. same here,” says Murray. The idea was to get the concrete The South Waikato agent for for the feed pad poured before the DeLaval is Tanner Industries, which is really bad weather set in. The area is volcanic locally owned and operated by Lloyd and and has a lot of rhyolite which is mainly Sharon Tanner in Putaruru. silica and not much iron. A digger had to be The couple has owned the business for seven hired to remove the top 30mm of soil. The years, and with their team, hold more than 30 dairy shed is made from pre-cast concrete years of combined experience. panels – all made on site and then assembled.

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One-man milkings possible They installed the DeLaval Alpro milking system, which has the ability to track cow weight, calving, milk volume, conductivity and treatment history – and it includes a DeLaval 3-way drafting gate, which can be operated from the computer for planned drafting or one-button drafting from the bail – anywhere in the rotation. "We prefer to call it Herd Management - On Farm Business Management, which involves decision making and supervision as a continuous process. This allows the farm manager to monitor and control his decisions,” says Lloyd. “The benefits of this are increased production, improved conception rates, earlier detection of ailments and more informed culling decisions. And, in combination with the automatic teat spray system, one-man milkings are possible.”

Confidence in products The platform is a DeLaval PR2100 and was installed by Hotter Engineering. The shed’s water, DeLaval automatic plant wash, the feed pad and flood wash system were all installed by Martin and Brendan from Tanner Industries. The large effluent pond has been lined with HDPE – a durable, tough and UVresistant product supplied and installed by Aspect Environmental Lining Ltd from Hamilton. AEL recognises the importance for customers to have confidence in their products and services. To ensure high quality standards, AEL sources the best materials and uses the most up-to-date installation and testing techniques available. To back this up, AEL offers comprehensive installation and material warranties and detailed quality assurance documents that you can trust. Otorohanga company Thomson Concrete supplied all the water troughs for the new conversion. They specialise in all concrete products such as feed and water troughs,

foot baths, septic tanks, pig troughs and pipes. “All our products are manufactured here on our site and we must be competitively priced because we get orders from all over the North Island,” says manager David Hamilton. Since December 2012 the company, which mainly supplies the rural sector, has been owned by Lawrence and Pauline Holden.

Page 75

Martin Jamieson head fitter at Tanner Industries, John Allen from JLN Builders, sharemilker Murray Scott and Lloyd Tanner (owner of Tanner Industries). JLN Builders’ calf shed.

Security and privacy

As well as Murray, the trust employs a farm manager, 2IC and a farm assistant. JLN Builders from Tirau built the manager’s house and a workers cottage as well as an implement shed and calf shed. “The houses were sited at either end of the farm for security and privacy. The manager can see the dairy shed from the house and the other cottage is situated closer to the main road. We are part of Competitive Homes, which means we can offer quality buildings at a reasonable cost,” says John Allen, owner of JLN Builders. The six-bay calf shed (nine metre deep by 28 metre long) has not been used yet but will be put to the test when calving starts in August. The five-bay implement shed houses the farm’s machinery, and with security in mind is lockable. This huge project commenced on February 22 and was completed in October 2012. The cows began calving in August so the herd initially had to be milked in Murray’s 40 bail herringbone shed on his neighbouring farm. “For those couple of months, we milked the calvers once a day which meant we were milking eight hours a day in my shed. Even with rostering the staff it’s not something I want to do again,” says Murray. With all this behind them, the Maraeroa Oturoa 2B Trust now has a brand new, efficient dairy complex made possible by the expertise and commitment of people they contracted to do the job. By Helen Wilson

Tanner Industries owner Lloyd Tanner and Martin Jamieson, head fitter at Tanner Industries.

Effluent pond showing the liner.

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Page 76

Coast & Country

All kidding aside

There’s plenty of kidding around on Josh Wheeler’s new dairy venture, or at least there was in July when his 600 goats produced two or three kids each. By Graeme Dobson

Josh is a part of the New Zealand Goat Farmer’s Co-operative which processes goats’ milk into high quality infant milk formula, a product that is currently exported about 20 countries. Of the 60 goat farms in the Co-op only five are outdoor, the rest house the nannies inside goat-houses 24/7. “Because all the milk goes for infant milk formula we can’t drench, so keeping them inside breaks the worm cycle. We feed them grain and silage we grow ourselves, plus a bit of molasses for energy,” explained Josh. “Goats don’t need a big area, just access to a reliable source of good quality fodder. You can feed about 16 goats to the hectare, or about 40ha for our 600,” he added. The extra molasses Josh feeds is supplied by BLM Feeds Ltd, a division of BLM Holdings. BLM supplies the farming community with both liquid (molasses and condensed distiller’s syrup - CDS) and dry ruminant feeds such as palm kernel, mixed grain pellets and dried distillers grains (DDGS). Their brands include Pro Cow dairy feed, Pro Start calf feed, Pro Min mineral additives and Pro Cow Shed silo feeds as well as being distributors of Zinpro Availi minerals. BLM developed the Pro Goat range of specially formulated balanced supplements especially for the emerging goat industry to provide goat farmers with a cost effective way to keep their stock in top condition. They’ve

also included in their range Pro Kid – a soft textured, blended nutritional feed that’s medicated with coccidiostat to control coccidiosis. Josh’s sister-in-law Jo Alcock, who is in charge of the dairy, was happy to explain the goat’s other dietary requirements. “Contrary to common perception, goats are fussy eaters,” Jo told me. “They’re browsers, they’ll pick out the best and leave the rest. We clean out once a week and give the goat’s leftovers to the cattle (steers) and they love it.” This is the first year of operation and the are kids due any time – they’ll be keeping all the kids, females to build up the herd and the bucks for milk veal at six or seven–weeks–old. The goat house is fully functional and occupied, but the 40–aside herringbone dairy fit out was not quite there yet and Kurt Dunn from KD Electrical and Barrie Hall from Liquetec were still hard at work with the finishing touches. The buildings are complete, they were designed and erected by Otorohanga company, Dairy Tech, specialist designers and builders of dairy units. Dairy Tech offered Josh a complete package – the dairy, yards and subsidiary buildings – and they could also have provided any other farm structures he needed, such as concrete bridges and underpasses, silage pits, feed pads and fertiliser bins. With managing Director and chief designer, Peter Gray’s 20 years of experience to draw on, the goat house and dairy presented no problems at all. Yes, it was a little different to the standard dairy unit – everything was scaled down for starters – but there are certain design ‘rules’ that are applied by Dairy Tech when they design farm buildings that take into account animal flow and the demands of each farm’s specific operational requirements to maximise the building’s efficiency.

Joe and Josh in the goat house (a goat seems to fancy Josh’s jeans for a snack).

Easton Kurt Dunn from KD Electrical.

Josh with his new goat dairy.

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Page 77 Goats in the goat house they’re very friendly animals.

Barrie Hall from Liquetec demonstrates the Dutch designed goat bails.

Structuring the whole package The buildings are constructed using use Duragal™ RHS Steel (a lightweight, medium tensile rectangular hollow section) for the frames and roof structure and, where the walls are in-filled, pre-cast concrete panels have been used giving the shed a durable and attractive finish. And it’s a guaranteed safe working environment – Peter was consulted by Occupational Safety and Health for its review of farm safety regulations, so he obviously knows a few things about safe dairy designs.

Piecing together a puzzle

Barrie from Liquetec Valves and Manufacturing Ltd’s Farm Services division was employed by the Eastons to install the milking plant. Liquetec is a New Zealand owned company that supplies, installs, services and inspects all on-farm dairy equipment. Barrie enjoyed the challenge of installing the goat plant. To start with the job was somewhat like piecing together a puzzle, but it all fell into place and was put together in no time. Barrie has had 42 years’ experience with milking plants and dairies so he had no trouble setting up the system, but he still had just a little bit of fine

tuning to do before Jo brought the first nannies in, so him and his crew, along with Kurt Dunn, owner manager of KD Electrical, were still beavering away when I was there for interviews. Kurt is a local tradesman who has been established in the area for about 13 years and running KD Electrical for the last three and knows the insides of dairies well – he’s done quite a few. Josh got him in to install the electrics in the dairy and goat house because of his local reputation for quality work. This job was a little different and presented its challenges and Kurt needed to draw heavily on his experience. “The second hand plant was a bit of a jigsaw, no instructions. It was all just stacked on the back of a truck and brought here, it’s just been a case of finding out what goes where and piecing it back together,” said Kurt. There was no need for anyone to build an effluent system for this operation because that’s a major point of difference between goats and cows – goats don’t produce an effluent slurry, just marbles that are a lot easier (and cheaper) to deal with.

Kurt at work on the in-shed feed system.

FARM SERVICES PH: (07) 304 9021 • FAX: (07) 304 8899

WEBSITE: www.liquetecvalves.co.nz

LIQUETEC are proud to be the installers of the

Eastons Goat Milking Plant

Te Kuiti, Waikato Area and we wish them a very successful future The giant USA dairy equipment manufacturing company BOUMATIC, through their NZ head office have invited LIQUETEC to represent their proud name throughout the Bay of Plenty and beyond.

The New Zealand milking machine manufacturer READ INDUSTRIAL LTD of Rangiora — Canterbury, have granted LIQUETEC FARM SERVICES agency status for their quality dairy equipment, rubber ware, rotary platforms and irrigation equipment.

FAM30 Disinfectant Bactericidal, Fungicidal, Sporicidal and Virucidal Kills ROTAVIRUS. Kills FOOT AND MOUTH. SHIFT Heavy Duty Detergent Power Wash for Calf and Milking Sheds PIGGERIES, DAIRY CATTLE, BEEF, GOATS, POULTY PLANTS. Liquetec supply and service a large range of water filtration and purification systems, for domestic or industrial purposes. One of those systems is the Greenway Water Technologies Axial Flow Deluxe Output Ultraviolet Disinfection System. This system uses UV as a water disinfection tool. This is a natural process which does not add any chemicals into your water. E-coli, Cryptosporidium and Giardia are easily controlled with UV disinfection.

MASODINE Iodine Teat Spray Add Glycerine for superior teat condition. VANOSAN Alkaline Chlorinated alkaline liquid detergent. ACID-BRITE Acid Detergent Works on all types of Dairy Plants.

EASTON

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Easton

Raising the wall

Each bail has feed bin.

The milking plant was specially manufactured for goats by Milfos International, a GEA Farm Technologies brand, and originally installed in a goat dairy up north.

John Atkin from FIL, a subsidiary of GEA, supplies all the chemicals and detergents for the operation. Each goat bail has an individual feed trough.

In the shed they’re kept on shavings which are topped up regularly and cleaned out twice a year to be used as a dry fertiliser. There’s no need for any expensive effluent systems and a goat farm’s environmental footprint is negligible, making it very easy to stay well within council regulations.

Chilling reliability

The detergents and teat sprays are the first step in maintaining milk quality, but once it’s out of the udder it needs a reliable refrigeration plant to chill it or it’s all for nothing. This is where Power Chill (NZ) Ltd came in – Josh

Coast & Country

wanted the more than 30 years’ experience that Power Chill’s CEO, Robin McGregor, could bring to the job. Thirteen years ago Robin and partners formed Power Chill to supply and install commercial and residential air conditioning, and commercial and farm refrigeration – and build a strong client base in the Waikato and King Country as they went. Robin was able to work with Josh to ensure he got the system that was right for his goats, fully backed by a comprehensive preventative maintenance programme and 24/7 back up service. Josh’s farm is about average

DAIRY TECH DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

for a modern goat farm, but it was not cheap to set up – the buildings and infrastructure cost around $700,000, plus the goats ($600 for a yearling and $800900 per animal for a mixed age), plus Co-Op shares – all up more than a million (not including the land). But the returns are good, they’ll get about 50 ky ms out of the yearlings and 80 – 90 ms kg from a mature goat—not bad when the pay-out is $17.50/kg. The set up they have looks good and efficient and they have every prospect of a very profitable future in a new and growing industry. By Graeme Dobson

When the second hand plant came on the market Josh bought it lock, stock and barrel. Installing the Milfos milking plant was fairly straight forward, despite it arriving in a bit of a jumble – according to the installer there’s not a lot of difference in milking goats and cows (or anything else, for that matter), they just use two-cup clusters and they’re closer together, and the vacuum has to be lowered to 32kpa. “The lower vacuum means there’s a bit of fiddling with the jetters to ensure that the plant is properly washed, but no problems,” says Josh. It’s the bails that are really different and the part that was the most challenging. Actually they’re more stalls than bails, the goats walk down beside the pit and turn into the last bail (all the others are closed), when she enters a door swings to shut her in and open the next bail. At the front of the bail there’s a feed trough where she gets her supplements. When milking’s finished the wall—feed troughs and all—is raised releasing the goats and the troughs

are replenished. Once operational the plant (and the goats) will need to be kept to the highest standard of hygiene – that’s where John Atkin from FIL, a subsidiary of GEA Technologies, comes in to supply all the dairy detergents and teat sprays necessary. John services both goat and dairy units throughout North Taranaki and the King Country, so he’s kept on the go. “At the moment I’ve just got two goat farms, but they bring with them a fundamentally different set of circumstances as far as bacteria are concerned,” said John. “Goats are housed, so the teat spray needs to be super-efficient. Iodine is the preferred choice because of the wide range of bacteria it will kill and it’ll hit viruses, whereas a lot of the others have a fairly narrow range and they won’t touch the viruses. The spray we have here is an iodine base with Manuka honey – we’re the only company that incorporates it as part of their teat spray complex because it has both an antibacterial effect and it’s therapeutic on cuts, wounds and swelling on the udders.” FIL can also supply the teat-spray delivery units as well – in fact GEA Technology, through their subsidiaries, can build any dairy from the ground up. “We’re a one-stop company for the dairy industry, we can build from the ground up, including the effluent system,” said John.

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EASTON

PROUD LOCAL

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WAITANGI DAIRIES

Coast & Country

Sheep and beef farmer jumps to dairying

A wet, windy and cold Ohaeawai farm Tight deadlines, blitzed kikuyu re-pastured in winter, and a mixed herd with mastitis and in the ‘winterless north’ presented a climbing somatic cell counts were addressed as challenge to me – something John everyone learned the ropes. Bayly knows all about. Farming sheep and the Waitangi Angus beef stud, John jumped to dairying in May 2012. A 200 ha former dairy farm, converted to beef, caught his eye. Only races, water and a dairy shell remained. “We looked at it for sheep and beef but saw its potential for dairying,” says John. He and wife Joss took possession of the Remuera Settlement Rd property on May 28, 2012, to re-instate a shed by July – and the battle began. “The shed was gutted, the pit covered in with a cattle yard on site,” says John. “I had a week to sign up Lance Oliver [50/50 sharemilker]. He had to find cows while I found people to install steel work, a plant, and re-instate the farm to give us a chance of being ready to go in July.” It took four days to break concrete covering the pit, “with three of us on jack hammers,” says John. Lance walked cows across three farms and a river onto SH1 to the farm, with manager Bruce Jones milking with Aaron Macpherson and Kim Batistich. In 2012/2013, 300 spring calving cows were boosted by split calving. “This year, we plan to nudge 450 cows.”

The Ultimate Toilet

Tweaking makes difference

Fitting dairies since 1959, Northland Metal Industries director Joe Ross and staff measured the site and prefabbed a steel structure

Aaron loves Joe’s latest addition – zig zag bars. “It holds cows in place. With an angled 40-aside, it was hard to push them up and keep them still.” Joe installed a backing gate and painted and plastered broken pit walls. A high flat roof (designed for beef ) was left. “We build gable roofs – flat roofs are low and horrible but this is airy – so we made suspensions to suit.

Waitangi Dairies

Northland Metal Industries director Joe Ross installed the backing gate. in Whangarei. “Our builder cleaned the pit by removing wood, concrete; and put in new pipework,” says Joe. From experience, Joe believes small tweaks make all the difference to animals and personnel. “It’s amazing – the amount of dairies, where we’ve just made cosmetic changes, making a big difference.”

A view of the 42-aside bail of John Bayly’s new dairy shed at Ohaeawai.

High quality service

John chose Northern Dairy Specialists to supply and fit the milking plant, water lines, wash down hoses, “spruce up” the water pumps, hook up the calf-milk vat, and the effluent system. “I asked around and I got feedback that

Northern Dairy Specialists offer great service, their DeLaval products are well-known for good quality,” says John. “Owner Kevin Waterman checked out as having really good service and experience with local farmers.” Kevin began his career in Wellsford and has more than 20 years’ experience in the field. He’s known Northland-wide for his high-quality workmanship. Kevin and Jenny bought the northern part of the business eight years ago, operating a 24 hour seven days a week service from Cape Reinga to Kawakawa. Kevin had fitted the previous plant on the farm, this time installing a 42-aside herringbone with DeLaval swing arms and swing-down jetters. Kevin says more farmers are using swing arms. “The jetters, on a swing arm, come down to a more manageable height to apply the cups and swing out of the way when milking is in process.” Instead of conventional droppers this gives the pit a roomier feel and aids in cow line-up. The DeLaval MidiLine milking systems are future-proofed for automation. Being a DeLaval agent, Kevin says the brand is trusted and chosen by most farmers around the globe. “Gustaf DeLaval invented the first milk separator – so they really know their stuff.” John is happy Kevin completed the job in such a short time-frame.

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The DeLaval LVP 3000 vacuum pump has a variable speed drive, and the milk pump also sports a VSD. The VSD100 stabilises the vacuum level required in the milking plant – and at the same time reduces energy costs by up to 70 per cent. The pump is a quiet performer, whether you’re milking or in the milk room, and the gentle VSD100 extends the The Kirby pump’s longevity. Commander John is using the Blue most sold pulsator in Condensthe world, DeLaval’s ing unit at EP100 pulsator, Ohaeawai is which is individual reliable for to each cow, helping milk coolmilk cows out cleanly ing. and eliminating mastitis risk. “It’s bullet proof.” Out of farming for five years, milker Aaron can hardly believe DeLaval’s technology. “Their milking machines are easy to operate, good performers.”

WAITANGI DAIRIES

Ken Rintoul was invited to the farm pre-purchase “to see whether it would stack up”. The Kerikeri-based Rintoul Civil owner has done beef-to-dairy conversions before. “So I can tell people, off the cuff, how much a project will cost.” His company dug the effluent pond and kept it affordable. Staff found a clay sub-soil beneath the base and reused the natural material to save costs. “We haven’t lined the 12,000m3 pond because Ken’s adamant the clay is good quality,” says John. “It’s the most efficient system you could have put there,” says Ken. Keri Refrigeration Ltd The DeLaval owners Royce plastic wash and Mandy tank. Turner had a

Page 81

Northern Dairy Specialist owner Kevin Waterman, milkers Aaron Macpherson and Kim Batistich, Northland Metal Industries director Joe Ross, sharemilkers Lance and Steph Oliver with three-year-old son Knox Oliver, farm manager Bruce Jones and farm owner John Bayly. serviceman install a Kirby Commander Blue Condensing unit. “He collected information to calculate the amount of milk to be produced to size the unit,” says Mandy. The Kirby’s good capacity in a compact design handles tough conditions. The Turners bought the Kerikeri business, servicing Maromaku to Mangonui 12 years ago, and say reliability is essential to cooling milk.

made life difficult.” Northern Dairy Specialist owner Bay of Islands’ SJH Carpentry owner Steve Hodgetts turned a tired Kevin Waterman stands in the shed into a functional calf house, by pit by the swing arms and swingdown jetters for the 42-aside levelling the site, extending the shed Ohaeawai herringbone shed. by 10 metre, building pens and a low-rail loading yard. “Its suitability is for the split calving,” says Steve. Clear panels let sunlight and warmth enter naturally.

Warm calves happy

Sharemilkers Lance and Steph Oliver say the shed is “pretty efficient”. Hammered by a dry summer, Lance evaluates “we’ve done well so far”. John believes the farm is a work in progress. “We’re on a learning curve finding what it can do.” By Merle Foster

Kim says the new calf shed offers happy calves with shiny coats. “It’s designed for calves to be shifted from pen to pen,” says Kim. “Before, pushing them into a race

Work in progress

The effluent pond, built by Ken Rintoul’s Rintoul Civil, has its clay sub-soil sealing the pond.

STRATFORD DAIRIES LTD

Page 82

Coast & Country

Women run new dairy conversion Brian and Lynne Stratford have roughly 1400 ha of combined properties, which Brian has developed. In 2012, his brainwave was to convert 240 ha of their Wilson Rd Timaru cropping farm to dairying – to use its cropping resource to feed cows. Family succession also came into the decision, with a daughter and sonin-law keen on stock management. “We’ve got cropping land in mid Canterbury, so we thought a conversion would blend in with it,” says Brian. “We produce a lot of rye grass straws and grain, so everything fed at the dairy is home-grown.” The Stratford’s also harvest potatoes for McCain but buy back potato waste – for cow feed – because they don’t hold the contract. The dairy’s construction began February 2012 and staff were milking 1050 cows – in two herds – in the 60-bail rotary by end of July. This season, its 1300 cows from 270 ha. While production is key, the Stratford’s Farm manager Kim Milne says believe cow health is also very important. cow health is top priority at “We’ve put all the latest gear in the shed Brian and Lynne Stratford’s for this purpose,” says Brian. He helps Simon Crotty arrange feed and 240 ha dairy farm.

irrigation, while Brian’s daughter Andrea oversees animal management with farm manager 25-year-old Kim Milne, who has three milking staff.

Smart gear, simple milking

Waikato Milking Systems’ Timaru dealership part-owner Paul Morrison says the 60-bail rotary, with Orbit platform, has high performing Smart Electronic Cup Removers (SmartECR). This technology from Waikato makes milking easier, with an automated sequence of events, while still enabling customisation of the milking routine. The plant also has Smart D-TECT, which measures conductivity of a cow’s individual quarters in the first 60 seconds of milking. Smart D-TECT alerts milkers to any abnormalities in various ways depending on the customer’s choice of automation. Combined with 320 Claw clusters and a SmartSPRAY automatic teat spray system, the plant is a “straightforward package” that delivers results, Paul says. Smart products from Waikato Milking Systems are designed to work together to bring a range of benefits to the milking routine including easier milking, better mastitis control and higher productivity, while being simple to use. “Control is at the milker’s fingertips. You turn the plant on, and change to washmode, with one switch.”

The 2.7 metre-wide platform has angled entry points for cows, which Brian likes. “Cows flow on-platform very well. Also, the platform’s electrical gear is well-shielded from water and effluent.” Brian is eagerly awaiting the newly-released Waikato Milking Systems’ Electronic Milk Meter, to show individual cow production data. “You’ll be able to monitor cows daily.”

Sparkies wire all plants

Brian found Young Electrical done a “superb job” of wiring the shed. The Ashburton business, owned by Gavin Young, Brent Kershaw and Greg Copeland, wires dairies from Rakaia to Rangitata; being on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Brett says they can wire any shed with any plant – regardless of brand. “They’re all different but we are familiar with each of them.” With LIC’s Protrack Vantage System, tracking and drafting cows is much easier, says milker Matt Malthus. “If we didn’t have it, we’d have to keep checking cows to find which have mastitis – but this system does it for us by voice alert.” Farm manager Kim Milne agrees, saying having Protrack’s automated three-way drafting system cuts down labour. “It’s a good tool and for the young guys it cuts down time of their duties.”

At Farmlands we know all about dairy Milk means money. It’s your livelihood, your way of life. CRT Farmlands understands this – that’s why we’ve been helping out for more than 50 years. CRT Farmlands is your one-stop shop for all your dairy needs. From calving to crops, we know the best way to get the most from your cows and the land they live on. By focusing on products that we know will provide results, we know we have an in store range that will take the guesswork out of helping your business grow.

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Our range of dairy products is complemented by our outstanding staff, who know the technical aspects of the business because they have lived it. We look local to find people who already know the area as well as they know the products they’re selling. With 80 branches nationwide, we’re local in a lot of places. That means great advice, service and savings.

Call 0800 FARMFONE (0800 327 636) for your nearest Farmlands store.

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STRATFORD DAIRIES LTD

Neighbour-conscious effluent irrigation Protrack detects a cow’s electronic identification tag; and can feed, draft and provide audio messages for each cow, based on recording by staff at cups-on, cups-off consoles and pc. It alerts to with-held cows, cow health and traits; and gives information on cows by touch screen, including somatic cell count, herd test, calving and mating data. Brian believes it’s a great management tool. “If you want to take out one [cow] with sore feet, automatic drafting saves time. It works very well.”

Simplified calf feeding

Believing animal nutrition is key, the Stratford’s fitted their new dairy shed’s calf quarters with CRT Farmlands products, including the popular Jumbo Hay Feeder. They’ve put Jumbo Hay feeders in the 10-pen calf shed – and have bought calf feeders from CRT Farmlands to complement their calf shed with easy-open gates. “We put out nuts and hay in the jumbo feeders for the calves,” says Lynne. “They’re a rural supplier and we get products through them.” Following the merger of the two largest farming Co-operatives in New Zealand, CRT Farmlands now has 80 branches nationwide, from Kaitaia to Invercargill. Encompassing nine divisions from retail to real estate CRT Farmlands can provide dairy farmers with all their needs for both on and off the farm. For any dairy or calving advice, friendly teams in each store can

1 No.

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help, or visit the Farmlands website or call their 0800 number. Brian is conscious his farm has 13 neighbours – so he designed an effluent system to hold solids in settlement tanks to limit the smell. “Effluent comes into a wedge; and goes into an in-ground sump to a Yardmaster Pump. An agitation pump keeps effluent mobile. It’s pumped up over a screen, taking out solids to 0.4 of a millimetre. The liquid goes through a screen, into a 30,000 litre settling tank, then another, before reaching the pond,” says Brian. The Yardmaster, on a drum pontoon, pumps effluent without clogging; shifting small solids without high water volume, regardless of the solid’s size, volume or lift. The pump can run dry; and heavy duty bearings (sitting above liquid level) don’t rust or seize. Designed and manufactured in New Zealand, Yardmaster pumps can be provided for belt driven, hydraulic, air, petrol and diesel power drive. “We’ve 13 neighbours so had to do the effluent right – the Yardmaster helps with this set-up.”

Trouble-free irrigating

Liquid effluent is irrigated onto paddocks with a Baxter Irrigation pivot system. “Our stainless steel pond rotary’s fine screen rotates, flushes with fresh water, keeping itself clean and preventing blockages in irrigators,” says owner Lyndon Baxter. A fresh water pump dilutes effluent for

irrigation, “and the irrigation has a separate line with a back-flow preventer”. The 75 kw irrigation pump, with flow metre, sees Brian control irrigation to each farm zone. “We irrigate 3ml to 4ml; sometimes diluting it with water – and we haven’t had one blocked nozzle in irrigator sprinklers.” Irrigated effluent only smells when spread; and pumping fresh water soaks it in afterwards. Baxter Irrigation services any industry, from south Canterbury to north Otago.

Baxter Irrigation owner Lyndon Baxter stands beside the effluent liquids pond with a stainless steel rotary screen.

Tailor-made cooling Dairycool Ltd’s two-unit refrigeration system has a Mahana Blue Heat Recovery unit hooked to both. Refrigeration redirects itself between two 21,500 litre silos – while the Mahana produces 85 Baxter Irrigation owner Lyndon Baxter with farm owners Brian and degree Celsius water. Lynne Stratford and Dairycool Ltd sales manager Lee Gilbert. “The units automatically maintain cooler milk and prioritise cooling of warmer milk – switching between silos as needed,” says Dairycool Ltd sales manager Lee Gilbert. “This utilises the Mahana better – it’s tailor-making systems specific to each farm.” Dairycool design and specify costeffective solutions based on the specific requirements of each farm, based on many years’ experience in the dairy farm refrigeration industry. Brian and Andrea visited 20 sheds, investigating components for their own. “And we’re pretty happy with An aerial view of Brian and Lynne Stratford’s new 60-bail what we’ve got.” By Merle Foster

rotary shed at Timaru.

ISLAND CLIFF

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Coast & Country

Young farmers get leg up at Island Cliff A new 170 hectare dairy farm at Oamaru’s Island Cliff-Duntroon Rd is unique – being owned by a co-operative which helps young farmers into land ownership. Island Cliff dairy was a mixed cropping farm, where the previous owner grew barley and fattened bulls. In October 2011, New Generation Farms bought the 192 ha property – which sits 290 metres above sea level with views of Mounts Domet and Kurow – and sowed it in grass. “At first, they grazed heifers and cut silage from it until the shareholders began the conversion’s dairy shed in April 2012,” says sharemilker Hamish Wade. Bad weather delayed the project and the shed was finally ready on August 15, with only minor touches to be completed – a credit to the contractors involved. Today, 170 ha are effective, calving 700 cows this Spring. “For 2012/2013, we milked about 600 cows and targeted about 240,000 kg ms,” says Hamish. “This season we’re aiming for 300,000 kg ms.”

Unique look popular

Looking at cowshed designs, Island Cliff approached Barfoote’s main office in Whangarei

three months before starting the project. “We manager Lindsay Giles says the project had took them on a short tour around Northland, some challenges, which were overcome with showing some of our cow sheds. They settled team work, the quality of the equipment and on our copyright curved roof design,” says “good old Kiwi ingenuity”. “It was a case of owner Trevor Barfoote. “It gives a unique doing our best in a very short timelook and a feeling of ‘working frame so the sharemilker could at home’ – as Island Cliffs milk,” says Lindsay. “It was describe it.” like pulling a rabbit out New Generation Farms of a hat but we thrive Plateau Works Ltd managing director Blair under those sorts of did the earthworks Hamilton says sharechallenges.” holders liked the style It was also the first at Island Cliff ’s new of the shed “and we time Waikato Milking dairy shed site. went after it”. “It looks Systems’ equipment was better than a standard fitted to an all-concrete shed, it blends into the structure. “We’ve now environment; and it has a done five – but being the good life span.” first we had to work around not going Island Cliff has since recommended Barfoote through walls. The different design, with inside to other clients, which the company has now vats and a high roof, also saw us thinking outbuilt sheds for. “As a result, Barfoote has estabside the square.” lished a full-time presence in the South Island The Orbit platform’s three-port wash gland with staff living there,” says Trevor. allows the platform to rotate during wash. A This season, Barfoote has six sheds under BP400 vacuum pump and Waikato Milking construction and five in discussion stages. The Systems Flowmax milk pump, with variable company builds “anything to do with agriculspeed drives, give high energy savings. ture”; including underpasses feed pads, New Generation Farms, which set weep walls, effluent systems. up the project with investment from a Waikato Milking Systems and local dealer Oamaru Milking Systems installed the Orbit platform and milking machine. Waikato Milking Systems South Island

group of young farmers with smaller amounts of capital, made strict calls on costs. “We only chose necessary gear to get production and make the farm work,” says Blair.

Fast, problem-free fit-out

Oamaru Milking Systems owner Andrew Bruce “known as Bruce” had to battle bad weather, time restraints and new-design concrete structure to install the plant and platform. Bruce says Island Cliff was his first Barfoote shed. “We’d seen one and had an idea of what it would be like. But it was a completely new design and installation for us.” Weather hold-ups saw Bruce’s team begin work in July (instead of May) – three weeks after the shed was scheduled to milk. “Closed bridges due to flooding meant getting here wasn’t easy and the site was half a metre deep in mud.” But Bruce kept his promise that the shed would milk August 10. “They had cows on the platform that afternoon.” Bruce says the shed is future-proofed for fitting automation; and he installed “bulletproof ” Waikato Milking Systems gear which has a reputation for never letting farmers down.

Co-operative Land Holding

Farming, Technical & Project Support Services

Farm Development & Maintenance

It’s a new world. Come join the new generation of farmers.

We are committed to supporting farmers so they can reach their farming potential.

We want to help you get the best results possible.

Phone 0508 223 835 or call Blair Hamilton 027 443 1709

Phone 0508 233 835 or call Grant Porter 021 447 268

For Farm Development and Maintenance queries call Chris Manson 021 885 516 For Agricultural Contracting Services call Dave Mitchell 021 272 0989

blair@newgenerationfarms.co.nz

info@landplanltd.co.nz

info@plateauworks.co.nz

Please visit www.newgenerationfarms.co.nz for more information

Please visit www.landplanltd.co.nz for more information

Please visit www.plateauworks.co.nz for more information

The 3D Rural Group of Companies

PH 07 578 0030

Page 85

ISLAND CLIFF The Waikato Milking Systems’ plant, including the cups on the new 54-bail rotary, was installed by Oamaru Milking Systems in challenging weather conditions.

Island Cliff milking staff, from left: Andrew Wilkinson, Katie Wells, sharemilker Hamish Wade, and Liam Hutton like their new 54-bail rotary.

The two Waikato Milking Systems’ milk filters.

The Waikato Milking Systems’ rotary gland.

Gear with a reputation for never letting farmers down “It’s easier to put in and less to worry about. No-one rings me in the weekend, which reflects our work and the quality equipment.”

New generation of farmer

As a dairy farmer himself, Blair was looking for an easier way to farm ownership for young farmers when he created New Generation Farms. The co-operative approach had the most benefit – allowing ownership and control by young people. “There’s a whole lot of people putting money into land ownership, which comes under a corporate structure and creates ‘top-down’ power,” says Blair. “It means money and wealth have the power. But farming is traditionally about the people who live on the land and are passionate about it – and that makes a huge difference.” To compete with a corporate or an entity with money, Blair says you need to farm better. “NGF is a system where people join together and go as fast, if not faster, than the corporate,” says Blair. “It’s controlled by people without power, the

people who live on and farm the land, are in the industry, and understand it.” Today, Island Cliff is its own farm – only being steered by shareholders. “Island Cliff farm is like your teenager when they leave home – NGF has no attachment except being where it comes from. As a partner we’re still there but just follow on behind.”

Earthworks favours budget

Farm development and agriculture contractor Plateau Works Ltd offers earthworks and construction services, using 3D design software and GPS technology; water management and irrigation systems, via experienced engineers and geotechnical advisors; and agricultural contracting from grass harvesting, spraying to crop support. Ironically, one of the key tasks of Plateau Works at Island Cliff ’s dairy site was choosing the location requiring the least amount of work. Blair, who owns the business with his brothers Leigh and Neil, says Plateau Works Ltd had to “choose the site with the

least amount of earthworks so it would have the least amount of effect on the budget”. Bruce says Plateau Works also favours young farmers, by using the same co-operative approach to farming as NGF. “We work with key stakeholders, taking feedback early in the design process, improving project design and minimising environmental impact. The result is a practical and cost-effective solution,” says Blair. New Generation Farms and Plateau Works Ltd, along with Land Plan, are subsidiaries of the 3D Rural Group.

Better milking environment

Hamish, who initially had trouble coaxing his herringbone cows onto the platform, “with everything being new and shiny which they didn’t like” says they’re now a “happy herd”. He likes the open plan building, curved roof and concrete, “which is easy to keep clean”. Coming from a dark rotary, with close walls, to a light, spacefilled shed, “feels a lot better”. By Merle Foster

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Page 86

Coast & Country

Fault-free commission stuns couple By Merle Foster

(L-R): PMR Grain Systems managing director Paul Whitbread, sales engineer Dave Shaw, Waikato Milking Systems South Island Manager Lindsay Giles, Dairycool Ltd’s sales manager Lee Gilbert, with farm owners Duncan and Lynne Barr.

In 2011, Hinds farmer Duncan Barr was striving to up-size farms to gain capacity for 600 to 700 cows – but Canterbury’s real estate market wasn’t offering anything “decent”. Him and wife Lynne had been dairying for seven years at their 100 ha Lowcliffe farm on Coldstream Rd when Duncan found 180 ha, 20 minutes down the track at Old Main South Rd. With a serene fresh water irrigation pond beside an abandoned old house, rustic hay shed and “scungy woolshed”, the couple purchased it that December and immediately flattened the structures to make way for a new dairy parlour. “This was a half-conversion. Its former owner used it as a dairy support unit,” says Duncan. “It had the irrigation pond and pivots, the guts of the fencing – and water systems were half in place.” Construction of the 54 bail rotary finished in time for Duncan to bring his “fruit salad” herd of 650 Friesian, Jersey “and everything

in between” cows with him for 2012/2013’s season.

Strong, light platform

Duncan, who scoured sheds for ideas for six years, only quoted Waikato Milking Systems for his new rotary. Getting “bits and pieces” from Waikato Milking Systems Ashburton dealership owner Paul Morrison, Duncan purchased a plant, platform and feed bins “all-in-one”. “I wanted a complete package for long-term servicing; and to deal with one person, in Ashburton, should problems arise.” Waikato Milking Systems South Island manager Lindsay Giles says the Centrus rotary platform is 23 tonnes lighter than its concrete counterpart. “So its maintenance and general appearance are far superior. It also takes less power to drive it, which saves money.” The platform is made from a composite material, and the deck sections formed by a laminated process using Kevlar (five times stronger than concrete). Being 80 per cent lighter and 500 per cent stronger than concrete, a Centrus is built in

controlled conditions in Hamilton and shipped to site in module form. “It’s laid and bolted together so it’s a very quick alternative to concrete,” says Lindsay. “More importantly, its lighter weight offers flexibility in what we can do and where we can do it.” Centrus, with the same drive structure as a concrete platform, moves more smoothly and uses less power. “Our main aim is equipment longevity. Reducing weight and making it easier to drive achieves this,” says Lindsay. Released only two years ago, more than 25 Centrus systems are fitted in the South Island. Lindsay says most people familiar with dairying see the benefits of the Centrus straight off. “If Duncan wants to automate his set-up, he can buy additional technology which simply clips on to the existing bracketing, which means no welding is needed on-site. This improves the structure’s longevity.” Specially formulated, replaceable, soft rubber bail mats protect cows’ feet and promote better cow-flow and a quieter milking environment. Duncan is amazed at how quickly and comfortably his herringbone herd adapted.

And the platform has little wear and tear. With 25 tonnes less weight, it keeps its structural integrity. “It’s modern technology but it maintains strength without weight.” Centrus platforms come in 54 and 60 bail options, with a larger version in development. The plant’s 1.5 kw Fristram milk pump and BP400 blower vacuum pump – both with variable speed drives – save power, increase equipment longevity and hold stable vacuum while gently pulling milk from cows. Maintaining a stable milk-flow improves milk filtering and cooling. “From day one – I’ve hit the start button and it has all just worked,” says Duncan. “You always hear of farmers having commission problems, but we had none.” Duncan says he chose Waikato because he likes simple technology. “It’s less to maintain and less to go wrong and it does the job.”

Complete animal management

Duncan has not gone with a shed full of automation, “it is quite simple,” he admits. “But I like the ‘KISS’ philosophy – ‘keep it simple stupid’ – because there’s not too much

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BARRHILL FARMS

Perfect size farm for ‘fruit salad’ herd to go wrong but it is still highly functional.” His main automation feature is an LIC Protrack Vantage system. “This system is bloody marvellous,” says Duncan. “It’s a complete animal management system.” LIC’s Protrack Vantage system is fully automated and offers in-bail cow identification, alerts, intelligent animal feeding, event recording and drafting. Not only does Duncan love the labour and time it saves him and his staff – through automated drafting – he likes having all of his animal records at his fingertips. “It’s so advantageous, not just in just labour and time-saving benefits of the drafting system, but by having all of your animal records means if you have a question about a cow, you can hit a button and all of that animal’s information comes up and you’ve got it at your fingertips,” says Duncan. When a cow steps onto the platform, Protrack detects it electronic identification tag and the cow is allocated to the correct bail. From here, Protrack monitors (at cups-on and cups-off ) show a raft of cow data and also sound an audio message, which matches the monitor’s, if you are not nearby. The Protrack never allows a withheld (from vat) cow to go un-noticed, alerting milkers as soon as it enters platform , saving her milk entering silo, which can cost thousands of dollars in penalty. It has ability to feed cows on a cow-by-cow basis; and records event of cows, such as calving, mating and treatments. The automated threeway drafting system allows drafting to be carried out via pre-selected criteria – or reactively in the shed by using touch screen monitors. Duncan admits his staff haven’t yet discovered its full potential. “Being our first season, we’ve only used it to bare minimum – but we’ve already seen great benefits and we still have more of its capabilities to come,” says Duncan. “With

all the compliance we have to do now – in terms of animal and treatment recording – right from day one we said our guys ‘it all gets recorded – if you trim a cows foot it gets recorded’, so we’ve got all that information right here,” says Duncan. “And it seems to be pretty bloody accurate.”

Family pet ‘Harold’ the Highland bull is comfortable eating kale with the herd, at Duncan and Lynne Barr’s Hinds farm.

Super feed system

Duncan had a grain system before and knew its benefits. So he approached PMR Grain Systems. With a purpose-built factory in Hinds, PMR began supplying and installing grain storage and handling systems to dairies 18 month ago. “Farmers were knocking on our door, asking if we supplied equipment for dairies,” says managing director Paul Whitbread. “Duncan was one of them.” As their first dairy job, PMR installed a 24 foot diameter, seven-ring grain storage silo and two 15 tonne hopper silos. PMR’s nine staff and three vans service midto-south Canterbury region, supplying and installing a full range of grain-handling, drying and storage systems for farm use. Paul says the galvanised steel products are solid and sturdy. “We can supply them in any shape or size, and any tonnage to suit.” Sales engineer Dave Shaw says Duncan’s large silo is fully-stiffened “seeing a lot less stress put on it when being constantly filled, to last longer”. A truck mills the grain, blowing it into hopper silos, where it’s fed into the shed during milking, at amounts dictated by Protrack Vantage. “A steel coreless auger runs through the hoppers’ pipe with an electric motor linked to Protrack, which tells it to start for a pre-determined time,” says Dave. The silos are mostly maintenance-free and the feeding-in line’s bearings and motors only need servicing. “This set-up is for grain but the silos are for grain, meal, and palm kernel,” says Dave.

Waikato Milking Systems’ Centrus composite platform is far lighter than its concrete counterparts, making it easier to drive, and placing less wear on components like the rotary’s gland.

The LIC Protrack Vantage system can be used by console at cups-on, cups-off and office pc.

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BARRHILL FARMS

Bare land meant a new shed Duncan installed an LIC Protrack Vantage system, which is a complete animal management system, saving time and labour. The many cropping-to-dairy conversions, feeding cows for increased yield, has driven PMR’s new service. Duncan is very happy with his system, saying Canterbury’s “up and down” grass growth cycle sees him feed up to 4kg grain per cow per day. “When a hopper is empty, I use the other and re-fill both in that week, which keeps batches fresh.”

Great guys, great service

As the main provider of dairy farm refrigeration, products and services in Canterbury, Duncan chose Ashburton-based Dairycool Ltd for his milk refrigeration. Dairycool Ltd fitted refrigeration, and a Mahana Blue heat recovery unit to the 21,500 litre milk silo. “Owner Murray Hollings and sales manager Lee Gilbert are really good people to work with,” says Duncan. “They have good products and good backup service – and again their gear and service is local in Ashburton, which I really like,” says Duncan. Often being the last contractors to install equipment in a new shed, refrigeration instal-

Dairycool Ltd fitted a refrigeration system with a Mahana Blue heat recovery unit to the 21,500 litre milk silo which has a milk silo insulation wrap.

Waikato Milking Systems South Island manager Lindsay Giles with the Centrus composite platform, with rubber mats, which makes entry quiet for cows and soft on their feet. lation staff usually “cop the stress to get it in areas. “It’s a two-pack high build acrylic, “says quickly”, says Duncan. “I got in early with Craig. “We used nuplex’s aquaguard 101 prodthe builder and instructed him to put in a uct in two coats. When applying a second coat, refrigeration pad, so Dairycool could park a while still wet, we put Terraflake flakes into the refrigeration unit there and get ahead of the product to give it that sparkle.” game,” says Duncan. Craig says they then apply coats of Revathane Duncan didn’t have an insulation wrap on his Glaze “which is a single pack eurothane glaze”. last milk silo but he’s already seen the benefits The high-gloss UV resistant finish is easy to of it on the new single-skin silo. “Being Canter- clean and has seven years’ durability. bury, heat gets into the vat through the single In 10 years, Craig, who bought the business skin. I wanted my new dairy comprehensively in 2004, and his 27 staff have coated about 80 fitted from start, so I went with the wrap.” dairy sheds with the product. “We’re based in Duncan also never fills his water cylinders, Ashburton but we just follow builders around saying “the Mahana does it” producing all hot – we can service nearly anywhere in the South water needs “for a fraction of the price”. Island.” The finished result is also acid and alkaline resistant, stoping corrosion of floors. Clean finish looks flash Lynne believes you need nice working enviDuncan reckons he didn’t set out to build a ronments for staff to want to turn up. “With “flash looking” shed. “But the guys at The Finthe paint job it’s not dark, dingy and horrible,” ishing Company have made really nice finishes says Lynne. on it – I really like the look of it.” While Lynne and Duncan’s neighbours have The Finishing Company owner Craig Bishop experienced first-year commissioning problems and his team applied a nuplex Terraflake coat– they haven’t had any. “Literally, we’ve turned ing to the shed’s interior walls and some floor

1 No.

Coast & Country

PMR Grain Systems’ sales engineer Dave Shaw and managing director Paul Whitbread with the feed system of one 24 foot diameter, seven-ring grain storage silo and two 15 tonne hopper silos. on the shed and it’s done marvellously – and I put that back to the componentry and the contractors we dealt with,” says Duncan. “All of the contractors and subbies did a really good job – and now I’ve got a really good looking shed, that really works well.” Lynne says when you’re in the stressful mode of calving – that is when you need a shed working at optimum performance. “Afterwards, we thought we were really lucky,” says Lynne. “One night during construction we had a contractor here until 11 o’clock – they were all brilliant.” For 2012/2013, the bank’s budget was set on 270,000 kg/ms, “and we did 288,000 kg/ms”, says Duncan. Year-two’s target is 310,000 kg/ms. “We’re looking to get things going a bit better but we’re probably at 90 to 95 per cent of our potential. The farm’s capability is about 330,000 kg/ms.” Duncan says he never buys on price. “I buy on service – it probably costs me the same and I get tremendous service by being loyal.”

By Merle Foster

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HE ASKED FOR IT Reece Croasdale: Taupiri. Herd size 450.

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Page 89

TARAWERA

Page 90

Dairycool Ltd’s sales manager Lee Gilbert, Laser Electrical’s rural and dairy manager Phil Moore, Read Industrial Ltd’s sales manager Philip Read, REL Group’s sales representative Mark Jessep and sales manager Trevor Green, farm owners Nicky and Michael Loe and sharemilker Eugene Cronin at the new dairy.

Coast & Country

The gland on the REL Group’s Prodrive 60-bail rotary platform.

Family farm loves healthy cows and happy staff Bankside farmers Michael and Nicky Loe have changed their family trust’s dairy grazing unit to a dairy farm. But its new shed is not solely focused on production. By Merle Foster

It aims for healthy cows and a nice work environment for sharemilkers – with laboursaving and cost-efficiency features. First owned by Michael’s parents, the farm, near Rakaia, has gone from sheep and beef to kale grazing – and now to dairying. “It’s not for other people, I’m not competing against anybody, we just want to enjoy the place ourselves and be proud of what we’re achieving,” says Michael.

On the property since the 1970s, Michael owns the cows and running of the farm. “We were always heading towards dairying. My body is a bit had it, so converting for sharemilking is partly me winding down – and the timing felt right.” In early 2012, Michael built the shed for first season sharemilkers Garth and Liz Campbell, while Nicky built two new homes. Sharemilker Eugene Cronin, wife Sarah, and children Eoghan, 4, and Olive, 1 ½, took over this season.

Custom-designed turnkey

Rakaia’s REL Group undertook the turnkey project, custom-designing a building to house the Prodrive 60-bail Rotary Platform. “The three-bay building is 1m longer and

1m wider than our standard shed, ensuring a higher gable, better ventilation and a ‘roomy’ impression,” says REL sales manager Trevor Green. “Staff enjoy working in this environment, and, with the walls further way from the platform, they stay cleaner for longer”. REL’s Prodrive Rotary Platform’s unique drive system was first developed in Canterbury nearly 20 years ago. REL recently made improvements to enhance its durability and ease of maintenance. Other platform manufacturers have introduced their nylon roller versions but this original system still sets the benchmark for simplicity, robustness and durability, says Trevor. “A dairy farmer from the US

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told us he’s used the same drive system on his 60-bail platform, milking 3500 cows three times-per-day, for the last seven years and still hasn’t had to replace a roller – that’s nearly 27 million cow milkings – an incredible record.” The platform’s strength and durability were demonstrated in Canterbury’s September 2010 earthquake. “One platform came off its rollers. We lifted it with hydraulic house jacks, replaced the rollers and one drive unit, re-positioned and lowered it back onto the lower beam – and away she went. We couldn’t see a single crack in the concrete – the owner was amazed.”

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TARAWERA

Herds move easily from paddock to platform The 17m radius (900m2) yard, complete about stripping cows and hitting producwith REL designed-and-built backing gates, tion targets. “It’s important to look after our cows. We had one of highest in-calf rates allows easy movement of the herd from paddock to platform. The REL Centre Pole, our vet had seen.” with electric slip ring and water glands, System drafts staff holidays allows twin backing gates (one with a wash LIC’s Protrack Drafting system, installed system) to turn 360 degrees, keeping mulby Laser Electrical, sees the farm run with tiple herds separated; using the top gate to only two staff on-duty. “I think Protrack is bring smaller numbers onto the platform. really good because it makes everyREL’s Profeed Feed System with a body’s life in the shed easy,” says 200 tonne bulk grain silo, grain Michael. “If you’ve got to draft crusher and 10 tonne crushed The main aim is cows, you put in their details grain silo, feeds cows up to and it gets done.” 2kg grain daily. All Profeed efficiency – and Protrack detects cows’ systems include a PLC, with Protrack there electronic identification with sensors to pick up tags. It can feed, draft, and ‘second-time-around’ cows are no excuses give audio messages for each and empty bails. “This because it saves cow, based on recordings at ensures a high degree of cups-on, cups-off consoles and accuracy and considerable savlabour. pc. ings in feed.” It alerts to withheld cows and gives Michael says dairying is not all

information on a cow by touch screen, including somatic cell count, herd test, and calving and mating data. Eugene says it’ll enable him to do a better job – Michael agrees. “The main aim is efficiency – and with Protrack there are no excuses because it saves labour.” Combined with the property’s layout and pivot system – even when increasing to 850 cows – Protrack should allow two staff to run things, giving a third worker the day off. “It means we can easily let people take holidays and takes risk out of sick days, which is attractive to potential staff,” says Eugene.

Generator powers milk

Laser Electrical, contracted for electrical, ADF system and generator installation, say it’s important to have generators wired legally and safely. “We now fit change over switches as a standard component to our switch board designs,” says rural and dairy

manager Phil Moore. Michael’s 100 kva generator has only run six hours but the Loe’s believe it’s a good insurance policy, knowing they will not lose production capability in blackouts. Ashburton-based Laser Electrical has Temuka, Geraldine and Rolleston branches with 70-plus staff servicing Canterbury. “We tailor to customer’s needs to fit their budget and offer a total electrical solution,” says Phil. Designing a lighting plan ensured optimum lighting levels in the platform area where milking staff position themselves for cups-on, cups-off. Phil says Laser’s detailed quotes give another cutting edge to their award winning Rural and Dairy Division, by showing all costs broken down. “Customers know exactly what is quoted and allowed for.” Laser Electrical offers an exclusive Dairy Data base and maintenance programme, being on-call 24 hours.

REL Group’s sales representative Mark Jessep and sales manager Trevor Green with the feed system they installed.

Laser Electrical’s rural and dairy manager Phil Moore and Read Industrial Ltd’s sales manager Philip Read show the Read Industrial plant, fitted with an ADF system.

The stainless steel Read Industrial Ltd plant.

TARAWERA

Page 92

System aims to cut mastitis

Feeding, drafting and electrical equipment all make a big difference in operating Tarawera’s new dairy shed.

When planning his new dairy, udder health wasn’t top of Michael’s mind. He learned of ADF Milking Dipping and Flushing system from neighbours who had it installed. “I thought that udder health was just a small thing. I soon learned it isn’t. We went to an ADF open day and saw it in action. To me it was a no-brainer,” says Michael. The ADF system aims to reduce mastitis, and its spread, among a herd, by automatically spraying cows’ teats while cups are still on the udder, directly after milking, when teat canals are still open. After removal, every liner is automatically sanitised, and within 20 seconds the cluster is ready for the next cow. “ADF really does look after the health of the cows. The teats are well looked after – the release of the cups from the udder is gentle and iodine is applied at the right time – immediately after milking,” says Michael. “Our mastitis results have been excellent with somatic cell counts staying within 80,000-110,000. I’m rapt with ADF – I can’t rate it highly enough. Every dairy farmer should have it.” The ADF system can be installed on any dairy – new or existing.

Original, unique pulsation

Today Homes Ltd, of Christchurch, built Michael and Nicky Loe’s new home on their family trust’s newly converted dairy farm.

Tomorrows home begins Today

Coast & Country

Rangiora-based Read Industrial Ltd was created in 1922 by sales manager Philip Read’s great grandfather Jack. “Operating 91 years, our main difference has always been we manufacture our milking machine and sell it directly to the farmer, install and service it,” says Philip. Michael says he “went with ‘gut instinct’.” Read is sole provider of traditional mechanical slide pulsators. “We stick with it because it’s reliable, bullet proof and sells itself.” Read’s wash system flood-washes a 4 inch milk line, putting a slug of water in the receiving can. “We don’t use electronics. It’s a simple operating of a valve, giving more contact with detergent chemicals.” Read’s two 1.5 kw milk pumps have 80-plus bail capacity and a second gland allows platform use during wash-mode. Rainer Irrigation has serviced Michael’s irrigation for 12 years. The Ashburton company started in 1989 by

fIREMW CONR N U O Y ME NOW O H we’ll havree and in befo4 you ne 201 Ju

the Briggs family ‘irrigation pioneers’ of mid-Canterbury, supplied a 598m pivot and two with extending arms (410m and 471m). “The design gives effective coverage and efficient use of available water,” says sales and designer manager Doug Carrodous. Rainer designed a 77-trough system with 10,000m of poly pipe to Michael’s specifications, who says their backup service is “100 per cent”. “[During last summer’s dry weather] we relied on well water. By constantly putting on a wee bit of water with pivots we continued milking with no trouble. We’re pretty pleased with it.” Michael’s Race Wrangler hoof trimming system, with walk-through head bail and brake leg winch, is “brilliant”. “You can put straps underneath a cow and hold them up. It’s a big must at calving time.” The Wrangler is Wilco and Waverly Klein-Ovink’s family-owned company. “Released in February, our new walk-through head bail is definitely easier to use, because when you pull the lever, it releases both sides of the yoke, for a cow to exit through the front,” says Wilco. Dairycool Ltd’s 39 kw refrigeration unit runs two silos – switching between them automatically. “A Mahana Blue Heat Recovery system provides 85 degree Celsius water,” says sales manager Lee Gilbert. “The Mahana reduces power consumption by heating wash water, adding several thousand dollars to the bottom line yearly.”

Home suits farming lifestyle

Looking for staff housing, the Loe’s decided to build themselves a three-bedroom home. The couple chose locally-owned Today Homes Ltd’s West Melton showhome. “If you have a view – it’s perfect,” says specialist dairy conversion sales consultant Hamish Lane. The master suite offers ‘whole farm’ views, “so Michael can keep an eye on it”. The office, designed into the living area, assists the nature of farming. “This is big for Michael, he didn’t want to be tucked away,” says Hamish. The Christchurch company also built a two-bedroom workers’ cottage. “Designed specifically; we now use its plan for dairy conversions.” Today Homes can design homes to suit a farmer’s site, budget, view or functional requirement – and meet conversion timeframes. By Merle Foster

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TARAWERA

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Page 94

Coast & Country

New shed slashes power bill by 70 per cent When Ashburton variable order sharemilker Alton Fletcher shifted two Kiwi-cross herds from two herringbones to a new 80-bail rotary – his power bill dropped 70 per cent. “This shed is so efficient – our power bill went from $7000 per month to $2100. Milking here is more stress-free and enjoyable,” says Alton. So enjoyable, his four full time staff have put on weight. “We were walking 4.5km up and down the herringbone just changing cups – now we stand at cups-on,” says Ryan Braddock. Two herringbones required two staff each – the rotary needs two staff at cups-on. Alton and partner Karen McAulay and baby Olivia arrived on gypsy day (June 1), 2012, milking in the herringbones until the rotary was commissioned – at Christmas. “We had to train 1300 cows, from two cramped herringbones, in a new 80-bail rotary at Christmas,” says Alton. The Mitcham Rd farm is 330ha effective with 1300 cows – going to 2150 cows on 510ha this season. Owned by an ex-pat who lives in Spain, Mike King of Tambo NZ Ltd represents the owner in New Zealand, and project-managed the farm development. In addition to the new shed, border dyke irrigation is being replaced with more sustainable centre pivot irrigators;

and farm fences and tracks were realigned to simplify farm operations. “They bought two farms to amalgamate and built the rotary to be centrally-located and for ease of operation,” says Alton. “We will milk 1400 in the rotary, while a herringbone caters for 750.”

Set-up saves power

The platform and plant are from Waikato Milking Systems, a New Zealand company that has been supplying farmers for more than 35 years. The system is designed to save farmers time and money. Baby daughter Olivia Fletcher, shows off Waikato Milking Systems Ashburthe new shed, with (from left at back) ton dealership owner Paul Morrison farm worker Ryan Braddock, sharesays Orbit is tried and true. “It’s reliamilker Alton Fletcher, his partner Karen ble and well-known – it goes forever.” McAulay, and farm workers Andrei The Orbit, Waikato’s top worldwide Nistor and Dylan Griggs. seller, has a protected underdeck, and farmers can add bolt-on components of this gear, with many new sheds using these when they want extra features. This shed has options,” says Paul. Waikato’s Smart Electronic Cup Removers SmartSPRAY sprays upwards onto cow teats (SmartECR), SmartD-TECT for early mastitis within five seconds of cups-off – anywhere ondetection and a SmartSPRAY automatic teat platform. “It’s accurate and uses considerably spray system, giving the shed lots of technolless teat spray per cow than bridge-mounted ogy, says Paul. machines.” Both SmartECR and SmartDSmartD-TECT identifies early signs of masti- TECT link to LIC’s Protrack drafting system. tis and alerts the operator. “Putting faith in the A 2.2 kw Fristram milk pump (with twin can system saves stripping cows. We’re selling lots set capability of 120 cups) works 40 cups on

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this farm. It’s over-built for Alton’s needs but future-proofs the shed. “They’re a top-end milk pump, with a Variable Speed Drive (VSD), and our BP500 blower vacuum pump also has a VSD, saving heaps of energy.” Paul says power saving is something people are starting to look at. “It’s a side effect of putting in high quality gear.” Alton says Waikato equipment is low maintenance and reliable. “For the system, it’s one switch and away she goes.”

LIC system saves labour The cup removers and detect system are linked to an LIC Protrack Drafting System. The tool not only automates cow movement in the shed but helps Alton and staff farm faster, smarter – and more profitably. Using LIC’s farm management, herd testing, mating, recording and management functions, with links to MINDApro and one-touch reporting, Protrack eliminates operational herd management tasks. For example, Ryan and Andrei Nistor check somatic cell counts – on the office computer.

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The 80-bail Orbit concrete platform.

Milkers put on weight in new rotary The fully automated Protrack Vantage system can find information on any cow in any bail, including SCC from last herd test, reproductive history or cow groups in MINDApro, by touch-sensitive monitors at cups-on, cups-off, and by pc. Ryan says physical labour, and staff numbers at milking is low. “Only two staff are needed to put cups on 1300 cows.” He never gets out-of-pit to draft cows either – Protrack does it. “It makes drafting much easier – the ability to stand in the pit, put a cow number in the system - when they’re anywhere on-farm – and next time she walks on-platform, she’s drafted – it’s great.” Protrack feeds cows on a cow-by-cow basis, helping maximise production. The cows, not previously fed, are “very happy” eating low-input wheat (up to 1 kg per day) while milking. Alton says Protrack saves heaps of labour. “If your cows are all linked in, it makes things very easy.”

Sparkies specialise in dairy

Young Electrical wired power to all shed components and keeps it serviced and fault-free. The Ashburton business, started 30 years ago by Gavin Young, is now owned by him and past apprentices Brent Kershaw and Greg Copeland. The trio hold a solid name for electrical

work, servicing and wiring dairies from Rakaia to Rangitata. In Alton’s shed, Young Electrical used special screen flex wiring for the milk pump and vacuum pump, to stop interference to variable speed drives. “It stops radio-frequency, which interferes with Protrack’s automatic drafting system. Cows have ear tags which a magnetic reader identifies,” says Brent. “If you don’t wire everything correctly you get airborne interference and it interrupts this.” Alton is pleased with Young Electrical’s work. “It was nice, clean and tidy and their service is very good. If you ring them up about an issue they know exactly what’s going wrong and how to fix it.” Young Electrical is on-call 24/7. Alton says the Mahana heat recovery system is saving him money. “We go through 2000 litres of hot water a day – and my power bill has dropped considerably.” Refrigeration professionals Dairycool Ltd supplied and installed a small refrigeration unit for two silo’s side walls; and a larger unit for the silo’s bases. Sales

Dairycool Ltd sales manager Lee Gilbert stands near a milk silo, washed with hot water which is heated by the Mahana Heat Recovery unit (behind).

The LIC Protrack Drafting System’s drafting gates in the yard.

manager Lee Gilbert says the Mahana makes power-savings easy – “even in 80-bail rotaries with higher heated water demands”. Lee says there’s also room to add features, as Dairycool is selling alarm systems with audible sirens, LED flashing lights and text messaging. “Plate cooler alarms alert if a plate cooler is not turned on or has restricted water flow. A digital display shows workers what temperature the milk is leaving the plate cooler too,” says Lee. Dairycool’s refrigeration fault alarm is designed to alert staff to issues

Waikato Milking Systems’ Ashburton dealership owner Paul Morrison shows the cups on the 80-bail Orbit concrete rotary.

causing refrigeration units to be not running. “Almost anything that negatively impacts milk cooling is alerted.”

Harmony just flows

Alton’s season production total was 551,000 m/s – with six months in two herringbones and the transition. Farming at Rangitata for eight years, before a year in Northland, Alton says when this job came up “I jumped at it”. He now sees smooth milking ahead. “The harmony has just flowed – the cows are happy, there is no stress, it’s just awesome.” By Merle Foster

WALKER

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Coast & Country

Young farmer embraces technology in new rotary Former Black Cap Matthew Walker is among a new generation of farmers embracing modern technology. By Merle Foster

Buying land and extending an equity partnership, part owner Matt is managing 171ha at Rakaia, where he’s built a new parlour, milking 640 cows. The high-tech gear captivates – as does Matt’s twists – making technology work for him. The Back Track wheat, barley and specialty crop unit was bought in February 2012, and shed construction began Matt is a tech March 1. Now the partnernology ship has bought neighbouring p ioneer accord land to convert from croping to ping. “This season, we’ll have Andrew Upst on. 334ha with 1400 cows,” says Matt. “If I’d known we were going to buy the neighbours, I’d have built a bigger shed.” Doing homework “at many sheds round the place”, Matt plucked features to build his 54-bail GEA Westfalia rotary. “We wanted a modern, efficient unit. We haven’t gone up in numbers yet but I was looking for ease of use, so I’ve tried to set up a one-man unit with a nice environment – a pleasant place for cows and people to be,” says Matt.

A shed of many ‘firsts’

GEA Westfalia’s capital equipment manager, Upper South Island, Andrew Upston thinks Matt is a technology pioneer – the proof being his shed’s many ‘firsts’. Matt didn’t want a hydraulic platform but an electric one. “Hydraulics give two reasons for break downs, as you still need electricity. I have a generator but I can’t create oil.” GEA’s Germany headquarters sent two 1.1 KW electric-drive platform motors to Matt – the South Island’s first. “It’s become standard, although we give people the option,” says Andrew.

The GEA Westfalia’s operator control.

Matt’s quiet rotary platform is driven by electric motors.

Dairycool Ltd sales manager Lee Gilbert, Dixon Machinery director Paul Dixon, GEA Westfalia’s capital equipment manager, Upper South Island, Andrew Upston and Rakaia farmer Matt Walker at his new 54-bail rotary.

Dairy Plan tracks cow’s milk yield, fertility, health and feeding. Each cup’s control box gives conductivity levels, alerting issues by showing red blood cell counts. “GEA Westfalia’s whole package is superior and suited what I wanted,” says Matt. “I like its cup removers, retention arms, rotary auto-washing, feeding, drafting, and the way it milks the cows nice and gentle.”

Mats reduce slipping

The South Island’s first ROC Controller – in Matt’s shed – offers pre-set individual cow feeding of up to six feeds; washes platform automatically; Easystart eliminates false triggers; and Intelligent Retention Arms deploy only for second-round cows. “It identifies all way round platform, and if cows aren’t milked out it slows platform to milking speed.”

AgriMat Kura interlocking mats installed in entry and exit areas of Matt’s rotary platform reduce cows slipping on their way in and out of the bails. “The matting is so much safer for the cows,” says Matt. “They push and shove to get into the shed, and if they slip on concrete they graze their knees – but that doesn’t happen on the rubber mats.”

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Dairy Plan cup control boxes tracks cow’s milk yield, fertility, health and feeding.

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Device-packed dairy Dairy Plan tracks cow’s milk yield, fertility, health and feeding.

New Zealand-owned Technipharm, offering leading animal handling and farm automation solutions, promotes Dungbuster as a water, power, labour and cost-saving initiative. “The Dungbuster is now a standard-issue on most new dairy developments, reflecting recognition by farmers that utilisation of resources is an efficient way to manage a farm on the road to sustainability,” says Technipharm group CEO Harmen Heesen. “Reductions of water use, and distribution of diluted effluent, are advantageous in application of resource consents.” Matt says the Dungbuster first comes up behind cows and squirts the yard. “This keeps it wet, making it easy to clean, and provides traction.” He hasn’t hosed his yard all season. “It works really well - it cuts labour, water and power.”

Equipment wrangles versatility

The Race Wrangler hoof trimming system is also useful for calving and vet work. AgriMat Kura interlocking mats at entry and exit areas of the rotary platform reduce cows slipping.

wear and lameness; and improving milk production. Matt didn’t specify this matting “but it’s absolutely worked, and is definitely worth it”.

“When the cows are leaving the rotary, we turn them round on the rubber. It’s much safer for them because they don’t scuff their feet on concrete, and they don’t slip.” Matt says they’re also very easy to clean. “I just hose it down like concrete,” says Matt. “It’s interconnecting stuff, bolted down, so the mats sit together, and hold down, very well.” Fast becoming well-known for its rubber matting, Numat products replicate the feel and grip of natural pasture to make cows stress-free in the shed, promoting good cow flow, reducing hoof

Automatic yard cleaning

The Dungbuster Automatic Yard Washing system cleans Matt’s rectangular yard, eliminating milkers carrying heavy hoses. It works from one touch of a button, cutting labour costs – and using 40 per cent less water it creates less effluent.

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While he hasn’t used it much – Matt is still happy he installed a Race Wrangler hoof trimming system. “It’s really good – I have no complaints about this equipment,” says Matt. “Although, I haven’t used it that much yet, which is a good thing.” The Wrangler is Wilco and Waverly Klein-Ovink’s family-owned hoof care manufacturing company and is made to be strong, durable; and requires little maintenance. Not only is it best for conducting hoof care on cows, it’s also unbeatable for calving cows and other handling needs. “It’s primary purpose is hoof care but farmers calve cows and conduct veterinary work with it,” says Wilco. “If they can restrain a cow – you name it and they can do it.” Matt likes his Wrangler being undercover, making it user-friendly in all weather. “The roof is good for vets when calving cows and such – so it’s a really versatile piece of equipment.” Coming in four different models, the Wrangler is mostly known for reducing lameness in cows, which reduces profit. Each lame cow costs an estimated $800 to $1200 in lost production, extra labour, higher empty rates, and treatment costs – so it’s important lame cows are checked and

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One-man operation makes for happy cows treated at the first sign of lameness. “The Wrangler enables staff to quickly, easily, and safely assess a suspect hoof before it develops into a bigger problem,” says Wilco.

Target feeding easy

n Lost productio a s it’ – e or m costs no-brainer.

REL Group supplied a new feed system by moving over a 150 tonne silo from Matt’s other property, and installing three smaller silos, 10-19 tonne, for holding different feeds, says sales representative Mark Jessep. “Barley comes out of the large silo, is milled, and put into another silo, holding crushed product.” The equipment allows feeding up to four different products at once, says Mark. “Getting grain into cows offers better conception rates and healthier cows.” REL Group sales manager Trevor Green says four different feeds can be fed together, separately, or mixed with molasses. “Matt can mix and match feeds Dixon Machinery to target his cows at different times of the year. He director Paul Dixon can target-feed cows individually or by herd, and can shows the generator feed to production, so a cow producing more milk he installed. can be fed more.” Matt likes the system’s versatility. “We can feed barley, along with palm kernel, and have ability to feed molasses – in early spring we used it for mineral tures rise or drop). “We can supply any size from 10kw to 300kw.” Modern Coatings Ltd, of North Island’s Waiuku, painted walls pellets – so it gives options in what we can do.” and the shed’s underpass with acraflex pearl grey, with sierra and white fleck. Owner Roger Farley, painting with acraflex for 20-plus Cheap, reliable back-up years, says it’s a high-build acrylic system, only for application by A 100 kw free-standing generator was supplied by professionals. “It’s easy to clean, looks great and will last for more Dixon Machinery – trading in Methven since 1979. Director Paul Dixon, with 30-plus years’ machinery than 20 years.” Servicing Waikato to Auckland, for three years experience, began importing Chinese generators eight they’ve been coating sheds from Christchurch to Invercargill. years ago. Now in Canterbury’s second dairy conWraps save money too version wave, he says quality is sky-high but prices Dairycool Ltd supplied and installed refrigeration, and a milk silo remain low. “We’ve supplied 80 to dairy conversions, insulation wrap. “Insulating a silo reduces instances of refrigeration because if you lose power – boom you’re stuck – and units having to continually work to keep milk at temperature,” says lost production costs more – it’s a no-brainer.” sales manager Lee Gilbert. “During summer, refrigeration turns on The generator’s battery charger, hooked to power and off but insulating vats saves money in reduced running costs.” for trickle charge, is always ready. “When you need “Our milk doesn’t go into-silo any higher than 7.5 degree Celsius, it – it will start.” They have key-lock digital control thanks to refrigeration, water temperature and the wrap,” says Matt. panels and auto-shutdown (if oil or water tempera-

Rakaia farmer Matthew Walker’s new 54-bail rotary.

Dairycool Ltd’s milk silo insulation wrap reduces running of refrigeration units. Sized wraps have a PVC outer layer and 12mm polyethylene insulation layer. “On a hot day, single-skin stainless steel silos can be 60 degrees Celsius to touch,” says Lee. Depending on when tankers collect milk, a wrap can save more than $1000 each year. The refrigeration is an 8hp unit and 13 hp unit with Mahana Blue heat recovery system. It recycles wasted heat, making up to 85 degree Celsius water for cylinders. “We’ll definitely see energy savings next year with an increased herd-size and milking time, getting 80 per cent of hot water from it,” says Matt. His small vat is being replaced with 24,000 litre “and we’ll wrap that as well”.

Cows are content

The herringbone herd – bar 100 cows – hit a learning curve entering the rotary, while Matt and his milker learned the new technology. But he assures that both cows and staff are “happy as Larry” going into 2013/2013. “The cows are content – that is the By Merle Foster main thing.”

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Page 100 Methven Dairies

Coast & Country

Cropping to dairy after pair join forces

John Wright and Trevor Monson met through their bank manager and accountant – and turned an arable block into a dairy unit, building a new shed with another on the cards.

John and wife Jane crop-farmed the 356 ha in their business, but eyed dairying for “better balance”. “Arable farming is quite risky – the conversion wasn’t simply about profit but spreading risk over another industry and into a business with better cash flow,” says John. Dairying all his life, Irishman Trevor arrived in New Zealand in 1998. He married Stacey, a local, and they have two young children. Recently, the couple wanted to settle and commit to a farm. “We decided on equity partnership for its long term benefits and stability,” says Trevor. Methven Dairies LP formed between John and Jane, Trevor and Stacey, and Methven Motors Group. Shed construction began November 2011 for 2012/2013. Today it milks 1250 spring-calvers, but is still a work in progress. “Its quality arable land which will make for good dairying once pastures establish.” The Methven farm’s backdrop is Mount Hutt, with Trevor’s children ski-ing, through their school. The equity manager, with five staff, says next year they’ll build another shed. “The location offers perks and hopefully attracts staff, including future management.”

Nothing goes wrong

The pair invested in a Milfos plant, herd management system and iFLOW nylon roller rotary platform, run by hydraulic drive and electric motor. “Nothing goes wrong with it – it’s very low maintenance. We change grease cartridges, check seals and slip-ring glands, in servicing,” says GEA Farm Technologies area sales manager Ross Soper. GEA recently acquired Milfos International and now include the brand in their products. Above: Methven Dairies’ shed Milfos’ iNTELSCAN PLUS with full herd switchboard, installed by Gavin management system iDATAFLOW, offers Young Electrical. lifetime records of animals; and farmers manage their database. “It gives the ability to indiGet the Irrigation Solution Left: Milfos’ twin milk filters system. vidually monitor each cow’s milk production,

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Improving cow-flow safely

The herd is from Trevor’s previous job, and sourced North Island cows. “Mine are herringbone cows so it was a battle for them to adjust. The others are from a rotary – that spun the opposite direction – so they were confused.” The cow-flow dilemma was improved by a Herdflow backing gate. Reporoa Engineering supplied and installed a Herdflow Crowd Gate, designed to move large herds from yard to shed, saving time and labour. Plus, its one-button automatic washing system cleans the yard without people having to drag hoses. Reporoa Engineering director John Perrin says the gate prevents yard injuries. “It stops bull-dozing and damaging of cows, via breech sensor. If the gate bumps a cow, the sensor signals it to back off and wait for button command.” Reporoa Engineering custom-fits Herdflow’s Crowd Gate to individual

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conductivity and health – it’s like a mini herd test every milking,” says Ross. Cow’s tags are read and identified as they enter platform. Visual alarms display detected errors, alerting if an animal needs checking or treatment. On-platform, cows are fed by group ration or pre-set individual production-based ration. “The advantage is you can feed any cow according to production while simultaneously recording milk yield, feeding and drafting cows.” Operators can draft from cups-on, cups-off, and pc. The system’s wireless controller allows automatic operation of draft gates. “Farmers can enter drafting prior-event to plan ahead and cut labour.” Energy saving includes Milfos’ blower vacuum pump, with VSD, running at 30 per cent. GEA Farm Technologies offers iDATAFLOW training and an 0800 GEA FARM support line. Trevor says staff are still learning the iDATAFLOW’s “amazing capabilities”.

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Crop farmer and contract milker invest to create dream shed yard’s width and length. Trevor’s gate will receive cow detection, so the gate will not keep lowering if a cow doesn’t move, “and cannot crush her”. Added 4WD traction will improve grip in frosty and icy conditions. “Also, we’ve sourced an anti-skid paint-coating to paint on the I-beam [gate-driver]. It has ground-up glass particles, improving traction too,” says John. Trevor says the gate is a “fantastic and clever” feature.

Well-known quality service

John heard Young Electrical services many dairies in the area, so employed the company to wire the shed. He’s pleased he did – saying Gavin Young’s experience is un-matched. “He wires loads of dairies in the district and has a good team of guys.” Gavin started the business 30 years ago (as Gavin Young Electrical), changing names when selling two-thirds to past apprentices Brent Kershaw and Greg Copeland. Brent was Gavin’s first apprentice and the business “has boomed” since – now wiring more than 20 sheds, and servicing “a few hundred”, annually. Brent says their 12 staff pride themselves on offering high quality, reliable service, and being oncall 24/7. “Getting power to work in a dairy is very important – no power means no milking – so we’re a farmer-in-need’s first port of call,” says Brent.

Glycol system tops

No bore, and 18 degree Celsius primary water, aren’t good for milk cooling. Dairycool Ltd solved this, supplying and installing a Glycol Milk Snap Chilling System with built-in heat recovery, using no extra power to create 300 litres of hot water per hour, at 75 degrees Celsius. The 80 kw system cools glycol between zero and one degree Celsius, pumps it through the second stage of a double-bank plate cooler, creating five degree Celsius milk-to-silo entry, says Dairycool Ltd sales manager Lee Gilbert. “It provides extremely high milk quality while simultaneously producing hot water through heat recovery.”

With proposed tightening of milk cooling (From left): Methregulations, Lee says glycol snap chillers are “the ven Dairies’ equity ultimate milk cooling system”. “This high-quality manager Trevor equipment future-proofs the life of a shed, Monson, GEA designed to address incoming, new milk cooling Farm Technologies standards.” Trevor just calls it “the bees’ knees”. area sales manager Ross Soper, Liquid gold on paddocks equity partner Trevor says effluent irrigation is “liquid gold John Wright and back on the paddock”. With a solids pond screenDairycool Ltd ing liquid into another pond, for irrigating at sales manager diluted levels, he’s using a ready-made resource. Lee Gilbert with Water Dynamics, part of Pentair International group, provides assistance in design, manufactur- the farm’s view of Mount Hutt. ing, distribution, installation to service of ‘smart’ irrigation systems. It supplied most irrigation infrastructure (two years prior), including troughs, pipes, fittings, pumps and GPS mapping, with John’s cropping staff installing the gear. The company’s Riverscreen, in the liquids pond, pumps effluent into the irrigation. “The Riverscreen is worth gold – we’ve had no blockages in nozzles, it’s a self-cleaning Inside the bails, which identify each cow, with screen and keeps water clear Milfos’ iNTELSCAN PLUS. going through centre pivots – it can irrigate a five per cent dilution over the entire farm,” says Trevor.

Reporoa Engineering’s Herdflow Crowd Gate helps push cows up, enhancing cow-flow into the shed, while not injuring animals.

Milfos’ cups and rubber ware at Methven Dairies new shed.

Hitting Target

Project manager John’s job was easy “because the contractors knew what they were doing”. And Trevor’s happy, hitting a first-season target of 1600 m/s per ha. “Now the sky is By Merle Foster the limit.”

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CANTERBURY GRASSLANDS

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Coast & Country

No grades, no break downs – no problems

Filipino colleagues Ronald Kidayan and Recto Suniga’s loyalty and hard work ethic have made them a Canterbury Grasslands’ success story. They achieved best production per hectare and best performance per cow during 2011/2012 among eight farms. Canterbury Grasslands, on Hororata’s Sleemans Rd, encompasses 2700 ha with 2500 ha effective. When transforming 360 ha from dry stock to dairy (this one is Dairy Nine), the pair was chosen to operate the first rotary. “They work together well, they’re a team and they delivered results for us,” says Canterbury Grasslands operations manager Shaun Wilson. “And their loyalty is a huge thing.” The corporate has seven herringbones on eight farms – named by number. Shaun first looked to build two herringbones on Dairy Nine. “They were to be within 500m of one other – it made no sense.” Milking up to 1500 cows, a 70-bail rotary – with superb views of Mount Hutt – was ready July 2012.

The block had irrigation pivots and races “so essentially, we just improved its footprint – and we wanted to capture benefit of attracting staff with many preferring rotaries”. Getting cow flow right was key. “Ronald and his four crew milked 400 cows per hour last season – a little less than I hoped but it was about their care and attention,” says Shaun. This season, 1200 cows will boost to 1350. Ronald, at Grasslands seven years, and

his workmate of six years, Recto (second in charge), believe the rotary’s best feature is simplicity. “We have two control panel boards, an automatic teat spray, and we manually put cups on and take them off,” says Ronald. “We came from a herringbone and being the first operators we’re learning its rhythm – so patience has been key,” says Ronald, milking three herds in 4.5 hours twice-daily. “We’re using it and learning – it works really well.”

“Our backyard is paradise”

Being Shaun’s second build at Grasslands, he quoted many installation companies. Locallyowned and operated AgRural, with more than 35 years’ experience, “sharpened their pencil and got the price right, and we liked their DeLaval platform”. Canterbury and North Otago DeLaval agents, AgRural is the region’s premier provider of turnkey dairy sheds, offering full design, planning, building and commissioning. “This 100-day project, from start to milking, saw AgRural build the yards, the building’s structural steel, a DeLaval rotary platform, install it and a DeLaval milking plant; and plumbing,” says AgRural managing director Tim Scott. The building’s 24m by 23m fully-galvanised steel frame withstands high wind and snow. “This location is well-known for high wind so it had to be heavy duty,” says Tim. The yard’s 1.4m high fence combats pressure, from high cow numbers; and an Overhead Electric Gate encourages cow flow, as drop chains net the front 30-40 cows, edging them to the bail. “If you push 800 cows from the back, nothing happens at the front. The OEG eliminates this and staff getting out of pit,” says Tim.

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CANTERBURY GRASSLANDS

From left: Canterbury Grasslands’ operating manager Shaun Wilson with Jojo Umali, Recto Suniga (2IC), Laura Brennan, and farm manager Ronald Kidayan.

AgRural’s round-yard Centre Post with a 200nb base post, internal 100mm water channel and electrical conduits, enables backing gates to turn endlessly without disconnecting power or water. “You never need to re-set backing gates to park positions, saving at least 20 minutes between herds and at end of milking,” says Tim. The bail entry’s depth allows cows to move, line up and load well, says Shaun. “The cows settled in a routine within two weeks, with the quiet platform.”

Equipment suits workers

The 70-bail DeLaval PR1100 platform is the best on the market, says DeLaval district manager Grant Vickers. “Nothing steel-exposed underneath can rust. All seams are concrete, and it comes with pre-supplied mounting points for additions. Underneath, you only see beautiful, clean drive gear – no oil patches.” An internal walkway is perfect for drenching cows during milking. “Our platform is our

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Dairycool Ltd’s sales manager Lee Gilbert shows the large 15 hp refrigeration unit, with a Mahana Blue heat recovery unit.

Ag Rural’s OverDeLaval district head Electric manager Grant Gate encourages Vickers stands in cow flow, by drop the rotary’s centre, chains netting where underneath the front 30 to 40 the platform, cows, edging them steel-exposed toward the bail. cannot rust. Shaun. “He’s done all of our sheds, so it was a point of difference, our milking machines have hp refrigeration unit running the silo’s base simple decision to use Young Electrical for our huge European history – it’s well proven gear,” pads and a smaller 10 hp unit running each says Grant. silo’s side walls,” says sales manager Lee Gilbert. new rotary,” says Shaun. With Gavin selling two-thirds of Gavin Young Electrical to his past DeLaval has reliable chemical and rubber The larger unit has a Mahana Blue heat apprentices Brent Kershaw and Greg Copeland, ware, and mounted equipment looks like it recovery unit. the trio of Young Electrical owners are wellbelongs, says Tim. The DeLaval milking plant, “While the refrigeration cools the milk, the known for their high quality, reliable and trusted specified for the high-capacity farm with mulMahana takes waste heat out of the milk via workmanship. “I’ve been here 30-odd years and tiple staff, had to be easy to use. “We’ve built the refrigeration unit, utilising it via the heat taken the step into ownership. Greg was our something simple and reliable, for long hours exchanger to produce 80-85 degree Celsius apprentice too,” says Brent. of use with minimum downtime,” says Tim. water, entering two cylinders by automatic fill Young Electrical wires 30 sheds annually and Grant agrees, saying the plant – with no system,” says Lee. services “a few hundred”. electronics – makes an excellent workplace for The Mahana produces 210 litres of hot water Shaun’s staff seamlessly operate the quiet plant itinerate workers. “It’s very user-friendly for this per hour, covering the shed’s entire heated – which can be automated in future. But he application.” water needs (1000 litres) within five hours, purposely kept it simple. Shaun says the package was right. “The with huge savings to power bills. “We weren’t looking for bells and whistles. AgRural guys set it up well, it’s easy to use – Ashburton-based Dairycool is on-call and We tried to incorporate some features but the and we’ve had no grading, milk quality issues services more than 600 dairies in greater Canbiggest coup is it’s functioned without fault – or breakdowns.” terbury – including all Grassland sheds.

Heat recovery slashes costs

Dairycool Ltd supplied and installed two refrigeration units to cool milk entering two 21,500 litre silos. “The configuration has a 15

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Ashburton-based Young Electrical wired the shed, connecting power to all components, including plant, platform and pumps. “Gav’s the man. He’s just one of those guys who comes in and gets the job done,” says

that’s down to simplicity and reliability.” Ronald and Recto love their new workplace. “It’s 100 per cent easier than a herringbone,” says Recto. “Ronald and I were given an opportunity and we’re grabbing it.” By Merle Foster

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Two-hundred-cow test shows off new shed Brock Hamilton’s parents Leigh and Raewyn have owned the neighbouring 216 ha at Island Cliff ’s Tilverstowe Rd for seven years. They’ve used the land as a run off until last year – when they converted it to a free-standing dairy farm.

“It made sense because we’ve been wintering on it for so long – Dad’s been slowly tidying it up year by year for this purpose,” says Brock. “And, the figures stacked up.” Previously sharemilking, Brock returned to run his parent’s farming business as operations manager – so was tasked with building the new dairy on Parautika Farms Ltd.

Construction of a 54 bail rotary began August 2012 and was completed by Christmas – with Brock milking 200 cows as a test-run. “We had two other farms milking extra cows, and brought 200 over from them. And, we’d sold a farm in February so we had cows from there.”

GPS conquers hillside hurdle

The first hurdle was the shed’s location. “It’s a very hard farm to centrally place a shed because it has two big gullies on either side,” says Brock. Land Plan Ltd surveyed a hillside with spectacular views of Mounts Domet and Kurow. “They advised centrally locating a shed required digging heaps of material; and recommended using the material to build lanes across gullies for a raceway,” says Brock. The 14 metre cut from the hillside hit rock – also used for lane material. Plateau Works Ltd does large-scale earthmoving and construction projects using 3D

design software and GPS technology; and specialises in ponds, raceways, culverts, underpasses and farm design. “We couldn’t have done it without the GPS work. The whole design, done prior, told us how much it would cost.”

Tomorrow’s sheds today

Visiting a Barfoote shed with his father, Brock contracted them for the build. Trevor Barfoote’s team’s been building cowsheds for 25 years in the North Island and overseas. The South Island is a new market where Barfoote’s now has staff permanently based. They trucked in concrete slabs from the North Island to assist Brock’s deadline. “I wanted it done by Christmas, because we’d bought Fonterra shares with conditions we had to supply by end of 2012. But Trading Among Farmers scheme was introduced and we didn’t have to.” A modern curved arch offers an airy shed with increased space; and is aesthetically pleasing – highlighting Trevor’s extensive experience in designing and building specialised dairies. The kitchen and outdoor patio area, toilet,

open vat area – and ample space round platform – signifies today’s dairies offer comfortable, open, clean, workplaces. Barfoote agriculture manager Colin Spedding says a client described Barfoote sheds as “light years ahead in design and functionality”. “Another says they’re “tomorrow’s sheds today.”

System shows installation skills The milking machine and platform are from Waikato Milking Systems, a dairy technology company whose products are sought after by farmers throughout New Zealand and around the world. Oamaru Milking Systems installed Waikato Milking Systems plant, platform and connected four water tanks and the pump set-up. “Some lines are gravity-fed,” says owner Andrew Bruce, known as ‘Bruce’. “It means wash-down water can be used without a pump.” The pump room’s 7.5 kw wash down pump, 4 kw cooler pump and twin 4 kw stock pumps were set in the concrete.”

Parautika’s new shed has a view of Mounts Domet and Kurow.

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Wireless link talks to herd management And rain, driving into the vat area, brought mud and wind when installing a 1.5 kw Flowmax milk pump, wash gland, 12-track gland, Smart Electronic Cup Removers (SmartECR), and SmartSPRAY automatic teat spray. Mounting a wash gland to a high roof was new – as was wiring a high-tech wireless controller. Oamaru Milking Systems’ four fitters service North Otago. Working for Ashburton’s Paul Morrison for seven years, Bruce moved to Oamaru in May 2012. “Our only challenge was being so pressed for time, with lots of long days to get it done.”

Technology offers efficiency

The technology in the new shed is from Waikato Milking Systems – a dairy innovator that designs and manufactures all its products in New Zealand. An example of its innovations in the dairy is the Smart Electronic Cup Remover. “SmartECR is a great way to save time and money and get more efficiency into your milking routine,” says Waikato Milking Systems’ South Island manager Lindsay Giles. “SmartECR detects end-ofmilking, lowers vacuum in the claw, pulls the cluster off and hangs it up, making life easier for the milker while being kind on the cow. “The wireless link can talk to a herd management system and take instruction; and the equipment is easily re-programmable as new technology is made available.” The SmartSPRAY automatic teat spray system is designed

for rotaries, and sprays directly into the open teat canals from spray bullets on the platform under each cow. “The spray gets in quickly to fight infection.” A three-port wash gland sees the platform rotate during wash; and the wireless controller brings all services, switches and valves to one board, says Lindsay. “Milkers choose and push a button; the machine does the rest.”

New way of wiring

Calect Electrical wired in the plant, platform, grain feeding system, backing gate, refrigeration, and Protrack drafting system. The shed’s high height and concrete design didn’t cater for plastic conduit or trunking. “So we done everything in stainless steel before concrete was poured, putting wiring inside pearlings,” says owner of 20 years Callum Reid. Oamaru-based Calect Electrical services dairies from South Canterbury to North Otago.

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Rakaia-based REL Group supplied and installed their Profeed Grain Feeding System in the dairy. “Two silos hold raw product; it goes through a grain crusher and into 10 tonne holding silo. There is also a 30-tonne 55⁰ hopper silo to hold palm kernel or pellets,” says REL Group sales representative Mark Jessep. “All Profeed systems include a PLC that, when the ‘sensor’ option is taken, ensures no ‘empty bail’ or ‘second-time-around’ feeding. It performs to a high degree of accuracy.” REL Group, with up to 60 staff, provide other grain storage and handling equipment, feeding and stock-handling systems, dairy sheds and wintering barns. REL’s Profeed equipment can be fitted to any rotary or herringbone, old or new. “Our Profeed system can feed cows up to four products at once, separately or together.” Mark says it can individually target cow’s different needs, “at mating or calving you can mix and match feeds, and feed different cows different feeds”.

Full version extra benefits

Oamaru Milking Systems owner Andrew Bruce and his team installed the plant, platform and plumbing in the new shed at Parautika Farms Ltd.

Oamaru Milking Systems installed pumps in the pump room.

Brock is upgrading to LIC’s fully automated Protrack Vantage system, offering accurate in-bail identification. It alerts to high somatic cell counts, kicking cows, Calect Electrical owner Callum Reid shows the with-held cows; and allows milkers to see cow health and history of each animal from switchboard he wired all the shed’s components to. cups-on and cups-off consoles, and at pc. Event recording is easy – one touch of a button records a ‘draft’ for example, showing cow treatments, calving, drying-off, heats, pregnancy, liveweights, and body condition score. Brock was looking forward to its three-way drafting system, with pre-setting by MINDApro or touch screen consoles. “I’m getting Left: Contractors, from left, REL Group sales repthe full version. I’ve put in the gates, so resentative Mark Jessep, Oamaru Milking Systems cannot wait to automate them.” owner Andrew Bruce and Calect Electrical owner A sharemilker will put 870 cows through Callum Reid with Parautika Farms Ltd operations the shed in 2013/2014. By Merle Foster manager Brock Hamilton.

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