Nz dairy web

Winter 2016

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Plenty of work despite downturn Don Chapman Waikato is being kept busy with residential and rural projects page 66

INSIDE

Busy three years worth effort - PAGE 4

Young farmer looking to the future - PAGE 33

PKW building on what went before - PAGE 49

Fourth gen farmer in for the long haul - PAGE 74

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Mark & Jamie Arnold

NZ Dairy

Mark and Jamie Arnold first set food on a dairy farm in 2008. Now, they’ve been named 2016 New Zealand Share Farmers of the Year.

Hard work pays big dividends Karen Phelps They had no dairy farming background and only first set foot on a dairy farm in 2008. Now Mark and Jaime Arnold have been named the 2016 New Zealand Share Farmers of the Year.

“I went from managing a logging crew to starting at the bottom of the ladder in the dairy industry. No matter where you come from you’re never better than anyone else. It’s about respecting and helping each other. It’s about a passion for achieving,” says Mark.

The couple have entered the regional awards twice previously and finished runner-up for the Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa region last year making this year’s win all the sweeter.

They also took home the DairyNZ Human Resources Award, Westpac Business Performance Award and LIC Recording and Productivity Award

at the regional awards this year and Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene, Ravensdown Pasture Performance and Westpac Business Performance awards at the national competition.

Jaime was born and bred on a sheep and beef farm in the Hawkes Bay before training as a teacher.

The couple decided they didn’t like living in town so decided to make the change from their careers, sold their house and car and took on a farm assistant position in the central Hawkes Bay. Mark acknowledges it was a risky move considering they were both on good wages in their previous jobs.

“When you are really driven to give everything 110% you will succeed no matter what. We were really determined to make it work,” says Mark.

Starting on a 1200 cow farm that also winter milked as the first job was “pretty full on”, admits Mark.

They next moved to a 750-cow farm in Dannevirke for three seasons before heading

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“I went from managing a logging crew to starting at the bottom of the ladder in the dairy industry. No matter where you come from you’re never better than anyone else.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Mark & Jamie Arnold

to their present position. The couple have been sharemilking around 500 cows on the Dannevirke farm owned by Mike and Sherynn Harold and Stuart and Sandra Cordell since 2011.

They now own 100 percent of GAS Farming Ltd, the company which sharemilks the 165ha effective/180ha total farm.

The herd of kiwicross cows is milked through a 36-aside herringbone shed. The herd is split into a heifer mob and a cow mob. A second-in-charge looks after the smaller herd.

Their herd is in the top 5% in the country genetically, with 147 breeding worth and 161 production worth figures.

The Arnolds grow turnips for a summer crop and planted 5.5ha this season. Turnips are put into new grass afterwards as part of the farm regrassing programme.

The farm is supported by a 165ha run-off used for wintering and young stock. The Arnolds also rear their own breeding bulls for mating and run up to 30 extra animals made up of herefords or recorded heifers.

Surplus hay from the run off is sold to other farms. This year, they sold 60 tonnes of hay giving much-needed income in a low pay out year.

Last season milking 520 cows they achieved 182,000 kg of milk solids.

This season they are on target to achieve 176,000 kg milking 485 cows. Next season, they plan to increase herd numbers to 510.

The couple have a blended family of four children: Brayden, 22, Belinda, 21, Parker, 6 and Eva, 4.

The Arnolds both say entering the Dairy Industry Awards has been a good learning opportunity for them and the benefits, which have helped drive their business forward, will eventually help the whole family: “It’s been a good way to learn as much as we possibly could because you have to pull your business apart and scrutinise it,” says Mark.

“On a low pay out it was the perfect time to enter,” adds Jaime.

“It highlighted what drives our profitability and makes us resilient. I particularly find the financial side fascinating, seeing how profitable our system is and what it is driven by.

“Under a low pay out we are surviving and feel comfortable and secure financially so when the pay out rises we will be in a good position to reduce our debt even further.”

“We’re quite proud of where we’ve got to in such a short time frame,” says Mark, “especially not being brought up on a dairy farm.

“It’s been a massive learning curve for both of us but we have listened to advice from peers and professionals. It’s about working hard and asking the right questions. We ultimately want to own our own farm so we are very driven to achieve that.”

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The Arnold’s herd of kiwicross cows is milked through a 36-aside herringbone shed. The herd is split into a heifer mob and a cow mob.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Michael & Raewyn Hills

NZ Dairy

Raewyn and Michael Hills have had a busy few years but that hard work has paid off since becoming 35 per cent equity parters in Burnside Farms with Michael’s father and uncle..

Busy three years worth the effort Sue Russell It has been a very busy three years for Manawatu dairying couple Michael and Raewyn Hills since becoming 35 percent equity partners in Burnside Farms with Michael’s father and uncle in the spring of 2013.

Through hard work the couple had concentrated initially on building up cow numbers and improving breed quality but not ones to let an opportunity go by they made the decision to convert another 50 hectares of leased land into the business.

Raewyn says it is only this season that they feel the 305 hectare dairy platform is starting to really operate well, alongside a 300 hectare dairy support and bull beef farm which is part of the overall business.

“We are satisfied that we have spread the risk on our investments about right with the dairy support operation and the dairy farm itself. We’ve been able to become quite self-sufficient with stocking bull beef and support blocks,” Raewyn says.

With very much an attitude of embracing opportunities as they present the couple have received advice and support from a farm advisor and are now building strong ongoing relationships with their bankers and accountants as a way of solidifying their business interests.

“When we entered and won the Manawatu/ Horowhenua/Rangitikei farm managers of the year title back in 2013, one of the benefits that came from this experience was that we came into connection more with bankers, accountants and advisors and they came to understand us better, so we intend to involve these professionals more in helping inform our decisions in the future,” says

“When we entered and won the Manawatu/Horowhenua/ Rangitikei farm managers of the year title back in 2013 one of the benefits that came from this experience was that we came into connection more with bankers, accountants and advisors and they came to understand us better, so we intend to involve these professionals more in helping inform our decisions in the future.”

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Michael & Raewyn Hills

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This season, Raewyn and Michael Hills are milking 770 cows and are on track to produce 403kg of milk solids per cow - or in other words 1019 kg per hectare. .

Raewyn.

This season, the couple are milking 770 cows and are on track to produce 403kg of milk solids per cow - or in other words 1019 kg per hectare.

The farm itself is a mixture of rolling, hilly and flat terraced spaces and at the start of this season the couple culled really hard on cows that weren’t performing.

As a result they decided to pull the pin on all herd testing, discovering that their overall high cow

quality count didn’t justify the process this season.

The ultimate goal, Michael says, is to ensure cow condition is maintained throughout and this has meant working to a feeding system 4. “We realise relying only on grass based feed doesn’t really work as the grass produced on this farm traditionally has either been a feast or a famine.”

Inputs primarily are palm kernel, which the couple have purchased at a fixed contract rate in the past along with maize and grass silage.

The farms infrastructure is set up to operate as two dairy units side by side, one with a 20 aside herringbone milking parlour and the other with a 42 aside.

“We employ a herd manager in the little cow shed while Michael, a 2IC and milk harvester take care of the bigger shed. Michael’s father Peter takes on the role of overseeing the herd manager as well as fills in any gaps at busy times,” says Raewyn.

With three full-on busy years evolving the company and establishing the foundations for its continued success the couple say it is time to draw breath and quietly keep growing the equity.

“Our short term goal is very much centred on riding out the milk pay out downturn, having spent a considerable amount on environmental compliance issues such as effluent while longer term we intend to acquire more leased land to grow the operation on,” Raewyn says.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Jacob & Leah Prankerd

NZ Dairy

Young farmers thankful for supportive owners Sue Russell One hundred percent share milkers Jacob and Leah Prankerd are in their first season on a farm near Stratford that they lease from Pat and Dorothy Saywell.

The farm is about 75 percent flat with the rest rolling to steep and supports 230 jersey and 70 Xbred cows over a 95 hectare effective farm.

“I have always been a jersey farmer and my plans are to grow my asset by growing the herd,” Jacob says.

The farm operates to a feeding system 2 with in-shed feeding Jacob owns.

He says the system, which is portable, will leave the farm when he does and it has saved considerable money in terms of animal health and avoiding the ravages of facial eczema.

Proof of that became apparent when 15 stubborn heifers chose not to eat the supplements supplied through the system and became unwell.

Milking is conducted through a very basic 25 aside herringbone with a Duavac basic cup system which decreases the cups vacuum as milk flow reduces. Jacob says milking is one of the biggest daily challenges with the number of cows for a one person shed.

Helping him on the farm is wife Leah, who also works four days in town. When Jacob looks back on his farming journey to date, he realises how fortunate they were to have the backing and trust of farm owners Daniel and Patrice Kennedy who let Jacob and Leah, at the age of 21 (now 24), go 50:50 share milking on their Inglewood property, which was a three year contract that finished last year.

The young Prankerd couple know how fortunate they are to have received such a great opportunity which in return will set them up for future years.

“Those experiences were huge positives for me.

Not that many get the chance to move to 50:50 at such a young age and be entrusted with running a farm.”

Milk production is already 23 percent up from last season with the goal of producing 107,000 kg of milk solids. Next year, they are hoping to increase production again due to not having as many heifers and Jacob knowing the farm better going into their second season The in-shed feeding system carries mainly palm kernel mixed with some pallets to enable the system to operate.

Jacob attends a local discussion group which he has found a helpful and supportive place given being new to the district.

He has already hosted a group meeting on the farm at the end of March.

Plans are this season to dry off when the grass stops growing around the middle of May and by the beginning of May, Jacob had reduced his milking herd to 200 with daily reductions planned.

Plans on the Saywell’s farm are to complete the initial three year contract and to reassess the situation by then.

Jacob and Leah have already taken another significant step in growing their business by meeting with LIC to discuss future breeding programmes to build the herd condition up further.

“I really do appreciate how lucky I have been to have got as far as I have and even though times are hard now we are still looking to build on having had such a good start.”

One hundred percent share milkers Jacob and Leah Prankerd are in their first season on a farm near Stratford

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Jason Christensen / Kenneth & Rachel Short

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Passion for sustainability Kelly Deeks Two years after the Christensen family picked up three category wins in the Greater Wellington Ballance Farm Environment Awards, the passionate advocates for sustainable farming are continuing to improve the sustainability of their 527ha dairy and beef farm just north of Masterton in the Wairarapa.

Jason returned to the family farm in 2009 after 14 years as a ranger with the Department of Conservation.

The farm he returned to included the original 17ha bush block his great grandfather Hans bought in 1879 and was running 190 cows. The neighbouring property soon came up for sale so the family bought it in partnership and formed Fernhill Farms.

The purchase increased the size of the milking platform from 84ha to 154ha and cow numbers increased to 400.

With a low milk pay out, the Christensens put 400 cows through the farm’s old 16 bale rotary for the next two years before they could afford to build a 44 bale rotary with in-shed feeding, automatic cup removers, teat sprayers and drafting gates.

The shed also has a milk cooling system which uses the energy generated in cooling the milk to heat the water needed for the wash down. Ninety per cent of the plant’s hot water is free, a saving that will pay for the system within eight years.

Of the 527ha, 150ha is bush or non-grazable areas. There are four Queen Elizabeth II Trust covenants over bush blocks, with another two

planned for this year.

“We’ve got a large section of the farm which is unfarmable,” Jason says. “Our biggest paddock is 98ha, and more than half of that is ineffective. In some ways it’s a bit of a headache, but it’s also a great paddock.”

Jason aims to run an environmentally sustainable farming practice which is also profitable.

“A lot of farmers are conservators but their sustainable practices are not always in the public eye,” he says. “We are the caretakers of the land, and we know we must not use the resource faster than it can be replaced.”

He wants to be green, but green costs money.

“One of the biggest problems we face is the goal posts keep changing,” he says. “Farmers across the board don’t like surprises, so consultation with everybody is really important. Farmers need to read and listen to all the information coming out, rather than putting the blinkers on.”

And sometimes, he says, people need to think outside the square.

“Perhaps permanently fencing a waterway is not the best solution. I’ve got waterways that only have water in them for two or three months of the year, so if we fenced them off permanently, it brings up more issues with weeds. Now I’m thinking about how I can exclude stock while they’ve got water in, then open them up when they’re dry.”

Christensen is working through these issues alongside the regional council and encourages everyone to get on board with a farm plan and be proactive, rather than waiting until it is controlled.

The Christensen family farm 527ha of dairy and beef in the Wairarapa.

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Rachel and Kenneth Short are equity partners in two farms in Taranaki.

Determined to be organic Kelly Deeks So successful has been the conversion of Kenneth and Rachel Short’s smaller dairy farm to organic farming, they plan to also start converting their larger property next season.

The Shorts are equity partners in the two farms in Taranaki with Rachel’s parents, Louis and Barbara Kuriger.

Rachel is the fourth generation owner of a 180ha property near Opunake, and the third generation owner of the 71ha farm near Oaonui, which is in its first season of conversion to an organic operation.

“We were pretty close to being an organic operation anyway,” Rachel says. “We’ve always been a system one, with all our young stock on farm and no brought in feed. When we looked at where the organic market is going, with Fonterra putting a lot into developing their organic scheme in the past 12 months and planning to separate the organic milk pay out rather than paying a premium, it’s looking like a good number.”

The Shorts and the Kurigers looked into organic farming a couple of years ago, but since Fonterra wasn’t taking on any new organic suppliers in Taranaki at the time, they continued to research.

“There are a few farmers here who have been organic farming for about 15 years, and they’ve done the hard yards,” Rachel says. “There were three big changes we had to make. One was fertiliser, and we’ve lucky to have one of the biggest suppliers of organic fertiliser, Osflo, in our area. Then weed control, but we don’t have a lot of weeds so we can just top, and we’re looking at the options for organic spray. The final call around can we do it was animal remedies. Our research showed there are enough organic farmers in our area that our local vets know how organic farmers operate.”

It was then time to complete the paperwork for organic certification, which takes one year for the animals, and three years for the land. “There were so many things on the form that were not applicable,” Rachel says.

“Brought in feed – not applicable, where are we going to graze our young stock – not applicable. We also have our own hay making gear so we’re very

much a self-contained entity.”

She says with several organic farms in the area, as well as more currently converting, the family feels well supported in their organic journey. “We’ve got a good network, we surround ourselves with the right people, and we’ve had our first organic discussion group at the beginning of April,” she says. “Organics is one of those things where you get a few people who will challenge it. But the challenges just keep you thinking and make you a bit more determined.”

Their efforts thus far have contributed to the family’s recent win of three merit awards in the 2016 Taranaki Ballance Farm Environment Awards, where they picked up the CB Norwood Distributors Ltd Agri-Business Management Award, the LIC Dairy Farm Award, and the PGG Wrightson People in Agriculture Award.

“The judges were excited about our vision and our goals around organics,” Rachel says. “There is a lot of negativity in the industry at the moment, but we’ve found a way we think is going to be sustainable.”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Ben & Lizzie Ash

NZ Dairy

Keeping costs low without compromising production a priority Karen Phelps Wairarapa farmers Ben and Lizzie Ash acknowledge that it is “pretty tricky” at the moment being lower order sharemilkers under the present payout.

The couple is now in their third season on a 225ha effective/235ha total farm at Ashhurst in the Manawatu, which peak milks a herd of 560 crossbred cows through a 40-aside herringbone shed.

The farm is owned by a group of shareholders operating under the company Northgrove Limited.

Westview Farms, which is also part owner of Northgrove Limited, is the 50:50 sharemilker. The Ashes are lower order sharemilkers for Westview Farms liaising with a farm consultant and the director of Westview Farms.

The Ashes are presently focused on keeping costs as low as possible without sacrificing production. They are also concentrating on growing more grass including utilising the services of a specialist consultant for pasture metering once a fortnight.

GRASS

MAIZE

“It’s about better management overall and trying to utilise what’s free,” says Ben. “The pasture metering helps me decide whether I should be feeding out or whether I can push the cows to eat residuals a bit more, topping and cutting silage when we have surplus,” he explains.

The farm will still buy in around 70 tonnes of palm kernel this season and will harvest 200 tonnes of grass silage and 240 tonnes of maize silage. The farm is supported by a 67ha run off located 6 km away.

The young stock are run on this as well as growing grass silage, kale and fodder beet for winter.

This season, the Ashes will grow 9-10ha of kale and 3ha of fodder beet. It’s the first time they have grown fodder beet but Ben has been impressed by the crop as a high-quality feed: “You’ve got to manage it right but it’s an awesome feed. Cows put a lot of weight on very quickly. We grow it on a river silt soil so it’s free draining ground and ideal for break feeding. The cows go out for 1 to 1 1/2 hours per day in June and July.”

CEREAL

The Ashes have also been aiming to eliminate poor pasture re-grassing 40ha this season. Some of this is going to annual grasses and some into Trojan, white clover and red clover permanent pasture.

The farm has no water irrigation and effluent is stored in two ponds and spread with a new Torpedo travelling irrigator. The Ashes employ two full-time staff and also has students come onto the farm to help them learn.

Other changes have included split calving and a winter milk contract with Fonterra for 225 kilograms per day over winter for improved cash flow and Lizzie returning to full-time work as a schoolteacher at Ashhurst School after previously working parttime as well as being a full-time mum.

The Ashes say they are aiming to build up their herd numbers enabling them to carry over the high breeding and production worth cows that happen to be empty.

“It’s not always their fault they don’t get pregnant, they could be crook or something over mating. But they have to be very good cows to carry over and we only give them a second chance

and then they are gone.”

The Ashes have three children: Ned, 8, Ginny, 5 and Sid, 3. Their goal is to own their own home and some land, as well as carry on lower order sharemilking, perhaps investing in Northgrove Limited if the opportunity presents itself.

“The pasture metering helps me decide whether I should be feeding out or whether I can push the cows to eat residuals a bit more, topping and cutting silage when we have surplus.”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Bryce & Kylie Baron

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Still forging ahead despite tough farming conditions Karen Phelps Wairarapa sharemilkers Bryce and Kylie Baron are not letting the low dairy payout combined with droughts for the past two seasons stop them from forging ahead with their business. They are continuing to add land into their system and increase cow numbers.

“You have got to remain positive that things will get better. The key is to run a low-cost system,” says Bryce.

The couple is farming an 185ha effective/200ha total unit at Carterton owned by Kylie’s grandmother Patricia Smith. This year they peak milked 405 Friesian cross cows through a 30 aside herringbone shed.

The farm is supported by 70ha of leased land used for silage, running young stock and wintering 250 cows. The rest of the herd is wintered on the home farm making the system virtually selfcontained and giving them greater control over costs.

The Barons also lease another farm 1.5 kilometres up the road and are just about to commence their second season. The 83ha

effective/90ha total unit peak milks 190 cows. It has a 50:50 sharemilker, Scott Dormer, who was previously the second in charge on the home farm. A big driver for the Barons in taking on the second farm was to provide staff with opportunities to progress through the system, says Bryce.

Equipment can be shared between the two units creating economies of scale.

Keeping both systems low-cost has been the key to continuing to increase their business despite current market pressures, says Bryce.

Farm working expenses are under $3 per kilogram of milk solids. The Barons don’t purchase supplements, have a low stocking rate of 2.3 cows per hectare and this season culled heavily to capitalise on high meat prices reducing the herd from 420 to 405 cows.

On the home farm around 10 percent to 15% of the dairy platform grows turnips and silage is taken from the run-off. Saving costs is about good organisation and smart thinking.

For example, they try and time any surplus on the dairy platform to be the same as the run off to save on contractor costs.

They do as much of the agricultural preparation work for crops themselves as possible. If drought

hits they don’t buy any extra feed and instead dry off cows. They dropped a labour unit last year and now employ one full-time staff member. Kylie does the bookwork and rears the calves.

Despite all of this, the payout situation is still tough.

They have had to cash in some property investments to help sustain their dairy business.

Having interests off farm has also been important for the couple in terms of stress release. They run a kickboxing gym in Masterton called Fortitude Thai Boxing.

From 2006-2009, Bryce was the New Zealand cruiserweight champion but after an injury he now prefers to train others.

“You can’t have a profitable business in this situation; it’s about minimising the damage,” says Bryce, who says the banks have been supportive of the situation.

Bryce was brought up on a sheep and beef unit north of Masterton. He went shepherding straight after school then into dairy farming, mainly in South Wairarapa. He worked his way up to second in charge.

When he and Kylie decided to get married and start a family, they took on a dairy manager position

on a 500 cow farm for a season before starting as lower order sharemilkers on Patricia’s farm in 2003/2004.

Four years later, they started 50:50 sharemilking on the unit. A bad drought that same year, combined with the fact they have no irrigation on the farm, convinced them of the benefits of changing from a high input to the low input system they run today. They say this has also proved beneficial in the low pay out years.

Last season, the couple achieved 175,000 kilograms of milk solids and this season, due to a drought, will achieve 168,000 kilograms. Next season they will expand the farm by leasing a 30ha neighbouring block and increasing herd numbers to 450.

“You can’t have a profitable business in this situation; it’s about minimising the damage.”

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10 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Hamish & Rose Galloway

NZ Dairy

Wise decision brings happier times Sue Russell By discontinuing their winter milking contract with Fonterra in 2012, southern Hawkes Bay dairy farmers Hamish and Michelle Galloway have made significant inroads to reducing on-farm expenditure.

Feed inputs can now be kept at less than 14 cents per kg of milk solids and that is helping them survive this challenging down cycle of dairy payouts.

“We are definitely happier since making this call because we are operating now to much simpler feeding systems with less inputs and our herd is all the better for it as well,” Hamish says.

Michelle is proudly Irish and their clan of three ‘Irish/Kiwi’ children have also discovered a better work/life balance since winter milking ceased.

“As soon as you start regularly feeding more than 6 – 7 kg of supplementary feed you run the risk of cows getting rumenitis and lameness as over half their diet is in supplements during the colder wetter months.

“It’s a constant balancing act during the winter to give sufficient energy inputs to maintain good cow condition and milk volume,” says Hamish.

The farm has an effective milking platform of 220 hectares, including a leased run-off adjacent to the home farm, milking 510 cows. The friesian herd is being bred to straight jersey to produce a more capacious crossbred cow better able to be handled in the older 50 bale rotary.

The farm is a real family affair with Hamish’s parents also actively taking up roles. Hamish met Michelle while driving trucks in Ireland during his OE and the children are proud of their Irish heritage, reflected in their names: 10 year old Sinead, 8 year old Sean and 4 year old Cormac.

Last season, milk production came in at 218,000kg of milk solids. In January, the decision was made to reduce milking to once a day from New Year because the priority at this time was to attain a cow condition score of 5 at drying off at the end of May and improve the work load also allowing Hamish and his father Ewan to do all of their summer cultivation.

“The slower and longer you put fat on a cow

The Galloway children, from left, Sean, 8, Sinead, 10, and Cormac, 4, check out the fodder beet crop being grown on the family farm. the better they hold their condition at springtime,” Hamish explains.

Currently, the farm is feeding to a system three.

Supplements are used when the weather and consequent pasture production justifies it. This season, fodder beet has been introduced and so far the experience has been very successful with the help of the local Farmlands advisor, producing a crop of 30 tonne per hectare at a cost of 7c per kilo dry matter.

Other feed crops grown include 14 tonne whole crop barley (the most expensive supplement at 23c per kilo harvested to the silage pit), and a further 8 ha. of maize producing 25 tonne DM /ha and fed out onto the feedpad in the spring.

A further 22 ha. of turnips are grown for summer drought protection and 8 ha. of rape for winter dry cow feed.

Corn waste is the only bought in feed. Hamish

says “the total cost of supplements this season must be kept at or below 14c/kg DM, which is the generally accepted rule of 3.5 percent of the dairy payout”.

In total, the farm runs efficiently with three full-time labour units (Hamish, his mother Rose and one other).

Hamish is a strong advocate for looking after the soil which in turn looks after the pasture, which in turn looks after the livestock. “Encouraging air into the soil whilst balancing magnesium to calcium and sodium to potassium is essential.”

Surviving challenging times comes down to some simple rules, Hamish says. “The most important thing is to set a realistic budget and keep monitoring it closely so there are no surprises and no surprises for the bank manager, either.”

He also says it would be helpful to dairy farmers if Fonterra refrained from setting the expected milk payouts too high early in the season.

“Now that there is competition in New Zealand’s domestic milk market, DIRA (Dairy Industry Restructuring Act) now needs to be dismantled for the good of all NZ dairy producers.”

“As soon as you start regularly feeding more than 6 – 7 kg of supplementary feed you run the risk of cows getting rumenitis and lameness as over half their diet is in supplements during the colder wetter months. “

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Ian & Joanna Trotter

| 11

Farm carries family name proudly Sue Russell It is really something to live and work on a farm that has carried your family’s name for 115 years.

This is the happy experience for Northland dairy farmers Ian and Joanna Trotter, who farm a 130 hectare/120 effective farm.

“I am in an equity partnership with my parents Ron and Eileen, who also live on the farm. Dad is still actively involved in the farm and a great sounding board for decision making,” Ian says.

He describes the farm as carrying good heavy clay loam soil with a topography straddling rolling and a few steeper faces. The herd of 340 is a mix of jersey and XBred.

To sustain the herd and produce on average 420 kilograms of milk solids per cow the farm operates to a feeding system three. One of Ian’s current focuses is to maintain good cow condition in the herd.

“We feed a fair bit of palm kernel and it takes the variables out of the season and keeps the cows in the best possible condition and producing milk for the maximum number of days possible,” Ian says.

When the decision was made about 10 years ago to up the feed inputs Ian recalls an approximate 15 percent gain straight away.

The farm is located near Matakana, 40 minutes from Auckland. Joanna’s role is to take care of the business office management as well as do her share of relief milking as required.

The farm has one full time worker, Brad Tucker, and Ian is keen to employ an extra person for next season.

Given the farm carries such a long dairying history it isn’t surprising that the faithful milking shed build in 1968 has had a facelift or two.

The 30 aside herringbone now sports the latest automatic ADF dipping and flushing technology.

“It has reduced milking time and improved efficiency by about 20 minutes per milking,” Ian says.

While Ian oversees all aspects of the farm’s physical operation and is very hands-on, his farming passion is in animal welfare and animal husbandry, completing all his artificial insemination tickets. The farm also runs a substantial number of approximately 300 beef cattle over a total area of 190 hectares on various plots all within a half hour drive from the main farm.

Ian’s farming journey hasn’t been exclusively about the four legged variety, be it dairy or raising beef, either. Back in the early 1990s, he dabbled in horticulture, working at Omaha flats growing

Northland dairy farmer Ian Trotter farms 130 hectare/120 effective with his wife Joanna. He describes the farm as carrying good heavy clay loam soil. The herd of 340 is a mix of jersey and XBred. watermelon.

The couple have three children aged 15 through to nine. Eldest Michelle is keen to become a vet in time and helps out rearing the tail-ender calves.

“We don’t want to push any of them in to farming but rather let them experience a farming life and make their own decisions when they are older,” Joanna says.

Their five year goals are simply to carry on enjoying life and continue to enjoy the beautiful surrounds the farm is close to, including wonderful beaches and fishing.

“We’re really in a phase where we are working to future-proof the farm and get ourselves in a position where we can take on any opportunities that come our way.”

Ian is the youngest of four children, all farming within cooey of each other, and with the changes in use of the land in to life-style blocks hastened by the growth in demand by life-stylers to settle in the area, he acknowledges there are now only a handful of full-scale farmers left in the community.

“You could say the farming community here is very tight and supportive of each other.”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Bram Deutz-Ebeling / Thomas Chatfield

12 |

NZ Dairy

Improving pasture a priority Unusual path to dairy farming Kelly Deeks Waikato dairy farmer Bram Deutz-Ebeling is working on improving the pastures on his parents’ newest farm at Putaruru, which has done seven seasons in dairy after coming out of forestry.

Bram’s parents have owned a farm neighbouring the new block for nearly 40 years, where they run 400 cows.

Bram has been running that farm for the past seven years, after completing his Bachelor of Applied Science at Massey University, then going back for a year of postgraduate study and completing his Diploma in Dairy Production.

He says there was a lot to be learned off farm about agriculture, and studying at university exposed him to a different perspective.

“The guys that go farming straight out of school can do it if they really want it, but this was the path I wanted to take and a good way to learn the trade I wanted to do,” he says. “You learn a lot about what’s going on around the world, about how a cow works, and it’s important to learn these things. It gets you ahead. Rather than taking it from a cow/milk perspective, you’re looking at your whole business.”

That whole business now includes two dairy farms, with the family completing its second season on the block neighbouring the home farm.

Bram is operations manager, looking after two staff on each farm, as well as developing the new block.

“It was developed into a dry stock farm after coming out of forestry, and has been in dairy for the past seven years,” Bram says.

“It’s never really had a lot of money spent on it, so we’re doing a massive pasture renewal programme including capital fertiliser, and buying in maize and palm kernel as we build up cow numbers on the farm.”

The new block is running 400 cows this season, having started conservatively last season with 330 cows.

“We grew so much grass in the spring, and not enough in the summer,” Bram says. “I thought it would grow more than it did as it’s just about next door to the home farm.”

The 50 or 60 years the home farm has been in dairy compared with seven years in dairy for the new farm makes for some very different pastures.

Bram says the pasture renewal programme will eventually sort out the problems on the new farm.

He is replacing its current mixture of cocksfoot and old ryegrasses with some modern ryegrass cultivars.

“We’ve got the fertiliser on and with more cows, there should be more organic matter, so it should hold on.”

The first season’s growth convinced Bram winter milking would be a good idea to, and he has been autumn calving for five years.

This season the winter milkers are all milked on the new block, with the infrastructure and farm systems in place to allow a winter milk programme to be maximised without creating environmental issues or jeopardising the pasture for the spring calving system.

Bram will increase cow numbers on the new farm again next season to 480, and eventually to 500 cows.

“We’re doing a massive pasture renewal programme including capital fertiliser, and buying in maize and palm kernel as we build up cow numbers on the farm.”

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rewards ex-physiotherapist Karen Phelps Physiotherapist to dairy farmer is not the usual career path but that hasn’t stopped Thomas Chatfield from taking out the national Dairy Manager of the Year title at the 2016 Dairy Industry Awards in just his fourth year in the dairy industry.

A city boy through and through, it was after working in London as a physiotherapist then returning to New Zealand that Thomas was introduced to dairy farming while staying on the farm of a friend.

Casually helping out soon grew to working weekends and then a full-time farm assistant position in Whakatane on a 160ha unit milking 510 cows. In a short time, Thomas has experienced a great deal of success, winning Dairy Trainee of the Year for the Bay of Plenty region and runner up in the national competition when he had been dairy farming just ten months, silencing his initial critics who thought he wouldn’t be able to hack the pace of dairy farming.

“When I told people that knew me that I was going farming they all said ‘Oh yeah we’ll see how you feel at the end of calving’. I took it personally that they didn’t think I was tough enough. It was probably partly that challenge that made me more determined.”

He says that his past academic background has taught him problem solving and if he doesn’t know something how to find out. It is the challenges of practical problem-solving that come with farming every day that he enjoys the most.

It was at the end of this first season on a dairy farm that Thomas was offered a second in charge position on the farm he is now on in Otakiri, Whakatane, before quickly progressing to manager.

The 142ha effective/150ha total farm milks a herd of 500 jerseys through an unusual 20 aside double up shed which has 20 cups down each side of the pit giving a total of 40 cups.

Thomas says it is only one of a few such sheds in the country. The shed also has automatic cup removers, automatic teat spray and Protrack automatic drafting. The advantage of the shed is that once mating is finished one person can milk making management easier, he says.

Thomas has a good relationship with farm owners Bruce and Judy Wood and is actively involved in key decisions made on the farm such as budget as well as having the freedom to make suggestions for improvements.

For example, this season Thomas suggested

carrying over some of the good quality empty calves and late calvers and milking them through to the end of July, which proved very positive for the farm cash flow.

“Everyone said I was crazy as winter is normally a quieter time of year and time to relax. But I consider that I’m being paid to be here and do a job so why should that stop in winter?

“We spread the work between me and the two staff the farm employs so we only needed to milk every three days. In a low pay out year it kept money coming in and we were able to do it without spending anything extra as we just rationed out the feed we already had.”

Farm working expenses have been another area where Thomas has been able to make savings for the farm owners with minimal drops in production.

This season the farm is on target to produce 201,000 kilograms of milk solids at $3.30 farm working experiences, a significant drop from before he took over management when farm working expenses were $4.82 and the farm produced 206,000 kilograms of milk solids.

Thomas says it is a real achievement to have won the Dairy Manager of the Year title along with three merit awards: DairyNZ Employee Engagement Award, DeLaval Livestock Management Award and the PrimaryITO Power Play Award.

“This year, my competition were all really smart farmers so I was really stoked to win. It’s a very positive thing to be able to put on my CV and I hope it will open a few doors for me but it hasn’t affected my day-to-day life too much. The cows don’t care whether you have won an award so it’s back to work as usual.”

“This year, my competition were all really smart farmers so I was really stoked to win. It’s a very positive thing to be able to put on my CV and I hope it will open a few doors for me.”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Antara Ag Farms

| 13

Antara Ag Farms exclusively supplies sheep’s milk to Blue River Dairy’s Invercargill processing plant and is the largest single sheep milking operation in the world.

Huge opportunities for sheep milk Kelly Deeks The founder of Blue River Dairy would love more farmers to pull the wool from their eyes to see the enormous opportunity that exists right under their noses for milking sheep in New Zealand.

One of the pioneers of the industry, Keith Neylon

is now running three Southland sheep dairy farms for Antara Ag Farms, of which he is a director, after Blue River Dairy was sold to Chinese company Blueriver (HK) Nutrition Ltd in February 2015.

Antara Ag’s chief executive Jazz Hewitson has also been at the forefront of developing the industry and played a major roll in the negotiations with the Chinese, as well as being responsible for refining the farms’ breeding program which has resulted

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in achieving significant genetic gains and per ewe production.

Antara Ag Farms exclusively supplies sheep’s milk to Blue River Dairy’s Invercargill processing plant and is the largest single sheep milking operation in the world, Keith Neylon says.

The fundamentals of processing sheep’s milk and the products produced such as milk powder, infant formula and cheese, are the same as that of cow’s milk.

However, sheep’s milk appears to trump cow’s milk where it matters, both for farmers and consumers; it is claimed to contain 44 percent more energy, 45% more protein, 50% more iron, 38% more calcium and 50% more Vitamin B12.

The fat globules in sheep’s milk are smaller than those of cow’s milk, making it more easily digested; sheep’s milk takes about 45 minutes to digest compared to up to four hours for cow’s milk.

After gaining an understanding the latent business opportunity that existed in sheep farming, it was a long and winding road for Keith Neylon to successfully establish New Zealand’s first dairy sheep operation.

“It’s a strange product for a Kiwi, albeit we’ve had the sheep there. Because we are fairly traditional in the way we think and our diet is such that we come from a meat and spud base,” Keith Neylon says.

“It’s not until you actually go offshore, have a real look and see what they’ve done with it and then

understand the age of the product, that you find out that it’s absolutely old, it’s been there forever.”

Antara Ag’s farms in Brydone, Hedgehope and Springhills support a total flock of 22,000 to 23,000 East Friesian composite ewes.

Developing the genetics of the flock with a focus on creating a hardier, higher producing breed than pure East Friesian has been a crucial focus of the business during the past 12 years.

“We started off from about a 3500 animal base.

We bought virtually every decent East Friesian that we could find in the country at the time.”

Unfortunately, about 50% of the flock died as they were “too soft” as a result of being a shed reared breed.

The pursuit by New Zealand farmers to meet a market which was demanding lean lambs, meant that milking ability, as a dominant trait, had also been “knocked out”.

“What we had to do was to re-find that trait, then we had to start working on a composite. On productive volume per animal, we are just starting to see a lot of the initial investment come through now as we’ve kept breeding and selecting and breeding.”

The hard work in developing the farms’ flocks and systems is paying off in the quality of the end products with Blue River Dairy’s feta, pecorino, haloumi and cheddar producing award-winning cheeses including silver and gold medals at New Zealand Champions of Cheese Awards.

14 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Hayden & Alicia Lawrence

NZ Dairy

Hayden Lawrence and his wife Alicia farm a 175 hectare/151ha effective dairy farm located between Eltham and Hawera. In 2014, the couple shifted to an 18-month lactation farm system.

Enthusiastic despite low payout Karen Phelps Hayden and Alicia Lawrence haven’t let the low dairy payout dampen their enthusiasm for dairy farming. The couple have just purchased Hayden’s parents’ farm as well as a 65ha neighbouring block.

“It’s fair to say we are slightly anxious but you don’t often get the chance to buy the neighbour’s farm,” says Hayden.

Hayden grew up on this Taranaki dairy farm and will be the second generation to farm the land. He went to Massey University and completed a degree in agricultural engineering to Ph.D. level.

As part of his studies, he ended up developing the tow behind pasture meter, which has become a staple tool for many farmers around the world, eventually selling the manufacturing rights to C-Dax. Needless to say Hayden also uses the technology on his own farm.

But Hayden says he was still drawn to hands on

John Dazley

Chartered Accountant, Principal

farming. It was in 2007 that he and Alicia went into an equity partnership with Hayden’s parents Ray and Joyce. Hayden says the goal was long-term asset creation and to build equity as well as the ability to move back closer to family.

Now after purchasing the farm and neighbouring block, he says the challenge will be to take the current system and make it work on a larger unit milking more cows.

The 151ha effective/175 total farm, located between Eltham and Hawera, is currently milking 240 friesian cows through a 22-aside herringbone shed. Next year, the herd will increase to 370.

The couple presently do not employ staff but next season will employ a herd manager, splitting the herd and doing two shifts in the shed.

In 2014, the couple shifted the farm system to an 18-month lactation rather than 12 months meaning they only calve every three years. They say this has resulted in more production for less cost as well as giving cows a greater opportunity to

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get into calf straightaway.

Other benefits have been improved animal health and better in-calf rates resulting in reductions in expenses typically associated with these two aspects of the farm.

“We used to have an empty rate of around 12 to 15 percent on the standard 270-day lactation per cow. The rate is now 6 percent with no intervention,” explains Hayden.

In the 460-day lactation, the couple has just completed they achieved 930 kilograms of milk solids per cow. This means they are now achieving around 60 to 70 kilograms extra of milk solids per cow each year for less cost. Cows also now have fewer days when they are dry - only 70 days in two years.

This season they are on target to produce 120,000 kilograms of milk solids. Next year, they

are targeting 200,000 kilograms with the larger herd.

With no staff it’s been a busy time for the couple. Hayden also owns Spatial Solutions Limited with a business partner. The business offers precision management solutions relating to agricultural and horticultural enterprises.

Alicia works as an emergency nurse at New Plymouth Hospital. She also rears the calves and fills in as needed on the farm. The couple employ an au pair to help them with their children: Fletcher, 4, Finn, 3 and Emelia, 1.

“You’ve got to back the industry and take opportunities,” says Hayden.

“This is a low pay out year but we know will get better. You just have to make things work. The key is having a sound plan going forward of what we want to achieve.”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Paul Purdie / Alex & Narda Harvey

| 15

Cutting costs leads to increased production

Strong emphasis on breeding and feeding for the Harveys

Karen Phelps

Kelly Deeks

Paul and Christine Purdie have cut costs yet increased production: “It’s quite good to have a bad year, it makes you look at every cost and be pretty ruthless at what you cut out then see what effect that has,” says Paul.

Paul and Christine run the dairy unit that is owned in partnership with other family members – parents Graeme and Peg and Paul’s brother Bevan and his wife Amy – in two farms located across the road from each other at Otorohanga, giving the family 280ha total/215ha effective combined.

This season, the Purdie family is on target to produce 400kg of milk solids per cow at a cost of $2 a kilogram farm working expenses. This will give them a total of 215,000 kg of milk solids up from the 200,000 kg they achieved in the previous year at a cost of $3 per kilogram.

They have achieved this largely by cutting out a lot of bought in feed. This season they have used 4ha of maize left over from the previous season, grown 4ha of fodder beet and 7ha of lucerne, which they baled and fed out between the two farms of which 400 bales will be carried over for next year.

They bought in 150 tonne of palm kernel/tapioca mix. They only fed out to fill in the gaps in the system.

The aim was to get the cows to eat all the grass that grew through spring without paying contractors to take surplus as silage, thus saving more costs.

They didn’t put any nitrogen on the farm this season, whereas normally they put on 60 kg per hectare, and say they don’t feel they lost anything as a result. The herd goes on once-a-day milking at Christmas: “I don’t believe you lose anything: What you lose in milk production you gain at the other end due to a

longer lactation,” says Paul.

The Purdies say the changes they have made have worked because they are not highly stocked farm: They milk a herd of 550 crossbred cows through a 36 aside and a 30 aside herringbone shed with in-shed feeding systems.

Paul has been on the farm for 12 years and Christine, a nurse, joined him on the unit eight years ago. Paul originally grew up on a drystock farm just out of Te Kuiti. After leaving school he did a six-month course in dairy farming at polytech in Hamilton. He then spent 18 months as a dairy farm worker and completed a diploma of agriculture at Massey University.

He then drove tractors for four years while working part-time on dairy farms and for an agricultural contractor. During this time he bought a 40ha block of land next to his parents’ drystock farm at Te Kuiti. He grazed dairy heifers with his parents helping him out when he was away working. He sold the block to fund him into the purchase of the initial 130ha farm with his family.

He initially milked 180 cows through a 14-aside herringbone shed.

“It was pretty rough,” remembers Paul. “To heat up the hot water we had to light a fire in the hot water cylinder.”

Three years later in 2006, when the neighbours’ property came up for sale, this was purchased, adding 55ha to the farm.

They later bought the neighbouring farm across the road and also leased land to give them the unit they are farming today.

The Purdie family employs two full-time and one part-time staff members. Christine works part-time as a nurse and fills in relief milking.

“We’ve been lucky that opportunities have come up close by when we’ve wanted to expand the farm,” says Paul, so we’ll wait and see what happens next.”

Year-round milkers Alex, Narda, and Lloyd Harvey are changing the ratio of spring and autumn calvers on their Northland dairy farm and holstein friesian stud, from a clear 50:50 split to now 75 percent autumn calvers.

Alex and Narda have been working on their Te Kopuru farm since 1980, and bought it from Alex’s parents in 1996. The couple’s eldest son Lloyd came home from his diesel mechanic training to work on the farm in 2009, and has spent the past four years as its contract milker.

The family now milks 275 cows, with the farm 140ha effective and supported by a nearby 70ha effective run off, which was also purchased in 2009 in a run down state.

In the hot and dry north, Alex says summer production is a bit hit and miss, and this season a large number of spring calved cows are being carried through to lift the autumn numbers.

Two years ago, the Harveys built a covered feed pad on the farm, and having somewhere to feed the extra winter feed has enabled them to increase the amount of winter milkers.

Alex spoke to other farmers while researching his feed pad to find out their opinions on what worked and what didn’t. As a certified Traits Other Than Production (TOP) inspector and classifier for Holstein Friesian New Zealand, he has visited many farms and seen many feed pads in action.

The autumn cows are coming up trumps in herd testing, producing 634kg milksolids in 298 days, with 303kg protein and 331kg fat.

The spring calvers produced 585kg milksolids

per cow, with 279kg protein and 306kg fat, so the farm totalled 611kg of milksolids average per cow and a 91 percent protein to fat ratio, well above the average Fonterra pay out, and all with a herd BW of -33/46 and PW of 7/69.

This production earned the Harveys the 2015 Nutritech performance award for Northland at the Holstein Friesian Association annual conference.

The Harveys have been supported in their work for the past two years by dairy cow nutritionist and New Zealand Association of Ruminant Nutritionists secretary Trish Lewis.

“We were trying to fine tune the cows, but we didn’t know what to put in as it can be hit and miss if you don’t know what you’re doing,” Alex says.

“Since Trish came on board, we’ve gone from 500kg milksolids per cow up to 600kg milksolids per cow at this stage. She believes with the feed pad we will be able to boost our production up again.”

With the estimated 25% saving in feed wastage and less pasture damage, imported feed cost $1.39 on farm per kg of milksolids. The Harveys’ stud, Crossroads Holstein Friesians, is 99.99% registered.

Their breeding policy is for good type and high production with emphasis on udder traits, using a mixture of overseas and NZ genetics.

“We put a lot of emphasis on breeding and feeding,” Alex says.

The herd has an average classification score of 84 points.

“Our aim is to have efficient cows that produce over their body weight in milk solids, with more than 90% protein to fat ratio and can handle the northland weather extremes.”

This season, the Purdie family is on target to produce 400 kg of milk solids per cow at a cost of $2 a kilogram farm working expenses. This will give them a total of 215,000 kg of milk solids up from the 200,000 kg they achieved in the previous year at a cost of $3 per kilogram.

The Harvey farm milks 275 cows, with the farm 140ha effective.

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16 |

CONTRACTING » Gibson Construction

NZ Dairy

Gibson Construction has a reputation for high quality workmanship and state-of-the-art building and system designs

A dominant force in rural building Kelly Deeks Forging a reputation as a market leader in rural construction over the past 18 years, Gibson Construction is continuing to grow, with two new directors taking the business into two new locations and pushing the company’s residential and commercial divisions.

“While our main focus is still on the rural market, we’ve been involved in a number of exciting residential and commercial projects,” says company founder Pat Gibson.

“Our residential arm, Gibson Housing, has a proven track record of building homes valued

between $250,000 to $1.3 million, while the Gibson Commercial team builds and manages projects throughout New Zealand.”

Gibson Construction first started out as Gibson Rural in 1998. Well-known Te Awamutu builder Pat was a house builder who cut his teeth in rural building during his apprenticeship.

He recognised a huge opportunity in the rural market when the demand for dairy sheds started to include computerisation, and shifted away from small herringbone sheds towards much larger rotaries for much larger farms.

Gibson Rural rapidly gained significant market share in the under-served rural market, and has continued to strengthen its position. Gibson Construction is still recognised as a dominant

“The company philosophy remains the same. We continue to service the home, business, and farm construction needs of our residential, commercial, and rural clients with a dynamic and fresh approach.”

• • • • • •

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CONTRACTING » Gibson Construction

| 17

Gibson Construction has a simple philosophy that works: Serving the home, business and farm construction needs of our residential, commercial, and rural clients with a dynamic and fresh approach. player in dairy shed construction with a reputation for high quality workmanship and state-of-the-art building and system designs.

“Every dairy shed is similar, but all of our designs are one-off,” Pat says.

“Every farmer has their own requirements: Better staff facilities, a place for the computers, separate plant rooms, separate water rooms, and animal health areas. A lot of this used to be jammed into a small area, but today, dairy sheds are big business.”

As Gibson Rural grew, Pat took on his first apprentice, Brent Bird, then his second apprentice, Blair Atkinson. They have both been part of the company’s growth and became equity partners in 2006 and 2008.

Gibson Construction has since opened two new

branches in Taupo and Timaru, both driven by client demand.

The company was completing a lot of work in Taupo for one of its larger clients Landcorp, who preferred to use local contractors, so Gibson Construction became local for Landcorp.

When an Auckland-based client asked Gibson Construction to build him a dairy shed in South Canterbury, the company was soon noticed for its high quality work. Demand saw Gibson Construction open a branch in Timaru about three years ago.

When Pat decided to take a well-earned break in 2014, Brent and Blair became the owners of the company and founded Gibson Construction.

“The company philosophy remains the same,” Pat says. “We continue to service the home, business,

and farm construction needs of our residential, commercial, and rural clients with a dynamic and fresh approach.”

Nine months after Pat left, the boys asked him to come back in the role of CEO and quality control manager, so their clients could rest assured their projects were being overseen by the best in the

business.

Last year, Gibson Construction was named the Central North Island’s fastest growing services business in the Deloitte fast 50, with the overall national placing of 30th. Pat says it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the company’s clients, suppliers and staff.

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18 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Glenn & Donna Sparrow

NZ Dairy

Glen and Donna Sparrow won the 2016 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the year, along with two merit awards.

Win caps off challenging season Russell Fredric Winning the 2016 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the year along with gaining two merit awards capped of a rewarding and challenging season for Glen and Donna Sparrow.

The couple have just completed their third season as contract milkers on Craig and Marianne Hammond’s 102 hectare Whakatane farm, about two kilometres from the coast, where a herd of 350 Holstein Friesian’s are milked through a 40-a-side herringbone shed.

As a system two operation, the farm is largely self-sufficient for feed throughout the year and it’s small size means just one full-time worker is employed, plus casual staff as needed.

Donna works off-farm as a personal assistant at the Whakatane District Council, as well as being a ‘taxi’ driver for their four children aged from two to 16.

Glen says the option of Donna having her own career and a separate income stream works well and means the couple is able to have more time together than if they both worked on the farm.

The merit awards scooped by the Sparrows were the Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award and the Westpac Business Performance Award.

The recognition of the Sparrow’s management and of the farm’s operation has, ironically, followed a downward production trend to 142,000kg/MS this season from 149,000kg/MS three seasons ago.

“The reason for that is we had a poor start to

the year. We didn’t grow any grass in the winter and we were a bit behind the eight ball going into calving so we were a bit short right through that calving period leading up to mating until we got some decent growth,” Glenn Sparrow says.

The farm’s coastal location means the soil type on its northern end is “all sand.”

“Two thirds of the farm is irrigated by Bosch laterals.”

A stocking rate of about 3.5 cows per hectare is able be supported by the farm’s productive pastures.

“What we are able to do is grow a lot of grass, so we focus on grass growth here and we manage to harvest just over eighteen and a half tonnes a year. That’s quite a bit more than the region’s average and actually fairly well up there in terms of dairy farming in New Zealand.”

This year’s awards follow the Sparrow’s being placed third as contract milkers in the 2015 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards.

Glen says preparing award presentations was a huge task, but the recognition gained has the potential to open more doors in the future.

He believes his study towards a Diploma in Agri-business management, which he expects to complete this spring, was a big help in preparing for the awards.

Modules in the diploma include human resources, health and safety, financial management and business management.

Glen says the knowledge gained has made a big difference in the management of the farm as well as providing better knowledge of how to read and interpret financial reports and prepare budgets.

Although he acknowledges some disappointment in the season’s production, he remains upbeat. “I am learning from it so I am very happy with he position that we’ve got the farm in at the moment in terms of grass. We’re working on the cow condition so we don’t have any issues like we had at the start of last year, so even in the event we have a wet winter and a cold spring, we’ve got the resources there.”

“Looking forward to next season, I think we are certainly well on the way to having a good start.”

Proud to be associated with Glenn Sparrow and their achievements.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Bryan Tucker & Robert Hartley

| 19

Nurturing staff just as important Russell Fredric

In an industry where growing grass, cows and production are vital, Wairarapa contract milker Robert Hartley says a focus on developing people can be lacking.

“We are very good at farming and growing crops and growing animals and making milk, but we are not very good at growing people.” Robert Hartley says.

As a 2014 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Central Plateau farm manager of the year winner, Robert encourages his farm workers to engage in industry training and to enter awards as part of their personal development in the industry.

However, he also seeks to go beyond this ethos to create a positive culture and working environment on the farm.

“As an employer in any organisation what you allow in that environment will grow. All the guys on this farm are [very] respectable guys. All these guys are very well rounded individuals. We want to grow them; that’s the environment we like to have on the farm.”

A South African, Robert began dairy farming in 2004, after leaving a career in information technology.

His wife Ilse Hartley, and children enjoy the farming lifestyle on the 300ha effective farm near Greytown, owned by Bryan Tucker, where they have worked for two seasons.

Four full-time staff work with a herd of 950 cows, planned to be increased to 1050 next season.

A major change introduced by Robert was to eliminate winter milking; the strategy looks to be paying off with record production expected this season of 360,000kg/MS, despite the region experiencing a prolonged dry summer.

“Ideally we would like to see this farm doing 400,000 kg/ms and with Bryan’s continued support I think we can achieve this.”

The season’s production compares to a previous peak of 358,000kg/ms in 2009 from 1100 cows and a low of 259,592kg/ms while still winter milking.

“It was pretty low production out of quite a high number of cows, so my focus, with the help of Bryan, is to try and turn that around and not probably push numbers, but try and get that per cow, [production]and to get the per cow, my

Robert Hartley’s farm team ready for action, from left, Lucas Tey, Chester Rothery, Barry Jackson and Dennis Abaton.

focus has been to [better] utilise the feed we are growing.”

“I think it basically boils down to observation and monitoring things. You’ve got to monitor them and make sure that you’re picking the cows that are doing the job for you.”

Robert believes “a lot of discipline was lost” in dairy farming with a push for total rather than per cow production during the high dairy payout.

“I think now as we pull back in line, maybe

a bit too harshly, we’ve got to maintain that discipline in the system. If we don’t keep the basics right I think we will suffer for it.”

Looking forward, Robert and Ilse are hoping to work towards a 50:50 sharemilking position, a goal which Robert concedes is not easy to achieve.

“The goal post changes so much. It’s all dependent on where the payout goes and where the cow price goes. That’s the goal, but I try and

keep it as realistic as possible.”

Bryan Tucker says Robert Hartley “fitted the bill” when he was looking for a contract milker in 2014 and concurs with his farm and staff management skills.

“I’m quite impressed with him really. He’s very good with staff. He delegates very well and has a good rapport with them,” Bryan Tucker says.

“We are pretty happy with Robert and he’s ticking along pretty well.

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20 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Innes Anderson & Tania Dropulich

NZ Dairy

Couple up to the challenge ahead Karen Phelps Innes Anderson and Tania Dropulich have just completed their first year of three as the Lower North Partner Farm under a joint DairyNZ / Northland Dairy Development Trust programme.

Although they acknowledge it has been additional work, they say the experience has been incredibly beneficial for their farm.

“There’s nothing wrong with challenging ourselves and having the courage to be scrutinised. It’s a bit like living in a fish bowl because you have to open up your business to everyone. We’ve identified a lot of holes in our system which we aim to rectify this coming season and we know we’ll become better farmers at the end of this project,” says Tania.

“It’s been really helpful in a difficult payout year,” adds Innes. “It’s allowed us to make better and more timely decisions, making sure we put together our finances and budgets to ensure we know where we are at and where we are heading.”

The couple farm a 211ha effective/ 225ha total unit in Kaiwaka, 60km south of Whangarei, which is owned by Innes’ parents John and Audrey, who purchased the unit in 1968.

The farm milks a herd of 550 predominantly friesian cows through a 32 aside herringbone shed, currently being extended to 40 aside.

The couple say one area which has been highlighted for improvement in the coming season is pasture management, combined with having the right stocking rate for the farm. They have increased to 2.6 cows per hectare after previously farming 2.2 cows per hectare. They say applying small incremental changes to the farm has netted big results.

“We haven’t done anything radical, we’ve just done it better,” says Innes.

“For example, while we’ve always done pasture walks in the past we didn’t use the information as well as we could have. We are now making sure our residuals are right to ensure better quality grass through regular farm walks with plate metering every 10 days.

“We are aiming to better control what the cows are eating, how much and when. For example, this year due to running out of feed, the herd was put on once-a-day for part of the season. Therefore the aim is to stay twice a day for the whole season through better pasture management.”

Another major focus for the couple is on body condition scores. The couple’s contract milkers Philip and Pia Rockell have just completed a course on this, which should give even more information for decision making.

“We really focused on having well grown young stock which ensures when they come into the herd they can produce well. We’re weighing young stock every 4 to 6 weeks, taking the lighter ones out and giving them more priority feeding.

MINDA software gives us the target weights every day of the year,” explains Tania.

The family also owns a 250ha beef unit used mainly to fatten and finish two-year-old heifers.

They finish around 300 to 400 per year and also buy in and fatten 500 to 1000 lambs. Innes and Tania’s time is mainly taken up with the beef

Tania Dropulich and Innes Anderson farm a 211ha effective/ 225ha total unit in Kaiwaka, 60km south of Whangarei, which is owned by Innes’ parents John and Audrey. The farm milks a herd of 550 predominately friesian cows.

unit. It is also used to grow around 100 tonnes of maize used on the dairy platform and young stock is grazed here. The previous best production on the dairy farm was 172,000kg MS in 2012/13 with bought-in supplements. In 14/15 it was 161,500kg MS and in 2015/16 it has achieved 194,500kg MS. “The aim is to achieve the same production next season but to cut costs substantially. Our aim is $3.50 farm working expenses (this season it was $3.93) through better pasture management, timely decision making, monitoring finances, not buying in palm kernel and using less nitrogen,” says Innes.

Their three main focuses for next year are to set and use trigger points that initiate actions, better use cashflow budgeting to maintain tight control of farm expenditure and strengthen the team for informed decision making.

“By making this a better cash generating business it will allow us to do things in the community and off farm,” adds Tania.

“We want Hokonui to be a sustainable farm for generations to come.”

Tracey Dropulich, Innes Anderson on the farm with their dogs Zag and Gem.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Steve & Catherine Liefting

| 21

Good work-life balance the key to a successful life on the farm and bringing up a young family Karen Phelps

Steve and Catherine Liefting balance bringing up a young family with dairy farming by ensuring good work-life balance.

This season, the couple have employed a contract milker for the first time, Chris Reid, who previously worked as a second in charge on the farm for two years.

“I can play golf a bit more and spend more time with family,” says Steve.

The couple own a 90ha effective/100ha total farm at Puni, halfway between Pukekohe and Waiuku. Steve grew up on the farm and the couple bought it four years ago.

Steve has had a varied career including driving graders and diggers and laying concrete in Australia, investing in property and growing squash for the Japanese market on the home farm in the mid eighties, during the dairy downturn.

It was in the late 80s he took on a 50:50 sharemilking position on the farm.

The herd of 220 predominantly friesian herd is milked through a 14 aside herringbone shed.

Like most farmers they are presently focused on cutting costs but are aware in the near future they will have to invest in

upgrading the farm effluent pond system.

They currently have a clay-lined pond giving them three months storage and a high volume effluent pump towed behind a tractor.

They are currently going through the process in conjunction with the Waikato District Council of ascertaining what they need to do to comply, especially as their farm backs onto the Waikato River.

They spread effluent over half the farm via 1.8 kilometres of underground lines put in two years ago.

They use a travelling irrigator, which clips into the underground system, and a gun irrigator for the hills.

The Lieftings also lease a 40ha block of land adjacent to the farm, which they use for running young stock, around 25 beef cattle and growing 5ha of maize. They also grow 11ha of maize on the home farm.

Dry weather means hills pastures can dry out quickly so they are very focused on a pasture renewal programme renewing around 12ha each year.

The couple prefers to sow a range of grass species to ensure different heading dates.

Contract milker Chris takes care of the day-to-day operation of their unit with Steve helping out as needed and Catherine completing the bookwork.

The couple have three children: Murphy,

Like most farmers they are presently focused on cutting costs but are aware in the near future they will have to invest in upgrading the farm effluent pond system.

They currently have a clay-lined pond giving them three months storage and a high volume effluent pump towed behind a tractor.

12, Jake, 9 and Drew, 5. Being one of the first farms out of Pukekohe, the couple have a lot of residential neighbours.

They see this as an advantage giving

them additional opportunities for their land.

At the moment they say they are in a holding pattern, like many other farmers, waiting out the industry

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22 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Hennie & Kerri Verwaayen

NZ Dairy

Breeding good cows a passion Karen Phelps Breeding good dairy cows is fun, says Dannevirkebased dairy farmers Hennie and Kerri Verwaayen.

“The good thing about breeding is that even in low pay out years you’ve still got something to look forward to. It’s a passion,” says Hennie.

The couple farm at Oringi and both their farm and Fromdale Holstein Friesians is run by the Verwaayen family with the help of one permanent staff member and a couple of relief staff. They milk 350 holstein friesian cows using a production system 5 on 140ha effective. The herd is made up of commercial cows with half of them registered pedigrees.

Two thirds of the cows are New Zealand bred and one third overseas breeding with an emphasis on protein production and good cow conformation, selecting heavily for udder conformation and efficiency in converting dry matter to milk solids.

Hennie, branch president for the Hawkes Bay and member on the New Zealand Holstein Friesian Association board, admits he is a die-hard supporter of the breed.

“Things like fertility have improved substantially in recent years and is now better than in most other dairy breeds. With different strains of holstein friesian available internationally, there is a lot more choice in terms of traits that are right for New Zealand systems compared with crossbreeding.

On top of that cross breeding is most successful if done with pure breeds,” he says.

The couple were both born into dairy farming families in Holland. They realised that if they wanted to start farming, New Zealand was the only country where they could start with nothing and build up to farm ownership through the share milking system.

It was in 2001 that they purchased their farm at Oringi. The farm is supported by a 22ha run off block where they grow maize and triticale.

They recently acquired a 120ha lease run-off block located 1km from the farm where they’ll grow more maize and graze young stock and dry cows, as well as taking off surplus grass for silage.

This means they need to buy in less external feed and will help keeping stock fed properly at all times. Hennie says that this will be coming in really handy since the regional council is planning to cut their irrigation water take back to less than a quarter.

“This is a summer dry area and then to see Horizons cutting back our irrigation take has been very frustrating. Particularly since the creek we get the water from is in good health according to

Hennie, Kerri, Harvey and Lucy Verwaayen farm Holstein Friesian cows at Oringi, near Dannievirke. Below, son Harvey with one of the farm’s prize-winning Holstein friesians.

Iwi and Fish & Game New Zealand reps that visited the property in recent times. On top of that, little assistance was given to help develop alternatives that look to be rather expensive,” he says.

The lease block also gives them more control over the quality of their young stock, which they aim to grow to 550kg as in-calf heifers. With their replacement rate below 20 percent, that means fewer but better cows.

The Verwaayens have invested heavily in their business recently by selling another farm they owned.

The herd is milked under a split calving regime and cows are housed in a new freestall barn, built last year.

The barn is a real asset with milking through the winter in terms of reducing lameness and protecting wet paddocks, says Hennie, as well as getting the herd out of the sun on hot days.

The barn has been modelled on those overseas and has a flood wash system, something not normally installed in cow barns. The recycled green

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water is used instead of mechanical scrapers to flood wash the barn.

The solids are then separated and the green water is recycled for the next wash and used as many times as possible. The green water storage is aerated to keep the water aerobic to minimise smell and so minimal water will need to be added to the system. The green water will be used to irrigate to land and the separated solids will be applied to cropping paddocks.

“We’re trying to reduce our environmental footprint as well as improve animal welfare,” says Hennie, who says they are still in the process of integrating the barn into their system.

They hope to eventually achieve similar production as the two separate farms, on a single farm, by increasing per cow production. Last season, the farm produced 175,000kg of milk solids or just over 520kg per cow. The couple is targeting 600 kilograms per cow aiming to achieve one kg of milk solids per kg of live weight, or better.

The couple’s children – Harvey and Lucy – are

also keen on the holstein friesian breed.

The farm’s herd also includes a number of show type cows that Harvey and Lucy use for showing at various events.

In late 2014, Harvey also spent some time in the United States where he worked for Luck-E Holsteins in Illinois, one of the top breeders in the country. He brought back embryos that have been implanted into recipient cows at Fromdale Holstein Friesians, who are due to calve in the next few weeks.

Hennie says it’s an exciting development for the stud and one, which he hopes will help improve some of the traits they are aiming for in their herd.

“Breeding keeps it interesting,” says Hennie.

“This autumn, we started milking the first daughters of popular North American and European bulls like Doorman and Snowfever, as well as heifers by New Zealand bulls like Stravaganza, Richie and Wynsor.

“And if you can see them being a good improvement on their dams that’s worth getting out of bed for anytime.”

HARRIS CONTRACTING DVKE LTD

For all your silage and baleing needs 59 Gaisford Road, RD2 Dannevirke 06 374 5562 | 027 457 2276 kj_and_aj_harris@xtra.co.nz

NZ Dairy

DAIRY SERVICES » Ken G Moratti

| 23

Fodder beet new ‘thing’ in the ‘Naki Kelly Deeks Taranaki’s Ken G Moratti Contracting has a new line of business this season as farmers begin to take advantage of the benefits of fodder beet as a cheaper crop with excellent yields and high metabolisable energy (ME).

“It’s the new thing up in the ‘Naki,” says company director Billy Moratti.

“We’ve put in about 200ha already, compared to last year when we put in none. It’s cheaper, and it gets a lot of tonnage per hectare, about 27 ton, which is a bloody good crop compared to grass or brassicas, and you can feed it in the summer as it grows 365 days a year.”

Fodder beet has been a popular choice in the South Island for a number of years, due to the colder climate resulting in poor maize yields.

“We’ve found fodder beet to be perfect to grow here in Taranaki as well,” Billy says. “It suits the climate here, and we’ve had some really record crops this year, probably the best in New Zealand.”

In this low milk pay out climate, farmers are looking to replace high end meal and other high cost feeds with something cheaper, and particularly something they can grow on farm.

Both farmers and cows are responding well to the new ‘craze’.

“The only thing is, you’ve got to learn how to feed it and transition cows on to it properly, otherwise it can create metabolic issues and kill cows,” Billy says.

“Fodder beet requires more attention to feeding management than kale or swedes. Cows need to be transitioned on to fodder beet carefully, over a 10 day to 14 day period, and crop dry matter measurement needs to be accurate.”

He says fodder beet can be stored in a stack on top of the ground with no walls, where it will last for about three to four months. Before stacking it, Ken G Moratti Contracting removes the plant’s leaf to retain quality.

The company is operating two fodder beet planters for the upcoming season. A 12 row fodder beet planter provides the conventional method of cultivation and planting, particularly suited to uneven contoured ground.

A strip till ‘one pass’ cultivation operation which is ideal for wind prone and coastal areas as it offers better weed control and alleviates wind erosion.

“It’s a cost effective method without compromising on yield or quality,” Billy says.

While fodder beet has obviously gained a lot of traction in Taranaki this season, Ken G Moratti Contracting is also completing the full range of

Ken G Moratti Contracting boasts 53 years of experience, since Ken Moratti started the business in 1963 with a tractor and a conventional baler. agricultural services from hay and silage, maize silage, cultivation and cropping, to effluent pond cleaning.

“We pump effluent ponds all year round and have muck spreaders, loaders and trailers to clean out cow shelters and stand off pads,” Billy says.

The company boasts 53 years of experience, since Ken Moratti started the business in 1963 with a tractor and a conventional baler. It is now running a large fleet of up to date machinery to give clients prompt and efficient service.

“Service is paramount and the farmer needs to know we will be there to harvest at the optimum time for quality,” Billy says.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Rotopai Farms / Semenhoff Group

24 |

NZ Dairy

Good irrigation the goal for One-stop shop for fourth-generation farmers Karen Phelps

Karen Phelps Irrigation is the lifeblood of any dairy farm and Stewart and Alex Weatherstone are focused on increasing the portion of the farm where they can utilise this important resource.

In the past season, they have added an additional 80ha of irrigation to their family farm at Tuhitarata, 25 kilometres south of Featherston, meaning that 66 percent of the milking platform is now under irrigation.

The Ruamahanga River runs along the western boundary and they obtain irrigation water from here and from groundwater.

“We are aiming to irrigate 75% of the platform.

We see investment in infrastructure such as irrigation as increasing production long term and reducing costs,” says Stewart.

The couple are the fourth generation to farm the land, which is owned by a family trust, which includes Stewart and Alex along with Stewart’s parents Bryan and Sherry.

Stewart and Alex take on the role of operations manager on the farm. The original 40ha block of the farm was purchased in 1931 by Stewart’s great grandfather, who milked around 80 cows.

Stewart grew up on the land and over the years, the farm has grown considerably to 1450ha total/730ha effective, which includes a 325ha lease block. The Weatherstones winter a herd of 3000 predominantly jersey cows and peak milk 2950 cows.

The farm is operated as one unit with a block manager in charge of each of the herds. There is a ‘floating’ boundary so some paddocks and cows can change between the areas each block manager is in charge of, depending on factors such as grass

growth and time of year.

The Weatherstones have two dairy sheds on their farm: a 60-bail rotary built in 2001. The shed is fully automated and only requires one staff member to run it.

They also have an 80-bail rotary located at the other end of their farm built in 2013.

The predominantly flat farm has sand hills running through the middle as many moons ago the farm used to be part of Lake Wairarapa.

The Weatherstones utilise this as a stand off area. Around 150ha of the farm is steep hill country so the Weatherstones use this to graze sheep and contract graze beef cattle.

They are aiming to cut costs through less bought in supplement. Last season, they bought in around 320 tonnes dry matter of maize silage, 320 tonnes of grass silage and 1000 tonnes of barley and aim to reduce this further. Once again wise investment has enabled them to cut back costs.

They have added 57ha more of lease land into their system and coupled with the irrigation investment has allowed them to grow more grass reducing the reliance on bought in feed.

The Weatherstones grow 120ha of winter crops including rape, kale or swedes and 800 bales of hay and straw. They have their own equipment to do cultivation, which also helps them keep a control on their costs.

The changes have helped them to increase production to 1.1m kilograms of milk solids this season or 372 kilograms of milk solids per cow, compared with 330 kilograms the previous season.

The couple are also busy on the personal front with four children, Isla, 10, Edward, 8, Vienna, 4, and new addition Coco, four months, meaning the fifth generation to take over the family land looks a certainty.

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Semenhoff Group has set up a new company called Feed Pro, which sources, imports and delivers palm kernel to farmers in Northland in one seamless service.

Semenhoff Group transport manager Alex Semenhoff says Feed Pro will offer farmers more options as well as tighter pricing on this important aspect of their farming operation.

“Typically, farmers have to buy palm kernel then arrange their own freight. We are offering both services, resulting in a tight service, better control over product delivery and one bill. “ Another advantage is that because we are delivering it ourselves we know what has previously been transported in our trucks so there is no risk of product contamination.

“As we are not a wholesaler selling the palm kernel to a third party who retails it, we can offer better pricing as farmers can purchase direct from us with no middleman.

“Since we started Feed Pro in October, our palm kernel prices have typically been $10-$15 a tonne cheaper than competitors,” says Alex.

He says that Feed Pro was a natural development for Semenhoff Group as Feed Pro could work closely with Semenhoff Transport, which offers a fleet of 35 tip trucks.

From October, the company fleet will include in-cab data entry points, which will allow drivers to receive job numbers, directions etc while on the road.

The driver can enter other information into the system such as weights, delivery addresses

etc which are then entered automatically into the company accounting system back at the office.

Alex says the result will be a paperless system increasing efficiencies and accuracy for clients.

“A lot of our work is time sensitive. So when we scheduled jobs for clients we can now be more accurate with our delivery times.

“So, for example, when a farmer shows the driver where to offload the product, the customer doesn’t have to wait around and can go off and do other jobs on the farm.

“The driver will enter the drop off point into our system so subsequent drivers dropping off loads know exactly where it should go.”

Alex’s father Stan started the Semenhoff Group of companies nearly 50 years ago.

Originally, the business was mining, washing and delivering sand for use in concrete and sand blasting.

When the market for this dried up, as Stan had grown up on a farm, offering the rural market a cartage service was a logical progression.

Today, the group includes 14 different companies employing nearly 300 staff.

Companies of the group include Semenhoff Transport, Hilders Livestock, United Livestock, United Bulk, Northland Bulk Logistics, Semenhoff Sand Supplies, Envirosands Northland, Tomarata Sand, Kamo Scoria, Marsden Point Weighbridge, Semenhoff Agricultural Contractors, Kaitaia Transport, Semenhoff Storage, Kaipara Water Transport and Feed Pro. Stan says that the companies complement each other, meaning that Semenhoff can offer its largely rural-based clients a complete service.

The company has branches in Auckland, Whangarei, Kaikohe and Kaitaia and covers

NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Semenhoff Group

| 25

farmers provides seamless service the whole of the North Island, particularly for multinational contracts.

Alex says the company has been strategic in terms of developing the business, services and locations to create efficiencies to improve pricing and service for customers.

“For example, our sand and aggregate quarries are strategically placed on routes where we typically transport goods to farmers.

This means we can from the quarries for the return trip keeping freight costs down for all concerned.”

Semenhoff staff members bring vast industry knowledge. Alex says that one staff member who has just retired clocked up 43 years with the company and of the 35 drivers in Semenhoff Transport over half bring more than 20 years experience.

“The industry knowledge on how to do the job in our company is very high. Having long serving staff members also helps us to build long-term relationships with customers.

“From feeding dairy cows to carting fertiliser to the paddock, supplying sand for races and carting the cow off to the works when the time comes, Semenhoff Group can take care of everything a farmer needs.”

Semenhoff Group has set up a new company called Feed Pro, which sources, imports and delivers palm kernel to farmers in Northland.

“As we are not a wholesaler selling the palm kernel to a third party who retails it we can offer better pricing as farmers can purchase direct from us with no middleman.”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Fraser Hasnip

NZ Dairy

Fraser Hasnip manages a 60ha effective/85ha total dairy farm at Pirongia owned by his parents Sue and Peter.

Aim to grow more grass for less Karen Phelps Fraser Hasnip is aiming to grow more grass for less cost this season.

“That’s the challenge of every dairy farm – how to grow more so the cows can eat more,” he says.

Fraser is managing a 60ha effective/85ha total dairy farm at Pirongia owned by his parents Sue and Peter. The family farm was purchased in 1998 and before that the family was farming in Mahihi for over a decade.

Fraser didn’t initially intend to be a dairy farmer. It was only when he was at Massey

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University studying for a degree in business studies and working part-time on farms in his holidays that he realised he wanted to be a dairy farmer.

He worked on another farm for two years managing 200 cows before returning to the family farm where he has been manager for four years.

The Hasnips’ farm milks a herd of 190 kiwi friesian cross cows through a 20 aside herringbone shed with in-shed meal feeding system.

Like most farmers, the Hasnip family is trying to cut costs and reduce the amount of

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bought in feed in their system.

This season, they have grown 1.7ha of fodder beet for the first time and they also bought 60 tonnes of palm kernel. This coming season, they will grow 3ha of maize on-farm, will carry through the maize surplus they grew on a run-off block last season and will grow 3ha of fodder beet on-farm.

Fraser says they have found fodder beet to be a good cost-effective replacement for palm kernel and learned a few lessons their first season growing the notoriously tricky crop.

“We had leaf diseases which really hammered it. We’ve learned a lot so next year we’ll know to pre-emptively spray to avoid these problems in future,” he says.

Another change that has been made in response to the pay out has been to calve two to five weeks earlier to increase production.

Last season, the farm produced 81,000kg of milk solids from 198 cows.

This season, the target is 78,000kg milking 188 cows and they have managed to halve their feed bill compared to the previous

season.

Fraser says a good summer, the fodder beet and calving earlier has made a big difference, which has enabled them to achieve this result.

The in-shed feeding system and feed pad gives the Hasnips good options of feeding their herd, especially as the farm has silt loam soils which can get wet in winter and spring.

Fraser says the farm has good infrastructure. Soil fertility is good which has enabled them to apply maintenance rather than capital fertiliser this season to cut back on costs.

Effluent is spread over 15ha of the farm by a travelling irrigator. The Hasnips employ no staff. Sue completes the bookwork and Peter helps out as required. Fraser says it’s a small farm by today’s standards and, not put off by the current situation of the industry, the aim is to buy a larger unit.

“If land prices are low this year and we find the right place we’ll be looking to move to the next level.”

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Craig & Anne Boyden

| 27

Once-a-day milking working for Craig & Anne Karen Phelps Craig and Anne Boyden, from Maharahara West, Woodhill, are firm converts of the oncea-day milking system.

The couple changed to once-a-day seven years ago and haven’t looked back. This season production will increase to 180,000kg of milk solids milking a herd of 515 cows at no more cost.

The previous season they achieved 172,000kg with a herd of 518 cows. Since they changed to once-a-day, the couple has been part of a DairyNZ once-a-day group, which they say has been an invaluable tool.

“It’s been a good way to learn off other farmers. We have found on once-a-day we are doing nearly the same production as we were on twice-a-day but at less cost. Although we work just as hard, we have more flexibility in our day and less lame cows. In-calf rates have improved and are now 4 percent with the six week in-calf rate 85%,” says Craig, citing some of the benefits.

“With improvements to the herd each year the cows seem to be going better and better on once-a-day.”

Craig grew up on this farm, while Anne, also a Woodville local, grew up in town and pursued a career in administration. Craig started working on the farm when he left school and in 1991 married Anne.

The couple went lower order sharemilking in 1992 for two years before progressing to 50:50 sharemilking.

In 1999, they purchased a 70ha run off in conjunction with Craig’s parents Clive and Shirley and in 2003 bought half of the farm, which totalled 146ha effective.

They had also been leasing Anne’s parents’ 23ha run off in Woodville and purchased this in 2006. In 2008, the 70ha run off was sold to purchase 45ha that came up for sale next to the dairy platform giving them a total of 187ha effective/208ha total. In 2013, another run off of 94ha, located 37 kilometres from the farm, was purchased.

They still lease half the dairy farm from Clive and Shirley and live in the original old schoolhouse for the area, which has been converted into a lovely home for them and their four children: Sam 23, Ngaire 21, Joel 18 and Alyse 16.

The Boydens milk a herd of 518 kiwicross cows through a 36 aside herringbone shed.

It’s a basic system but the Boydens plan

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Craig and Anne Boyden with their four children, Sam 23, Ngaire 21, Joel 18 and Alyse 16.

to install an automatic drafting system this winter. They are also focusing their energies on improving the 94ha run off.

They have their own digger and bulldozer and already around 500 hours have been put in with the digger installing two kilometres of drainage and 10 kilometres of fencing.

On the home farm they are focusing on grass growth and in the spring followed the cows with Donaghys Less N and Nufarm ProGibb, which they say gave a good result.

They have a tight calving pattern with half the herd calving within 10 to 11 days from the official calving date.

The run offs are used for winter grazing, silage and running young stock. The farm employs two full time staff. Anne does the bookwork and relief milking and rears the calves with Clive who does most of the digger work.

The Boydens aim in the next couple of years to employ a contract milker.

“It’s been a good way to learn off other farmers.

We have found on once-a-day we are doing nearly the same production as we were on twice-a-day but at less cost.

Although we work just as hard, we have more flexibility in our day and less lame cows”

28 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Ralph & Pam Gore

NZ Dairy

Production on Ralph and Pam Gore’s Hinuera farm has risen as a result of operational changes the couple has made in recent years.

Effluent extension proves a winner Karen Phelps Extending their effluent system has proved a sound investment for Ralph and Pam Gore of Matamata.

They have recently expanded the reticulation system to cover an addition 35ha of the farm, taking the total area under irrigation up to 80ha of their 170ha effective/180ha total unit at Hinuera. They plan to continue to extend the reticulation, seeing the utilisation of the nutrients as an important aspect of their farming operation reducing capital fertiliser expenditure, something that has been essential in the lower pay out seasons.

The farm has two solids ponds to remove solids before the main holding pond, which has reduced blockage issues in their sprinkler system, and enabled them to utilise the solids in cropping paddocks.

“We’ve noticed in the area that was first reticulated we no longer have to apply potash because levels have increased substantially. We are aiming to achieve these kinds of results over the rest of the farm,” says Ralph.

Summer dry is another major issue the Gores face on their unit. They have also identified that chicory is essential in helping them through the dry summer months and plant around 8ha of

the farm in chicory each year. Ralph says that it excels in dry conditions and helps provide much needed protein from January through to March.

To save costs this season, they have utilised more of their farm for growing maize, around 14ha, so they didn’t have to buy in as much feed. They also significantly reduced their palm kernel inputs by about two thirds.

Production has risen as a result of the changes. This season, the farm produced 220,000kg of milk solids milking a herd of 500 kiwicross cows, around 440kg per cow.

Next season the target is similar but milking a smaller herd of 480 cows as pastures continue to develop and inputs will continue to be diminished.

“We will do more regular farm walks and plate metering during the spring flush period to monitor growth rates more closely during this key time when growth rates can change from 50-80kg in a matter of days.

“We can then utilise this grass more to our advantage rather than letting surpluses crop up and having to harvest it for silage. To maximise production we really need to be giving the cows the grass at the best possible harvest point,” explains Ralph.

The Gore’s farm was originally purchased by the family in 1936 and they have since tried a multitude of farm systems to make the figures

work. When Ralph purchased the property in 1972, he started 30-40ha of maize cropping to help support the sheep and cattle operations.

In 1984, he fenced off 25ha and bred a herd of 200 deer hinds before converting to dairy seven seasons ago and building a 50 bail rotary shed with in-shed meal feeding system to feed meal and molasses.

The couple’s son Brad, 30, is the contract milker and the farm employs a full-time herd manager and a part-time calf rearer.

The next step will be for Brad to progress to a 50:50 sharemilker position on the unit but with the present pay out these plans have been put on hold for the family until market conditions improve.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Glen Mor Ltd

| 29

Trent Guy farms 123 hectares effective at Parakao, Northland, with his wife Aimee and children, Damien, 11, Charlie, 9, Tobie, 7 and Sophie, 5.

Trent’s making every dollar count Russell Fredric Trent Guy is repeating a common theme among dairy farmers faced with making a prisoner of every farm dollar.

Those dollars must justify their existence on the balance sheet by either showing how they contribute to productivity or are a necessary part of the farm’s operation; as in The Little Red Hen, any freeloaders are shunned.

As well as spotlighting farm costs, the challenging dairy economy is causing some dairy farmers to reassess other priorities.

Trent Guy, married to Aimee and with four children aged five, seven, nine and eleven, is one of those reinforcing that a balanced work-life involving family and recreation is an important priority.

The Guy’s farm 123 hectares effective at Parakao, Northland, with no staff employed, and since August last year have been milking once a day.

The couple bought two farms side by side in the Mangakahia Valley at the start of the 2013/14 season and developed them in to one dairy unit.

The once-a-day milking change has produced some interesting results and underlines a mantra Trent Guy subscribes to, “production is vanity, profit is sanity”. [“The cows] don’t eat as much, it’s less stress on Aimee and I, and obviously milk prices have got a lot to do with it,” Trent Guy says.

This season’s production, at 95,000kg/MS from a peak of 280 cows, will finish about 11 percent behind the previous season when 10 to 15 more cows were milked, however the empty rate has reduced from 15% to 5%, with milking shed costs nearly halved.

Regrassing has also produced good results, with a reduction in the amount of supplementary feed needed.

“The bottom line’s looking a lot healthier now than the season before when Fonterra opened with a high payout and closed with a low one.”

With farm working expenses of $3.85, plus debt servicing costs of over $1.00, the farm will still make a loss for the season, but Trent agrees this would have been larger without the changes.

The move to once a day milking also means he has more time to participate in sport, go boating with a mate or watching his children play sport.

“I don’t know whether, if we hadn’t made the change, whether we’d be looking at selling or continuing.”

“Because we have got our lifestyle back, it gives you a bit more passion back for what you do as well. You’ve got to have that work-life balance.”

The farm’s proximity, close to the Mangakahia River, means of the 123ha there is about 60ha of floodable river flats. The balance comprises 30ha of non-floodable flats, 33ha of gentle rolling contour and 60ha of native bush.

Because some pastures can be either flooded or sodden for days during heavy rain, a 340 cow covered feed pad, built by GuyCo Construction two years ago, provides multiple benefits for livestock and pastures and is a sanity-saver for Trent.

His long-term goals include replacing the farm’s Friesian cross herd with Jersey’s, which are better suited to the land especially during winter, and introducing genetics from polled bulls with the A2 gene with the hope of capitalising on a future market for A2 milk.

Despite an El Nino season, it has been one the wettest summers in Northland where grass growth was “incredible” resulting in extra baleage being made for a winter food bank, which should allow cows to be in good condition for the spring.

Looking further head, Trent is confident the payout will be closer to $5 than $4 at the end of the next season. “You’ve got to be optimistic, otherwise it just eats away at you.”

Trent and Aimee Guy.

“The bottom line’s looking a lot healthier now than the season before when Fonterra opened with a high payout and closed with a low one.”

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30 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Hugh & Kerry Candy

NZ Dairy

Clocked up 15 years on the farm Karen Phelps Hugh and Kerry-Lucas Candy have clocked up 15 years in the same share milking position - 390 predominantly jersey cows on a 102ha effective/105ha total dairy farm at Waitoa for the CW Schultz Estate, administered by the Public Trust.

“We’ve been here for so long that the person that originally employed us has retired,” says Hugh with a smile.

They say the farm is located on good land (nearly the whole area is usable dairy platform) giving very reliable production as a key reason they have held onto the job for so long. Over the years the improvements they have made to the unit have resulted in a farm that is easy to run with the help of a herd manager.

They also relish the independence they have to operate the unit as it is owned by absentee owners.

The farm was being operated as a system three but as a result of the low pay out has been reduced to a system two. In the past, 100 tonnes of maize silage and 200 tonnes of palm kernel were fed. The palm kernel input was reduced to 80 tonnes last season.

The position also helped them to enter into an equity partnership in 2009 on an 82ha effective/85ha total unit located 12 kilometres away at Manawaru. It was during the global financial crisis, which meant land prices reduced giving the couple the opportunity to enter into land ownership.

Two years ago, they bought out the equity partners and now own the unit called Lucan Farms, which employs contract milkers, and milks a herd of 250 crossbreed cows through a 25 aside herringbone shed.

Rainfall is about 1200mm annually on the sharemilking job and 1600 to 1800mm on the Manawaru unit because this unit is close to the Kaiwai ranges.

Bounding the Waihou River, around 20ha of this farm can be prone to flooding during the winter months. This means stringent pasture management

is important and the couple need to ensure they have made the most of this flood prone land before wet weather hits. In the summer the more moist ground is a blessing though keeping some of the farm green.

The Candy’s have a low grazing residual and aim for their animals to clean out the paddocks leavings a residual of 1300-1500kg, which Hugh says helps to maintain quality.

Last season, production on the share milking job was 122,000kg of milk solids and this season the target is 125,000kg. On the Manawaru unit 87,000kg and the target is 90,000kg.

As for most farmers cutting costs is a priority.

Fortunately, Kerry is an AB technician for Livestock Improvement Corporation, so they can do this work themselves on their farms. Kerry also takes care of the farm accounts and calf rearing: Around 120 replacement heifers each year.

She also rears around 90 jersey bull calves and sells them as ten day olds and works part time for DairyNZ on contract doing animal husbandry consultations.

Kerry, who hails from the UK, has been dairy farming since she was 16. She moved to New Zealand in 1994, met Hugh, who had grown up on a dry stock farm, and they started progressing through the dairy system together. In 2004 they won the New Zealand Sharemilker of the Year competition.

The Candys say that spending time off-farm with family is important causing them to focus on staff training so they can run the farm when the Candys aren’t there.

They have three children: Lewis, 15, Ferne, 13 and Russell, 11.

As it is with most farmers at the moment, cost cutting is a priority for Hugh and Kerry Candy.

The Candy’s have a low grazing residual and aim for their animals to clean out the paddocks leavings a residual of 1300-1500 kilograms, which Hugh says helps to maintain quality.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Matthew & Jemma Morrissey

| 31

Matthew and Jemma Morrissey with their son, Cameron, 2 1/2. The couple have just completed their fourth season as 50:50 sharemilkers.

Owning a farm the ultimate goal Karen Phelps Being able to spend more time with family is one of the key benefits of dairy farming for Thames based couple Mathew and Jemma Morrissey. Son Cameron, 2 1/2, plays in a specially fenced off area while the cows are milked.

“We love working outside, being with the animals and being self-employed. Things in the industry will turn around eventually and our future goal is still to purchase a farm,” says Matthew.

The couple are just completing their fourth season as 50:50 share milkers for Noel and Annette Fox on a 120ha effective unit milking a herd of 335 crossbred cows through a 30 aside herringbone shed.

For the past two seasons, the couple have also had a second share milking position for Rita Hamilton on a 45ha effective unit located one kilometre away where they milk a herd of 160 crossbred cows through a small 12 aside herringbone shed.

This unit is supported by a 16ha run off where they grow maize to help supplement their feeding regime.

Running an all grass-based system the main challenge for the couple is to ensure they have enough feed ahead of the cows. Pasture management is therefore vital combined with smart use of nitrogen to promote grass growth at key times in order to harvest silage to feed during the dry season.

They typically harvest 180 tonnes plus per season. Calves are grazed on farm and the herd wintered on farm. It’s a virtually self-contained

“Our next goal is to combine the herds and take on a larger goal as we work towards the ultimate goal of farm ownership.”

system apart from the fact yearlings are grazed off farm for a year.

This means they can run a very low-cost system of just $1.90 farm working expenses across both units. Conversely this has meant there is very little fat to cut from their system in the low pay out.

The Morrisseys used to employ two full-time and one part-time staff member over both farms but have now reduced this to one full time labour unit and plan to undertake more of the work themselves to save costs.

They aim to do more production before Christmas before the farm dries out (it has no water irrigation system) and have a condensed six-week in-calf rate to help them achieve this.

Instead of buying in feed when dry weather hits they dry off cows and cull.

This season the combined production for both units was 178,000kg of milk solids. Next season

the target is 180,000kg.

Mathew was born in Hamilton and then moved to the town of Ngatea while Jemma grew up on dairy farms in the Hauraki Plains.

The couple got interested in farming at Hauraki Plains College when they took an agricultural course.

After leaving school Mathew took on a farm hand position for a sharemilker employed by the Foxes for two years.

He then moved to Paeroa as a manager on a 180 cow unit before he and Jemma joined forces and went lower order sharemilking for two years.

They then went 50:50 sharemilking at Turua on a 220 cow unit for four years before moving to their present position with the Foxes.

“We’ve got everything the way we want it on this farm now so we just aim to keep things the same as well as looking at where we can make a bit more profit without increasing costs,” says Mathew.

“Our next goal is to combine the herds and take on a larger goal as we work towards the ultimate goal of farm ownership.”

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32 |

FARM SERVICES » Philip & Pia Rockell

NZ Dairy

Goal to become 50:50 sharemilkers Sue Russell Philip and Pia Rockell are contract milkers on a DairyNZ Partner Farm, managed and leased by Innes Anderson and Tania Dropulich at Kaiwaka in the lower North.

The couple who originally met in Europe in 2000 have been farming together since 2001.

In 2014 they shifted to the Kaiwaka farm as contract milkers having previously farmed on a family farm in Hukerenui for 12 years.

“We could see so much potential when we stepped on the property and were interviewed for the contract milking role,” Philip says.

The five year average milk solids production at the time the couple came on to the farm was 140,000kg MS. In their first season, milk production totalled 162,000kg MS, and pasture eaten totalled 9.8 tDM per hectare.

In the second year the stocking rate was increased from 2.1 to 2.65 cows per hectare by introducing some of the couple’s own young stock in to the herd.

This season, 554 were peak milked through a 32 aside herringbone shed which is currently being extended to 40 aside.

“We were asked several times to participate in the Partner Farm project when we first came on the farm in 2014, but we were quite driven as to what we wanted to do with this farm and didn’t initially see any great positives in working with a management team,” Philip says candidly.

Then in April 2015, the Partner Farm group made another approach and this time the couple along, with Innes and Tania, decided to explore the idea by inviting the team to do an evaluation and give recommendations as to how the farm could achieve the best possible outcomes.

Three year targets were set regarding milk production, pasture and financial management.

The 2017-18 target for milk production was set at 200,000kg MS and the target for pasture eaten was set at 10.8tDM/ha.

Quality of pasture and ability to grow it efficiently were soon identified as key factors in realising future productivity.

“We needed to ensure we could fully feed the increased number of cows on a mostly pasture based system. It was important we gained further knowledge in how to get the most out of the grass species on this farm,” says Philip.

Getting an accurate picture of what was happening on the paddocks came down to gaining accurate data so Philip and Pia adopted the practice of undertaking a pasture drive every ten days. They also started mulching the kikuyu dominant pasture.

“We implemented the management team’s recommendation of mulching kikuyu dominant paddocks and over sowing them with annuals, starting with a 60 hectare area last year which we increased to 70 hectares this season,” Philip says.

With the Partner Farm partnership firmly in place farm visits from the advisory group have reduced to four a year. These visits are supplemented with 10 daily reports of farm

Philip and Pia Rockell are contract milkers on a DairyNZ Partner Farm, managed and leased by Innes Anderson and Tania Dropulich.

“We could see so much potential when we stepped on the property and were interviewed for the contract milking role.” performance data. So that issues are managed in time-appropriate ways a new system of identifying ‘trigger points’ has been established between the couple and the group, as Pia explains.

“Sometimes by the time we identified a problem and the group got back with their action recommendations the timing was out to actually implement their advice, so now we work with trigger points and when these have been broached we can immediately take action,”she says.

With a clay-on-limestone base, conditions are inclined to get very wet so in winter the herd is stood-off when required to prevent damaging pastures. When this happens the cows are given three to four hours in the paddock during which time they consume the bulk of their feed intake.

Longer-term the couple hope to achieve 50:50 sharemilking status and have a three year plan in place to achieve that.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Hayden & Megan Kerr

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Young farmer looking to the future Russell Fredric The winner of the 2016 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Auckland/Hauraki farm manager of the year is excited about the opportunities afforded by his newest role and for what the future holds.

After initially working as a farm assistant on a 600 cow farm near Mercer in 2012, Hayden Kerr subsequently moved to manage his parents Craig and Janine Kerr’s 270-cow farm near Huntly with his wife Megan, for two years.

In May, the couple, who have a 15 month-old daughter and another child on the way, took on a contract milking position on 200ha at Hikutaia, 10 minutes north of Paeroa.

It is obvious they are highly goal-oriented and have no intention of letting the grass grow under their feet.

“We are trying to skip through as quick as we can. We’re planning on going 50:50 share-milking after two seasons here,” Hayden Kerr says.

The experience gained in running his parents farm has been “brilliant”, he says.

“Because I was the only person on the farm for most of the season it meant that I had to know how to do absolutely everything.”

Preparing for the farm manager of the year award, which included planning, goal setting and budgeting, also had a hand in preparing Hayden for his new position, as well as assessing the best options for generating income towards the couple’s sharemilking goal.

With the award to their credit, they were able to cherry-pick their choice of positions, but it was the Hikutaia farm owned by Richard and Lianne Bax that “ticked the boxes”.

The farm supports 600 cows milked through a 54 bale rotary milking shed with in-shed feeding and automatic cup removers; a new calf rearing shed was built last season.

The couple’s criteria included the farm’s location, a remuneration package which allows them to achieve their goals, the ability to rear their own calves and the challenge of “room for improvement”.

For the past two years, the Kerr’s have been buying R1 heifers and selling them as in-calf R2’s as a means of working towards a 50/50 sharemilking position.

“At the end of this season we are looking at buying in-calf R2’s to lease out for a year and those will be our three year-olds when we go sharemilking.

Hayden loves the variety dairy farming provides and the fact that there is always something to learn.

“The brilliant thing about the dairy industry is

The experience Hayden and Megan Kerr have gained managing his parents farm means they’re keen to go 50:50 sharemilking sooner rather than later. that there’s always someone willing to teach you and share their knowledge.”

He is a firm believer in the potential the industry has as a career path for young people and the “massive advantages” available through the stairway of the share-milking system.

Following their award, the couple have enjoyed public speaking engagements, which have provided opportunities to promote the dairy industry.

“One thing that Megan and I might push to do is speaking in schools...which is where we need the young people to come from.”

An observation Hayden made at the dairy industry awards was a strong representation of career changers in the 25 to 35 age bracket.

“They seem to do really well [in dairying]. I just wonder if we caught people like that at a younger age, the industry might be a lot stronger.”

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Winning the 2016 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Auckland/Hauraki farm manager of the year means Hayden Kerr, right, is excited about what the future holds.

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34 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Mayflower Farms

NZ Dairy

Diversification creates nice balance Russell Fredric The option of diversifying between dairy and beef farming has created a wellbalanced business for Mayflower Farms in Maungaturoto, Northland.

Owned by father and son Ken and Richard Westlake, Mayflower Farms comprises a 325ha effective home farm which milks 600 mixed-breed cows, separated to three herds.

The farm is a year-round supplier to nearby small-scale dairy processing factory, Fresha Valley.

The Westlake’s preference for supplying Fresha Valley instead of Fonterra includes the fact there is no requirement to buy shares, with the resulting saving on capital expenditure, and that they “disagree with a lot of [Fonterra’s] policies”.

The small size of the company, with just nine suppliers, also means they can deal directly with its owner.

Supporting Mayflower’s farming operation is a 70ha Waipu block, bought 18 months ago, which runs dairy heifer replacement stock, and a 155ha dry stock unit at Marahemo taken over on June 1, which will carry beef stock to store cattle age, eliminating the need to find winter grazing every year.

Richard Westlake says owning the three farms means the entire system for dairy, beef and calf rearing is kept in-house.

Calving is split to three times a year, in January, May and September.

Split calving is partly used as a management tool; during a dry summer cows which have completed a full or near full season can be dried off, while summer calvers are dried off late November, early December.

Mayflower Farms comprises a 325ha effective home farm which milks 600 mixed-breed cows, separated to three herds..

Spring calving cows are dried off in Jne, which lowers the stocking rate during winter.

“We actually utilise our grass a lot better.

The other reason is that it keeps a constant milk flow to Fresha Valley, which is what they like.

“Every day we stay between seven and nine thousand litres throughout the year,” Richard Westlake says.

As there is no off-season, feed is supplemented with about 50 tonnes of a palm kernel extract blend each month. “We still make money on that blend. We’ve proven that the cows do a much better production

throughout the year having that blend go in to them every day; it’s only fed at 3kg a day.”

The PKE blend is supplemented with maize silage for nine months and grass silage for three months, all grown on farm. The labour intensive system requires three full-time staff, apart from Richard, including a calf-rearer.

“It’s rearing stock for the beef industry to keep our feet in both markets so if the dairy industry, like it is now is in a downturn, we are already set for a second stream of income.”

Calf rearing facilities include a north facing 48 metre long, eight metre wide shed, purpose-built last year. It’s low 2.6 metre roof

height means it is excellent for keeping calves warm.

“It’s absolutely brilliant. That’s saved more time than you could ever imagine [for] feeding calves. The calves are that much healthier, they love it.”

Because of the diversity of Mayflower Farm’s operation, good record keeping is crucial. “Obviously there’s a lot of planning involved and we have to be absolutely meticulous with records, with having three herds with different matings and different pregnancies we’ve got to be right on top of our paper work.”

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Ross & Karla Shaw

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On-farm trial proves game changer Russell Fredric An on-farm DairyNZ pasture trial has proven a game-changer for Sangro Farm in Reporoa.

Sangro Farm is owned and run by 20 percent equity managers Ross and Karla Shaw, winners of the 2016 Central Plateau Share Farmers of the Year, in partnership with Ross’ parents, Jim and Helen Shaw.

The 188ha effective, 500 cow farm is supported by a nearby 75ha run-off block, used for grazing young stock.

Two-thirds of the dairy platform is dry country; an annual rainfall of 850mm to 950mm necessitates a stocking rate of 2.6 cows per hectare.

The farm’s soil types consist of 78ha of sandy silt loam, 40ha Mairoa ash, and 70ha consolidated peat which is a wet area, meaning one-third of the farm provides good summer growth.

“When there’s rain around we’ve got a good area of the farm that doesn’t pug and we try and stay off the peat area for the months of June and July and only have milking cows going on there at a lighter stocking rate,” Ross Shaw says.

However, during summer the peat pastures come into their own, allowing one green feed a day for a good protein source without supplementary feed.

While there are advantages in the different soil types, Ross says “you need to be on the ball” to know the amount of dry matter available, and where it is.

“On your wet areas you don’t want to be taking high covers through winter, so you want to be eating that off in May.” For the past two seasons, pasture has been measured with a tow-behind C-Dax pasture metre, weekly from spring to the end of December, and bi-weekly from January to August, with data captured being downloaded to a computer in the cow shed.

In 2013/ 2014, 10.5 tonnes per hectare of dry matter was harvested when pastures were assessed by the eye.

Since the C-Dax system has been used, dry matter harvested annually has increased by two tonnes to 12.5 tonnes per hectare, but Ross explains there is a bigger picture to the results; during the past six years regrassing with PGG Wrightson diploid and tetraploid perennial rye grasses has been in progress.

“There’s been a combination of that and with the constant of monitoring of [dry matter] residuals in the last two years has seen us steadily increase over the past four seasons.”

Cows are taken off pastures at 1500 to 1550kgDM/ha.

A big benefit of the increased dry matter production has been a reduction in the amount of supplementary feed imported.

Sangro Farm is a trial farm involved in the DairyNZ Forage Value Index (FVI) programme which aims to provide an independent, region specific, profit-based index for short-term and perennial rye grass cultivars.

“We have 18ha of trial grass cultivars on the farm, completing its second season of the three year trial. It ranks the top cultivars in use in the country, like a breeding worth system.”

“To be part of the trial has really made us hone in on our residuals and getting the best out of the pastures.”

Production last season was 225,500kg/MS from 491 cows at peak, 228,000kg/MS from 500 cows in 2014/2015 and 253,000kg/MS in 2013/2014, but from more imported feed.

“We have lowered our use of imported feed and increased our pasture harvest to maintain a relatively static production.”

Ross acknowledges that farming successfully is a team effort, not only among those who work on farm, but from the expertise of accountants, bankers and farm consultants, who help make sense of the myriad financial and farm data, is vital.

“They are then ones that really oil the wheels as to the progression of the partnership.”

“We have 18ha of trial grass cultivars on the farm, completing its second season of the three year trial. It ranks the top cultivars in use in the country, like a breeding worth system. To be part of the trial has really made us hone in on our residuals and getting the best out of the pastures.”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Tim Barclay

NZ Dairy

Tim Barclay and his family farm a North American holstein freisian herd between Te Awamutu and Otorohanga.

Family in love with holstein freisians Sue Russell The Barclay family farm a North American holstein freisian herd between Te Awamutu and Otorohanga. Their herd prefix is Okawa Holsteins.

The family’s commitment to and relationship with the ‘black and white’ breed stretches back generations.

Pride of place in the 200 strong herd these days is seven-year-old Theresa who has achieved Supreme Champion in 2013 and Reserve Champion the following year at NZ Dairy competitions in Feilding.

Up close, Theresa is a stand-out specimen, displaying in her physiology all the hallmark traits of an ideal dairy cow in New Zealand. When NZ Dairy visited the herd it was obvious Theresa is ‘top-girl’ with the rest of the herd standing deferentially away from her, giving her space in the centre of the paddock.

“She certainly is a herd favourite and rightly so. We bought her as a two year old and she has proven her worth in terms of production and in her consistent performance at show level. We have five daughters of Theresa on the ground and they are all stand outs in their different age

groups,” says Rob Barclay.

Theresa’s milk production volume tracks at approximately twice the average cow with exceptional fat and protein content. She has peaked at a massive 10,000 litres and 800 kg MS per season twice so far. While her milk capacity is staggering, Rob says the family just love the holstein freisian breed for lots of reasons.

“We feel they are the ultimate cow with a great nature and ability to perform in New Zealand conditions. Having a Holstein herd has always been important to us ever since my grandfather Merton Leslie started breeding them. His herd prefix was Lesdale Holsteins.”

Showing cows at various competitions is a passion Rob has inherited from his parents Tim and Jo, who run the 200 acre farm themselves.

As the show season approaches, a competition group of 10 to 15 cows are separated off to receive special attention including additional feed in the hope each cow will peak in time for the show.

“Show preparation includes washing and clipping the animals to show off each cows full

• To page 38

“We bought her [champion cow Theresa] as a two year old and she has proven her worth in terms of production and in her consistent performance at show level. We have five daughters of Theresa on the ground and they are all stand outs in their different age groups.”

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Tim Barclay

As the show season approaches, a competition group of 10 to 15 cows are separated off to receive special attention, including additional feed, in the hope each cow will peak in time for the show.

The Barclay family’s commitment to the ‘black and white’ bred stretches back -generations. .

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Tim Barclay

NZ Dairy

The whole Barclary family is involved in the competitive showing of their holstein friesian cows - and the Barclary’s have tasted plenty of success.

Family simply in love with the holstein friesian • From page 36 potential,” explains Rob. Features judges look for include good udder height, width, texture and vaination, feet, legs and mobility, a lot of capacity and good dairy strength. In the case of Theresa, when full of milk and in top condition, she will weigh in at close to 800 kg carrying 50 litres of milk.

Tending to these beautiful animals year in year out also causes relationships to evolve as Rob explains. “The more you get to deal with a specific animal well it changes their personality and makes them more calm.

“If we see a young one with showing potential we will deliberately break them in to get them used to being close to people and being worked with up close.”

Tim, Rob’s dad, says it is good to see the next generation of keen young breeders and fitters coming up through the association, entering competitions and having two sons who he describes as ‘perfectionists’ when it comes to fitting both wanting to carry on the family legacy of showing the cows is very satisfying.

“There is real skill in preparing a cow for a show. The difference between one cow receiving Champion or Reserve or not featuring at all can come down to the smallest factor,” Time says.

While the whole family is involved in the competitive showing of their prize cows, Mum Jo has the unenviable task of giving names to every cow in the herd.

“Each cow has a name starting with the same letter as its mother. It becomes quite challenging the more progeny that are born to find a good name,” says Jo.

Attributes judges look for include good udder height, width, texture and vaination, feet, legs and mobility, a lot of capacity and good dairy strength.

NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Dairy Woman of the Year

| 39

‘Dairying is my life’, says award winner Rebecca Keoghan’s outstanding contribution to the dairy industry over the last decade has led to her being named the fifth Dairy Woman of the Year.

Keoghan, from Westport in the South Island, received the award at the Dairy Women’s Network conference at Claudelands Event Centre in May after being selected by a panel that included judges from the Dairy Women’s Network, Fonterra, Global Women and Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

She wins a $30,000 place on the 11-month Global Women Breakthrough Leaders Programme sponsored by Fonterra.

“My passion and drive for dairying is in all aspects of my life,” said Keoghan, who was nominated by one of her staff, farm manager Jack Raharuhi.

The mother of two is Landcorp business manager, Westland Milk Products director, NZ Dairy Industry Awards Dairy Manager of the Year Award team leader, OSPRI Northern South Island committee member and Keoghan Farm director with her husband Nathan.

At Landcorp, Keoghan has overall strategic leadership and direction for five large dairy farms, a dairy support farm and a machinery syndicate at Cape Foulwind and the Grey Valley.

“Leading and inspiring 55 staff along with quality production across 5000 dairy cows, 4000 hectares and 2500 young stock provides an exciting challenge. This senior management role with Landcorp provides an excellent platform to combine my leadership and business skills within the industry I am fiercely passionate about.”

Keoghan loves the challenges of leadership and governance at Westland in what she calls “this exciting and challenging time of changing economies, milk prices and industry movement”.

She’s involved in the NZ Dairy Industry Awards because she has a passion for helping her colleagues celebrate their successes and assist in the development of young farmers.

Before moving to the Keoghan Farm in 2006, Keoghan, a medical science graduate, was managing medical laboratories in New Zealand and Australia.

“The move to the coast kick started my passion for dairy as my husband Nathan and I purchased our family farm to be proud fifth generation dairy farmers,” Keoghan said.

“The move home also brought about my change in career from medical science to cement and dairying. I was operations manager for Holcim (cement plant) for eight years while studying for an Advanced Business Management diploma and an International Institute for Management Development (IMD) leadership diploma from Switzerland.”

The couple have two children: Amelie, six, and Spencer, five.

The Keoghans have won the Westland Dairy Awards for the most production from pasture for the last five years three times. “Our system change in this 2016 season, to once a day milking all season to combat the challenges associated with milk prices, has proven successful,” Keoghan said.

“Dairying is my life.”

Keoghan is also a director of Buller Holdings Ltd, set up to provide a commercial focus in the governance and management of Buller District Council’s commercial assets, and is a former chair of the West Coast Plunket Board.

“My spare time revolves around milking cows, spending time with my family swimming and biking, and attending the many interests the children hold in dancing, rugby and music,”

Rebecca Keogh has been named Dairy Woman of the Year for her outstanding contribution to the dairy industry over the past 10 years.

Keoghan said. “I also enjoy pursuing my passion for music. As a member of the Westport Brass Band, I love playing trombone along with my husband and mentoring junior members of the band.

“In addition, I play as a professional percussionist with Auckland and Blenheim ‘A’ grade brass bands and in 2014 was fortunate enough to be selected to represent New Zealand in the New Zealand National Brass Band and toured China and Korea.”

Dairy Woman of the Year Judge Alison Gibb described Keoghan as an extremely motivated, high performer with positive drive and passion who likes to take those around her with her.

“Rebecca is fully involved in her local community but knows exactly where she wants

to head in the leadership space and is on her way. In particular, she acknowledges that dairy is global and wants to know more about that space.

“Her particular passion is health and safety and believes safety leadership drives excellence.”

Keoghan was one of three finalists shortlisted for the award.

The other two were Central West Coast dairy farmer Renee Rooney and Waihi based LIC farm solution manager Michelle Wilson. Past winners are Katie Milne (2015), Charmaine O’Shea (2014), Justine Kidd (2013) and Barbara Kuriger (2012) Dairy Woman’s Network chief executive Zelda de Villiers said Keoghan was an exceptional woman who was a great ambassador for the dairy industry at every level.

Rural Building Solutions Wins Silver

Silver Award Winner, NZ Commercial Project Awards 2016

Nigel Hodges 0274 270 557 • www.ruralbuilding.co.nz

Darfield’s Rural Building Solutions (RBS) has won Silver at the recent NZ Master Builders Commercial Project Awards in Auckland.

RBS provides high quality dairy shed design and build services to the Canterbury region, and is the first to enter a dairy shed in this prestigious event.

Owners Nigel and Ruth Hodges have a background in the commercial building industry.

When they set up RBS in 2009, it was to provide commercial building quality to the rural sector.

Nigel says ‘I found the rural building industry had very inconsistent quality and results. Coming from a commercial background I knew we could offer high quality results every time’.

Confirmation that he has achieved just that has come in the form of the Silver Award from the NZ Master Builders Commercial Project Awards for 2016.

These awards are the pinnacle of commercial construction in New Zealand. Their aim is to ‘recognize ‘New Zealand’s outstanding commercial construction and the project teams that work together to create our city skylines and rural landscapes’.

The silver award was for a RBS 60 bail rotary shed for Linda Hofsteede (pictured left, with Nigel (centre), and Alan Deane, RBS Construction Manager) at Homestead Farm, Alford Forest.

Initially fully booked for the year, Nigel had no slots left when Linda approached him to build her shed.

However he knew Linda and her project manager would be a great team to work with, so after some tweaking, he managed to fit them in as last build of the season. ‘I knew the communication and clear decision-making would make this a successful build, even under time pressure – and it was’.

Linda still has the original ‘wish list’ for her shed requirements, and at the end of the build she was able to say that yes, she got everything she wanted.

So pleasing was the resulting build for everyone involved, that Nigel entered it in the 2016 Commercial Project Awards.

Highly comprehensive judging criteria for the awards included Design, Innovation, Workmanship, Construction, and Project Management, with scoring done during site visits from the judges.

Working relationships, teamwork and client satisfaction were also taken into account.

In awarding Silver to RBS, the judges noted ‘In an industry where it’s as much about the handshake as it is about the contract, the design and build of a 60 bail rotary style dairy shed and yard was delivered by a highly collaborative team working together for the first time’.

Nigel is delighted with the team effort that produced this great result, and he says that he is proud of this shed and all of the sheds RBS builds – ‘we build every shed as if it is a show shed’.

40 |

DAIRY INDUSTRY » Farm Guard

NZ Dairy

Products designed for local conditions Russell Fredric Locally manufactured dairy cleaning and teat care products designed for local conditions are now available in bulk tanks, installed on farm free of charge, and delivered directly, saving time, costs, waste, and risk.

Farm Guard products are manufactured in modern and sophisticated laboratory facilities in Mount Maunganui by parent company Ixom, New Zealand’s largest supplier of chemical products.

Farm Guard products are widely available throughout New Zealand, and in bulk tanks South Island wide.

Farm Guard Canterbury manager Mark Maitland says the company’s bulk system is the first of its kind in New Zealand.

“We’ve taken what we already do on a factory level and brought it on farm,” he says. “There are many advantages in efficiency for larger operations in excess of 450 cows. We see it as a huge benefit to farmers to have all the chemicals they need on site at the beginning of the season.”

With Farm Guard’s eco friendly solution, there is no more lifting or shifting of heavy drums, or disposing of drums, giving farmers more time to focus on running their farms.

Farm Guard’s unique dosing system ensures the chemical is dosed at the required rates so you only use what you need. The system is fully closed-in so there is minimal risk of spillage or splashing of dangerous chemicals.

These features all reduce cost, risk, and create a safer work environment. “With health and safety becoming more and more important on-farm these days, the Farm Guard system is the better option because staff don’t need to pump or measure chemicals, Mark says.

The Farm Guard system requires no set up cost for the farmer, with Farm Guard installing

Farm Guard products are widely available throughout New Zealand, and in bulk tanks South Island wide. and maintaining bulk tanks and equipment on farm, free of charge. Ownership of the equipment remains with Ixom, and the farmer only pays for the chemicals he is using.

The on-farm bulk system is a new evolution of what Farm Guard has already been providing to dairy factories, and Ixom has been recognised in Fonterra’s Supreme Supplier Awards.

With parent company Ixom manufacturing its own chemicals, Farm Guard has a further

advantage over its competitors. “We do a lot of the sourcing of all our raw materials for the manufacture of our innovative dairy cleaning and teat care products for New Zealand conditions.

Ixom has deep technical expertise and aims to optimise safety and efficiency at our customers’ facilities.”

Farm Guard’s highly trained representatives specialise in dairy hygiene and are committed to helping their customers produce the best milk

possible.

To this end, Farm Guard also provides shed inspections during the season free of charge, with the results documented and provided to the farmer.

Farm Guard is working on bringing the bulk system to North Island farms, but Mark says with herd and shed sizes quite different to what they are in the South Island, the current system would need to be modified to make it as efficient for smaller scale farms.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY INDUSTRY » News

| 41

Two new faces join board of directors of Dairy NZ Two dairy farmers from Canterbury and south Auckland will join the DairyNZ Board of Directors this year.

New associate directors Jessie Chan-Dorman and Stu Muir have been selected to join the DairyNZ board for successive six month terms.

Jessie begins this month and Stu from January 2017.

DairyNZ chair Michael Spaans says Jessie and Stu bring great industry experience to the roles, which are about providing experience to future leaders, showing first-hand how a board works and what goes into making key decisions.

“It’s an opportunity for them to see governance in action and we directors learn from them too, as they inject a fresh approach and new thinking which encourages great discussion on issues,” says Michael.

“Both Jessie and Stu have strengths we will value having around the table this year.”

Jessie Chan-Dorman and her husband Hayden are dairy business owners leasing 420ha and milking 950 cows at Dorie in Canterbury. She has an honours degree in animal science and has worked in a range of rural professional positions over the past 15 years.

“I hope being part of the DairyNZ Board will help grow my governance skills and maybe allow me to contribute some diverse thinking.

“This is a tough time for the industry that will require us all as farming businesses and as an industry body to be really clear about our purpose.”

Jessie currently holds governance roles with several organisations, including Federated Farmers national dairy executive and director of Ashburton Trading Society.

Stu Muir is a farm owner, with wife Kim Jobson, milking 500 cows on 140ha at Waiuku.

Stu is an industry leader with roles in a range of environmental initiatives, including project

managing a large scale wetland restoration programme on the Waikato River, which has received much local and national recognition.

“I hope being part of the DairyNZ board will not only enable me to expand my knowledge and expertise in governance, but also add a unique perspective based on experience, the ability to think laterally and challenge the status quo, while accepting the viewpoints and experiences of others,” says Stu. “My particular interests are around the environment, health and safety, and finance. I’m extremely grateful to have this opportunity.”

Stu also has governance roles with the Lower Waikato River Catchment group and a Waikato Regional Council sub-committee, and was a Fonterra Shareholders Council member.

Five other farmers have been associate directors with DairyNZ since the initiative was introduced in 2013.

The associate director positions are non-voting roles and are for dairy farmers wanting to move beyond their farm and into industry leadership.

“It’s an opportunity for them to see governance in action and we directors learn from them too, as they inject a fresh approach and new thinking which encourages great discussion on issues.”

DairyNZ chair Michael Spaans says the new appointments to the board, Jessie Chan-Dorman and Stu Muir, bring great industry experience to the roles..

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Hartland Agricultural

NZ Dairy

Mission statement: Be the best Russell Fredric Machinery and rugby are two of Tony Hart’s longheld passions, but it is harvesting the right attitude that has helped build his Morrinsville contracting business with the help of his wife, Angela.

Add a dairy farm upbringing and share-milking experience to the mix, and it would appear Tony is an ideal person to be co-owner of Hartland Agriculture Ltd. “As a teenager I spent a lot of time driving for contractors,” Tony Hart says.

After playing rugby overseas, he returned to the family farm about 2000 when many local contractors were retiring which “left a little bit of a hole”.

“A lot contractors were a long way away; we were always at the bottom of the list and I thought there was an opportunity to start up contracting, something I had always loved. Machines had always been a bit of a passion so it was never a job.”

Hartland Agriculture Ltd subsequently started in 2001 with three tractors, a rake and a round baler, plus cultivation and sowing equipment. From that modest base business has mushroomed, largely without the need to advertise.

At the time the Hart’s were also 50:50 sharemilkers, followed by an equity partnership, sold in 2011.

“My mission statement is that I don’t want to be the largest contractor, but I want to be the best.

I suppose from my sporting background I’m a very competitive person.”

Tony last played rugby in 2008, but during the two years up to 2015 he coached the Morrinsville Rugby and Sports Club under-21 team.

He believes the discipline and attitude needed to play representative rugby to go “above and beyond” have been an asset in building the business.

Hartland Agriculture Ltd started in 2001 with three tractors, a rake and a round baler, plus cultivation and sowing equipment.

“To be successful you’ve got to do the same sort of thing.”

He admits the initial years running the business while still dairy farming were tough, “but that’s what had to be done to get established”. However, a benefit of that background is that it creates a strong awareness of client’s needs.

“Having been involved in the dairy farming industry for so long I know the sort of job that’s

expected and required. I treat every job as though its my own farm.”

This ethos, also embraced by the company’s staff, has been a big part of the company’s growth and success.

During the busy silage and maize harvesting season, Hartland Agriculture’s five full-time staff increase to 18 to 20 staff which keeps Tony busy dealing with clients, as well as operating machinery, and Angela working 30 to 40 hours a week on wages and accounts.

The company’s equipment includes 14 John Deere tractors, a Case tractor, two John Deere selfpropelled forage harvesters and four Foden trucks,

along with a full range of harvesting, cultivating and sowing equipment.

As a result, the company faces eye-watering diesel bills during its busiest periods; its two forage harvesters alone use about 3000 litres of fuel during 24 hours of operation.

Because the area around Morrinsville is intensively farmed, most jobs are within a 30km radius which enables Tony to personally deal with the majority of his clients.

“We’ve reached a level which is sustainable for me to run and to still be able do a bit of driving.

“My biggest kick still is driving the machinery, I still love doing that side of it.”

Tony Hart owns Hartland Agricultural with wife Angela.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Ritchie & Cathy Martinoviche

| 43

Fighting the battle against herd facial eczema Karen Phelps With spore counts of over 300,000 in the local area this year, lower order sharemilkers Ritchie and Cathy Martinoviche have been battling facial eczema in their herd.

Located at Mangatangi, south of Auckland, the Martinoviches are lower order sharemilkers on a 250ha effective/280ha total farm milking 620 friesian cross cows.

Previously by dosing the cows with zinc and the fact that they feed maize and silage, meaning that the cows don’t need to eat the grass right down, they had got facial eczema under control.

But this season’s wet muggy weather has seen a resurgence of the problem with a number of cows showing signs of the disease.

The Martinoviches have coped with the problem by dosing the cows with zinc on the milking platform via a Dosatron inline dispenser and varying the dose according to the spore count. They also administer zinc in the troughs, with an additive to make it palatable.

This system works provided the cows drink enough water to get the required dose, says Ritchie. On their 178ha runoff block located 10km from the farm where they graze young stock, it’s not as easy as the younger cows are not monitored every day in the remoter location and don’t tend to drink as much water as older cows.

Instead, the Martinoviches use Agritrade’s Time Capsule, a zinc bolus, which releases a steady supply of zinc. It’s working well but it’s still an issue on their farm that requires constant monitoring.

The couple are sharemilking on Ritchie’s parents’ farm. Ritchie grew up on farms at Ruawai, Glenbrook and Te Aroha. As soon as he finished school he started working on the family farm. At the age of 21, he headed to Auckland where he worked in a variety of jobs for a number of years including courier and truck driving.

He returned to the family farm in 2007 and he and Cathy started lower order sharemilking in 2010 for his parents Brian and Jan. The herd is milked through a 50 aside herringbone shed and the Martinoviches herd has split calving milking year round so young stock on the runoff range from calves to rising twoyear-olds. An automatic calf feeder at the run off makes this easier.

They rear all their Herefords to wieners and sell them. This season they reared around 200, which has provided good cash flow in a low pay out

year, says Ritchie.

Last season, they decided to utilise a farm adviser/nutritionist and now regularly analyse the grass and match the feed to what nutrients are needed.

“For example, if it’s low-protein grass we put high protein feed into the system. Typical supplements we use are grass and maize silage, palm kernel and onions,” says Richie.

Silage is grown on the run off and last season they grew 11ha of maize resulting in 270 tonnes of dry matter and bought in an additional 250 tonnes. They also bought in 350 tonnes of palm kernel and 300 tonnes of onions.

The Martinoviches employ two full-time and one part-time staff member. Casuals help out as needed.

While many farmers are reducing herd numbers the Martinoviches are bucking the trend. Last season the farm produced 210,000 kilograms of milk solids milking 580 cows.

This season, they aim to produce 235,000 kilograms with their herd of 620. Next season they plan to raise numbers slightly to 650 cows and target 270,000 kilograms.

Ritchie and Cathy Martinoviches are lower order sharemilkers on a 250ha effective/280ha total farm milking 620 friesian cross cows.

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44 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Geoff & Louise Giltrap

NZ Dairy

Living the farm dream - in paradise Russell Fredric

A neck of the woods in Northland has turned out to be a slice of paradise for dairy farming couple Geoff and Louise Giltrap.

The Giltrap’s moved to their 130 hectare Okaihau farm, 17km west from Kerikeri, three years ago after share-milking in Waikato and are enjoying all the area and the nearby Bay of Islands has to offer.

Their property comprises 90ha effective, with 40ha of native bush on rolling contour at about 320 metres above sea level in an area with a reputation as some of the best land in Northland.

“It’s got high, reliable rainfall, it’s fertile and it will grow grass,”Geoff Giltrap says.

“It’s great. We don’t want to live anywhere else now. We haven’t got farm owners barking down our neck and we live in a great part of the country.

“We get more visitors, with people wanting to visit the area and I really enjoy showing people round and it’s still quite an under-rated part of the country for farming.”

Their ability to buy the farm was a result of selling the cream of their livestock, but this left the Giltrap’s with the challenge of managing a low performing herd, so a huge focus has been on breeding, the goal being a mid-sized black and white herd with good udder form.

“This is going to take time to achieve.”

This season, the herd was reduced by 15 percent to 200 cows, palm kernel extract removed from the system and during the last two seasons nitrogen inputs have been reduced to 100kg.

As a result of the lower stocking rate they have seen a huge improvement in animal health, achieving a 4.5 percent empty rate, seeing a lift in production and an even greater lift in profitability for the past season.

The changes saw more than $120,000 taken out of farm working expenses, resulting in $3.04 FWE/ kg/MS. While the a stocking rate of 2.3 cows per hectare may seem low there is a bigger seasonal picture. “The grass growth in Northland is more even all year round than, say the Waikato, where there is a spring flush, so we can actually get away with having less replacements and a lower stocking rate.”

“You’ve got to have grass to grow grass, look after it and it will look after you” He bases his grazing decisions on leaf stage, always aiming at the third leaf, as opposed to measuring pasture covers and aiming to leave grass in the paddock postgrazing, while feeding balelage at times to stop overgrazing.

Figures show a 45% increase in pasture production, grazing at 2.5 to 3 leaves.

Pasture improvement is an ongoing focus with maize silage grown in rotation on-farm in conjunction with a pasture renewal program;

Geoff and Louise Giltrap farm 90ha effectve, with 40ha of native busy on rolling contour at about 320m above sea level.

the maize utilizes nutrients in the dairy effluent, reducing fertiliser costs, and a traveling irrigator installed last season helps with reducing conventional nitrogen inputs.

“I’ve always felt that’s a cycle you can get in to, and you get out of a natural nitrogen cycle where clover’s working for you.”

Louise Giltrap says the farm was a mess when they bought it.

“It was just awful. I cried for the first six weeks and it never stopped raining. We were out on farm all day, every day just cleaning up.”

Fortunately, both the rain and tears subsided and Louise now enjoys the lifestyle afforded by the farm, the region and her community involvement which includes a radio slot, writing a newspaper column, working as a marriage celebrant, and an ambassador for the Northland Emergency Services Trust.

“I think it gives you a lifestyle you just couldn’t possibly imagine on a big unit or owning multiple farms.”

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Harkaway Farm

| 45

Environmental focus important Karen Phelps Sometimes you don’t realise what you’ve got until someone else points it out.

Such was possibly the case for Nukumaru Farm owners David and Adrienne Hopkins, who have just won the 2016 Horizon Ballance Farm Environment supreme award in conjunction with Ben and Belinda Price, who have just completed their second season as sharemilkers on the farm.

“When we arrived at this farm we saw it with fresh eyes. It’s an amazing farm and it was a no-brainer to enter the competition so we encouraged David and Adrienne,” says Belinda.

She says that the Hopkins have always focused on the environment on their 248ha farm just south of Waitotara. It was in 1993 the Hopkins created the dairy farm from two run-offs and started planting shelterbelts and areas of native trees.

They also established a plant nursery on the farm and embarked on a farm tree-planting programme using natives that David had grown himself. The farm now boasts 30 different species of native birds, 51 species of native trees, six species of wetland plants and 25 shelter and ornamental species.

Other initiatives were instigated in conjunction with the Prices who share the Hopkins enthusiasm for preserving and enhancing the environment. For example, when the Hopkins came up with the idea to develop a 0.5ha wetland on the farm, to absorb and filter nitrates and phosphates and eliminate sediment run-off, the Prices suggested involving the local Waverley School, which their children attended, to make it a learning experience for the community. Pupils

• To page 46

Waverley School students helping to plant the very first cell of the wetland in December, 2014.

Congratulations to Supreme Winners David and Adrienne Hopkins and Belinda and Ben Price

46 |

DAIRY INDUSTRY » Harkaway Farm

NZ Dairy

Environmental focus important for farmers • From page 45 of the school including the Price’s sons, Hayden, 9, and Tobi, 7, helped plant the new wetland.

“By showing them the plants, wetland and how much cows eat and excrete in a day they understood a lot more about farming and how to protect the environment. Because we had one planting in 2014 and the second a year later they also got to see how the plants had developed,” says Belinda.

The association with the school has continued and last season sunflowers grown around the maize crop on the farm were sold to a Whanganui florist and the proceeds donated to the school as both the Prices and the Hopkins believe in helping people where possible and being an integral part of the community.

Just days before winning the Horizon Ballance Farm Environment supreme award, the Prices had won the Taranaki Share Farmer of the Year title in the 2016 Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards.

The Prices milk a herd of 650 cows and say

entering the Dairy Industry Awards this year (they also entered in 2013 and placed third) helped confirm they are on the right track and are set up to run an efficient farming operation. They are presently focusing on building up a more efficient herd with better feed conversion. They have managed to keep farm working expenses low at two dollars per kilogram of milk solids.

Due to a drought they have finished up producing 216,000 kilograms of milk solids, down from their initial target of 252,000 kilograms.

They say working on the Hopkins farm has really encouraged them about the possibilities of dairy farming.

“We’re grateful to have had the opportunity to work here for David and Adrienne. They’ve walked in our shoes and worked their way up through the system. They have given us job security which is massive in this economic climate.”

Belinda dropping of some of the sunflowers to the local florist in Whanganui with proceeds donated to the local -school

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NZ Dairy

| 47

Tips for Effective Calf Rearing Successful calf rearing relies on getting the basics right, attention to detail across the board, and promoting health and immunity. The basics covers good biosecurity, hygiene, housing, ventilation, bedding, management and nutrition, including feeding timely and adequate amounts of quality colostrum.

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Adequate levels of basic nutrients, such as energy yielding nutrients, amino acids (protein), carbohydrates, major and trace minerals and vitamins provide the basic building blocks for good growth and health.

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They work together to prevent proliferation of potential pathogens, such as E coli, Salmonella, Rotovirus. Therefore, a healthy gut and microbial population helps ensure a healthy animal.

Probiotics containing specific strains of lactic acid producing bacteria help establish a stable gut environment suitable for commensal bacteria which work with the gut to modulate the gut’s immune system.

The bacteria need to be encapsulated or freeze dried so they remain in a live but dormant state until fed to calves, as they need to be biologically active to have a beneficial effect.

Prebiotics are generally indigestible, to animals, but can bind potentially pathogenic bacteria, so inactivating them, and/or interact with the gut lining to increase its immune capability. A number of these prebiotics are based on specific components (manno-oligosaccharides, β-glucans) of yeast cell walls.

Specific live yeast strains have also been demonstrated to neutralise bacterial toxins, promote proliferation of commensal lactic acid bacteria improving feed digestion, and stimulate intestinal immune function.

Trials with specialised strains have recorded higher feed intakes, faster growth rates and reduced mortality.

Most products for young calves also contain a coccidiostat, which reduce the challenge from the Eimeria protozoa, allowing time for calves to develop their own immunity.

The most effective strategy to maximise calf survival and growth rates throughout the calving season would be to incorporate all the strategies outlined above, as this will provide sufficient nutrients, and promote a healthy gut and robust immune system.

48 |

DAIRY INDUSTRY » Unique Services Group

NZ Dairy

Best practice, cost efficient cleaning solutions Kelly Deeks In any food processing operation it is critical for all walls, floors, ceilings, processing plant, drains, vents, and other services to be cleaned and sanitised to the highest standards.

From its base in Auckland, Unique Services is dedicated to implementing the correct methods to result in best practice and cost efficiencies for its food production and manufacturing clients New Zealand wide.

Unique Services supports some of New Zealand’s premier companies and 80 percent of our food manufacturing plants with critical hygiene cleaning, specialised painting, chiller poly-panel repairs, sweeping, scrubbing, and even looking after their grounds.

Unique Services provides a range of Redline hygiene cleans to suit all needs, and assist food producing and manufacturing companies to meet their audits.

Redline cleaning services can be hot, cold, or steam wash, with or without chemicals, and Redline anti-microbial services can assist in the reduction of the risk of pathogens.

All Unique Services equipment and cleaning products are MPI approved.

Unique Services Group sales manager Paul Schoch says much of the company’s plant and machinery has been custom designed and purpose built to meet the high levels of expectation and need of Unique Services’ extensive client portfolio.

“All of our equipment is cleaned, sanitised, and mechanically checked prior to leaving our site and again before entering client work sites, ensuring a smooth critical hygiene/redline entry and exit and giving our clients the confidence that all our plant and machinery is sanitised and checked,” he says.

Unique Services has specially trained teams to attend sites requiring urgent attention.

“We can provide deep cleans, sanitation options,

and perform bacteria treatments,” Paul says. “Our anti-microbial services can test for the presence of bacteria, deal with the risk of pathogens, and contain bacteria outbreaks with a full range of sanitising chemicals. Where the use of chemicals is undesirable, we can clean chemical-free with steam, which kills bacteria.”

Unique Services is Contractor Prequalification NZ (CPNZ) qualified and as such understands and carries out the legal obligations under health and safety law to hold the safety of its and its clients’ staff to the highest standards at all times.

Unique Services is heavily involved in scheduled infrastructure cleaning, with a number of clients structuring their cleaning programmes on a prioritised quarterly basis, spread over a rolling 12-month cycle. Maintenance programmes are prepared and customised for each client’s specific requirements, and Unique Services also prepares and provides specifications, inspections, and reports.

Paul says by using the correct programmes for each client’s individual needs, their maintenance and replacement costs can be significantly reduced.

Unique Services works closely with its clients and their auditors to keep sites safe from potential hygiene hazards, and can swiftly deal with any problems which may prevent compliance with food safety and hygiene audit requirements.

Food manufacturing areas can be upgraded with repair of damaged poly-panel and other surfaces, and repainting.

Confined spaces and high work areas are no problem for Unique Services, with all the approved safety equipment, NZQA qualifications, and trained staff.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » PKW Farms

| 49

Taranaki Ballance Farm Environment awards judges described Matt Kellbrick’s, left, and Roger Landers management of Parininihi ki Waitotara’s Farm 2 as “brilliant”. Photos: Quentin Bedwell

Building on what went before Russell Fredric Parininihi ki Waitotara’s (PKW) dairy farm supervisor, Roger Landers, is quick to point out that some of the incorporation’s recent success in the 2016 Taranaki Ballance Farm Environment award is the culmination of the efforts of those who have gone before.

Based in Taranaki, PKW is a Maori incorporation which owns 20,000 hectares of productive dairy and dairy support land and has a range of business interests which also include crayfishing, forestry and commercial property.

Its vision is for innovative and sustainable

farm management and to protect, manage and invest its shareholders’ assets for future generations.

Farming is PKW’s major investment, comprising 15 dairy farms and 10 dairy support or dry stock properties.

The incorporation, which farms its own land, infrastructure and livestock, employs and contracts a range of farm managers and sharemilkers.

It is Fonterra’s largest Taranaki-based milk supplier and the 13th largest in New Zealand.

• To page 50

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50 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » PKW Farms

NZ Dairy

Matt Kelbrick manages PKW’s Farm 2 Meremere Road. The farm is on 159ha just east of Hawea and comprises 100ha of mostly flat milking platform and 30ha of pine.

Building success on the foundations laid before • From page 49 Two of the six finalists entered in this year’s Taranaki Ballance Farm Environment awards were PKW farms; Farm 13, Skeet Rd, managed

by Levi Scown and overseen by Shane Miles, and

Farm 2, Meremere Rd, managed by Matt Kelbrick and supervised by Roger Landers which won the supreme award.

Farm 2 is on 159ha just east of Hawera and comprises 100ha of mostly flat milking platform and 30ha of pine established in gullies and on steeper contour.

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In 2014, PKW transformed the 50:50 sharemilking structure on Farm 2 to a managed farm, when a new effluent system and a 60-bale rotary cowshed with in-shed feeding was built.

About 9ha of turnips are grown on the farm and 7.5ha of maize on a nearby run-off block.

The award judges described Roger Landers and

Matt Kelbrick’s management as “brilliant” and said the pride taken in the farm was evident.

They noted that the inclusion of an in-shed feeding system and astute management resulted in a dramatic production increase, with the new regime achieving almost 32,000kg/MS more production with just five more cows. Production

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » PKW Farms

last season, from 335 friesian cross cows was 145,067kg/MS, and this year, with 325 cows in a system three operation, they are targeting 140,000 kg/MS. Effluent can currently be spread over 32ha with the system compliant for 500 cows.

PKW plans for future farm expansion which will include a system extension.

Water is treated as a major necessity to futureproof the business, with a new farm system being planned sufficient for up to 800 cows at season peak.

Roof water is recycled, the milking shed uses green water wash for the yard from treated effluent and solar panels are installed on the cowshed roof.

The judges noted the biodiversity of the farm reflected the long-term view of land guardianship expressed by PKW as a corporate. All waterways are fenced, old oxidation ponds filled in and small areas of the farm are being retired and planted with natives.

“All development and planning shows a commitment to economical and environmentally sustainable farming.”

“Outstanding” use of new technologies ensures long term sustainability while the exceptional working relationship between Roger and Matt is resulting in excellent outcomes for the farming business, they said.

“The passion shown by Matt for this farm, and agriculture, was inspirational.”

All entries in the awards go through a process which considers the entire environment the farm operates within, with particular consideration given to sustainable profitability, environmental awareness, good business practices and social community responsibility.

Roger Landers said when he started his role nearly two years ago, the milking shed was almost complete and the effluent system was a “work in motion”.

“Some of that infrastructure was part of the award and some of it’s the management. I can’t take the credit for everything that other people have done.”

| 51

In 2014, PKW transformed the 50:50 sharemilking structure on Farm 2 to a managed farm, when a new effluent system and a 60-bale rotary cowshed with in-shed feeding was built.

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52 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Hilhorst Farms

NZ Dairy

South Waikato dairy farmer Hayden Hilhorst, who is in his forth season as a lower order sharemilker with wife Narelle, with his children, William and Zoe. In the background is 2IC John Young.

Good summer pays dividends Kelly Deeks A good summer and autumn on Hayden and Narelle Hilhorst’s South Waikato dairy farm has helped them to keep costs down in this low milk pay out season, with less brought in feed, and set them up for winter with plenty of feed still on hand.

Hayden and Narelle are now in their fourth season lower order sharemilking 700 cows at Hayden’s parents, Wendy and Peter’s 262ha farm at Atiamuri.

The couple came to the property in 2010 as farm assistants, a year later took over as managers, and 12 months after that started

lower order sharemilking.

The couple have focused on continual improvement of both the farm and their business.

They have a proactive attitude and like to get things done before any issues can arise.

An example of this was the significant investment into the effluent system two years ago, when a sump was replaced with a 1.3 million litre PermaSteel tank.

This gave the Hilhorsts more than 30 days of storage, more control over when and where they spread effluent, and the ability to fully use the nutrients in their pastures.

The couple even do all their cultivation and

• To page 54

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Next season, the Hilhorsts will have a go with fodder beet for the first time, in case of another dry, and will probably drop out one summer feed paddock to put into fodder beet. They have heard some rave reviews about its ability to put weight on cows from other farmers in the area who are getting reasonably good results from it.

NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Hilhorst Farms

| 53

Hayden Hilhorst lower order sharemilks 700 cows with his wife Narelle on Hayden’s parents 262ha farm at Atiamuri, South Waikato.

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54 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Hilhorst Farms

NZ Dairy

Hayden says this season the couple used chicory for the first time as well as the usual 13ha of turnips , in preparation for the strong drought predicted for summer.

Good summer and autumn pays dividends for Waikato farmers • From page 52 fertiliser spreading to maintain greater control, while allowing Hayden to also indulge his love of machinery.

Hayden says this season the couple used chicory for the first time as well as the usual 13ha of turnips , in preparation for the strong drought predicted for summer.

“We were prepared for that but it didn’t happen,” he says. “We ended up making more silage in January, February, and even the start of March, and we only started feeding it out in June.”

The extra feed has allowed the Hilhorsts to milk a few extra cows from last season, about 15 to 20, just because they had them and were able to feed them.

Hayden says grass-wise the farm is looking a lot better for winter than last year, and the usual 190 cows wintered off farm he is able to cut to

150 cows this year.

He also has kale in the winter crops, but the wet summer has caused stem rot and has hindered the yields, losing about a ton of dry matter to the hectare.

Next season the Hilhorsts will have a go with fodder beet for the first time, in case of another dry, and will probably drop out one summer feed paddock to put into fodder beet.

They have heard some rave reviews about its ability to put weight on cows from other farmers in the area who are getting reasonably good results from it.

Production was down 3% this season, which Hayden attributes to a changeable climate, with the cold spring followed by a hot summer causing the cows some discomfort.

Hayden and Narelle are trying to keep positive through this low milk pay out, and want to increase production next season with plenty of feed on hand, while keeping costs down.

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Michael & Suzie Woodward

| 55

Canterbury Share Farmers of the Year Susie and Michael Woodward want to be industry leaders and close the urban rural divide.

On a mission to educate others Kelly Deeks

Canterbury Share Farmers of the Year Michael and Susie Woodward have already achieved half of their dairy dream and are well on the way to achieving the rest.

“We want to be industry leaders and help to close the urban rural divide,” they say. Industry leaders – check. Urban rural divide – still in progress!

Michael and Susie are seeing the divide all

the time, and feel some people making decisions about the industry are uninformed and make them without even going out on farm to see what’s happening.

‘That’s the biggest thing we’re trying to do – get people to come out and see what goes on, where their food gets made, and how the milk gets into the bottle,” Michael says.

“The first season back we met all our production targets and KPIs, but there’s still a lot of room to move. Next season will be about pushing it, without spending too much.”

The couple are part of Dairy NZ’s Rosie’s Education Find a Farmer service, which targets school-age children and teaches them all about

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DAIRY PEOPLE Âť Michael & Suzie Woodward

In the Dairy Industry Awards, Michael and Susie Woodwards won merit awards in Human resources, farm safety and health, recording and productivity and leadership

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Michael & Suzie Woodward

| 57

On a mission to educate others about farm life • From page 55 the dairy industry. Visits to farm or farmer visits to the school provide learning experiences that complement and reinforce the programme learned in the classroom.

“Quite often the people we’re really educating in these groups are the parents and teachers that come along,” says Susie.

“They’re the ones who ask the questions and they learn a lot about what we do. For the kids, just to come out and touch a calf is amazing for them.

“We want to get their knowledge going in the right direction rather than just believe what they hear off farm.”

Michael and Susie are 50:50 sharemilkers and run 1000 cows for Purata Farming at Dunsandel.

They have been employed on large scale dairy farms for 13 years.

This was their second season back as hands on operators after overseeing two farms with managers on both.

“It’s been nice going back to really hands on and making the decisions that need to be made on the day they need to be made,” Michael says.

“The first season back we met all our production targets and KPIs, but there’s still a lot of room to move. Next season will be about pushing it, without spending too much.”

In the Dairy Industry Awards, the couple were stoked to win merit awards in each of the four areas they are passionate about – human resources, farm safety and health, recording and productivity, and leadership.

“Susie is at home with the kids but she leads a lot of these areas from the house and makes sure she communicates the expectation to us on farm, and we carry out her plan,” Michael says. “And she’s got her little cow babies.”

He’s talking about Susie’s brown Swiss cows, who are expecting their first calves this season.

“Some people have hobbies off farm, but we just like to tinker with cows and machinery,” she says.

The couple are now looking forward to getting on the other side of the awards, looking after the entrants in the share faming category, and doing a bit of judging.

“Everyone will be putting what they think they do well on their farms out there. For me, part of it will be taking those things back to our farm.”

Michael and Susie are 50:50 sharemilkers and run 1000 cows for Purata Farming at Dunsandel. They have been employed on large scale dairy farms for 13 years. he couple are part of Dairy NZ’s Rosie’s Education Find a Farmer service, which targets school-age children and teaches them all about the dairy industry.

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Fodderbeet Planting

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58 |

DAIRY PEOPLE» John van der Goes

NZ Dairy

Change to fodder beet worthwhile Kelly Deeks

When Brian Cornish from SMART (Smaller Milk and Supply Herds) suggested John van der Goes try fodder beet last season, he initially said he wasn’t interested.

By February, he was thankful he’d changed his mind.

“We were doing chicory and I thought with the down turn it’s not the time to be experimenting,” John says.

“There was a big drought predicted and I changed my mind. We ended up with our cows full and quite happy in the middle of our dry period, when they are normally looking for extra feed.”

John and his wife Cathy are smaller herd farmers with a 60ha dairy farm and 30ha run off at Richmond Downs, near Walton in the Waikato.

They milk 160 cows on the dairy farm, and run replacements and make silage on the run off.

John has closed down his silage pit and will bale all his silage next season.

“With the fodder beet on board, we didn’t need the amount of silage each day that we used to. We closed down the silage pit because we weren’t getting through the face fast enough and it would turn mouldy.”

Baling his silage will also mean John can cut when the grass is at the right stage, rather than having to wait to have enough for the loader wagons.

“Hopefully this will mean better quality silage, and bales will be easier to allocate feed and easier for our relief staff to use,” John says. “It also will remove the need to replace our aging feed out wagon, a cost that we don’t need at this time.”

John is going to start feeding fodder beet earlier this season, saying it takes about 45 days to get through a paddock, so if he wants the paddock to go back into grass, he will have to start earlier.

“We feel fodder beet doesn’t actually increase production, but it holds production, so the earlier you get in, the higher you can hold your production,” he says.

“We thought we had to wait until the 100 days was up to get the full benefit of the crop, but really we can start a bit earlier and maybe sacrifice a bit of yield, but get that production advantage.”

John is also looking at the strategic side of his business, and is part of the Matamata-Piako Dairy Push which aims to help farmers improve their performance in the areas of people, profit, and planet.

“We got a bit of a fright when we found out our expenses were $5.50,” he says.

“We have joined Dairy Base which has given us the ability to compare our results with others and highlight areas where we can improve.”

The Dairy Push also has John in Dairy NZ’s Sustainable Milk Project, the largest environmental good-practice project ever undertaken by the dairy industry.

The project is providing free, one-one-

The van der Goes run a 60ha dairy farm and 30ha run off at Richmond Downs, near Walton in the Waikato.

Meet Feed Demand with Lower Feed Cost Recently I participated in a Dairy NZ on farm discussion group where (and as expected) the current on farm feed situation and herd condition was compared and discussed between all participants. Cutting to the nub was the focus on how additional dry matter needed to be produced on-farm without the need for bought in costly supplements.

Skillfully the Dairy NZ consultant asked the group to identify the factors on farm that they could influence and control, and those they couldn’t. There was not a strong awareness within the group that decisions like selecting the right variety of ryegrass (from such a vast range available) can make a significant difference to annual production over the grass platform. Similarly, growing, harvesting, and feeding maize year round was deemed not be the most sensible or economic practice.

In practice it is not so difficult to estimate your current annual pasture production and compare this to your herd demand. Completing this analysis and then identifying the various options to fill any shortfalls most economically is something a good agronomist can help you with.

While at first reluctant, a decision by John van der Goes to plant fodder beet is now paying dividends.

one advice and support to 700 farms in the catchment, and aims to reduce nutrient and sediment loads going into the Waikato River, as well as improve water use efficiency on farm.

The above farm is typical in that extensive summer dry periods affect the ability of the farm to maintain summer/autumn production on both a per animal as well as total number milk solids produced basis.

Additionally this effect carries into both winter and early spring and is reflected by having reduced pasture cover available.

How we manage these feed shortfalls, typically occurring January to May, has to be considered as both an economic as well as an important practical decision. Traditional summer crops have had a fixed maturit – or if you like “use by date”. After this “use by date”, quality and usability decline, creating a management challenge in the constantly changing environmental conditions. More recently (last 7 years) crops such as fodder beet have demonstrated a true versatility with the crop being used from January to August in both lactating herds and for dry cows. Yields of +25 tonne quality DM per Ha are achievable under an effective program, so options exist to determine a feeding plan for any herd.

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Couple this with very high yields of high energy feed, and importantly - a cost typically less than half the cost of palm kernel or hay/silage. Considering this, it is no wonder that farmers like John van der Goes and dairy farmers nationwide are waking up to the potential of growing their own strategically timed crops to supplement deficiencies in their pasture growth and dramatically increase their own on farm DM production economically.

Prepared by Brian Cornish, Consulting Agronomist for Smart Forage and Pasture Phone: 0800 55 60 55 Email: smart@smartforage.co.nz

NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Waibury Farms

| 59

Strong business model works well Sue Russell When Mark Holland formed Waibury Farms in 2000, he held strong convictions not only about how best to secure sound financial outcomes for investors but also how to operate an inherently strong business model which would see skilled farm managers become equity partners on farms with the goal of cash and capital growth for all.

In ensuing years, Waibury (a merging of Waikato and Canterbury to give it its name) has invested in eight dairy units in the Hurunui district in North Canterbury.

The farms are all situated in the flat and highly fertile Amuri basin and range in size from 243 to 358 hectares, with herds ranging from 830 to 1180 cows.

“We could see the potential of substantially improving production on these farms by handpicking equity managers who were passionate about dairy farming and of securing their own foothold in the industry by investing in themselves and the farm.

“It is a strong model and to date it has proved extremely successful,” Mark says.

Dairy production statistics for 2013-2014 indicate just how productive North Canterbury has become and particularly the Hurunui district.

The region ranked the highest in per cow production statistics at 416 kgMS per cow and 1,457 kgMS per hectare, with an average stocking rate of 3.65 cows per hectare.

The 2015-2016 season saw the group

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Waibury Farms (a merging of Waikato and Canterbury to give it its name) has invested in eight dairy units in the Hurunui district in North Canterbury.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Waibury Farms

NZ Dairy

Strong business model for Waibury working well • From page 59 average 476 milk solids per cow and approximately 1700 milk solids peer effective ha.

An achievement Mark and the team at Waibury are very proud of given the reduction in inputs due to the current economic climate.

Mark’s roles as managing director of the group is to maintain constant communication and give support to each farm’s equity manager, drawing on his own farminwwg background, and to report to his fellow board members and also to the wider 11 owner groups.

It’s a role he relishes, visiting each farm monthly to discuss current performance and identify future issues that may impact on productivity and economic performance.

“When I visit each farm my discussion are at a higher level than the day to day operation issues but I do drill down to cover off specific situations as required.

“These managers are all highly successful operators in their own right.

“By virtue of the fact that the manager has a financial stake in the farm they consider the farm is theirs as well and this makes a huge difference in terms of how we engage with each other,” says Mark.

It is remarkable that a group of unrelated farming investors have stuck together for over 16 years. “It is all about our investment philosophy of dealing with investors and with the farm operators fairly and with integrity to settle anxiety and maintain alignment of what we are here for.

The board ultimately makes the call as to how and when it will invest further in any single farm, or in another property, but there is a huge amount of transparency in our reporting to investors and in our communication with our equity managers.”

The operational management of Waibury is run through Total Management Services Limited made up of Mark Holland and Bill Donaldson, who has also been involved with Waibury sinces its formation.

The purpose of this vehicle is to not only maintain the operational excellent of Waibury but also assist operations that hold similar aspirations as Waibury.

Their collective expertise can assist other farmers in New Zealand to improve profitability, join venture options, through to succession planning.

Waibury’s farms are all situated in the flat and highly fertile Amuri basin and range in size from 243 to 358 hectares, with herds ranging from 830 to 1180 cows.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Nick Browning

| 61

For the past two seasons, Nick and Steph Browning have run only jersey cows. Pictured is Totara Dale Devo Nickel. The Browning’s stud Totara Dale has produced many winners.

Producing award-winning jerseys Kelly Deeks

As the fourth generation jersey breeder in the Browning family, Northland dairy farmer Nick Browning says as breeders try to achieve high BW evaluations, a too small jersey cow has been the result.

“If we go with what LIC and Ambreed are publishing, we’ve got to be a bit picky when choosing our bulls,” he says.

“I still believe we need stature in jerseys so they can compete with the kiwi cross. They don’t need to be the biggest cow, just a bit above average and more robust so they can handle the knocks on the Northland hills and are easier to rear.”

He reckons 47 percent of the calculation for BW being production is very low, so traits other than production make a smaller animal score higher.

“But sometimes the smaller animals can’t hack the pace with the bigger animals, and your young stock is always smaller.”

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And with this low milk pay out, beef is a bigger part of the family business, and he runs beef bulls with the jerseys to tail off, and also with cows he doesn’t want to breed from.

He is staying away from the smaller bulls, and says he doesn’t mind where it comes from as long as he gets an animal that suits his system.

“I’m not a big believer in BW, as long as we get an animal that’s doing the solids we want.”

Nick and his wife Steph have been equity partners with Nick’s parents for the past two seasons, in their 400ha farm near Dargaville, which has been in the family for 20 years.

They run a 150ha dairy platform with 370 cows, a 40ha run off block, and the remainder of the farm is used to raise dairy and beef stock.

For the past two seasons, the Brownings have run only jersey cows, replacing about 180 friesians with jerseys. They were also able to up cow numbers from 320 to 370, with Nick saying the jerseys do the same daily production as the friesians in his farming system, without getting through as much grass.

Nick’s family stud Totara Dale with its pedigree jersey herd is successful in shows

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around the North Island, winning many production and type awards.

This year, Totara Dale Ace Goddess has won champion cow three times in club competitions and Northland A and P shows.

Nick has also recently won the Jersey New Zealand Alpha Nominated Jersey Photo Competition for the third time, each time getting photos of his cows on the front cover of The Jersey Review.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Norm & Norton Aitkins

NZ Dairy

Plenty of potential left in the farm Kelly Deeks Hawke’s Bay dairy farmer and stud breeder Norm Atkins says his jersey cows are now out-producing his kiwi-cross cows, averaging 375kgs milksolids per cow, 20kgs above the kiwi-cross average.

Norm has always had a few kiwi-cross cows, and when he first started dairy farming in the early 1980s, they were the top 5 percent of his herd.

“They’re no longer the better producers,” he says.

“They have no residual beef value, and they no longer have that hybrid vigour you get on the first cross.”

Running holstein friesians and ayrshires as well, Norm gets to see a good comparison between the breeds.

His 350 cow split calving herd logged a reasonably respectable 130,000kgs milksolids this season on 120ha effective with 220 calves reared on whole milk. The 60 holstein friesians averaged 440kg milksolids per cow and the 20 ayrshires 444kg milksolids per cow.

He says only a minority of dairy farmers are herd testing, and it would be interesting to see how more straight jerseys are measuring up against the kiwi-cross, especially the daughters of Checkpoint, the highest BW kiwi-cross bull.

Norm now has his son Norton working on the farm in between finishing his PhD in dairy cow nutrition. He has convinced Norm to plant some fodder beet this winter, and Norm is hoping he can replicate the 30 ton plus crop with no irrigation achieved by a nearby Norsewood farmer - and maybe try some on his dry stock and young stock, too.

Norm has always had a policy of maximising the amount of cow effluent going straight out of the cow and on to the paddocks to grow grass.

“Back in 1992, we heard the cow’s urine patch was the equivalent of 1000kg of nitrogen per hectare, but it’s clinically impossible. The cow would have to have a minimum of 10 grams per litre of soluble nitrogen applied to 0.2 square metres, and no living cow can do that.”

Nine years ago, Norm had the nitrate level in the water tested in the Makotuku stream at the end of the dairy farm. It was 1g/m3. Three years later it was 0.39g/m3, and three years later in 2015 it was down to 0.185g/m3.

“It’s difficult to say why this happened, except ourselves and our neighbours had an improved effluent spray area, a bit more riparian fencing, and we are all low users of nitrogen fertilisers,” Norm says.

“All my life I have been happy to have improved the aesthetics and environment of the land we farm.

That and attempting to breed superior livestock are my main motivations for farming.”

Norm and Dell Aitkin amongst the winter milkers.

Right, dry cows and heifers.

Tree planting had always been a pleasure for Norm. Radiata pine where it is necessary to outrun the gorse, and also thinking ahead to the time when wood treatments may be under threat, he plants a lot of ground durable species like thuja plicata (western red cedar) and eucalyptus muelleriana (yellow stringybarks), and helps the regeneration of natives by spraying competing blackberry and barberry.

Norm and Del worked hard last season, not replacing two staff members who moved on because of the dairy downturn.

The drystock land has been invaluable, making 52% of the couple’s income last season.

Norm feels he has only scratched the surface of the farm’s potential, and is enthused to keep improving with Norton’s management input, and hopefully more time and money.

“All my life I have been happy to have improved the aesthetics and environment of the land we farm. That and attempting to breed superior livestock are my main motivations for farming.”

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NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Peter & Kathy Horn / Murray & Helen Jagger

| 63

Farmers keen to keep playing a role in the local community Karen Phelps

The sign outside Peter and Kathy Horn’s Fairmont Farm where they produce A2 milk.

Hopes focus on A2 milk leads to opening more doors Kelly Deeks After more than 100 years of jersey breeding, Peter and Kathy Horn’s studs Ku Ku and Allandale now have a new focus which Peter believes will now be the opening door for the jersey breed.

From their Fairmount Farm, Peter and Kathy are now producing A2/A2 milk, which contains the A2 type of beta-casein protein, rather than the more common mix of A1/A2 protein found in regular milk.

As the A2 protein digests differently from the A1 protein, those who have discomfort or other issues digesting regular milk can often enjoy the nutritional goodness of fresh, natural A2 milk without any tummy troubles.

Peter and Kathy are proud to sell their milk direct to customers from their farm, located on the main road between Feilding and Palmerston North, where thousands of vehicles drive past the farm gate every day.

They are following the family tradition, with KuKu milk sold on farm by the Horn family and from Ohau, Levin more than 100 years ago.

Peter says there is a demand for raw milk, and A2 milk is becoming more and more popular.

Add the fact their milk is also pure jersey milk, and the couple believe they are on to a winning combination.

“Jersey milk has more protein and less lactose than other breeds, and it is also known for its excellence in cheese-making,” Peter says.

“Our customers love our milk for different reasons. Some because it is unpasteurised, some because it is A2, and others because it is jersey milk and you can see the cream sitting at the top of the bottle.”

Guthrie Ag Work

The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) introduced new regulations for the sale of raw milk to consumers in March 2016. Because the Horns already provide raw milk to Open County Dairy (OCD) many of the standards were already met through the raw milk quality grading and testing by OCD. “We also package our milk in glass bottles that we sterilise ourselves,” Peter says. “The bottles are recycled so the cost for our customers is one-off.

This makes the milk taste even better!”

The Horns milk 200 pedigree jersey cows and have been breeding towards producing A2 milk for the past 10 years by using A2/A2 bulls.

The cows in their A2 milking herd have all been individually DNA tested to be A2/A2 and they are milked before the main milking herd each day.

“Our herd is a closed herd, so we are able to contain and maintain a high standard of animal health,” Peter says.

The Horn family have been pioneers in New Zealand’s jersey industry, beginning with Peter’s great grandfather and master breeder Robert Letham Horn.

Robert bought Owler of Puketapu as a yearling from W. H. Booth, who bred Owler at Carterton in 1917.

“Owler was mated with some outstanding breeding cows in the Ku Ku herd, and with Robert’s undoubted ability as one of the greatest studmasters the breed has ever known in New Zealand, the Ku Ku stud became the top stud in New Zealand because of that bull,” Peter says.

He is now concerned about the Jersey breeds popularity waning and hopes that if more breeders embrace A2 genetics the breed could have a resurgence.

North Island farmers Murray and Helen Jagger have a long history in the community in which they farm.

Their farm at Whangarei Heads has been in Murray’s family since the 1850s and has milked cows from the get go. Murray says the locals used to arrive at the original farm dairy with billies in hand to collect their milk each day. The dairy unit grew over the years as the family purchased additional land to give the 235ha effective/550ha total - a mixture of owned and leased land - which Murray and Helen farm today.

The Jaggers milk a herd of 650 jerseys through a 50 aside herringbone with Protrack, automatic drafting, walk over weighing, in-shed meal feeding system and a recently installed heat detection camera.

“We want to remove the bulls from the herd.

Instead of buying in beef finishing bulls each year we will do AI, which will mitigate health and safety risks from having bulls on the farm. We are also aiming for reduced lameness in bulls and reduced lameness and injury in cows as well as a shift in the six week in-calf rate. It’s presently 73 percent and we are aiming for 80%,” explains Murray.

They plan to use five weeks of jersey AI followed by short gestation Angus genetics for the duration of mating. The Jaggers also have a dairy beef unit finishing between 50-60 steers each year and the same number of heifers. Jersey/angus cattle are farmed to 2 ½-3 years old so the new mating programme will also supply the beef operation helping to provide positive cash flow for their business and utilise their marginal land.

“Instead of taking a low value bobby calf from the herd we farm it through thus creating a lot more value from what is a by-product of the dairy business.

“We will specifically select bulls for our angus/ jersey crossbreeding which will help us to grow valuable beef stock.”

Being a coastal dryland farm they are continually trying to improve pasture production. In the last three years rainfall has been in the 600mm 800mm range per year. This poses challenges for the Jaggers in terms of pasture production and also species that will grow in the conditions.

They have a big focus on drought resistant species moving from rye grasses to fescue, cocksfoot and kikuyu.

“We’re trying to find species that will survive.

This year we have drilled a paddock with kikuyu – a naturally occurring species here – for the first time.

We know kikuyu grows well here so we’re hoping for a variety with higher ME and also a plant that will grow longer into the winter and earlier out of winter so we get a better growing pattern from the pasture,” says Murray.

The low pay-out has helped them to refocus on the basic fundamentals of their operation and trying to do these better with increased efficiency and attention to detail. They have reduced the feed in their shed last season but aiming to feed 350 tonnes this season depending on grain prices.

The Jaggers employ a herd manager and two other full time staff with Murray and Helen managing the farm and overseeing the operation.

Murray is also involved as a director of Cooperative Business New Zealand and on the board of Livestock Improvement Corporation and Marsden Maritime Holdings.

Reflecting the long history the family has had in the area, they are focused on playing a key role in the local community.

Murray is involved as a volunteer for the local fire service and president of the Whangarei Agricultural and Pastoral Society and Helen is event secretary and treasurer of Eventing Northland.

“We’re trying to find species that will survive. This year we have drilled a paddock with kikuyu – a naturally occurring species here – for the first time. We know kikuyu grows well here so we’re hoping for a variety with higher ME and also a plant that will grow longer into the winter”

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64 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Quintin Oakes Builders

NZ Dairy

New rotary shed a no brainer Kelly Deeks

Taranaki’s Chapman Dairy agent Quintin Oakes Builders was recently chosen to build a new rotary dairy parlour in Wanganui, for a dairy farmer whose existing herringbone shed was at risk of being washed away each time a heavy rain came through the area.

The herringbone shed was originally built near a river bank, and with every flood the bank was eaten away a little bit more.

In June last year, the flood took out the tanker track in front of the shed, and from the milk room there was a 10m drop to the river below.

The farmer’s insurance company agreed it wasn’t a matter of if, it was a matter of when the dairy shed would get washed away, so in order to save any loss of earnings in that event, it was time to build a new shed in a safer position above the flood line.

Quintin Oakes went down to price the job.

“He said ‘I suppose you’re going to try to convince me to build a rotary’,” he says. “I told him it would be about $150,000 more than a herringbone, so he decided with the really cheap interest rates at the moment and the rotary saving him five man hours a day, it was a no-brainer.”

Quintin contacted the council to try to push the project forward for the farmer, and managed to get started a week early.

Quintin Oakes Builders sent three builders down to stay in a cottage on the farm for four months while they built a brand new rotary Chapman Dairy parlour.

With an existing feed pad and effluent system already in place, the new dairy parlour couldn’t be built too far away from the previous one, so the yard was built up higher off the ground, and the building has a 600mm block wall all the way around it to bring it up above the flood line.

Chapman Dairy founder Don Chapman

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Quintin Oakes Builders

| 65

got involved as well as he had experience of building in this type of ground conditions.

“Don said the engineers might want to have a look at it, as he’d seen it happen before where once it floods on the outside of the building, the centre of the building acts like a boat and wants to pop up and float,” Quintin says.

“Holmes Consulting Group engineers got involved and in the centre pit, which normally takes about 8cu mec of concrete, in this project we used 42cu mec, which added weight to the centre.

All the extra concrete and reinforcing needed for weight added about $25,000 to the job. But now if they have another 100 year flood (which now seem to be happening every 10 years) they will be fine.”

To save money in this low pay out season, the farmer opted to enclose three rooms in the dairy parlour with insulated panel, while leaving the rest of it open to the elements.

“The climate down there is a bit different, and he felt the way the dairy parlour is oriented it’s not facing the prevailing winds,” Quintin says.

“We made provisions to add walls later, and I suspect we may go back once the payout gets better. This is an example of what we can do to help farmers save money on their new buildings while the pay-out is low.”

Quintin Oakes Builders has been building Chapman Dairy parlours and farm buildings since 2011, and also has years of professional experience in residential construction.

“When we do a good job of the dairy parlour, this usually results in us coming back to do something on the house, whether it’s a deck, bathroom or a new home, we can handle it all.”

“When we do a good job of the dairy parlour, this usually results in us coming back to do something on the house, whether it’s a deck, bathroom or a new home, we can handle it all.”

Quintin Oakes Builders has been building Chapman Dairy parlours and farm buildings since 2011, and also has years of professional experience in residential construction.

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66 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Don Chapman Waikato

NZ Dairy

Plenty of work despite downturn Kelly Deeks Specialist rural construction company Don Chapman Waikato has snuck in a few more residential and commercial projects this year, in anticipation of a low milk pay out downturn, but has been pleasantly surprised at how much rural work is still coming in.

Managing director Shanan White says a few more residential and commercial projects have kept up the skill levels of the Don Chapman Waikato team, but there are still four new milking parlours and four milking parlour alterations currently on the books.

Shanan has had the company since February 2014, when he bought out Don Chapman Builders, the business his building company, High Calibre Construction, had been contracting to since 2007.

The move quadrupled the size of his business, setting it up to handle the demands of the local market.

With a staff of 18, Shanan has a construction manager who has been with the company for 23 years, a quantity surveyor who turns around prices quickly and accurately and has been with the company for 17 years, an office administrator, and a few of his builders who have been with the company for more than 10 years.

“Over the years, the hallmark of Don Chapman Builders, which continues with Don Chapman Waikato, has been the quality and finish of our workmanship,” he says.

“With our own high building and finishing standards we simply won’t compromise, and neither should our clients. Our style is to work closely with our clients on their building projects, ensuring the final product is exactly what they expected and contracted us for.”

Don Chapman Waikato is suitably qualified and experienced to work on a wide variety of projects, including residential house building, renovations and extensions, industrial and commercial construction, cool rooms and cold stores, specialised milking and dairy parlours, farm buildings, and concrete structures, such as effluent systems and feed storage.

The company also provides a wide range of ancillary services including design and plan drawing.

‘So whether you want us to build a house, your next industrial or commercial facility, farm building, cool room, Chapman Dairy parlour, or just to carry out some renovations or extensions, we have the experience, staff, and skills to provide you with a cost effective and professional construction job,” Shanan says.

Those residential and commercial construction skills have been brushed up this year for the team, and for the apprentices, they have been given the opportunity to gain valuable experience outside of rural building.

Don Chapman Waikato purchased a section in Cambridge last year with Shanan thinking he might need to take advantage of the Waikato’s busy housing market and create some work for the team when the effects of the low milk pay out stopped farmers from building.

Don Chapman Waikato is suitably qualified and experienced to work on a wide variety of projects, including residential house building, renovations and extensions, industrial and commercial construction, cool rooms and cold stores, specialised milking and dairy parlours.

He was wrong, but the team got stuck in anyway, building an architecturally designed home which will soon go on the market.

In rural building, Don Chapman Waikato

is building four new Chapman Dairy parlours, and four alterations and extensions to dairy sheds, one of which is the first dairy parlour built by Don Chapman in 1974.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Graham & Dale Curd

| 67

A time of transition for farmer Sue Russell It is a time of transition in his farming journey for Graham Curd and wife Dale, who own a 108 hectare farm seven kilometres south of Whangamata.

On June 1 this year, the couple sold their herd to Jason Bidois and his partner Chrissy Baker, who now run the operation as 50:50 sharemilkers.

For Graham, selling his herd of 250 crossbred cows has been a bit of a wrench.

“One of the things I have always loved about farming is handling the stock and the genetics. I have always been able to tell a great cow and having had the herd for so long it is a little strange to think they now belong to someone else, but that is what farming is about when you are getting on a bit,” Graham says.

Graham and Dale bought the farm back in 1995 and a further 40 hectares close by four years later.

He has deliberately chosen a no-input feeding system with the exception of grass silage all these years and says it is a difficult thing to decide which is the right decision regarding inputs generally.

“When we operated the farm ourselves I kept it simple and now that Jason and Chrissy are running the farm it may be that over time the feeding system changes though I have never been that keen on palm kernel because I don’t like the mess it makes.”

Of the total farm approximately 95 hectares constitutes the milking platform and the farm itself is an equal mix of flat, easy-rolling and rolling to steep.

All the young stock is grazed off the farm on the run-off.

This season’s production goal is 95,000 kg of milksolids, roughly 1000 kg/hectare or 370 kg MS per cow. Over the past three seasons production has gone up and down somewhat and Graham says this could be attributed to a couple of drier than usual summers.

“The farm got very wet in January and February this year though and I think production was affected because there wasn’t

Graham Curd, left, sold his herd to Jason Bidois and his wife Chrissy on June 1. Jason and Chrissy run the operation as 50:50 sharemilkers.

enough sun to give them energy.”

Milking is conducted through a 22 aside herringbone which was originally a 10 aside shed when Graham and Dale bought the property.

He still feels the farm has got the potential to produce more and will be interested to see what Jason is able to achieve with minor tweaks to its system over time.

When it comes to an assessment of the situation of dairy farming generally Graham is of the opinion that the industry has ‘lost its way’ somewhat.

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“We are paying a lot for land, a lot for cows. I know there are people working on high input farms who are doing very well but there is a lot of tension for many farmers operating smaller units in terms of managing debt and making decisions as to how much and in what way to increase production.”

Having said this, though, Graham is the first to acknowledge that farmers are eternally optimistic and even though the tight times for many may seem like the bottom of the swing, things can only improve and will do so in time.

“There is still a pathway now to farm ownership. “It is not the path I had necessarily, which was building up my herd numbers then

selling the herd to pay a deposit on a farm.

“I look at Jason, who is a good keen farmer , and I’m happy that we made the decision to offer him the 50:50 share milking opportunity.”

Now that his daily connection and responsibility on the farm has ended, Graham says he’s discovered he needs to keep busy and the former block layer is happy using his building skills in other ways.

When NZDairy spoke with Graham, he was in the process of building a shed at his beach house at Waihi Beach.

“It could well be that we will retire to here at some point in the future and it is good to have this project to keep me busy.”

“There is still a pathway now to farm ownership. It is not the path I had necessarily, which was building up my herd numbers then selling the herd to pay a deposit on a farm. I look at Jason, who is a good keen farmer, and I’m happy that we made the decision to offer him the 50:50 share milking opportunity.”

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68 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Ross & Dianna Tetley-Jones

NZ Dairy

Stock policy change brings flexibility Kelly Deeks Ross and Diana Tetley-Jones have changed the stocking policy on their dry stock farm to allow for more flexibility, with very dry autumns in Otorohanga over the past five years making it difficult to graze dairy heifers.

“If it’s dry, we can’t sell them, and we can’t send them back to the dairy farmer,” Ross says. “Instead of the 50:50 mix we’ve been running off grazing to our own stock, we’ve dropped heifer numbers back and we’re now running more of our own stock.”

As well as heifers and dairy weaners, the Tetley-Joneses are running dairy jersey bulls and hold an annual on-farm sale selling about 160 two-year old and rising two-year old jersey bulls.

The couple also own a 300 cow dairy farm at Tokoroa in partnership with Ross’s parents, where the cows are tailed off with a hereford bull and all the beef calves are taken to the dry stock farm as weaners and grown out.

As part of the changing stocking policy, Ross and Diane are also getting into bull beef this year. He says he can kill a bull at any time of the year and doesn’t need to worry about grading, which helps to give flexibility if a summer dry means he needs to cut stock numbers.

Ross says the changes he’s made in the past 12 months are not about anything other than providing the flexibility to be able to better farm the seasons.

“With the past five years of drought, the farms were looking absolutely terrible and we were grazing them out every year and we didn’t have any give and take.”

Last season, the dry autumn saw him feed out about 1200 bales of silage and about 25 ton of palm kernel by May 1.

This season, the stocking changes coupled with great autumn weather have seen more grass grown and only about 100 bales fed out by the beginning of May. In November last year, Ross and Diane doubled the area of their dry stock farm to 1000 acres after purchasing the neighbouring block, previously owned by Ross’s parents.

Ross and his dad have worked well together for many years, with Ross using the tractor they purchased together to help develop his dad’s farm and make all his hay and silage, and his dad helping Ross in his contracting business as a driver.

It was Ross’s dad who convinced him, after he married Diane and when his contracting business, Tetley-Jones Agriculture was growing well, to use his tractors to help pay for some land.

He bought a small farm just out of Otorohanga which he kept for two years, then sold to buy the farm next to his parents’.

Ross and Dianne Tetley-Jones are not only busy on the farm but also run contracting business Tetley-Jones Agriculture.

“It was such lucky timing as land value had increased so much in that time, I doubled my money,” he says. “It was like winning lotto!

It made purchasing the farm next to dad’s affordable.”

Ross’s contracting business is now a reasonably sized operation based around forage crops, running seven tractors and doing about 2000 acres of bulk silage and 15,000 to 18,000 silage bales a year.

“It was such lucky timing as land value had increased so much in that time, I doubled my money. It was like winning lotto! It made purchasing the farm next to dad’s affordable.”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Rowan McGilvary

| 69

Opportunities aplenty in industry Neil Grant When all the 1980s restructuring took place, competition became more important than cooperation. The impact on education, health and other socially desirable areas continues to hinder real progress, in many people’s experience.

Ignoring those new mantras, farming in general, and dairying, in particular, shines like a lighthouse through the gloom. Locally and nationally, farmers can take part in competitions like the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, Beef and Lamb New Zealand Sheep Industry Awards, Ballance Farm Environment Awards, the Ahuwhenua Trophy, Women in Farming. and the extraordinary number of district farmer focus groups. All of these rely on farmers sharing their good news, and bad news, stories. While many have a competitive focus, cooperation and education are the drivers.

Rowan McGilvary manages a dairy farm between Featherston and Martinborough. He’s in his fifties, milked his father’s cows when he was a schoolboy, got a Diploma in Agriculture from Massey, been share milking, and now runs a split herd of 900 cows, 420 calving in April and 480 calving in August. He could have been excused for thinking he had a pretty good grasp of things, but when the owning syndicate suggested he have a crack at the Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa Farm Manager of the Year Award, he accepted the challenge.

He came second in 2013, third the next year, and in 2015, he won the trophy.

“I was the oldest person there,” he says, “but I gave it a go. I met a lot of good people.

It’s a chance to compare our farm and my management with others.

“You put a written management plan together.

You put down what you do and how you manage the farm. The judges look over the farm and select the top six to go through to a final round of judging. You get a lot of feedback from the judges who tell you the areas you are strong in, and not so strong in. It’s really helpful, because they see a lot of farms, and there are some really good farmers out there.

“It was quite a bit of additional work for me over winter because we are autumn calving as well, but it was not too bad.”

As well as managing the farm and organising his four staff, McGilvary takes part in the local scene.

“I still belong to two discussion groups.

There’s no secrecy among the farmers about what you know. Everyone is so open and cooperative about everything – we’re all in this together. The information sharing is fantastic.

Yet we’re all different; we’ve got different soils, different climates, but you pick up information and apply it to your own farm.

Kaiwaiwai Dairies’ farm milks off 315 hectares, producing 1140 KgsMS/ha on a nonirrigated farm. The company also leases three nearby blocks of 50, 40 and 37 hectares, and has a 170ha run off block for the young stock which come back into the herd as two year olds,

Rowan McGilvary manages a dairy farm between Featherstone and Martinborough. In 2015, he won Farm Manager of the Year for Hawkes Bay/ Wairarapa.

and where they grow maize and fodder beet.

“I like managing big farms,” he says. “You can delegate people to their strengths. We’ve got people on our place who are good with machinery, livestock, or calf rearing, so they can specialise and get into areas they enjoy.”

And in the future?

“There are so many manager’s jobs for large herds. There are plenty of opportunities.”

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70 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Doug Courtman / Daniel & Freya Lynch

Future bright for association We currently have two judges here who are recognised as top in their field internationally,” Doug says.

In describing the characteristics of a great holstein cow, Doug says there are several key traits judges will look for in assessing the overall score of an animal, starting with the head which should be long in length with big muzzle width in the jaw.

“Width in the chest allowing for plenty of heart and lung room is important. “You’re looking for a big capacious animal allowing for plenty of stomach capacity to be able to process large amounts of food in to milk.”

Toward the business end of the cow, judges will assess the shape and quality of the rump, again looking for length to support strong udder ligaments.

“You want the udder up high along with medium size teats making a square along with good feet and legs for mobility.”

When NZ Dairy spoke with Doug he was looking forward to the association annual conference to be held in Christchurch midJune. The four day forum is an opportunity for members to meet, listen to key-note speakers, visit holstein friesian herds and breeders in the region and attend the annual general meeting.

“As an association we operate in a very consultative way before the board makes decisions that will impact on members. This year we are keen to address how we best communication with our membership in to the future.”

In looking to promote the breed to the next generation of farmer, the association has evolved Black & White Youth, straddling a junior section from age 5 to 15 and a senior section 16 years of age to 21. “We offer them youth camps, the opportunities to enter showmanship classes at local shows and their own youth awards programme,” says Doug.

Junior membership has, in fact, been one of the association’s growth areas and Doug says this bodes well for the future of the breed and the association that supports it.

“There is certainly keen interest in the young ones learning the skills of handling stock and preparing them for showing and this is heartening to see.”

Sue Russell The New Zealand Friesian Association boasts a membership of just shy of 900.

The association offers a number of services to members in support of its primary objective which is to continually develop and support the breeding of genetically elite cattle, thereby ensuring profitability of the holstein friesian breed in New Zealand.

These services include registration of Holstein pedigree stock through the national database.

It also provides members with opportunities to up-grade and breed to pedigree status along with classification inspections, along with organising competitions and disseminating ongoing industry news through its regular newsletters.

Past President, Doug Courtman, has a dairy farm just south of Kihikihi in the Waikato and has long had an interest and involvement in the association and says the association has a strong governance and management structure in the form of an elected board of nine, representing wards spread across the country.

“Friesian has always been known as a breed for the versatility of the cow. Up until a few years ago protein production was the buzz word and the holstein easily outranks any other breed in terms of milk protein content,” Doug says.

One key message the association is endeavouring to get out within the wider dairying industry is that within the pure bred genetics there is a wide variety of physical traits including size.

Doug says he is keen to see the preference by farmers toward acquiring cross-bred stock reverted. “For farmers who don’t want the very large animal given handling and ground conditions there are some very light weight holstein breeding bulls available for mating.”

Another important role the association undertakes is in ensuring competition judging is maintained at the highest possible standard.

It achieves this by running in-depth training sessions each year for senior and associate judges within the organisation.

“Senior judges actually have to attend a judging school every two years and we hold four or five training sessions throughout New Zealand.

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NZ Dairy

Waipu dream Kelly Deeks Northland dairy farmers and pedigree jersey breeders Daniel and Freya Lynch have achieved their dream of purchasing a farm in Waipu, and are now developing the farm where as a five-year old, little Freya used to stop for milk and cookies on her way home from school.

The couple know the value of hard work and started on their journey towards farm ownership in the 1990s.

Daniel’s herd management position on Dick and Jan Pivac’s farm opposite the Waipu golf club eventually turned into lower order sharemilking, before the couple moved to the Jordan Valley just north of Whangarei, then further north to Okaihau, then south to Otorohanga.

They were working on improving the herd’s BW and chanced to meet Stewart Anderson, who has one of New Zealand’s highest BW herds.

He encouraged them to try multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) on their best cow, as well as buy elite cows in partnership with him, before going on to buy them themselves.

They also pedigreed the herd at that stage in order to start straight breeding with their Freydan jersey herd.

When the opportunity arose for them to return to the Pivac farm as 50/50 sharemilkers, they jumped at the chance.

They later purchased their first farm at nearby Oakleigh, a 110ha property where they milked a mixed herd of 240 cows, while their 400 cow jersey stud was milked at the Pivac

farm.

Last June, the Lynches consolidated their operation, sold the farm and the mixed herd, left their sharemilking job, and purchased their current 230ha farm at Waipu.

“After moving around quite a bit for the past few years, we’re happy now to be stable,” Daniel says.

“We’re getting used to this farm and getting it set up the way we want, although we’re pretty restricted at the moment in the way of improvements with the low pay out.”

The house has been doubled in size in order to fit in Daniel and Freya and their four children, Alex, 11, James, 9, Carl, 7, and Carissa, 5.

The quality of the pastures needs some attention so the Lynches are making maize silage on farm which goes back into permanent pastures, and about 50ha of the farm has been mulched and oversown with Italian rye grass so far.

“Then there’s drainage, some compliance things we need to do for water quality in the cow shed, then fertility on the hills, extending the irrigated area for the effluent, and we need better calf facilities because we rear every calf,” Daniel says.

The Lynches also run two run off blocks in conjunction with the dairy farm and stud, 100ha and 60ha, which graze young stock, bulls, and beef cattle, and make a bit of silage for the dairy farm as well.

Responding to this season’s low milk pay out, the Lynches haven’t done any embryo transfer work, instead focusing on the herd as a whole. “We had been taking embryos out of up to half a dozen cows, so we think the ones we did last year will make up for it,” Daniel says.

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Daniel & Freya Lynch

| 71

realised for farming couple

“We’re getting used to this farm and getting it set up the way we want, although we’re pretty restricted at the moment in the way of improvements with the low pay out.”

Daniel and Freya Lynch with their children, Alex, 11, James, 9, Carl, 7, and Carissa, 5.

The Lynches farm in Northland.

The Lynches also run two run off blocks in conjunction with the dairy farm and stud, 100ha and 60ha, which graze young stock, bulls, and beef cattle.

72 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Grant & Danielle Petterd

NZ Dairy

Focus turns to growing partnership Sue Russell Winners of the Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award in the 2016 Northland Dairy Industry Awards Grant and Danielle Petterd will take a break from the competition next season to focus on growing their equity partnership.

The Petterds have featured regularly in the awards since they first entered six years ago, as runners-up last year and in 2014, gaining the Federated Farmers of New Zealand Leadership award last year, and the Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award in 2014.

Grant and Danielle have been on the Northland farm for five years, after moving on from a Taranaki dairy farm. They are in an equity partnership, effectively lower order sharemilking with equity in the farm.

They increased their share two years ago, but won’t increase it any more until the milk pay out improves.

The equity partnership still has growth in mind and is aiming to buy a larger farm for Grant and Danielle to sharemilk.

“Ideally, we want to go up to 1000 cows on one unit, with reasonable contours which would allow us to mow a good 90% of the farm,” Grant says. “We’ve already found a couple of suitable farms but when we decided if we didn’t have anything organised by the end of March, we would just concentrate on this farm and wait until next season.”

This year’s award success came as something of a surprise to the couple.

“It was the one we thought we wouldn’t win!”

Grant says. The Petterds monitor their nutrient levels as stringently as possible and always try to keep them at best practice levels.

Pasture management is probably much more of a well-honed skill on the Petterds 186ha farm at Okaihau, Northland.

“This farm has a very rocky contour, and we can only mow about 15 percent to 20% of it,” Grant says. “We’ve got to be very careful with our pastures because if we have a surplus, we can’t mow it.”

Pasture is monitored intensively with growth measured every week. “We know we can’t mow our farm so we keep our stocking rate up in order to harvest all we can, then supplement when we need to.”

Grant and Danielle are milking 450 cows

Grant and Danielle Petterd have been on the Northland farm for five years, after moving on from a Taranaki dairy farm. this season, dropping back from 470 cows last season, a decision that has been regretted ever since. “Just with the amount of grass we’ve grown this season,” Grant says. “We’ve had favourable weather conditions which have seen us grow more than two ton more grass than ever before.”

In November, with more grass growing than they could keep up with, the Petterds brought in 120 of a local farmer’s heifers to help make a dent in their surplus grass.

“We’ve never had the surplus like we’ve had this season, with more consistent rain it’s been an incredible season for Northland.”

However, Grant and Danielle have not been convinced they can increase the stocking rate again next season. “We’ll aim to calve the same as this season, it’s a good number for us,” Grant says. “This has been an exceptional season for growth and we’d be lucky to follow it up with another one.”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Clarence & Elise Stolte

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Clarence and Elise Stolte sharemilk on a 165ha effective/170ha total 500 cow farm owned by Clarence’s parents Willem and Roelie at Carterton.

Low payout brings opportunities Karen Phelps The low dairy pay out has not been all doom and gloom. It has also brought opportunities, say Clarence and Elise Stolte, who have just taken on a second share milking position.

“Cow prices are good compared to when we took on the first share milking position. For the last three years, we have been looking for a suitable second share milking job and it’s been difficult and there weren’t a lot around then we suddenly had a selection of jobs to choose from. We believe the low pay out also brings opportunities and we’re seizing them,” says Clarence.

He says that more value is now being placed on getting the right people on board with skills in driving profit, with less focus on production.

The fact that the couple, who took out the top title for the Manawatu/Wairarapa region at the 2014 Dairy Business of the Year Awards as well as the best financial performance for a medium/ high input farm for the whole of New Zealand based on the 2012-13 season, are skilled in producing at low cost has been a major benefit. They are skills learned in farming in a drought prone region where farming smarter is the key to success under tough conditions.

The Stoltes sharemilk on a 165ha effective/170ha total 500 cow farm owned by Clarence’s parents Willem and Roelie at Carterton.

They started out as lower-order sharemilkers then

moved into a 50:50 position after two years. The herds is milked through a 28 aside herringbone shed with auto drafting and teat spraying.

The second 50:50 position the couple has just taken on is located just north of Masterton on a unit owned by Neer Enterprises. The farm is 135ha effective/144ha total and the couple is peak milking a herd of 480 cows through a 50 bail rotary with automatic cup removers, automatic teat spray and automatic drafting. They have just come to the end of their first season on this unit.

Clarence says to achieve high financial performance in good and bad years they focus on two key areas: growing and harvesting as much pasture as efficiently as possible and controlling costs. The couple approach their budget each season with a blank piece of paper. They do not carry costs over from the previous season as a starting point. The other big focus for the couple is on never wasting grass.

“When I see the silage wagon going around the farm feeding out I don’t see grass silage in the wagon I see dollar bills. If you leave any pasture in the paddock and are feeding supplement that’s a cost that doesn’t need to be there. I can’t stand the idea of wasting pasture so we avoid topping to waste as much as possible. We keep a close focus on ensuring residuals are where they need to be and pay close attention to individual paddock performance. We don’t just do this by eye but by figures because sometimes a paddock doesn’t look nice but we’ve found the figures stack up and it is

performing.”

On the new share milking job they cut cow numbers by 30 percent after identifying the savings they would make in terms of bought in feed, damage cows would do to the farm and mitigating this etc made the unit more profitable. They have aimed to simplify the system to a grass based one.

“We need to make sure any technology and infrastructure we have we are utilising efficiently.

For example our first job has one person milking in the shed and this one, which has a much more high tech and better shed, had two staff milking.

By making small changes in the shed we have managed to make this a job one person can do as well,” he explains.

They say they are on track to making a profit

this season even at a $4 pay out, which is challenging considering as sharemilkers they get half the pay check but carry two thirds of the costs, says Clarence. The farm owner and sharemilker combined cost of production will be around $3 per kilogram and sharemilker cost of production just under two dollars per kilogram. They achieved 340,000 kilograms of milk solids over both units last season due to a dry autumn and are targeting 400,000 kilograms this season.

“The reason we wanted to grow was to see if we could repeat our successful formula on another farm – low cost, respectable production and high profit to hectare. We’re in this for the long term.

When the payout improves we will really reap the rewards.”

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74 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Station Peak

NZ Dairy

Fourth generation farmer in it for Karen Phelps Waitaki Valley dairy farmers Michael and Olivia Pavletich are moving towards a self contained system.

Driven by the low dairy prices, the couple believe it will give them greater security and control over their farming operation.

Last season, they milked 2200 cows but have dropped back to 2000 this season and aim to keep more young stock at home.

They will keep half the cows born this spring right through on the farm and will continue to do this each year from now on.

A current grazing contract with their rising two year olds will expire in July 2017 and after this they will aim to keep half of this stock on the farm as well.

They wintered all cows on farm for the first time last season.

“It’s about trying to find the balance between expenditure and operating a productive and profitable system. We don’t want to drastically cut stock numbers for example and then later have to buy in replacements at a greater price,” says Michael, who is the fourth generation to farm at Station Peak.

The couple are managing the 630ha effective unit for Michael’s parents Kieran and Julie with two 60 bail rotary cow sheds. They have always favoured a pasture-based system and will seek to maintain this. They feed each cow 600 to 700kg of supplement each season with about half of this coming from the farm.

In addition to the milking platform the farm has around 600ha of hill country where the cows go straight after dry off.

This season, they aim to utilise this better and will spread fertiliser and top dress/ oversow the better parts of the land seeing it as “cheap feed”.

They are in the process of breaking in 40ha to put into winter feed to add to the 75ha they have already developed for this purpose.

They also aim to utilise pastures on the dairy platform better. Last year and this year they have completed a lot of re-grassing so want to get as much tonnage per hectare is possible.

Around 683ha of the farm is under irrigation and they also aim to increase efficiencies around water usage.

“Grass will be the maker or breaker going forward. We need to make sure cows are fully fed at all times as well as making sure residuals and pre-grazing covers are at target levels.

“Hopefully this will help us to drive production without extra cost,” explains

Michael and Olivia Pavletich are managing a 630ha effective dairy unit for Michael’s parents. He is the fourth generation to farm Station Peak.

Michael.

The farm employs 15 staff and the Pavletiches are currently working out an incentive to encourage staff to drive towards efficiency and increased production.

They aim to produce 450 to 460 kilograms of milk solids per cow this season from tweaks to their system after achieving 430kg last season.

They see the changes as putting them in a great position when the payout rises: “It’s been tough but we’ve learned a lot from the downturn – that’s a positive. It’s taught us not to get complacent and get carried away, driving the business too hard, when things are good.

“It’s about sustainable growth. We want to move forward with the expectation that the payout will increase and we are well set up to capitalise on that. Being a family farm this place holds great sentimental value. I hope to pass this land onto my children so we’re in it for the long haul.”

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DAIRY PEOPLE » Station Peak

the long haul

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“Brilliant sheds, simple, no problem”

older shed and, as numbers are made up, transfer to the new shed. Once all the cows are in, one herd tends to be made up of heifers and recovering lames and slower older girls”.

Station Peak has been in the Pavletich family for four generations. Located on the North Bank of the Waitaki the 1420ha property was originally a dry land sheep and beef farm. In the early 1980s a water consent was applied for and granted to irrigate all the river bed flats. At the time 150 Ha was put into boarder dykes but the economy of the time did not support any further irrigation. It wasn’t until the year 2000 that the balance of the dry river bed flats began to be irrigated with K line. The shift away from sheep and beef had begun.

“Having two identical sheds means that if anything drastic happens in the calving shed, or we get under pressure, we can simply swap out from the other shed. The similarity of the sheds also means staff and cows transition well from one to the other.”

Mike Pavletich says the diversification from sheep and beef began with the wintering of dairy cows in the 1990’s and then, in 2006, the family decided to convert 450 hectares to dairy with Equity Partners.

“The size and type of farm dairy was a critical part of that decision. We were moving into a new industry so we spent some time looking at a range of dairies and talking to the farmers who used them.

“We were looking at milking 1300 cows so it was important to have a dairy which was technicalogically advanced yet easy to operate and with good cow through-put. We eventually decided on a 60 bail concrete Orbit rotary platform and machinery from Waikato Milking Systems.

“That dairy is now 10 years old and it’s never missed a beat so when it came to converting a further 180 hectares to enable us to operate two dairy units milking 2000 cows, it was a no brainer to replicate the original shed.”

Aside from the rotation of the platform and yard layout, the new dairy – commissioned in 2014 – is a replica of the existing Waikato Milking Systems’ 60 bail Orbit rotary.

“The platforms run opposite ways in each shed but, in contrast to the square yard in the original shed, we opted for a circular yard in the new build to improve cow flow.

The square yard has its place though, especially during early calving, with its heifer training race.”

In the 2015/2016 season Station Peak Dairy milked a total of 2,170 cows across two farms on the 630 hectare dairy platform.

“We operate two dairy units of 315 hectares, each milking 1080 cows in two herds.

As the crossbred cows calve they are run through the

Each dairy is equipped with SmartECRs (automatic cup removers), Wetit Auto teatspray (teatspray), SmartWASH, Jantec in-line software (which is now available from Waikato Milking Systems) and in-bail feeding.

“Each dairy is equipped with Jantec Cell Sense on every fourth bail which measures SCC, and Yield Sense on the other bails measuring volume, fat, protein, lactose, temperature and conductivity.

“It does away with the need to herd test, providing us with a daily monitor of cow health and production which, in any payout regime, is invaluable.”

Mike says the decision to include SmartWASH in the new build and retrofit it to the older shed was one of the best decisions he’s made.

“In the 2015/2016 year both sheds were grade free which is a big one. We never had high levels of grades but automatic washing means consistency in both sheds, everyone doing the same wash. It’s given us peace of mind and adds integrity to the product we produce.”

Four full time staff work on a roster in the new dairy with five staff in the original.

“The additional staff member in the older shed is part time in the shed as far as milking is concerned, he is the assistant manager overseeing the day to day running of that unit.”

Mike Pavletich says the family’s aim is to run a sustainable, self-contained unit with all cows and young stock wintered on the property.

“We have 160ha of developed run-off of which 53ha is irrigated and 600ha of hill country where the cows go when dried off. The biggest block, 205 hectares, is where they roam around with ad lib feeding. They come onto the developed runoff when they’re getting closer to calving and fed kale and fodder beat.”

When asked what he would tell other farmers thinking of a new rotary, Mike says “Waikato Milking Systems sheds are brilliant. Good, simple. No problem. All-in-all fantastic.”

76 |

FARM SERVICES » Richard & Sharon Grayling

NZ Dairy

Investment for better productivity Karen Phelps Matamata-based farmers Richard and Sharon Grayling have continued to invest in their dairy business despite the down turn with one proviso – any investment has to help them to better control costs and improve their overall productivity.

For example, the couple has just purchased a 71ha run off block, located two kilometres from the farm, which will help them to keep certain costs associated with operating their farm in-house. They will use the land for growing feed including maize, grass, silage and hay as well as to graze calves and heifers.

They will also winter the herd there saving on wintering costs.

The Graylings’ 120ha effective unit at Te Poi milks 340 kiwicross cows. They have been focusing on reducing costs as much as possible, which has been challenging as they already run a low cost system with total farm costs including wages sitting at $3.26 per milk solid.

They have been steadily reducing their reliance on bought in feed. They used buy in around 120 tonnes of dairy meal each year to feed through an in-shed feeding system and aim to reduce this to 50-70 tonnes this season.

Everything else will be grown on the run-off, which they will focus on bringing up to speed – removing weeds and installing drainage as their budget allows.

The couple upgraded their effluent system on the farm several years ago installing a two million litre concrete tank and a series of sand traps prior to when the effluent reaches the tanks so only liquids are pumped on the pastures. The system includes a pump operated through a variable speed drive by King Electrical. This has allowed them to spread over an additional 20ha of the farm taking the total area effluent is spread over up to 50ha.

They expect to grow grass is a result over time but the immediate benefit has been greater control over when and where they apply effluent to their farm.

The couple purchased the farm in 1999 and have invested a lot of time and money into the unit including a new shed, races, fences, houses and waterlines.

When they built their 36-aside herringbone dairy shed they sought to build a shed that would be sustainable, fit in with the land and weather conditions and be low maintenance.

The shed is a distinctive ‘sail’ shape and has a curved roof to take advantage of the prevailing winds. The milk room was positioned so that summer west winds blow in, which helps to keep the milk cool saving around 25% on the farm electricity bill.

The bail area takes advantage of the winds blowing from the east in winter, which come straight over the Kaimai Range, and this helps to move the cows into the shed as it blows from behind them.

The shed is built from steel with no timber components. It has a Waikato Milking Systems

Richard Grayling with contract milkers Rob and Lisa Dunn.

Right, Richard Grayling checking on young stock.

Richard and Sharon Grayling have been steadily reducing their reliance on bought in fedd.

loop line milking system and a Read slide pulsator system.

The Graylings employ contract milkers Rob and Lisa Dunn, leaving Richard free to take care of the run off.

They are aiming to increase cow numbers to 360 within two years. Last season, the farm achieved 136,500kg of milk solids and the Graylings are aiming for 145,000 to 150,000kg this season due to feeding cows better in the summer months from the run off.

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DAIRY PEOPLE» Renown Dairy

| 77

Renown Dairy is one of a cluster of farms within close proximity of each other collectively known as the Landcorp Pastorla Complex.

Changes afoot at Renown Dairy Sue Russell

milk production at peak for as long as possible.

Now the herd is being milked once a day, Damien can see real benefits flowing to himself and to the other staff around work/life balance.

“I think it is a no-brainer in terms of affording descent time off the farm in the rostering so me and the team can enjoy family time and recreational pursuits better,” he says.

Fishing has become a priority again and with a 13-year-old daughter proving to be an aspiring netball umpire, Damien says he and wife Angela will be in a better position to support her.

“Our son is also keen to go farming, and I am pleased to see the schools pushing farming as a viable career particularly in this district where Landcorp are opening up more and more farms.”

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For the last three years, Damien Watson has been managing Renown Dairy, one of the cluster of farms within close proximity to each other, north east of Taupo collectively known as the Landcorp Pastoral Complex.

The 700 effective hectare farm is mainly rolling land with some steeper terrain, and this season 1900 cows will be peak milked.

Changes are afoot in the way Damien and his team will run the milking programme on the farm with the decision to move away from the traditional twice a day system to once a day. This decision has been driven mainly as a response to where the dairy shed is situated and the long walking distances coupled with the undulating terrain that has always taken a toll on BCS of the cows Damien explains.

“With once a day the demand for feed per cow is slightly less with increases to be gained in other areas i.e. more cows in calf, less effluent produced, reduced shed running costs. At peak milk, our stocking rate will be 2.7,” says Damien.

This year the farm, like others in the district, has experienced an exceptionally mild winter. Damien said winter had brought only five frosts and he described the farm as looking in pretty good shape.

The predominantly cross bred herd is well suited to cope with the physical layout of the farm where on one side the distance from milking shed to boundary is over 4 kilometres.

“The smaller framed cow is much better able to cope with these walking distances.”

Working alongside Damien is a team of six

others, including 2IC Andrew Bleakley, assistant production managers, Katrina Gage, Josh Toataua and Ted Ratu. Musa Maphosa is the shed manager and Bailey Miller the dairy assistant, who began in the role last season. Damien also employes viarious casuals throughout the season to help out during busy times “At the moment we have a morning meeting for a half an hour to discuss the plans for the day and projects coming up. It’s a good way to maintain regular contact. Half our herd are currently being fed swede and kale crop, off-site about 7 kilometres from the farm. We are just starting to train the heifers to the dairy shed so they will be a lot easier to handle once they have calved.”

Calving is due to start mid-July with the heifers producing their first from the July 10.

The work-horse of the farm’s milk production is a 60 bale Waikato rotary which has serviced the farm for 10 years. The shed has automatic cup removers and operates a MilkHub management system which samples every cow’s milk every day so that accurate sematic cell count, milk solids as well as weight data can be gathered.

“It is a great system and means we have an extremely accurate understanding of all aspects of each cow’s condition, weight and performance enabling us to deliver specific tasks there and then in the bale as needed.”

Because the farm is inclined to get dry and brown off quickly when there is insufficient rainfall, pasture quality is being constantly monitored. That data, once gathered is fed into a Farmax, which Damien then compares to the feed budget. From there he can work on various scenario’s i.e. when and what type of supplementary feed to maintain

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78 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Chris & Amy Shepherd

NZ Dairy

First season an exciting one Karen Phelps Chris and Amy Shepherd have not been put off by the low dairy pay out. The couple has just completed their first season on the first dairy farm they have owned, a 169ha total/156ha effective unit west of Kaikohe.

“It’s the biggest loan of our lives. From when we looked at the farm and purchased it the pay out kept dropping. But it’s exciting and we’re fortunate not to have had to go down the route of share milking,” says Chris.

Amy was born and raised in Nelson before moving to Auckland to study and train to be a school teacher in Auckland where she met Chris.

Chris grew up on a sheep and beef unit in Matauri Bay, which was converted to dairy in 1997.

After leaving school, Chris did not immediately go farming and worked in a variety of jobs in Auckland. He returned to the family farm in 2007 as a herd manager with brother Mark who took on the role of farm manager.

They were there until 2015 milking up to 800 cows. When the farm was sold it gave Chris and Amy the deposit he needed to purchase their first farm.

The herd of 330 predominantly ayrshire pedigree cows are milked through a 32 aside herringbone shed with in-shed meal feeding system.

It’s been quite a change in farming methodology for the couple – the previous farm was high input with three herd homes and a feed pad whereas this farm is a grass based system (they only bought in 140 tonnes of feed last season).

Chris admits this has been a challenge in winter due to the Wharekohe clay sitting on a pan rock base at the top of the farm, which means this part of the farm can get wet easily.

The rest of the farm is volcanic soils, which are the other extreme – free draining. The combination also provides a good balance when the farm typically dries out over the Christmas period.

“The road we live on is nicknamed ‘Desert Road’ to the locals,” says Chris with a smile. “Last year, we planted 25ha chicory and 30 ha this summer to counter the usually dry summers.”

This season they are focused on maintaining good finance management combined with increasing production. Last season they achieved record production for the farm of 110,000 kilograms of milk solids.

Chris and Amy Shepherd on their farm with their children, Reuben, 18 months, Charlotte, 5, and Henry, 3.

This season, the target is 120,000kg achieved through better pasture management.

For example, last season they made 315 bales of baleage in November then 35 ton of silage in February, which Chris says was too late, causing lost quality but he was trying to delay the expense.

He will also complete more regular farm walks in the paddock.

He doesn’t use a plate meter and in the past has made judgements from the race, which he

Chris’ father, Owen, help out on the farm several times a week.

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says can be deceiving if grass is bending over. The couple also plan to keep more beef calves this year to manage the pasture better and provide some cash flow to the business. Last year they kept 45 and this year will keep 100.

Another focus is improving the empty rate, which was 18 percent last season. The breed has a lower fertility rate in general, thinks Chris, so they will start AI three weeks later than normal to condense calving, which will now start August 1.

This will enable them to make as much milk as they can before the farm gets dry. They may also have to put the skinny cows on once a day during AI. The couple have a growing young family:

Charlotte, 5, Henry, 3 and Reuben, 18 months with another baby on the way. This keeps Amy fully occupied, leaving Chris free to run the farm with the assistance of two permanent part-time staff Milton Te Haara and John Turner. Chris’ father Owen helps out several times a week.

The current aim is to pay down debt. The longterm aim is to move to a larger farm. Chris says despite the responsibilities of owning a farm, even in the current economic climate for the industry, it’s worth it.

“It’s exciting making decisions and seeing the results. There’s a lot of responsibility that comes with farmer ownership but we are lucky to have our own business and to be our own boss.”

NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Eric & Margaret Smeith

| 79

What the flip is going on here?

Karen Phelps Eric and Margaret Smeith’s farm at Galatea, in the Whakatane district, has been the site of extensive research into the benefits of flipping or mixing up long buried and highly fertile soils bringing them to the surface to be used for cultivation.

Researchers from Dairy NZ, which funded the three year ‘Galatea Soil Flipping Project’ monitored 30 plots on two sites, one was on the Smeith’s farm, to assess whether production outputs differed markedly depending on whether the moisture bearing fertile subsoils were mixed or sorted to either shallow or deeper levels.

Along with this the difference in fertility gain between mixing the top soil throughout or leaving it on top was also studied.

Eric first delved into the practice of soil flipping 15 years ago. He had always known the soil composition under the farm, like many situated on North Island’s volcanic plateau, was special.

“On part of the farm we can see the successive layering of soil and pumice caused by volcanic eruptions hundreds and thousands of years ago. That got me thinking about tapping in to those layers, to bring them up to the surface where the buried moist soils fertility could be utilised in cropping and pasture production,” Eric says.

Prior to the trials commencing in 2013, local farmers had observed that pasture grew better when topsoil and subsoil had been mixed, especially in dry or drought conditions, given the naturally sandy nature of the region’s topsoil which does not hold moisture well.

The first year of research in 2013 happened to coincide with drought conditions and every plot of flipped soil grew between 2 – 4 tonne DM/ha more than the areas left unflipped. In all, production on the flipped soil plots, increased by 40%.

“Those results proved that simply by flipping the soil there were significant gains in pasture production outputs.”

Even when in the following year another drought occurred, with the exception of one site, all the flipped soil plots again produced better weight of dry matter per hectare.

Since the research started Eric also experimented on another method of soil flipping where he brought the bottom layer of fertile soil right to the top, rather than mixing it in with layers above.

“When I did this I grew higher producing maize and fodder beet crops with great success.

The significance of this is that the cost of actually undertaking the digger work to bring the layer up and reinstating the land is mitigated by the value of the higher yielding crops, making it more economically effective.”

Soil flipping is very expensive, costing in some instances over $7000 per hectare but the significant increase in production it creates means that the cost of the process can be

Wayne Van Den Broek Contracting harvesting the maize crop off the deep flipped paddock. Both of these paddocks are growing in the soil which would have been the top soil 2,000 years ago

recovered in four to six years, making it a really viable pasture production system for the district.

Before the three year study, research was conducted by Waikato University student Nadia Laubscher who wrote her thesis on “Improvement in soil water availability in pastures by excavating and mixing buried soil horizons from multi-layered Pumice Soils at Galatea” Her conclusion that mixing the finer-textured buried soil material to the land surface in place of coarse pumice gave deeper plant root penetration and improved readily available soil water holding capacity” She is now a scientist for Dairy NZ. More research is being planned.

People have asked Eric how he came up with the soil flipping concept.

“When you have grown up and lived in this valley all your life and you see how dry and brown it gets each summer, you start to think of ways to change it. I used to look at the moist layers in the land down near the river flats and thought why can’t we bring that moisture up to the top and use it to improve our crops and pasture.”

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80 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Lance & Mel Graves

NZ Dairy

Mel and Lance Graves run a dairy unit in South Taranaki for Brendon and Anna Harvie. Lance won the 2016 Wairarapa Dairy Manager of the Year competition.

Ask plenty of questions, says Lance Sue Russell

Making the decision just over two years ago to radically shift his work/life direction toward dairy farming was the best thing that ever happened to former diesel mechanic Lance Graves.

“As a person I have changed dramatically. I am a lot happier in myself because I am doing a job I love and know I can get ahead in,” says Lance, who in his relatively short tenure in dairy farming has seized every opportunity that has come along.

That includes entering and, for Lance, surprisingly winning the 2016 Wairarapa Dairy Manager of the Year competition.

Through a shift in the rules governing which category he could enter Lance wasn’t able to enter the Farm Trainee section and due to the fact that he held prior learning above Level 4 it placed him eligible for the Dairy Manager category.

He says the whole experience was really

positive and he has taken a lot of ‘learning gifts’ from it.

While Lance has now moved away from the Wairarapa to take up a farm manager role on a South Taranaki dairy unit, he says he would encourage anyone who wants to move forward in their dairying journey to consider entering.

“It is a comprehensive process culminating in a 1 ½ hour presentation about the farm, your farming goals and strategies, to a judging panel who you know carry a huge level of understanding about dairy farming and the industry generally.

“It made Mel and I really look carefully at what we were setting out to achieve not only on that farm but longer-term in our farming careers.”

The move from Wairarapa to Taranaki is another step in a career and life-style journey just in its infancy, yet in the space of just two seasons Lance says they are well poised to realise the goals they set for themselves.

“Mel had been teaching for 10 years and we decided this move to Taranaki would be the

moment of departure for her from that career toward a career and life on the farm, which she’s looking forward to.

She will be responsible for calf rearing and will take on more roles in time.”

When it was announced at the finals night in Masterton back in March that he had taken out the regional Dairy Industry Awards, Dairy Manager of the Year title Lance says it came as a complete surprise. And even more so when he was picked third overall at the National Awards.

“I really didn’t think I had a show of taking it out given I had only picked up one merit award and there were others in the final group of five who had scored better.

“Later I received the feedback that the judges provided, they found it so invigorating to see someone like me hold to a set of goals Mel and I sat down and grounded right at the start, and though we are moving rapidly along the pathway we hadn’t lost sight of those goals.”

Now settled on Brendon and Anna Harvie’s 100 hectare dairy farm at Auroa, farming life

couldn’t be more different for Lance.

Whereas the Wairarapa farm he had worked on the previous two seasons was low input the Harvie’s farm’s 400 cows receive a system 5 level of feed input.

“This farm has a fully automated 50 bale GEA rotary milking shed with all the bells and whistles including a ‘feed to yield’ in-shed feed system where each cow is weighed following milking and the following day’s feed allowance is calculated.

“It means our high producing cows receive the right amount of feed and we are not wasting feed on low performing cows.”

Lance’s advice to those aspiring a solid farming career is straight forward. Any question, he says, is a good question.

“The only way you are going to learn is if you make a mistake step back and figure out why it happened.

“Whereas as a diesel mechanic there is generally only one way to do something, that is not the case at all in farming, so ask questions, learn from experiences and always be open to new ways.”

Proudly supporting Lance Graves 3 truck and trailer spreading units capable of carting 22 ton at a time, proof of placement mapping.

FOR ALL YOU LIME AND FERTILISER NEEDS, PLEASE CALL JAKE ON 06 308 9658

NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Monteith Rural Construction Ltd

| 81

Monteith Rural Construction Ltd prides itself on offering farmers a diverse range of services including effluent ponds, dairy sheds, animal shelters, farm buildings, concrete work.

No job a problem for this builder Karen Phelps Building a three million litre effluent pond is all in a day’s work for Monteith Rural Construction. The company erected 66 precast panels to build a Hynd’s Megapond® in Morrinsville.

To give some idea of the scale the pond, which was specifically engineered for the site, it has a massive 40-metre diameter and walls 125mm thick.

The project was the largest effluent pond Monteith Rural Construction Ltd has ever built and indicates the capabilities of the company to complete both small and large scale projects.

“Whether we are building a large or a small pond the basic construction is the same.

On the larger projects though the project management is much more intensive so that’s where our skills in this area came to the fore on this particular project,” says owner of Monteith Rural Construction, Bob Monteith.

Bob brings nearly five decades of experience and knowledge to Monteith Rural Construction Ltd gained in the many facets of the industry from small renovations through civil construction of bridges, sub stations, commercial builds and high end residential buildings. Son Lachie, who is the company project supervisor, assists him in the company.

Although based in Kuratau, Monteith Rural Construction services the Waikato and greater Lake Taupo area and with the help of a skilled team of local carpenters, sub-contractors and merchants has an extensive client base.

Bob says the company prides itself on

offering farmers a diverse range of services including effluent ponds, dairy sheds, animal shelters, farm buildings, concrete work and residential housing.

Over the years, the company has built new herringbone dairy sheds and extended existing sheds and yards as well as feed pads, stone traps and all manner of sheds including deer sheds.

For over 10 years, the company has been

involved in the construction of slatted floor cattle shelters for Herd Homes Systems Ltd®.

A Herd Homes® shelter is a covered area in which animals can relax, be fed, and lie down and comes with a built-in and sustainable effluent system.

Bob says that both Herd Homes® and effluent ponds are currently the company’s most popular rural services due to stricter requirements around effluent management.

The latest Herd Homes® project completed was a 78 metre long animal shelter in Waitoa.

Monteith Rural also recently completed a five bay calf-rearing shed on a farm at Atiamuri demonstrating the wide variety of services it can offer to its rural clients.

“We’re in this for the long haul so our customers can have the confidence that we will continue to be there for them both now and into the future.”

DAIRY PEOPLE » Monteith Rural Construction Ltd

82 |

NZ Dairy

Megapond s popping up everywhere ®

Karen Phelps The Hynds Megapond® is popping up all over the country.

The company first identified the need for the product as farmers increasingly came under stricter regulations for managing effluent on their farms.

Since then hundreds of the product have been supplied and installed nationwide.

The Megapond® is an engineered site-specific large scale modular effluent tank. The product was developed by the Hynds technical team with the aim to provide farmers with a robust leach-free product that was cost effective and long-lasting. The first Megapond® was installed in Southland in 2009.

Megapond®s are made from precast concrete panels, with a mass of approximately 1600 kilograms each; panels are bolted together and sealed using a grouted shear key jointing system.

The panels are then installed using a suitable excavator.

Once in place the structure is completed with a linked, poured in-situ precast concrete flooring system, which extends under the wall panels to form an outside support ring.

David Nichols, Hynds’ national category manager for rural products, says that the result is robust and long lasting, giving farmers secure leach free effluent storage.

“For example, this system was used for a 1,000,000 litre storage tank for the Wattie’s processing plant in Hornby, Christchurch.

“After thousands of earthquake after-shocks the pond was undamaged, so that’s a good testament to its strength. The shear key jointing system allows for some flexibility, which is another reason they performed so well in the earthquakes,” he says.

Megapond®s come in five standard sizes – 500,000 litres through to four million litres capacity – with other sizes available on request. The product

is manufactured by Hynds at both North Island and South Island manufacturing plants then supplied in component form. Although Hynds provide the product, contractors such as Monteiths Rural Construction Limited then install the product.

David says that Hynds is constantly seeking to bring innovative new products to the market to meet the changing needs of farmers. A new product recently released by Hynds is the Hynds Hytank.

The precast concrete effluent storage tank comes with a flange base and offers 22,500 litre capacity.

David says the product is delivered ready to use rather than needing assemblage or installation and therefore has been popular as both a primary and a top up storage tank.

Although only officially released to the market late last year, the product has had good uptake by farmers looking for a quick and economical solution when an increase in storage capacity is required to meet regulatory requirements.

Founded in 1973, the privately owned Hynds Group of companies now comprises nine business units, including metal, concrete and plastic manufacturing, product importation and distribution and trade supply.

With over 660 employees and 32 branches nationwide, Hynds remains proudly family owned and has built its reputation on customer service and innovation, says David.

He says that Hynds Rural aims to provide a total solution to rural infrastructure requirements with specialised rural staff to give farmers expert local advice.

Other products offered by Hynds to farmers include water storage and reticulation, pipes and culverts, bridges and underpasses, stock control, irrigation, septic tanks and pump stations.

Farmers can also register for online alerts to hear instantly about the latest rural specials and promotions being offered.

Scan QR code for more info

FARM DAIRY EFFLUENT SYSTEMS FOR ANY SIZE DAIRY FARM

0800 496 377

hyndsrural.co.nz

NZ Dairy

DAIRY PEOPLE » Whakatohea Maori Trust Board

| 83

The Whakatohea Maori Trust Board was established in 1952 in an effort to provide direct health, social and economic, education and vocational training benefits to its people.

Huge benefits of farm realised Sue Russell The Whakatohea Maori Trust Board, established in 1952 under the Maori Trust Board’s Act 1955, owns and operates a significant number of land-based enterprises with the aim of bringing direct social, educational and health benefits to iwi and one of these is a 196 hectare dairy farm on the Waioeka Flats near opotiki managed by Josh Collier.

Josh has been at the helm of the day to day running of the 770 herd farm for the past four years, having farmed in the South Island.

“I was looking to come home to my whanau and the opportunity to step up to this role was very exciting,” Josh says.

CEO of Whakatohea Maori Trust Board, Dickie Farrar says the farm is one expression of the vision of the trust to support the development of the six hapi who make up the Whakatohea tribe.

The board’s activities are geared around providing direct health, social and economic, educational and vocational training benefits

• To page 84

Electrical Installations and Repairs Farm Services & Cowsheds Effluent & Irrigation Systems Commercial & Domestic Wiring

027 531 2549

“The board has a clear vision of where it wanted the farm to go and has made significant investments over the past few years in its infrastructure to enhance its operation and future-proof its capacity.”

Proud to be apart of the Whakatohea Project

Proudly supporting Whakatohea Trust For all your Grass, Silage, Maize and Hay needs 07 315 4721 | 027 283 2212 | whitescontracting@xtra.co.nz

Opotiki

EARTHMOVERS LIMITED

0274 749 813 • 07 315 4613 • admin@wbeltd.co.nz

84 |

DAIRY PEOPLE » Whakatohea Maori Trust Board

NZ Dairy

Huge benefits for farm realised by Whakatohea • From page 83 to its people. “The board has a clear vision of where it wanted the farm to go and has made significant investments over the past few years in its infrastructure to enhance its operation and future-proof its capacity,” Dickie says.

The milking shed is a new 60 bale Milfos Roth parlour with a Protrac Vantage system, which has an Intel dairy sensor positioned on every fourth bale. Josh says the state of the art shed built in 2012 serves the farm well.

“We operate to a system four for feeding, though we are looking at dropping that back to a system three, given the current economic conditions surrounding the dairying industry.”

At any one time two-thirds of the herd are standing on the feed pad with the remainder out on paddocks.

Supplementing the feed is a 44 hectare support block with 18 hectares currently growing maize and 22 hectares Lucerne.

The Waioeka Flats district is noted for its exceptional ability to grow great pasture with the region holding the national record, due to the significant level of daylight and consistent weather the area enjoys.

Working with Josh on a daily basis on the farm is a team of five: Two full time farm assistants, two calf rearers along with a fulltime milk harvester.

At peak milk, the rotary can complete milking in under two and a half hours.

Dickie’s role as CEO of the Whakatohea Maori Trust Board is to liaise regularly with Josh and the farm committee with respect to farm performance and to set strategies to enhance its capacities in the future and then take these matters to board meetings.

As farm manager, Josh not only does his share of the day-to-day level activities but is responsible for pasture management and also the breeding programme.

By successfully following the principles of practice espoused by John Roache for feeding cows Josh says the incidents of milk fever on the farm were halved.

The farm has long been a training space for young students in the tribe wishing to pursue the possibility of a career in farming. This is managed through Whakatohea Maori Trust

Whakatohea Maori Trust Board CEO Farrar Dickie, left, and farm manager Josh Collier.

Board’s status as a private training provider.

“In this district, farming has always been seen as a last resort job so the trust board is actively pursuing encouraging our young whanau to consider working on the land in one form or another.

"Our aim is to engage our young people and to encourage them to work on the land,” Dickie says. Guiding the development of the farm are the recommendations the Board

received after an extensive review of its dairy operations back in 2010.

The farm’s initial two milking sheds were combined and cow numbers downsized.

In 2011, a new feed pad was constructed and with the new rotary commissioned the following year, the farm is well on its way to achieving its long-term milk production goals.

www.rmt.co.nz

E. dispatch@rmt.co.nz P. 07 315 6454 (Opotiki Depot)

Carriers of bulk fertiliser – PKE and animal supplements Ballance consignment store in Opotiki for all bagged fert requirements Agent for McDonalds Lime – General Freight – Container Cartage

Proud suppliers of Whakatohea Trust

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Phone: 0800 377 669 or 07 308 9801 Email: esp@esp.co.nz Location: 31 Pyne Street, Whakatane, Bay Of Plenty

NZ Dairy

| 85

NORTHLAND - TRADES & SERVICES DIRECTORY BOB CAT SERVICES

BUTCHERY

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Ph 09 459 1350

sales@kdspreaders.co.nz www.kdspreaders.co.nz

Mobile: 021 399 967

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Complete agricultural and commercial helicopter service

We can help by humanely and professionally removing them from your precious pasture and clean water ways.

We obey all the sportsman shooting laws and have 25 years shooting experience.

We supply everything and ask only for your permission to enter your land.

Tony Noonan 021 279 5863 A/H 09 438 4485 E: tony@assertive.co.nz | 14 Kereru St, Maunu, Whangarei

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Portable Self contained unit No smell, cost effective Modular and practical ...an eco way to deal with poo!

Full household wastewater systems also available: www.swwsnz.co.nz

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NZ Dairy

86 |

WAIKATO - TRADES & SERVICES DIRECTORY ACCOUNTANTS

BUTHCERY / HOME KILL

Speaking your language...

When farm performance depends on solids, animal health, somatic cell count and the weather you need an accountant that knows your field.

staplesrodway CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

www.srwrural.co.nz T (7) 834 6800 E rural@srw.co.nz CONTRACTING

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.............................................

NZ Dairy

| 87

BAY OF PLENTY - TRADES & SERVICES DIRECTORY AIR FILTERS

BOB CAT SERVICES

COMMUNICATIONS

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Instead of replacing your air filters have them professionally cleaned. We clean agricultural, automotive and many other air filters. As an example an air filter retailing at $100.00 can be cleaned for around $35.00 – depending on condition.

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07 345 8655 admin@alcom.co.nz www.alcom.co.nz 295 Te Ngae Road, Rotorua 3010

0800 738 948 welcome@reuzit.co.nz CONTRACTING

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LandEd is offering training workshops in your area.

• Earthmoving • Dairy grazing • Full cultivation • Mowing & raking • Baled Silage and Hay • Truck & trailer cartage • Maize planting & harvesting • Purchase and supply of stock feed • Grass silage (fine chop or loader wagon)

Speak to our advisors about training available on:

Quad Bikes Motorbikes Tractors

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING YO Please note: This is a low quality proof to use as a guide only.your Imagery may be blurry due to Contact area representative: For general enquiries:

027 368 9765 • A/H 07 573 4748 • seancuffcontracting@gmail.com • ENGINEERING

Chainsaws LUVs Hazard ID and Management

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ENVIRONMENT SOLUTIONS

Please check: Telephone Numbers Address Details Names / Logos Dates / Prices Spelling / Wording

Building or renovating in the country? For solutions that won’t cost the Earth, call us.

Bay of Plenty

Andrew Primrose 0800 367 001 PLEASE TICK ONE BOX ONLY: M: 027 247 7283

Waikato Gill Petersen M: 020 438 3898

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• Trade waste design • On-site effluent design • Servicing of AWTS systems • FDE design • Fault-finding of septic and AWTS systems • Pre-purchase inspections for rural properties • Rainwater harvesting solutions Freephone 0800 349 484 • Mobile 027 622 9796 www.envirolutions.co.nz • info@envirolutions.co.nz PLASTICS

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NZ Dairy

88 |

TARANAKI - TRADES & SERVICES DIRECTORY ALUMINIUM JOINERY

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“We are just a phone call away for advice and peace of mind, for all your motoring needs.”

06 759 9986 027 583 4574 315a Aubyn Street, Moturoa, New Plymouth DAIRY SERVICES

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Steve: 027 447 0708 e: fabishjackson@xtra.co.nz www.fabishandjackson.co.nz

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31 Richmond Street, Inglewood, 4330 Email: info@northernfarmservices.co.nz

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Make Motorua Locksmiths your first call − 06 751 0900

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