A special supplement by
Spring 2021 Sun Media Ltd 07 578 0030
Kevin Schuler has cause to smile after a successful first season milking sheep. Story on page 40
Progressing through pandemic
Arnold pgs 38-39
Niaruo pgs 50-53
Twin Creek pgs 58-61
Kiakaha pgs 72-75
Selwyn pgs 80-83
NEW FARM DAIRIES
Page 2
Coast & Country
Spectacular builds
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.
in unparalleled times
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 and rural supplies stores 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 lois@thesun.co.nz There’s something special about this year’s New Farm Dairies builds – they managed to go ahead in the year of Covid-19. LOIS NATTA
BRIAN ROGERS
CLAIRE ROGERS
Director/Editor
Managing Director
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Many of our feature farms were interrupted by the first Alert Level 4 lockdown, but managed to come out the other side with a completed project. That is no small feat considering the amount of people and resources involved in these farm developments, not to mention the extra stress it puts on farmers and day-to-day operations even in normal circumstances. Despite the challenges, the farmers from our 29 feature properties all agree that the pay-off from their builds – from barns that improve animal welfare to dairy conversions from cows to goats – outweigh the sanity-questioning moments that occurred while getting to the end result. Our writers have visited farms throughout the country, discussing the highs, lows and what was considered when undertaking their projects. We also hear from farmers in Europe and Mongolia, who talk about how New Zealand’s leading dairy technology is improving their operations.
Each story acts as a guide for anyone considering a farm renovation of their own, with insights from the people who provide the technology and complete the build, to the farmers who then use the new facilities every day. These stories are also about the people behind the renovations who come from a wide variety of backgrounds – from multi-generational farming families to those who traded city life in Melbourne for greener pastures. A big thank you to all who contributed to the 16th edition of New Farm Dairies. You have shown that spectacular things can still be achieved even in unparalleled times. An extra thank you goes to our Canterbury contributors, who, at the time of writing this edition, experienced flooding labelled in some areas as a onein-200-year event. You are an example of the resilience those in the industry are known for. To secure a place in next year’s New Farm Dairies, contact Lois Natta using the contact details on the left of this page. She has project-managed New Farm Dairies since it began, and can help with all of your advertising needs. Be in quick – spaces fill fast. Claire and Brian Rogers, Publishers
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NEW FARM DAIRIES
Season well set up for Farmers have headed into this season on the back of a financially strong year, meaning the 2020-21 season may be the perfect time to invest on-farm. The DairyNZ 2019-20 Economic Survey shows farmer resilience to the challenges of Covid-19, price volatility and unpredictable weather, with a positive year for milk production and farm businesses. DairyNZ chief economist Dr Graeme Doole says operating profit, milksolids per cow and per ha were all up on previous years. “For the 2019-20 season we were fortunate to receive an above-average milk price of $7.05 per kilogram milksolids, which has continued into this season,” says Graeme. “This enabled some farmers to catch-up on farm maintenance and debt repayment, while continuing to invest in environmental improvement on-farm. “Farm costs also increased, with higher fertiliser and supplementary feed costs. “Although we saw a decrease in interest costs, this was not enough to offset increases in other areas of expenditure.” The annual survey shows that average operating profit was up 28 per cent on the previous season, at $2750 per ha for 2019-20, while milksolids per cow and ha were at their highest level to date. “This on-farm success results in a strong contribution to the New Zealand economy, delivering around $20 billion in export value, while employing around 50,000 people on and off farm,” says Graeme. “It is positive to see such a high
operating profit for farms for 2019-20, compared to the 10-year average of $1645 per ha. “Despite many farms nationwide being affected by a dry summer, production remained strong.” Operating expenses increased to $5.31 per kilogram milksolids compared to 2018-19, which is above the previous high of $5.17 reported in 2013-14. “Feed continues to be the largest cost on New Zealand dairy farms, which is important for farmers looking to control farm costs. “To build their resilience for periods when milk prices are lower, farmers should look at their overall cost structures on-farm and identify where they can trim costs.” Sharemilkers experienced a good year, recording a 35 per cent increase in operating profit on the previous season to $1050 per ha, while faced with similar cost changes, price volatility and weather conditions. Farmers are encouraged to analyse their individual performance and compare their results with similar farms through DairyNZ’s DairyBase and budget case studies. Budget case studies look at several top-performing farms nationwide for the current season, to help identify opportunities to reduce the cost of production. This is a useful benchmarking tool for farmers to get insights and ideas from. The annual Economic Survey analyses a representative sample of farmers, surveying 326 owner-operators and 124 herd-owning sharemilking farms (50:50 sharemilkers) across New Zealand for the 2019-20 season.
Page 3 FARM
DISTRICT
Old Kookaburra Farm
Central Plateau
PAGE 4-7
Waerenga
Waikato
8-9
Martin Parks
Waikato
10-11
Ashleigh Lodge
Waikato
12-15
Darby Sheep
Waikato
16-17
Brynn Lands
Waikato
18-19
Harris Partnership
Waikato
20-23
Rushbrooke Farm
Waikato
24-27
Kaimai Farms
Waikato
28-31
Crows Nest
Waikato
32-33
Golden Elm Farms
Waikato
34-37
Arnold
Waikato
38-39
Schuler Sheep
Waikato
40-43
Alexandra Road Farms
Waikato
44-47
Niaruo Farms
Taranaki
50-53
Lepper
Taranaki
54-57
Twin Creek Dairy
South Auckland
58-61
Cawte
King Country
62-65
Green Park Sheep
King Country
66-69
Glenkylie Farm
Southland
70-71
Kaikaha
Southland
72-75
Avon Lea
Canterbury
76-77
Kairoma Farm
Canterbury
78-79
Selwyn Dairy
Canterbury
80-83
Omanuka Farming
Horowhenua
84-85
Barnes
United Kingdom
86-87
Weavian Farms
United Kingdom
88-89
Gorey
Ireland
90-91
Shengjiang Group
China
92-93
OLD KOOKABURRA FARM
Page 4
Coast & Country
The bright interior and rubber underlay in entrance and exit helped the cows transition from herringbone to rotary.
farm,
unique name Clare Bayly
Matt Ruthe’s wish list included a covered vat stand “because it doesn’t make sense to have vats in the sun when their purpose is chilling milk.”
The naming of Old Kookaburra Farm is a nod to Matt Ruthe’s late mother Laurel, who was Australian by birth and had a unique laugh. “We came up with the name when Vikki and I bought into the farm and she loved it,” says Matt. The 200ha farm is located at Tirohanga, just North of Taupo, and was originally owned by Matt’s parents who lived and operated the dairy farm next door. Matt and Vikki started their sharemilking career in 2011 after five years of managing, and in June of this year brought into the farm itself. “The farm had a 39-aside herringbone which was built in the 1980s and was extended in early 2000s,” Matt recalls. “The previous owner planned to make it a
40-aside but said the pump got in the way, hence the odd number of bails.” Milking 470 cows in the old shed took around seven hours per day, and a new shed was on the wish list when Matt’s parents bought the farm.
would be protected from the prevailing winds and be ideally positioned to minimise the cows walking,” says Matt. “The only problem was that the contour of the hill was the wrong way round, so we had to reconfigure the lay of the land.”
Timing
Development stage
It was a matter of waiting for the right time – and that coincided with the Covid lockdown in the autumn of 2020. Today, the perfectly positioned new dairy sits in landscaped grounds framed by retaining walls and grassed lawn, and it is hard to imagine that the hill on which it sits wasn’t always this way. “The optimum site for the shed was on a hill in the centre of the farm, where the dairy
In the initial stage, McLaren Contracting came in with a scoop and prepared the shed site which Matt and his brother could then develop. Once the site was cleared, Matt and his brother started development of the tanker track and recontouring the top of the hill, using their own scoop and digger. “I spent lockdown developing the tanker track,” Matt recalls. “All up it took around two months to develop the track and the site.
After 15 years on the wish list, Matt Ruthe is pleased to finally be out of the 39-aside herringbone and into his new 54 bail rotary. “The new dairy was always going to be a rotary and we looked at quite a few before we decided the ideal would be a 54 bail Concrete Orbit rotary from Waikato Milking Systems. “We had Waikato Milking Systems in the old shed and have always been happy with the quality and service. “My list of must-haves for the new shed included a covered vat stand, because it doesn’t make sense to have vats in the sun when their purpose is chilling milk. “I also wanted the vat stand to be on the south/colder side of the dairy for much the same reason, with the entry-exit and collection yard on the warm north side. I wanted two doors to the vet/animal handling area on the west well of the dairy, with sliding doors to shelter the milking area from the prevailing wind.
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Page 5
The new dairy and effluent treatment sit in landscaped grounds framed by retaining walls and, eventually, grassed lawn.
The dairy is operational ready for the start of calving.
Left to right, builder Rob Broomfield, Matt Ruthe, Qubik general manager Jason Hare and Chris Maughan, Qubik milker manager Putaruru. “The yard had to be a decent size and I wanted a scraper on the backing gate to reduce the number of people required to hose the yard. “The rump rail supports on most rotaries are located close to the platform but, other than at cups on and off, I wanted them stepped out to avoid pinch points around the platform. I also wanted a fold-down vet platform for such things as vaccinations. “We contracted Rob Broomfield to build the new rotary having seen some of his builds and liking his approach, design and standards.
Tidy and efficient Rob Broomfield, of Morrinsville-based Broomfield Construction, said knowing the size of the platform determined the footprint of the shed. “My sheds always have a lot of room around
a iN &
the sides and incorporate all auxiliary rooms under one roof to avoid having smaller sheds around the outside,” says Rob “It’s tidier and more efficient. We sized this dairy for 500 cows as there’s nothing worse than being too tight on room.” The new dairy is clad in polypanels with coating on the blockwork and clearlite panels in the ridgeline, providing natural light to the interior. Construction commenced prior to Christmas 2020 so that the walls and roof were up to provide cover for contractors during the hottest days of summer. The interior fitout began in February 2021. All concreting of the interior and exterior of the dairy, including yards, were carried out by contractors organised by Broomfield Construction.
SEED DrESSi
The Waikato Milking Systems 54 bail Orbit concrete rotary platform and an underpass, right, makes it easy to access the centre of the dairy. The new Waikato Milking Systems 54 bail Orbit concrete platform was installed by Moa Milking and Pumping. Known for their strength and engineering integrity, Waikato Milking Systems Orbit platforms integrate seamlessly with Waikato Milking Systems milking plants and accessories, and are engineered to allow for technology enhancements and additions in the future. The platform provides operators with a clean, efficient milking environment and excellent cow flow on-and-off the platform. The 2.7m wide deck protects milking and electronic equipment with a large walkway in front of the cows. The platform has a twin-track Multi-Roller undercarriage, where the nylon rollers that move together with the platform eliminate the requirement for wear strips and track oilers, making for a cleaner pit and helping to spread
ID G E CRSEEDS
Gr
NG
qua lity paSturE SEED
All types of building work undertaken
the weight across multiple points. This takes pressure off running gear which, in turn, lowers maintenance costs.
Speeding up the process Qubik installed the milking machine, water, precooling, refrigeration and effluent system. General manager Jason Hare says the dairy features Waikato Milking Systems ECR-S Electronic Cup Removers, which have an AutoStart feature to speed up the milking process. “We also installed BailGate Straps which, when used with ECR-S, automatically lower and raise when the cup removers are activated. “The dairy also has a SmartSpray automatic teat spray which applies teat spray to every cow at every milking and acts as a leg spreader, making cupping easier,” says Jason.
Page 6
OLD KOOKABURRA FARM
Coast & Country
The 2.7m wide deck of the 54 bail Waikato Milking Systems Orbit concrete platform protects milking and electronic equipment.
Effluent gravity feeds to a stone trap which separates solids and liquid before it is further refined in the solids separator. Liquids are then pumped into a 145,000L effluent tank, left. Solids are stored in the bunker, right “Over recent years we upgraded a few elements of the old milking system, knowing that they would eventually move across to a new dairy. These included the pulsators, 320 clusters, vacuum pump, plate cooler, filter and chiller.” The new dairy features four water tanks which collect water from the dairy roof, with the balance of water coming from a bore by the old cow shed. Qubik installed the wash down hoses, backing gate skirt wash, along with the platform and skirt wash. Effluent from the dairy gravity feeds to a stone trap which separates solids and liquid before it is further refined in the solids separator. Liquids are then pumped into a 145,000L effluent sump or tank which, along with the other precast concrete elements of the effluent system, was supplied by Paeroa Precast for assembly by Broomfield Construction. Solids
are stored in a bunker which is easily accessed by tractor. The effluent sump/tank is the primary store facility for liquids before they are either pumped to pasture or the bladder, which was installed some years previously adjacent to the old herringbone dairy. Matt is able to irrigate around 25 per cent of the farm via travelling irrigators.
Finishing touches Matt was three weeks into calving when this article was written, and says the cows are adjusting to the rotary environment very well. “We included an extra gate to the side of the entrance to the platform to help funnel them in,” he says. “The colostrum cows come in every day, some walking on at the first milking while others may need a couple – but all happily walk on
Cups off position showing the underpass, to the left, and vet stand, right. after four milkings. They have always been fed in the shed, so this certainly helps encourage them on. “From an operational aspect the dairy is complete. The only items remaining to be done are really cosmetic – like outfitting the office, the bathroom and finishing the interior and exterior. “My brother and I built the retaining wall which runs around the effluent system area and up to the side of the dairy. “When the lawn grows, it will look really smart. It has to look good. “The exit/entrance race is concrete to minimise the amount of mud which will come into the collection yard and the dairy, and we’re able to hose this with the run-off going into the effluent system. The concreted area also acts as another holding pen, which is very handy. “We don’t get a lot of power outages but when
Waikato Milking Systems’ Ben Frederickson checks the 320 claws which were moved to the new rotary from the 39-aside herringbone. we do, it can be very disruptive so I’ve now got a generator which will cut in automatically if the power goes off. “At this stage, it’s hard to predict how long it will take to milk but we estimate it should take 1.5 hours per milking. That’s a third of what it was taking before.
One chance “You only get to build a dairy like this once, so it was important to do it right. I’ve only been milking in it for a few weeks but I’m enjoying it. It was a long time coming but it was worth waiting for; it’s a great shed.” Once the entire herd is in, Matt estimates that time spent milking, previously seven hours in the herringbone, will be around three hours per day (1.5 hours per milking in the new rotary). “That’s a potential saving of four hours a day, or 28 hours per week!”
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Page 7
Page 8
WAERENGA
Coast & Country Bruce Cotman in the lower of the two standoff pads he has built to provide the optimum environment for his cows.
Clare Bayly
Bruce and Jenni Cotman have been farming at Waerenga, in the Waikato, for 23 years. “I grew up on my parents’ dairy farm and became a builder when I left school. It was a great trade to get into but, after living and working in Auckland for the latter part of the 13 years I was in the industry, we had a hankering to return to the Waikato and farming,” says Bruce. “We worked on Mum and Dad’s farm for a few years before a neighbouring property came on the market. We purchased that farm and milked on both properties. “We had staff, but there were times when Jenni and I would be doing four milkings a day. This, combined with concern at the tough time heifers often get being milked, twice a day, with mature herd mates, encouraged us to concentrate on our own farm, moving to once-a-day milking.
The upper stand-off pad is nearing completion. “In hindsight, that was a great decision because it freed us to improve the property and the benefits are evident in herd health and output. “We operate a very simple farming system, with no bought-in feed, and the herd averaging around 400kg MS per cow on grass and silage.”
Working with the weather Bruce says they graze all stock – herd and young stock – on the 100ha effective property. “We milked 135 Friesian cross for the last couple of years, down from a high of 180, and aim to milk 150 in the 2021/2022 season. “The soil on our farm is heavy clay, prone to being very wet and pugging in winter, and drying out in summer, so managing cow
health and condition during extreme weather has always been a challenge. We overcame this by standing the cows off on a couple of woodchip pads. “Woodchips provide comfortable footing and bedding for cows but maintaining them is costly both in terms of time and money. They require regular maintenance to ensure they are as free from effluent as possible and the surface needs to be scraped and refilled with fresh woodchip each season. We wanted a surface which would provide the optimum environment for the cows, be easy to keep clean and have a long life.” Bruce and Jenni considered a range of coverings for the standoff pads. “We liked the concept of rubber but soon realised there are vast differences between the product offerings
on the market. Some rubber matting is very dense and hard whereas we wanted a surface that would be comfortable for the cows either standing or lying down for 12 to 14 hours a day. “Our search led us to Southland farmers Paul and Kyllee Henton who developed the AgriTech Cow Comfy Rubber Matting system.”
Common goal Paul says he easily identified with what Bruce and Jenni wanted to achieve. “Kyllee and I designed the mats to provide our herd with the best care and comfort possible – and the Comfy Cow is the result; a durable, premium product on which cows will happily stand or lie for days on end.”
WAERENGA
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Page 9
The upper stand-off pad is close to completion. The lower yard, complete and ready for cows while work continues on new races to the dairy shed.
The roofs feature timber poles and beams.
Each stand-off pad features two troughs set into the repurposed corrugated iron windbreak fencing. Each mat is 30mm thick, 1.8m x 1.2m covering 2sqm when laid and interlocked. Each mat weighs 53kg and has a specially designed air-cushion comfort base with a textured top for increased grip. They are constructed from a 50:50 blend of recycled and new rubber for sustainability and durability and have UV stabilisation, which provides resilience to the New Zealand environment and ensures longer life than alternative matting. Paul says the grip pattern on the mats reduces the incidence of cows slipping and the deep aircushion pattern on the underside increases cow comfort and support. “The design of the mat also addresses hoof white line damage and lameness which can result when cows are walking, standing, pushing or pivoting on concrete.
“Cows are the best judge of comfort and it’s not uncommon to see them lying down within a short time of being let onto the stand-off pads. The mats are warmer than concrete, cleaner than woodchip, and provide more cushioning on joints.” The benefits of being able to hold stock off pasture also extend to the pasture, with increased yields and persistence due to reduced pugging.
DIY job Bruce says he and Jenni tend to do everything themselves and so decided to redevelop the existing stand-off pad sites – removing all woodchip, resurfacing, pouring concrete and erecting windproof fencing and water troughs around the circumference. The location and contour of both sites enable effluent to feed
The Comfy Cow mats, left, interlock with each other and require few if any bolts as their 53kg weight holds them in place. from the dairy shed, through each pad and into the effluent pond. “Around half of each stand-off pad is covered by a roof providing the cows with shelter from rain or sun and each pad is equipped with two silage feeders and two troughs. We simply put one bale of silage into each feeder so the cows can pick at the feed. “We collect rain-water from the standoff pad roofs along with the dairy, calf and implement shed, storing the water in two tanks. We use the water for washdown of all yards in combination with green-wash from the effluent pond. We anticipate washing each pad every day to maintain cleanliness and promote animal health, such as reduced mastitis.” Bruce says the new pads are due to be completed in early July ready for calving. Each pad will comfortably house 100 cows, which
will cater to the two mobs we run the herd in – heifers and young cows in one mob, and mature cows in the other.
Cosy “We expect some cows will calve in the yards, where they will be sheltered and warm, and the cows easily transferred to the adjacent dairy shed for milking.” Bruce says the mats around the exterior of the yard had to be cut to shape but this was easily done with a jigsaw. “The mats are anchored with concrete fasteners at the entry/exit points and sides as well as every second row, which ensures a secure, more comfortable fit for the space. “They are interlocking with their weight stopping them from shifting even when under a heavy load.”
Page 10
MARTIN
PARKS
Coast & Country Supplying both Fonterra and Tatua, the vat-stand is 23m wide.
Steve Edwards
A spectacular dairy shed is at the centre of the family succession plan for a Waikato farming operation. Two adjoining farms owned by the Martin family have merged, linked by a 70-bail rotary milking shed. Long-time dairy farmers Peter and Karen Martin have formed an equity partnership with son Shane and his wife Melanie at the 300ha Kereone Rd operation near Morrinsville. They put through 950 cows in two-and-a-half hours in a shed which blends high-tech with staff and cow comfort, coupled with top quality materials and a visually attractive finish. “We did our homework,” says Karen, with the shed designed by Chapman Dairy and built by Don Chapman Waikato. The Martins supply both Fonterra and Tatua, through the previous farm set-up, with three vats – the third for colostrum – in a 23m wide
covered front to the shed. “It gave it the right look,” says Karen. This included a light, bright colour scheme, “not [the traditional] cream and green”, she laughs. Don Chapman Waikato managing director Shanan White says the shed has an 850 square metre roof and 15m radius yard. His brief from the Martins, which included visits to other Chapman sheds in the Waikato, included an AI facility, Race Works Wrangler for hoof care and carpeted office, milk room, plant room and separate chemical shed.
Natural light Shanan says the vented iron roof has skylights, offering natural light to the shed, with insulated colour steel wall panels. In the shed, the Martins incorporated an
underpass from outside the milking platform to the pit, which Karen says is appreciated by staff (and contractors during the construction stage). They used stainless steel throughout, including handrails and water heaters, adding fans to keep things cool in summer and keep flies away out of the shed. Each cow is monitored when in the bails, with milk-meter data going into herd management software DelPro, shown on an interactive data display and computer in the well-appointed office. Technology also includes automatic drafting, cup removers and on-deck teat-spray. The De Laval E100 rotary milking system was supplied and installed by Morrinsvillebased McGregors Farm Services. Business development manager Shaun Killalea
Peter and Karen Martin in the spectacular shed. says the DelPro system allows the farmer to monitor an individual cow’s milk production and also any animal health issues. An animal’s identification details are read via electronic ear tag, and then the milking data is captured and assigned to the animal, he says. “The touch screen and control panel is the cockpit of the shed.” Shaun says the milking platform features an automatic feeding system, rubber matting to prevent lameness and a skirt-wash to keep the outside surface of the platform clean.
Staff comfort A section of the shed floor outside the platform can be raised or lowered to cater for the height of the milker, he says. Underneath the platform, a channel was made for the milk and vacuum lines to be hidden and create an uncluttered look while improving health and safety for staff and service people.
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Page 11
MARTIN PARKS
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A view across the expansive yard.
The Race Works Wrangler aids hoof care. An underpass to the pit is a feature of the Martin shed.
Three 16 tonne silos, supplied by Buster Cover, supply the in-shed feeding system.
DeLaval farm monitoring cameras have also been installed to view the yard and vat areas from the cups-on milking area. McGregors Farm Services operations manager Brendan Wahrlich says the shed has DeLaval’s latest plant cleaning system with the addition of a custom control to operate the three vats and second wash system. He says these are fully automatic, using a series of valves and sensors to control the wash cycles and switching between vats. McGregors also installed a 6000L Lobe vacuum pump with VSD (Variable Speed Drive) control in the plant room to ensure reliable vacuum at optimum levels to the plant. The pump room houses the latest in water technology with VSD controlled pumps, water monitoring and digital dosing to supply the shed and farms water demands, says Brendan. Peter Martin says the former cowsheds on the property, both 30-aside herringbones, were simply past their use-by date. “Building a single, modern shed in the middle was the obvious choice.” Peter says the new shed’s effluent disposal system features three sand traps and a main sump for pumping out of, plus a lined effluent pond which feeds back into the bottom of the sump and can be pumped back on the paddocks.
The crew behind the concept and construction from left: McGregors Farm Services water services manager Brendan Wahrlich, Don Chapman Waikato managing director Shanan White, equity partners Peter and Karen Martin, grandchildren Carly, Olly and Adelene, equity partners Melanie and Shane Martin, McGregors Farm Services business development manager Shaun Killalea and owner/managing director Daniel Peake.
The sand traps and sump were designed and installed by Paeroa Precast. Peter says two travelling irrigators are used to spread liquid effluent onto the property.
Nutritional needs The Martin herd’s nutritional needs are met in the milking shed through equipment and technology provided by Matamata-based BCL Feed Systems. Foreman Bill King says the project included three 16-tonne silos, which are filled with custom feed grain. This material is conveyed to the milking shed, via an 80mm spring auger system, and delivered into a 250kg hopper fitted above the milking platform. Bill says the grain is then discharged into feed trays in the bails by a second discharge system, which gives accurate and consistent amounts to each cow. “When the cows walk into the bails a sensor is activated that automatically fills the feed trays,” he says. BCL Feed Systems also fitted out the Kereone Rd farm’s former herringbone shed about six years ago. “So when Peter made contact to fit out his new build, we felt
privileged to be asked to once again supply the feed system,” says Bill. The Martins opted for the Race Works Wrangler gate from Whakatane-based The Wrangler. The Wrangler’s Wilco and Waverley say the Race Works’ model is ideal for holding stock for hoof-trimming. While stock are secure in the ‘lame cow handler’, Wilco says the design also has staff safety in mind. He says the Race Works Wrangler features front foot support along with a rear leg winch and rubber matting.
Family farm The origins of the Martin family’s Kereone Rd block go back to pioneer owners Stan Goosman (a former Piako MP and Government Minister) and Butland Industries (makers of Chesdale cheese). Peter’s father acquired part of the property which Peter worked on until the age of 22, moving to nearby Matuku Rd for 19 years before returning to the home farm. Succession planning with Shane and Melanie began six years ago.
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Page 12
ASHLEIGH LODGE
Coast & Country
Clare Bayly
Trent and Gwen have been involved, with family, in the build of four dairies but say this is the last.
One of the kids.
The day before New Zealand went into its first Covid lockdown, as others stockpiled things like flour and toilet paper, Trent Bonnar went into town and bought a two tonne PTO cement mixer and a trailer load of builder’s mix. He had no choice. He and his family were days away from pouring the slab for their new goat dairy. Lockdown meant the concrete would not be arriving pre-mixed in trucks and would, instead, need to be manually mixed and poured. The dairy had to proceed, lockdown or not. Kidding started in June and they were going to be ready. Gwen Bonnar recalls her careful project
planning “went out the window” with the announcement that the country was locking-down. “There was no clarity in those early days about what we could and couldn’t do, so we had to rely on the skills which existed in our ‘bubble’.” Trent is a mechanic by trade, and there’s also an extensive skill set amongst Trent and Gwen’s sons: “Ben is a jack-of-all-trades, Nathan is an electrician and Josh is a builder and bricklayer. “One of our biggest worries in those early days of the Covid lockdown was the surge in demand for products and services which would ensue once the lockdown was eased,” says Gwen. “We weren’t alone – everyone around the country, immersed in any level of construction, was in the same boat with their projects stalled. We were naturally concerned that, once the doors opened again, there would be a gridlock
of demand which could compromise our ability to get what we wanted when we wanted it – and we had to have the new dairy completed for kidding in July.”
Integrated system Gwen and Trent farm in the Waikato, midway between Hamilton and Morrinsville. Originally they milked cows on the 290ha property, but converted part of the farm to dairy goats in 2013. “We wanted to diversify, so in 2013 we looked at goats and developed our first goat dairy,” Trent recalls. “Five years later, in 2018, Nathan, Ben and their families wanted to move back to the farm, so we looked at creating a second unit. “We reduced cow numbers and converted part of the farm into a dairy goat unit for Ben, the intention being that once that unit was up and
The farm team, from left, Gwen and Trent Bonnar, Ben with Diesel the dog, Nathan, farm assistant Jenny Johnson and farm manager Janette Andrews. running we would repeat the process for Nathan. “The first conversion saw us transform an existing cow dairy to a goat herringbone. The second conversion was always going to be a new build.” The new herringbone was always going to feature a rapid exit system. Some years earlier Trent’s brother imported a rapid exit goat dairy from Greece; Trent and Gwen liked its simplicity, ease of use, quality and durability and cost. “The Greek rapid exit system incorporates meal feeding so you avoid the cost of buying and installing two separate systems – it’s all integrated, constructed out of high-quality stainless steel making it very cost effective. “We started talking to the Greek manufacturers and it all just came together – the 36-aside double-up rapid exit system taking up around half of a 15 foot shipping container.”
ASHLEIGH LODGE
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The new dairy looking from the collection yards to the rapid exit and milkroom.
The view from the milk room looking down the pit.
The milking herd tucking into silage in the purpose-built barn. The receiving cans are positioned under the deck.
The container arrived at the farm on March 24, the day before lockdown – as Trent dashed into town to buy the concrete mixer. “Construction of the new dairy started in February 2020. Our builder’s son, Josh, came up from Wellington ready to do the foundations and building work but within weeks had a farm-bike accident which saw him relegated to being an advisor with some of his builder mates stepping into the breach,” says Gwen.
Hand mixed Once the dairy roof was erected, Trent, Nathan and Ben poured the concrete for the yard and milk room, recalling they hand-mixed ‘the equivalent of a few truck loads’. The Bonnars visited a number of goat dairies before the build to ‘see what we liked and didn’t like’, says Gwen. “The pit in a goat dairy can be quite deep to ensure the milking platform is at the right height for milkers, and steps are usually a feature. We didn’t want that. We wanted easy access in and out of the pit – to the yards and the milk room.”
As a consequence, the yard end of the pit has a small set of steps, the floor of the pit then sloping up to one step into the milk room. The result is light and airy with exceptionally easy access. “Within weeks of lockdown we finally gained clarity about site restrictions,” says Gwen. “Essentially it meant that, at any one time, there could have been several bubbles on site – each needing to stay separate from others. But once we knew the rules, we were able to apply the necessary disciplines and get on with the build. “Ensuring supplies of vital components was another matter but thankfully Daniel Peake of McGregors Farm Services oversaw most of this, ensuring we had the equipment we needed when we needed it.”
Building a Lego shed Daniel laughingly recalls that, when first called in by Trent and Gwen to discuss the new build, he asked if there was a plan for the new dairy. “I expected a drawing of some sort but Trent presented me
with a scale model of the new dairy he had built out of Lego blocks. It was fantastic and very detailed; we had to make it work from that.” Lego was to become an enduring theme of the new dairy. Trent, Nathan and Ben assembled the rapid exit system. “It was like a giant Lego with two pages of instructions in relatively good English,” says Trent. “The first side took a week to put together and the second took a day. There were a lot of pieces and we had to work out what bolts went where. “We had a few spares left over, which concerned us a bit, but they were really just that, spares – every bolthole had its corresponding bolt! In the end it all fitted really well.” “We opted for a DeLaval milking system because we wanted to start with a basic system that could be completed with all the bells and whistles, like EID readers, when the budget allowed.”
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ASHLEIGH LODGE
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Coast & Country
The goats exit from the rapid exit system and return to the barn via covered walkways.
Looking from the dairy to the purpose-built barn which houses the milking goats.
The Greek rapid exit system is constructed of stainless steel and incorporates feed bins. The photo, left, shows the system in the raised position.
Ease of access to the milk room – with only two steps – is a design feature that complements milking in the new dairy.
Daniel Peake from McGregors Farm Services. Daniel describes the dairy as “a Ferrari running on space savers – once we add EID readers the system will be a Ferrari”. “The current system features DeLaval Milking Point Controllers (MPC580) and FI7 Milk Flow indicators, TF100 LL Clusters, DelPro Flock management system, C200 automatic wash system, CWC15-A Compact water chiller, LVP3000 Rotary Lobe Vacuum pump and Variable Speed Drive,” says Daniel.
Milk volume “The electronic milk meters measure milk volume and can, at a later stage, be extended to also measure components.
“Every aspect of the milking system had to be modified to fit the rapid exit system – we custom designed and fitted most aspects. It was time consuming but ultimately very satisfying to see the quality and performance of the dairy. “The receiving can, for example, is positioned unobtrusively under the deck and the vacuum and milk lines are encased in stainless poles either side of the pit steps. It’s all very streamlined and innovative; it had to look right.” To manage effluent and washdown from the dairy, Williams Irrigation supplied and installed an effluent pump on a Williams four drum pontoon. The advantages of floating an effluent
pump with a pontoon is that it pumps from a set depth, floating on the surface of the pond. The pontoon is attached to the edge of the pond by a boom.
Family legacy The first milking in the new dairy took place on July 15, a few weeks later than originally planned but a great result considering the challenges they faced, says Trent. “We are currently milking 450 goats but the dairy is sized for a maximum of 1100 goats. Two people take around an hour and 15 minutes to milk the herd with another 20 minutes for washing.”
Nathan is delighted with the new dairy. “At the start the goats weren’t used to having to flick the bails but they adapted very quickly. The DeLaval system is intuitive and easy to use – you can easily tailor it to the herd, switching to manual, for example, for slow milkers.” The new dairy is the third dairy the Bonnar family have built together – Trent helping construct a fourth with his brother – and the new dairy is a tribute to a ‘can do’ attitude in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Trent and Gwen say the new goat dairy will be the last they will build and if it is, what a high point to finish on.
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ASHLEIGH LODGE
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DARBY SHEEP
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Coast & Country
Rhys Darby outside the milking shed, which has been converted from cows to sheep.
Steve Edwards
Rhys Darby’s flock of Spring Sheep Zealandi .
A North Waikato cow cockie has branched out into sheep milking. Rhys Darby, who oversees a family operation comprising three adjoining properties near Huntly, is milking 600 sheep in a converted cowshed. What was a 34-aside herringbone has become a 42-bail sheep milking parlour. Rhys is part of a third generation of his family on the Hetherington Rd property, dating back 50 years. They own two dairy farms plus a support block, with 42ha sliced off the latter to create the sheep operation. Following discussions with Maui Milk and Spring Sheep, Rhys says the project got a little more traction in August 2019. The 140ha support block previously carried young stock and cropping (maize). Rhys admits he knew very little about sheep
milking but wanted to utilise the block a bit better. After doing the budgets he settled on 600 sheep, with the shed future-proofed to cater for 1200 by 2022.
Half & half The flock is Spring Sheep Zealandia – half from milking farms and half hoggets – sourced from farms at Masterton and the South Island. The herringbone shed had been left as it was for about seven years before the conversion. “It’s a mix and match shed,” says Rhys. “We had the infrastructure. It was just how to utilise it.” The existing buildings, yard and pipe-work were retained, along with some equipment including the hot-water cylinders, mixing tub and vat. The new operation also made use of existing water and electricity supplies.
A view across the yard to the “mix and match” milking shed. Rhys says the pit level was dropped and narrowed, for milking sheep at eye level, and its drainage system replaced. Concrete slabs were laid down the existing bails to accommodate a new sheep milking system. A feature of the conversion is the pneumatic bails supplied and installed by GEA Farm Technologies. Grant Coburn, from the company’s milking equipment, robotics and dairy farming division, says the European system has indexing gates which align the animals in the exact position for milking The animals then ‘self-load’ the stalls quickly and correctly.
Speed up After milking the breast-rail lifts up, allowing for rapid exit, says Grant. He says this increases the number of animals
milked per hour, while reducing labour input and stress on livestock. “They load fast and unload fast,” says Grant. “The sheep actually run in.” Conversations began between Grant and Rhys about technology options for the operation in 2019. Grant says the beauty of the bail system is that the sheep have options to exit the bails. “There is a smooth flow.” This technology is now commonly used in sheep and goat milking sheds, says Grant. Once in, he says the sheep are held exceptionally well for milking. Gate controls are at each end of the pit, with two staff employed for milking. Grant says this rapid flow system sees 588 sheep milked in just 75 minutes. The bails come in units of six, with the 42-row design based on the size of the existing shed, he says.
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DARBY SHEEP
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A smooth flow of sheep is key to the milking operation, says Grant Coburn from GEA Farm Technologies. Rivertown Electrical staff members Blake Harbottle, right, and Dale Constantine testing their handiwork.
FIL area manager Mark Mohring looking over chemical containers used in wash-down.
Rhys Darby in the revamped pit.
Grant says the sheep are also tempted into the bails by a feed dispensing system supplied and installed by GEA Farm Technologies.
Controlled feed He says a controlled amount of feed goes into individual bins for the sheep during milking. GEA also supplied and installed other equipment in the sheep shed, including a new milk plant, clusters, milk lines, cup-wash systems and control panel. Chemicals for the washdown systems – plant and vat – were provided by FIL. Area manager Mark Mohring says this included acid, alkali and chlorine.
“We matched products in relation to the water compatibility, type of plant and the animals,” says Mark. He says a programme was developed for the shed in association with GEA, which supplied the washdown equipment and controls. Similar systems are used in goat milking sheds, says Mark. Trials were conducted, monitoring aspects including washing, water flow and temperatures. Mark says results were gathered every 10 days for the first month of operation then every three months. The plant is washed down after each milking
and the vat after each pick-up, twice a week. Mark says both systems are fully automated, with the vat-wash controlled by the tanker driver at the flick of a switch. Cups are removed and teats washed manually, while there is an automated wash system for the clusters.
Wired up The revamped milking shed was wired up by Huntly-based Rivertown Electrical. Staff members Blake Harbottle and Dale Constantine say this was the first sheep milking shed the company had tackled, but there were similarities to a dairy cow operation. “The challenge was that it was an existing building and we had to re-use the old stuff.” However, they say there was a good existing
power supply and the existing switchboard could be upgraded rather than replaced. Rivertown Electrical wired the existing hot water cylinders and chiller unit, plus a new vacuum pump, and teat-wash, plant-wash and vat-wash. Out in the milking shed, Blake and Dale wired up existing pulsators and upgraded existing lighting. They also installed heat lamps and upgraded lighting in the lambing shed. Rhys says the sheep milking operation produces very little effluent, with the bails hosed after each milking and the yard weekly. Waste material is piped to an existing lined pond before being sprayed onto pasture via a travelling irrigator.
BRYNN LANDS
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Coast & Country Contract milker Lourens Botha with farm co-owner Robyn McLennan outside the state-of-the-art feedpad.
Steve Edwards
A South Waikato dairy herd has a home away from home. The 900-cow herd owned by Bruce and Robyn McLennan is fed, watered and protected from the elements in a state-of-the art feedpad. Robyn says the palatial pad was part of a modernisation project they started on the 221ha property when taking over in 2008. They have progressively ‘upped’ the herd from 500 cows, replacing an existing feedpad and milking shed on the property at Lichfield, near Putaruru. Robyn says the old feedpad, built in 2005, had reached its use-by date. “We were restricted by size.” Planning began in 2017, with a 180m long by 38m wide structure built on a green-field site next to the 54-bail rotary which replaced a herringbone milking shed. Robyn says the scale of the feedpad enables
the 900 cows to stand for 12 hours or more if required – they generally spend about three hours a day around morning and afternoon milkings.
Split in two The herd is split into two – 450 cows apiece – for milking, which Robyn says makes it easier for farm management particularly in relation to paddock size and floorspace on the feedpad. Four staff are employed on the Lichfield property. Each cow has 12 square metres of space on the feedpad, which features feed lanes down the middle and along the sides. A mixture of meal, lucerne and grass silage is fed into troughs running the length of the enclosure via feed-out wagon. Water troughs are sprinkled throughout the structure, along with special brushes – activated by the cows – which Robyn says reduces itchy skin, improves blood circulation
and leads not only to a more relaxed cow but also a healthier herd.
Fabric roof The entire feedpad and its occupants are protected from the elements by a fabric roof courtesy of Auckland-based Smart Shelters. Sales consultant Brett Cottle says the polyethylene material, manufactured in Canada, is strong and long-lasting. He says the roof is held in place by galvanised steel framework, supported by 350mm diameter tanalised timber poles secured 6m-7m into the ground by concrete footings. There are no central poles or supports, which
Brett says makes for a “nice, big, clear” span. He says the 4200 square metres of roofing material comes ‘like a big carpet’ with guttering added after the roof was in place. Brett says a feedpad cover improves the overall health of the cows. “The covers let in up to 90 per cent of natural light, while stopping heat, rain and snow from entering the structure,” he says. “The cows enjoy conditions that are 3-4 degrees Celsius warmer in winter and 3-4 degrees cooler in summer, increasing herd health and reducing vet bills.” Complementing this is 3300 square metres of floor covering supplied and installed by Numat.
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K & B Builders’ director Bernard Manders whose company designed and laid the 1300 cubic metre concrete floor.
Sales consultant Anthony Garton says the McLennan feedpad has Numat’s Kura product, a premium 24mm interlocking mat with mosaic profile and thick studded base. The German rubber product is durable and easy to clean, says Anthony. “Animals in Europe live on this matting all-year round indoors,” he says. “It’s a good standing mat.” Anthony says the key to Kura is cow comfort, with the recycled rubber – from old tyres – providing a soft, safe and durable surface, which helps prevents lameness in cows. “It’s all about keeping cows’ feet safe,” he says. “This replicates their natural environment.” The 1m square sections of matting are ‘pinned down’ to the concrete floor with a stainless steel anchoring system. Anthony says the matting will last 30-40 years before needing to be replaced. This was one of the bigger sheds Numat, based in Oamaru, had tackled.
Page 19
The flood-wash system in full flo
Contract milker Lourens Botha on feed-out duty.
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Numat sales consultant Anthony Garton on the 3300 square metres of interlocking rubber matting his company supplied for the feedpad. The gravity-fed flood-wash system uses recycled ‘green water’ from the cowshed, along with freshwater caught from the feedpad roof.
Covered feed-pads are becoming the norm on farms, says Anthony. Contract milker Lourens Botha says an effluent scraper, pulled by a quad bike, is put over the pad every third day.
Wash down A flood-wash system is employed daily on the feedpad. Lourens says this uses recycled ‘green water’ from the cowshed, along with freshwater caught from its roof. Electrically-controlled by timer, the system is gravity fed. Lourens says material from the flood-wash is piped into a collection pond, with solids going into a bunker and liquids ultimately spread onto pasture. The concrete floor, covering 1300 cubic metres, was designed and laid by Tokoroa-based K & B Builders. Director Bernard Manders says this was the biggest project of its kind the Tokoroa-based
Smart Shelters’ sales consultant Brett Cottle says no central poles or supports makes for a nice, big, clear span.
company had tackled. After earthworks were completed, Bernard says the pad area was pre-levelled and concrete laid in strips for the standing and feeding areas. He says this work also included entrance and exit areas on the feedpad, with the total concreted area covering 180m x 38m. Bernard says a two per cent ‘fall’ – relating to the gradient of the concrete surface for the gravity-fed operation - was used in the pad design to accommodate the flood-wash.
Years of farming Growing up on a family farm near Tirau, Bruce McLennan has been farming in South Waikato for 40 years. Bruce and Robyn now own five dairy farms and three dry-stock blocks. While there are feedpads on the other dairy units, Bruce says Lichfield is his first foray into covered shelters. Son Ben, a contract milker on the property for
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two previous seasons, gleaned ideas from covered feed-pads in operation around the Waikato. Features brought back to the Lichfield design include concrete tractor lanes which see tractors used in feeding out not travelling over – and potentially damaging – the rubber matting. Ben says cow comfort and wash-down came into consideration in choosing the matting, while the roof aids water management as well as protecting cows from the elements Bruce McLennan says the herd has adapted well to the innovation, with milk production expected to rise by 10 per cent this season. He says the covered feedpad also makes management of the farm a lot easier. “In the past it was a bit of a juggling act with the smaller feedpad,” he says. “This was putting more pressure on staff.” Other recent innovations include a new silage bunker and rearrangement of feed bins on the covered feedpad.
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HARRIS PARTNERSHIP
Shed for the
future The Harris family farm in the Waikato has origins stretching back more than a century, covering all manner of livestock. Paul Harris, current co-owner in a family partnership with his two brothers and sister, says his grandfather started out on Morrinsville-Walton Rd in the 1920s with a 130ha sheep farm. Paul’s father, who had already been working on the farm, took over in the late 1950s. He farmed pigs for a time before converting to dairying, with an old walkthrough milking shed, in the 1960s. In 1965 a 12-aside herringbone shed was built, running 160 cows. Paul says the family bought a neighbour’s property – 68ha – in 2011, milking in two herringbone sheds. They later leased 60ha next door to the home farm.
Family trust Paul says the family trust was formed in 2017, with a decision made to integrate the three holdings last year. “The central shed was the catalyst,” says Paul.
Coast & Country
Steve Edwards
The shed was designed by Chapman Dairy and built by Don Chapman Waikato. Paul says the brief for the designer and builder was to create a 40-aside herringbone milking shed in the centre of the three properties. This included future-proofing the complex, with an over-sized yard and potential for a feedpad catering for up to 600 cows. The Harris family currently milk about 470 cows in two herds. Don Chapman Waikato managing director Shanan White says the shed is ‘pretty standard’, with a double-wedge effluent system. The design also included separate entrances to allow for the two herds. Paul Harris says fundamentally they wanted to keep it simple. Decommissioning the old herringbone sheds, he says they set about bringing the centralised milking operation up to current standards. Features include automatic cup removers and an in-bail feeding system. The new shed is on the site of a former paddock and required a considerable amount of earthworks, says Paul.
The Harris Partnership milking complex, designed by Chapman Dairy and built by Don Chapman Waikato, is future-proofed, including an over-sized yard and provision for a feedpad.
A new race system, including the tanker track, was required in the development.
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HARRIS PARTNERSHIP
From left, contract milker Paul Lawson, Qubik TMC director Kyle Osborne, farm co-owner Nigel Harris, Waikato Milking Systems area manager for central Waikato and lower North Island Ben Frederickson, Qubik TMC salesman Nick Heffer and farm co-owner Paul Harris. A new race was required to link the three properties to the shed, along with a new tanker track and associated fencing.
Effluent disposal The effluent system sees waste material hosed off the yard into sumps and the double wedge system, then into a lined pond and ultimately irrigated onto pasture. Milking machines were supplied by Waikato Milking Systems and installed by Qubik TMC. Qubik installed the Supa4 milking plant for the Harris family, which director Kyle Osborne says is a premium quality 101mm single milk pipeline, mid-mounted swing-over milking system capable of high throughput with less labour and minimum effort. The Supa4 has been engineered with precision and supported with state-of-
The swing-over clusters, supplied by Waikato Milking Systems and installed by Qubik TMC.
the-art pulsation systems, cluster sets and cleaning systems, says Kyle. “The Supa4 offers a substantial value proposition for those buying a new milking machine.” Kyle also says a great feature of the new milking plant is the swing-over cup removers. “The new swing-over cup removers are a fantastic advantage for cluster alignment and a reduction in pull on the cups during milking,” he says. “The swing arms have a stainless steel chassis and cylinder for increased build quality and robust build quality leading to longer life span. “The swing arms are great for pit access during and after milking, leaving a clear path for access along the pit.” Kyle says the swing-over system ultimately makes for a better milk-out of cows.
Page 21
The centralised operation now boasts a 40-aside herringbone milking shed.
Swing-down jetters for the cup-wash system, provided by Waikato Milking Systems and installed by Qubik TMC, make life easier for staff, as they are at a height to suit the individual.
The 60-degree angle from the centre of the pit to the milking position ensures correct cluster alignment, and he says a centre stop locates the arm in a position ready for washing.
Less clutter “You get rid of excessive pit clutter,” says Kyle. Included in the pit was the standard 90-litre milk receiver can and 60-litre sanitary trap. Below the receiving can is a 2.2kW Fristam milk pump on a variablespeed drive. “This is a vital piece of equipment for both milking and wash,” says Kyle. The vacuum system installed includes a BP400 blower vacuum and Smartdrive variable-speed drive. “This is great for providing vacuum when required, and farmers find the VSD
significantly reduces power consumption,” says Kyle. Additional features include a stainless steel doublebank plate cooler, top-loading milk filter and swing-down jetters. In the plant room, Qubik installed two 450 litre hot water cylinders and stand with a stainless steel washtub and vat wash pump below. Kyle says the water reticulation for the new shed was also a Qubik installation including new DAD washdown pump and Dab cooler pump, with piping laid prior to the concrete being poured for the new shed.
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HARRIS PARTNERSHIP
Page 22
Qubik TMC salesman Nick Heffer checking out the hot water control system.
Qubik TMC director Kyle Osborne in the plant room.
Qubik was also involved with the effluent design and management system, supplying a mono two-stage effluent pump with 11kW motor, and have helped modify water lines over the farm.
Milk cooling Sales representative Nick Heffer says Qubik installed the milk cooling for the Harris family, including the 12hp DX unit and the chilled water system. “The chilled water system cools water in the 25,000litre concrete tank before entering the double bank plate cooling and, along with the primary cooling, puts the milk in the vat at 6 to 10 degrees depending on the time of the season,” says Nick. He says the Harris shed uses two vats, one for milk supply and the other for calf milk, both cooled by the one DX unit.
The 16-tonne feed silo provided by BCL Feed Systems.
Ben Frederickson, area manager for Waikato Milking Systems in the central Waikato and lower North Island, says his company supplied the milking plant to Qubik for an excellent installation process. This included the swing-arm cup removers, 2.2kW milk pump, receiving can set and 101mm milk line. Waikato Milking Systems supplied the complete cluster with the new quadrant square milk liners and lightweight shells. “Basically, everything from the cow to the vat,” says Ben. “We supply the product and Qubik are the installers of the milking machine parts.”
Feeding time Feeding time in the Harris shed was catered for by Matamata-based BCL Feed Systems. Foreman Bill King says the company provided a 16-tonne silo with a dispenser that adds
Extensive fencing was required in the integration of the three properties, undertaken by Straight Up Fencing.
minerals to the feed. An auger pushes the material through a PVC pipe from the silo into the milking area. Bill says dispensers in the bails drop the feed into a stainless steel trough. “It’s pretty straightforward,” he says. Fencing was completed by nearby Straight Up Fencing, led by owner/operator David Thrupp. “We started with the new race connecting the two farms together, then splitting paddocks so they were accessed off the new race,” says David. He also tackled fencing around the new pond and sand trap, plus a large silage pad near the new cowshed. “We left for a month or so and then came back to create access lanes using rails so cows could enter and exit the shed,” says David. He says a new race on the other side of the cowshed was made to give access to the shed yard from the farm that is leased, which Straight Up also fenced up.
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Waikato Milking Systems area manager for central Waikato and lower North Island, Ben Frederickson, with the swingover cup removal system.
HARRIS PARTNERSHIP
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Page 23
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Coast & Country
Katherine and Matthew Spataro say the move from corporate to farm life has been challenging but very satisfying. Clare Bayly
Matthew and Katherine sorting ewes for hoof trimming in the remodelled yards.
The change in lifestyle that Matthew and Katherine Spataro undertook could not be more extreme – from the pace and pressure of Melbourne’s business precinct to a newly converted sheep dairy on the outskirts of Te Awamutu. Up until late 2019 Australian-born Matthew worked as a project manager in the construction and facilities industry while his Kiwi wife, Katherine, worked in marketing for a major oil and gas organisation. He had no experience of rural life, whereas Katherine
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had grown up on her parents’ dairy farm, albeit with no direct involvement. Katherine recalls they were pretty happy with their lives in Melbourne, but then got a proposition from her parents. “Mum is the 5th generation to own the 95hectare farm. Dad was a townie but, after marrying, they milked cows for five or six years before putting a manager on the farm. That was 25 years ago. “Towards the end of 2019, my parents asked my brother and I if we were interested in
taking over the management of the farm, as the long-term manager was retiring.
A new opportunity “Matthew and I started looking at the options, initially considering cropping and forestry before we came across the then fledgling dairy sheep business. The concept ticked a lot of boxes – we wanted to reduce intensity and input on the farm and liked the environmental attributes of milking sheep. “After doing as much research as we could, including visits to sheep milking operations in the Melbourne region, we took the plunge
and signed with Spring Sheep, packed up our lives and moved to the farm in November 2019. “From the outset the Spring Sheep team was available around the clock – on-farm, phone or online – to provide the advice and encouragement we needed as we made our way into this new industry.” Matthew says their lack of knowledge and experience meant they needed to employ as much technology as they could to generate data, which would enable them to manage the output of the herd and farm. “One of the most obvious differences between milking cows and sheep is that cows
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Screens guide the ewes from the collection yard into the dairy.
The exit race from the dairy is easily directed to either the paddock or the drafting gate.
Hoof trimming is a breeze with the Hecton Sheep Handler. Katherine and Matthew also use it for dagging, crutching and vaccinating. are generally easily distinguished from each other whereas sheep tend to look the same, so data is the only way to differentiate one ewe from another. “Deciding to utilise as much of the existing dairy as possible and invest in technology was one of the best decisions we made – in addition to our choice of contractors, who went above and beyond to provide the advice and support we needed.”
Deciding on the detail A range of discussions were held with Pratt Milking Machines, Te Awamutu Construction, DeLaval, Landmore Agri and Waipa Electrical
to agree the detail of the dairy conversion. After a visit to the farm and discussions with Matthew, Pat Gibson of Te Awamutu Construction designed and drew plans that allowed for the installation of a 30-aside Rapid Exit sheep milking system. Demolition of the existing concrete bail area and raised drench races was carried out and the existing pit shortened to allow raising of the pit level and provide the sheep with a 200mm stepdown from the bails. Good flow into an out-of-the-bail area is critical, so Pat designed corridors from the existing circular yard to the bail area, and an exit race which incorporated a milling area, left-hand draft to
Page 25
Matthew Spataro and DeLaval’s Chris Watkins with the DeLaval Sort Gate which automatically drafts animals according to drafts set either in the dairy or remotely. a holding pen and footbath. A new floor and drainage points were added to the plant room to tie into the existing drainage and an additional vat room was developed to accommodate an office and staff room. The existing pole-shed was developed into a lambing shed with an initial extension of 250m2; this will again be extended by 300m2 for the 2021 lambing season.
New tech Zakk Pratt of Pratt Milking Machines recalls the original plan was to install a DeLaval sheep rapid exit system and milking machine but Covid changed all that,
lockdown preventing the importation of the rapid exit system. “Fortuitously Pratts have an in-house fabrication team which, at short notice, designed, built and installed the first Pratts Rapid Exit System. From the word go it took around 2.5 months from concept to a fully operational rapid exit system complete with feed bins. The finished product is testament to the innovation and standards of our specialist teams.” Chris Watkins, DeLaval commercial manager Oceania, says the converted dairy features a sophisticated level of technology to efficiently and automatically collect the data Katherine and Matthew need to manage the flock.
RUSHBROOKE FARM
Page 26
Inside the lamb rearing shed, converted by Te Awamutu Construction from a three bay implement shed. It provides a warm environment for 900+
The remodelled milk room with left vat storing milk at three degrees for twice weekly pick-up, and the old cow vat on the right contains chilled water as part of the cooling process.
Lambs are fed colostrum from day one and then ad lib feeding from three DeLaval Automatic Lamb Feeders, each capable of feeding 250 lambs.
“The brains of the dairy is the DeLaval DelPro Flock Management System which collects, combines and analyses data on every animal. Milk yield, flow, duration and stall position are collected at every milking and fed to the Flock Management System by the DeLaval Milking Point Controller MPC580. The milking system features ICAR certified Milk Meters, EP100 Pulsators and TF100ML clusters. “The DeLaval Sort Gate automatically
drafts animals according to drafts set either in the dairy or remotely via computer or phone app.”
Exceeding goals Major components in the existing Landmore Agri in-shed feed system were in good condition recalls managing director Shayne King. “We were able to utilise the silo, drive motors, and auger, simply modifying the feed bins and dispenser units for sheep,” says Shayne. “The fully automated system fills the bins when the rapid exit is raised ready for the next row.” The dairy’s technology called for a major
Coast & Country
Matthew Spataro checks production statistics after every milking – here sharing with DeLaval’s Chris Watkins.
The Pratt Rapid Exit Sheep Dairy in its lowered position, left, and raised, right. The feed bins are automatically filled via the Landmore Agri feed system so the bins are full for the next row. upgrade of its electrical system and this was carried out by Te Awamutu based Waipa Electrical Services. Katherine recalls that, despite the delay caused by the Covid lockdown, the dairy revamp was completed by their goal date – just. “This was all due to our contractors who worked around the clock to get the dairy up and running. They were spectacular.” Lambing the 650 ewes supplied by Spring Sheep started in July and finished in September. Matthew says the variation in lambing date is an outcome of the ewes coming from different farms. “All lambs are reared in the rearing shed,
starting off on colostrum and going on to ad lib feeding via the DeLaval Auto Lamb Feeders. Looking back on their first year as dairy sheep farmers, Matthew and Katherine say it was the right decision. “At times we questioned our sanity, especially around the Covid lockdown days,” says Katherine. “But as we near the end of our first season we’re relishing the fact we have exceeded the production target suggested by Spring Sheep by around 4000litres.” The Spataro herd will increase to 780-800 ewes in 2021 with a goal to milk 1000 the following year.
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KAIMAI FARMS
Page 28
Coast & Country
A front-on view of the new rotary shed.
It’s no Steve Edwards
A front-on view of the goat barns.
A Waikato dairy goat farm has evolved dramatically since its days as cow country.
at the end of 2019. “It was not really planned,” says a Kaimai Farms representative. “The property simply became available.”
Family business Kaimai Farms merged two properties to now run 1050 milking goats, centred on a new 90-bail rotary shed, on a combined 90ha. With a history of goat milking in the Te Aroha area, Kaimai Farms acquired a 40ha block (used for grazing heifers) on Manawaru Rd in 2017 and a neighbouring 50ha dairy farm a year later. Initially, Kaimai Farms ran the 90ha in a mix of cropping (potatoes) and grazing. However, with eight years’ experience in goat milking on another Manawaru Rd property, the owners made the decision to follow a similar path on the merged operation
Just right “It was in the right place at the right time.” The new rotary milking shed – designed by Chapman Dairy and built by Don Chapman Waikato – and goat barns were established on a greenfield site. Kaimai Farms says the rotary operation and barns fill about half each of the 2ha footprint. The barns were built first at the rear of the milking shed. Don Chapman Waikato managing director Shanan White says the 90-bail rotary was built from scratch. “Building on a greenfield site is easier than
working around an existing shed and milking times,” he says. Shanan says the owners, with experience in the industry, had a fair bit of input into the design.
Tick list “They knew what they wanted.” The milking shed was tied into the barns, with an access way created between the two facilities. Shanan says the yard included backing gates and pipework closer together than a dairy cow operation due to the smaller size of milking goats. Don Chapman Waikato also built the associated milk room, plant room and office. Shanan says materials were chiefly pre-cast concrete panels for the walls and a coloursteel roof.
Kaimai Farms says the new facility has similar technology to its other Manawaru Rd goat farm, including automatic cup removers. The milking shed has an in-bail feeding system, with the goats enjoying a pellet and maize mix. Kaimai Farms runs an all-Saanen herd, as per the other property, supplying the Hamilton-based Dairy Goat Co-operative. A new effluent pond and associated irrigation system was also part of the plan. Kaimai Farms says the goat barns are light and airy, featuring robots that push feed silage and grass across to the animals as required. The feed-sweepers run along concrete lanes in the barns. Wood shavings are used for bedding. Natural and electric lighting is used in the buildings.
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Page 29
The milking shed and goat barns have a 2ha footprint.
The team from Don Brown Excavators, including owner Don Brown (pictured) had a big part to play on the greenfield site
Goats have easy access between the milking shed and barns. The barns were built by Otorohanga-based Dairy Tech, extending previous facilities used for goat-rearing. Managing director Peter Gray says galvanised iron framing was used for the barn walls, with the flat-steel roof including skylights. The walls are pre-cast panels, with steel supports featuring plastic covers to protect the inhabitants. Dairy Tech also created the concrete laneways for feeding, along with concrete buffers in stone traps for the farm effluent disposal system, sited between the milking shed/barns and effluent pond. Morrinsville-based McLarens Rural Services joined forces with GEA Farm Technologies in the respective installation and supply of the milking plant and equipment for the Kaimai Farms’ operation. MRS director Tony McLaren says his
The effluent pond liner supplied and installed by Total Lining Solutions
company provided the vacuum and control system, primary plate cooling, milk filtering, hot water and washdown systems. GEA area sales manager Paul Convery says the 90-bail platform is future-proofed, with capacity for 1200 goats. It also has the capability to add-on an in-bail milk measurement system. GEA and McLarens combined to supply and install the central gland in the rotary shed, along with the automatic cup removers and clusters.
Team work Both companies played a similar role in providing and setting up controls for the platform and in-bail feeding system, backing gate and automated drafting system. In the goat barns, GEA and McLarens supplied and installed automatic feed pushers (GEA FRone) and drinking water
systems in the goat barn. Paul says robots move feed towards the feed fence at times defined by operators and according to routes set by the Kaimai Farms’ team. “This ensures all of their milking stock has access to fresh, high-quality feed around the clock, including lower-ranking animals,” he says. Matamata-based Compass Refrigeration installed and commissioned the vat refrigeration system. Compass director Phil West says his work included the control centre for this part of the operation. The Manawaru Rd facility has a 16,000L vat, while Phil says another concrete pad was added during construction to future-proof for a second vat if required. Kaimai Farms used a milk chilling unit, which previously served the old cowshed on the property.
“Making use of the secondhand unit helped keep the cost down,” says Phil. Compass Refrigeration also commissioned the snap chiller (a glycol/water mix), which brings milk temperature down immediately after the milking stage. “Milk comes out of a goat at about 36 or 37 degrees, and you want to get it close to zero quickly without freezing it before it goes into the vat,” says Phil.
Detergents A comprehensive range of dairy detergents and teat care products was supplied by GEA FIL. Tom Laurent, FIL area manager for South Auckland and Hauraki, says an iodinebased teat spray with added emollient was recommended – FIL Iodoshield Active and Active Teat Conditioner year-round.
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KAIMAI FARMS
Coast & Country
Goat-rearing facilities were extended to become goat barns.
GEA Farm Technologies and McLarens Rural Services combined to supply and install the central gland in the rotary shed.
The rotary shed includes automatic cup removers.
Tom says the additional emollient is ideal for adding to the FIL teat spray during early lactation and challenging periods in the goat milking herd. It also contains special skincare ingredients including manuka honey, aloe vera and allantoin to increase overall teat condition. “It leaves teats supple and soft which means less chance of damage that can lead onto mastitis,” says Tom. The Kaimai Farms’ shed has a fully automated milking plant wash system. Tom says the plant wash consists of acid and alkali cleaning chemicals. “The acid detergent can be used in hot and cold washes, with the alkali being hot water only,” he says. Tom says goat milk tends to have a higher fat content than cows’ milk, so the wash programmes are different to traditional dairy cow programmes.
The GEA Farm Technologies control panel at the nerve centre of the milking operation.
Pipework is closer together than a dairy cow operation due to the smaller size of milking goats. “The liquid alkali detergent removes protein and milk fat from the milking plant and bulk milk silo, which helps to prevent bacterial grades.” Tom says the wash-down system works on a timer, with calibrated quantities of detergent added to the hot and cold washes. It is all done ‘at the flick of a switch’ at the end of each milking, he says.
Concealed wiring Making sure everything was powered-up on site was the domain of Te Aroha-based Ben Collins Electrical. Director Ben Collins says it is more about what you can’t see (cables and wiring) which highlights his company’s work on site. Conduits and cables were laid underground in the shed’s sand base before the concrete floor was poured. Ben says other wiring above ground for
items such as the milking plant, refrigeration/ wash-down systems and lighting are all well concealed from view. His part in the Kaimai Farms’ project started with an 11,000-volt cable from the road-side to a transformer. This included a temporary power supply for the builders and also connections to the pump-shed, kidding shed and farm effluent system. In the milking shed, Ben says a new switchboard was required, with his company putting up lights in the milking area and goat barns (operated on a timer), while also wiring up the plant-room and pump-room. Ben Collins Electrical fitted the milking platform control panel and separate backing gate control. The company also hooked up the in-bail meal feeding system and all electricity requirements for the kitchen and office in the
Manawaru Rd facility. Ben says an 11kW motor, installed by his team, powers the farm effluent system’s pump and switching equipment. Feed for the Kaimai Farms’ herd is stored and conveyed in equipment provided by Matamata-based BCL Feed Systems. Foreman Bill King says the company provided one 16-tonne silo, plus an auger and piping system to feed into the individual bails on the rotary platform.
Magic eye As the goats enter the platform, he says a ‘magic eye’ recognises this and automatically fills a dish in each bail. Bill says goats and sheep are generally served pellets in such systems. The goats are even given a regular pedicure, courtesy of Goat Care, based out of Tauwhare near Cambridge.
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Page 31
Ben Collins Electrical director Ben Collins checking out his handiwork.
McLarens Rural Services’ director Tony McLaren, left, with GEA Farm Technologies’ area sales manager Paul Convery.
Director Laurie Wahanui says hooftrimming, front and back, is undertaken about every three months. The service chiefly relates to animal welfare, he says. “If the hooves grow too long they can be subject to infection.” Laurie says between milkings the goats are put into an individual cradle in the barns, with trimming via a tool similar to secateurs. As with human nails, Laurie says the goats’ hooves are cut to a certain length to avoid damaging the foot-pad.
Hoof care The Goat Care team of three can put through 350-400 goats in an eight-hour day, says Laurie. Hooves of kid goats are also trimmed when they are about a year old. Earthworks on site were undertaken by
Compass Refrigeration director Phil West who installed and commissioned the vat refrigeration system.
Dairy detergent supplier Tom Laurent, FIL area manager for Pukekohe, Waiuku, Hauraki, Paeroa, Waihi and Te Aroha.
Matamata-based Don Brown Excavators. Don says his company had worked on the property a couple of years prior to the milking shed project. The latest construction site involved a considerable amount of earth-moving, he says. This involved a new tanker track and major dig-out for the milking shed. Don says the swampy site required a gully to be filled in before construction could begin. Using a laser guidance system, the site was levelled and the base compacted. Don Brown Excavators dug the effluent pond at the Manawaru Rd property, while also supplying metal for the project. The effluent pond liner was the work of Hamilton-based Total Lining Solutions. Company director Paul Sharpe says the plastic liner was cut, welded and fitted on site at the Manawaru Rd property.
“It’s fabricated to that job,” he says. Manufactured in Thailand, the material comes in a 1440kg roll and is 7m wide and 140m long.
Pond liner Paul says the Kaimai Farms’ pond is is 36m long, 36m wide and 3m deep. The liner is anchored by a trench half-a-metre out from the pond and 400mm deep, which is back-filled once the material is in place. Paul says he initially received specifications on the pond, relating to size and the quantity of effluent it will hold. In laying the liner, certain areas are cut – chiefly corners – with the material weighing 100kg every 10m.
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Safety ladders are added separately once the liner is in place, says Paul. Effluent pond treatment and irrigation technology equipment came courtesy of Williams Engineering at Waitakaruru. Brook Evans, the company’s effluent systems design manager, says material from both the milking shed and goat barn at Kaimai Farms is piped through traps to the effluent pond. At the pond, Williams Engineering provided a pump and stirrer. Brook says a 7.5kW engine drives the stirrer’s shaft and propeller, not dissimilar to a boat’s outboard motor, which mixes the effluent. It is then pumped to a travelling irrigator for spraying onto pasture. Brook says the system can move 20,000L an hour.
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Brook Evans, Williams Engineering effluent systems design manager, with the technology and equipment the company provided for Kaimai Farms’ new effluent pond
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Coast & Country
Views and functionality Steve Edwards
A smooth flow into and out of a goat milking shed is a key to the design.
Crow’s Nest Farm lives up to its name.
A Waikato farm which has recently been converted into a goat milking operation lives up to its name. Crow’s Nest – like the ship’s lookout point at the top of the mast – offers a magnificent view over the Waikato River. Jenny and Kevin Roach have added the 80ha property on Horahora Road at Piarere, between Cambridge and Matamata, to their portfolio. Son Lance has taken up the reins as contract milker on the former dairy farm, which now boasts 550 goats as well as grazing for dairy and beef cattle. Involved in goat-milking for the past 15 years, Jenny and Kevin started work on the project in 2019, 18 months after they bought the farm. It originally milked 180 cows in a 26-aside herringbone shed, which remains next to the new goat milking parlour and associated barn.
The goat operation is future-proofed, with Jenny and Kevin opting for a 48-aside GEA swing-over rapid exit parlour in preference to a 42-aside model plus extra yard space, where Jenny says automatic cup removers can be added at a later date. The milking parlour features pneumatic bails, an auto cup wash system and in-bail feeding via individual dispensers and bins. About 550 milking goats are on the roll at present, mostly Saanen and Able, supplying the Hamilton-based Dairy Goat Co-operative. However Jenny says the milking parlour and associated barn, where the goats are housed and fed, could cater for up to 1000 animals. Grant Coburn from GEA Farm Technologies, which supplied the milking and feeding equipment, says the beauty of a green-field site was the owners could build it as they wanted it. The European-designed pneumatic bails have headlocks to hold the goats in place while they are being milked.
Grant says the rapid exit design allows staff to pick up any lameness issues when the goats leave the bails after milking. GEA Farm Technologies also provided the associated feeding system in the bails, along with cup-washers and clusters. Installation was undertaken by Matamatabased Milk ‘n’ Water Services. Director Shaun Jellie says this included a compressor for the pneumatic bails, plus all milk lines, receiving can, pumps and pulsators. In the plant room, this extended to vacuum compressors, along with a dryer, vat wash and shed wash systems.
Reliable robots GEA Farm Technologies and Milk ‘n’ Water Services also joined forces in a high-tech element of the goat barn. Automatic feed-pushers, the GEA FRone, keeps feed at the fence which is cut and carried from the farm and meal, delivered by
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feed-out wagon on concrete lanes running the 100m length of the barn, closer to the goats’ feed fence as required. Milk ‘n’ Water Services installed transponders, which the automatic feed pushers run along, in the concrete base. Grant and Shaun say this ensures that the goats have even access to fresh, high-quality feed around the clock. The feed pushers, which can be programmed to operate at specific hours, even go back to a charging station under their own steam. Grant and Shaun say the feed pushers, travelling at six metres a minute, move the feed closer to the fence by 200mm at each pass. Detergents for the plant and vat wash are supplied by GEA FIL. FIL area manager for Cambridge, Matamata & Putaruru, Greg Duncan, says the plant wash involved separate acid, alkali and chlorine components pre-calibrated according to the size of the milking system.
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Page 33
Skylights give the shed a bright and open feel.
Jenny and Lance Roach in the goat barn.
The robotic feedpushers from GEA Farm Technologies in action. The components are mixed with water and pumped through the plant after each milking in a fully automated operation.
Wash cycle Greg says the automated wash system is installed to match the recommended wash programme and required chemicals for each day of the week. The manual vat wash uses a powdered alkali and liquid acid, with staff following the wash programme; they add the designated chemical to hot water, followed by a cold-water rinse again to finish. Greg says this is undertaken after each milk collection. The milking shed was designed and built by Te Awamutu Construction. Owner/operator Pat Gibson says he worked with the Roach family in the planning stage, tailoring the design to the current herd size while also catering for future growth.
FIL Area manager for Cambridge, Matamata, Putaruru, Greg Duncan, checking out the hot water component of the plant cleaning system.
“It is similar to a sheep milking shed,” says Pat. “The same principles, with rapid exit, apply.” Initial siteworks were undertaken on the former paddock by Te Awamutu Construction, with top-soil taken away and hard-stand area built up. Pat says the pit and amenities – plant room, milk room and staff kitchen – were then added. A feature is the roof which covers the entire yard as well as the milking area.
Wiring Work Putaruru Electrical completed all the wiring required for the new shed. Staff member Richard Keijzer says the goat facility was able to tap into the cowshed’s existing electricity supply, via underground cabling. His work extended to all wiring required in the bails including lighting, milk lift, milk
Lance Roach on the top tier of the farm, with the Waikato River in the background. pump and pulsators. In the milk room, Richard says he wired up the vacuum pump, hot water cylinders and vat wash, plus the vat refrigeration system. In the goat barn, Te Awamutu Electrical looked after the required lighting and power points. A combination of old and new was used in the shed by Matamata-based Compass Refrigeration. Owner/operator Phil West says a new refrigeration unit was needed for the supply vat, while the glycol system from the old shed was transferred over to the goat operation. Other refrigeration equipment at the former cowshed was past its use-by date, he says. Phil says the system was sized accordingly for the current goat herd and volume of milk produced, while also allowing for future growth.
Goats’ milk hits the vat at 6.3 degrees Celsius, he says, with the primary water source taking the initial hit before the glycol unit comes into play. Painting of anywhere where cleaning is required was undertaken by Hamilton-based Dairy Wall Coatings. Director Greg Fulton says an Acraflex dairy wall coating system was used in the pit and surrounding milking area, along with the milk and plant rooms. Along with hygiene, he says farmers also like to have a good working environment for themselves and staff. “There’s the feelgood factor.” The surfaces can be cleaned quickly, saving operators 30 to 45 minutes at each milking, says Greg. He says a brush/roll/spray method is used to apply Acraflex – seven applications including two coats of glaze to finish.
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Coast & Country
Project manager Ang Finnerty, left, with farm owners Ray and Arna Curtin, 2IC Len Keoghan, farm manager Sharon Finnerty and project manager Dean Finnerty. Steve Edwards
The Toa Rd complex - including milking parlour, barn and “baby barn” - covers about one hectare.
Practical experience and family support are key ingredients to a dairy goat operation in the Waikato. Dean and Ang Finnerty, who featured in last year’s New Farm Dairies after adding a goat milking parlour and barn to an existing dairy farm, have repeated the process. This time around the goat amenities are on part of a Waitoa property, between Te Aroha and Morrinsville, owned by Ange’s parents Ray and Arna Curtin. Dean and Ang are project managers at Toa Rd. She laughs that they have “stolen” 40ha of her parents’ 182ha dairy farm to run 850 milking goats through a new 50-bail milking shed. “We always wanted to diversify,” says Ang. She says the move also means the dairy herd’s farthest distance from their 40-aside herringbone milking shed has been “taken away”, making for a more compact dairy farm.
The design and construction of the goat milking shed and barn is based simply on that used by Dean and Ang in a similar project of their own along nearby Paeroa-Tahuna Rd, with Morrinsville-based Chapman Dairy and Don Chapman Waikato again engaged for the Toa Rd contract. Ang says the Toa Rd shed is a mirror image, with an emphasis on efficiency. “Two rows of cups means we cut milking time by putting through 100 goats at a time,” says Ang.
Efficient design A smooth entry and exit is also key to the Toa Rd design, again mirroring the Paeroa-Tahuna Rd model. Ang says this includes linking the barn to the milking parlour. “We used ideas from the other farm, plus a couple of small tweaks.” Don Chapman Waikato director, Shanan
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White, says features of the project included the depth and width of the pit and rapid exit from the bails. The milking shed roof at Toa Rd was made one metre wider than its Paeroa-Tahuna Rd counterpart to keep out rainwater, with a bigger milk-room built to accommodate two vats. Overall, Shanan says the parlour chiefly involved adapting a traditional dairy cow herringbone to suit milking goats. “The details were pretty standard,” he says. This included the rooms housing the milk plant and wash-down systems, which Shanan says were in line with a dairy cow operation, while vats holding the goats’ milk for collection are indoors. The milking shed on the Toa Rd property is built on the site of an old cowshed, which Ang says wasn’t worth saving for the new venture. She says the opportunity was identified three years ago, with capacity for 1200 goats. “A thousand is the ideal.”
Physical work started on the property last June, with the first pick-up in early December for NIG Nutritionals at Paerata. The company tanker visits three times a week, with the milk destined to become infant formula. Associated with the milking parlour is a 70m x 65m covered goat barn, with pens and feeding units. Dean says the roof, supported by treated wooden poles, has skylights in every bay to give the goats well-lit surroundings in natural light. “It’s warm in winter and cool in summer,” says Dean.
Catering for goats Dean and Ang say they were advised that milking goats run outdoors are more subject to worms and sore feet than those housed in a barn.
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GOLDEN ELM FARMS
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The Fawde F56 generator supplied by Invercargill-based Cowpower. Goats have a nice runway from the milking shed back to their barn.
The nerve centre of the operation – pit and bails – including feed dispensers. The Baby Barn. Milk production is also reportedly higher from an indoor herd. “Most milking goat herds are now kept housed indoors,” says Dean. The goat barn has three concrete laneways for feed-out purposes, with maize and barley dished out into troughs in front of the pens. Crushed sunflower seeds and pellets are also fed individually in the bails of the milking shed. Ang says the herd is predominantly Saanen, a white Swiss breed, and British Alpine. Morrinsville-based McLarens Rural Services installed the entire milking plant “from goat to vat”, says director Tony McLaren. He says it is similar to a dairy cow operation, except for the speed of the pulsators and smaller/lighter claws. Tony says his company also handled all water works including the washdown, cooler and chilled water pumps.
A pressure pump was installed for the shed toilet and handbasins, while they also supplied and connected the hot water system and wash system for the vats. The complete milking system was supplied by GEA Farm Technologies. GEA area sales manager Paul Convery says this included a 1000 litre washtub in the milk-room, plus associated milk cooling and filtering equipment. Paul says this is all controlled in a networked system in the milk-room and pit by a single switch. In the pit, GEA also provided the milk receiving tank and sanitary trap, along with the clusters and pulsators.
Pneumatic bails
Paul says a feature of the Toa Road project, from a GEA perspective, is the manufacture and installation of the pneumatic bail system.
A view down the 50-aside pit.
Goats have easy entry and exit between the milking parlour and barn. “They are made in Hamilton, brought over in sections and assembled on-site.” Paul says this is the same system GEA supplied to Dean and Ang Finnerty for their Paeroa-Tahuna Road operation. Wash-down programmes and systems at Toa Road, including associated dairy detergents, were set up and supplied by GEA’s subsidiary FIL. FIL Area Manager Mark Mohring says his team worked with GEA and McLarens on the project. The GEA iNTELWASH system controls the amount of FIL alkali, acid and chlorine used in wash-down of the milking plant and vat. Mark says specifications are based on all aspects of the operation including shed/herd size and water supply/quality. The plant wash is automatically programmed to activate after each milking, using a regulated
amount of chemicals, with a cold rinse followed by a hot wash. Mark says the vat is similarly washed after each collection, with the system activated by the tanker driver. Feed systems, serving both the milking shed and barn, were supplied and fitted by BCL Feed Systems (Buster Cover Ltd). Foreman Bill King says this involved two 16-tonne galvanised iron silos, with associated auger systems.
Tailored to suit Feed for the barn is conveyed straight into a feed-out wagon, while the milking shed system has the meal/grain piped to individual dispensers in the bails. Bill says when each row is released after milking, the feed bins are re-filled in the fully automated system.
GOLDEN ELM FARMS
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Waihou Excavation owner/operator Frank Teague. “It’s controlled by a timer,” he says. “Staff press a button in the pit to fill the feed-bins for each goat while they are milking. You know the exact quantity each one is getting.” Bill says the equipment was all built in the company’s workshop and erected on-site.
Dual purpose A 350,000L tank, supplied and installed by Tauranga-based Kliptank, serves a dual purpose in the Toa Rd operation. Kliptank business development manager Fiona Birchall says the tank catches roof water from the barn and also stores effluent when irrigation onto farmland is not possible due to wet weather. Built on site on a sand base, the 13.75m diameter tank was tailored to suit the Toa Rd operation, says Fiona. The structure is made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), bound by galvanised wire ropes, on an aluminium base.
GEA Farm Technologies’ area sales manager Paul Convery in the pneumatic bails.
Fiona says a top ring holds the liner in place and stabilises the tank while allowing it to move in relation to any seismic activity. The one millimetre thick liner is made of flexible polypropylene (FPP), and Fiona says Kliptank also supplied associated piping and taps. Getting the entire area ready for the new milking shed and parlour was undertaken by Waihou Excavation. Owner/operator Frank Teague says the site of the former cowshed was excavated, with 900 millimetre of soil removed, and backfilled with sand from the farm.
Generator power The goat barn was built on a green-field site stripped out by Waihou Excavation, with the company also completing earthworks required for the surrounding yard/vehicle turnaround area. Frank says the footprint of the Toa Rd
Coast & Country
FIL area manager Mark Mohring checks out the dairy detergents.
Buster Cover director Talya Raumati with feed enjoyed by the goats during milking.
facility covers about 1ha. The site – milking shed and barn – was initially powered by a generator, while the regular supply was being connected, and this remains on site as a back-up. The 70kVA diesel-fed generator was supplied by Invercargill-based Cowpower. Company director Barry Hayes says the capacity of the generator was dictated by the size of operation and hours of use. Cowpower supplied a Fawde F56 model, made in China. Barry says a flick of a switch will have the Toa Rd operation, including the milking system, up and running again within a minute of a power outage. “It does the whole shed, the same as having a regular power supply” says Barry. “That’s the ideal.” With waterproof sockets and a baked enamel coating, the generator can be sited outdoors and is portable.
Ang and Sharon Finnerty in the Baby Barn. Ang Finnerty says while the generator was only used for about a month while the regular power supply was connected, it remains a back-up for the Toa Rd operation and can be transported to the other family farms if required.
Connecting All on-site electrical work was undertaken by Te Aroha-based business, Ben Collins Electrical. Ben says providing a connection for a generator to a milking shed is required to meet compliance standards in all new-build projects. Involved in the Toa Rd project from the outset, he initially jacked up the builders’ lights, then the generator and finally the regular power source as construction progressed. This included from the road-side power pole to the farm milk/plant room and pit/bail area, plus the associated vat and barn.
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ARNOLD
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Coast & Country
Steve Edwards
Physical work on the existing shed centred on lifting the roof to accommodate the rapid exit and in-bail feeding systems.
A Waikato dairy goat operation serves a dual purpose – milk supply and research. Farm overseer Keith Arnold says an existing goat milking facility, on 24ha at Pukeatua, was scaled down to also incorporate the research aspect when Hamilton-based Dairy Goat Co-operative (DGC) took over on June 1, 2020. Keith, who doubles as shareholder services manager at DGC, says the herd has gone from 850 to 450 but the 24-aside herringbone milking shed now boasts a rapid exit system and advanced milk metering/ sampling technology. GEA Farm Technologies was responsible for the high line swing over rapid exit herringbone system, which includes swing arms,
bail terminals with Animal ID, and live milk weights, milk meters and samplers with every animal recorded on Goat Dairy plan software. GEA area sales manager and small ruminant milking expert, Grant Coburn, says Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) via ear tag is at the heart of the GEA system. Individual screens, monitored by staff in the pit, show each goat’s milking time, production, and ID while milk samples are also taken for research purposes.
Computer records Grant says all information, including data on animal health, mating and kidding, is fed into the farm computer. “Farm staff can see which animals consistently perform well, while also identifying possible health issues.”
Grant says the European design features pneumatic bails with indexing gates which align the animals in the exact position for milking. The goats “self-load” the stalls quickly and correctly, he says. After milking all the stalls lift-up, allowing for rapid exit, says Grant. He says this increases the number of animals milked per hour, while reducing labour input and stress on livestock. This technology is now commonly used in goat and sheep milking sheds, says Grant. Once in, he says the goats are held exceptionally well for milking. The bails come in units of six, with the
A smooth flow into and out of the milking shed is one of the features. 24-aside design based on the size of the existing shed, he says. Goats are tempted into the bails by an automatic in-bail feed dispensing system, also supplied and installed by GEA Farm Technologies. He says a controlled amount of feed goes into individual bins for the goats during milking.
Pit changes In the pit area, Keith says changes were made to the clusters, milk-lines and pulsators. Working in tandem with GEA in this part of the project was Milk ‘n’ Water Services Matamata. Milking machine technician Peter Taylor says Milk ‘n’ Water Services Matamata
ARNOLD
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Farm overseer Keith Arnold.
Grant Coburn, from GEA Farm Technologies, checking out the high-tech goat milking/ research system.
FIL Te Awamutu and Otorohanga area manager Colin Ranby looking over the teat care system his company provided.
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Happy in his work: Josh Kane from King Electrical in Matamata.
Feeding time in the goat barn. installed new clusters and cup removers, milk metering and pulsators. Peter says the company also assisted GEA Farm Technologies in the animal identification system, with the yard upgraded to suit. This included RFID reader in-bail entry, he says. Peter says Milk ‘n’ Water Services Matamata installed a sanitary trap in the Pukeatua shed, hooked up the compressed air for the bail system and plumbed in the teat-wash. The company also plumbed-up the secondary milk vat. Keith says stairs were changed to extend the pit length and better accommodate the new clusters. The milk-room basically remained the same, with the addition of a new air compressor. A new IntelliBlend teat spray system was provided by GEA FIL.
FIL area manager for Te Awamutu and Otorohanga, Colin Ranby, says the system involves automatic mixing and delivery of an iodine-based teat spray and emollient.
Teat spray The ratio is computer-controlled, with material pumped directly to the pit from three drums – 200L Iodoshield Active, 100L Active Teat Conditioner and a water reservoir. Colin says a drag hose in the pit is used to convey the spray after each goat has been milked. An audible alarm notifies farm staff when drum contents are running low, he says. Colin says the system is easily programmed to add more emollient as required through seasonal changes or when a deterioration in teat condition is detected. Matamata-based King Electrical ‘gutted’ the existing goat milking operation’s
electrical system in order to upgrade it. Electrician Josh Kane says in the bails this involved all power requirements, including control boxes, relating to the advanced milk sampling/metering technology used. “This is the main brain of the system,” says Josh. King Electrical also upgraded lighting in the milking shed and wired up the new in-bail feeding system. Their work in the yard also included electrical requirements for water reticulation and associated washdown controls. In the plant room, Josh says King Electrical was responsible for powering the new teat-spray operation, air compressor and vacuum pump. The company also changed electrical controls for the water pump and vat wash system, while recommissioning the ice bank and refrigeration system.
™
Milk ‘n’ Water Services – Matamata milking machine technician Peter Taylor with the new clusters.
Goats have plenty of space in the “scaled back” operation. Josh says King Electrical wired the chiller unit and vat wash pump for the secondary milk vat, along with providing power to the farm office computer. Keith says physical work on the existing shed centred on lifting the roof to accommodate the rapid exit and in-bail feeding systems. Existing barns, with associated feeding systems, are used in the Arapuni Rd operation. The first milking in the revamped facility was undertaken on August 15, 2020. Keith says the Saanen herd is milked twice a day, with three staff engaged. Originating from the Saanen Valley in Switzerland, this breed is acclaimed as the most popular and highest producing milking goat in New Zealand. Processed at the DGC’s Hamilton factory, milk from the Pukeatua property is destined to become infant formula.
SCHULER SHEEP
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Clare Bayly
Coast & Country
The working side of the refurbished sheep dairy showing the entrance yards leading to the 600 sheep collection yard. “Diversifying our income stream and creating strong cashflow has always been important to avoid the volatility which accompanies prettymuch every sector of agriculture. “Being early adopters carries risk, but also reward and hopefully our learnings will benefit other farmers who join later.”
Cut back
Kevin Schuler has cause to smile after a successful first season milking sheep
Schuler Brothers’ dairy farms at Te Aroha West showcase dairy diversity, with the brothers milking three animal species across the 234ha farm property which has grown around the family farm purchased by their grandfather in the early 1900s. “The original farm was 40ha,” Kevin Schuler recalls, “and over time the family acquired neighbouring farms as they came on the market to make up the current 234 (215 effective)
hectare property.” The increased scale of the farm has provided the ability to diversify. Once all bovine dairy, today Kevin and Paul Schuler and their team of nine full-time staff now milk 350 cows on 105ha, 1,400 goats on 70ha and, in 2020, 650 sheep. In addition, 45ha of lease land supports the platform. Kevin admits he and Paul have always enjoyed being on the cusp of change. “We could see the potential for goat milk when we got into that industry around 2012 and similarly for sheep now.
Developing a sheep unit saw the brothers retire 40ha which had been used as cut and carry for the goat farm. “We have cut back on cow numbers over the years. From 850 we cut back to 500 when the goat farm started and then reduced to 350 in the 2020 season to accommodate the sheep. Next season we will increase sheep numbers to 1,000 and pull back goat numbers to peak milk around 1,250 which is more in line with our quota.” Kevin Schuler said the three farming businesses are separate but, thanks to contiguous land boundaries and supportive management, the farms work collaboratively “cutting and pasting” people from one team to another as required to meet seasonal demand. “The units are great at helping each other out and enjoy the variety and opportunity to gain unique multi-species experience. “One fundamental to achieving efficient use of resources across all three farming businesses was avoiding the pinch-point of three species calving, kidding or lambing at the same time. We moved the cows from spring calving to autumn to qualify for the winter milk
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premium. It’s been a popular move with the team, who are revelling in calving during late summer as opposed to early spring. We don’t rear replacements to be brought into the herd, instead buying in spring empties from high BW herds. “Originally, on the goat farms, we kidded in late June but, with the sheep lambing in late July, we will this year bring kidding forward to the start of June. Kevin and Paul Schuler supply Maui Milk, which supplied the herd of 650 milking sheep, a mix of hoggets and mixed age ewes.
Locked down Planning for the dairy sheep conversion began at the start of 2020. Within weeks of Kevin and Paul meeting with Qubik’s Nick Heffer and builder Matt Walker, New Zealand went into lockdown to prevent the Covid pandemic and the project halted. “Site development was effectively delayed until we were out of lockdown, meaning the shed was not fully operational until the end of September and milk collection only commenced in October. “We decided to recommission an old cowshed rather than start from scratch. There were several old sheds on the farm to choose from and the one we selected was well-situated on the area allocated for sheep. Although it hadn’t been used for a number of decades it was structurally sound (apart from the derelect dairy) and the yards were in good condition,” says Kevin.
SCHULER SHEEP
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The Waikato Milking Systems AGILI Sheep Rapid Exit Milking Solution has been customised so the Rapid Exit Gate can be used in two sections, providing split-row release to maximise sheep flow.
Looking down one of the rows with the bails and feed dispensers to the left, and clusters to the right.
Page 41
The 1.1m wide pit means that milker Sami White is in touch with sheep on both sides of the herringbone.
Kevin Schuler attaching clusters in the refurbished dairy. Builder Matt Walker recalls the initial plan was to convert the herringbone to a 32-aside sheep dairy based on the length of the old pit. “But we subsequently extended the roof by two bays allowing the pit to be extended to 40-aside to shorten milking time and future-proof the shed for planned growth.
Cows to sheep “Modifying a herringbone from cows to sheep calls for an adjustment to the floor of the pit to position the milker at the optimum position for cluster attachment. The roof was in good condition and the ideal height for the rapid exit system so we didn’t want to raise the level of the bails, instead opting to lower and, at the same time, narrow the pit to 1.1metres so that milkers could simply turn to attach clusters on the other side,” says Matt. Matt’s team developed a new dairy comprising a kitchen/staff room, bathroom complete with shower and toilet, office and milk room. The new section features poly panel exterior cladding. The interior of the original shed was concrete block which was continued in the extension.
Specialising in • • • • • •
Removal / chipping of whole trees On site chipping for stand off pads Wood chip for sale Orchard shelter removal Stump removal Woodlot marketing of all tree species
Some of the team behind the conversion of a 40-year-old herringbone to a modern, efficient sheep milking dairy. From left BCL’s Jamie Haupapa, builder Matt Walker, Waikato Milking Systems Dave Cassells, BCL’s Bill King, farmer Kevin Schuler, Qubik’s Morgan Keighley, Andrew McAllister and Nick Heffer. The existing yards were in good condition but needed sheep proofing with the rails modified to take sheeting. This was undertaken by Waihou-based Rural Engineering which specialises in welding and general engineering maintenance, modification and new construction for the wider agricultural sector. The Rural Engineering team also constructed and installed new entry and exit rails and erected the herringbone frames to take the milk lines in the dairy. Kevin and Paul decided on a 40-aside Waikato Milking Systems AGILI Rapid Exit Sheep Milking system with a self-indexing
gate that automatically allocates sheep into individual stalls. The Rapid Exit features a split-row release which optimises sheep flow through the parlour. The 40-aside system runs smoothly and efficiently, enabling two people to milk 600plus sheep in about one hour.
Milking A BP200 Blower vacuum pump with a Variable Speed Drive supplies and controls the vacuum level during milking. The milking machine includes Waikato Milking Systems sheep clusters with auto
shut-off and the company’s electronic pulsators adjusted specifically for milking sheep. A feature of the Rapid Exit is the milk recovery system. When activated, it ensures most of the milk is recovered from the delivery line and moved through into the bulk storage tank at the end of each milking. Qubik installed the Rapid Exit parlour and supplied a Fristam rotary Lobe milk pump which adds real value to the milking operation. It’s simple, reliable and its design ensures milk is transferred from the plant to the vat efficiently, providing a premium product every milking.
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SCHULER SHEEP
Coast & Country
Proximity to the Rail Trail supported installation of a Flexi Tank bladder to store effluent over a pond.
BCL’s shed fitter/installer Jamie Haupapa, checks the dairy’s new feed dispensers.
Qubik also laid 750m of new water line to enable connection to Te Aroha’s town water supply. Doing this was important to ensure the best quality water was available for plant wash and dairy hygiene. Ben Collins Electrical upgraded and installed the new electrical circuitry for the renovated dairy. Based in Hamilton and Te Aroha, the company provides electrical support and services across the greater Waikato area, delivering continuity of supply with a 24 hour call-out service.
Specific treatment The quantities and viscosity of sheep effluent requires specific treatment and Qubik designed and supplied a system which features a stone trap and effluent holding tank. Effluent is separated using the stone trap, before gravity feeding to a 25,000L sump tank. The Mono
The spacious new milk room. Qubik designed and supplied a system which features a stone trap and effluent holding tank. Effluent Pump 2-Stage 7.5kW and Kelco pressure guard pumps the effluent to the holding Flexi Tank bladder or straight to pasture depending on the season. A Flexi Tank was obviously the best solution for the Schuler Brothers’ situation that suited all aspects of their farming operation, says Flexi Tanks NZ owner Jacky van der Poel. “The beauty of the Flexi Tank System is that the Schulers have been able to add to the system as they have grown, using one 500m3 tank initially for both dairy and goat and then adding the second 300m3 tank in for the goat operation,” says Jacky. “Being an enclosed system, they have been able to keep the rainwater out of the system and will enjoy the benefits of a 25 per cent depreciation rate, making it a very sensible infrastructure investment.” Paeroa Farm Services installed a washdown system with PVC mains water lines, primary
The sheep are eager to go into the shed for milking.
Industrial Plate Cooler water system, dairy water supply system with new water pump, and hot water for the plant wash. The bore/ well system was linked to water reservoirs and a sheep farm reticulation system is being developed to futureproof the farm’s stock and dairy water needs. Sheep milk needs to be maintained at four degrees or less, entering the vat at a lower temperature than cows due to smaller volumes and required quality. Qubik supplied and installed a new 10kW Glycol system that snapchills the milk before entering the milk vat. Once the milk has entered the vat, the milk temperature is maintained by a 8hp vat chiller unit. This system meets MPI and Maui Milk regulations but is also future-proofed should there be regulatory changes in the future. Buster Cover (BCL) designed, manufactured and installed the feed dispensers and trickle feed system in the new dairy. The dropdown bins, which hold up to 4kg of feed, are powered by compressed air and are identical to those used for cows and goats with the exception that – in sheep and goat dairies – they are mounted more closely together. When
The BCL 16 tonne silo.
the rapid exit lifts, the feed system refills the feed bins for the next row of sheep. Feed is stored in a 16 tonne silo, augers delivering it to the dairy with secondary auger lines delivering the feed into the individual bins.
The unknown Looking back at the first season supplying milk to Maui Milk, Kevin recalls it was a bit like stepping into the unknown milking sheep. “We didn’t have direct experience with sheep but a lot of the concerns we had never came to fruition – and when issues have arisen, we’ve had great support. We are producing quality milk and milking through the shed is nice and quick and low stress for staff and animals. “You go into this business to secure your financial future and do well with a business that is sustainable, has good cash flow and profit. We’re excited to partner with Maui Milk and want to be part of their ongoing success story. “We are happy with year one. The next big thing will be seeing what we can get out of each sheep and if it goes anywhere near the levels anticipated by Maui Milk, we’ll be pretty happy farmers.”
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ALEXANDRA ROAD FARM
Coast & Country
Steve Edwards
The milking goats are fed pasture cut from the home farm.
A trans-Tasman chicken company has spread its wings into dairy goat farming in the Waikato. Agright GP, almost 50 per cent owned by managing director Daniel Bryant and 15 per cent by his father Max, last year established a 3000-goat milking operation near Matamata. The 164ha property on Alexandra Rd, previously used for dairying and latterly commercial potato cropping, also features a large-scale chicken-growing facility. Daniel Bryant, who bought the property in May 2019 for chickens primarily on 21ha, says he looked at a range of projects for the surplus land. The goat milk – up to 10 million litres a year – is processed at the Waikato Innovation Park dryer in Hamilton and sold directly to the open market.
Daniel says the goat business has created 15 full-time jobs and another 20 part-time roles during kidding.
By hand Baby goats are hand-reared and hand-fed. The Bryants debuted in dairy goat farming via a deal with New Zealand Dairy Goats, founded and chaired by Duncan Milne. NZDG is also a new company and headed by Milne’s son Robert. Agright acquired a nearly 24 per cent stake in NZDG, set to rise to just over 30 per cent by mid-2022 once the second goat barn is operating. Daniel says Agright sold NZDG land in exchange for 23 per cent, or 3.7 million shares, and cash. NZDG has the option to acquire more land in exchange for further shares and cash, which should happen by June 2022.
On-site earthworks at Alexandra Rd started in March 2020 but were interrupted by Covid. However, Daniel says a real drive by the respective contractors saw the first milking in mid-October.
The build The building project was led by Te Awamutubased Gibson Construction. Director Blair Atkinson says his team went on-site after lockdown lifted, erecting an 80-bail rotary milking shed. This included entry and exit bridges, along with a plant room, office and staffroom. Blair says the milking facility covers 960 square metres, with the first of the adjacent goat barns creating a footprint of 14,000 square metres.
Gibson Construction provided design and build for the project, says Blair, including piping, railing and roofing work. The design was undertaken in conjunction with Daniel Bryant and project manager Shaun Murray. Blair says the brief was to provide a nice, open shed. This was the biggest farm job the company had ever undertaken. Shaun Murray says the initial 3000 milking goats was split into six herds. This will double, with another barn built and separate milking parlour planned. “We will be a commercial operator in our own right.” Shaun says the key to the milking shed design is low labour input.
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ALEXANDRA ROAD FARM
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Three entrance points were created onto the milking platform, giving better flow to the bails. Blair says he had seen this in other goat milking sheds.
Indoor lifestyle The goats are kept indoors all year round, with 130ha of the property devoted to growing pasture for feed. Blair says the barns allow for three square metres per goat, as per industry standards. “Animal welfare is our top priority.” There is a 10-hour split between milkings and Blair says the goats, all yearlings, produce between 90kg and 160kg of milk a year. Matamata-based Mark Wilcox Builders laid the concrete – about 3500 cubic metres in total. This included the milking shed and tractor lanes – 3 x 186m long – in the barn. Director Mark Wilcox says his team also laid the pad – 70m x 15m – for a tractor turnaround area associated with the barn. Concrete pumping was undertaken by Hamiltonbased A1 Concrete. Director Quin Abraham says he worked with Mark Wilcox and liaised with the concrete supplier. A1 used a boom with a 42m reach on the concrete pump. Quin says staff were often on-site from 1am to 10pm the following night. The operation was powered up by King Electrical from Matamata. Director Jeremy Kidd says they worked on the barn first, including milk mixing equipment and lighting.
Wired up In the milking shed, King Electrical wired the rotary platform and plantroom, including vacuum and hot water systems, plus chilling systems for the vats. Completing their part in the project, Jeremy says staff completed wiring for the farm’s effluent management and irrigation systems. The milking plant, plus water and effluent systems, were supplied and installed by Qubik. Operations Manager Jeremy Collett says this included milking machines, pulsators, milk pumps and lines on the platform and in the plant room. Outside the milking shed, the company had a hand in the refrigeration systems for the two 21,000L vats,
Looking out over the yard at the Alexandra Rd complex.
Milking cluster technology supplied by Waikato Milking Systems. Entry/exit ramps make for a smooth flow in the milking shed.
Te Aroha Tractors & Machinery sales manager Steve Workman with some of the freshly cut pasture used to feed the milking goats. Milking time at the Alexandra Rd operation. which feature automatic washers. Jeremy says the feed system Qubik supplied and installed included three 16 tonne silos, with an auger system carrying meal to dispensers on the milking platform. Qubik Water Technician Karl Hart says three pumps are used to provide drinking water and washdown water to the operation. He says Qubik also supplied and installed effluent management and disposal equipment for the barn and milking shed. A screw-press separator removes solids, with material ultimately irrigated onto pasture after passing through a series of sumps, stone traps and a mixing trap. The in-shed milk monitoring system was provided by Hamilton-
Feeding time at Alexandra Rd. based Halo Systems using Tag IT technology. Halo sales executive Sean McChlery says the system tracks milk from the udder to the vat. If a problem develops, a text and email alert is sent to farm staff. “This eliminates human error and equipment failure,” says Sean. With a central control box in the shed, he says the system monitors milk flow and volume, plus water (drinking and washdown). The kitset milking platform was erected on site by Matamata-based Moa Rotary Platforms.
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Halo sales executive Sean McChlery checks out the milk monitoring system.
ALEXANDRA ROAD FARM
Carl Jeffries, from King Electrical, in front of the new switchboard.
Moa Rotary Platforms director Shane Arthur, left, and Waikato Milking Systems’ general manager of sales and operations Grant Wisnewski.
Qubik water technician Karl Hart, left, on site with operations manager Jeremy Collett. Director Shane Arthur says his company’s part in the project came after the concreting was completed and roof in place. Working with Waikato Milking Systems, Shane says they put together a steel frame and deck, with four-bail sections, plus entry and exits from the platform. “The goats walk on the platform and back off when finished,” says Shane. He says the 80-bail rotary can get through 500 goats in 45 minutes.
Milking technology Grant Wisnewski, general manager of sales and operations for Waikato Milking Systems, says his company also supplied the milking cluster technology, including automatic cup removers, teat-spray and auto wash. Goats are identified, and milk volume recorded, during milking via an electronic eartag system. Grant says the system has a central control box overseen by staff near the milking platform.
Information is stored electronically in the farm’s computer system. The milking goats are fed a mixture of grass from the home farm, plus pellets and hay in troughs at the front of their enclosure, with concrete tractor lanes developed for delivery. Associated vehicles were supplied by Te Aroha Tractors & Machinery. Sales manager Steve Workman says a “cut and carry” system is used, with his company supplying a front mower (for a tractor) and feed-out wagon. Te Aroha Tractors & Machinery also provided Polaris electric 4 x 4 vehicles used by staff in the barn to deliver pellets and hay to the goats. Steve says the vehicles are quiet and environmentally-friendly. Northpower was also involved in works associated with the new goat milking operation on Alexandra Rd. Pat Watson, project delivery manager for Northpower, says works related to installation of new poles, lines and a transformer to
Coast & Country
Mark Wilcox on the yard his team laid. Gibson Construction director Blair Atkinson, left, with New Zealand Dairy Goats CEO Rob Milne and farm operations manager Shaun Murray. supply power to the goat farm. Actual works that were included were installation of 12 x 11m concrete poles (this incorporated crossarms, insulators and new power line or conductor) to a shiny new transformer situated on the property.
Kilometre span Pat says the pole and line installation spanned one entire kilometre of overhead line works as well as a 500kVA transformer with two circuits. One circuit supplied the feed to the new goat sheds and the other circuit supply was to feed a submersible pump (enabling water to be pumped around the site location/farm including the chicken sheds). Pat says a 500kVA transformer installation provided the supply necessary for the goat farm and pump connections. He says King Electrical supported Northpower’s field resources by installing the site metering and service mains. Daniel Bryant says goat milk, like sheep
product, is naturally A2 and is pitched at lactose-intolerant consumers as well as the infant formula market. Agright started life as ProTen, a small chicken business founded by Max Bryant in Feilding 20 years ago. ProTen went on to become a major player in the chicken business in Australia. Proceeds from its later sale have been ploughed back into the Alexandra Rd operation via Agright. Daniel says the goat opportunity came up as the company was looking outside the realms of dairy farming. “We looked around and settled on the Waikato. It has expertise in the area, with staff, vets and builders,” he says. “We found the money and found the right people,” says Daniel. “Twelve months later – including Covid – we were milking.” He says the Alexandra Road project has “certainly been some journey”. “The stars aligned.”
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NIARUO FARMS
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Coast & Country
Steve Edwards
Matting on the pit floor aids staff comfort.
The Lawrence property offers a panoramic view of Mt Taranaki.
Hayden and Alecia Lawrence with children Fletcher and Emelia.
A centralised milking operation has changed lives at the Lawrence farm in Taranaki. With three young children, Hayden and Alecia Lawrence didn’t relish long hours milking and cleaning up in an expanded 400 cow operation near Eltham. Their new 24-aside ‘double-up’ herringbone shed, with 48 sets of cups, means a milking time of less than two hours for the 400-cow herd. The Lawrences milk on 153ha after combining the home farm with a neighbour’s property five years ago. He says they decided immediately to opt for a single, larger milking shed rather than run with the time-consuming two – a 22-aside herringbone on the home farm and 12-aside
on the neighbouring block. After researching designs on both sides of the Tasman, he says they decided on the rapid exit/ parallel parlour herringbone, as a rotary would have been double the cost. “Tidiness got it over the line,” says Hayden. “It is very comfortable.” The new shed was built around the old one and, as the Lawrences winter milk, cows literally went from one to the other on the same day.
Roof raising Hayden says the same yard was used, with the roof for the new shed built in the adjacent paddock as the existing facility continued to operate. The original home farm has been in the family for 40 years, with Hayden and Alecia
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now milking a combined 80 per cent Friesian and 20 per cent Friesian-cross herd. Hayden says the farm name – Niaruo – is spelt out in the pit matting and comes from his ancestors’ stud farm in Scotland, which had a herd of 30 cows. He says staff and cow comfort are key in the new shed, with matting on the pit floor and bail size increased. Features include individual milk metering, drafting and in-bail feeding, with an underpass to the pit included in the design. An upstairs office provides a view over the yard. The milking plant was installed by Hawerabased Better Dairy Solutions. Director Gary Wallace says in the milking area this included feed-heads for the in-bail feeding system, plus associated dispensers and bins.
Better Dairy Solutions also installed automatic milk metering systems, cup removers, clusters, milk and air lines.
Cow Identification Eartag ID technology provided by DeLaval sees a cow’s details read as it comes into the bails. Gary says the DelPro system means farmers can manage each cow individually, even with a large herd. As well as recording milk production, he says the system has the ability to cut-off milking immediately if a health care issue is identified. It also assists with drafting and calving data. Hayden says DelPro is a valuable tool in monitoring cow health as well as milk production, with an interactive screen at the end of the pit and a remote station in the shed underpass.
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Hayden Lawrence, left, with Better Dairy Solutions director Gary Wallace.
The Lawrences opted for a double-up herringbone shed in preference to a more expensive rotary version. Data is stored on the main PC in the farm office. Gary says Better Dairy Solutions worked closely with DeLaval, in association with Hayden and Alecia, from the outset of the project. DeLaval supplied “everything bright and shiny” for a complete working shed, he says. This included clusters, automatic cup removers, in-bail feed system, milk cooling system and vacuum pump. Better Dairy Solutions installed the walkover teat spray system, along with the rub rail, which features water jets to keep the internal shed walls clean. Gary says in the plant room the company was responsible for the milk, cooling and wash down systems for the shed and vat. The vacuum plant installed by Better Dairy Solutions included compressors, dryers and chillers. Pipes are covered to give the area an
uncluttered look, he says. “It’s a good space to work in.” Gary says the Lawrence shed is -edge with its level of automation and technology. Teat spray and conditioner in the milking shed was supplied by FIL. Central and South Taranaki area manager Craig Allen says an iodinebased teat spray is used, along with an emollient conditioner. The product is stored in 200L drums connected to a mixing system.
Spray system It is pumped out at pressure to an automated walk-over spray system, activated by a sensor when the cows exit the milking area, says Craig. He says the system maintains good teat condition in the cows.
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Hayden Lawrence, left, with FIL Central and South Taranaki area manager Craig Allen.
The big screen data monitor. The teat spray includes manuka honey. Craig says the mixing system is calibrated so it can be changed according to the season, such as calving when there is heavier risk of teat damage. Electrical work was undertaken by Hawera-based Chris Perrett Electrical Solutions. Director Chris Perrett says his company bonded all the DeLaval tecnnology and equipment together. “It was a good project,” says Chris. “Something a bit different.” A tidy finish was also important, he says. Chris Perrett Electrical Solutions was also responsible for electrical work associated with the vat, milk plant, hot water cylinders and feed system, plus the vacuum system and compressors.
Chris Perrett Electrical Solutions’ director Chris Perrett. The company installed the big screen data monitor in the pit and LED lighting throughout the facility.
In-bail feeding Ingredients for the in-bail feeding system were supplied by Eltham-based Wonder Minerals. Sales consultant Wayne Trethewey says Hayden Lawrence consulted an animal nutritionist to get the right mix for his herd. This can be adapted according to the respective season, such as the addition of zinc when the herd could be prone to eczema, says Wayne. Regular ingredients include magnesium oxide, lime flower and calcium phosphate. Wayne says the mineral mix is stored in a silo on-site and combined with meal before entering the in-bail feeding system. Wonder Minerals also provides calf meal for the Lawrence property.
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NIARUO FARMS
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Coast & Country
The roof for the new shed was built in an adjacent paddock as the existing facility continued to operate. Photo: supplied.
The nerve centre of the plant room.
Hayden and Alecia use a high-tech monitoring system that collects and analyses physical data for each cow. Clint Brereton, Southern Hemisphere country manager for Austrian-based developers SmaXtec, says sensors in a bolus placed in the cows provide live data on animal health, heat and calving. “It monitors core productivity and rumination activity,” says Clint. Each cow has a unique code relating to its ear-tag number.
High-tech detection Clint says information on a cow’s inner body temperature is invaluable for early disease detection including feverish conditions and metabolic diseases. The system also acts as a heat detector, helping to identify the ideal insemination time for each cow. Clint says SmaXtec detects calving early
through measuring change in a cow’s body temperature. The wireless system transfers data to readers around the farm which ultimately lands in owner’s/staff ’s personal computers or mobile phones. Clint says the system can also be designed to provide farm data to vets/farm advisors on a read-only basis. “It gives an insight into the engine of a cow,” says Clint. Cow comfort in the yard was enhanced by Hamilton-based NZ Cowshed Groovers. Founder Neil Taylor says, as the name suggests, the company cut grooves in the concrete to prevent cows slipping over. A former concrete cutter, he invented the ride-on machine which saws cross-cut grooves into the concrete. Neil says the three-wheeler he used at the Lawrence shed is powered by a four-cylinder diesel motor and has 11 blades cutting
While cutting edge in technology, Hayden Lawrence says the shed is very comfortable for staff and cattle. grooves 8mm deep. Grooving of the Lawrence yard was completed in two parts. “I did half about three years ago, and the other half when the new shed was built, says Neil. Depending on the size and shape of yard, Neil can also use a smaller machine, with seven blades. He says his service can cover 1000 square metres of concrete in two days.
Engineering expertise Preston Engineering, from nearby Kaponga, put together the AI and vet race set-up, plus all the gates and pipes in the yard. Hayden says the old shed had AI facilities, but this just catered for the 150-cow herd. The new, larger set-up is in design and under one-roof, he says. Hawera-based DR Gray completed all painting required for block-work inside and out, says Hayden.
This included the pit walls, milking area and plant room. Hayden says the painting project covered about 120 square metres. “It is easy to clean, and we selected the colour to blend in with the roof.” Hayden says the painting team worked around the building project. “It was quite a challenge as we were still milking every day,” he says. On the farm, Hayden has adopted a comprehensive plan for fertiliser application. Rather than a uniform approach across the property, in 2009/2010 all paddocks were soil sampled and fertiliser applied differentially. Hayden says there is less cost involved in altering the amounts and types of nutrients for each paddock compared to the traditional blanket ‘one rate fits all’ approach. “This was achieved without compromising pasture production and hence milk production on the farm.”
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LEPPER
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Coast & Country
Steve Edwards
Shed construction underway. Graeme Lepper, left, with co-farm owner and son-in-law Andrew Pritchard.
Another chapter has been written in the long history of the Lepper family farming operation in Taranaki. Graeme Lepper has connections to Manutahi Road, near New Plymouth, stretching back more than 160 years. His family’s place in history in the area is marked by the naming of the local town. Lepperton was established as a military settlement in the 1860s and given its title in recognition of Lieutenant Colonel Maxwell Lepper, commander of the 14th Regiment in the Taranaki Militia during the Land Wars. After his retirement the Colonel was allocated a block of land in the settlement. He died about four years later, but the family name remains strong in the area. Married to Robyn, Graeme Lepper is the
Colonel’s great-great-great-grandson. Graeme says Lepperton was originally called Manutahi, “but they had one in South Taranaki as well so this one got changed”.
Historic Homestead The 120-year-old Lepper family homestead remains at the centre of a renowned garden on the Manutahi Rd property. An older home on the property was destroyed by fire. Graeme says the area has grown hugely in recent decades, with former farmland cut up into lifestyle blocks and a subdivision created in Lepperton. “It’s a privilege to still be in an area named after your family,” he says. “There are only a handful of settler families left.” Graeme’s father Dennis started a genealogy
book detailing the family history in the area since the days of Colonel Lepper. Through the generations, the Leppers built on their Manutahi Rd farm holding. While Graeme and Robyn still live in the homestead, ownership is now in the hands of son-in-law Andrew Pritchard and daughter Sarah who were married in her parents’ renowned garden. A former builder, Andrew did a couple of seasons on a dairy farm at Midhurst before coming to Lepperton seven years ago and graduating from manager to sharemilker and more recently leasee. “Graeme is a world of knowledge, but has never told us what to do,” says Andrew. “He is an incredible mentor.” Taking on ownership and the new milking shed was just the way it evolved, he says.
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The new rotary taking form. With two primary-age children, Andrew and Sarah are conscious of the farm’s future as well as its rich past. “We are guardians of the land for this generation,” says Andrew. He says he and Graeme have both always added more infrastructure than immediately required on Manutahi Rd to cater for future generations. “It’s been an amazing journey so far.”
Farm linkage In 1971 Graeme’s father bought 97ha directly across the road from the 155ha home farm, with an underpass linking the two properties. His father built a pioneering 36-bail rotary shed for the home farm and a 12-aside herringbone, since demolished, on the other side of the road.
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Electric-L director Kerry Larsen at the control panel.
Greg Sampson, area manager for FIL in King Country/North & Coastal Taranaki, with detergents his company supplied to the Lepper shed.
BHL Feeds’ North Taranaki sales manager Rob Topless with some of the tasty treats enjoyed in-bail.
The new 50-bail rotary milks two herds of about 230 cows apiece. Five staff are employed, with 2IC Toni Feaver. Graeme and Robyn have been at the helm since the mid-70s, with the yard in the rotary shed replaced nine years ago and technology upgraded over the years including clusters, vacuum pump controller and plate cooler. He says they have been thinking about a new shed since 1980. The 50-bail design features auto plant wash, teat spray and drafting system. Construction was undertaken by Okato-based Brian Hill Building. Director Brian Hill says the project involved demolition of the original rotary shed, replaced by a 50-bail rotary, including the existing yard. Brian says the yard was already big enough to accommodate the new milking shed and 500cow herd. The new rectangular shed and milking
Dairypro directors Alexis Stevens, back left, and Glen Stevens, centre, with GEA Taranaki area sales manager Steve Nolly.
platform was built on the cleared site after the removal of the existing facility.
Design features Brian says the design features an underpass into the middle of the milking platform, separate rooms for the milking plant/hot water cylinders, vacuum pump/switchboard, office, toilet and vat-stand. Skylights in the milking area complement LED lighting. Brian says the walls are made of double-sided, coloured, insulated panels, with ColourSteel used on the roof. Mitre 10 Trade New Plymouth was involved in the Lepper cowshed project through its close supplier relationship to Brian Hill Builders, says marketing & customer experience manager Nicole Attrill. “We have a long-standing supplier
relationship with Brian Hill, so know him and his team well,” she says. Nicole says this was a large-scale project, with Mitre 10 Trade New Plymouth supplying varying aspects for the build. This included solid timber beams, hyspan (laminated) beams, paint, paint accessories, reinforcing steel, mesh, bar chairs, tie wire, various sizes of timber (some machined to profile), sealants, hardware (bolts, nuts, nails, framing brackets), various sizes of plywood, PEF backing rod, steel cut and bend, polythene, aluminium gate, fence panels, posts, drainage channel, Marley spouting (Typhoon and Magnum), door stops and timber mouldings.
Joint effort A combined effort saw the milking plant supplied by GEA Farm Technologies and installed by Dairypro 2010.
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GEA Taranaki area sales manager Steve Nolly says this involved both new and recycled equipment from the old shed. Steve worked closely with Dairypro directors Alexis and Glen Stevens on platform technology and automation including cup removers, clusters, teat-spray and in-bail feeding. Both companies also supplied and installed the plant wash, vat wash and vacuum systems. Detergents for shed hygiene and teat spray were provided by FIL. Greg Sampson, area manager for King Country/North & Coastal Taranaki, says the washdown system – milk plant and vat – involves acids, alkalis and chlorine. The chemicals are automatically measured, mixed and pumped through the milk lines every day and the vat after each collection. Greg says the acid and alkali is stored in 200L drums, and the chlorine in a 60L container.
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Brian Hill Building director Brian Hill, left, with Graeme Lepper. For hygiene and cow care, FIL’s automated IntelliBlend system includes teat spray and emollient, which is pumped from holding drums and delivered to each bail. “It gets sprayed on (for 2.5 seconds) three seconds after the cups are off,” says Greg. In-bail feed for the Lepper herd comes from BHL Feeds at nearby Bell Block.
Feed blend North Taranaki sales manager Rob Topless says the feed is a harvest blend with ingredients including palm kernel, barley and molasses. Rob says the meal is stored in two 12 tonne silos from an existing feed operation changed two years ago – the manual mixing system is now automated – in anticipation of the shed renovation. Two augers and a molasses line move the material from the silos into the pit area, with associated dispensers and bins.
Graeme Lepper, left, with 2IC Toni Feaver and co-owner Andrew Pritchard.
Rob says the feed mix can be changed, with additives such as zinc included, as cows enjoy a seasonal diet. He says a cow, fed at both morning and afternoon milkings, will consume about half-atonne of meal per year. Andrew says they place a particular emphasis on cow condition and know the importance of diet in the milking herd. This extends to a similar mix of supplements fed in-paddock, says Andrew. All electrical requirements, from the power pole to distribution board with MCC (motor control centre), were designed and built by Electric-L in New Plymouth. Director Kerry Larsen says the electrical system at the Lepper shed was purposedesigned, and included a central MCC, VSD platform drive system and an automated in-bail feeding system. A previously designed and installed backing gate control system by Electric-L was relocated into the new cowshed.
Coast & Country
A view across the yard which combined old and new in the 50-bail rotary project. The shed is buffered by established trees and plants.
“It is all site-specific,” says Kerry. Electric-L’s work also included wiring up the VSD milk plant vacuum pump, milk lift pump, milk plant power supplies, vat refrigeration and milk cooling system.
Future-proofing They also installed water pumps, LED cowshed and area lighting, digital temperature control of hot water cylinders, office and ablutions and all other site power and data with future-proofing in mind for years to come. Painting in and around the platform was conducted by Surfatex from Foxton. Director Glen Sinclair says the company painted concrete walls all around the milking platform, plus the pit and underpass. Surfatex used its specialist Acraflex dairy wall coating throughout. Glen says this hardwearing coating is specially designed for shed hygiene and easy cleaning in the dairy industry. He says walls are prepped with hydrochloric
acid, with a grinder then used to smooth off rough edges. The paint is sprayed on using a seven-coat system, finished with a solvent glaze. Earthworks on the Lepper project were undertaken by Busby Contracting. Graeme Lepper says this included demolition work on the old shed. A year earlier Busby Contracting cut a bank away on-site in preparation for the enlarged shed. Graeme says preparation of the new site included digging out for the platform, along with some drainage work. “They moved quite a bit of material over a few days.” Coastal Welders from Okato were engaged to help in the project by Brian Hill Builders. Graeme Lepper says this contribution included all the trusses for the new building, including supports and beams. Coastal Welders made the required elements at their workshop, then assembled them onsite, says Graeme.
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LEPPER
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Gypsum is one of those rare materials that performs in all categories of soil treatment: an amendment, conditioner and fertiliser. It is useful in the transition period in dairy cows 2 – 4 weeks pre & post calving, and can be used as an anionic salt to counteract the effects that high potassium & sodium concentrations have on increasing hypocalcemia. Gypsum, a readily available form of calcium, is 100 times more soluble than lime and is more suitable for the digestive system during this period. Gypsum in fertilising Soil tests for many areas in New Zealand show that sulphur deficiency is wide spread. Although the importance of this element is often overlooked, sulphur is needed in at least equal quantities to phosphorus. Many responses in crops are sulphur responses arising from the sulphate radical (SO4‑‑), rather than phosphate responses. • Readily dissociates into free calcium ions (Ca++) and sulphate ions (SO4‑‑), major elements in plant nutrition • Has an approximately neutral pH and can be used in heavy applications without causing undue alkalinity in soils
Gypsum in water savings • Promotes water infiltration, retention and conservation • Allows water to penetrate the soil without forming puddles or water logging • Conserves water by stretching intervals between irrigations • Tests show that farmland treated with gypsum requires up to 33% less water than soils without recent gypsum application
Gypsum in soil conditioning • Breaks up soils compacted by sodium and clay, and compounded by farm animals and machinery • Reduces cracking and compaction following irrigation and retards soil crusting • Allows soil to dry more quickly after rain or irrigation so that it may be worked sooner • Decreases energy requirements for tillage • Binds organic matter to soil and checks soil erosion • Enhances friendly bacterial action and discourages plant diseases related to poor soil aeration • Conditioned soil allows for deeper, healthier root development and water penetration
Gypsum in amendment • Displaces sodium binding clay soils • Reduces high soil aluminium levels • Suppresses the soil acidification effects of growing crops and the prolonged use of acidifying fertilisers
For further information please contact your local farm supplier or Telephone: 0800 100 442 Visit our website at www.gypsum.co.nz
TWIN CREEK DAIRY
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Coast & Country
Steve Edwards
James and Stacey Wallace with children Ashton and Emilia. Absent is daughter Karley.
A Pukekohe property has gone from high-fashion to highprotein production. The Wallace family now milk 750 sheep on a 90ha farm along the aptly named Ostrich Farm Road. In the late 1880s it was part of a 1400ha block – Helvetia – which stretched from Whitford to Pukekohe and ran 500 ostriches to fulfil the fashion needs of the women of the day. Today, James and Stacey Wallace supply Spring Sheep New Zealand, based at Innovation Park in Hamilton. The family’s connection with the property goes back 50 years when James’ father Barrie worked for a calf-rearing operation run by what is now Wilson Hellaby.
A side-on aerial view of the sheep milking facility. Photo: Don Chapman Waikato.
In 1987 Barrie and his wife Sandra took over a 30ha block, continuing to rear calves while also entering into commercial vegetable growing.
Trial and error After some trial and error with various crops including buttercup squash, beans, peas and onions, Barrie says they started to specialise in courgettes about 20 years ago. The holding grew, including some leased land, to cater for the courgettes, calf-rearing and sheep (grazing/fattening). James had been leasing a property at Karaka, milking sheep, bringing that operation home to Twin Creek Dairy in 2018. The romney-cross sheep were replaced with his milkers – East Friesian sheep. James and Stacey use about 90 per cent of the property for their sheep milking operation,
with his parents continuing to use the balance for calf-rearing and courgettes (sold commercially). Plans to start building a milking shed in February 2020 were halted by Covid, but eventually completed in April. Bails for the 30-aside operation came from James’ previous operation at Karaka, with the milking shed designed to fit around this by Morrinsville-based Chapman Dairy.
Safe future James says the pit has been future-proofed to accommodate a 40-aside system. A 40-aside herringbone system was tried out initially on the farm, but James says the sheep hated it and a replacement straight bail design has proved highly successful. A milking time of six hours involving three
to four staff has been cut to two-and-a-half hours and two people. James asked Morrinsville-based Chapman Dairy to design a shed that would be modern, efficient, and future-proofed so it can easily have add ons at a later date when needed. “They succeeded on all accounts,” he says. “The flow of the shed is incredible. The sheep run to the shed and flow through with ease, hence the reason we did not purchase a backing gate. It is not needed.” The roof was extended slightly over the yard so it can hold five rows under cover. James says this ensures that no animals are left out in the weather on the yard for any more than 20 minutes, eliminating the need for a covered yard. “They also exit quickly either through the drafting race or through the foot-bath, making animal health an easy chore.”
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The rectangular yard, built by Don Chapman Waikato, is linked by new and existing farm races.
The Wallace family – Sandra, left, Ashton, Barrie, James and Stacey, holding Emilia. Flocking into the milking shed at Twin Creek Dairy. Chapman Dairy director Don Chapman says he worked around using the existing bails – a parallel stall system – from Karaka in his design at Twin Creek Dairy. This included the roof extension, while he says it was also made higher than the usual cow dairy design to allow for rapid exit by the sheep.
Built with purpose The pit is lower to cater for the lower udder of the sheep compared to cows. Don designed the milk room and office to fit the client’s requirements. Built on a green-field site by Don Chapman Waikato, the shed links with new and existing races. A new transformer was required to power the facility, while water comes from an existing bore. James adopted a “keep it simple” approach to milking and washdown equipment – manual cup removal and teat wash.
“We decided not to install an automatic wash system and we feel our decision has been justified. It only takes two people 15 minutes to put the wash through and hose out due to the low mess the sheep make and the Waikato Milking System’s equipment we installed.” Washdown of the yard is via a good oldfashioned high-pressure hose, however, to meet industry and council compliance requirements, an effluent disposal system was built, including a gravel pit and holding pond. The building project included a milk-room, with capacity for future expansion, and an office. James opted for multiple variable-drive pumps to keep electricity costs down, including the vacuum pump, washdown and shed water pumps. In the yard there is a gas-powered sheep cradle used to inspect and treat and animals’ feet. Covers have been placed on rails at the
The youngest members of the flock.
entrance and exit to the milking area to help with sheep focus and flow. James says the sheep have also learnt quickly that a meal dispenser lies at the head of each of the bails.
Nutritional diet With help from a nutritionist to establish the best type of feed, the system James installed provides each sheep with 800g per day over two milkings. Two staff handle the twice-a-day milking – with James on call – plus another to help out during lambing. Milk is collected twice a week by Spring Sheep, with the season running from mid-July to the end of April. In the future James is looking at installing a Halo milk monitoring system; “mainly to measure milk volumes so we can instantly
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gauge how the sheep are performing without having to wait for the tanker pick-up.” Associated with the milking facility is a 820 square metre lambing shed, where youngsters are fed and raised from birth to five-weeks-old. Bedded on wood chips, they are separated into groups according to age and enjoy a diet of powdered milk and solids. James says the shed can hold up to 600 lambs. Effluent from the milking shed is managed via a system designed and built by AgFirst Engineering from Te Awamutu. Director and engineering consultant Davieth Verheij says the company initially looked at the farm’s layout, flock size and soil structure to help in the pond calculation and irrigation design. A 600 cubic metre polyethylene-lined pond was built, along with an associated sand-trap. This receives effluent from the milking shed, via a 50mm PVC pipe, in a gravity-fed system.
TWIN CREEK DAIRY
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Coast & Country
AgFirst Engineering director and engineering consultant Davieth Verheij in front of the sandtrap associated with the farm effluent system.
Easy entry at Twin Creek Dairy. The 600 cubic metre polyethylene-lined effluent pond designed and built by AgFirst Engineering. Davieth says the pond provides a month’s storage, with irrigation to pasture from it undertaken on one day a month. A high-capacity PTO pump feeds a travelling rain gun with 35 cubic metres of material an hour.
Pond setup The pond liner was provided and installed by Auckland-based Viking Containment. Brent Whitehead, head of company sales and installation, says the liner required 1000 square metres of high-density polyethylene. Made in Malaysia, the material comes in 1.7 tonne rolls, with the Twin Creek Dairy project using just under a full roll, says Brent. Eight-metre-wide strips were welded together by a self-propelled machine which he says heats the material to 400 degree C and covers three metres a minute. Jeff says the liner was laid on a geotechtile
cushion layer covering the earth pond and anchored around its perimeter. A team of four from Viking Containment completed the job in a day. The feed system at Twin Creek Dairy was provided by Landmore Agri from nearby Pukekohe. Project manager Matt King says this included a 16-tonne zinc-coated silo which supplies meal to dispensers – two per bail – in the milking shed. The feed is transported through PVC piping by way of an auger, powered by a threephase motor. Matt says the amount of feed is regulated by a slide control on each of the clear plastic dispensers in the bails. As each row of sheep walk out after milking the dispensers are re-filled for the next row. The tasty treats enjoyed by the milking flock at Twin Creek Dairy comes courtesy of Takanini Feeds.
Landmore Agri project manager Matt King in front of the 16-tonne feed silo which supplies meal to dispensers in the sheep milking shed.
Business development manager Clare Burndred says grain-based pellets were made specifically for the farm. “In different seasons a different mix may be required, so we can change it to suit.”
Sweet treat A 12-tonne load of the feed is sent out to the Pukekohe property every 2-3 weeks, says Clare. Takanini Feeds also provides the Wallaces with bagged feed for the lambs – a type of muesli with molasses. With the added sweetener, Clare says the youngsters do not require a lot of training to tuck in. She says the amount and type of feed prescribed for the milking flock is based on aspects including the amount of pasture available and the season of the year. “You have a base pellet, which can be adjusted with different ingredients,” says Clare.
Takanini Feeds’ business development manager Clare Burndred with some tasty treats on offer for the Twin Creek Dairy flock.
The milking shed at Twin Creek Dairy was built by Morrinsville-based Don Chapman Waikato. Director Shanan White says his team developed the facility on the greenfield site around the existing bails brought across from Karaka by James Wallace. “The shed specs were to accommodate the bails,” he says.
The shape A rectangular yard was built, linking with new and existing farm races, to provide a good flow to and from the milking area. Shanan says the pit has an overhanging lip to cover water and cabling systems, also catering for any future expansion/changes in technology. With four staff on site, his company’s role also included construction of the new milk-room and office at Twin Creek Dairy. Milking equipment was provided by Waikato Milking Systems.
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The lambing shed can hold up to 600 lambs.
Waikato/Northland sales manager Gary Feeney says it was during Covid lockdown when WMS was asked to price a basic swingover milking system for James Wallace. He says the milking machine is a standard 30 swing-over with ITP sheep clusters and a 76mm milk line. “We included a blank section of milk line, enabling James to increase to 40 sets in the future.” Gary says the pulsator airline is 63mm, with WMS pulsation running at 180ppm at a 50:50 ratio. The receiving can and sanitary trap are a 90L/60L combination, while the main air line is 76mm. He says James requested a flexible impellor milk pump controlled by a 2.2kW variable speed drive. Milk filtration is via a WMS Maxi filter and cooling via a 7000L Sondex double bank PHE. The vacuum system is a BP400 blower type
TWIN CREEK DAIRY
Milking time with staff member Fiona Libeau.
vacuum pump controlled by a 15kW variablespeed drive, says Gary. “A point of difference with WMS is the use of stainless steel for all milk and air lines. The standard option for filtered air is PVC (as this is atmospheric pressure) however this can be stainless steel if requested.
Covid impact “Covid did produce some challenges, as I’m sure other service providers have experienced,” says Gary. “It did necessitate having a ‘Plan B’ and in some cases a ‘Plan C’ and a lot of afterhours organising.” “The end result is a simplistic, easy-to-use mono slope sheep herringbone.” All electrical work was undertaken by Pukekohe-based EW Electrical. Director Eamonn Wallbutton says this included a new switchboard linked to a PTOdriven generator, which acts as a back up in
Staff member Abbie concentrating on the job at hand.
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Don Chapman Waikato director Shanan White in front of the Wallace shed.
case of power failure on the property. EW handled all electrical requirements in the pit, plant room and office. Out in the milking area, EW fitted the general power and lighting systems required. Eamonn says his team also worked on the control panel and associated wiring for the vat and chiller units. Refrigeration and compressor units were brought over from the Karaka property and wired-in by EW. Eamonn says 2-5 staff worked on site for about 260 hours from mid-May to mid-August.
Blank canvas This was the first sheep dairy operation EW has tackled and he pretty much started with a blank canva” at the Wallace property. James Wallace says EW Electrical was always
one step ahead of the rest and completed a tidy, efficient job ahead of schedule. The 45kVA generator was supplied by Norwood Pukekohe. Dealership manager Andrew Jameson says the Italian-made device is powered by a tractor PTO, with 1500rpm producing 50Hz. “You power up the tractor and lights are green,” says Andrew. “It is pretty fool-proof.” He says the generator is a sound back-up to the regular power supply on the Wallace property. “It’s something farmers should be thinking about.” Pit walls were finished courtesy of Acraflex Specialised Coatings from Waiuku. Director and franchise-holder Bruce Cameron says the long-lasting, easy clean coating is acrylic-based with a special glaze. It is also resistant to alkalis and acids, he says. Bruce says the material is sprayed on then rolled and sprayed again. “It’s equivalent to about 10 coats of paint.”
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CAWTE
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Coast & Country
Clare Bayly
George Cawte, Farm owner; Gary Feeney, Waikato Milking System’s regional manager sales and service; Jeremy Collett and Nick Heffer, Qubik.
George Cawte at the entrance to his state-of-theart herringbone.
The range of technology George Cawte incorporated into his new herringbone dairy on the outskirts of Otorohanga positions it as one of the most innovative in the country. But that’s only one accolade; the important one for George is how it has transformed the entire milking experience.
“That, and the fact that the tanker track went over a river and the tanker loop wasn’t big enough supported the decision to build new. “We considered a rotary but the cost and maintenance of running the platform didn’t appeal and the fact that I could get all the technology bells and whistles of a rotary, in a herringbone, was the clincher.”
The farm George and his wife Teresa purchased from his parents in 2009 had a 30-aside herringbone built in the 1970s. “The old shed had served us well, my parents milking in it from the early 1990s when they moved here, but a lot of work was needed to bring it up to current standards,” says George.
Building the new 40-aside dairy on a fresh location on the farm meant George and Teresa weren’t pushed to get the facility completed to a specific time frame. “Groundwork for the new dairy started in February 2019 and, at the time, we thought it might have been possible to be in the new dairy
Fresh location
DAIRY TECH DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND AUTOMATION SYSTEMS
The collection yard can hold 400 cows. for the start of the 2019/2020 season. The reality, however, was that it was a really busy season for building and renovating dairies in this district; our contractors were under pressure and, with the luxury of a still-functioning-shed, we were happy for our contractors to put others before us.” The first milking of the 320 cow herd in the new dairy took place on October 1, 2019. “That timing coincided with peak milk, which isn’t an ideal time to introduce cows to a new environment and technology but the fact that the herd adapted smoothly speaks volumes for the design of the new dairy.” The design of the new dairy and yards was developed by George in concert with Dairy Tech’s Peter Grey.
Dairy Tech is a dairy design and construction company based in Otorohanga, Waikato. The company has been providing quality design solutions and construction integrity for farm dairies since 1985.
Sheds speak Known to shun the limelight, Dairy Tech principal, Peter Grey, prefers his dairy sheds to speak for him and George says they certainly do that. The Cawte building combines form and function in a low, streamlined building which houses the dairy’s milk, pump and store rooms, with a spacious light-filled milking environment and yards specially designed to optimise the dairy’s technology.
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The low, streamlined dairy was constructed on a fresh site on the farm.
The pit in the light-filled dairy is 200mm wider than standard to accommodate the swing arms. “Right from the planning stages we had a clear view of what technology would be included in the new build enabling Dairy Tech to design the dairy and yards to accommodate it.” The pit is 200mm wider than standard to accompany swing arms and manual exit gates are easily operated. The collection yard can hold 400 cows and the exit yard (leading into the drafter) holds an entire row - 40 cows meaning that the cows calmly file through the drafter and into the race.
Must-haves The exterior of the dairy is constructed of concrete slabs featuring a rough-cast finish which satisfies two of George’s ‘must-haves’ – low maintenance and high permanence.
The Landmore feed system provides a measured amount of feed to each cow.
The Navigate ID system is positioned at the entrance to each row.
The Waikato Milking Systems’ Supa 4 Mid-Line System ensures correct alignment of clusters.
The interior of the dairy – walls and pit – feature Acraflex fleck coating applied by Modern Coatings of Waiuku which specialises in the application of dairy and industrial wall coatings. George wanted a wall finish which would be attractive, hard wearing, easily maintained and long life and Acraflex Dairy Wall Coating meets all those requirements. When it came to the heart of the dairy – its milking technology – George turned to a company and product he was familiar with and had confidence in – Waikato Milking Systems installed by Te Awamutu’s Qubik. Bail ID has been around in rotary dairies for the last five to ten years but the Cawte dairy is the first Waikato Milking Systems’ herringbone in New Zealand with individual Animal ID.
As the cows enter the row, the Waikato Milking Systems Bail Entrance ID identifies the cow and her position in the row, enabling the Yield Indicator milk volume sensor which, combined with the dairy’s Navigate Dairy Management system, tracks each animal’s milking performance.
management. Any husbandry or planning interaction with the animal can be added to the herd’s records so, at a glance, George has oversight of production, calvings, heats, matings, health issues etc. The dairy is equipped with Qubik Auto Plant Wash and Automatic Vat Wash systems. Milk chilling is provided by a Qubik 30kW Chilled Water System and 25,000L Concrete Tank (for improved insulation) plus a new Vat Refrigeration Unit. George admits to “watching the drafter like a hawk in the first few weeks of AB last year but it was fantastic, really reliable. I could set up a draft and sort out cows for mating or cull cows and didn’t even have to be at the shed to do it. “The more I used it, the better it was.
Time saving The dairy is equipped with SmartD-TECT (Mastitis detection) and ECR PLUS Swing Arm cup removers for improved cup alignment and reduced labour and milking times. The exit yard holds one row, enabling the cows to quietly flow through the NaviGate Advance Drafting system which combines three-way drafting integrated with herd
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Coast & Country The exterior of the dairy features exposed aggregate, ensuring long life and low maintenance.
The six million litre effluent pond.
The Race Works Wrangler ‘does what it says it does’ says George Cawte.
Interior walls and pit feature Acraflex fleck coating applied by Modern Coatings.
The Landmore ‘Big Dutchman’ grain silos.
The spacious milk room.
Cows are fed a customised dry feed blend from GrainCorp Feeds. George says the feed contains a mineral mix which is varied to meet the cows’ nutritional requirements at different times of the year.
Accurate delivery The grain is delivered to the dairy from a Landmore dairy feed system with two 16 tonne storage silos, 90mm delivery lines and individual dispensers. The system accurately delivers a specific amount of feed to each cow. Pumpn supplied water and effluent systems for the new dairy. A Grundfos variable speed wash down system ensures constant smooth pressure on demand for all hand-held hose. Washing of the round yard is done with green
wash via a custom yard scraper. A second pump cleans the yard with no manual labour, saving fresh water and producing less effluent. Effluent from the dairy is diverted via a twin weeping wall solids bunker with large custom stainless steel Vibe Panels to remove solids and sand. From there it gravity feeds to a six million litre lined pond. The pond is stirred by a Pumpn shore position pond stirrer to desludge and eliminate crust to improve effluent concentrate. Paddocks are irrigated by a multi-stage selfprimer pump via flow meters and a travelling cannon to achieve 12L per second pump rate and low application. George Cawte says the Race Works Wrangler is invaluable. “The double belly straps hold
The Waikato Milking Systems Navigate drafter enables three way drafting. and prevent the cow from going down so I can committing to working together and delivering a quality product. treat any lameness issues. I had one in the old “The farm team – 2IC Hohepa Hemara and shed and really wouldn’t try to manage without assistant Joe Dictaan – found the technology it. Wrangler does the job it’s supposed to do making what can be a difficult job, for operator intuitive and easy to use right from the first day. It adds a whole new dynamic to the and cow, simple, effective and quick.” milking routine making it a pleasure and not a chore. It is taking us just over an hour to milk Happy ending 320 cows and we’re really enjoying milking. Twelve months on from the first milking, “The technology I’ve incorporated is another George and his team Hohepa Hemara and Joe set of eyes and hands which ensures that, no Dictaan, are very pleased with the new dairy. matter who is milking, the herd gets the same “Teresa and I put a lot of planning into this level of consistency and accuracy from every new dairy. It’s a significant investment and our animal interaction. expectations were very high. I’m pleased to say “Any member of the team, if required, the dairy has lived up to them. can easily operate the dairy on their own “The contractors behind the construction – milking, drafting and attending to animal and fit-out of the new dairy were fantastic – all health. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
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GREENPARK SHEEP
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Coast & Country
Clare Bayly
From left, Brad, Andrew, Paul and Kieran White.
The running of the sheep – the flock on the run to the dairy.
You see the dust cloud before you see its creator – 860 sheep ‘stampeding’ down the race of an Otorohanga farm, bound for milking. Farmer Paul White says it’s a sight which causes him to pause and re˜ ect on the path he and his sons, Kieran and Brad, have followed since they made the decision to switch from cow to sheep dairy a little more than a year ago. In contrast to sheep grazed in mobs for wool or meat, dairy sheep are accustomed to twice daily handling and relish the maize which is on o° er in the dairy – hence the rush to get there. ˛ at, says Paul, is just one of the contrasts he notices after a lifetime of milking cows. “Dianne and I have dairy farmed at Ngahape for 35 years. Our boys – Kieran, Brad and Andrew – grew up on the farm but developed
corporate careers, Kieran as a ÿ nancial analyst, Brad a rural banker and Andrew in the airforce,” says Paul.
Crossroads
“Aspirations change over time, however, and we found ourselves at a crossroads – Dianne and I wanting to step back and the boys wanting to return to farming. “˛ ose talks resulted in Andrew taking up the contract to milk on the home farm but neither Brad nor Kieran were interested in milking cows. However, the prospect of being trailblazers for the emerging sheep milking industry appealed. Financially and environmentally it stacked up. “In December 2019 we purchased an 81 hectare dairy farm north of Otorohanga. It was a great property with a new e˙ uent system but pretty-much everything else needed to be
Converting the dairy from cows to sheep saw the roof extended by five metres. converted to enable the farm to transition from milking cows to sheep. We planned to start with 860 ewes and increase the ˜ ock to around 1200 ewes.” Settlement date for the new farm was June 1, but thanks to ‘wonderful vendors’ the White family were able to start work on the conversion on May 20. “A priority, after securing the property, was to call the contractors who would work on the conversion. We’d elected to ‘go local – a decision which proved to be prophetic (in hindsight) because of the subsequent pandemic and closing of the borders. “We gave them six months’ notice that we were converting the farm and they’d need to be there from day one and work until it was completed because we had to get it done in a very tight timeframe. We needed people we’d
worked with before, people we could trust to commit and work to the time constraints we were facing.”
More work As if revamping the farm in six months wasn’t enough, the family also decided to upgrade one of the farm houses. On cue, the team of contractors converged on the property – LB Fencing, Wolvers Contracting, Qubik/Waikato Milking Systems, Landmore Agri plus electricians, plumbers etc. ˛ e paddock subdivision in place on the farm was suitable for sheep but the fencing, designed for cows, needed extra wires. Erecting ÿ ve wire fences, three of which are electriÿ ed, was carried out by Luke Brown of LB Fencing and Fred Hawkins.
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GREENPARK SHEEP
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Blindings streamline entry to the dairy and ensure good flow.
Ewes during milking showing the bail gates in operation. The White family with the contracting team who turned up on day one and worked to get the conversion done in time for lambing. From left Wolvers Contracting Paul Wolvers, Landmore Agri’s Shayne King, farmer Paul White, Qubik’s Nick Heffer, farmer Andrew White, Waikato Milking Systems Gary Feeney, farmers Kieran and Brad White. At the same time Paul Wolvers, of Paul Wolvers Contracting Ltd, widened race crossings to eliminate pinch points, cleaned drains, formed raceways, levelled out fence lines for the fencers, widened and upgraded the tanker track, and helped with improvements around the milking shed. ˜ e farm had good cattle troughs but they were too high for sheep, so pumice was laid around the exterior, raising the ground level so the sheep could reach the water. ˜ ey also arranged blocks inside the troughs to act as steps so any wayward lambs, falling into the water, could get out.
Just in time ˜ e fencing, races, drain and trough work were partly completed by the time the 860 ° ock of in-lamb ewes arrived on farm on
June 8. Lambing started on July 20 and ÿ nished on September 16, with milking underway on August 10. Converting the 18-aside herringbone to a 40-aside sheep dairy would see the builder extend the roof by ÿ ve metres and raise the platform 300mm to a height of 1m to accommodate the change in stature of cows to ewes. Blindings were also attached to the yards and entrance to funnel sheep into the dairy and a transportable foot bath (used once a day to prevent scold and foot rot) was built for the exit race. In tandem with the work at the dairy, the builder and his team also carried out renovations to the farm house. Choice of a milking system saw Paul and his sons install the ÿ rst Waikato Milking Systems’
The 16 tonne ‘Big Dutchman’ silo from Landmore Agri has 90mm feed lines to the dairy. 40-aside AGILI Rapid Exit Sheep Dairy in New Zealand. “It’s a great piece of engineering and design capable of milking up to 1200 sheep,” says Paul. ˜ e system features the new Waikato Milking Systems MCU, a state-of-the-art Milking Control Unit. ˜ e combined pulsator and cup remover can also have optional milk yield measuring capabilities.
Bells and whistles Installed by Te Awamutu’s Qubik, the dairy has ‘all the bells and whistles’ including a special rotary lobe milk pump which maintains milk quality. A Qubik automatic plant wash system frees milkers to focus on other areas of the farming system, conÿ dent a complete wash cycle is carried e˝ ciently and e˙ ectively. In contrast with cows, milking sheep is ‘a
speed a˙ air’, far faster than milking cows with each row of 40 ewes taking around six minutes. Sensors in the MCU detect when milk ° ow ceases, activating the cup removers and avoiding over-milking. Paul quipped that Kieran and Brad are now much ÿ tter than they were when they started milking the ° ock. “You’re on the move the entire time.” ˜ e system is conÿ gured so minimal labour is required while still enabling a high throughput. Ideally one person will be able to milk the ° ock, freeing others to get the second or third ° ock to the shed for milking. ˜ e New Zealand-made Landmore Agri dairy feed system features a single 16 tonne storage silo with 90mm feed delivery lines, which feed maize through one dispenser per two sheep.
Milking Systems Effluent Management Refrigeration + Water Reticulation
Milk with confidence
Oubik are proud to have supplied and installed the new sheep milking system, water reticulation, refrigeration and pre-cooling system for Paul & Dianne White.
GREENPARK SHEEP
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Landmore Agri’s Shayne King says the dairy feed system’s manual adjustment enables feed to be customised to each bail.
Close up of a sheep cluster attached to the auto wash jetter.
Nick Heffer from Qubik checks out the Waikato Milking Systems’ Milking Control Units.
Kieran White – the two cup clusters are smaller and easier to handle than those for cows.
The ground around the outside of the cattle troughs was raised so the sheep can reach the water.
˜ e system has a manual adjustment which enables feed to be customised to each bail. On average, each ewe receives between 300 and 400 grams of maize at each milking.
First milking ˜ e in-lamb ewes are a mix of the main northern hemisphere dairy sheep breeds – East Friesian, Awassi and Lacaune on a Coopworth base – purchased from Maui Milk, which pioneered sheep milking in the Taupo region in 2017. Maui Milk also collects Greenpark Sheep’s milk, processing it into pure milk powder at the Innovation Park in Hamilton. Paul White says the majority of the 860 sheep were ewes, with around 200 hoggets, so most of them ‘knew the ropes’. ˜ ey knew they’d be fed in the dairy and this desire to ‘get in’ certainly helped over the ÿ rst few days as they got used to the new dairy.
“After around ÿ ve days they were coming in very happily. You simply open the gate to the paddock, and they run down the race. ˜ ere’s no need for a backing gate; they’re really keen to get into the bails and start feeding. “At the start we had three people milking but now Kieran and Brad are milking 400 ewes per hour. All up it takes around 2.5 hours to milk the ˛ ock.”
Relax in time Kieran and Brad say the lifestyle, milking sheep, is similar to cows but they anticipate that over time it will be more relaxed as sheep have a shorter milking season, drying o˝ around March. ˜ e environmental aspect of sheep milking was a drawcard for the White family. “We don’t have the pugging issue you get with cows – all those little hooves ˛ atten and
Coast & Country
improve the pasture. We’ve planted 40 shade trees but that’s just a start – we want to provide as much shade from the sun as we can. ˜ e sheep will be shorn twice a year for animal health reasons, not wool price. “And the environment in the dairy is completely di˝ erent to cows – there’s no e˙ uent in the pit so there’s no need for Kieran and Brad to wear aprons. ˜ e ˛ ock is quiet, eager to be milked and don’t kick.” Paul, Kieran and Brad admit the past year, since taking over the farm, has been frantic. “We barely had time to pause and re˛ ect. “In hindsight, going with New Zealandmade products was a huge advantage because everything was in the country. It doesn’t bear thinking how we’d have managed had aspects of our new dairy been overseas when the country closed its borders during the Covid lockdowns,” says Paul.
“Transitioning from cow to sheep milking has been a huge learning curve but we’ve had tremendous support from our contractors and suppliers. We simply couldn’t have done it without them. ˜ ey committed to being here from day one and went over and above to see us right.
Right move “We’re convinced making the move to sheep dairy was the right move – for the family and the farm. “Kieran and Brad and their partners are enjoying the transition to farm life. ˜ ey all agree they have a higher quality of life than they had in the city and are continuing the family’s farming tradition, albeit it in a new and emerging industry. “Sheep milking is an industry for the present but, more importantly, the future, so we’re pretty happy.”
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GLENKYLIE FARM
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Coast & Country
Clare Bayly
From left, Southland Electrical and Refrigeration’s Gerhard Lategan, Audrey and Rex Stevenson with grandson Tom, Craig Stevenson and Southland Farm Services’ Mark McMillan.
Rainwater is collected off the vast roof and used for stock water.
No matter what Southland weather throws at it, the Stevenson herd will be warm and dry in a new state-ofthe-art barn. Viewed from any angle or perspective, the barn is spectacular. Its roof covers a 137m x 38m barn with a central aisle with feed areas and cow stalls to either side. And, importantly, it ticks all the boxes from an environmental perspective, by enabling the family to manage nutrient loading. Rex and Audrey Stevenson farm the 200ha Isla Bank property, which is half an hour from Invercargill, in partnership with son Craig. “We had a run-off at Te Anau Basin, which was used for winter grazing of the dairy herd, dairy beef and young stock,” says Craig. “Managing that block was a significant time constraint so, when Mum and Dad decided
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they would scale back, we talked about the options. Those included selling the run-off and leasing grazing but the uncertainty of the right land being available when you need it posed a risk to the business, so we opted to build a barn big enough to house the herd and most in-calf heifers in winter and during extreme weather. Young Stock are kept on the run-off.” The process to build the barn began more than two years before the cows entered the building for the first time. “The consent process is very complex,” explains Rex, “but we eventually got a resource consent and, after delays due to weather and Covid, construction commenced in October 2019 and was completed in May 2020.
Prioritising comfort After looking at a variety of options, the Stevensons opted for a Comfort Cow Barn.
Southland Farm Services’ Mark McMillan says Comfort Cow Barns are an outcome of a joint venture between Southland Farm Services and two local building companies, one of which builds each barn – in this case Milne Building Contractors Ltd. “Comfort Cow Barns provide extra space for cows, allowing them to move, turn around, socialise and feed,” says Mark. “The Stevenson’s barn was sized to house 602 cows and features three rows of 1200mm wide free-stalls either side of the central feed lane. DeLaval free-stalls enable each cow to lie down and rest in a natural position.
Two levels “The floor of the barn has two levels, the stall area is raised above the scraper and feed alleys to provide a warm and dry area for the cows. Comfort is ensured with 40mm DeLaval Cow
Mattresses, which have a soft interior encased in a waterproof envelope resistant to manure, urine, milk acids, UV light and micro-organisms making it easy to clean and long lasting.” The scraper and feed alleys each feature two hybrid DeLaval chain scrapers, which move up and down the barn collecting effluent at set times. The scraper system has a pressure sensor that stops it should it detect a cow lying down. Gathered effluent is deposited into a channel from where it is transferred to a Hy-pond pond and through a separator before sending liquid to one of two 2.7 million litre effluent ponds, and solids to a storage bin for spreading onto the family’s 80ha run-off. Construction of the new barn commenced in October 2019 with development of the site, adjacent to the dairy and calf rearing sheds, carried out by earthworks contractor Dave Halder.
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Southland Electrical and Refrigeration’s Gerhard Lategan.
The cows line up to use the barn’s eight Delaval Swinging Cow Brushes.
Once the site was developed, Wreys Bush Concrete undertook concreting of the barn’s dual level concrete floor and yards. Milne Building Contractors constructed the steel framing and yarding, roof (which has an 18 degree pitch to facilitate air flow) and stalls complete with eight Delaval Swinging Cow Brushes and 12 water troughs. The barn is closed at one end with curtains on the western side, providing shelter from the prevailing wind.
Investment payback The fit-out of the stalls, water pipes, mattresses, DeLaval Swinging Cow brushes and effluent system was undertaken by Southland Farm Services. BB Cunningham applied a coating of Acraflex paint to the concrete floor where silage is deposited by the tractor to prevent scratching of the cows’ noses and mouths and to protect the concrete from erosion. Southland Electrical and Refrigeration’s Gerhard Lategan says the electrical componentry in the new barn is ‘state of the art’. “We installed induction lines in the concrete – close to each side of the central aisle – which guide the DeLaval OptiDuo Robotic Feed pusher that refreshes and repositions silage for easy access by the cows,” says Gerhard. “The roller door at the closed end of the barn has photocell technology, which detects when the robotic feed pusher is activated, opening and closing the door
A cow drinks from one of the 12 water troughs in the barn.
Cows relaxing in the DeLaval Staff Dividers on the DeLaval Cow Mattresses.
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The DeLaval OptiDuo Robotic Feed Refresher (dubbed ‘Joe’ by the Stevenson family) remixes, refreshes and repositions silage to predetermined timings each day.
to allow it to enter and leave the barn. “The interior of the barn has 22 high bay lights, plus eight red lights which provide low impact light, which is barely visible outside the shed, for the cows at night. “Southland Electrical and Refrigeration wired the eight DeLaval Swinging Cow Brushes whose sensors turn on when touched by the cow.” Rex and Audrey are delighted with the new barn. “It was a big investment but, one year on, we are getting payback,” says Audrey. “We’re not paying for winter grazing and are milking for longer. We dry off in batches according to calving dates, aiming for a 50 to 55 day dry period for all the cows. “The cows are warm and content and our production has improved, currently averaging 550kgms per cow. “On the environmental side, we are now able to accurately manage our nutrient loading,” says Audrey Stevenson.
Happy stock Craig Stevenson says the cows settled quickly to the new environment. “We start calving on July 25; in early May the cows come in at night but by midway through the month they are in full-time until the end of August, subject to the weather. At other times of the year we bring them inside when we get extreme weather. “We don’t calve in the barn because of the chain
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Milkers are fed silage three times a day, and dries once a day. scrapers – springers are drafted out and moved to a covered pad where they calve. “The mattresses are scraped manually but, other than that, the barn is low maintenance. It’s had an appreciable impact on animal health with no
lame cows last winter, and mastitis isn’t a problem because they always have a warm, dry bed to lie on, where before they’d be outside in all weather. “No farmer likes seeing their stock out in the worst of weather; now we don’t have to.”
KAIKAHA
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Coast & Country
Time saving Clare Bayly
A glanded centrepole was installed to support new backing gates. The dairy from the collection yard showing the new entry/exit.
Peter Hughes and Maree Crowley’s new dairy.
Adding 20 bails to the size of a new rotary dairy has reduced milking time by two hours a day on a Southland dairy farm. ˜ ose extra hours are being put to good use by Brad and Kylie Rhodes, who share-milk for Peter Hughes and Maree Crowley on their 540hectare farm at Edendale. Brad and Kylie have been working with Peter and Maree on the Edendale property for 10 years, Brad quipping that they own “one leg and the tail of every cow in the herd”. ˜ e Rhodes are 50/50 sharemilkers on 500 cows and 21 per cent on the remaining 700 cows. Standing beside the new dairy, Peter and Brad recall the rebuild nearly didn’t happen.
“˜ e old shed had been milking 1200 cows twice a day for the last ÿ ve years and everything was nearing the end of its life. We were starting to get breakdowns and having to spend a bit of time maintaining the shed,” says Peter. “In late 2019 we were considering our options, interest rates were low, and with the cost of maintaining the old shed, it was time to consider building another dairy. “However, we couldn’t have foreseen the Covid pandemic and the uncertainty around the lockdown and its impact on contractors and supplies. ˜ is saw us shelve the rebuild plans until we had clarity around what we could or couldn’t do. “˜ e calving date had been put back 10 to 12 days to allow for the rebuild, so we were
really wanting it to happen this season. “Fortunately, we had a group of companies and contractors who were all committed to the project and were able, at short notice, to get into the build and deliver in a two month timeframe.”
Efficient business Peter says a signiÿ cant reason why they could proceed at such short notice was because they chose to enlist Waikato Milking Systems and Baz Janssen Building for the project. “Being New Zealand owned and operated with most of their technology manufactured in New Zealand, Waikato Milking Systems had everything we needed in the country so there were no issues with supply,” says Peter.
“Our decision to go with Waikato Milking Systems was also backed by experience with the company and its products. We have a Waikato Milking Systems’ dairy on the home farm and have always been impressed with the quality of the build and the service we received, so it was a no-brainer to go with them again. “˜ e existing dairy had 50 bails and, while this was relatively e˛ cient, in discussion with Brad we elected to increase the size of the platform to 70 bails – to improve the e˛ ciency of milking.” Builder Baz Janssen recalls that when they got the green light to proceed with the build they had around two months to get in and get it done.
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KAIKAHA
Page 73
The 2.7m wide deck of the Waikato Milking Systems Orbit concrete platform protects milking and electronic equipment. The entry/exit features rubber matting to provide secure footing for cows going onto and off the platform. From left, Brad Rhodes and Peter Hughes say the larger platform and new technology has shaved two hours off milking per day.
“Everything needed to be working by the end of July in time for calving. “Months earlier I had talked to Peter to understand what he wanted to achieve and recommended that he went with a large footprint for the shed so there would be plenty of room around the platform, making it easy to keep the walls clean and providing a spacious, pleasant environment for milkers and cows. “Having everything in-house enables us to complete large projects in tight timeframes. We design the dairy and then project manage
the build – from site development through to engineering and constructing the yards and building. “˜ e concrete in the original collection yard was in relatively good condition, only requiring minor modiÿ cation at the exit. We also added a glanded centrepole for the backing gates. “˜ e shed has wooden purlins that look
Wooden rafters look great, are 100 per cent bird proof and absorb sound more effectively than steel.
great and, in contrast with steel box section rafters, are 100 per cent bird proof. Timber purlins also absorb sound better than steel, adding to a quiet milking environment,” says Baz. Brad says that once the decision was made to proceed with the new dairy things happened pretty fast. “We dried the herd o˛ on a Friday in late May, and the following Monday the pipework came out, followed the next day by the
demolition of the shed and, on day three, development of the site. Baz and his team were then on site and the build was underway with a target date of end July.”
Better milking Waikato Milking Systems’ Lower South Island regional manager sales and service, Braiden Paterson, says the deck of the 70-bail Orbit Concrete rotary platform slopes outwards easing entry and exit as well as ensuring e˝ uent runs to the outside of the platform.
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KAIKAHA
Coast & Country Waikato Milking Systems’ SmartSPRAY automatically applies teat spray to every cow at every milking and acts as a leg spreader, aiding application of clusters.
Hecton Products new custom made stainless steel feed bins and modified existing feed lines to utilise the existing grain silos. Sharemilker Brad Rhodes at the cups-on console, which provides finger-tip control of the platform.
“The 2.7m wide deck provides a wide walkway in front of the cows while also protecting milking and electronic equipment. “Ease of milking is ensured with Waikato Milking Systems SmartECRs (electronic cup removers) and probably the most popular cluster on the market, the 320 Milking Cluster with quadrant liners.
Spray tech “The dairy is also equipped with BailGate Straps and SmartSPRAY, an automatic teat spray system that sprays every cow every time. Compliance with hygiene regulations is ensured
The dairy’s large footprint provides plenty of room around the platform, making it easy to keep walls clean and providing a spacious environment. with SmartWASH, a programmable automated wash system,” says Braiden. The original grain silos were in good condition so Peter Hughes called in Hecton Products to install new feed bins. Hecton’s Aaron Bremner says the stainless steel bins are custom made for each dairy, the Hughes’ dairy being larger than standard. Hecton Products also modified existing feed lines. The interior and exterior walls of the dairy are coated with Acraflex Dairy Wall Coating, which was applied by BB Cunninghame. Acraflex is acid and alkali resistant and easy to clean. The coating is backed by a 10 year guarantee. B.J. Carter Builders has been working with Peter and Maree building and modifying homes since 2002.
“We designed and built a three bedroom, low maintenance, highly insulated and low running cost home on the Edendale farm,” says B.J. Carter Builders managing director James Carter. “The home features wool blend batts and insulation in walls and ceilings. Wet areas were lined with pre-finished wet area board, easily cleanable after workers come in from a dirty day at the farm.”
Extra two hours The new dairy was completed on August 5, 2020. Brad says it is a pleasure to milk in and saves around two hours a day, much of that being down to the larger platform and ease of cleaning.
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AVON LEA
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what works
Coast & Country
The rotary dairy shed from the circular yard.
Clare Bayly
Andy and Liz Hayes with their children, from left to right, Ayla, Charlie and Hugo.
Avon Lea dairy shed.
When it came to selecting the best option for a dairy on their newly acquired farm, Andy and Liz Hayes only had to look across the paddock.
property, was – like us – a member of the Haka Valley Irrigation Scheme and had an e° ective irrigation system and nutrient allocation. ˜ e only consent we therefore needed, to convert to dairying was an e˛ uent discharge.
˜ e couple were dairy farming in Hakataramea Valley, near Kurow in the South Island’s Waitaki District, when, in 2019, a neighbouring sheep, beef and dairy grazing property came on the market. “We’d been milking 1200 cows on the 280ha home farm but the acquisition of the 320ha neighbouring property gave us a combined acreage of 600ha and the ability to milk upwards of 2000 cows,” says Andy. “Kurow is a great place to farm because it is quite cold but dry and stock do well. “Fortuitously, the previous owner of the new
“Converting the property from drystock to dairy meant we had to build a new dairy, three houses, develop races, subdivide paddocks and regrass around one-third of the farm.” ˜ e purchase of the new property took place in May 2019 with a September takeover – the certainty of purchase enabling Andy and Liz to build cow numbers to 2000 with the purchase of high index empty cows. “˜ e plan was for the combined 600ha property to operate as two dairy units capable of milking 2000 cows through two
Converting process
dairies,” says Andy. “When it came to what sort of dairy we would build on the new farm, we only had to look at the 54-bail Waikato Milking Systems Orbit rotary we had on the home farm. It was a highly functional dairy which had been milking 1200 cows twice a day for a number of years, so we decided to replicate it – albeit with a larger platform. “In retrospect, we regret not building a larger platform on the home farm but at the time we were milking 700 to 800 cows so a 54-bail was ideal. However, with the new farm we elected to build a 60-bail Waikato Milking Systems Orbit concrete platform as it would speed milking and future-proof the farm. “˜ ere are multiple beneÿ ts from having virtual replica dairies, especially for the farm team who – if required – can easily transit from
one dairy to the other.” Morrison Agri director Robert Morris says he commissioned Andy and Liz’s new dairy and recalls there was a heavy frost on the day – minus 12 degrees – but a beautiful day followed.
All in one “We advised and installed the Waikato Milking Systems Orbit Concrete Rotary Platform, which features the Multi Roller for long life and low maintenance,” says Robert. “Technology in the new dairy includes Waikato Milking Systems ECR-S automatic cup removers, Bailgate Straps and SmartSPRAY, which applies teat spray to every cow at every milking. “Morrison Agri did all the plumbing for the shed and yard.
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Page 77
The dairy shed control panel.
Waikato Milking Systems cluster.
The platform viewed from the pit.
Waikato Milking Systems cluster and automatic cup removers. Avon Lea’s second in charge, Levi Catapang.
“In a ÿ rst, we installed Waikato Milking System’s unique Orbitor Gland main centre swivel. In contrast to standard centre-glands, the Orbitor Rotary Gland transports seven services in a single unit – milk, wash water, vacuum, in-bail teat spray, milk recovery, skirt and wall wash and electrical, with capacity to add other chemicals or services in the future. “In the past two glands would have been needed to transport those services; the ease of installation of the Orbitor Rotary Gland cuts four days from the install.”
Covid delays Andy recalls the conversion started in November 2019 soon after they took over the farm. “I did all the lane and paddock design and all the fencing. ° e new dairy is situated in the centre of the farm, and local earthmoving
Entrance way on to platform.
contractors developed the site, e˛ uent ponds and lanes. “° e conversion was well underway in March 2020 when Covid hit and the site was, for a short time, closed for around seven weeks through lockdown. “In that same week, however, we also got notiÿ cation that some of the cows we had purchased were potential carriers of M. bovis. “Fortunately, after four weeks of testing, all cows were found clear of M. bovis but the uncertainty didn’t help our stress levels at the time!” FIL area manager for South Canterbury and North Otago, Kirk Falconer, says FIL provides Andy with a tailored, cost-e˝ ective range of New Zealand made detergents and teat sprays to speciÿ cally suit the requirements of his farm and animals. Andy uses Quantum Red and Quantum
Powder dairy detergents and Iodoshield Active teat spray. “We also undertake regular shed inspections and provide trouble-shooting assistance and sta˝ training on such things as mastitis management,” says Kirk. “FIL prides itself on empowering our clients with knowledge via sta˝ training to prevent a lot of the problems farmers commonly see in their sheds. Our approach, to prevent rather than react, is one that delivers real value to our clients.” ° e electrical ÿ t-out of the new dairy was conducted by Calect Electrical, which provides a comprehensive range of electrical services across homes, farms, dairy sheds and irrigation systems in the Waitaki Basin and Mackenzie Country area. Andy and Liz Hayes say that despite the challenges that 2020 presented with Covid
and M. bovis, the new dairy was completed on time. “° e three new houses we added to the farm were completed one month late but the dairy was up and running in time for calving,” says Andy.
Easy to operate “We’re really pleased with the new dairy. It’s a great shed; a lot of it comes down to the way the cows ˙ ow onto and o˝ the platform. “° e farm team like it – it’s sheltered from the prevailing wind, easy to operate and, overall, a pleasure to milk in. “Having two sheds that, other than platform size, are virtually identical makes it easy for sta˝ to move from one farm to the other if and when required. Currently, in the new shed, it takes one person around 3.5 hours to milk 1000 cows.”
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KAIROMA FARM
Coast & Country
Steve Edwards
A devastating earthquake brought forward planned development in a North Canterbury dairy shed. Mark Fleming, who farms at Culverden with his wife Penny, says the Kaikoura Earthquake of 2016, basically “stuffed” the base of the milking platform in the 50-bail rotary. The couple milk just over 1000 cows on the 400ha property, which has been built up by Mark’s family over the years since his grandfather first settled on Rotherham South Road in 1918. Mark says the milking shed was built in 1997 and the earthquake “just about finished it off ”. While the buildings remained sound, he says everything underneath the platform needed replacing. The platform, which was pushed sideways
in the quake but remained in good shape, was jacked up by contractors so damaged material and equipment could be removed and replaced. Mark says this included a new electrical milk gland in the centre of the pit, plus a new receiving can and milk pump.
Foundation replaced The concrete foundation on which the running gear for the platform sits was replaced, as were the rollers, pedestals, I-beam, wearstrip and drive units under the platform. Mark says milk lines were also replaced, while some cracks in the yard were patched up. The shed was “functioning” after the earthquake, but he says the stands wobbled and the platform would move. “Then we’d have to get the platform to move back over again,” says Mark. “We had a real rough end to the season after that happened. It
was a real disruptive milking for the rest of the season.” Existing Waikato cup removers and SmartSpray in-bail teat-spray system were retained. Mark says the existing Protrack animal identification system was also retained. An in-bail feeding system, running barley at present, was installed in 2001. The shed buildings remained solid through the quake, says Mark, with nothing new added to the plant-room. Machinery and equipment used in the Culverden project was supplied by Waikato Milking Systems and installed by Morrison Agri.
Shed efficiency Canterbury-based Morrison Agri customer services manager, Rob Morris, says even prior to the quake Mark wanted efficiency for the
shed, so they introduced cup removers and an automatic teatspray system. The quake saw the under carriage, and foundations on which they sit, of the rotary platform damaged beyond repair, he says. Rob says foundations and all associated concrete plinth work were removed and a new base built. “It was all cracked or broken,” he says. “It was very unstable.” While the concrete platform and bail work remained the same ‘up top’, Rob says all running gear and rollers were replaced. A new centre gland was also added. Rob says the old gland was tired. “It made sense to replace it when the other work under the platform was being done.” Two milk pumps were replaced by a single, larger version.
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KAIROMA FARM
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Google map aerial shot of milking shed. With a variable-speed drive, Rob says the latter provides better cooling efficiency. Rob says the wash system was upgraded also. This means the wash system will automatically change valves in the centre between milk and wash mode and will also drain the centre of the plant when switched to off.
Milk quality The milk line joins under the platform were upgraded from plastic to stainless steel for milk quality purposes. Rob says milk cans and sanitary traps, also under the platform, were upsized/upgraded to cater for the increased herd size and milk flow. Because of its age, he says the Fleming shed platform was getting close to its renewal date. This was the largest quake-related dairy shed project tackled by Morrison Agri. Rob says they worked on five to six, including one where an 80-bail rotary platform was
knocked off its rollers. A team of five work on the Fleming property, with one person handling milking duties. Mark and Penny took over running the property in 2001. They milk a 70 per cent Friesian herd, with a cross-breed balance. The first milking in the revamped shed was completed in July 2018. Mark says the operation, expanded by an additional 100ha in 2007, also includes a neighbouring 230ha run-off. Both farms produce silage for winter feeding and Mark also buys in a bit of hay.
Quake damage The Kaikoura Earthquake lasted about two minutes and had a magnitude of 7.8. The epicentre was just 15km north-east of Culverden. Detailed studies confirmed ruptures on
25 faults, considered a world record for the greatest number of faults to rupture in a single earthquake event. The northern tip of the South Island moved more than two metres towards the North Island and rose almost one metre. Two people died in the earthquake. Mark was in bed when the quake struck, just after 11pm, and says his brick house was rocking. However, the dwelling remained relatively unscathed, except for some paint cracking and a steel shelf in the garage falling on his car. Chimneys came off a couple of houses on his property, says Mark. While the quake lasted about two minutes, it felt like five, he says. Immediately after the event Mark went to the cowshed but didn’t see any obvious damage. However, he says after a few weeks went by the platform started giving him ‘a bit of grief ’.
No other buildings on the property were damaged or stock harmed. Electricity in the area was knocked out overnight, with Mark not able to milk again until 4pm the following afternoon. The Culverden region is no stranger to the whims of Mother Nature. Mark says the property ran sheep and cropping for more than 60 years, before irrigation schemes changed the face of the Amuri Basin in the late 1970s and through the 1980s. Water is taken from the Waiau and Hurunui rivers for more than 20,000ha of farmland. Mark says the basin suffers high summer temperatures and long, regular droughts from November to March. After initially adding more sheep and a couple of hundred beef cattle in the early 1990s, he decided to give cows a go.
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Page 80
Coast & Country
Transforming an dairy Clare Bayly
Gary McGregor, farm operations manager for Dairy Holdings Limited. The rotary dairy shed from the yard.
Installing a new rotary platform and milking system has transformed an ‘old, tired dairy’ for a fraction of the cost of a new dairy. Dairy Holdings operations manager Gary McGregor says the rotary dairy on the company’s 312ha Selwyn farm had seen better days. “It had worked hard over its 20 to 30 year lifetime, milking 1100 cows twice a day and the 50 bail rotary platform and plant were understandably showing signs of age. “It wasn’t reliable and was costing a lot of money to keep it going, so we really had no option but to consider upgrading or building new. “˜ e condition of the old dairy was a signiÿ cant issue which needed to be addressed so we could maintain our high standards of
milk quality – but we also recognised the e˛ ciency gains that would be achieved with a larger platform,” says Gary. ˜ e building housing the old plant was in good condition so Gary asked Timaru’s Tony Boyce Builders to come out to discuss the options. Tony says his team specialise at looking at things outside the box, ÿ nding solutions which cost-e˝ ectively meet the aims of their clients.
Speciaslits “We specialise in dairy sheds and do a lot of alterations and new builds, pole sheds, feed pads and residential all around the South Island from Lake Hayes to the West Coast to Kaikoura and across South Canterbury. ˜ e company has a team of 20 plus craftsmen providing design, building, concrete and joinery services. “In the case of the Selwyn dairy, the footprint of the original building was too small to
accommodate a larger platform so we looked at what we could do to e˛ ciently extend that to accommodate a 52-bail platform. “˜ e original building was clad in poly panels positioned on the inside of steel portals. We calculated that moving the poly panels to the outside of the steel portals would give us around 400mm more space which, overall, would generate a footprint large enough for the new 52 bail rotary. “Moving the walls out meant we had to trim the edge of the roof, but this was relatively easy to do. ˜ e new platform would position the milkers on the outside of the platform, so we lowered the ˙ oor at cups-on to create the ideal height for milkers but there were no other signiÿ cant structural issues,” says Tony. Gary says the suggestion of simply and e˝ ectively enlarging the dairy to accommodate the 52-bail platform was exactly what they were
looking for, enabling them to transform the old dairy so it would be good for another 20 or 30 years.
Room to upgrade Stocker Dairy Services, agents for GEA Farm Technologies in mid and north Canterbury, were called in to advise and install the new milking plant. Stocker milking machine division manager Richard Neill says the additional space Tony Boyce Builders were able to create enabled installation of a 52-bail GEA iFLOW Gen 2 rotary platform. “Constructing a 52 bail platform was something GEA had not done previously – their standard sizes are 50 and 54 bail – but their ˙ exibility and focus on meeting customer demand is evident in their willingness to design and construct a one-o˝ platform in a very short timeframe,” says Richard.
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Page 81 Looking into the pit.
The new platform utilising existing plant.
GEA milking cluster. “˜ e new iFLOW Gen 2 rotary platform features a low-maintenance nylon roller system and hydraulic drive system. ˜ is is a great platform for farmers wanting a basic platform that can easily be upgraded, over time, with new technology like automatic cup removers.
Reassurance amid Covid “˜ e reÿ t of the old dairy didn’t commence until May 2020 but it was good to have the reassurance, during all the uncertainty of Covid, that most of the GEA equipment was made in New Zealand and available.” Richard says some elements of the existing plant had been upgraded in recent years and were able to be incorporated into the reÿ t.
“˜ ese included GEA Autopuls S pulsators, lightweight and high capacity GEA clusters and GEA milk ÿ ltration and milk pump controller,” says Richard. “˜ e GEA iFLOW rotary is a highly e˛ cient low-line milking system, with the milking machine mounted under the platform, so it’s physically protected and easy to access for maintenance. With a HI FLOW central rotary transfer gland, you can continue to bring cows onto the platform, while in wash mode, no matter where the rotary is positioned. “˜ e dairy’s new primary milk cooling system features an ultra-e˛ cient plate cooler, unique to GEA, capable of cooling milk to within one degree of available water temperature. ˜ e
automatic water saving feature is controlled by GEA iNTEL controllers. ˜ e upgraded vacuum system includes a GEA vacuum pump and iNTELVAC variable speed drive. ˜ e new vacuum pump was paired with the 15kW electric motor but o˝ ers improved capacity and reduced operating cost compared to the original water-ring vacuum system.” Gary says they opted not to have bail gate restraints as Dairy Holdings’ farms apply DairyNZ’s MaxT (maximum milking time) strategy, where cows are milked to a pre-determined time based on their milk volume. “Basically it calculates and sets the platform speed to what is required to milk 80 per cent of the herd. If some cows come o˝ at the morning
milking and haven’t been milked out, research (and our experience) proves they will give the balance at the afternoon milking. It’s an approach that doesn’t a˝ ect milk production or udder health and is 20 per cent more e˛ cient thanks to cows not having to go around a second time,” says Gary. “˜ e monitor at cups-on is set to MaxT but also provides the milker with the ability to stop the platform if required.”
Smooth refit
˜ e reÿ t of the old dairy commenced in May 2020 with the removal of the platform and plant, enabling Tony Boyce Builders to construct a new concrete base for the new platform and to lower the yard at cups-on.
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SELWYN DAIRY
Page 82
Coast & Country The new rotary platform.
Exit raceway.
The rotary platform.
The circular yard.
Gary says the refit went smoothly. The dairy was operational in the last week of July 2020 ready for calving of the farm’s 1220 cow herd. “The sharemilker we had on the farm for the first season in the refitted shed moved on to his own farm in June 2021 but was delighted with the efficiency gains from the new platform and technology. “We now have a new sharemilker who graduated to this farm through Dairy Holdings’ unique incentive programme to help young people get into the dairy industry. “Basically, young people wanting to develop a career in dairying are able to start with us with no cows and, over time, gradually build up a herd, which Dairy Holdings then leases off
them. It’s a success story – building tomorrow’s farmers.” Gary says the ability to upgrade the platform is already showing its value. “The sharemilker is adding GEA automatic cup removers and we anticipate that, over time, we may add other enhancements to futureproof the dairy. “Milking is much more efficient than it was thanks to the design of the bails, which facilitate great cow flow onto and off the platform. “The old plant was inefficient and the cooling was challenged to maintain milk quality standards – that’s now all in the past. We calculate the new platform and technology are
15 per cent more efficient in terms of milking time, a lot of that down to the plant’s smooth operation and ease of cleaning. With cup removers, one person will easily be able to milk the herd.”
Improvements continue Gary says the upgrade of facilities at the 312ha farm has a two-season timeframe. Number one priority was refitting the dairy – now this is done, Dairy Holdings can focus on upgrading the old concrete yards that are not in good condition. “All things going to plan, we hope to do this in the 2022/23 season.
“We are very happy with the shed. The refit option we took was cost and time effective and has resulted in a dairy that has good cow flow and provides milkers with a modern, easy to operate and efficient environment. “It all fell together really well and looks very smart.” The Selwyn property is one of 59 dairy farms that Dairy Holdings owns and operates in the South Island. In total, the farms produce 17m kgMS from 50,000 milking cows. The self-contained operations include 18 support farms that provide for the rearing and supply of 10,000 in-calf heifers per annum to the dairy farms and grazing of all non-lactating cows over the winter months.
The all-rounder For all-round milking efficiency choose GEA‘s iFLOW rotary parlour. Whether you’re looking to improve cow throughput, increase cow knowledge, reduce staffing requirements or simply operate a system that won’t let you down, the iFLOW will help you drive efficiencies on-farm. Custom-built to suit your farming goals, the iFLOW’s proven on pasturebased operations, here and around the world. Want all-round milking efficiencies? We can help. 0800 GEA FARM.
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SELWYN DAIRY
Page 83
OMANUKA FARMING
Page 84
Coast & Country
Steve Edwards
A spacious yard gives the cows ample room as they await milking.
Ben McKe lv
ie, right, w ith fa Bruce McKrm co-owner and u ncle elvie.
There’s probably not too many farmers who can lay claim to having an on-site cricket ground, but Ben McKelvie is an exception. Along with a new dairy shed, the selfconfessed cricket ‘tragic’ has a full-size oval on the Foxton property he leases from his father Mark and uncle Bruce. The history of Omanuka Farming is as colourful as its present set up, with Ben’s family connections on Omanuka (which translates to ‘among the scrub’) dating back to 1855. Ben says it indeed started out as a gorse and scrub-covered block on the site of an old lake. His great grandfather set up the home farm, in association with pioneer neighbour Bob Wilson as ‘share farmers’.
It was part of the area’s flax booms from the late 1860s to the 1970s. Ben’s father added to the Omanuka portfolio over the years, with 2200ha still dedicated to sheep and beef. Three dairy farms were also acquired, totalling 220ha and running between 580 and 620 cows.
Central shed Two old herringbone sheds, 20-aside and 30-aside, serviced the dairy unit before Ben decided five years ago to build a single, central milking facility. A small stand of macrocarpa trees was cleared to make way for the 40-aside herringbone shed. Ben says he wanted a dry, safe spot, with good access to power and supplies, plus space for required effluent ponds.
The shed has been built bigger to allow for possible future growth, including in-bail feeding. Two staff are employed, with milking and clean-up taking two-and-a-half hours, and three hours in spring. Ben says initial earthworks saw the area flattened, with a race formed to connect the milking shed to the feedpad. The new shed features automatic cup removers, cup wash and a specialist drafting gate. Ben says the shed has been built bigger to allow for possible future growth, including in-bail feeding. The yard has two backing gates, to bring cows to the bails from different points. A washer/scraper on the gates, supplemented by a traditional high-pressure hose, sends material from the yard to an effluent pond. Ben says the manual vat wash is operated after pick-up by both the tanker driver and farm staff.
The design uses a straight rail, unlike the traditional herringbone, which Ben says helps in accommodating different-size cows in the bails.
Automation important MacDougalls Manawatu installed a 40-unit DeLaval Midiline ML2100 system including automated cup removers and an automated wash system, while also opting for a DeLaval variable speed Lobe vacuum pump. Labour and time saving devices are a big part of the new dairy, says Ben. “The automatic cup removers give us better staffing options in the new dairy,” he says. “Milker and cow comfort, along with cluster alignment, are great benefits of the swing-arm.” Ben says the swing-arm presents the cluster nicely to the operator and ‘comfort start’ means less fatigue for the milker.
OMANUKA FARMING
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Automatic cup removers are a feature of the 40-aside herringbone shed.
The plate cooler provided by DeLaval.
Teat spray technology supplied by DeLaval.
The herringbone milking shed is actually a straight rail, which Ben McKelvie says helps in accommodating different-size cows in the bails. “Cluster alignment is made easy because the swing-arm can be moved left or right as needed, for better placement.” Also, he says you don’t need to be worried about over or under-milking with this system. “Because the swing arm enables excellent alignment of the cups with each udder, the clusters hang correctly, which allows all quarters to be milked out evenly.” Ben says vacuum efficiency is important for a smooth milking, and the DeLaval MC3 clusters maintain stable vacuum even at peak milk flow and are capable of handling up to 12L per minute. MacDougalls says the milk-line height above the cow floor has an impact on the vacuum required to run the milking system. For every 100mm increase in milk-line height, an additional 1kPa in vacuum is needed. Careful design of shed features can help minimise overall energy usage, says MacDougalls. Automated detergent dosing ensures optimal
Page 85
Hot water cylinders provided by DeLaval. detergent usage without milkers having to do anything other than keep the detergent tanks full and hooked up to the one-touch C200 automatic shed wash system.
Professional painting Painting was completed by Foxton-based Surfatex. Director Glen Sinclair says the bare walls and floors inside the pits, plus in the plant-room and office were primed, painted and sealed. The company uses a product called Acraflex, which Glen says provides a good-looking surface that is easy to keep clean and maintain. “Our dairy wall sealers and floor coatings protect concrete from effluent and corrosive chemicals, with a heavy aggregate resin overlay to ensure a non-slip surface for the cows,” he says. Glen says the coating shows up every speck of dirt so the farmer knows which area needs cleaning.
Surfatex supplied the coating as well as its application at the McKelvie property. Glen says the paint is rolled on, with a spray glaze to finish. Earthworks on the McKelvie project were provided by Richard Algar Ltd, from Rongotea, about 30km out of Foxton. Director Richard Algar says the company has helped digging drains and stacking with its diggers on the Omanuka Rd property over the years. In the latest undertaking, Richard Algar Ltd dug effluent ponds north of the cowshed and moved soil required for the milking shed site. Richard says he also used his digger to spread ‘rotten rock’ on the race leading into the yard The new milking shed is not the only engineering feat worth noting at Omanuka.
Surfatex director Glen Sinclair admiring his company’s handiwork in the shed painting process.
Ben McKelvie is a former polo player who, in recent years, has turned his attention to his other sporting love – cricket.
Cricket complex An area behind his house has become a 1300 square metre cricket ground, complete with a clay batting block in the centre. Omanuka Oval is the home of Palmerston North’s Bloomfield Cricket Club, which was established in 1994. Ben originally played indoor cricket with club members, leading ultimately to his creation of a ‘home ground’ on the farm. He initially cleared an area of pine trees and established a poplar/golden elm/akeake wind-break, before developing what is now a perfectly manicured outfield and pitch area. The latest addition to Omanuka Oval is a scoreboard, with a pavilion in the offing. Quite a change for a place once “among the scrub”.
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BARNES
Page 86
Coast & Country
Easy Clare Bayly
The Barnes family – from left Harry, Charlotte, Jane and Mark.
A birds-eye view of Farmer Barnes Dairy.
Jane Barnes recalls their herd moved into the newly developed milking parlour at the end of October in 2018, taking to it “like ducks to water”. The Barnes family had been running their dairy operation in Melton Mowbray since 1940. “In the 1940s, great grandfather John Barnes moved with 20 milking cows to Southfields Farm, Somerby,” says Jane. “After more than 70 years the original farm buildings and milking parlour for 60 cows were no longer viable so, after much consideration, Mark and I, along with our children Charlotte and Harry, took the gigantic step and moved out of the village.
“In 2018 we built a modern dairy farm enabling us to milk 250 cows producing milk for the award-winning Long Clawson Blue Stilton Cheese which can only be made in the three counties of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.” Prior to 2018 Jane featured on the public speaking circuit promoting the quality standards behind the production of Long Clawson Blue Stilton Cheese and appreciation of modern dairy farming.
Opportunity The development of Farmer Barnes Dairy created an opportunity to expand this successful diversification project with the development of a purpose built ‘Cow Classroom’ alongside the milking parlour. The classroom features viewing windows and
overhead gallery where visitors can watch the cows being milked. On a regular basis Jane holds farm talks, farm tours and educational tours for schools, where visitors are guided through the process of dairy farming in the UK today. The Barnes family farm 161ha of High Leicestershire grassland milking a predominantly Ayrshire herd of 250 cows, 50 per cent spring calving and 50 per cent autumn. The cows graze outdoors for nine months of the year in a New Zealand style grazing system.
Planning Jane, Mark and Harry, who now manages the new farm, admit that a lot of planning went into the design and operational aspects of the new milking parlour.
“At the top of the list, it had to be set up for single-person milking, it had to be efficient in terms of time, labour and running costs but also it had to be a simple, reliable system,” says Jane. “Harry had milked in a couple of Waikato Milking Systems Supa4 Herringbone parlours during his college years. The parlours were 24 aside which means 48 cows in the parlour at a time. The clusters simply swing over from one side to the other.” The Waikato Milking Systems Supa4 is a premium quality 100mm single milk pipeline, mid mounted swing-over milking system capable of high throughput with less labour and minimum effort.
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BARNES
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The spacious layout of the dairy fosters good cow flow.
Page 87
Visitors watching milking from the Cow Classroom viewing gallery.
“Harry found the system to be very efficient and simple to operate and so we decided to replicate that format with three key technology options – Swing Arm Automatic Cup Removers (ACRs), automatic wash system and variable speed pump. “We had ACRs in the previous parlour so were accustomed to them and it’s especially handy to have with 24 units on the new parlour, not 12 as in the previous one.”
Improvements beneficial The swing-over arms improves cluster alignment and reduces pull on the cups during milking, which has a beneficial impact on production and udder health. The Waikato Milking Systems SmartDrive variable speed vacuum pump controls the delivery of milk through to the bulk tank. Using digital sensors, the milking system vacuum is continually monitored and the vacuum pump speed adjusted according to airflow demand. “The variable speed pump keeps energy costs to a minimum, so that is a no-brainer,” says Jane.
Waikato Milking System’s SmartWASH is a completely programmable automated wash system for the milking machine. A modern touch-screen provides the operator with a comprehensive menu from which a range of wash scenarios can be selected. SmartWASH uses a Hurricane Slugwash system which incorporates a unique transition cone that enables the wash water to be precisely controlled, ensuring the milk line is thoroughly cleaned every time. Activating the auto wash is achieved by the touch of a button and Jane says the hygiene levels they are achieving are consistently good with low BactoScan scores.
Happy chappy Jane says Harry is also happy with the swing down cluster wash system, which lowers the cluster washer so it is easy to access and manage. Waikato Milking Systems installed the new dairy parlour for the Barnes family in the summer of 2018, when the new farm was being developed. “We moved the cows into the new set up on
Jane Barnes hosts up to 100 tours a year, providing the public with an overview of modern UK dairying and the quality standards behind the milk which goes into Long Clawson Blue Stilton Cheese. October 31, 2018 and they took to the new parlour like ducks to water,” says Jane. “We feed a small ration of feed in the parlour to entice the cows but the whole milking process has – from day one – been easy and efficient both in time, labour and running costs. “We have four people milking for us. The simplicity and ease of operation of the parlour is a huge advantage as it ensures consistency across all operators.”
The Supa4’s 100mm single milk pipeline, mid mounted swing-over milking system, is capable of high throughput with less labour and minimum effort.
The cows took to the new parlour “like ducks to water”. Jane, Mark and Harry Barnes say the new milking parlour, will allow them to increase cow numbers in the future from the current 250 to around 300. More than two years on from the first milking in the new parlour Jane says the family is “thoroughly happy with this simple, efficient parlour, which has made the milking process the easiest job on the farm. Everyone wants to milk in it!”
WEAVIAN FARMS
Page 88
Coast & Country
Clare Bayly
The cows have settled well to the rotary environment.
Ian and Cath Ratcliffe adjusting to the new platform from the old 16-aside herringbone only took two milkings.
Distance has been an enabler for Ian and Cath Ratcliffe in achieving their dream of building a sustainable future for their family. First, they moved from one end of England to the other (Cheshire in the northwest of England, to Devon in the southwest) to settle at West Webbery Farm near the coastal town of Bideford. And then, seven years later, they imported a rotary dairy system 18,000 km from New Zealand. “The distances weren’t an issue because we could see where we wanted to end up,” says Ian. “We started farming in 2011 and put ourselves on a trajectory to own a dairy operation with potential to grow and futureproof our family.”
“The 2013 move to West Webbery Farm in North Devon enabled us to double the size of the herd and start breeding our own replacements.” Today the couple milk an autumn calving herd of 360 cows on an intensive grazing system.
Two breeds “The original herd was a mix of Holstein, Norwegian Red and British Friesian but over recent years we have dropped the British Friesians and are now primarily Holstein/ Norwegian Red.” Average production is 7,300L and 590kg MS/cow/year. “The farm can be dry in summer, so we match peak production to on-farm conditions with the herd calving over 10 weeks from mid-August.” Ian and Cath say they had a few solid goals in
The SmartDRIVE milk pump control system controls the milk pump response to incoming milk volume and evens out the flow to maximise cooling. mind when they began their research towards building a new parlour for their Weavian Farms property. “We farm in partnership at West Webbery Farm and wanted something that would replace our 24/48-unit herringbone, accommodate the herd and give us the flexibilityy to expand in the future.
Rotary top choice “The new parlour was always going to be a rotary, but choice of manufacturer was a result of extensive research and enquiry across a range of manufacturers around the world,” says Ian. “The number one reason for moving from a herringbone to a rotary came down to the fundamentals which rotaries deliver – and which met our efficiency goals – speed and ease of operation, labour saving, reduced stress
on cows plus the ability to add automation in the future.” After looking at a range of rotary systems, Ian and Cath settled on a 44-bail Centrus Composite Rotary platform from Waikato Milking Systems. The Ratcliffes say the number one reason for selecting a Centrus was the unique attributes of its multi-layer laminated platform which can be tailored specifically to each farmer’s requirements. Its single bail modular design means the Centrus can be built in almost any size. The composition of the platform means it is 75 per cent lighter and more durable than traditional concrete or steel alternatives. With proper care, Centrus platforms will look like new for their entire life, never pitting or cracking with age or exposure to effluent and harsh chemicals.
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WEAVIAN FARMS
Page 89 SmartLINK is the data gateway between farm and external herd management solutions and drafting.
BailGate straps in place, holding the cows on the platform. The interior of the parlour is light and uncluttered. The composite deck is clothed in rubber mats in every bail, which cushions the cows, protecting their hooves during milking. The mats also make for a quiet milking environment.
Plug ‘n’ play Waikato Milking Systems’ “plug ‘n’ play” feature also appealed to Ian and Cath, because it gave them the reassurance that the system could always be updated with the latest technology. Their desire to reduce labour and increase efficiency saw them invest in SmartD-TECT pulsation, which eliminates the need for forestripping and has been proven to positively impact on production and udder health. In contrast with traditional pre-milking practices, the milker simply attaches the cluster when the cow enters the platform leaving premilking stimulation to SmartD-TECT.
Having the SmartD-TECT option added to their rotary meant the Ratcliffes could operate their parlour with one person, if needed. Cath said they decided to install a full range of other milking automation options available for the platform, to simplify milking and make it more pleasurable and faster without compromising the cows’ production and health. These features include: • Electronic Milk Meters linked to feed to yield. The Electronic Milk Meters also give the milking profile of each cow at every milking. • SmartECRs (electronic cup removers) can independently operate BailGates, SmartSPRAY and SmartD-TECT. • BailGate Straps automatically lower and raise as required to hold or release cows from the platform. • Variable speed milk and vacuum pumps
The parlour’s receiving can.
ensuring maximum precision with minimal power usage. • SmartSPRAY automatic teat spray system which, pre and post milking, sprays every cow, every time. • A three-way drafting gate. “The technology we included in the new parlour reduces our reliance on labour and allows one person to comfortably milk, improve feed use efficiency, reduce energy consumption and optimise milk production and cow health,” says Cath.
Site utilisation The site for the new parlour was adjacent to the old herringbone, enabling the couple to utilise the collection yard and giving them proximity to established services like electricity and water. The Centrus Rotary Platform arrived in
Close-up of the Waikato Milking Systems’ 320 claw cluster set, which promotes milk flow while providing a stable milking environment.
a shipping container from New Zealand, accompanied by a specialist team who oversaw the unloading, set-up and commissioning. The new parlour was commissioned in the spring of April 2019, with the cows transitioning well to the new environment. Two years on, Ian and Cath say the Centrus Composite Rotary is easy to use and maintain. “The new parlour has delivered the goals we set out to achieve – speed and ease of operation, labour saving and reduced stress on the cows plus the ability to upgrade as new technology is developed,” says Cath. “Having a parlour of this quality and ease of use is certainly an inducement to attracting and retaining high quality staff and, hopefully in time, our sons Josh and Freddie. “The platform has the capacity to milk a lot more cows than we currently are, so it is not a pinch-point to expansion should opportunities for land become available.”
GOREY
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Coast & Country
Clare Bayly
Tipperary in southwestern Ireland has been immortalised in song and reputation as the heart of Ireland’s horse breeding industry. It is one of three Irish counties through which runs the Golden Vale, rolling pastureland renowned as the best dairy land in Ireland. Tipperary is also home to a new Waikato Milking Systems 50-bail Orbit Concrete Rotary platform on the farm of Paddy and Shane Gorey. Shane Gorey recalls that, until March 2020, he had been milking the family’s 225 cows through a 16-aside herringbone parlour. “It used to take roughly two hours and 15 minutes which wasn’t a good use of time. My perspective that there was a better way was based on the parlours I’d seen while on a working holiday in New Zealand in 2012. “My brother Conor also went to New Zealand some years later, in 2016 and 2018, and over those times, we had the chance to see the Waikato Milking Systems parlours in operation. ˜ e contrast to what we had at home couldn’t have been more stark,” says Shane.
Simplicity “We just liked the simplicity of them – it was about output. ˜ e cows walked onto the rotary platform, were automatically teat sprayed and, once milked, the cluster was removed automatically. At the end of milking, the autowasher started, e° ectively and e˛ ciently cleaning the plant. “It was straight forward for the cows to hop on, spin around and come o° .” What they had seen in New Zealand had a lasting
Mary and Paddy Gorey, Shane and Conor’s parents. impact on their plans for the future of the farm in Ireland and seven years later, Shane purchased a 50-bail Orbit Concrete Rotary from Waikato Milking Systems to upgrade the family’s Seanchoill Farm. “We wanted to improve the e˛ ciency of our farm and future-proof it with technology and systems which would allow us to expand in the future.” Working with Waikato Milking System’s European sales manager, Gillian FullertonSmith, and Courtwood Dairy Services,
The new parlour is full of light and features generous space around the Orbit platform. Shane conÿ gured the Orbit rotary to require just one person to milk.
Efficiency “We agreed that a 50-bail platform would deliver the e˛ ciency we were looking for at milking.” ˜ e Orbit Concrete Rotary platforms are known for their strength and durability, designed to integrate seamlessly with Waikato Milking Systems’ dairy automation technology.
˜ e platform features a 100mm concrete deck, its hot dipped galvanised bail design ensuring cow comfort and protection of milking equipment. ˜ ere is a large walkway in front of the cows. ˜ e operator console includes stop/ start, platform speed control, reverse and emergency stop. SmartFIT Brackets mean fast on-farm setup with no extra/hidden costs to ÿ t the milking machine – Shane admitting this was a help managing the budget.
GOREY
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Cows calmly backing out of the bails (foreground) as cows enter (background). Shane, Conor and Paddy Gorey. “We complemented the platform with SmartECRs (automatic cup removers), SmartSPRAY, BailGate straps (to hold longer milking cows on the platform), SmartWASH (automatic washing) and a vet stand.
Shipped in “˜ e whole parlour was packed in a 40foot container in Hamilton, New Zealand, and shipped over to the Port of Cork in Ireland, from where it was trucked to the farm. “In contrast to most dairy parlours over here, which run three phase electricity, the Seanchoill Farm had a single-phase electricity connection but this wasn’t a problem for the installation team, who set up the new parlour using the single phase connection.” ˜ e new parlour was commissioned in March 2020. Moving from a herringbone to a rotary can disrupt cow ° ow but Shane recalls the herd
only took about two milkings to get used to the new rotary system. “It was very easy. We were calving in February so we had some cows on the rotary ÿ rst, and they trained the next cows. “˜ e real bonus with the new parlour is the savings we make on time to milk the herd. “˜ e new parlour has halved the time we are spending in the parlour at milking time – from two hours 15 minutes in the old parlour to 50 minutes with 15-20 minutes to wash up.” Shane says the time saved is used on other important jobs around the farm, or as time o˝ . “If you take into account the time you are saving at each milking, twice a day, seven days a week and over a year, that really adds up big time. We can now get the ÿ rst cow into the parlour and the last one back to the paddock within an hour and that’s really important for increasing yield.” It also means cows spend less time standing
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The new collection yard with the new parlour in the background.
around on a concrete collection yard before heading back to the paddock, says Shane. “˜ e vet stand is particularly useful for scanning cows, tail clipping, vaccination and AI. “And if we didn’t have the automatic cup removers (SmartECRs), we would be a twoman shed and that would defeat the purpose of installing a new milking system, so that was a must.” Shane says using the SmartWASH and SmartSPRAY added to the new parlour’s ability to increase e˙ ciency and reduce milking time. Future-prooÿ ng the new parlour is enshrined by the fact that Waikato Milking Systems’ parlours and technology can easily be upgraded.
Future add ons “Adding Electronic Milk Meters and SmartD-TECT are just two items of technology we might consider in the future, allowing us to conduct milk recording on
the herd and measure somatic cell counts on each cow.” SmartD-TECT measures the conductivity of each quarter separately to provide early warning signs of udder health problems, as well as stimulating pre-milking routine, to reduce milking time further. Electronic Milk Meters provide accurate milk data for each cow and allow the operator to compare a cow’s milking performance over time. Servicing for the new parlour is provided by Courtwood Dairy Services located in Ballybrittas, County Laois. Re° ecting back to his ÿ rst impressions of Waikato Milking Systems’ parlours in 2012, Shane admits he had high expectations of what the new system would do for his farming operation. “˜ e new parlour has transformed the entire milking operation. We’re very pleased.”
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SHENGJIANG GROUP
Coast & Country
Clare Bayly
The headlocks automatically close as the animals access feed. The robust stainless steel feed bins cannot be chewed or damaged by the goats. The Optima External Goat Rotary can be optioned with technology such as automatic cup removers to increase efficiency at milking time.
Twin 90 milking point Waikato Milking Systems’ Optima External Goat Rotary parlours have transformed a dairy goat farm in the south-central part of Inner Mongolia. The Shengjiang Group processes goat milk for the Zhengbang Group in the Hohhot region and is a role model for the burgeoning dairy goat industry in China, where milk processors are supporting transformation of the industry. Until 2020 it took half a day to milk the then Shengjiang Group herd of 500 goats using a small two-point cart machine team. After just two weeks of operation of the first
rotary, it took less than one hour and, when fully operational, the twin parlours will milk a total of 4,500 goats with a throughput of 800 animals per hour. Waikato Milking Systems country manager China, David Morris, says Shengjiang Group is on a trajectory to milk upwards of 25,000 goats, progressively building 11 Optima External Goat Rotary parlours from Waikato Milking Systems.
Twin parlours “Commissioned in July/August 2020 the twin parlours were built side by side in the same building – the first of their kind in the world,” says David.
The Optima is designed for large scale commercial goat farming while at the same time ensuring the health and comfort of the animals and operators.
The farm manager of the property says the Waikato Milking Systems equipment is efficient, and the vacuum is stable. Shengjiang Group also commissioned Waikato Milking Systems to install five, 60 milking point Optima External Goat Rotary parlours on other farm properties near Hohhot. “As herd numbers increase, each of the 60 milking point rotary parlours will be milking 3000 goats and putting through 550 animals per hour,” says David. “A second twin rotary installation was also
completed this year for Weihe Farming west of Gansu. These two are each 100 milking point systems which will milk 5000 goats each with a throughput of 900 animals per hour.
Two more “Another two 80 milking point rotary systems will be installed in the South of China this year for separate customers. “Most of the new external goat rotary systems will operate at 50 per cent capacity in the first year until the herd numbers increase.
SHENGJIANG GROUP
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Page 93 The durable bail stall dividers ensure the goats are separated as they enter the platform at milking time.
The cluster presentation arm ensures fast, easy and accurate cup alignment without repetitive lifting of clusters or untangling rubberware. “Nine of the 11 parlours will be optioned with the highest specifications for milking automation, to increase efficiency and reduce labour requirements.” Key technologies include automatic cluster arm positioning to make cupping the animals faster with less operator fatigue, as well as automatic drafting to quickly sort the goats after milking. Each rotary is installed with Waikato Milking Systems’ NaviGate Dairy Management System. The Optima External Goat Rotary system has been designed to reduce the stress of the animals at milking time. The entire stainless-
The deck of the rotary is fitted with rubber matting to provide extra comfort for the animals during miking time. It also reduces noise, and stress for the goats and operators. The LED is a visual indicator of the milking process.
The cluster presentation arm returns the ideal height for the operator to access. steel deck is fitted with rubber matting to make it comfortable for the goats while they are standing on the platform. The automatic headlocks allow the goats enough movement while comfortably keeping them in their stall.
Three months David says the project timeframe, from when the contract was signed to delivery of the first three rotary systems to the farm, was three months. “Most deliveries from New Zealand to China were completed in multiple dispatches and
the typical time to install a system was about a month, from start to finish. “Installation for the seven Hohhot rotary systems was completed in three months, with three installation teams working seven days per week. “Due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, the commissioning work by New Zealand technicians, which is usually done on site at the farm, had to be supported from New Zealand via a number of Zoom meetings.” David says New Zealand’s reputation as a leader in agricultural technology, and Waikato Milking Systems reputation for designing
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quality products, proved to be a major attraction for dairy farmers and producers in China.
Building relationships “We visited these customers many times over a 12 month period to build a trusted partnership, to build rapport and understanding of their business, to ensure we could meet their expectations. “China is a market that is rapidly growing in the small ruminants sector and it is looking for options to enhance that growth, through innovative technology and animal management systems.”
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NEW FARM DAIRIES
Coast & Country
NEW FARM DAIRIES
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