NZ Dairy Spring 2016

Spring 2016

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A shift in strategy for Landcorp Care & stewardship of the land a guiding principle for the future page 34

INSIDE

Smaller cow bring efficiencies - PAGE 4

Improving the quality of the water - PAGE 33

• Can apply raw effluent at application rates below 7mm/hour and application depths below 3mm • Combines reliable proven method of traveling with the performance of effluent raingun • Save time and money by covering more than double the area of traditional travelling irrigators

Building on a passion for dairy - PAGE 45

The lure of the land drives Mat home - PAGE 51

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Andrew de Groot

NZ Dairy

Prudent farming reaps rewards Sue Russell Andrew de Groot manages a 106 hectare family dairy farm five kilometres east of Morrinsville.

Father Aad de Groot bought the farm back in the 1980s and since this time the farming practice has been to deliberately grow as much feed as possible on the farm, topped up with palm kernel only when needed. It’s a management regime Andrew says has worked very well and one that he doesn’t intend to make drastic changes to in his role managing the unit.

“We have always tried to be self-sufficient and use palm kernel only to fill in the gaps.

We don’t want to become too reliant,” explains Andrew.

The calving season went very well and Andrew says having made the decision to teatseal the 270 calving cows in Autumn meant no mastitis occurred.

Success of the farming business to date has been centred around farming prudently, which Andrew says equates to not running any more stock on the farm than it can comfortably produce quality feed for.

“A lot of people think we could milk more cows but our experience has been we are sitting on the right number for how we run the farm.

“Dad is an old-school believer that drenching is the best way to support healthy uptake of grass nutrients so we drench every morning all year. Putting the drench into the water we think is a lot more ‘hit and miss’.”

Morrinsville farm manager Andrew de Groot says stocking rates equate to how much quality feed the family farm can comfortably produce.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Andrew de Groot

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As well as managing the farmily’s dairy unit east of Morrinsville, Andrew de Groot is also a member of the Ngarua Young Farmers Club, which is geared for farmers aged under 30.

Aad is still actively involved, helping out when needed and looking after the calves and heifers while Mum Jill takes care of the baby calves and Andrew says she is extremely competent with the book work.

Last season’s milk solids production reached 115,000kg and Andrew says he is hoping to achieve the same this year.

Come mid-October the plan is to make silage off 25 hectares and when NZ Dairy spoke with Andrew he said so far the spring was being kind and that indications were that the silage take would be very good.

Local contractor Kay Contracting, based in Morrinsville, has taken care of the cropping for years.

The farm is producing milk so efficiently that it has attracted the interest of DairyNZ. At a cost of $2.50 to 2.70 per kilo milk solids produced, Andrew says proof that adopting farm management systems that are not reliant any more than necessary on the purchase of additional feeds makes good business sense is self-evident.

“Our system is set up so that we are not dictated to by the pay-out.”

Two years ago the business invested in a 750,000 litre Kliptank to meet compliances set down by regional council for effluent storage.

Aad’s conservative approach to setting farm targets makes good sense says Andrew.

Drying off as early as March, given lack of adequate feed, is something they are prepared to do and have done in the past.

“A lot of people need to milk on to May but we don’t put that sort of stress on ourselves or our stock when we set our budget. Dad doesn’t like to get too carried away with setting a target.”

Another farming practice that sets the De Groot operation apart from the norm is in keeping their calves and heifers at home, rather than grazing off. Andrew says their experience has been that this results in a much healthier animal.

“We find they grow better being at home and we can look after them better. They get used to us and they grow into strong cows who settle well into milking when introduced to the main herd.”

While taking part in local discussion groups as often as possible Andrew has become connected with NZ Young Farmers – a social group he says is really worthwhile to belong to.

“I belong to the Ngarua Young Farmer Club.

It’s geared for those under 30 years of age and is definitely a social group which is great because working on a farm can at times feel isolating.

“I play volleyball and touch-rugby with Young Farmers and in Winter enjoy soccer.”

“Dad is an old-school believer that drenching is the best way to support healthy uptake of grass nutrients so we drench every morning all year. ”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Steve & Maria Poole

NZ Dairy

Smaller cow brings efficiencies Sue Russell Steve and Maria Poole have owned and operated their dairy unit in Kapuni in South Taranaki for 14 years and in that time have made significant gains in production.

Their 220 hectare farm has a 210 hectare effective milking platform, and in 2006, they bought an additional 44 hectare block across the road, prompting the building of a new milking shed three years ago.

“We did have a 60 bale rotary which was getting tired and when we bought the additional block we were keen to centralise the shed’s location as well, utilising the latest automation and technology available to streamline the whole operation,” Steve says.

Over the past four years they have been deliberately breeding Kiwi X in to their herd of 820 friesian cows.

“We have been slowly shifting to a smaller more efficient cow which has higher fertility capability and also presents with fewer feet issues or calving difficulties.

The new milking shed is another 60 bale rotary by De Laval with automatic cup removers, milk meters and drafting.

Once through the flush of spring, the milking shed can easily be managed by one staff member. The couple employ a four full time staff and Steve has been pleased with how the fairly young team have worked out.

“Sam Hughson, who won the Taranaki section of the NZ Dairy Industry Awards Trainee of the Year earlier this year, has stepped up to managing the farm at the age of 19 and I have been really impressed with how he has taken up these responsibilities at such a young age.

He came to the farm from a non-farming background and with no pre-conceived ideas has absorbed new knowledge and techniques very quickly. He has added to his on-farm learning through Ag ITO and enjoys putting the theory into practice on farm,” says Steve.

Like many successful farmers, Steve is at a point in his own farming journey where he wants to give back to the industry by helping young keen farm workers progress their own

The team working for Steve and Maria Poole, from left, Sam Hughson, farm manager, Arffi Lew, Neil Kumar, Matt Hipp and Tim Bonner, the farm's 2IC.

careers. Alongside Sam, who has been with the Poole’s for 3 ½ years, the couple also employ Neil Kumar in his second year, Matt Hipp, a Massey University graduate in his first season, and nephew Tim Bonner, who studied Ag Science at Massey, also in his first year on the farm as 2IC. Arffi Lew works part-time also.

The Poole’s operate a high input ‘system 4’ farm with maize being the basic feeding crop, along with palm kernel, soy hulls and Proliq (liquid stock feed).

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when the herd is fed only grass, they are fed their supplements on feed-pads which Steve says is very efficient with minimal waste of feed.

“We are very much ‘pasture first’, and try to grow as much pasture as possible and fully utilise it. It’s all about keeping expenses as low as possible without impacting output significantly, especially in the current environment.

Last season, our farm working expenses were below $3.50/kg of milk solids and we produced 430,000 kgMS. This season the goal is 450,000 kgMS at the same $3.50/kg expenses output.”

Maria is very involved in the farm, taking care of the administration and feeding all the calves. They have two sons, Isaac (20) and Louis (18), both doing Ag Science degrees at Massey University, and two daughters, Madeleine and Emily, attending SHGC in New Plymouth. Their youngest son William is in Year Six. As a farmer elected director of Livestock Improvement Corporation, Steve attends meetings in Hamilton at regular intervals throughout the year.

He has just commenced his second

four-year term as a director and enjoys being involved in the governance of the farmer owned co-op, whose purpose is to improve the prosperity and productivity of farmers.

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"We are very much ‘pasture first’, and try to grow as much pasture as possible and fully utilise it. It’s all about keeping expenses as low as possible without impacting output significantly, especially in the current environment."

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Ridgeline Farms

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Farm passion spans generations Richard Loader Brad and Kelly Powell are passionate about their 185-hectare dairy farm in the Manawatu, their herd of 540 cows, their holstein stud and their three young daughters, Jessica 13, Holly, 12 and Hannah, 11.

After spending eight years sharemilking on the farm, the couple bought 50 per cent shareholding from Brad’s family in 2008. Brad’s 95-year-old grandmother, who lives in a ‘granny flat’ on the farm, still has her half share in the farm, though these days limits her involvement to school show days.

The farm’s been in the family for four generations and Kelly is proud that their daughters are the fifth generation. “The girls love the farm and showing the cows. Hopefully, one of them will carry the farm on,” she says.

"We are the stewards of the farm, just as my grandmother was, and we want to pass it on to our next generation," Brad says.

This year, Kelly accepted a job with World Wide Sires as a territory manager. It’s a job she loves and it also provides the couple with another income stream. Kelly got her love for holstein friesians when milking her aunties cows as a child and the couple recently set up their own holstein stud.

Brad says about 70 percent of their herd is registered and 20% are crossbreeds. “We aim to have 100% registered. If one of the other girls takes over the farm they will start to see some real benefits from the stud,” says Brad.

The couple have won the Manawatu, Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay Production awards, based on average milk solids across the entire herd over the year for the last 2 years running: 660kg and 658kg, respectively.

They have also won the Manawatu Branch Productions awards for different age group cows.

“We’ve won every single age groups for the last two years running,” says Brad.

This year, Brad and Kelly also won the national award for the highest score for Traits Other Than Production (TOP) in holstein heifers with an impressive score of 83.72 out of a possible 87. “In short, our holstein heifers got the best top score of all heifers right across New Zealand for members with 10 years or less breeding experience,” Kelly says.

“Winning these awards proves that Kelly and

GRASS

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I are on the right track with what we are trying to achieve.

“Sometimes you can get just a bit stuck in the sand and having someone look over your herd and say that its looking pretty good means a lot to us. We breed for type; nice udders, nice feet and legs and also to be able to push out a bit of milk,” says Brad.

“You have to be passionate about farming in general. It’s not an occupation that you are going to get rich doing but you have to have a love in it to keep you going in it. Our goals are to have a high producing herd and that one of our girls can carry on and take the farm to the next level,” says Brad.

CEREAL

Brad and Kelly Powell run Ridgeline Farms, an 185-hectare dairy unit in the Manawatu which has a herd of 540 cows and a holstein stud.

“You have to be passionate about farming in general.

It’s not an occupation that you are going to get rich doing but you have to have a love in it to keep you going in it. Our goals are to have a high producing herd and that one of our girls can carry on and take the farm to the next level.”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Landcorp Ruapehu

NZ Dairy

Once poor performing farm now Karen Phelps Five years ago, it was one of the lowest performing farms in Landcorp’s Moutoa complex.

Now, Ruapehu Farm has been named the supreme winner of the Dairy Business of the Year competition for 2016.

Landcorp’s Ruapehu Farm is a 253ha block milking 871 kiwicross cows. It is one of nine farms owned by Landcorp in one title but farmed separately and is now the top performing farm in the group.

According to Landcorp’s Ruapehu farm manager Glenn Weitenberg, a big factor in the farm’s huge turnaround in performance has been focusing on pasture.

An extensive re-grassing plan was put in place to re-grass around 30 percent of the farm annually over the past five years along with weed spraying meaning the whole farm is benefiting from new healthy pastures.

There has been a move from fescue, that tended to open up and dry off, to more perennial rye grass, which Glenn says suits the land better. In September, the farm begins pre-topping, mowing all the grass in front of the cows.

“We noticed big production dips in October, when grass grows too fast and quality drops, and in early December, when we struggle with grass seeding “So by pre-topping we get better quality grass because we can set the residuals we want. Our paddocks are averaging ½-1 metabolisable energy higher then paddocks we aren’t topping, resulting in much better feed,” he explains.

There has been a focus on regular monitoring of paddocks at the leaf emergence stage to maximise the growth of the third leaf because this represents nearly half of the growth of the whole plant, says Glenn.

Silage is cut when the paddock is getting close to the third leaf. As a result, the farm harvested 1.8-2 tonnes more per hectare than the previous year.

Spin-off effects from the grass are already being felt in other parts of the business.

A big factor in Landcorp Ruapehu’s turnaround in performance has been its focus on pasture. It was named Dairy Business of the Year.

“So by pre-topping we get better quality grass because we can set the residuals we want. Our paddocks are averaging ½-1 metabolisable energy higher then paddocks we aren’t topping resulting in much better feed.”

Proud to be associated with Landcorp Farms Phone: 06 329 1885 | Mobile: 0272 432 514 (Robbie) 0274 424 706 (John) Email: seymourstransport@farmside.co.nz | Location: 841 Poplar Rd, Opiki, R D 4, Palmerston North

NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Landcorp Ruapehu

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named Dairy Business of Year Heifers coming through this season are well grown out and in good condition.

The farm used the Queen of Calves nutrition programme to develop good rumen quickly.

Heifers are grown off farm with contractors paid on a weight gain giving more incentive, says Glenn.

The farm traditionally had a poor six week in-calf rate in the mid 50%. This year, mating was undertaken for 9 1/2 weeks (as opposed to 12) resulting in a 10.5% empty rate, one of the best ever achieved on the farm.

The six week in-calf rate was 68% as opposed to 56% the previous season meaning a massive jump in mating performance.

The herd was split into three smaller herds resulting in less competition to ensure all cows were well fed prior to mating. The farm also won three category awards including the Environment Award, best farm in the Manawatu, and best return on farm for a high input farm.

Glenn says Landcorp has a big environmental focus and Landcorp Ruapehu has good infrastructure to control environmental externalities through the season including a 3500m3 lined pond, recycled greenwater and winter stand off and feed pad areas providing good winter management options. In addition to this 5ha of natives have been planted on the property.

Close attention is also paid to fertilizer application with 50 kilograms of urea maximum is applied at any one time. Less more often is the theory the farm subscribes to when it comes to fertiliser.

Judge Cornelius Williams said Landcorp Ruapehu won the environment award due to superior nitrogen leaching performance.

Glenn says the decision to lock in the guaranteed milk from Fonterra during the 2014-2015 season, on which the farm was judged, paid off with a superior return on capital in comparison to the other eight finalists.

The farm achieved 415,000 kilograms of milk solids the year of the competition.

This season the farm is on target to achieve 420,000 kilograms milking a herd of 885 cows.

The herd is milked through a basic 60 bail rotary shed.

Glenn says the focus will now be on fine-tuning the already successful system.

He believes the farm is capable of achieving 20,000 to 25,000 more kilograms of milk solids.

The farm employs a young team with three of the four staff aged 20 or under. and Glenn puts the outstanding result at the competition down to their enthusiasm and passion for dairy farming.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Cliff & Raewyn Henry

NZ Dairy

Unique methods helps production Kelly Deeks Waikato dairy farmers Cliff and Raewyn Henry use a couple of unique methods around calving and mating to help improve cycling and empty rates.

At the end of calving, the first calvers are drafted out and run in a separate once a day herd, right up until the start of mating.

“They put on weight and cycle better,” says Cliff.

“We first did it last season, and we went from a 17 percent empty rate in that age group to 3%.”

For the past four years, Cliff and Raewyn have tail painted three weeks prior to mating, then the day before mating starts, they draft out every cow that hasn’t had a cycle and run them with the bulls for three weeks.

“Most people do five weeks of AB then put the bulls out, but they miss all those cows that have silent or quiet heats,” Cliff says.

“For us, these cows are now getting in calf three weeks earlier.”

These new methods were suggested by the Henrys’ farm advisor Paul Exton, who has been working with the couple for 18 years.

The Henrys are 50:50 sharemilkers of 780 cows. They work on a 279ha gentle rolling country farm at Otorohanga, where they have been since 2008.

“It’s challenging because it gets quite dry,” Cliff says. “I’ve got the rainfall records from when we first came here, and in 2010/11 season we got 1713ml, in 2013/14 we got 1102ml, so it’s quite varied.”

The Henrys run a 400 cow feed pad right next to the cow shed where they feed about 400 ton of maize silage, and 300 to 350 ton of palm kernel.

In this low pay out season, the Henry’s are loathe to cut back on brought in feed. “We can’t afford to drop out brought in feed, as it’s all related to cow condition and getting back in calf.”

The only thing they did drop out was herd testing. “As sharemilkers, our cows are our assets, so normally we regularly herd test,” Cliff says.

“We need to have good, accurate records on them for the future, because the next step for us is retirement, so we need a good sellable herd. But this year, herd testing was the only thing we could afford to drop out.”

He will miss the herd test information when it comes to culling cows, but says he could do a one-off herd test by Christmas if the pay out comes right.

Elsewhere on farm, the Henrys are battling an issue with yellow bristle grass, the aggressive annual-seeding plant which spreads rapidly through pasture, reducing

Cliff and Raewyn Henry are 50:50 sharemilkers of 780 cows at a farm in Otorohanga, where they have been since 2008.

pasture quality.

“It takes out your ryegrasses and when it dies out in the frost, it leaves big holes in the paddock,” Cliff says.

“We’re running a cropping programme with chicory to try to eliminate the yellow bristle grass. We can boom spray the chicory three times a year. It’s the only way to do it really.

“There is another product but it has a 35 day withhold, and at that time of year we want to be on a 22-day rotation. We’ve done 26ha, we’ve got 13ha in chicory at the moment, and we will plant another 13ha in October.”

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Michael & Megan Webster

|9

Frisky goats help reduce the risk Karen Phelps A herd of frisky goats has overtaken 25ha of Michael and Megan Webster’s Ngatea farm.

It is a considered move by the couple to diversify their dairy business and reduce risk.

They had researched the possibility for a couple of years and so when earlier this year they suddenly got the opportunity to purchase shares in the Dairy Goat Cooperative along with a herd of 360 saanen goats – which Megan says are the “friesians of the goat world” - they jumped at the chance.

Needless to say, it’s been a steep learning curve since they started milking at the end of July through their new 80 bail internal rotary goat milking shed.

“One thing we learned quickly is that if they get sick, things progress much quicker than with cows so we have to watch them closely. They also need very high quality feed to produce to their potential so we have to manage our grass really well. But what they produce per kilogram of live weight is more than a cow - typically 100 to 110 percent,” she says.

The pay out also nicely exceeds dairy at the moment with a set payment of $17 per kilogram this season. This is offset partially by higher farm working expenses for goats which typically run at around $9-$11 per kilogram of milk solids.

The Websters anticipate a 12 to 15% return on asset and say the more steady goat milk price should help to provide cash flow and certainty for their business.

They also hope the lighter weight animals will protect the heavy marine clay soils in winter benefiting the dairy operation they are still dedicated to, believing that there is a good future in dairy cows.

Both Megan and Michael left behind professional careers in Auckland to go dairy farming in 2007. Megan was a chartered accountant who had specialised in tax accounting, while Michael was previously with a logistics company organising the transport of goods internationally.

They made the decision to return to Michael’s family’s farm when his parents Richard and Gillian said unless he took over the farm it would be sold so they could retire. They now own a 40% share of the 217 hectare farm

Michael and Megan Webster have diversified into goats to help their dairy business and reduce risk.

and work as contract milkers on the unit.

The 197ha effective dairy unit will milk 600615 crossbred cows this season and is operated as two neighbouring farms with a 26-aside herringbone and a 32-bail rotary.

For the past two seasons, the farm has been monitored as the Hauraki Plains focus farm for farmer group P3 Trust and this season they plan to carry on with the key areas of focus identified.

They will continue to re-grass 10-15% of the farm each year, as well as sow chicory as

a summer crop to be turned over into perennial pasture. The aim is to utilise as much pasture as possible keeping on top of the residuals with regular farm walks.

This season, they plan to produce 210,000 kilograms of milk solids, slightly reduced from 224,000 kilograms the year before due to the smaller dairy platform due to the goat operation.

They are targeting 40,000 kilograms of milk solids from the goats.

Megan says they feel more positive after the

global dairy price has recently taken an upturn.

“But you can’t count your chickens before they hatch. All this news is positive but I can’t put the numbers into my spreadsheet yet because nothing has been confirmed by Fonterra. But it’s certainly nice to see positive sentiment in the market.

“This season we are focusing on managing both the operations well and implementing what we’ve learned in the last two seasons as a focus farm.”

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10 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Andrew Hardie

NZ Dairy

Planning & implementation the key Karen Phelps New Zealand needs to continue to compete in the world market by being a low-cost producer as well as trading off the value of New Zealand’s clean green image, believes Andrew Hardie, Fonterra Shareholders Council representative for Hawke’s Bay. “The global dairy market is coming into balance. Over the last six months, Europe has slowed production and I believe the pay out will continue to improve,” he says.

“The New Zealand dairy industry is very unregulated and open to global market fluctuations. New Zealand needs to be the preferred choice for countries and continue to leverage the fact that New Zealand dairy cows are 85 percent pasture fed, which gives us a point of difference in the market.”

Andrew, who farms a 426ha dairy unit north-east of Dannevirke at Raumati with wife Helen Long, is experiencing the same issues on his own farm. Operating a low-cost production system is the aim and farm operating costs last season were $2.85 (before interest, drawings and capital) per kilogram of milk solids.

Peak milking a herd of 725 predominantly kiwicross cows to a basic 50 bail rotary shed they are in the eighth season of once a day milking. All cows are wintered on farm and the system is 95% pasture-based.

Andrew says they focus on three key areas: planning, implementation and control. Get these right and everything else falls into place, he says.

“The biggest thing in dairy is timing. For example, if you get the timing right with regards to feed you can feed your cows well cheaper. We find that by focusing on these three areas of the business it leads to good timing,” he explains.

For example, planning for the next year’s winter crop starts now. They select the poorest performing paddock on the farm, soil test and analyse it then sow it in winter crop in October.

The past five to six years they have used fodder beet and will sow 12ha this year. Spare grass is harvested as silage (around 25ha last season) and hay (around 4000 small bales).

They also grow summer crops – 10ha of turnips last year. This is important as the farm is in a summer dry area located just out of the rain belt meaning the rainfall averages 700-1000mm per year.

They irrigate about 120ha of the milking platform with 44ha of this under centre pivot and the rest under a Bosch long lateral system. They recently invested in a new effluent system with a pond offering 4850 cubic metres of storage to ensure the farm will continue to be compliant under the new Horizons Regional Council One Plan regulations well into the future.

He says farmers across the region are heavily investing in new infrastructure to meet regulations and that it is disappointing that municipal sewage and storm water disposal systems are not as closely consented, monitored or updated.

“This isn’t allowed to happen in the dairy

New Zealand needs to continue to compete in the world market by being a low-cost producer as well as trading off the value of New Zealand’s clean green image, says dairy farmer and Fonterra Shareholders Council member Andrew Hardie.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Andrew Hardie / Butterworth Enterprises

| 11

Resilient business model for award-winning farmers Russell Fredric

Andrew Hardie is aiming for 250,000 kilograms of milk solids this season following on from 242,000 kilograms last season.

industry and it’s about time that the towns and cities caught up to the dairy farmers’ level of investment and environmental stewardship,” he says.

The farm employs contract milkers Nick and Rose Bertram, who are in their second season in the position. The Bertrams employ two full time staff. Andrew and Helen complete the AI, calf rearing, cropping, fertiliser application and capital requirements on the farm.

The target milk production is 250,000 kilograms of milk solids this season following on from 242,000 kilograms last season. The Hardies’ aim is to reduce their day-to-day input on the farm and start to reap the benefits from their 35 years in the industry.

Both grew up on dairy farms and met at Massey University while completing bachelor of agriculture degrees. They purchased half their present farm in an equity partnership in 1999 before taking over full ownership just 18 months ago.

Andrew says he is also relishing his role on the Fonterra Shareholders Council and would like to dedicate more time to continue to offer more representation to farmers in the region.

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Building a resilient business has been a key to staying profitable through thick and thin for Waikato dairy farm, Butterworth Enterprises.

However apt, the company’s name was not invented, but is the bona fide surname of Rex Butterworth; it seems the hand of destiny had a role to play in this also being the nature of his calling in life.

“I always wanted to be a dairy farmer and my parents were always dairy farmers,” Rex Butterworth says.

Married to Sharon, the couple’s 113 hectare, 106 hectare effective farm is situated at Walton, near Matamata. The farm is a partnership between Rex and Sharon and parents Peter and Barbara Butterworth.

Last year the Butterworth’s won the Dairy Business of the Year award for business resilience for having the lowest cost of production as well as the award for the best dairy business in the Waikato region; this year they were Dairy Business of the Year runner-up and also won the regional award for Best Waikato Farm Performance.

The farm is supported by a nearby 55 hectare run-off block, used for winter grazing for about six weeks each year with calves also sent there after they are weaned.

The block provides grass silage and maize which is supplemented by about 485 tonnes of PKE, about one tonne per cow for the 485 Fresian/ Fresian cross cows the farm supports.

The farm system is kept as simple as possible, with the amount and combination of pasture grass , maize silage, grass silage and PKE dependent on availability, economics and the time of year.

PKE is a supplement Rex Butterworth would ultimately like to eliminate in order for the farm to be completely self-sufficient.

Two Herd Homes, built in 2012 at a cost of nearly $1 million, have become a vital part of the farm’s operation and all supplements are fed in

these; the cows come inside if the weather is not ideal or if they have grazed down to the desired pasture residuals. All Herd Home effluent is exported off-farm to the maize ground at the runoff.

The focus on resilience involves analysing and understanding the farm’s physical and financial performance, benchmarking against others, focusing on cost of production and ensuring each area of expenditure is delivering a sound return.

This strategy has worked in practice, with the farm remaining profitable, even through low payout periods.

“We haven’t changed any part of our operation with the change in payout either going up or down. We’ve tried to get a system that is relatively balanced so we don’t change it too much from one year to the next.”

“The idea was to build a resilient system that we could take advantage of high payout years by having relatively high production, but also in the low payout we would remain profitable.”

Last season total production was 236,000kg/ MS, with 240,000 targeted this season.

While a target of 250,000kg/MS is possible, Rex Butterworth has not found an economic way to achieve this to date.

“We could achieve it easily by buying in a bit of extra protein, but we want to hit it with our current farming methods.”

His view is that profit-per-hectare, rather than production alone should always have been the focus of dairy farmers, regardless of the milk solids payout, and that good will ultimately come from farmers putting every aspect of their business operation under the spotlight as a result of the past season’s low payments, although “it has come at quite a high cost.”

Despite the economic challenges, Rex Butterworth says dairying it is still an exciting industry to be part of, particularly with new technology and innovations that can be utilised.

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12 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Judge Valley Dairies

NZ Dairy

Son’s inquiring mind prompts Karen Phelps It was a couple of key events that led Puahue dairy farmers John Hayward and Susan O’Regan from Judge Valley Dairies, Supreme Winners of the 2016 Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Awards, down the path of sustainability.

Firstly, 14-year-old son Ben presented about water issues the farm was facing at a conference in Australia.

Then around the same time, the local Waikato Regional Council approached the couple to be a monitor farm as the council sought to address sediment and erosion issues in the region. With environmental regulations continually tightening, they also wanted to prepare their farm for the future.

“We always had an interest in the environment because we see ourselves as stewards of the land. But when Ben started asking us questions we really started to think about what we could do on farm to do things better,” says Susan.

The couple agreed to be a monitor farm, which led to a Land Use Capability Assessment, courtesy of the regional council. This identified soil types, gradients etc on the farm, which helped the couple to identify land that was not actually suitable for cattle.

They then had to decide how to best utilise this land in their farming operation. This led to a number of environmental initiatives, which resulted in the farm standing out in a number of key areas at the awards.

The couple also collected the LIC Dairy Farm Award, WaterForce Integrated Management Award, Waikato Regional Council Water Protection Award and the Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award.

Situated on 245ha of flat to steep contour east of Te Awamutu, Judge Valley Dairies is this season milking a herd of 485 jersey and friesian cows on a 140ha milking platform, targeting production of 235,000kgMS. Environmental works have included planting significant riparian strips (they have planted 10,000 natives to date), as well as establishing 4ha of wetland areas to reduce nitrogen leaching to waterways.

They have also entered a joint venture with Comvita to make good use of marginal land, mitigate erosion and reduce overall nitrogen leaching on the property.

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A new feed pad built in 2013 on John Hayward and Susan O’Regan’s farm has helped the operation improve feed conversion efficiency while lifting cow health and condition.

They are in their second year of this agreement, which has seen them plant 5ha of manuka on the property, and an additional 8ha scheduled to be planted this year, and share in any profits which result from the honey Comvita will harvest from the property.

“It’s in its infancy and we’re not planning to get rich out of it,” says John with a smile. “But the roots of the plants stabilise the land and with no cattle on this part of the farm nitrogen and

“It’s also important to remember that environmental issues are not just caused by or the responsibility of farmers. It’s a New Zealand issue and we all have to take responsibility to take care of our footprint, no matter whether it’s big or small. "

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Judge Valley Dairies

| 13

farmers to re-think focus phosphorus is reduced.”

There have also been changes to the general farming operation. They now have a split calving to gain a premium for winter milk. This has allowed them to grow more feed on farm and 90ha is spread with effluent reducing fertiliser requirements.

Of the 33ha of maize grown on the platform around 16ha has been grown with just effluent.

A new feed pad built in 2013 has helped the operation improve feed conversion efficiency while lifting cow health and condition.

As a result of the changes, production has increased. When they first purchased the farm in 2008 as a 103ha block, they produced 83,000 kilograms of milk solids from a herd of 250 cows.

Last year, they produced 210,000 kilograms from 480 cows after increasing the platform when they purchased 141ha next door. Farm working expenses were $2.80 per kilogram.

Both grew up on dairy and beef units. John was a professional cattle groomer in Australia before returning to New Zealand to start a dairy career where he met, Susan, a former barrister.

Since purchasing their farm in 2008, they have undertaken a major infrastructural upgrade that includes the construction of a 30-aside herringbone dairy, race, water and effluent system. John and Susan, who employ two fulltime staff members and one casual, first entered the Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Awards in 2015, winning the Waikato Regional Council Water Protection Award and the LIC Dairy Farm Award.

From here they plan to fine-tune their systems A couple of key events led Puahue dairy farmers John Hayward and Susan O’Regan down the path of sustainability.

“One of the biggest advantages we had was Ravensdown’s Smart Maps.”

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• To page 14

Environmental award winners’ competitive advantage Ravensdown shareholders John Hayward and Susan O’Regan take a long-term view in their approach to dairy farming and utilising the technology and advice available to them.

“One of the biggest advantages was that we had Ravensdown’s Smart Maps, which set us apart from everybody else in the Farm Environment Awards competition, even at the national level,” John says.

“It’s a pretty cool tool really. We record everything on our paddocks from fertiliser and effluent application to cropping, cultivation and harvesting.

It’s something we didn’t have last year when we entered and it was the perfect competitive advantage showing our progression and foresight in terms of traceability, which is where the industry is heading.”

John and Susan’s vision to make a big difference to the environment saw them take a two pronged approach. To

be environmentally sustainable as well as resilient financially.

“We knew we had to take control of our costs on farm to make an impact, so we split our calving so we could grow all our feed on farm.

Not having to buy in 800 tonnes of feed made us less vulnerable to the markets and means we can reinvest into the property, while still producing 1500-1600 kg/MS/ha.”

Making sure they are on track with the nutrient side of their obligations while meeting their pasture needs is their Ravensdown Agri Manager, Tim Jefferd.

“Tim has been awesome, he’s a big part of our business and what we do.

He’s in control of the nutrient side of things and we rely on him to answer questions and provide the best advice we can possibly get. He’s spent a lot of time with us running Overseer scenarios and putting together nutrient budgets to help us reach our

environmental goals.”

The Puahue dairy farmers see themselves as a whole-package deal when it comes to their environmental approach, which saw them take out numerous awards for soil management, integrated management, dairy farming, harvesting and water protection.

“We’ve done a whole lot of other things around riparian planting, 15,000 natives in the past few years to be exact, we’ve also retired 5ha of land to a Manuka operation, and created three sediment dams as well as 11 wetlands. Our functional developments have been switching to effluent irrigation for 90 hectares of our dairy platform as well as half our maize and introducing a feed pad to increase feed conversion efficiency.”

"We see ourselves as a whole-package deal with our nutrients recycling through our system, repurposing everything we use.”

DAIRY PEOPLE » Judge Valley Dairies

14 |

NZ Dairy

Son’s questions prompt rethink on farm focus • From page 13 including continuing to monitor the farm closely.

They use the Halo system and Ravensdown Smartmap Systems.

Family is important to the couple. They have a blended family of five children ranging in age from 2-16, and they say they are thankful for the issues their son Ben raised as a result of his school project.

“I think that the dairy industry has been really proactive in regards to environmental issues, something that often gets overlooked,” says John.

“For example, DairyNZ statistics tell us that $350m was spent in the Waikato alone in the last

five years on environmental aspects of farming and 70% of this was on effluent issues. That’s $260 per cow.”

“We recommend working with your local council as they are a mine of information and funding sources,” says Susan.

“We could all benefit from a positive relation if farmers and council worked together. It’s also important to remember that environmental issues are not just caused by or the responsibility of farmers.

“It’s a New Zealand issue and we all have to take responsibility to take care of our footprint, no matter whether it’s big or small. Let’s work together to make it a better place for our kids.”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » John & Donna Kamp

| 15

Sustainability should be the key Karen Phelps Production should not be the focus for the New Zealand dairy industry but rather profitability and sustainability, believe dairy farmers John and Donna Kamp.

The couple, who farm three units in Patoka, near Hastings, in the Hawkes Bay, are moving towards organic certification commencing this October.

John started farming in his early thirties after a career in the military. His career has been diverse, including farming in Australia in partnership on a sheep and cattle station as well as deer, sheep and beef and dairy farming throughout New Zealand.

John entered the dairy industry by converting a sheep farm in Patoka in the late nineties. Several farms later, John and Donna now farm The Incline, a 330ha total/260ha effective unit and have just purchased two new farms: Huiarangi 290ha total/250ha effective and Little Falls, a 160ha sheep and beef farm which will be used as a support block for the two dairy farms.

It was in 2007 that the couple became interested in biological farming due to personal health issues.

“We realised we were looking at treating symptoms and not underlying causes both in agriculture and health,” says John.

“This led us to look for holistic solutions and we started to change the way we farmed. Everything starts with productive and resilient soils. It is a mind shift from using chemicals to treat problems, such as pasture and animal health issues, which in themselves have arisen from industrial agricultural practices.

“We realised that often accepted best practice farming methods in New Zealand are detrimental to the underlying drivers of soil fertility. We undertake all paddock soil testing to develop a targeted and balanced fertiliser programme addressing all the mineral needs of healthy and diverse soil microbiology.

“This biology in return rewards us with improved soil structure and humus content. We have observed relatively quick and measurable soil and pasture improvements. This has been replicated on nine farms we have been involved with,” he says.

A key focus is on growing a diversity of grasses in their paddocks, something John admits is quite different to monoculture ryegrass farming as commonly practiced in New Zealand.

• To page 16

Personal health issues in 2007 led to John and Donna Kamp, who farm three units in Patoka, near Hastings, becoming interested in biological farming.

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16 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » John & Donna Kamp / Rochelle & Daniel Cammock

NZ Dairy

Green hills marketing gold Richard Loader

From left, Jacque Ross (calf rearer), John Kamp, Ash Abu Summah (Incline Farm manager) and Kate Berry (farm consultant).

Holistic approach to farming pays dividends • From page 15 “We strive for something like 20 different grass, herb and clover species in our pastures. Different grasses grow well in different environments and weather conditions.

“This means we can have good pasture growth throughout the season rather than relying on few species that will only do well for part of the year or when the conditions are favourable. Different species also supply differing nutrients which helps us to meet the nutritional requirements of our animals throughout the year.”

The philosophy is underpinned by good infrastructure in terms of paddock subdivision, water, good quality milking facilities etc. The system is simple self-contained and pasture based, something they believe should be New Zealand’s point of difference in the international dairy market.

Stock numbers have also been reduced in marked contrast to previous farming practice. John says by not over farming the land, profitability can actually increase.

He aims to farm at a stocking rate of two cows per hectare with a herd of up to 1000 cows across both dairy units producing 400 kilograms plus of milk solids per cow.

The Incline is moving towards a crossbred herd as he believes they produce more efficiently

on grass than the legacy big friesian cows more suited to the high input high production system of the past.

Despite low stocking rates high grazing intensity is achieved by longer grazing rounds. This allows recovery of target pasture species to maintain pasture diversity.

Higher pre-grazing covers are not problematical as high grass brix levels encourage palatability, as does variety in the cows diet, says John.

What grass is trampled in is recycled by the soil microbiology before the next grazing.

“I think farmers are rapidly coming to the conclusion we have been overly focused on production and that has been driven by capital gain not profit. When the industry suffers external shock it highlights that what we are doing is not economic.

“When I look back at the high pay out years the farmers that have chased production and capitalised that cost have placed themselves at risk whilst those that have farmed the grass and banked the windfalls are well equipped to weather the downturns.

“I would like to think that nurturing and improving our natural capital, the soil, best serve us. Hopefully, our exporters will also have the vision to extract a premium for our grass farmed, nutritionally superior milk. Improved profits and environmental outcomes may make us all winners.”

“New Zealand’s clean green rolling hills image is a significant marketing advantage for wagyu beef being exported to the US,” says Daniel Cammock.

This is the 4th season that Daniel and Rochelle Cammock have been contracted to Firstlight Foods to breed and rear wagyu cross calves on their 170ha dairy unit in Dannevirke. Firstlight specialise in the Japanese cattle breed famous for its delicate fat marbling.

“Firstlight approached us with the opportunity to mate their wagyu bulls with our friesan/jersey heifers. There wasn’t a lease fee for the bulls, which was one of the biggest draw cards as well as the return on a 4 – 7 day old calf that was double that of a bobby calf.

“While Firstlight charged a fee the following year, they also compensated with a higher payment for each calf,” says Daniel.

For the first two years, Daniel and Rochelle only bred the calves, which were handed over to a rearer within the first week of birth.

From year three, Daniel felt that they would like to rear the calves themselves until they were transitioned from milk to pasture feed, which Firstlight agreed to.

It was a good business decision for the couple.

“There’s a fair return in it for us. With the downturn in the dairy industry it’s additional guaranteed income at a higher rate for not a lot of extra work and it integrated well with our existing systems,” he says.

They are now contracted to rear 80 calves to 90kg with an extra $2.00 per Kg paid over that weight and typically achieve over 100kg.

“Last year, we averaged about $460 per calf and this year it’s between $480 and $500 for either a wagyu heifer or bull, which has improved the return quite a lot. Our rough gross turnover is about $40k and the profit margin for that is more than 50%,”says Daniel.

It’s a premium product so once the calves have been weaned Firstlight do a QA to make sure they are happy before they take them away to various finishing farms.

“We’ve met the Firstlight marketing and management people and they seem pretty happy with our product. They are good company to deal with,” says Daniel.

While the Japanese cattle breed is famous for being fed on grain and beer and massaged by gieshas in its home country of Japan Daniel says they don’t go to that extent.

“The calves get treated the same as our own replacement calves. We try to do the rearing well and like to see the animals thriving.

“Firstlight has also proven that high marbling scores are achieved when a Wagyu bull is crossed with NZ dairy genetics and the cattle are grass fed,” says Daniel.

The winners of 2015 Wairarapa-Hawke’s Bay regional Dairy Business of the year award, the couple know that success involves thinking outside the square.

“We are primarily a dairy milking unit, but with the current downturn, rearing wagyu calves is the right fit for our business at the moment,” says Daniel.

Rochelle and Daniel Cammock have been contracted to Firstlight Foods to breed and rear wagyu cross calves on their 170ha dairy unit in Dannevirke.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Ian & Natalie Butler

| 17

Getting through the tough times Kelly Deeks Taranaki dairy farmers Natalie and Ian Butler are getting through the tough times by focusing on the communication they have with their farm owners and others around them with the experience and knowledge to help them deal with a low pay out.

Former accountant Nat and former Central Otago orchardist Ian moved to Taranaki seven years ago when Nat secured a new accounting job, and Ian started his dairy farming career.

When they secured their current job three seasons ago, Nat joined Ian on the 300 cow farm they were working on for the final six months of their contract to get some farm skills on board so she could help her husband run the new 620 cow farm.

While Nat has found she prefers the dairy shed to the office, her accounting knowledge still comes into play on the dairy farm as the couple have been permitted to have access to the owners Ken and Christine Sole’s budget and accounts.

“That has been a huge benefit to us as we can see where the money is being spent,” she says.

“We’ve been very lucky they have been prepared to be very open.”

When they arrived on the farm, the Butlers and the Soles put together a plan to make improvements on the farm which would enable them to reach their target production by year three of their contract.

“When we came on the farm it was not in great condition so we made a plan with the owners to do this work and get some good production in our third year,” Nat says.

“We had 96 paddocks that ranged from 1.5ha to 3.5ha, so for the first two years we were flat stick refencing the farm.”

The 187ha farm was supported by a lease block for the Butler’s first two seasons, but when that was dropped out of the operation this year, cow numbers were also dropped to 500.

With the drop in the milk pay out resulting in one of the hardest seasons Ian and Nat have faced, efficiencies have been gained by combining two herds into one, reducing the time they spend milking, which in turn has reduced electricity and labour costs, and freed up some time for the couple to complete other jobs on farm.

Last season, Nat and Ian picked up on the emerging trend in Taranaki for fodder beet, planting 12ha as an alternative to turnips and high cost, brought in feed.

Nat and Ian are continuing on the Sole farm next season and are planning to produce 200,000kgs milksolids.

“We’ve got the feed and the systems now in place, so everything is lining up.”

Nat says she and Ian have focused their dairy industry careers on establishing good

Last season, Nat and Ian Butler picked up on the emerging trend in Taranaki for fodder beet, planting 12ha as an alternative to turnips.

“When we came on the farm it was not in great condition so we made a plan with the owners to do this work and get some good production in our third year.”

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18 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Callum & Hanna Stalker

NZ Dairy

Farmers target low expenses without Karen Phelps Otautau sharemilkers Callum and Hanna Stalker, who won the 2016 Southland-Otago Share Farmer of the Year competition and came third in the nationals, say their main focus this season is on keeping expenses as low as possible without sacrificing cow condition or production.

The couple are 50:50 sharemilking for Ben and Bev Verhoeven on a 190ha effective/223ha total unit of which they lease 33ha of the dairy platform with the farm owners.

Their target is farm working expenses of $1.90 per kilogram of milk solids after achieving $2.35 the previous season.

They sold 100 cows from their herd last season to free up cash and pay off debt and free leased 80 to fill in the gap until their young stock come through next season and will bring the numbers up again.

They have dropped stock numbers by 30 this season to decrease supplements and further decrease operating costs.

Another important cost saving measure has been to grow 9ha of fodder beet on the farm.

Callum says that this will enable them to bring cows home from winter grazing earlier, only having them off farm for six weeks.

They also brought their in-calf heifers home on the first of May to transition before going to grazing. They found it relatively easy to grow this notoriously tricky crop netting 33 tonnes per hectare by following the recommended advice from their seed rep.

Last year, they also took on a 60ha lease block at Colac Bay near Riverton, 30 minutes away from the farm, which is used for running young stock with the farm owner shifting the stock as part of the lease, whereas previously this stock was at a graziers.

Sustainability is constantly at the forefront of their farming business as they look for ways to understand and control nutrient input with Hanna in the process of training to become a nutrient adviser by undertaking a course at Massey University. They invested in a tow and

Hanna and Callum Stalker say their main focus this season is on keeping expenses as low as possible without sacrificing cow condition or production.

fert last season to apply liquid fertiliser so they can drop urea usage resulting in both cost and environmental savings.

Hanna, who hails from Christchurch originally, and studied agriculture and marketing at university. Callum grew up on a sheep and beef unit in Mossburn before going shepherding and then studied towards a diploma in farm management at Lincoln University.

He established Callum Stalker Sheep Contracting, crutching half a million sheep each year in Southland and Central Otago

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Callum & Hannah Stalker / Darryl & Jan Whittaker

| 19

impacting quality at the peak of the business. This, as well as trading sheep and cattle on lease farms, provided the cash flow for the couple to enter dairy farming.

This is the second time the couple has entered the awards, participating in the farm manager section in 2014 where they came runner-up and took home the financial merit award.

This year, they also took home three merit awards, in health and safety, pasture management and environment, at the regional competition.

They won the national Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award.

They say they entered the awards for a second time to analyse their business and benchmark it against others in the industry to gain improvement.

The crossbred herd is milked through a 44bail rotary shed with automatic cup removers.

Last season, they achieved 283,000 kilograms of milk solids and are aiming for a similar figure this season milking fewer cows.

This season, they wintered 670 cows (normally the figures are 700) and aim to peak milk 650-660 cows (normally they peak milk 670-680).

The couple employ two full time and one part time staff member, with both Callum and Hanna taking hands on roles on the farm. They have a daughter, Ella, who is 18 months.

Their short-term goal is to maximise farm profitability to make inroads on debt repayments. The longer goal is to grow equity to give them options for the future whether that is farm ownership, a larger share milking job or equity partnership.

Northland farmers Darryl and Jan Whittaker bought a 75ha farm in Kaikohe in June this year.

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Petrina Wright Third-generation Northland dairy farmer Darryl Whittaker and his wife Jan are the proud owners of their first farm.

They bought a 75ha farm on Rakauwahia Road, Kaikohe in June this year, which complements two neighbouring properties they manage on behalf of Darryl’s parents.

Darryl’s parents Ken and Ros Whittaker own two of three Kaikohe properties once owned by Darryl’s grandfather Des Menary in the late 1980s.

Although Darryl and Jan had been

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50:50 share-milking with Darryl’s parents for seven seasons, Darryl still considered himself a novice when it came to dairying.

“I would not say I was a pro at farming.

We have got plenty to learn still.”

A builder by trade, Darryl and Jan, a former human resources advisor, spent two years living and working in England.

When they returned to New Zealand they had some money behind them and thought buying some cows would be a good idea, he says.

They now own a herd of 390 friesianjersey-cross cows on his parents’ 85ha and 95ha properties and another 150 cows on their own farm.

Last season, they produced 120,000kg milk solids on the two farms.

This season the couple are running the three farms as one, and had set a “reasonably conservative” target to produce 160,000kg milk solids across the three properties, Darryl says.

They did not intend to make any changes to their systems this year, but rather follow the same low-cost, all grass production system his parents had used, he says.

“We are trying to keep our heads down and not spend too much money.”

The couple had no plans to expand their business further for the foreseeable future, he says.

“The goal is not to go any bigger than we are, but work towards getting closer to [the farms’] potential of more than 160,000kg milk solids … without making major changes to our systems.”

• To page 20

DAIRY PEOPLE » Darryl & Jan Whittaker / Johnsen Farms

20 |

NZ Dairy

Third-generation farmers Plenty of praise for ‘great, proud owners of 1st farm little, profitable farm’ • From page 19 However, Darryl says he would consider buying his parents out if they wanted to sell. “… [but] I am not too sure they want to give up their cruisy little income.”

Darryl and Jan manage the business with the help of John and Diane Mokaraka, who work full-time alongside the couple.

His parents also helped out on the farm, but had made it clear they had done their time milking and did not want to work in the milking shed, Darryl says.

“The last time they were in the shed was when our youngest was born.”

The couple have two sons aged 5 and 7

Karen Phelps years.

“We would possibly consider taking on more staff if the payout increases. At the moment we are trying to do it tough to keep the costs down.”

The high cost of on-going weed control was one of the major issues Darryl and Jan face, a problem common to all dairy farmers in Northland due to the region’s warm climate, he says.

And, Darryl and Jan’s end game?

“To get to a stage where we don’t have to be on site all of the time, but rather manage the business from a distance,” Darryl says.

It’s a family affair on Darryl and Jan Whittaker’s Kaikohe dairy farm.

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Okaihau dairy farmers Craig and Suzanne Johnsen put the performance of their “great, little, profitable farm,” up there with the best in New Zealand, producing 400kgs milksolids per cow, 1200kg milksolids per hectare.

“Our farm is 94ha, with 87ha effective, we milk 260 cows and we do 100,000kgs milksolids,” Craig says.

“That is really good production for Northland, good per cow and good per hectare. We’re in a really good area that grows grass.”

The picturesque Johnsen farm was awarded the LIC Dairy Farm Award and the CB Norwood Distributors Agri-Business Award at this year’s 2016 Northland Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

“We have a really pretty farm,” Craig says.

“Everything is fenced off, we’ve got trees planted and wetlands, and our environmental management is right up to speed.”

Johnsen Farms abides by a zero discharge policy, with Craig saying it’s the way he likes to farm.

“More and more you hear about dairy farmers getting a bit of a hard time, so we’re trying to be sustainable. We want to be clean and green and tidy.”

The farm experiences some extreme weather conditions, being about 300m above sea level it can be cold for Northland, and is also in a high rainfall area which receives between 2.5 and three metres of rain a year.

“We don’t get 20ml or 30ml, it’s either 80ml or nothing,” Craig says. “To manage the rain we do a lot of on off grazing, which is a huge part of our operation over winter.”

Craig and Suzanne have just started their fourth season on the farm, since putting it back from beef grazing to dairy in 2012. “It was more of a restart than a conversion, as it was in dairy before it went to beef,” Craig says.

“The bricks and mortar were here. The cowshed was here, although everything was ripped out of it. We put a new plant in, upgraded the tanker tracks and put some new effluent ponds in to get up to speed with Fonterra standards.”

He says when they first arrived on the farm, he and Suzanne thought they would be really

happy to get 80,000kgs milksolids.

“We’re really rapt with how the farm went,” he says. “We do as good as anywhere else in the country.”

The farm was set up in 2006 by a farmer who put a lot of money into it, lining the races with poplar trees, using premium grade fencing, and a 63mm line water supply. “It’s just a fantastic farm,” Craig says.

Craig and Suzanne’s son Kirk also works on the farm, and so does a relief milker. Craig says the beauty of running a dairy farm of this size is everyone gets a break from the dairy shed, with the team taking turns to milk the cows.

Suzanne and Craig Johnsen were winners in the 2016 Northland Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Te Nihi Nihi Farm

| 21

Labour of love brings great results Karen Phelps Long before it hit the headlines, Stuart Muir and Kim Jobson were focused on eliminating predators on their 200ha Te Nihi Nihi farm at AkaAka in Northern Waikato.

For over two decades, the family has been clearing as well as setting hundreds of traps since 2011 to catch rats, stoats and possums.

With some of the areas only accessible by boat it’s undoubtedly been a labour of love but the results have been impressive.

“Recently, TBfree New Zealand came onto the island that we have been trapping on and only managed to trap 18 possums whereas normally in the past they would have got over 200 on that block,” says Stuart.

Over the years they have also seen a shift in awareness and have been grateful to those that are supporting their efforts. Recently, they received funding from the Waikato River Authority to carry out 400ha of pest control on both their own land and nearby Motu Kakaho (Potters Island) and private land.

Neighbours are also getting involved and recently allowed the couple access to clear more of the stream on their farm. Stuart grew up whitebaiting and eeling in the rivers around the farm and has been working for many years to restore both the stream and declining whitebait populations.

Once again it was the Waikato River Authority that came to the party and the couple received funding that enabled them to boost their work planting trees on the farm and cleaning up large sections of the tributary rivers that run into the Waikato River.

What was three kilometres of stagnant stream, caused by exotic trees and grasses growing into the water, has now been transformed into a waterway rich with fish and birds, something Stuart said wouldn’t have been achieved in his lifetime if they’d attempted it without assistance.

The couple has created 15 tidal ponds for whitebait to spawn in and the water is now full of freshwater mussels, whitebait and other fish, which is good news for keen fisherman Stuart. Te Whangai Trust has helped them to

Stuart Muir and Kim Jobson were finalists in the 2016 Waikato Farm Environment Awards for their work in eliminating nearby land of predators and for planting trees and clearing up large sections of the tributary rivers near their farm.

plant more than 40,000 trees and they will plant 10,000 more this year at their runoff where they run beefies.

Their work saw the couple become finalists for the 2016 Waikato Farm Environment Awards where they won farm stewardship and catchment improvement awards.

Stuart is the fifth generation of his family to farm the land.

Their four children are the sixth generation on the farm. Stuart can trace his family back to when his Scottish ancestor Sandy settled on the land in the

1850s, droving cattle from the East Cape to the Auckland markets.

The farm was converted to dairy in 1991 and today has a 140ha milking platform milking a herd of 490 cows and producing on average about 200,000 kilograms of milksolids a year. In a good year, their production can peak at 1500kg of milksolids a hectare, or 440kg a cow.

Due to the payout they have dropped stock numbers and produced about 186,000kg of milksolids in 2015-16, down from 210,000kg milked the previous season.

Stuart says their next goal is to try to obtain funding to build a bridge to give better access to the areas they are setting traps enabling them to check them more regularly. It would also enable them to more easily take groups

into the areas.

“It’s really important to educate the local community. We take groups from schools, iwi, councils and interested individuals through the farm so they can see what we’re doing.”

Another aspect of showing people what they are doing on the farm has been building an off-the-grid eco cottage, which they rent out. The aim is to use money earned from the lodge to help further fund their environmental work in the future. So what does Stuart think of the government’s goal to rid the country of predators by 2050?

“It’s a great aspiration but you have to get buy in from the local community. At the moment government and councils are arguing over who should be funding these types of projects so there is a lot of politics involved.”

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22 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Waionehu Farms

NZ Dairy

Plenty of improvements planned Karen Phelps The Birchall family, whose farm is located on the doorstep of Lake Okaro near Rotorua, says they will continue to update their environmental action plan with more improvements underway.

The farm, called Waionehu Farm, was a 2016 Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm Environment Awards winner, taking out the Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award, the WaterForce Integrated Management Award and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Award 2.

A key focus for the family going forward, says Shane Birchall, is to continue to be involved in Project Rerewhakaaitu Inc, encompassing Lakes Okaro, Rerewhakaaitu and Rotomahana, with the aim of getting the majority of properties within those catchments to have nutrient management plans.

Shane is chairman of the Okaro Catchment Lake Restoration Group, formed in 2009 with representatives of each of the landowners in the lake’s catchment.

The group has joined forces with Project Rerewhakaaitu Inc to work together on issues of mutual interest and Shane hopes there will be strength in numbers. “It means that we can share knowledge and ideas,” he says.

The Birchalls plan to continue with their ambitious planting programme and aim to plant another 1000 flaxes around their farm over the next couple of years in steeper areas, which they are already putting into native bush. In their ten year plan around 6ha of pasture total will be retired including 2ha for a new wetland area.

This will complement an existing wetland that was part of Environment Bay of Plenty’s plans for developing the Lake Okaro reserve.

The Birchalls provided 2ha for this project, with the council providing a further 0.2ha of reserve land. Using 60,000 plants including rushes, grasses, flaxes, cabbage trees and kowhai trees, the wetland was planted in 2005.

Another environmental focus for the Birchalls is safe guarding their farm for the increasing number of big storm events that seem to be occurring.

Shane says they would like to develop more retainment bunds around the farm to hold water off so sediment can settle and the water can drain slowly.

Shane’s parents bought the original 130ha block of land for the farm 45 years ago when Shane was 15 years old.

He and wife June purchased the farm off his parents in 2003 and have since been joined in the business by their children Daniel Birchall and Megan Schutt.

It remains a strongly family oriented farm with each person dedicated to the tasks that they are best at: June does the bookwork,

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including some childminding and relief milking leaving Megan free to oversee the herd, health and safety, environmental management, payroll, financial budgeting and calf rearing, Daniel takes care of all the maintenance, fertiliser application and effluent systems while Shane takes an overview of the whole business.

Extended family is also involved. Other members of the Birchall family are casual/ relief staff with 14 family members currently living on or around the farm. With the younger generation getting involved in the business Shane says their environmental policy is benefiting.

For example, their children are more internet savvy and able to readily source information online to improve the business.

The Birchalls milk 530 crossbred cows on once a day on a 198ha milking platform. They are targeting 170,000 kilograms of milk solids this season, around 330 to 350 kilograms per cow.

They’ve invested big money in their farm over the years, including two Herd Homes, to ensure they are farming sustainably and say they entered the awards to show both other farmers and the general public what can be achieved and to safeguard farming for the next generation.

“In my dad’s day farmers just milked cows and that was it,” says Shane. “These days we have to be involved in environmental issues to be able to continue to do what we love into the future.”

As part of Shane and June Birchall’s environmental action plan, they plan to continue with their ambitious planting programme, aiming to plant another 1000 flaxes around their farm, located on the shores of Lake Okaro near Rotorua, over the next couple of years.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY SERVICES » Jane & Craig Sanford

| 23

Herd homes a winner year round Richard Loader Jane and Craig Sanford say that the use of herd homes on their Ruawai farm takes the volatility out of dry summers and wet winters ensuring minimal effect from adverse conditions.

‘When we purchased the farm in 2009 it had two large herd homes with plenty of surrounding supplement feed area and a maize and palm kernel bunker, so we didn’t have large capital costs,’ says Craig.

The herd homes suit the farm as Ruawai has very fertile soils but is known to be wet during the winter. The herd homes meant that stock could be taken off the paddocks to prevent pasture damage and fed supplements in the herd homes.

At 3am each morning, electronic gates (Batt-Latches) open and the cows walk up the raceway from their paddock to the herd home, which already has supplements fed out.

Morning milking begins at 5.30am.

Nutritionist Trish Lewis prepares the feed budgets and helps to monitor cow production making changes as necessary, which are fed by iCloud through the mixer wagon. This creates efficient use of supplements with no wastage.

“The cows dung is also analysed to make sure the correct amounts of supplements are being used. The mixer wagon says how much of each ingredient to put in which makes on farm use easy,” says Craig.

Jane adds that without Trish’s help the couple would not have achieved as much success as they have.

This season, 360 tonnes of palm kernel, 42 tonnes of molasses and 220 round bales of hay will be used. “We use an iKeenan mixer wagon which calculates how much PKE, molasses, maize, silage and water is needed per cow,” says Jane.

The couple decided to grow 21 hectares of maize, plus make 70 percent of their silage on farm, resulting in a significant cost saving.

“Our maize once harvested and in the stack costs 12.7 cents per kg/dm,” says Craig.

Jane and Craig Sanford say that the use of herd homes on their Ruawai farm takes the volatility out of dry summers and wet winters.

The two herd homes get cleaned out around twice a year and the effluent is spread on the maize paddocks before they are planted so the fertiliser cost is minimal.

“Each herd home contains around $24,000 of fertiliser so it is worthwhile to put in on the maize paddocks and any remainder on the farm,” says Jane.

“This season we are targeting production of

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180,000 ms from 340 cows. This is 530 ms per cow.

“With the 21 hectares of maize out of the grazing round this is 1836 ms per hectare.

Comparing this to last season we produced 147,620 ms from 320 cows. This was 461 m/s per cow,” says Craig.

Jane and Craig say that their goal is to continue to keep the farm producing 180,000

ms per year.

Craig’s in charge of the day-to-day running of the farm, while Jane manages the office work using Cash Manager online. A full time trained worker is employed and is crucial to the success of the business.

“We plan to travel with our three school aged boys once the dairy payout improves considerably,” says Jane.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Jesse Huffan & Renee Mason

24 |

NZ Dairy

Ambitious couple build on experience Sue Russell

Aspiring young farming couple Jesse Huffam and Renee Mason were recipients of this year’s West Coast/Top of the South Share Farmer of the Year title at the Dairy Industry Awards held in March.

Renee says the key reason they chose to enter the awards, given they were only in their second year on the farm, was to prove to themselves they were capable of winning.

“We are both ambitious when it comes to our farming business and careers and entering the competition gave us the opportunity to really demonstrate just what we were capable of achieving in a short space of time,” says Renee.

Not only was their hard-work reflected in the overall award but they also received gongs for the DairyNZ Human Resources Award, the Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award and the Honda Farm Safety and Health Award.

The young couple and their two children farm on a Dairy Holdings unit in the Maruia Valley, up against the Victoria Range directly under Lewis Pass, some 42 km from Reefton.

The flat to rolling farm has an effective milking platform of 300 hectares and the couple have just begun their third season on the Dairy Holdings farm, having relocated from the North Island where they managed a farm in Pio Pio, South Waikato.

When NZ Dairy spoke with the couple the herd of 970 cows were underway calving.

Assisting Jesse and Renee on the farm was a team of a 2IC, along with two farm assistants, both in their first season. Calving is expected to finish on or about October 5.

At peak, the 70 bale DeLaval shed takes two staff three hours to complete milking twice a day.

The farm operates to a low-cost pasture based feeding system and while the farm experiences a lot of rainfall, summer droughts are not uncommon. To counter this, two centre-pivots deliver irrigation to 105 hectares.

Jesse describes the farm’s infrastructure as well set up with 3 km being the furthest

Renee Mason and Jesse Huffam farm on a Dairy Holdings unit in the Maruia Valley. They previously managed a farm in Pio Pio, in the South Waikato.

distance cows need to walk to the shed.

“The farm is certainly capable of producing more milk through increasing pasture production and that is our intention over time.”

The couple are not new to entering awards, having competed in Waikato Farm Manager of the Year and came runner-up while in their second year on the farm in Pio Pio. Key learnings from competing in these awards have added value for the couple who aspire to eventually own their own farm. These include recognising the value of ‘money’.

“One of the biggest lessons was the value of money and to really think critically about

“One of the biggest lessons was the value of money and to really think critically about what we were spending our income on at this time in our farming careers. The second lesson was about our Human Resources policy, how we were recruiting people because down here we are operating in a hard location, compared to other dairying regions.”

what we were spending our income on at this time in our farming careers.

The second lesson was about our Human Resources policy, how we were recruiting people because down here we are operating in a hard location, compared to other dairying regions,” says Renee.

With respect to employment she says the most significant achievement of fine-tuning human resources policies has been in creating

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a ‘win-win’ situation for both employer and employee.

“We have had experiences working for good bosses and not so good bosses and I think that has really helped inform how we choose to work with our staff.

“We are trying to build the culture that we are all on the same page, all a team. Having individual KPI’s for each staff member to achieve is a really positive thing.”

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY SERVICES » Jesse Huffan & Renee Mason

| 25

Just as much attention has been put to developing robust and really user-friendly systems relating to hygiene and health and safety, particularly in and around the milking plant.

“As for the future, with the rich experience of the recent awards to build on, the couple intend to stay under the Dairy Holdings umbrella.

“At the moment, where we are in our farming, it fits. Dairy Holdings allows you to grow and there is a lot of support available,” says Jesse.

The farm operates to a low-cost pasture based feeding system and while the farm experiences a lot of rainfall, summer droughts are not uncommon.

26 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Wairua Farms

NZ Dairy

Ivan and Sue Knauf, who operate a large dairy farm in the Hawke's Bay, won four awards in the recent 2016 Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

Farming sustainably top priority Karen Phelps Operating a large dairy farm in the Hawke’s Bay, the Knauf family say they are very aware of media perception of the industry.

This has made it a priority for them to farm sustainably and the farm has now won four awards in the 2016 Ballance Farm Environment Awards: Waterforce Integrated Management Award, Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award, Hill Laboratories Harvest Award and the LIC Dairy Farm Award.

“I believe a lot of dairy farmers are doing a very good job and that the community needs to be aware of the good things we are doing,” says Ivan Knauf, who runs the farm with wife Sue and their son and daughter-in-law Lewis and Mel. “Dairy is a minority in this region but whenever people refer to nutrient issues in the river, dairy is the one looked at. I am very aware we have to put our best foot forward and make sure our industry is well represented. But it’s also important to remember that other industries contribute to nutrient problems as well.”

The family moved from Waikato in 2001 to convert the original 550 ha property, which has now grown to 825ha, located near Maraekakaho, west of Hastings.

Called Wairua, the farm is now a 656ha effective operation utilising 395ha of flat land

for the dairy platform. The farm is mainly flat to rolling contour with some steep sidings.

The family has fenced 46ha of the most erosion-prone land to allow native bush to regenerate and 58ha has been established in pine, macrocarpa and black walnut plantations. A 42ha wetland has also been set aside.

Around 400ha of the farm is under irrigation by centre pivot and reel guns.

The Knaufs use soil moisture monitoring to ensure they are utilising this resource wisely. There is 50,000 cubic metres of freshwater irrigation storage but the Knaufs plan to increase this capacity to 300,000 cubic metres.

The farm has dams to intercept run-off and trap sediment. As irrigation is expensive (they have to pump 80m elevation from the river to the dairy platform) Ivan says they must strive to get maximum value.

“Grass becomes expensive due to this cost and has limited growth compared with maize and fodder beet.

"Fodder beet is our cheapest form of feed at the moment so we are looking at where we can make cost savings and get better returns for our irrigation,” says Ivan.

A new effluent system with a weeping wall has helped them to effectively utilise nutrients as well as protect the environment.

Green water is used to floodwash concreted cowshed yards and feed pads before moving to the weeping wall where solids and liquids

“Dairy is a minority in this region but whenever people refer to nutrient issues in the river, dairy is the one looked at. I am very aware we have to put our best foot forward and make sure our industry is well represented. But it’s also important to remember that other industries contribute to nutrient problems as well.” are separated.

Once greenwash from the shed has been through the weeping wall it is pumped back to the floodwash tanks and re-used.

Liquid is stored in a 90-day 33,000 cubic metre storage pond, which is then directly injected into irrigation lines and sprayed through the pivots at 5% concentration. Ivan says that not many people are utilising a distribution system through pivots due to problems with solids blocking the system.

They have not had issues with pivot blockages but solids have blocked the pump and screening system, something they are currently seeking a solution to.

Nothing is wasted and resources are viewed as precious. The Knaufs undertake monthly samples of effluent to ascertain nutrient levels and also soil test to monitor

what needs to be applied. No dead cows leave the farm but instead are composted along with calf shed shavings for use on maize paddocks prior to planting.

The green water flood wash system has cut down on water usage for the farm by 90 cubic metres per day.

Combined with using a TruTest milk cooling unit, another 120 cubic metres of water savings each day the have been obtained. The aim is to get water usage in the 70-bale rotary cowshed down to 15,000 litres a day.

The Knaufs have also been contributing since 2012 to the local council TANK ten year catchment plan review as part of a collaborative stake holder group.

• To page 29

NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE Âť Wairua Farms

| 27

The Knauf's run Wairua, a farm that is now a 656ha effective operation, utilising 395ha of flat land for the dairy platform. The farm is mainly flat to rolling contour with some steep sidings. The family has fenced 46ha of the most erosion-prone land to allow native bush to regenerate. A 42ha wetland has also been set aside.

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28 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Wairua Farms

NZ Dairy

Around 400ha of the Knauf's farm is under irrigation by centre pivot and reel guns and the Knauf's use soil moisture monitoring to ensure they are utilising this resource wisely.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Wairua Farms

| 29

Farming sustainably top priority for Knauf family • From page 26 The area in question encompasses the Tutaekuri, Ahuriri, Ngaruroro and Karamu catchments (TANK) plus the Heretaunga Plains aquifer system.

Despite their obvious focus on environmentally friendly practices it was Lewis, a civil engineer, who manages the family business, who was the driving force for the first time entrants to take part in the Ballance Awards.

This year the farm was also awarded the Fonterra 2016 Rose Cup, given annually to a farm, which has shown outstanding environmental stewardship. The Knaufs have been Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Gold Producers (recognising consent compliance) for five years.

Ivan ran a contracting business for 20 years in the Waikato while purchasing land at Gordonton off his parents where he ran bulls and beef.

Additional land was purchased over the years and the 153ha farm was converted to dairy. The farm was sold in 2001 to fund the purchase of Wairua.

Wairua remains a strongly family run operation. Mel, who has a social work background, rears the calves. Sue who has an accountancy background completes administration for the business.

Ivan and Sue also share other roles in the office to ensure the busy operation, which employs 13 staff, ticks along efficiently.

Last season, the herd of 1600 mainlyfriesian cows, split into spring and autumn calving herds, produced 683,870 kilograms of milksolids for the factory and 12,000 kilograms of milksolids for feeding 900 calves including 560 beef sold as weaners.

This season, the Knaufs are aiming for around the same milk production but with 100 fewer cows in order to even better manage nutrient losses.

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30 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Wairua Farms

NZ Dairy

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Our experienced team at Gifford Devine has provided Ivan, Sue and Lewis with legal advice on their obligations under The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

Accountability

The Act creates the ‘PCBU’ (a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking). A PCBU can be a person or business. It’s the PCBU that has the ‘primary duty of care’ (and liability) in a workplace. Directors, partners or senior management of PCBU’s face significant penalties under the Act for failing to exercise due diligence in ensuring the PCBU carries out its duties.

Risks and hazards

Farm jobs often cover many tasks - operating heavy machinery, handling stock, working in potentially dangerous physical locations, during weather events and often for long hours all in the same day. The PCBU needs to assess all of the situations that workers might be in and, as far as is practical, identify health and safety risks and ways to eliminate or manage them. You can no longer ask an employee without proper training to ‘learn on the job’.

It’s not good enough to simply prepare (or purchase) a health and safety policy and put it in a drawer. You must ensure that your employees or contractors are aware of the policy and follow it. You need to provide adequate training to ensure that the policy is not just a box to be ticked.

You must ensure that contractors, or others on your property, have proper health and safety procedures in place and provide you with a copy of those procedures. You can’t turn a blind eye if you see a contractor doing things that would constitute a risk to health and safety.

Defining the workplace

The farm ‘workplace’ is defined as the place where ‘farm work is actually being carried out at the time’. This workplace can change often, with little time to give notice as to what is being carried out where and when.

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Under the Act, no duty is owed to a person, such as a trespasser or poacher, who is in a workplace for an unlawful purpose. However, if your farm is used for community purposes (tramping, school activities, promotional events etc.) you may need more formality around who is on the farm at any particular time.

The ‘she’ll be right’ attitude is no longer acceptable.

If we can help you too, please contact us.

Smart investments cut costs, reduce risk, ensure compliance Times, as we all know are incredibly tight. If key costs could be reduced, risk to herd and milk minimised, herd performance closely and more accurately managed for better outcomes, and compliance a non-issue wouldn’t these things be key to invest your valuable dollars in?

Tru-Test’s On-Farm Dairy Solutions is committed to reducing on-farm working expenses whilst improving your farm performance by offering a range of Dairy Automation and Milk Cooling solutions that work to reduce day-today expenses, improve herd management, reduce dairy refrigeration capital expenditure costs, and minimize milk loss claims.

Tru-Test’s been working with the Knauf family to reap greater value in two key areas of their Wairua Farms’ operations.

Dairy Automation Dairy Automation solutions are becoming increasingly valued tools in the drive for reducing farms costs and increasing efficiency.

Two of these solutions, Autodrafting and Walk over Weighing (WOW), are never more valuable than during AB. Key reason - reduced labour costs. The cost-of-capital on a Tru-Test autodrafter and WOW is significantly lower than employing a relief milker for four weeks – and that’s without the year-round benefits of an autodrafter during times like PD, culling, and sorting springers.

There’s also ease-of-use. The phone app allows anyone to set drafts from the paddock, whilst bringing cows in or at the shed at any time, helping ensure all bulling cows are identified and drafted out ready for the AB technician.

Ease is even more pronounced in the shed. By eliminating a human drafter, the focus can be on identifying bulling cows and milking. It’s also easier to draft groups of cows eg dirty cows and CIDR for vet visits.

WOW delivers on animal health, allowing effortless twice daily weighing of cows keeping you on top of your cow and farm management. Providing an early heads-up on health

issues, identifying lame, sick or non-cycling cows, and most importantly, cows losing weight going in to & during mating.

For the Knauf’s adding Tru-Test automation modules into their farming operation has been one of the best business decisions they’ve made.

In 2015, they looked at additional ways to extract greater value across their whole dairy operation. Working with Tru-Test, they installed a full sensor dairy automation system into the 70 bail rotary.

“For automation we were looking for efficiency. A split herd takes a lot of work to keep organised. Monitoring individuals and groups with Tru-Test’s automation system and its online herd management system MiHub streamlined those activities. But the main motivation was increased gains in herd improvement.”

“On a System 5 production system, every day monitoring allows us to see what inputs we put into each cow and the outputs we get in return.”

“During early and late lactations we especially see the real benefit of having Tru-Test’s automation system in place.

For cows not producing, we can cut back on feed and dry them off; good producers we can increase the feed and carry them through.”

“We can also now identify cull cows early and send them off when it makes the most economic sense and the system’s also reduced the number of mastitis cows in the herd.”

“We can identify half a dozen cows which are high risk and check them rather than strip 1600. The sensors also help with plant management. We easily identify problem bails and sort out plant hygiene and efficiency issues.

It certainly makes the job in the shed easier.”

The Knauf’s also engaged with Tru-Test to help improve their milk cooling operation.

“Our big cooling focus was environmental. We were trying to cut down on water usage in the cowshed.”

“With Tru-Test, we created a closed water system to run chilled water through the plate cooler and then recycle the same water to be chilled and reused again. We worked together with the local Area Sales Manager, Tim Rix to deliver a solution that also ensures the recycled water remains chilled at levels well below what the regulations require.”

“That system, together with using green water to wash the yard, pulled shed water usage back by 60-70%.”

With the introduction of new milk cooling regulations, milk cooling compliance is at the forefront of many farmers’ minds.

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Tru-Test offers a free milk cooling assessment that has already proven to be an ideal way for understanding what (if anything) you may need to do to upgrade your dairy refrigeration system ahead of the new regulations.

Data loggers are placed on a farm’s dairy refrigeration system for a minimum of four continuous milkings to assess vat temperatures, milk entry line temperature and plate cooler water entry temperature.

A no obligation summary report including analysis of your plant performance against the new NZCP1 new milk cooling standards and recommendations for any improvements required is then supplied. A number of farmers have learned they either didn’t need any change or the change needed was vastly cheaper than what they believed was required.

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32 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Jacqui & Sofus Hahn

NZ Dairy

Dairy farmer Jacqui Hahn, who farms 1100 dairy cows on their 1170ha propery with her husband Sofus, is Waikato's new dairy head of Federated Farmers.

Water quality high on agenda Karen Phelps

'Improving the water quality is a great thing," says Jacqui Hahn. "You just have to be sensible."

Jacqui Hahn is Waikato’s new dairy head of Federated Farmers. She feels it’s likely that her measured but assertive style resulted in her shoulder being tapped for the job.

Jacqui describes herself as introverted by nature; she is more inclined to listen to the views and opinions of others.

"But when I have an opinion I will speak up.

I love getting into the debate and I don’t hold back", she says.

Navigating the troubled waters of the Waikato Healthy Rivers Consultation is something that she has had her sights on for a very long time.

Representatives of community stakeholders set the water quality at a ‘swimmable’ level.

This is yet to be approved by the Iwi and

Regional Council.

"Even though this is a community wide consultation, the community hasn’t actually got involved enough. Farmers have got involved, especially the dairy farmers because I guess we have the most to lose. But it’s not just about nitrogen in the water; it’s bacteria, sediment and phosphorus—that’s a community wide problem not just a dairy farm problem."

"The consequences for the entire community through the flow on effects of getting the plan wrong are significant and will have lasting impacts,"says Jacqui.

She says it’s important that people know what’s happening and to get involved.

"Federated Farmers will ensure that a submission is made with a strong message from our farmers about what they can and cannot live with.

"I'll keep pushing to get the issues on the front page of papers and on the radio because until we get people talking about it there’s not going to be an awareness of the issues. The Waikato Times recently estimated a loss of

"Farming and good environmental management are not mutually exclusive of each other. You cannot be long term successful in one without being successful in the other. If you do not look after the soils and the water you will not have something to work off in the future.

They go hand in hand."

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Jacqui & Sofus Hahn

$7b to the economy if we went from ground zero to finish, straight up. We really need to start talking about that."

Jacqui holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management, which has given her a greater awareness of the issues and also the bad habits of the other stakeholders involved including electricity, mining and factories.

"One of my university tutors was Mike Joy and his views on water quality are well

known," she says.

Jacqui is passionate about the land and the environment.

"Farming and good environmental management are not mutually exclusive of each other. You cannot be long term successful in one without being successful in the other.

"If you do not look after the soils and the water you will not have something to work off in the future. They go hand in hand."

In addition to her busy Federated Farmers role, Jacqui and Danish husband, Sofus, farm 1100 dairy cows on their 1170ha Waikato farm; part of which was the original family farm that Jacqui grew up on.

Sofus was farming in Denmark before coming to New Zealand with Jacqui in 1996; a decision that was based on the opportunities presented in New Zealand, as well as Jacqui desperately missing the New Zealand hilly landscape.

| 33

"Sofus’s parents visit New Zealand quite regularly and so that helps to maintain the Danish link," says Jacqui.

Jacqui says that she manages to fit her busy Fed role into her day job of being a farmer with a little bit of difficulty, along with a very supportive husband, good kids aged between 13 and 18 and a great staff of 6.

"My main goal in my Fed job is to help people in what ever way I can. I will be happy if I can achieve that," says Jacqui.

Jacqui Hahn with her husband, Sofus, and children, from left Emma, 15, April, 17, Sonja 18 and Finn 13. Jacqui holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management.

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34 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Landcorp Pastoral

NZ Dairy

Landcorp shifts longterm strategy Richard Loader “There’s a significant shift in Landcorp’s strategy as it applies equal importance on environmental responsibility as it does to fiscal success, with initiatives such as reducing its dairy growth intentions and phasing out palm kernel”, says Bruce Hunter.

Bruce is a senior business manager for Landcorp’s Central Plateau dairy farms owned

by Wairakei Pastoral.

“Landcorp entered into a deal with Wairakei Pastoral in 2003 where the original intention was to clear forestry to make way for as many as 40 dairy farms of which 16 are now in operation,” he says.

The intent is now to half that number of conversions primarily due to the corporate’s responsibility to protect the immediate ecosystem, including the Waikato river.

“One of the guiding principles for Landcorp is Kaitaikitanga, a Maori principle around care and stewardship of land and the surrounding ecosystem”, says Bruce.

“It’s quite clear to us that we would not be a responsible steward of the land and the surrounding fragile ecosystems if we continued with the land conversion as originally planned in 2003,” says Bruce.

Bruce says to succeed in today’s environment Landcorp must do things differently from its past direction.

“That means protecting our land, getting better and faster at what we do around our existing agriculture and getting closer to our end-user customers who needs are becoming increasingly more sophisticated,” says Bruce.

Identifying who our customers are is also a change for Landcorp.

“While we once saw our products as commodities that were sold to processors, we now look at alternative avenues for adding value to what were previously commodity products – what got us here won’t get us there,” says Bruce.

“For example, we have a joint venture partnership in a sheep milking enterprise where sheep milk is valued more as a nutraceutical product rather than a food

Landcorp entered into a deal with Wairakei Pastoral in 2003 to convert a forestry block into 40 dairy farms. The intent is now to half that number.

commodity. This business structure gives Landcorp end-to-end control right through to the end user,” says Bruce.

Bruce also points out that Landcorp has set aside a large area of land dedicated to organics and alternative land use which will also lower our environmental footprint whilst adding value to products that are more highly valued by our end customers.

“We see our environment as being every bit as important as the economics of the business—the two cannot stand in isolation,”

says Bruce.

After completing an industry recognized model for the Pastoral land, Landcorp made the decision to cap the conversion to about 8800ha; the balance going into dairy support for dry stock, sheep milking or retired into planting and a further 850ha has been identified for alternative land use.

“Anything outside flat land where erosion can occur, where nutrient falloff can occur, where pasture production is reducing, where animal husbandry can be compromised will

not be converted to dairy farms,” says Bruce.

“Cow barns are now on a couple of our farms for temporary stock housing, primarily to protect the rivers and waterways. Cows are moved into the barns on a regular basis and the effluent collected for application to land when its environmental impact is significantly lower, says Bruce.

“These are all initiatives for better care of the land and adding higher value to our food products, which I find very motivating,” says Bruce.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Lely NZ Ltd

| 35

Lely farmers blaze robotic trail Russell Fredric Lely New Zealand general manager dairy Sam Andersen considers himself fortunate to have been part of the first Waikato robotic installation in 2012.

Since starting as Lely New Zealand’s service manager six years ago, he has seen huge growth within the company nationally and internationally as Lely cemented its position globally as the number one robotic milking company.

The first Lely robot milking system to be sold in the world was in 1992; the company has since sold more than 20,000 robots to date.

In 2008 Lely installed its first Astronaut robot milking system in New Zealand on a farm in Canterbury.

Over the years Lely has developed a strong network of farmers in New Zealand, referred to in-house as Lely Ambassadors, who are constantly pushing the boundaries and blazing the trail for the future of dairy farming.

Within this group, a strong holding of farmers are utilising the ABC Pasture system where cows are freely grazing and visiting the robots for milking whenever it suits.

The economics of robotic milking systems compare favourably to conventional systems, Sam Andersen says.

“There is a common misconception that robots are not a financially viable option for the bulk of New Zealand farmers, but with increases in production, efficiencies, and a reduction in the physical footprint of infrastructure required, robots are very comparable to conventional

• To page 36

PHOTOS: Lely Calm automatic calf feeders (above) and Lely milking robotics in action on a Hamilton farm (below).

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Lely CenterTM Invercargill Reese Hegarty (027) 558 8770 reese.hegarty@jj.co.nz

36 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Lely NZ Ltd

NZ Dairy

Lely technology pushes new boundaries in agriculture • From page 35 milking system.”

“Technology is always advancing and I personally believe New Zealand farmers are very adopting of new ways to future-proof their businesses and we offer that solution.”

Lely aims to push the boundaries in agriculture to allow farmers to work on their businesses, not in them, and strives to make farmers’ lives easier with a range of innovative solutions and quality on-going service provided by each Lely center throughout New Zealand.

“Farmers are seeing the benefits of freeing up time with automation and focusing on other critical on-farm tasks by utilising the vast quantities of data available from all our products.”

Lely’s innovative product range includes milking and feeding robots, automatic calf feeders and various other cow health products such as cattle handlers, cow brushes and cow tags which monitor rumination, cow activity and heat detection.

As on-farm costs rise in the midst of volatile payouts, the importance of using technology to manage and measure all on-farm operations is crucial.

The use of technology also means less time in hands-on roles while reducing labour numbers and ensuring cows are set to produce to their optimum potential to maximise profitability and to achieve a greater return on every dollar spent.

“As a innovative company we are constantly looking for ways to improve efficiencies on-farm and add value to our customers.”

The company’s vision for sustainability and profitability extends beyond a farm’s core operations to include options to utilise renewable

Lely’s product range includes these Juno automatic feed pushers.

energy sources, such as on-farm wind turbines and solar panels.

Lely has a nationwide network of dealers who also provide total forage equipment solutions for contractors and farmers alike. This range

includes mowers, tedders, rakes, balers, loader wagons, diet feeders, fertiliser spreaders, manure spreaders and trailed harvesters.

Founded in 1948 Lely has been represented in New Zealand for more than 40 years.

Lely Centers in Invercargill, Canterbury,

Takaka, Feilding, Waverley and Hamilton are supported by dedicated specialists in the area of sales, service and farm management support.

Helwi Tacoma supplies thorough and detailed consultancy services to dairy farms.

Each of his regular farm visits are followed up with a practical report listing the relevant management changes for the weeks ahead.

Helwi’s key strength is his depth of knowledge in pasture management and profitable integration of supplements

• Performance Monitoring • Dairy System Design & Optimisation

Regardless of cow type and supplement usage, maximising pasture growth, quality and utilisation and efficient conversion to milksolids are the crucial factors to financial success. He has the ability to integrate soil fertility, irrigation, pasture species, pre- and post-grazing levels, leaf stages, rotation lengths, supplements and fertiliser in order to achieve the best results from your farm.

• Financial Analysis

Helwi has a background in dairy veterinary practice in both the Netherlands and New Zealand, with his consulting career spanning over 20 years.

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Here is why your business may benefit from engaging Helwi as your consultant: · Highly experienced in analysing and understanding a variety of NZ dairy practices across New Zealand, from grass-only to highly intensive housed systems.

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Tel: 03 325 4347 Mob: 027 603 4312 e: h.tacoma@xtra.co.nz www.intelact.com

· Using Udder, monthly ‘what-if’ scenarios will be produced to help make accurate,

real-time decisions regarding feed, nitrogen use, roundlengths, stocking rates etc. · Optimisation of production through the combination of pasture management, stocking rates, nitrogen use and feed inputs, using science-proven software. He can advise you on which feeds to use in given conditions or when adding supplements does not increase profits. · Construction and monitoring of cash flows through CashManager. · In-depth analysis of the financial performance of your business using specialised software, revealing your business’s strengths, weaknesses, and your risk profile. · ‘What-if’ scenarios using financial software will help you make comprehensive decisions on system changes, borrowing decisions, perform sensitivity analyses etc. · Utilising the 15 years spent as a practicing dairy veterinarian, Helwi has a depth of knowledge about metabolic problems, trace element requirements, challenges around cow fertility and general animal health. · Helwi has thorough understanding of dairy nutrition in terms of the energy, protein and mineral requirements of dairy cows as well as the intricacies of rumen fermentation and animal metabolism. He has the knowledge of how to translate this back to daily practice.

NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Gapa

| 37

Embracing the challenges ahead Richard Loader Sharemilking off the side of a hill in Northland may have its challenges, but Glen and Trish Rankin embraced those challenges and the resulting opportunities as part of their journey towards farm ownership.

They want to encourage others to do the same.

Their move to Mangamuka two years ago was to achieve their goal of farm ownership by building up equity.

But none of the couple’s extensive farming experience in Canterbury, Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay prepared them for the degree of change they encountered when they took up the position.

“We had to relearn everything from scratch,” says Trish.

“Mapping the entire farm in respect to feed and where the water came through the farm; control of the Kikuya grass that grows like crazy when it’s hot and not at all at other times; new effluent systems and what consents were necessary.”

“On top of that we’ve had 600ml of rain over the last three months. That’s been challenging for both pasture control and effluent management points of view,” says Glen.

“It gets really wet during calving to the point that you can’t get tractors on the ground; you spend a lot of time walking and it always

• To page 38

Glen and Trish Rankin moved to Mangamuka two years ago after cutting their farming teeth on farms in Canterbury, the Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay and have embraced the challenges their Northland farm has thrown at them..

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38 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Gapa/Presco Environmental

Couple embraces the challenges to reach goal • From page 37 seems to be uphill!”

The couple has also found the Northland roads, isolation and remoteness challenging in terms of kids weekend sports activities.

“Both Glen and I can drive in different directions for Saturday sport and nowhere is less than an hour each way,” says Trish.

But far from being deterred by all of this, the couple is incredibly optimistic and thankful for the opportunities that the far North has presented them.

Trish and Glen say there is a wonderful community spirit and they have slotted in so easily. Their children have never loved school so much.

“There’s 12 or 13 kids in each of their classes and there’s a real family atmosphere.

The kids have boxing lessons with the local policeman and everyone just cares so much,” says Trish.

“We have a really good relationship with the farm owners and work very much as a team. There is also very good local support

with neighbors only too willing to offer their knowledge and support,” says Glen.

“We hoped to buy a farm in 10 years but are now on track to do that in two or three.

It has fast-tracked our equity growth. The reduced payout has enabled us to pick up cows cheaper so we have put on more cows a bit sooner than we were planning on.”

Glen points out that as dairying turns around they will be able to sell surplus cows at a better price to buy land.

“Where premium land is going for $50k a hectare, here it’s less than $10,000. It’s about making it work and I guess that it’s going to be realistic for us to buy this type of land,” say Glen.

The couple won this years Northland Sharefarmers of the year award and say that looking outside the square, going to places and jobs that others might not, setting goals and plans, having resilience and never giving up are the keys to success.

“Don’t rule things out just because you might think they are challenging. There is definitely a silver lining under every challenge,” says Trish.

Paddy, 3, and Tom, 5, helping feed calves on their parent’s Northland farm.

NZ Dairy

‘Do it once and Sue Russell Steve Prestidge established Presco Environmental Infrastructure in 2007 in the heart of the Taranaki Dairy region, and in almost 10 years, the company has grown to become NZ Leaders in sustainable dairy farm infrastructure.

Steve was born and raised on a 4th generation dairy farm, and has always had very strong ties with the industry and a very strong desire to serve it.

When he took over the helm of the small pre-cast concrete manufacturing business, it mainly specialised in smaller products such as farm troughs and water tanks; he says the evolution to diversify over ensuing years was in response to the ever-changing needs of the market and consistent with the company’s values of innovation, best practice, sustainability and continuous improvement.

“We began to move towards more custom work and larger infrastructure projects such

as feed bunkers and feedpads. After the Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord was launched in July 2013 and regional councils subsequently started changing their effluent management laws, we started putting a lot of focus into sustainable farm dairy effluent management,” says Steve.

As a result of this focus, Presco (in collaboration with farmers, regional councils and regulatory bodies and registered engineers) developed the Prosump - now NZ’s leading concrete effluent sump.

These pre-cast panel sumps are constructed from 150mm thick 40MPA, reinforced concrete and range in size from 58,000 to 8,000,000 litres plus.

The company specialises in full design, build and install solutions.

“Each design is client specific and based on visits to the farm to look at site options, assess soil types and discuss with the client the requirements of their farm now and into the future” says Oliver, one of Presco’s certified farm dairy effluent designers.

The versatility of the Prosump means it

Presco Environmental Infrastructure started in 2007 and in nearly 10 years, the company has grown to become NZ Leaders in sustainable dairy farm infrastructure.

Talk to us for a fresh approach to the success of your farming operations Leanne Southey BBS, CA Rebecca Sayer BBS, CA

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Presco Environmentalr

| 39

do it right’ attitude impresses can be installed above-ground or in-ground.

The sump is designed with sustainability in mind. The vertical walls and unique sloping floor increase storage efficiency; the concrete construction and registered-engineered design (including a unique three-stage seal) ensures the Prosump’s durability.

“We really enjoy working with the farmers we work with. We find that farmers installing Prosumps are progressive farmers that are focused on future generations and the sustainability of their farms. We are proud to partner with them to achieve that,” Oliver says.

Another large part of the Presco story is innovation. It was at the recent dilemma of a Waikato dairy farmer, who couldn’t find an effluent storage solution that would work on his challenging farm site, that Presco developed the 3.6m high-wall Prosump.

“The farmer wanted to build a pond in the side of a hill, on a site where he could gravity-feed effluent from the dairy. He had large storage requirements, but space was very tight.”

Oliver says the client came to Presco after researching and exhausting all other possible options for the site and size of storage pond he required.

“No other systems suited his specific needs. The Prosump’s durable and efficient design really appealed, so he approached us to see what we could do. Although the original 3m Prosump wouldn’t fit, after some headknocking amongst Presco’s lead designers, the 3.6m Prosump was born and suited the need perfectly.”

The key benefits of the higher wall Prosump include the smaller footprint, and ability to fit in to tight spots, while an even smaller catchment area increases efficiencies in irrigation and means less pasture loss.

Presco launched the new 3.6m high Prosump at the Innovation area at National Fieldays in Hamilton in June this year and Oliver says the response from farmers wanting to ‘do it once and do it right’ when it comes to effluent management was very impressive.

Prosumps, from Presco Environmental, are pre-cast panel sumps constructed from 150mm thick 40MPA, reinforced concrete and range in size from 58,000 to 8,000,000 litres plus. Presco launched the new 3.6m high Prosump at the Innovation area at National Fieldays in Hamilton in June this year and it has proven a hit with farmers.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Christine Finnigan

| 41

OAD milking brings balanced life Richard Loader “Tiredness is a significant challenge facing the dairy industry,” says Palmerston North farmer Christine Finnigan.

“Once-a-day (OAD) milking alleviates pressure on farmers enabling better decisionmaking. It gives them a new lease on life with greater operational flexibility and job satisfaction.”

Christine is a strong advocate for OAD saying that it’s kind on people and animals.

She’s in her 8th season milking 225 crossbred cows OAD on her low input 85ha farm and adamant that she’ll never return to twice a day (TAD).

While milking takes longer, she says there’s a psychological boost knowing you’re not back milking in the afternoon. “The thinking is more relaxed and you are able to cup slower because they’re coming off slower. It’s a different job in that respect,” says Christine.

From Christine’s experience, workers love OAD because of the more attractive hours of work, resulting in numerous replies to vacancies even when finding good staff is difficult.

Selection is critical in OAD herds given the milk volume each cow has to hold and the fact that some animals don’t perform.

Last year, Christine’s herd peaked at 22 litres compared to 24 litres for a TAD herd. “You need a cow with strong udder conformation and ligaments otherwise the udders don’t cope and the cow ends up going to the works,” says Christine.

A question often asked is whether there’s greater prevalence of mastitis. “Milking OAD

“Tiredness is a significant challenge facing the dairy industry.”

won’t create a cell count issue if you don’t have one already but because you are only seeing the cows OAD you do need more attention to detail,” says Christine.

Getting the stocking rate right is also important. When Christine first started OAD, research recommended a 17 percent increase.

While she didn’t go that high, the increased stock rate still resulted in feed pressure and a 10% reduction in productivity. “My advice in year 1 is don’t increase the stocking rate by more than 5% - 10% at most, allowing for culling of cows that don’t fit within a OAD system.”

OAD cows also tend to get into calf very easily. “We had over 90% of our cows, including heifers, in calf within 6 weeks, without intervention, exceeding the industry target of 78% for mature cows,” says Christine.

“However, the calving period is quite compact and when they start, they calve very fast.”

Christine accepts there’s a stigma about OAD. “You know, ‘Go OAD and go broke’ or ‘It’s a lazy way of farming’ or ‘You can do it but I couldn’t possibly’,” says Christine. “But we aim to do similar production, with more stock income, lower costs and a more balanced lifestyle.”

She says, like any change, there are risks; poor observation, incorrect stocking rates,

reduced productivity and greater cull rates than expected, are all valid risks.

“You definitely don’t take a cavalier approach and it doesn’t just happen. You have to make it happen,” says Christine who remembers her first

year as being a “leap of faith”.

“Dairy NZ has a mentoring system. Find a like-minded farmer who has already adopted OAD and seek their advice. Be prepared before you change,” says Christine.

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42 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Adam & Bec Giddens

NZ Dairy

Building relationships important Richard Loader Wairarapa contract Milker Adam Giddens, 28, says building up reputation along with strong relationships and support networks over the last 15 years has been an important factor in the farming success for he and his wife, Becs.

Adam’s love for cows started as a 10-yearold showing pet calves from a friend’s farm at local A & P shows.

That farm is now part of the farm that Adam and Becs are contracted to.

As contract milkers, Adam and Becs get paid a fixed rate based upon production. “If we lift production above budget we can get paid very well,” says Adam.

“Essentially, the job is to get feed into the cows and get as much production as possible at low cost. We have responsibility for all the labour costs, and crop management, milk quality grades etc. are on us.”

“Last year was our first season on this farm and we lifted production from 126,000 kgms to 156,000kgms by going back to basics in terms of animal and pasture management.”

Adam takes pride in doing a good job. He enjoys the challenge of balancing the land, pasture, cows, and the people involved in doing the work.

“Being the best I can is the main driver,” says Adam.

“Having the right people around you, the right support people, networking and upskilling are so important to success.”

The farm owners are also very good to work with.

“The communication between us is very important. They are happy for us to progress the farm and make decisions but significant changes are always discussed,” says Adam.

While the fluctuation in milk prices doesn”t have a direct impact on contract milkers, Adam says that there is a flow on effect.

“A reduced payout can impact on the farmers spend on things like fertilizer so may cut back on that. That in turn impacts on grass production which impacts on milk production which impacts on our profit margin.

Adam Giddens, 28, contract milks a Wairarapa farm with his wife Becs. His love for cows started as a 10-year-old showing pet calves at a local A&P show.

“We have got a lot more strategic with our fertilizer applications and use effluent on our cropping paddocks more.

“I think everyone is getting a lot more strategic and smarter about their spend and make sure every dollar spent get”s the best possible return,” says Adam.

Adam was recently elected Wairarapa Federated Farmers Sharemilkers Chairman. It

will give him further opportunities to network with key people in the industry and gain a better understanding for what is happening behind the scenes.

“It will also enable him to be an active voice on behalf of others.”

The couple achieved 2nd placing in the 2016 Wairarapa Sharemilker of the Year competition.

“We went into the awards to improve our business by finding our weaknesses. From that point of view it was invaluable and gave us exposure to people and opportunities that would not otherwise have come along.

“Developing a personal brand, having a plan for where you want to go, looking for the opportunities but not being afraid to deviate are key elements for success,” says Adam.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Bob Franklin

‘Keep positive,’ implores Bob Richard Loader ‘Keep positive farmers, keep positive.”

These are the warm and encouraging words from Northland dairy farmer Bob Franklin whose farming journey spans 37 years.

After completing a spray-painting apprenticeship Bob went shearing and fencing before purchasing his parent’s sheep and beef farm in 1979.

In 1992, Bob and his wife, Carolyn, purchased a Northland beef farm that they converted to dairy in 2009 out of frustration with the beef industry.

“It was a major transition; putting in races and water, re-fencing the whole farm, building a cowshed and houses and putting water supplies on. There was big capital outlay,” says Bob. “We’re now doing between 400 and 450kgMs. Our best production has been 221000kgMs and our worst has been 209000kgMs since we’ve been up and running,”says Bob. Bob’s now employed a contract milker who’s paid on MS production. He has full responsibility for staff, staff wages and shed costs.

“He worked for me for the first 2 or 3 seasons after I first converted to dairy. He’s now come back and I offered him the position of contract milker rather than a salary. It gives him a bit more opportunity and takes some of the pressure off my wife and me so we can focus on other aspects of the farm,” says Bob. “He’s passionate about the stock and he’s doing a pretty good job of pasture management.”

Carolyn rears the calves until they are 100 kilos and then sends them off farm for grazing where they are looked after until they get in calf and return home about 6 weeks prior to calving.

“It’s very hard to actually milk cows and look after their young stock. Your focus on a dairy farm is to get milk out of cows. It’s not about the heifers which means they come second fiddle all the time from my observations,” say’s Bob. Bob uses the New Zealand Grazing Company Ltd and says that while they are expensive he gets brilliant results while his own operation focuses on the business at hand; the production of milk.

Reduced dairy payouts has meant that Bob has not used the same level of supplements such as palm kernel as in previous years but he doesn’t see this as being a bad thing.

“Fonterra’s recommendation of 2 - 3kgs of palm kernel per cow is about right and production has not really suffered as a result,” says Bob. ‘“The biggest impact that it’s had on us is stress really. Just trying to save a dollar here

Bob Franklin, who purchased a Northland beef farm with his wife Carolyn in 2009 that they converted to dairy, with cows on the feed pad.

and a dollar there. It tires you when you are under stress all the time. I guess it wears you down.”

Bob is quick to add that there are always peaks and troughs in farming and how important it is to keep working through it, as eventually things will come right.

“It would be nice if the people in the cities appreciated just how much hard work goes into producing the milk they find in the supermarkets,” say’s Bob.

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| 43

44 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Ordish & Stevens

NZ Dairy

Looking after customers the key Kelly Deeks In tight times, rural infrastructure specialist Ordish and Stevens makes a special effort to try to look after its customers big and small, by ensuring every project undertaken provides best bang for the buck.

Ordish and Stevens has been providing irrigation, water reticulation, and milking systems around the Wairarapa for more than 40 years. Previously a division of Hynds Pipe Systems, the company was purchased by its manager Scott Forbes in July this year.

Scott has a 10 year history with Ordish and Stevens and says the business includes a strong set of varied skills amongst its staff, and works smart.

“Our service and design teams are trades based, practical people with the qualifications to get the job done,” Scott says.

“Within the team we have in-house registered electricians, A grade mechanics, fitter welders/turners, and stainless steel fabricators. All have had specific industry training, ranging from pump and pipe selection, to unit standards for small drinking water supplies, water meter installation and verification, through to the National Certificate in Agricultural Engineering.”

Over the past 40 years, Ordish and Stevens has had its fair share of rides on the roller coaster, and even in the past 10 years, Scott has seen the industry go through highs and lows.

“It’s cyclical, and it’s a matter of making sure we are smart about what we’re doing,” he says.

The multifaceted company has used its strength in diversification to operate successfully during the past couple of years, where projects on smaller farms have been deferred until a higher milk pay out is announced.

“It’s a fairly challenging climate for our

Scott Forbes has a 10 year history with Ordish and Stevens and says its staff have a variety of skills to get the job done.

customers,” Scott says. “Our larger customers have a long term view and are utilising the low interest rates to carry out their plans. They need to have these things in place now to get where they want to be.”

Those smaller operators battling through the low milk pay out can still benefit from Ordish and Stevens shopping harder with its suppliers and passing improved pricing options on to its clients.

Ordish and Stevens has increased the

amount of civil and domestic projects taken on over the past two years. “That has enabled us to retain a higher level of skills and keep a higher number of staff to take through to the time when the pay out goes higher,” Scott says.

Ordish and Stevens are agents for Waikato Milking Systems and effluent and irrigation products.

Operating out of the Wairarapa, where Scott says the volume of work is smaller than somewhere like Canterbury, Ordish and Stevens offers a diverse range of services from full irrigation and effluent system design and installation, milking systems, water pumps, tanks, troughs, and meters, through to

bridges and underpasses.

Scott says solar pumping systems are becoming more popular as the market has opened up with more providers, technology has advanced, and systems have become more affordable.

“A solar pumping system that used to cost $35,000 is now about $15,000, and can be as low as $5000,” he says.

“Relying on small pot dams for stock water has become a thing of the past. Farmers are putting in bigger dams and pumping from them, and are getting gains on stock weights through better quality water.”

Ordish and Stevens has access to all the leading solar pumping system brands.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » John Butterworth

| 45

Building on a passion for dairy Kelly Deeks John Butterworth forged a passion for dairy farming as a little boy that has never waned.

It set him on a journey to achieve his dream of continuing the family tradition of farm ownership.

Now 29, John is the fourth generation to farm in the hills of Mamaku, Bay of Plenty, where his family has been for 92 years.

Upon leaving school, John attended Taratahi College gaining a certificate in Sheep and Beef Farming before obtaining a Diploma in Agribusiness with ITO. John’s first job was on Landcorp’s Mangamingi sheep and beef station, learning the practical side of hard farm work and people management skills; working his way up to Stock Manager.

“I was 22 and managing people aged between 18 to 60 so I got used to working with people of all ages and never had any issues,” says John.

In 2009, the wheel turned full circle with an opportunity to return to the family farm and take on a 50:50 sharemilking role and a step closer to his ultimate goal of farm ownership.

An appetite for politics was whetted when John took the role of Rotorua/Taupo branch Sharemilkers Chairman for Federated Famers where he’s a willing advocate and mediator.

“Any sharemilker can let me know what’s happening in their area. I’ll take that back to our regional committee and then on to the national committee. Potentially we can drive policy change,” says John.

Proposed changes to the Rotorua Lakes Catchment will see a 30 percent reduction in nutrients coming off farms.

“It’s making sharemilkers in the region aware about how the changes will impact them and what changes they need to make to meet compliance,” says John.

John and a team of two staff milk 600 cows on a platform of 200ha and have reached a level where production sits consistently at 250,000kgMS. In addition to the family farm, John has his own blocks of land. “I purchased 64ha in

John Butterworth, 29, is the fourth generation of his family to farm in the hills of Mamaku, Bay of Plenty.

2013 on which I rear 250 calves. Some of those will be replacement heifers for the main herd. I’ve also leased a few small blocks up the road that I run 400 heifers on. So all of that keeps me pretty busy,” says John.

“Our focus right now is calving. Making sure that they all get through healthy and that the cows aren’t going hungry.

“I’m also focused on ensuring that the pasture cover is right so that we’re set up for the season and make as much production as possible,” says John.

We’re proud to support John Butterworth

Helping with calving is John’s mother, Shelley, and his partner, Nicole Way, when she finishes her day job as a teacher.

“We all work in well together. Dad picks up the urea from town and gets quotes for any capital projects,” says John.

John says that people who know him would describe him as hard working, conscientious and with good common sense.

With his partner due to have their first child in December there will soon be a fifth generation Butterworth on the farm.

“Our focus right now is calving. Making sure that they all get through healthy and that the cows aren’t going hungry. I’m also focused on ensuring that the pasture cover is right so that we’re set up for the season and make as much production as possible.”

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46 |

DAIRY INDUSTRY » Barbour Holdings

NZ Dairy

Glenn Barbour, who operates three businesses including dairy farms near Morrinsville and Matamata with his wife Shelley, attributes the farms success to the “right mix of good people”.

A very satisfying year Sue Russell

While Glenn Barbour started his career in rural banking his drive to control his own destiny meant it wasn’t long before he was in business himself.

Eleven seasons of progressive sharemilking and farm leasing later and these days Glenn and wife Shelley, along with their young family operate three businesses; a 200 cow dairy farm at Matamata which they bought three years ago, a “development” block at Lake Tarawera and a 260 cow dairy farm near Morrinsville which they sharemilk on a 50-50 basis.

This year has been a particularly satisfying one for the enterprising couple, having entered their sharemilking farm in the Dairy Business of the Year competition and taking away the award for Best Financial Performance of a medium input farm.

The 72ha farm, which supplies Tatua, produced 121,000kgMS last season with pasture making up 82 percent of the herds diet. Glenn and Shelley employ farm manager Danny Robinson to handle the daily on farm operation, along with Danny’s wife Margery, who rears the calves and helps with herd testing.

Glenn concentrates on formulating and achieving the farms strategic goals.

“It’s about finding the farms sweet spot - the right stocking rate, the best spending

strategy given the expected payout, the cropping programme - very little stays constant so it’s always a challenge to maximise the farms profitability whilst balancing the environmental and HR goals too,” says Glenn.

The farm, which was analysed as a whole by gathering data from both the farm owners and Glenn and Shelley as sharemilkers, had the highest operating profit per ha in the competition and achieved a whopping 49.9% operating profit margin.

Return on capital was 4.8%, impressive given the extremely high value of Tatua farms and just behind overall winners Landcorp Ruapehu who fortuitously locked in their milk price.

Glenn attributes the farms success to the

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NZ Dairy right mix of good people. Farm owners John and Dorothy Stewart are South Island based, so rely on Glenn and Danny to treat the farm as their own.

“We have a lot of pride in this little farm.

John and Dot are amazing owners - they trust my decisions, push me to try new ideas and there’s an expectation of excellence which brings out the best in everyone.”

Glenn also heaps praise onto his farm manager.

“Danny brings a very professional approach to his role and has fantastic attention to detail - the farm would not be where it is today without him.”

Glenn purchased the 25 ha block named Tuahiwi at Lake Tarwera five years ago after returning from a stint sharemilking in the South Island.

“I was cashed up and looking for a special slice of NZ to invest in, the plan being to land bank it, leverage of it to go sharemilking back in the Waikato again, then sell in a few years to buy our first dairy farm.”

It is such a special spot Glenn and Shelley couldn’t bear to part with it, so instead they came up with a plan to make it “stand on its

DAIRY PEOPLE » Barbour Holdings

“We have a lot of pride in this little farm. John and Dot are amazing owners - they trust my decisions, push me to try new ideas and theres an expectation of excellence which brings out the best in everyone.”

| 47

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A rustic barn on the farm has amazing views over the lake. “We did it up and had our wedding there and we got such great feedback from family and friends and word of mouth just spread about it.”

The couple have just been granted resource consent to operate Black Barn Tuahiwi, and are fully booked with weddings and other functions for this summer.

While there are more developments in the pipeline, although Shelley stresses she wants to get the Barn operating really well first before more growth.

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We care, and we are thrilled for Glenn and Shelly and look forward to working with them and helping them achieve their goals in future years.

48 |

DAIRY INDUSTRY » John Coveney

NZ Dairy

South Wairarapa dairy farmer John Coveney, with staff members Sampath Bandara, Dillion Higginson, Karl Whittall and partner Astrid Hammelehle.

Conversion a real labour of love Sue Russell John Coveney and partner Astrid Hammelehle farm the North Island’s most southern dairy unit in the Whakatomotomo Valley, South-East Wairarapa.

They, purchased and converted the small sheep farm in 1992, having previously farmed a balloted dairy unit in the area.

“When we sold our original farm we wanted to stay local as we loved the area and the kids were at local schools. Converting lower fertility land to dairy was challenging and rewarding.

Over twenty years as land became available the couple took the opportunity to eventually extend the property to 355 hectares of which 30 ha is leased,” John says.

The dairy platform extends across 187 hectares, half of which is irrigated. Targeted milk solids from the herd of 500 friesian cows is 180,000 kg ms plus. Like most east coast properties summers are dry.

John says his aim has always been to operate the dairy farm in a self-sufficient manner, without a reliance any more than necessary on buying in feed.

This season John hopes to cut around 1000 tonnes of grass silage or balage, 10ha early turnips on the dryland, 10ha chicory/ white clover on the irrigated area and 10ha fodder beet (half on the milking area) for autumn/winter grazing. Autumn recovery, pasture covers and cow condition are a critical determinant for length of milking and wintering.

“We do regular feed budgets with a view to be on the front foot as much as possible, though this is not always achievable.

Having just qualified for the Gold Card John says he is fortunate to have a very competent team. Manager Dylan Higginson has been on the farm for four years.

“Karl Whittall has been with us for three years and Sampath Bandara from Sri Lanka, who John says is an extremely reliable and trustworthy young fellow.

Sammy came from a village agricultural environment in Sri Lanka and he is out here to learn and earn a few dollars. His aim one day is to have his own little dairy farm back home.”

Astrid hails from Germany and had a farming background. John says she is as

much a part of the operation as he is. ”It is really great when you both enjoy what you do and get to raise a family in a wonderful environment. Many trips back to Europe over the years where family live has been great.”

The most notable recently was a weeks skiing from a little village called Murren, 4000m up in the Swiss Alps. John describes it as ‘absolute postcard stuff’.

Another trip is scheduled for next year and when this happens one of the couple’s five children, will stay on the farm to help. Annika will have just finished Lincoln (BAgSc.) and loves farming, mostly the steep stuff with woollies, dogs and horses.

Dustin is in year two of a BAg at Lincoln but would love to progress with a rugby career

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while Grace is still at the local high school.

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“It’s really satisfying to see three of the family interested in agriculture or related careers.

“It’s important to stop and smell the roses with the grandkids occasionally and help family, like mine did for me for many years, especially when sharemilking and getting established, in the 80s.”

Looking ahead John says getting reliable water rights is going to be a huge cost in effort and dollars. “Next month we are putting a deeper bore down (40-60m) to replace a shallow bore( 10m) at a cost of about $1000/m on the river flat run off.”

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Andrew Hoggard / Luke & Shannon Pepper

A bumper year forecast Sue Russell Andrew Hoggard is the equity manager of a dairy unit some 15 minutes drive north of Feilding.

He and wife Audra, who have two young children, are majority shareholders in the family dairy business originally bought in 1998. Andrew started working on the now 300 hectare farm as a sharemilker. Back in 2003, the farm area was substantially increased with the purchase of an additional 180 ha taking it to its current size. At that time, Andrew took an ownership stake in the additional land and in 2008 everything was merged and cow numbers increased.

The busy farmer in his early 40s is also on the Board of Trustees at Kiwatia School which the children attend.

“It’s your typical very small rural school with a junior and senior class and it is great to be able to get involved on the board,” says Andrew.

Just last year, a further 20 hectare run-off was brought into the business assets. The main farm has an effective milking platform of 220 hectares and milks at peak 548 friesian cows. Maize, grass silage and hay are cultivated and the young stock stood-off on 60 hectares of surplus land while the balance of 10 hectares carries native bush and river sidings.

“We have grown other crops in the past but not this year as a consequence of budget restraints given the current low pay-out,” Andrew explains.

This season’s calving was one of the ‘simplest’ Andrew can recall, losing very few calves and all in all, with an excellent team on board, the farm’s situation is positive. That team comprises a herd manager and her partner, both university graduates, and a farm worker who has recently joined having returned from playing rugby in England.

When the herd was increased from 440 to 530 automatic milk metres, a sematic cell count system on every fourth bail, automatic cup removers and

an LIC automatic drafting system were installed.

Andrew has so much regard for those working on the farm with him that he decided three years ago to help support them on the occasions when he is not hands-on on the farm by creating computerbased user-friendly farming manuals.

“I used Youtube to make videos of me fixing machinery and the like on the farm which they each can access from the tablet in the shed. There are a whole lot of check lists for setting up the shed and dealing with machinery breakdowns. It’s worked out really well and has meant as I got more involved with Federated Farmers I know the farming operation can tick-on regardless,” Andrew says.

Andrew is currently the Federated Farmers Dairy Industry Group Chairperson and his connection with the farming advocacy group began in 2006 when he joined at a provincial level.

Some key issues he and his fellow national Federated Farmers board have been grappling with include the low pay-out and its implications longterm for farmers, animal welfare and enhancing the industries reputation around employment practices.

“We have been focussing on creating a template as to what good employment practice on a dairy farm in this day and age looks like.”

Since 2009, Andrew has been the Federated Farmers representative on the Dairy Industry Awards Trust. He entered the awards some years ago and encourages farmers to give it a go.

“The process of doing it makes you think about your farming and can only improve your management practices. It opens up new ways of thinking which is a really important experience if you are going to progress in your farming career, regardless of where you are in it.”

Andrew says early indicators suggest a bumper year in terms of production.

“Here in the Manawatu we’re prone to a dry summer period with February our toughest month.

This year we are feeling positive that we will achieve our goal of more than 230,000 kg MS.”

Andrew Hoggard, who is the equity manager of a dairy unit some 15 minutes drive north of Feilding, with his two young daughters.

Phone Kesty 06 3284 789

Work hard & you’ll find the good opportunities Sue Russell Luke and Shannon Pepper have a 50/50 sharemilking contract on Koromiko Dairy, 13kms from Taumarunui, owned by Te Uranga B2 Incorporation.

Their sharemilking journey began back in 2000 in Tirau where they milked 220 cows, then building herd capacity to 500 cows before shifting this arm of their farming business in 2009.

Luke comes from a strong dairy farming background with over half his 15 siblings involved one way or another in the dairy industry. Beyond running their herd of 600 Friesian x Jersey cows at Koromiko Dairy, the couple also own their own farm at Tirau, run by a farm manager along with sharemilking another farm in Waimiha for Te Tarata Trust.

Koromiko Dairy has a flat to rolling contour and supplies milk to Mokai based Miraka Milk processing plant. Luke says he and the family are well settled at Koromiko Dairy and intend to stay on the property long-term.

“There is a great community here in Taumarunui with strong connections between town and the farming areas that surround it,” he says.

When NZ Dairy spoke with Luke late August calving of the couple’s total herd of 1850 cows was 80 per cent through and going well.

Koromiko Dairy has a 40 aside herringbone shed with automatic cup removers. The farm sits on what Luke describes as good productive land. Milk solids last season was down 5 per cent on that of the previous year.

“We wintered our cows on farm and used less palm kernel and were not surprised by this drop.”

Assisting Luke on the farm are three full time staff. Luke says the couple try to ‘entice’ people from Taumarunui, and in another way they are doing just that.

Each year the couple host Ngakonui Valley School, the local school full of ‘townies’ onto the farm.

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| 49

“It is a great school offering the benefits of a country school environment and 90% of the children come from town,” Luke says.

Te Uranga B2 Inc share the same philosophy, which annually sponsors the school.

Luke is also chair for Federated Farmers Ruapehu. His involvement came out of a wish to better understand what the organisation did, how they advance issues on behalf of their members.

In the short-term, Luke says, he wants to understand what the role entails, especially in terms of interface on issues with regional and local council and one of those issues is the impact council compliance requires with respect to their shared aspiration to ‘clean up’. and making rivers healthy.

When asked about advice for those embarking on a career in dairy farming, Luke has some seriously good thinking.

“Work hard and get a reference your next prospective employer just can’t ignore, hold the gold because even in a low payout there are always good opportunities for good people.”

“Work hard and get a reference your next prospective employer just can’t ignore, hold the gold because even in a low payout there are always good opportunities for good people.”

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50 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Darryl Jensen

NZ Dairy

Less cows, same production Sue Russell Dairy farmer Darryl Jensen has been farming most of his life in the Bay of Plenty though his passion initially for sheep and beef farming was first kindled when he would visit his cousins on their farm.

For the decade straddling 1990 – 1999 Darryl owned his own sheep and beef farm in the King Country. The decision to sell that property, partly driven by a wish to be nearer good schools for the children and the tragic death of his brother in a microlight accident, coincided with an opportunity 17 years ago to return to the family dairy farm at Paengaroa, 15 km from Te Puke.

“My father first stepped foot on this farm back in 1958 and developed it up from a very raw state. They are now both in their 80s and still live on the farm,” Darryl says.

At 115 hectares the farm is about average to slightly below average size for dairy units in the vicinity. The farm carried a herd of up to 345 Kiwi-cross cows though a decision to de-stock to just over 300, due to the downturn in the milk payout, has not resulted in a consequent loss of production.

“We’re getting the same production from less cows and I put this down to the herd being fed a lot better by tweaking our feeding management systems.”

A key driver in the herd reduction was Darryl’s sense that cow genetics had outstripped pasture development in recent years and the best way to compensate for this imbalance was to reduce stocking rates, giving each cow more pasture based feed.

Supplementing feed is achieved through a mix of providing PKE to fill in the gaps while 10 per cent of the farm is put into Lucerne.

While Darryl describes the 26 aside deLaval milking parlour as ‘very basic, with no fancy bells or whistles’ he says it does the job well given the size of the operation. Twelve months ago he installed a new vat and cooling system to meet required milk temperature storage regulations.

Darryl employs two farm assistants though in the past he has tended to have just one

Darryl Jensen farms 115ha in the Bay of Plenty, carrying a herd of upto 345 Kiwi-cross cows.

other. One of the reasons to increase labour resources is to allow him to devote more time to his two other farming related pursuits; a Kiwifruit Orchard some 20 minutes drive away from the home farm and as President of the regional Federated Farmers group.

“There’s a lot happening in terms of environmental issues and how farm management practices need to adapt to meet compliances. We are also about lobbying and have been heavily involved in the Coastal Plan advocating on issues that impact on farmers.”

One concern Darryl and his colleagues in

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Federated Farmers have is how compliance costs and more and more regulations affect farmers. There is also some angst for farmers’ about long-term access to sufficient water given the constantly increasing demand from water users in the region.

“Under this farm there are some huge aquifers. I would prefer that the water closer to the surface was left for the productive sector and the municipal users to bore much deeper to tap this water. Science has a big part to play in this area in information gathering so farmers and the like can

understand and get to grips with the water use.”

At a more visionary level Darryl says he was impressed with a question Prime Minister John Key’s Science Advisor Sir Peter Gluckman made at a recent conference.

“He posed the interesting question, ‘are we doing the best thing for our land’. There are a number of land-uses that farms in the Bay of Plenty could be applied to and this question really got me thinking about what is best. It’s a question I feel every farmer needs to step back and consider.”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Mat Hocken

| 51

Manawatu dairy farmer Mat Hocken and wife Jana Krizova Hocken with daughter Annabelle and Zimba the dog.

Lure of the land draws Mat home Russell Fredric Manawatu dairy farmer Mat Hocken’s story is not quite ‘Brussels to Bulls’, but it is close.

He has farmed at Colyton, east of Fielding, with his wife Jana Krizova Hocken since 2013, a far cry from his previous roles which included working for a consultancy specialising in EU policy for five years in Brussels where he met Jana.

He subsequently worked for the Australian Federal Government in trade finance for four years.

Jana Krizova Hocken has expertise in lean systems and processes and worked internationally as a consultant in more than 20 companies.

Latterly her work has included improving systems, creating efficiencies and reducing wastage of time and resources on the farm; she is also developing a lean program for Open Country’s farmers.

Although Mat Hocken loved his overseas experience, his thoughts eventually turned to his next life challenge and the couple’s long-term future after being away from New Zealand for 13 years from 2002.

They have a 21 month-old daughter Annabelle and new arrival Gabrielle.

As well looking to the next challenge, Mat Hocken was keen to continue the family legacy in becoming the fourth generation on the farm.

“I’d done some really interesting things both in Sydney and in Brussels, but coming home to the family farm in 2013 really appealed as something that was the right thing at the right time for us to do,” Mat Hocken says.

“I always felt farming and the land was going to be part of my life and I wanted to make sure (that would happen),” he says.

The overall farm operation comprises two properties side-by-side separated by Colyton Rd; a total of 290 hectares effective.

Supporting 1000 cows milked through two 50 bale rotary sheds, the farms are run as two separate business units, but have the benefit of economy of scale and of sharing some aspects of their operation.

Two run-off blocks of 55 hectares and 70 hectares are used for dry stock.

Mat bought part of the home farm, Grassmere, and leased part of it; the couple are 50/50 sharemilking on the other farm, Bodmin, where they have bought the plant, equipment and stock.

• To page 52

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52 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Mat Hocken

NZ Dairy

Returning to family farm `right thing at the right time’ • From page 51

The farms Fresian cows each average 450kg/MS annual production.

Production was 400,000kg/MS last season, down from 440,000kg/MS as a consequence of buying in less supplementary feed and severe storms in June 2015, which resulted in flooding.

Both milking sheds include AfiMilk and AfiLab tech herd management systems, along with in-dairy feeding, automatic drafting and walk-over weighing.

The systems collect data from the cows such as milk output along with fat, protein, lactose, somatic cell counts and conductivity.

“It’s like a herd test every day.”

These systems are complemented by pedometers on cows to measure activity levels which is important in the lead up to mating.

“When the cows are on heat their activity levels spike so we draft and mate our cows based on these activity levels.” The amount of data which can be generated from the systems is almost limitless, Mat Hocken says. He enjoys the variety his work provides every day on the farm as well as seeing staff progress through training and development.

“It’s a real challenging environment. It’s not a plug-and-play kind of thing.”

He is actively involved in the wider dairy industry as Federated Farmers Manawatu/ Rangitikei dairy chairperson.

In this role he is passionate about advocating for the province’s primary industries at a national government level and to promote the adoption of innovative products and services in the agri-sector.

“There is so much going on in this space at the moment, particularly in our region, where you have FoodHQ, the Accelerate25 regional growth program and a growing hub of agri-tech businesses and research. It is a great place for innovative farmers to be located and the real challenge is how we can get more of our smart farmers engaged with the science, research and business start-ups.”

The Hocken family farm, with the Ruahine Ranges in the background, supports 1000 cows milked through two 50-bale rotary sheds.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Alison, Russell & Natalie Gibb

| 53

Family lives and breathes jerseys Kelly Deeks Waikato jersey farming family Alison, Russell, and Natalie Gibb are devotees to the jersey breed and with their stud, Zenith Jerseys, aim to breed jerseys with good udder traits, milk volume, protein, and stature.

The family has farmed at Orini, south of Huntly, for the past 32 years. They took a share of Russell’s father’s stud, 160 jersey cows and got to work on improving their udder traits.

“Back in the early days of AB, dad had started using the Dairy Board bulls, and their udder traits weren’t that good,” Russell says. “The udders weren’t very well held on, it was difficult to put the cups on, they hang low and the cows kick their udders, and the cows don’t last as long in the herd.”

He says while the herd’s udders have improved over the past 32 years, Zenith Jerseys is still working on improving the herd. Gibbs select bulls with good udder traits as well as the other traits they like to see in their cows, and run the bulls and cows through the World Wide Sires mating programme.

Russell says the herd has always had good stature, so rather than trying to improve this, they try not to lose it.

Milk volume has improved over the past 10 years with the Gibbs installing two herd homes in 2006.

“They were the third and fourth herd homes to go into the Waikato,” Russell says. “Prior to getting the herd homes we had started feeding maize, and we were wasting a lot because we didn’t have a feed pad and were feeding it in the paddock.”

Before the herd homes were installed, the cows would peak at about 17 litres, and now they get up to 23 litres.

Elsewhere on farm, the Gibbs’ 26 year old daughter Natalie has now taken over the running of the farm, with Russell saying one of her greatest strengths is her devotion to the jersey breed. She also has her own stud name, Natale.

With Natalie now spending more time in the milking shed, this has left time for Alison to devote to the jersey breed off farm, and she is now Jersey New Zealand’s first female president since the AGM in April.

She brings to the role 24 years of governance experience, having served on Orini School Board as a trustee, then chairperson of Arts Waikato for nine years, and is also a trustee for Dairy Women’s Network as well as its North Waikato convenor.

As the first female president she says she thinks

differently to the male presidents who have come before her, but she is also managing a different Jersey New Zealand from theirs because she has to build the organisation back up, in terms of both finances and morale, since it lost $300,000 to a fraudster last year.

“That is all behind us now, but strong governance is required to develop a sustainable business model that makes us competitive, and ensures the jersey breed is treated on an equal footing.”

She is a great advocate for the breed and her belief in it is unwavering.

With crossbred cows the dominant breed making up 40% of New Zealand’s milking population, the jerseys’ higher fertility, ease of calving, and lighter frame are all necessary traits to add to the crossbred mix.

“Crossbreeding dilutes the hybrid vigour, and if breeders keep using crossbred bulls they keep watering down the hybrid vigour and getting sort of mushy cows,” she says. “Together with the New Zealand Holstein Friesian Association we are trying to keep the parent breeds really strong, so when crossing back and forward we can retain hybrid vigour and strength.”

Alison, Russell and Natalie Gibb, who farm at Orini, south of Huntly, are devotees to the jersey breed and at their stud, Zenith Jerseys, aim to breed cows with good udder traits, milk volume, protein and stature. Alison was recently appointed Jersey New Zealand’s first female president.

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54 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Greg & Hannah Topless

NZ Dairy

Firm converts to once a day Kelly Deeks Taranaki dairy farmers Greg and Hannah Topless are enjoying improved farm working expenses and excellent cow condition since making the decision to switch to once a day milking when they bought their Strathmore farm in 2014.

The couple had always been milking twice a day since they entered the dairy industry, when they became sharemilkers they had an owner to consider, and when they bought their first farm at Mahoe in 2010 they needed to produce as much milk as they could to handle their large mortgage as well as improve the farm’s milksolid production.

On finding their forever farm and moving to Strathmore, they bit the bullet and with a young family, once a day milking was the key to gaining more work-life balance.

They are now absolute converts to the practice.

“We think ‘how can you not be doing it?’,” Hannah says.

“The results keep getting better year on year. Production is improving, but that will plateau out. Its more the cost savings we’re making and the better animal health we now have.”

She says there is just not the research out there to prove the efficiency of once a day milking, and hopes this will improve as more people see the benefits for themselves and become converts like she and Greg.

Greg is enjoying the extra time on his hands, like being able to spend time with his children (13, 10, seven, and four) after picking them up from school rather than having to be working on the afternoon milking, and being able to complete a full afternoon’s work without having to stop halfway through.

Running the shed once a day provides significant savings in power, detergent, water,

Since buying their farm in Mahoe, Hannah and Greg Topless are firm converts of once-a-day milking, with it giving them a better work-life balance.

and oil, and the herd is in such good condition there are savings made on animal health costs, and all the cows cycle naturally. Last mating time, the empty rate sat at 5.5 percent after nine weeks of mating, and this season, half of the 200 cow herd was calved in nine days from the planned start of calving.

The once a day milking system also suits

Greg and Hannah’s 150ha farm, of which the milking platform is about half the area, and in a location which is very marginal dairy country and more suited to sheep and beef. A narrow block with rolling to hilly country and several creeks running through it, once a day milking means less walking for the cows and less lameness to treat.

The farm raises all Greg and Hannah’s young stock, saving them thousands of dollars on grazing costs, and they run about 100 sheep on the hill country to keep it tidy of ragwort.

Greg and Hannah run a low-cost system two, and last season their farm working expenses were $2.83. “And that was still doing some capital improvements as we extended the calf pens, so we could have trimmed it back even more,” Hannah says. “We like to sit around $2.50, and we only buy feed in if we need it.”

Normally that’s in the summer, but this season their incredibly fast calving meant the grass wasn’t quite ready so for the first time, they brought in 10 ton of palm kernel in the spring.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Hamish Kilpatrick

| 55

Hamish Kilpatrick, farm manager of the year at this year’s Canterbury/North Otago NZ Dairy Industry awards, has progressed to contract milking this season on a 370 cow farm at Culverden.

Contract milking best of both worlds Russell Fredric

For Hamish Kilpatrick, receiving multiple awards in the Canterbury/North Otago 2016 New Zealand Dairy Industry awards means more than the prize package and kudos gained.

As well as winning the farm manager of the year award in April, he also received the Fonterra Farm Source Feed Management and Westpac Financial & Planning awards.

Hamish Kilpatrick has since progressed from managing to contract milking this season on a 120 hectare effective farm at Culverden; the farm peak milks 370 cross-bred cows

through a 30 a-side herringbone shed for owners James and Belinda McCone.

“It was the first time I had entered the awards,” Hamish Kilpatrick says.

“I think its definitely of huge benefit. It makes you stop and take a look at the whole picture instead of focusing just on the areas that you do every day.

“There’s a lot that I learnt about the farm and farming business by doing the awards.”

As a result of entering the awards, he realised that public speaking and having the confidence to talk about “the things that you do every day” and to explain them to other people were areas he needed to work on.

• To page 56

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56 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Hamish Kilpatrick

NZ Dairy

Contract milking best of both worlds for Hamish • From page 55 “I found that quite hard at the start, but I guess after the third presentation it became a bit more normal.”

This experience has made it easier to communicate more clearly with staff he employs; he has subsequently also put better systems in place to ensure jobs are completed and that health and safety requirements are met.

A Bachelor of Commerce (Ag) from Lincoln has also made a difference when it comes to dealing with his feed and cash-flow budgets and computer software.

“It definitely helps, especially this year

going into contract milking and being in charge of my own cash-flow and budgeting.”

“The decisions on-farm that you make every day can have a huge impact later on in terms of production and cash-flow. It’s really about monitoring them both very closely.”

He sees his move to a contract milking position as having the best of both worlds, with a broader focus from cows, grass and production to developing overall skills to run the farm as a successful business.

This season’s production of 480kg/MS per cow and a total of 176,000kg/MS is the same as the last season, “just to be safe”.

The region’s prolonged drought has received media exposure, however the farm

ACCURATE PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS “We use Tom Scaife for his accuracy on calving dates which helps my management of the herd during the Spring. Clear communication makes him very good to work with.”

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Culverden Contract milker Hamish Kilpatrick says milk solids production is based on attention to detail, such as pasture management, rather than buying production through supplements.

Stocker Dairy North’s client base has grown tremendously since coming to the Hurunui area over two years ago.

Stockers originally serviced the region from their Ashburton head office.

With a loyal client base already in place, and a deficit seen in the area by owners Shane and Cheryl Stocker for a permanent base, a search for a premises and a manager was undertaken.

With a premises found, existing Ashburton staff member Daniel Wilkes stepped up and put his hand up to become manager in the new store and service centre. Since then, none of them have looked back, and their client base has grown to include both domestic and rural clients as they offer both a full plumbing service as well as dairy shed installation and servicing.

Hamish Kilpatrick is one of those customers that have started to use the company since they set up shop in the district.

to industrial 3 phase compressors and a few water blasters and steam cleaners. With having a plumbing team operating as well, a large range of plumbing products, and water pumps are kept on hand as well available for purchase.

Their dairy team are also skilled engineers and can fabricate a large range of products, as well as supplying pipe, fixtures, and fittings.

Out on the road, the Stocker Dairy North Team are found travelling throughout Hurunui servicing the many dairy sheds, farms, and houses.

The team are available for routine maintenance, and emergency breakdowns.

Being a GEA dealership, they have access to the world leading technology available through the dealer network, as well as being able to service and source replacement materials and consumables for Milfos and Westfalia milking machines.

From leaking taps, through to full water reticulation systems, and bore pump systems, Stocker’s have got your water needs covered. They can also help you out on the farm from servicing or replacing the rubberware in your dairy shed, through to a full dairy shed installation. Stocker’s also have access to a wide range of effluent systems available to suit your needs, and have access to the GEA Houle system.

Stocker’s retail shop also carries a large range of replacement consumables for all makes and models of dairy sheds. A large range of industrial equipment is also found in the shop with handyman compressors through

Stocker Dairy North operates a 24 / 7 / 365 operation and can be reached on 03 315 8141, or by popping into the retail shop located on the main road of Culverden at 31 Mountainview Road.

NZ Dairy is drought-safe due to drawing water from the Waiau irrigation scheme; it is is fully irrigated, two-thirds by pivot, and one-third by long-line sprinklers, but the long-lines are a part of the system which struggle to keep up in the hottest summer weather.

Fodder beet is grown on-farm at 8 cents/ kgDM, and has become a very useful feed management tool especially during autumn, instead of buying PKE or other feed such as baleage at 30 cents/kg.

“A lot of farmers in the area seem to be adopting the use of fodder beet throughout the autumn period” Due to the reduced pay-out, a lower stocking rate was imposed last season, from

DAIRY PEOPLE » Hamish Kilpatrick / Battensby Bros 3.3 to 3.2 cows per hectare.

“We did 493 milk solids per cow in the first season from 400 cows, but with double the supplements. We then dropped our stocking rate and by sacrificing a little bit of production we’ve manage to cut our supplements in half and focusing on growing more grass, running a more efficient system.”

Consequently milk solids production is based on attention to detail, such as pasture management rather than “buying production” through supplements.

“Our aim is to run a low farm working expenses cost system and not get too caught up in the hype of who can product the most amount of milk solids.”

“The decisions on-farm that you make every day can have a huge impact later on in terms of production and cash-flow.

It’s really about monitoring them both very closely.”

Profile your business with the NZ Dairy Publication

| 57

Diversity key for contractor Russell Fredric The diverse range of services offered by Northland contractors Battensby Brothers Contracting Ltd makes for a busy life for owners Glenn and Ross Battensby.

The company employs just two full-time staff along in addition to administrator Melanie Roberts, with about two more added during the peak summer season.

With a large range of equipment and six tractors ranging from 80 horsepower to 300 horsepower, Glenn, Ross, who is better known around the traps as Scooter, and their staff turn their hand to maintenance in their well-equipped workshop to ensure their machinery is in top order when not working on other tasks.

In addition to the bread and butter agricultural contracting services such as ground work, hay and silage, the company also offers fencing and firewood, with free delivery within the Ararua, Matakohe, Paparoa and Maungaturoto areas.

Firewood provides a profitable source of offseason income and is an ever expanding part of the business with sourcing and splitting firewood being a year-round job; typically Battensby Bros sells more than 400 square metres of firewood each year. They are WINZ registered and can provide quotes on request.

Glenn Battensby says winter is a busy time for fencing which includes farm boundary fencing, stockyards, horse arenas, post and rail, post driving and repairs. A recent spate of wet weather means Battensby Bros have been waiting for the ground to dry out to allow them to get onto paddocks.

“It’s just a waiting game,” Glenn Battensby says.

“The main work between now and Christmas will be our ground cultivation work including our power harrow with its air seeder and we will start our stack, square and round silage. If the weather’s right we might do a bit of hay around Christmas.”

Seed drilling is becoming an increasingly popular service, especially since the purchase of specialised equipment three years ago.The company operates a Hatzenbichler Air 8 Seed Box which is installed onto a three metre wide Alpego RG300 power harrow.

The combination of the heavy duty power harrow – with its twin-forced modular rotors and attached packer roller for improved ground working – and air eight seed box provides for a single pass delivery system for both small and large seeds, reducing ground compaction.

Its 150 litre hopper STD with a seed agitator has an application rate from 800gm/ha up to 400kg/ha depending on the seed and the working width.

“We’ve had really good results with that. It does a good job and you get two jobs done in one pass.

It’s unreal how much work we’ve had from this.”

The company’s West muck spreader is also proving to be a popular option for farmers looking to clear out wintering sheds and spread muck over their farm.

Other waste products that can be spread can include the likes of slurry, compost, cow manure from yards and feed pads, solid dung, stock bedding, drain and dam cleaning, poultry manure and old silage. Not only is this environmentally friendly but it can significantly reduce fertiliser costs.

While dairy farmers have put all areas of their businesses under the microscope, Glenn Battensby agrees there is a certain amount of their services required each year, regardless of economic conditions.

Despite this, the company has spread its business base wide to include sub-contracting in areas such as highway roading, drainlaying and sub-division work.

Glenn Battensby acknowledges they work in a competitive market and appreciate the support they have gained from some very loyal clients during the sixteen years they have operated the business.

Northland contractor Battensby Bros with the company’s West muck spreader.

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58 |

DAIRY PEOPLE» Pat & Sue Crowe

NZ Dairy

Two years ago, Pat Crowe upgraded his effluent storage capacity by purchasing a Kliptank effluent storage tank, constructed of plastic panels held in shape by stainless ropes.

Farmer sees the bigger picture Sue Russell Pat and Sue Crowe have owned their dairy farm at Roto-o-Rangi for the past 27 years.

Pat describes the 138 hectare farm, with a milking platform 126 hectares as “aesthetically pleasing” with a rolling landscape crisscrossed by three streams.

The farm normally winters 400 cows and milks 396 averaging for the last 2 seasons 170.000kgs of MS. “We have good long term staff with Sharon Mitchell being with us for the past 13 years and Jason Smith has been with us for the past six years,” Pat says.

After buying the neighbours farm 15 years ago, Pat upgraded the milking parlour to a 44

bale Dairy Tech rotary fitted with a Waikato plant, which included automatic cup removers and a Smartair vacuum pump.

“As we wanted a very quiet shed we housed our water pumps and vacuum pump in a separate shed several meters away from the main shed which has worked really well.”

This year, the milk production has been set at around 165,000 – 170.000 kgsMS and to assist in achieving this goal and to maintain cows in good condition he has pre-ordered 180 tonnes of palm kernel.

“We usually feed around 600 bales of silage, 200 are made on farm and remaining 400 are bought in.

“All young stock are grazed off farm with calves going off in mid-December,” says Pat. Two years ago, he upgraded his effluent storage capacity by purchasing a Kliptank

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Pat & Sue Crowe

| 59

When irrigating to the paddocks, the effluent gravitates from the Kliptank back to the sump and is then irrigated to the paddocks when conditions allow.

effluent storage tank, constructed of plastic panels held in shape by stainless ropes.

This acts as a temporary storage system during wet weather. The effluent gravitates from the milking parlour to a 25,000 litre sump and is then pumped to the 1.2 million litre Kliptank for temporary storage.

When irrigating to the paddocks, the effluent gravitates from the Kliptank back to the sump and is then irrigated to the paddocks when conditions allow.

When NZ Dairy spoke with Pat he was awaiting arrival of a new ACRAgri Cooling System which would future –proof the farm in terms of new milk storage temperature compliances.

The benefit of the system, Pat says, is that it is designed to supply endless hot water at 85 degrees Celsius while delivering a 50% power saving over the existing system.

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“We usually feed around 600 bales of silage, 200 are made on farm and remaining 400 are bought in. All young stock are grazed off farm with calves going off in mid-December.”

phase and has a co-efficiency of performance of up-to-5.”

It will instantly cool the milk to 6-8 degrees Celsius says Pat who has a professional background in refrigeration engineering.

Come October the approximately $35,000.00 plant will be installed.

Regarding the current volatility and uncertainty in the dairy sector, Pat’s general philosophy is to see the bigger picture and to recognise that these cycles of highs and lows follow a path.

“Over the next few years there will be a slow increase. It has pretty much bottomed out and interest rates are low and I believe the Government will keep it so.

“This brings opportunities in itself to those coming in to the industry. If you love what you do, farming is a great way of life.”

When not focussed on the farm, Pat keeps himself fit playing badminton and he and Sue enjoy travelling. Two years ago, they enjoyed the experience and adventure of the Trans-Siberian Railway followed by 3 weeks in Mongolia.

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60 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Mac & Lynda Pacey

NZ Dairy

Lake water quality paramount Russell Fredric Caring for the catchment he farms in has been a long-held focus of Bay of Plenty dairy farmer Mac Pacey.

Mac and his wife Lynda own a 116 hectare dairy farm bordering “lovely little” Lake Rerewhakaaitu, an important recreational hub for the community, about 50 kilometres from Rotorua.

The farm peak milks about 320 cows on 104 hectare effective and is supported by a nearby 42 hectare lease block for young stock.

Son Mark and his wife Adelle are in their third season as 50/50 share-milkers on the property.

The Rotorua district is pocketed with 12 significant lakes, which in recent years have been the subject of “a fair bit of scrutiny” about their water quality, Mac Pacey says.

In 2002, he was among a group of farmers in the Rerewhakaaitu catchment who, led by a local farmer, horticultural adviser Bob Parker and AgResearch scientist Mike O’Connor, began to focus on water quality in the lake and formed a committee which was able to get Sustainable Farming Fund funding for nine years.

The funding including providing assistance for farmers to help them develop management and environmental plans.

“We learnt that we were putting on too much phosphate and that we didn’t need to have well above the requirements, thinking we’d grow more grass. We just ended up with a big store of phosphate in the soil.”

Measures were implemented to mitigate run-off and leaching, including Overseer nutrient budget education, using bunds to slow water movement and reduce phosphate application, fencing of waterways, better effluent management, improving pasture management and improving overall farming practices.

Between 2002 and 2009, two projects were carried out in the Lake Rerewhakaaitu catchment focusing on nitrogen and phosphate in particular. During this time information was gained on where nutrients came from, how they moved into the water system and where they went.

By the end of these projects most farmers had implemented mitigations to reduce nutrient loss off their farms, resulting in a reduced the Trophic Level Index (TLI) in the lake.

The TLI is a number used to indicate the health of lakes in New Zealand, calculated using four separate water quality measurements – total nitrogen, total phosphorous, water clarity, and chlorophyll-a.

A TLI of less than 2 indicates very good water quality, 2-3 indicates good water quality, 3-4 average water quality and greater than 5, poor quality.

Bay of Plenty dairy farmer Mac Pacey, who owns a 116ha dairy block with his wife Lynda, has long focused on caring for the catchment he farms in.

From a TLI of 4.2 in 2006 the water quality in Lake Rerewhakaaitu improved to a TLI of 3.4 last year.

Following the nine-year period funded by the Sustainable Farming Fund, $100,000 was made available by the Bay Of Plenty Regional Council for a self-managed lake plan to be developed by the Lake Rerewhakaaitu Project, with Bob Parker as its project manager.

Through the society, the focus has now broadened from Lake Rerewhakaaitu; while many of the 12 Rotorua lakes have shown improved water quality in recent years, nearby Lake Tarawera and Lake Rotokakahi are still in decline, but farmers in their catchments are developing management plans aimed at improving their water quality.

Mac Pacey says farmers today are wellsupported in their endeavours to reduce the environmental impact on the environment through organisations such as DairyNZ, Federated Farmers, regional and environment councils, and fertiliser companies.

“We’ve got no option really. I think, as farmers we’ve got to do as much as we can (but) I’m hoping there’s going to be more that we can do in the future. There’s a lot of research going on.”

“I’m a farmer, my son’s a farmer and I don’t want to be told that we can’t farm any more. I don’t believe that we can go down that road.”

“I’m a farmer, my son’s a farmer and I don’t want to be told that we can’t farm any more. I don’t believe that we can go down that road.”

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Richard McIntyre

| 61

Advocate with skin in the game Russell Fredric Federated Farmers sharemilkers section national chairman Richard McIntyre is a herd owning share-milker with his wife Emma on a Levin farm owned by Bryan and Wendy Kilsby.

Richard McIntyre had always envisioned a tertiary education in law or accountancy as a career, however he decided to take a gap year to work on a dairy farm after finishing school and although he did spend a year at university, he did not find the experience fulfilling.

“I missed the challenge and the sense of day to day achievement that came from dairy farming. Each day you come home and feel like you’ve actually done something, whereas I didn’t quite find that with university.”

His rise up the dairy ladder started with an assistant herd manager’s job on a farm near Palmerston North where he stayed for five years, moving up to herd manager and over time becoming responsible for the day-to-day running of the farm.

His next job saw him working in a difficult situation on a 750 cow farm for one season and, although it was extremely challenging and often disheartening working there, he says the lessons he learnt there were invaluable.

A new dairy conversion at Halcombe for 450 cows in 2008 was the next challenge and when the farm’s herd owning sharemilker left a year later when milk and cow values took a hit as a result of the global financial crisis, an opening was created for the McIntyres to work as variable order sharemilkers.

“We stayed there for six seasons and in that time we put into practice what we had learnt and began saving for the next step.”

That next step was the Kilsby farm which supports 440 friesian/jersey cross cows on 190 hectares. Its low stocking rate of 2.4 cows per hectare is the result of its proximity to the coast and sandy soil.

Herd ownership was achieved by rearing extra calves and leasing out cows over time to build sufficient equity to buy a herd, half of which was bought last year with the other half raised by the McIntyre’s.

For their second season of 50/50 share-milking, the McIntyre’s are targeting production this season of 200,000kg/MS after achieving 198,000kg/MS last season.

In his role as the National Sharemilker Chair for Federated Farmers, Richard McIntyre’s advocacy includes promoting sharemilkers’ interests and ensuring appropriate support is available, particularly during tough economic times.

Making sure contracts are suitable with the opportunity for good outcomes for both sharemilkers and farmers is a strong focus, as is ensuring sharemilkers do due diligence before signing an agreement, he says.

Due diligence should include considerations

Richard McIntyre and his wife Emma are herd-owning sharemilkers on a Levin farm owned by Bryan and Wendy Kilsby.

such as a “sensitivity analysis” which assesses the changes in cash-flow as a result of changes in milk production, milk price and farm working expenses. This can also be expanded to include a variety of events such as droughts, floods, pasture and crop damage.

“I don’t think there’s been enough of that in the past. Some sharemilkers haven’t completely understood what they were agreeing to and the implications around it.

This last couple of years of low payouts and falling cow prices has generally shown that we’ve lost some very good talent within the industry over the past few years as a result.”

Since moving to the Horowhenua, the McIntyre’s have experienced being part of a great farming community, where people go out of their way to support others.

“It’s during difficult times that these farming communities are especially important; the dairy industry is fortunate enough that there are so many rural communities around New Zealand that really do support farmers.”

“It’s during difficult times that these farming communities are especially important; the dairy industry is fortunate enough that there are so many rural communities around New Zealand that really do support farmers.”

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62 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Tauhara Moana Trust

NZ Dairy

Tauhara Moana Trust operates two dairy business units and a dairy support business near Taupo; the farms combined form a long, narrow block between Mt Tauhara and Lake Rotokawa.

Self-sufficiency key in strategy Russell Fredric Tauhara Moana Trust’s dairy farms’ total annual production of 800,000kgMS means small changes in management can have a big impact.

Farm supervisor Mark Johnston says becoming more self-sufficient, a familiar

theme with many dairy farms in the light of lower milk solids pay-outs, has been a key part of the trust’s present management strategy.

The trust operates two dairy business units and a dairy support business near Taupo; the farms combined form a long, narrow block between Mt Tauhara and Lake Rotokawa.

Farm 601 comprises 358ha while farm 602 is 409ha; they are supported by a run-off of 684ha plus 156ha used to grow lucerne.

Last season, the two dairy units, a supplier to local Maori dairy processor Miraka, produced 815,000kgMS with 800,000kgMS targeted this season.

Palm kernel extract is one of the items placed under the spotlight; last season 2100

tonnes was used at a cost of about $480,000.

As a result, it was decided to eliminate PKE from the farm system and to reduce the stocking rate from 3.1 cows per hectare last season to 2.8 per hectare this season.

• To page 64

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Tauhara Moana Trust

| 63

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64 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Tauhara Moana Trust

NZ Dairy

Self-sufficiency key factor in trust’s strategy • From page 63

Despite this, Mark Johnston says it does not mean it would not be used again in the future.

“At the end of the day we will look at it on a year-by-year basis depending on where the milk price is at. There’s not set political movement, if you like, to not feed it. It’s more focused on profit.”

“We’ve always been focused on profit per hectare, but as a result of the milk price reducing, that’s really what’s brought about these changes, to try and reduce our cost of production.”

This has meant putting every area of the farms’ operation under the microscope.

“We’ve spent considerable time running scenarios, trying to figure out what’s our possible stocking rate, what sort of production we should targeting, what our farm system should be. We’ve run numerous models around that.”

Cutting out PKE has been just one part of the equation; a further focus was looking at how more feed could be generated at a lower cost resulting in under-sowing half the pasture in both dairy units with Italian rye grass cultivars Lush and Asset, in addition to the farms’ annual regrassing programme.

The cultivars have been sown to increase production of grass in the shoulder season as they grow more actively during winter and spring when PKE would normally be fed.

“The reason we’ve done that is to really try and increase our home-grown feed. We’ve budgeted on basically producing an extra tonne of dry matter per hectare over the total area.”

“We didn’t just take palm kernel out and expect to grow more feed, but we did something about growing more feed as well to replace the palm kernel.”

A farm walk every seven to 10 days to check pasture covers using a plate metre in addition to visual assessment is a key part of the management of the farms’ systems and drives decisions such as grazing KPI’s, target pre-grazing covers and target residual covers.

It also drives decision making around adding or reducing feed such as silage, dropping out paddocks for silage or introducing crops depending on the time of year.

Soils are pumice-based and free-draining which means grass growth is good during periods of rain.

This year, the first half of winter was warmer than normal and the last half of winter and early spring unusually wet.

“There’s been challenges around pasture damage, but cow condition and pasture utilisation has been the key challenge with how wet it’s been. It’s resulted in the cows losing a

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Stephen & Vera Shailer

| 65

On returning to his parents farm seven years ago, Stephen Shailer found it in such good condition he was able to focus on improving production and efficiency.

Production gains a numbers game Kelly Deeks On returning to his parents Wayne and Denise’s 450 cow Foxton farm seven years ago, Manawatu’s Share Farmer of the Year Stephen Shailer was fortunate to find it in great physical condition, allowing him to focus on improving production and efficiency.

He began analysing the system, collecting information on grass growth, production trends, mating results, and more, then at the end of his third season he told his parents he wanted to reduce FEW from $4.60 to under

$4, and while doing so, increase production from 150,000kgs milksolids to more than 200,000kgs milksolids.

“They thought I was mad but supported the idea,” he says. “At that point, keen on the idea of having an advisor with high knowledge of animal health as well as nutrition, we teamed up with a new farm advisor, The Dairy Vet.” The Shailers started to concentrate on three key areas: growing more grass, summer cropping, and feeding cows better for

• To page 66

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66 |

DAIRY PEOPLE» Stephen & Vera Shailer

• From page 65 condition targets, with a flow on of increased production.

For the best possible grass utilisation, Stephen started plate metering every seven days.

“This has allowed us to more accurately predict growth and identify poor performing paddocks. Having pasture walk data on hand means we can also use reverse calculators to ensure we are getting good pasture utilisation, which last season was 86%.”

During the first three months of the summer, the farm is split into two parts – a green low lying area and a dry, light sand area.

The green low lying paddocks are used as day feeds when the sunlight is in full force.

Stephen says air temperatures above 27deg C in the day and 15deg C at night are above the comfort zone for high producing dairy cows, so to reduce production losses he aims to feed the majority of his supplements at night when temperatures are lower, especially grass silage which has a higher fibre content than PKE and causes the cow to heat up as it is processed.

Feeing his big holstien fresian cows to capacity is always a challenge. Stephen is now transition feeding his springers a 90% PKE 10% tapioca mix to get them transitioned onto their early spring diet, which is 1819kgdm of grass and 3-4kgdm of high starch in shed feed from local feed suppliers James and Sons, which gives a higher peak of 2.52.6kgs milksolids per cow per day.

From peak onwards, Stephen tries to limit production declines as much as possible.

NZ Dairy

“By getting the quality and quantity of feed right, we now have production at January 1 at 2.4kgs milksolids per cow per day. We have moved away from filling our summer feed deficit with grass silage to a more balanced diet of grass silage, PKE, chicory, and a small amount of distillers’ grains. Last year we even feed some beetroot. With a more balanced diet production now reduces at less than 5% per month from peak, giving us a much flatter production curve.”

Four years on from setting his plan in motion, Stephen has achieved his goal, now producing in excess of 550kgs milksolids per cow, with a best year of 238,000kgs milksolids from 420 cows, and FWEs from last season $3.84.

“I think when committing to something its always important to benchmark yourself,” he says.

“For me I have found it highly beneficial to surround myself with people already running similar operations who aren’t afraid to show the numbers. Having consistently full and happy cows has also given me personally some job satisfaction, I enjoy seeing well conditioned cows waddle into the shed dripping milk.”

Entering the Dairy Industry Awards last year for the first time was a huge thing for Stephen and his wife Vera, and the couple were surprised and delighted to take out the Manawatu Share Farmer of the Year title.

They are now looking forward to their next challenge of securing a 50/50 job or larger scale contract milking or management position, as well as giving back to the industry with the Dairy Industry Awards team.

“We have moved away from filling our summer feed deficit with grass silage to a more balanced diet of grass silage, PKE, chicory, and a small amount of distillers’ grains.”

Stephen and Vera Shailer farm on his parent’s 450-cow Foxton dairy unit, where they can focus on improving productivity and efficiency, concentrating on growing more grass, summer cropping, and feeding cows better.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Patricia & Donald Wood

| 67

South Wairarapa farmers Donald and Patricia Wood, who have built up a dairy portfolio over 40 years, are looking to ease back the workload.

Succession planning ‘a huge load off our minds’ Kelly Deeks Enjoying more time with family, relaxing at their Ngawi bach and the odd overseas trip are all on the horizon for South Wairarapa farmers Donald and Patricia Wood as they look to ease back on management of the farm.

Donald and Patricia are proud of the dairy farm portfolio they’ve built up over a 40-year period and the involvement their three children have had in those farms.

“By developing a succession plan that takes into account our children’s individual farming interests we will gradually remove ourselves from farm operations and ensure their interests are equitably met,’ says Donald.

Donald, 72, has been on the couple’s ‘home farm’ since age 10 when his father took on the role of 50/50 sharemilker after the land had been cleared of Manuka scrub.

“In those days there was only one fence and that separated the hills from the flat ground. About 70% of the farm is hilly, but for the most part a good

keen man with a topper can cover it,’ says Donald.

In 1970 the opportunity arose to purchase the farm and Donald, in partnership with his parents, bought it. Two nearby runoffs were added in 1972.

Donald first met Patricia when she was herd testing on the farm in the late 1960s. The couple married in 1972, building themselves a house on the farm.

“Despite being a town girl she’s been exceptional,’ says Donald.

In 1993 the couple bought Rangatea Farm, which was over the road from the home farm, and converted it from sheep and beef to dairy. In 2000 their son Michael took over as manager of Rangatea and is now 50/50 sharemilker.

Their portfolio was increased again in 2009 when they purchased an 80 per cent share of a Masterton dairy farm.

That farm is run by Paddy Hull, who has a 20% partnership interest.

“All our farms are very low debt, running at 3% - 4% and we want to keep it that way,” says Donald. He admits that the lower payouts have made it harder to carry out capital projects solely from income.

“It was important that our children were involved in this process from the start. By thinking about the future now we can prevent the estate having to be sold and lost to our family and that’s a huge load off our minds.”

Farm involvement for Donald and Patricia now centres mostly on cropping and harvesting, feeding the calves and hay bailing but they have a very clear eye to the future and how they want to enjoy the remainder of their lives.

“We have a little house at Ngawi Beach by Cape Palliser and the idea is to spend a lot more time there. You know, I am still very fit, albeit with a couple of replacement parts, but I’m 72 years old and in 5 years I’ll be 77,” says Donald.

Encouraged by their farm advisor, the couple called a meeting with their children, solicitor, accountant and farm advisor to establish a succession plan. “It was important that our children were involved in this process from the start,” says Donald “By thinking about the future now we can prevent the estate having to be sold and lost to our family and that’s a huge load off our minds,” says Donald.

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68 |

DAIRY PEOPLE» Industry news

NZ Dairy

Succession planning worth a thought With the average age of New Zealand farmers pushing 60, and land values on a steady increase, it’s no surprise succession planning is currently top-of-mind for the agricultural industry.

In fact, leading commentators see private farm succession as the single biggest challenge for the industry to overcome during the next decade.

Dairy Women’s Network and its partners ASB and Crowe Horwath are coming together to offer support to farmers around this daunting and extremely personal, but important issue, over the next few months.

The partners will be delivering free succession planning workshops across the country, over the next six months.

Crowe Horwath Hawkes Bay managing partner, Rick Cranswick says that for many farmers, the idea of leaving the farm is a tough subject to talk about. ”As a result, it’s often put on the back burner. So it’s important to help farmers understand the urgency of getting started early.”

Facilitating the transfer of intergenerational wealth between family groups has historically been the nexus of some tragic family breakdowns and when done incorrectly, can have dramatic financial and social implications across all generations, Cranswick says.

“It’s not one size fits all, and it’s not just a choice between selling the farm or giving it to the kids. Farmers need to think about how to account for things such as non-farming children or succession beyond family circles.”

Farm owners need to evaluate what their plan is for the next 30 years and if they have an exit strategy in place. People often plan for when they would like to leave the farm, and are left short if they are forced to depart quickly.

Cranswick suggests farm owners ask themselves if they think their family will be looked after, should they exit the farm. It is essential to have the right structures in place to ensure that if they get the choice to retire, they do it when they want to, and in a manner they would like.

“We are not aiming to solve the complexities of succession planning in the 2.5 hour workshops, but to simply open the door for farmers to start thinking about it and offer them support to facilitate the tough conversations that may lie ahead.

“We want DWN members to feel confident to advance their thinking and conversations in regards to their own succession planning, and we’ll endeavour to make them aware of what pitfalls to avoid and what to expect when going through the process, as well as what success looks like.”

ASB general manager rural Mark Heer says when it comes to succession planning, capital is an important part of the mix.

“The financial success of New Zealand’s rural economy comes down to finding sufficient capital to fund a new generation into farm ownership in a way that means they are able to sustainably continue to farm,” he said.

“Access to capital is an issue and careful succession planning can help overcome this.”

Dairy Women’s Network chief executive Zelda de Villiers said the network is pleased to be able to help its members approach this important topic with the specialist input from its valued partners.

The free succession planning workshops are being offered throughout the North and South Islands from October 19 until May 2017. For more information or to register, visit www.dwn.co.nz

ASB general manager Mark Heer says when it comes to succession planning, capital is an important part of the mix.

“We are not aiming to solve the complexities of succession planning in the 2.5 hour workshops, but to simply open the door for farmers to start thinking about it and offer them support to facilitate the tough conversations that may lie ahead.”

NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Willowvale Farms

| 69

Good advice, procedures rewarded Kelly Deeks Asking questions of knowledgeable people and establishing a model of operational procedures has been key to Whakatane dairy farmers Fraser and Katherine McGougan taking out three gongs in this year’s Dairy Business of the Year awards.

Fraser and Katherine’s Willowvale Farms was named Best Bay of Plenty Farm Performance, Best People Leadership, and Low Input with Best Financials.

Fraser says much of the judging criteria was around the farm’s financial performance and its bookwork and while he takes care of the operations, Katherine looks after the books and deserves a lot of the credit for the awards.

He also credits his team of amazing staff for filling their roles well and also sharing their knowledge and experience with him.

“We’ve learned so much from our staff,” he says. “A lot of them have been better than me.

We’ve had some people who were already well established in the dairy industry, one of them became a consulting officer for Dairy NZ, and another was named best student in her year at Massey University.

“Our current full timer Harepaora Ngaheu was this year runner up for the Ahuwhenua Trophy, and in the Dairy Trainee of the Year competition earlier this year.”

Fraser entered the dairy industry as a relatively young man, and as such felt it was important to ask questions of successful dairy farmers he knew and met.

Getting involved with the FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition in the early days of his dairy career, Fraser took home the prize and also a long list of newfound and likeminded farmer friends, who he is still in touch with today.

“Each one has their own specialist topic,” he says. “Whether its banking or fertiliser, I’ve got access to a wide range of practical and relevant knowledge through these old friendships.”

Willowvale has been in the McGougan family since 1896 and for four generations now, and Fraser and Katherine look after it the same way his dad Gavin did, doing their jobs well and keeping costs down.

They bought out Fraser’s parents in 2011, taking on 132ha effective milking platform and leasing a 65ha run off block from Gavin, who continues to run it for Fraser and Katherine.

Gavin, his knowledge and experience, and his exceptional memory are all of huge help to Fraser The purchase of the farm put the

• To page 70

Fraser McGougan, who farms on the family property Willowvale in Whakatane, credits his dairy success to his wife Katherine and a team of amazing staff that have shared their knowledge and experience. The McGougan’s won three awards at the recent Dairy Business of the Year awards.

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70 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Willowvale Farms / Tim & Carol McPherson

NZ Dairy

Debt major focus for multiple award-winning couple • From page 69 McGougans into a large amount of debt, and as such, they have always run a very tight ship.

“Debt is our focus now, as it has been before when we had really good, high pay out seasons,” Fraser says.

“Because we had debt, we had to be on the ball and run it tight, there was no other option.

We’ve always focused on it, and that has really helped us to get through these tough times and this low milk pay out.”

For the future, Fraser and Katherine are keen to put back into the industry in the same way they have reaped benefits from it. They have already been involved in organising industry awards, and say following their latest awards, are looking forward to hosting field days, answering questions and providing input for others.

They are also keen to develop more young people, leveraging off the equity they have to help someone else get into an equity partnership position.

“We’ve learned so much from our staff,” he says. “A lot of them have been better than me. We’ve had some people who were already well established in the dairy industry, one of them became a consulting officer for Dairy NZ, and another was named best student in her year at Massey University.”

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Dalmore: family farm steeped in history Sue Russell It’s 40 years since Tim McPherson took over ownership and running of the family dairy farm. The farm, 15 kilometres west of Riverton in Southland, has been in the family for 143 years.

Originally run in conjunction with a butcher’s shop in Orepuki during the goldmining era, and Tim says Maori settlements in the area also traded flax and potatoes with Sydney.

The property was named Dalmore after the farm Tim’s great-grandfather, Archie McPherson, worked on in Kintyre, Scotland before coming to New Zealand in 1963.

The 277-hectare farm tracks over flat land with some gullies, and carries a 160ha milking platform, with with 60ha used for winter cropping and young stock. Drainage is an issue on parts of the property.

The farm is owned under a family trust and the farming business is the day-to-day responsibility of Tim and Carol McPherson’s son, Matthew. This frees up to concentrate on his passion for breeding.

“Carol and I have lived in the old dairy factory for the last 10 years,” says Tim. “Eight years ago a property adjoining the farm was purchased just after Matthew returned.”

The original herd was a shorthorn-cross-type cow, then ayrshires in 1953; in 1967 the herd was moved to predominantly friesian.

“From the 1990s there has been a move to crossbreds as a result of mating heifers to jersey sires for ease of calving. The kiwicross animal is better at coping with the walking distances and the condition of some of the farm’s races.”

Dalmore has used herd testing for about 90 years and AB since 1960, while heifers have been mated to AI and traits (other than production) recorded since 1973.

About 20 bulls have been sold to AI companies

Left: The Dalmore herd has moved from a shorthorn-cross type cow to ayshires in 1953, then predominantly friesian in 1967 and then a move to kiwicross from the 1990s.

Below: The view west from Dalmore to the mountains of Fiordland.

with three – Dalmore PK Kai, Dalmore Kryptonite and Dalmore TEF Lima – going on to be widely used.

The lower payout has forced some adjustments: “We used to rear quite a bit of extra stock, but now we are just rearing our own replacements.”

There has also been a shift in the type of cropping the farm does to supplement pasture feed with a move away from swedes and brassica vegetables toward growing fodder beet, which Tim says is a very versatile crop.

“It produces twice the yield as the traditional brassica lines and because it has a high energy content, you can put the weight on and maintain condition through autumn and winter.”

He describes the Riverton district as the Riviera of the South with a strong dairying sector likely to grow.

His interest in breeding has given Tim the chance to see the immense gains from developing tidy, efficient and productive cows that are easy to manage.

He thinks dairying’s current unsettled times will become the norm and the sector will have to adjust.

“When I began farming, there was certainty in that products kept being produced and stock-piled.

Now it is a very different situation with significant changes in Europe affecting markets we can sell to.

It will be a case of it working its way to outcomes on supplier farms. I’m not optimistic things will improve quickly.”

However, he feels his own farming has been most enjoyable and rewarding: “It has been a privilege to have been involved over my lifetime.”

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FENCING » FCNZ

NZ Dairy

Time to nail a new generation Karen Phelps Young blood is needed in the fencing industry and it’s a matter of thinking outside the square to target the next generation, says Fencing Contractors’ Association of New Zealand president Simon Fuller.

FCANZ is developing strategies to introduce young people to the industry, including tapping into the Limited Service Volunteer programme.

The six-week, hands-on motivational and training programme for people aged 18-25 is run by the New Zealand Defence Force on behalf of Work and Income. The aim is to increase confidence and improve job prospects for attendees.

The association has been represented at open days held as part of the course, and Simon says that at the last event, around 12 young people expressed interest in a career in the fencing industry.

“These young people have the right attitude we are looking for. They want to get out and give it a go, so we identified an opportunity for

the industry to recruit staff.” .

The association has already established a relationship with the New Zealand Young Farmers Get Ahead programme and last year was involved in career days around New Zealand.

Simon Fuller says the association’s presentation was well received by students, and more than one of them has contacted FCANZ about the possibility of holiday work.

While fencing did not used to be viewed as a viable career pathway, times have changed, he says.

“Fencing used to be seen as a labouronly, seasonal job, but it is now increasingly recognised as a trade career. Fencing companies have equipment of substantial value and work is now undertaken year round.

Compliance has grown, so they must operate in a professional and business-like manner.”

FCANZ has also been working with the primary ITO to establish a training provider for fencing qualifications.

Although a qualification is not necessary to operate in the industry, the association is aiming to lift the overall professionalism as well as encourage young people into the

FCANZ is developing strategies to introduce young people to the industry.

industry, says Simon.

“Fencing plays a major part in primary industry in New Zealand. Dairy, sheep, beef, horticulture and viticulture all need fencing structures to be productive. Let’s not forget

the urban landscapes either – security fencing and residential fencing. There are certainly young people out there who would be interested in fencing as a career. It’s just a matter of making them aware of the pathways.

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76 |

ORGANIC Âť Totaranui Organics

NZ Dairy

Wilf and Eleanor, from Totaranui Organics in Geraldine Downs, hoover hazelnuts into the harvester.

Living the organic lifestyle This article �irst appeared in the November/December, 2014 issue of Organic NZ magazine.

Jim and Eleanor Jolly are stalwarts of the organic movement, which means as much to them today as it did in the 1970s. Organic principles and philosophies are as important to them as eating healthy food.

In the early years, they joined Soil & Health and Eleanor was always growing herbs and gardening. Over the years, the Jollys have hosted field days for people interested in organics.

The Jollys own Totaranui Organics, an attractive 8.5 ha property on Geraldine Downs above the township of Geraldine. There is established native habitat for all manner of birds, and shelter trees for their orchards

which include several varieties of hazelnut.

Chestnuts, walnuts and some heritage apple trees were planted by the previous owners.

The north-facing land is suited for nut production.

When the Jollys bought the property 21 years ago it had a history of organic certification, so they were able to move straight into a transitional year before it was fully certified organic by BioGro. The property has had no herbicides, pesticides or artificial fertilisers for over 25 years.

Since 2002, Totaranui Organics has been certified with OFNZ (OrganicFarmNZ). Jim and Eleanor are members of Canterbury Organic, the entity responsible for certification of member producers of OrganicFarmNZ in Canterbury.

They produce mainly hazelnuts - around two to three tonnes annually.

Depending on the cultivar, each tree is capable of producing between one and five

kilograms of nuts.

When they started growing hazelnuts in earnest, the Jollys planted out one hectare a year over four years to give them 2000 trees, and the orchard is at capacity now. Their main croppers produce large table nuts and the cultivar Whitehart which, although it is a good

producer of smaller nuts, produces lots of suckers.

These have to be manually removed, because again, unlike conventional growers, the Jollys don’t use herbicides. Jim uses an adapted weedeater to slice the suckers off, but it is time-consuming work.

NZ Dairy

Organics » Totaranui Organics

Totaranui hazelnuts are sold in the shell or kernel. Hazelnuts can provide oil, flour for gluten-free diets and contain antioxidants.

Toasted, raw, or finely ground, hazelnuts are packed full of minerals and vitamins that boost health. The Jollys also sell the Uncle George’s nutcracker, a hand-held wooden nutcracker suitable for hazelnuts, walnuts and soft-shelled almonds.

Growing hazelnuts fits well with organics, Jim says, because the trees are relatively hardy, easy to manage and have a good life expectancy. The only downside is that they don’t like getting their roots wet because this can place them under stress and set them up for diseases.

By far the biggest threat to the industry is Eastern Filbert Blight, a fungus that has affected the vigour and productivity of hazelnuts in western North America. The Jollys hope our biosecurity systems remain stringent enough to keep the blight out of New Zealand.

To ensure a good crop of nuts, a crop tree and a pollinator are needed for wind pollination. Female hazelnut trees are unique in that after pollination they can retain the pollen for up to two months until environmental conditions are favourable enough for the pollination tube to grow.

Hazelnut flowers are minute and it takes an experienced eye like Eleanor’s to spot them as they are about the size of three pinheads, bright scarlet and visible around the time the distinctive hazelnut catkins are forming on the branches. Pollinator trees are strategically placed about the orchard to accommodate early and late pollination.

For those contemplating hazelnuts for the home garden, Jim suggests you get shelter trees planted first, then go to an established nut nursery which recognises the importance

Hazelnuts can provide oil, flour for glutenfree diets and contain antioxidants. Pictured are large table nut hazelnuts and walnuts. of matching pollinators.

There are numerous cultivars to contemplate when buying suitable trees for particular environments. Ennis, Butler, Merveille de Bollwiller, Lansing and Whitehart are just a few among those worth considering.

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Jim Jolly, from Totaranui Organics, bags cleaned hazelnuts.

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NZ Dairy

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Production versus Profit in lower pay-out years.

Outstanding Results - Proven BenefitsSustainable Profits

In years such as this ( and maybe the next two or three to come ) it is important that dairy farmers get the balance between production and profit right. All farms have a thresh-hold of production that will be profitable no matter what the milk price is. The trick is to find out where your farm will be most profitable with the ruling milk price. We believe that the next few years will be most profitable with a system that includes a higher percentage of grass and a few less stock.

The Revital product range from REVITAL FERTILISERS LTD (est.1996) can be completely customized to suit the unique growing confitions on individual farms.

Pasture Quality:

Our Core Component’s are composts & vermicast created in New Zealand, blended with chicken manures, limes and specific additives as demanded by your soils needs • • • •

• • •

Revital acts as a ‘mutli-vitamin’ for plants acting as the soil’s nutrient energy store.

Revital is rich in humus improving soil health and assists structural strength increasing root development.

Revital naturally stores nutrients readily available to plants for release upon demand.

Revital contains a diverse microbial population. When applied, it inoculates the soil with beneficial micro-organisms which continue to grow and improve soil fertility and productivity Revital enhances the performance of other ferilisers, including traditional NPK fertilisers. This results in better plant growth without excess fertiliser use.

Revital is easy to use and is applied using normal spreaders and sprayers.

Revital’s results over the last decade have proven that compost & vermicast based products increase both yield and quality in a range of pastures & crops.

Growing more grass is not a case of throwing more Urea into the system, while you will grow a bit more grass it will certainly be lower in energy, and if you are cutting back on higher energy supplements then the opportunity to balance up the cow’s diet is not there, assuming an all grass system from November to March. Under this system you could expect a drop in production but a rise in profitability given that you get your fertiliser and management right. The most important thing is to grow a good balanced pasture with persistant rye grass and approx 35% clover. This pasture species balance will give you good quality feed while also producing 150kgs of N per year from the clover – and it’s free.

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So what’s involved in Organic Dairying?

Organics is not difficult. Most farmers report the main challenge as being a change of mind set from a chemical solution to problems to a whole system or biological approach where everything on farm – soils, water, pasture management and animal health are all connected.

An assessment of your current system is required to work out an appropriate stocking rate for the level of feed available.

If replacements are grazed off the farm now where will they go when you are organic? Are there issues that need to be addressed before certifying, like gorse or mastitis?

Developing an organic management plan helps identify strategies for soil fertility, animal health issues and pasture management.

For example, pasture production is dependent on the provision of nutrients from the soil. Organic farmers aim to develop fertiliser policies that address nutrient imbalances, maintain production and promote healthy, diverse biological communities in the soil.

You can’t use inputs that are synthetic– they have to be as they’re found in Nature. For example, elemental sulphur, RPR, lime, kieserite (potash), dolomite and gypsum can be used but in some cases, like potash, their use is restricted.

One challenge can be animal health. On organic farms the focus is on prevention with the development of robust animals with strong immune systems being a key element. Fact sheets on lameness,

mastitis, bloat, and rearing replacements have been written by Massey University and can be downloaded from www.organicpastoral.co.nz While there is a long list of remedies, including antibiotics, that are prohibited, it DOESN’T mean you let the animals suffer. Cows that don’t respond to organically certified treatments are treated conventionally then sold. Remember dozens of NZ dairies have been organic for decades and are doing fine.

Organics is scientific – it just takes a more holistic view of a farm.

There are two agencies in NZ that offer certification services: Asure Quality and BioGro. These agencies audit your farm against the standards required by your processor. If you are a Fonterra supplier this will include the USDA and the EU organic standards. Certification does add a bit to the record keeping already required on farm but a systematic approach makes it more workable and the annual audits easier.

Transition to full organic status can take three years. Fonterra has been offering a $0.45/ kg MS transition premium. The demand for organic milk is strong and prices show little volatility. If you think organics could be an option for you visit www.organicpastoral.co.nz to connect to a farmer near you.

Organic Dairy and Pastoral Group (ODPG) A network of New Zealand organic and biological producers in the dairy and pastoral sector.

Organx – The New Way to Farm ™

Nutrient rich soil produces nutrient dense food, bringing health and vitality to all life.

Topsoil and water are the two most precious things we have on our planet, more precious than gold, silver or platinum.

Without topsoil and water we cannot feed ourselves, so, it is paramount that we take good care of our topsoil and our water.

Today, based on current agro-chemical production methods, many experts are predicting that agricultural topsoil around the globe will be lost within the next 60 years.

United Nations, Food & Agricultural Organisation, stated in 2015 – The International Year of the Soil, that soil is a non-renewable resource. Its preservation is essential for food security and our sustainable future, it also commented that soil is a finite resource, meaning its loss and degradation is not recoverable within a human life span.

Here at Agrissentials we dispute that call.

From anecdotal evidence recorded over an eight year period, we took 50mm topsoil on a clay base down to 250mm – 300mm of topsoil depth, just by applying our multimineral, microbial rich fertilisers at two applications per year over Ralph Littler’s dairy farm in Ruawai, Northland

The agro-chemical fertilisers and sprays have a huge impact on micro-organisms resulting in soil erosion – according to Dr. Morgan Williams’ report to the Government in 2004 soil erosion from farms was calculated at 200 – 300 million tonnes of topsoil per year – that is not sustainable!

However, don’t panic, Go Organx™! With our system you have the opportunity to set up your own topsoil regenerating and remineralising system using Agrissentials multi-mineral, microbial rich, certified ORGANX™ fertilisers.

The new market is ORGANX™ and Agrissentials ORGANX™ system hold the key to the “X FACTOR” of soil health and soil wealth, with our live, living, certified BioGro fertilisers.

Here is the opportunity to break the chains of chemical torture, to walk away from the agro-chemical system that is locking farmers into low price, commodity markets, and high price chemical rescue remedies, that no longer work – it’s a crazy chemical treadmill.

The time is right for ORGANX™ with the consumer calling out for safe, certified, nutritiously rich food together with farmers beginning to look and understand that the

best way to secure their farms and their farming future is to start working with mother nature instead of working against her and having to pay bag loads of money to the chemist for remedies that struggle to maintain production.

The game is changing, the consumer has already changed and the farmers are recognising new opportunities to produce better quality food for better returns.

The transition from agro-chemical to ORGANX™ is seamless; basically all that happens is to exchange synthetic, soluble, erosive chemical fertilisers for Agrissentials live, living, multi-mineral, microbial rich fertilisers which bring health and vitality back to the farm and back to the environment – now, how simple is that!

Call us today on 0800 THE KEY for a chat or a FREE INFO PACK, that’s 0800 843 539 to find out how we can partner with you to find a better way of farming. Alternatively you can contact your best on earth fertiliser representatives Murray Nichol 027 655 4360 (Central), Darryn Graves 027 288 0140 (Mosgiel), Ailsa Broughton 027 681 1100 (Southland) to grab your special deal today.

John K Morris CEO, Agrissentials NZ Ltd

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