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Summer 2015

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Builder puts nuts & bolts on video

INSIDE

Who’s doing what with deer - PAGES 10-20

Rural trade specialists - PAGES 21-26

Dairy-shed builder Nigel Hodges is sharing his knowhow in a video series for farmers converting to dairying. His take on sheds is straightforward: ‘Start planning early, and you get what you pay for.’ • More from Nigel and Rural Building Solutions on page 26. That’s him on the right in the photo with his ﬁrm’s construction manager, Alan Deane.

Who’s who among rural contractors - PAGES 27-39

Rural products & services - PAGES 40-47

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RURAL PEOPLE » Patoa Farms

Business Rural

Steve Sterne: ‘Because we compete against indoor pig farms in New Zealand, we need to have a performance level that rivals their performance. We’re looking at overhauling a lot of our areas of operation.’

Patoa pushes pig productivity Kim Newth Patoa Farms has won acclaim for its growth, efficiency and technical expertise, but New Zealand’s largest free-farmed pig enterprise is not resting on its haunches. Steve and Josie Sterne, and their daughter, Holly Sterne, won the Lincoln University Foundation’s South Island Farmer of the Year competition in 2014, acknowledging their achievements at Patoa Farms. Production growth has been impressive since the operation began two decades ago. “It grew from zero to a reasonable size in a fairly short space of time,” says Steve Sterne. The Sternes joined with another central Canterbury family, the Ravns, to start Patoa Farms. When the Ravns retired from the business in 2013, the Sterne family took over the entire operation. The goal remains the same: to farm pigs outdoors and as close to their natural habitat as possible. In practice, this means sows are left

to roam free with straw-based huts provided for farrowing; pigs being finished are accommodated in eco-barns with deep litter-straw. Twelve hundred farrowing huts are spread over the farm, organised in small groups. Patoa Farms has the SPCA blue tick and is audited every year to ensure its animal welfare standards are met. The pig farm, encompassing 470 hectares of flat-terraced country near Hawarden, has 5500 breeding sows and sells 115,000 fat pigs annually. It employs up to 50 staff, (with some seasonal fluctuation) and has an annual turnover of $30 million. Around 110,000 pigs a year are produced for slaughter. An additional 130ha is used for cropping. “That cropping land uses the nutrient coming off the farm,” says Steve Sterne. “We’re doing our best to use the nutrients we produce as much as possible.” Pigs are fed a grain-based, palletised diet to ensure consistency of intake.

Patoa pork and bacon is sold through Countdown and Hellers’ free-farmed small goods. Smaller customers are supplied through a wholesaler. The Sterne family’s sights are now set on further productivity gains. “The real target for us is to make some dramatic improvements in our productivity,” says Steve. “Because we compete against indoor pig farms in New Zealand, we need to have a performance level that rivals their performance. “We’re looking at overhauling a lot of our areas of operation on the farm and trying to improve them where we can.” He says Patoa Farms is investing heavily in training for staff. Pig production systems are also under review. “We want to improve the performance and quality of insemination.” In June, Steve took three staff members to the United States for the World Pork Expo and to visit some American pig farms. The travel was partially

funded by a grant received as a result of winning the 2014 South Island Farmer of the Year contest. “It was an opportunity for us to expose staff to what is happening overseas, particularly to the scale of farming operations there – it is absolutely huge. “We also bought some equipment there and brought some new ideas home with us.” Other spin-offs from the trip included learning about potential efficiencies that could be implemented on the processing side. “We have been talking to people we supply about perhaps incorporating these ideas for their businesses. I would like to think there would be benefits down the line from that.” A previous trip to attend a World Pork Expo led to the installation of new weighing technology at the farm – the Fast II weighing system, from Farmweld. “We have tended to deliberately look around the world at what technology is available. We are always fine-tuning what we do – it is an approach that has worked well for us.”

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INSIDE

Who’s doing what with deer - PAGES 10-20

Rural trade specialists - PAGES 21-26

Who’s who among rural contractors - PAGES 27-39

Rural products & services - PAGES 40-47

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RURAL PEOPLE » Limestone Downs

Business Rural

Dual farms produce scale Fred Newton His ancestors were the first European settlers to take up the land he now farms, and some of it has never changed hands out of the family. But that hasn’t stopped Dan Studholme from pushing ahead with new development and employing technology to get the most from the property. Dan and his father, Paul, run two farms together. Dan and his wife, Bridget, are on the original family block just out of Waimate, while his parents are on a “bigger, slightly better farm” at the other end of Waimate Gorge. “We’ve got some quite challenging ground but a reasonably good balance between the two properties,” says Dan Studholme. “We’ve got the 60 hectares irrigated and some rolling downs, and we’ve got some pretty tough steeper stuff. “We run it as one operation. Sometimes it’s a little bit of a challenge having seven or eight kiolmetres between the two farms – we have to truck a few stock between them. The other downside is that you need two of everything – two woolsheds, two sheepyards and two cattleyards.” But having the two farms gives the Studholmes the scale they need to support two families. About 10 per cent of the effective area is irrigated, something Dan says is hugely important to their profitability. “Because you know that block’s going to grow that feed, it changes the farm overall,” he says. “Instead of being a true dry-stock property where you run it entirely to a dry environment, irrigation gives us a lot of leverage over the rest of the farm. Having that guaranteed feed supply gives us the option of having dairy heifer-grazing and being able to finish lambs and that kind of thing.”

• To page 4 PHOTOS Above: Dan Studholme in the cattleyards. Left: This map shows the layout and gives an idea of the proximity and topography of the Studholmes’ two properties near Waimate.

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RURAL PEOPLE » Limestone Downs/Niels Modde & Jodie Templeman

When I started farming, I found that people ask questions about your performance on the farm and what you’re doing, and I didn’t really know the answers for a lot of things. So, it’s great to have some hard data.

New technology spices ‘tried and tested’ farming recipe • From page 3 There’s still scope to increase production and, as income allows, the Studholmes are investing in new fencing, fertiliser, resowing pasture, and putting in stock water. “It’s a tried and tested recipe,” says Dan Studholme. “But I think it’s quite crucial to keep to the basics, and not try to get too fancy and spend money on things that might not necessarily provide a return.” That means that they stick with their 15-year-old 90-horsepower tractor, and that a 10-foot maxi-till cultivator and a post driver are about their only machinery. “But we have good utes and motorbikes because they get used every day,” says Dan However, far from being a traditionalist, he has embraced computer technology in an effort to maximise production and is an enthusiastic user of FarmIQ farm management software. “It’s a really clever piece of software and it will help me make decisions. It collates all these bits of information you can track and see how you go with that against your goals and objectives and see how you’re tracking against them as you’re going which is really good.”

All stock have electronic eartags, and information is collected about every animal and how it performs, starting from lamb tailing and calf marking. “There’s a lot of other stuff you can use FarmIQ for around land-based operations as well – cropping, chemical applications, auditing-type things you need to do, health and safety and animal health treatments can all go into that one database.” FarmIQ can also be used to measure the effectiveness of changes made on the farm. Dan’s not happy with the weaning weights of their lambs, and he is putting in annual clovers for lactating ewes and plans to sow more herb and plantain paddocks to try to maximise the growth rate of lambs from birth to weaning “With FarmIQ, I can monitor stock that come off those paddocks then compare them to ones that come off pasture and see if that’s actually had a result or not.” And, he says, access to FarmIQ technology means he can now answer questions he used to find difficult,. “When I started farming, I found that people ask questions about your performance on the farm and what you’re doing, and I didn’t really know the answers for a lot of things. So, it’s great to have some hard data.”

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Business Rural

‘It’s 4 The Girls Russell Fredric The passion Northern Southland dairy farmers Niels Modde and Jodie Templeman have in caring for their herd soon comes to the fore when they talk about their priorites. The couple milk 520 holstein-fresians in a 40-a-side herringbone shed on 270 hectares between Balfour and Lumsden, 90 minutes’ drive south of Queenstown. The inland climate can be variable, with cold, wet and windy spells during winter and early spring; but it is typically hot and dry for long periods during summer. The farm operates on a high-input, classfive system and is supported by a 58ha run-off block further south near Winton. Niels Modde outlines how, after emigrating from Holland 11 years ago “with nothing”, they have achieved full ownership of their herd. “I was working for (Art and Helen Blom) on a 250-cow farm on the other side of Balfour. In 2008 they gave me the opportunity to start lower-order sharemilking for 19 per cent and build the herd up to 300 cows if I bought the extra 50 cows. ‘’After two years, I went up to 24% and owned 24% of the herd – 70 cows. One year later, we moved to this farm together.’’ In June 2011 the couple started sharemilking at 25.5% and established 4 The Girls Dairies Ltd with a herd of 140 cows. They have since reared and kept their own replacements from those cows. During the same season they bought the run-off block to graze their young stock. Two years later they were looking for a 50:50 sharemilking position when the Bloms came up with the idea of leasing their farm. “That year we bought the rest of the herd off the Bloms and are in full ownership of the herd,’’ says Niels. The goal is to buy “our own little dairy farm in two years time’’. Their passion for their cows and their sense of humour is reflected in the 4 The Girls Dairies Ltd company name – chosen not because they have produced a crop of daughters, but because “it’s all about the cows”. While production is usually the primary goal of any farmer, for Niels and Jodie animal welfare is first and foremost in decision-making, with production a vital by-product of those decisions. They contract nutrition consultant Conal Harkin, from Ashburton-based Dairy Business Centre (NZ) Ltd, to help with feeding decisions. These include the best source of protein (such as palm kernel, silage, or protein concentrates) to buy through the season. Niels condition-scores the

Because we’ve got happy and healthy cows, we can save lots of money on other things...We try to keep doing what we are doing. We won’t cut on feed or animal health as it is not the cows’ fault that the payout is low. herd four times a year and this data contributes to the process. Conal Harkin visits every five weeks. The main aim is to make the farm as profitable as possible through in-depth analysis of the farm system. Targets are set out and monitored regularly through the season. Herd-test and body-condition score data is analysed to identify inefficient animals and to use in culling/drying-off decisions. Dairy Business Centre (NZ) also provides a feedanalysis service to determine the nutritive value of pasture and silage to help with feeding decisions. While using the nutritionist comes at a cost, the couple say the results have been extremely pleasing. Last season the farm’s profit per hectare was 42% higher than the Southland average. “Because we’ve got happy and healthy cows, we can save lots of money on other things, ‘’ Niels says. While herd health and happiness is a top priority, he concedes that pasture management is not his strong suit. “It’s probably my weak point in the business. We are probably not cleaning up the paddocks as farmers with a lower-input, pasture-based system do. I haven’t done any farm walks this year yet.’’ During the past two seasons the herd, which originally comprised friesians and jerseys, has been trimmed from 600 to 520 to reduce the amount of silage bought and to eliminate the need for cows to be sent away for grazing. This process also provided then with an opportunity to remove the jerseys so that a pedigree

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RURAL PEOPLE » Niels Modde & Jodie Templeman

Business Rural

because it’s all about the cows’

Animal welfare is foremost in any decision making by Southland farmers Niels Modde and Jodie Templeman. herd could be created. The couple prefer friesians. They aim to lift milk production from 560 to 575 kilograms of milksolids per cow from this season. Last season’s total production was 316,000kg from 560 cows. Jodie enjoys running the farm’s calf-rearing operation, and now has an eight-month-old son, Zander, as an animated observer of the activity in the shed. She rears 125 heifer-replacement calves from the herd, with 100 returning as two year-olds and the balance sold as in-calf heifers. Benefits from raising the calves show when they are introduced into the herd, she says. “They are not flighty, they are used to people;

they are friendly and they are easy to deal with.’’ Like many New Zealand dairy farmers, 4 The Girls Dairies faces a challenging season with the reduced payout. With farm working expenses already below $4/kg of milksolids, there is little left to cut out, Niels says. “We try to keep doing what we are doing. We won’t cut on feed or animal health as it is not the cows’ fault that the payout is low.’’ He says they are proud of what they have achieved: “It has been hard work and a few nightmares, but it is one of the reasons I came to New Zealand. In Holland it is not possible to work your way up any more.’’

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RURAL PEOPLE » Coleridge Downs

Business Rural

All aboard the Coleridge Fred Newton Foreign ownership of four large Canterbury stations is a good thing, says the manager of the enterprise, Tony Plunkett. “The owners pretty much leave all their money and invest it back in the properties,” Plunkett says. “It’s a good overseas investment story.” The Erdman family, who have a ranch in Hawaii, bought the first of the Central Canterbury stations, Coleridge Downs, in 1992 after getting to know the New Zealand managers of another Hawaii ranch then owned by Brierley Investments. “They got to know them pretty well,” says Tony Plunkett. “Ian Hurst was the manager and then Barry Hopkinson took over, and he talked them into buying Coleridge Downs when he came back to New Zealand.” They have since acquired the Dry Acheron and

Annavale stations as well, and this year added the 2000-hectare (effective) Big Ben. Together, the four properties run 42,000 stock units. Tony Plunkett has been managing the enterprise for six years, coming to the role from Awakino Station at Kurow, a 16,0000 stock unit property he had developed for the owners. “The job’s grown,” he says. “We’ve doubled in size in two years – we stepped into something that we probably didn’t quite realise we were stepping into at the start, and we’ve just gone along for the ride really.” He is comfortable with foreign ownership which he sees as the latest stage in the evolution of property ownership in the high country. “It’s amazing how it has changed. In the late 1800s it was all owner-operators and a lot of English people came in. In the early 1900s, they either put managers on or sold out and lived in Christchurch or went back to England. “Then, in those mid-1900s, they became owner-

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RURAL PEOPLE » Coleridge Downs

Business Rural

Downs roller coaster operators again. And now. in the early 2000s. it’s gone back to absentee owners. So the world has really turned.” Foreign ownership has provided the capital needed to maintain and develop many stations and get maximum production from them. Plunkett says the Erdman family gives him and his wife, Pam, the freedom to get on with the job. “We’ve got a really good structure and I think that’s going to become more prevalent as properties become bigger,” he says. “If you’ve got good governance, they set the plan, point you in the right direction, explain their values and where they want to go. and it’s up to you to take it there. It’s quite simple, but it’s really effective,” he adds. The four stations are effectively run as one enterprise, with stock shifted between properties as needed. And with a dry summer starting to bite, that is happening plenty at the moment. The business, called Coleridge Downs Ltd, runs deer, cattle and sheep, which Plunkett says complement one another and suit the landscape. “We have large areas that are quite intensive, and then we’ve got our steeper hill country that is extensive, so we get the best of both worlds really,” he says. Fourteen staff work on the farms, and Plunkett

says good staff are critical to getting good results. With an eye to the future, he’s involved in setting up a farm training school on Coleridge Downs, in partnership with the LincolnFirst Telford Division campus at Lincoln University. “It’s going to be an exciting and challenging next couple or three years to get it up and running properly – and it’s going to be really rewarding,” he says. “There are some really great passionate young people out there.” Under the scheme,Coleridge Downs will take on three new trainees each year and keep them on for two years – which means there will be six at any one time – before sending them off to find jobs. “They do a day a fortnight in the classroom and the rest of the time it’s hands on learning,” says Tony Plunkett. “They’ll come out with level four farming. “And I think that what will happen, if we do the job right, is that jobs will be lining up for them at the other end because employers would have someone who can just go straight in and away they go.” The way his job has grown over the past six year means Tony Plunkett is spending less time out on the farm and more time on management. But he sees that as a positive: “Life has been a bit of a roller coaster.” .

Tony and Pam Plunkett enjoy their dog and their garden.

We’ve got a really good structure and I think that’s going to become more prevalent as properties become bigger. If you’ve got good governance, they set the plan, point you in the right direction, explain their values and where they want to go, and it’s up to you to take it there. It’s quite simple, but its’ really effective. Sales, Service, Parts – We cover it all!

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RURAL PEOPLEÂť Bruce & Susan Turpie

Business Rural

Bruce and Susan Turpieâ€™s new 730-cow barn.

Ambitious conversion bears fruit Fred Newton Three years into a dairy conversion, Mid Canterbury farmers Bruce and Susan Turpie are enjoying seeing some of the fruits of their labour. â€œItâ€™s actually really cool now weâ€™ve got this far,â€? says Bruce Turpie. â€œWeâ€™ve got our own heifers coming through that weâ€™ve bred ourselves to begin with, and the top heifers are doing 35 to 38 litres a day.â€? The Turpies have converted half of their 411-hectare mixed cropping farm to dairying, putting in a â€œhybridâ€? system with 200ha of pasture

plus a 730 cow barn. This means the cows that are inside at night are outside in the day, and vice versa. The idea is to combine the lower cost of an allgrass system with the higher production that can be achieved with more expensive feed fed inside. â€œWeâ€™re trying to do 600 kilograms of milksolids per cow â€“ thatâ€™s what we got to last year,â€? Bruce says. â€œI guess the way we look at the feeding is a wee bit different. We actually work on the feedconversion efficiency of each cow â€“ weâ€™re trying to have around 9kg of dry matter eaten to convert into 1kg of milksolids.â€?

Their new 80-bail rotary milking shed is equipped with all the latest technological aids so that they can easily analyse how well each cow is performing. â€œWe spend hours and hours a week looking at computer screens, analysing this, that and the next thing,â€? says Bruce. â€œThe low payout at the moment forces you to analyse every cost. You just canâ€™t have cows inside 24/7 and not be getting massive production. Feed costs can get up to 50 per cent of your business costs if youâ€™re not careful, so youâ€™ve got to have some big production to offset that.â€? To maximise production, the Turpies milk year-

round, with 900 cows calving in spring and 400 in autumn to fill a winter contract with Synlait Milk. â€œItâ€™s just a no-brainer,â€? he says. â€œYou canâ€™t sustainably run a barn without a winter-milk contract; you need to add that value with the milk produced to pay for the feed fed through the winter.â€? Before converting half the farm, the Turpies mostly grew crop, including barley, ryegrass seed and potatoes. â€œWe just looked at ways to add value to the

â€˘ To page 9

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Mid-Canterbury farmer Bruce Turpie with son Richard, aged 15, inside the new cow barn.

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RURAL PEOPLE » Willow Glen

Business Rural

Above: A mare and foal enjoy the Willow Glen grass. Right: Mike and Barbara Cooney with their new stallion Pure Champion, a black type winner in Europe, Asia and New Zealand.

Passion now a business Fred Newton Irrigation has allowed Mike and Barbara Cooney to pursue their passion for horses and create the Willow Glen thoroughbred stud on what had been sheep and beef land in South Canterbury.. While neighbours on flat land had had irrigation for decades, it wasn’t really feasible to get water on to hill country until k-line moveable irrigation was invented – and even then the couple took some convincing. “We had the irrigation ditch right at our gateway. Our friends up the road put in k-line and we used to watch that,” recalls Barbara. “They just looked the silliest little things, these little sprinklers out in the paddock, but they used to say come and have a look, and we did. And it had just turned that stony, barren land into fertile pasture.” In 1999 they signed up with the Morven Glenavy Ikawai irrigation company, which takes water from the nearby Waitaki River, and soon their dry hill country was turning a lush green. At first they ran dairy grazers, but were then offered the opportunity to get into thoroughbred racehorse breeding. “My brother-in-law has a stud at Wanganui and offered us a stallion that was surplus to their

requirements but would suit the South Island. We’d always bred a few horses, so we thought that would be quite interesting. We really enjoyed it and then we got offered other opportunities.” That stallion was Hadaad, an American-born son of Mr Prospector, one of the world’s greatest sires. Though Hadaad was well proven, there were new stallions on the scene and they were proving more popular with breeders. “When a new stallion comes in, they all want to go to the new one, it’s fashion, and sometimes the old boys get overlooked. It’s not to say that they don’t leave really good racehorses, but they’re not so much the fashion and not so sought after in the sale rings.” Hadaad did well for the Cooneys and started them on a new career. Sixteen years later, half of their 240-hectare farm is devoted to thoroughbred horses, with the other half leased to a dairy farmer as a run-off. “The South Island’s a little away from the mainstream – most of the top studs are around Waikato – but we still serve a large area and most of the mares we’ve got this year have come from the North Island,” says Barbara Cooney. Some of the mares arrive pregnant and are foaled at Willow Glen; after nine days, they can be served by one of the stallions on the stud, either

one of their own or one of the sires they stand for bigger operators such as Waikato-based Te Akau Racing. “They have a number of sires, so they need professional people to stand them at stud – it’s a bit like a lease.” The latest arrival at Willow Glen is Pure Champion, an Irish-bred stallion that won big races there and in England before being sold for “an enormous figure” to Hong Kong interests. Next stop was New Zealand. “Hong Kong trainer Paul O’Sullivan suggested to his brother, Lance, in New Zealand that he take him, and that he’d be good for New Zealand in his twilight racing years.” He raced well here and won the Windsor Park Plate, beating some of the best New Zealand horses over a mile. Then, at the age of eight, he was retired to stud. Still owned by the O’Sullivan family, Pure Champion now stands at Willow Glen. The Cooneys have always liked horses. Mike used to play polo and was master of the hunt in Waimate. But on the farm, horses used to have to take second place. Today they get the best grazing and the Cooneys have succeeded in turning their passion into a business.

`We don’t do anything simple’ • From page 8 cropping unit and have everything in one place. We’ve always winter-grazed cows and had a few beef cattle, so we quite enjoy the animals.” However, he says there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything they used to, so they’ve simplified their cropping operation, and no longer grow potatoes. They still grow 100ha of barley, as well as 40ha of ryegrass, 30ha of fodder beet and 20ha of kale. Converting to dairy, especially with the added

complication of housing cows, year-round milking and the technology, has been a steep learning curve, but Bruce Turpie has few regrets. “We’d never run a business like that and you do look over the fence at the neighbours – the allpasture-based system does seem extremely simple compared with what we’re trying to do, but I guess we don’t do anything simple. So, it’s our own fault. “The biggest frustration is the low payout. It needs to be $6-plus for the industry to be sustainable, but we hope it’s going to get back there next year.”

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10 |

DEER » Connemara Wapiti

Business Rural

Award reward for deer stud Kelly Deeks Te Anau wapiti stud Connemara Wapiti has won this year’s Deer Environment Gallagher Technology and Innovation award for “excellent utilisation of farming technologies to improve on farm productivity, progress the business, and manage resources”. The owners, Murray and Bev Hagen, along with manager Jim Cameron are working together to get the best out of the property. Cameron, who has been managing Connemara Wapiti for four years, has experience managing a deer, sheep, and beef-finishing property for Landcorp, and a fine-wool property for Russel and Jeanette Emerson in Central Otago. During his tenure at Connemara Wapiti, Cameron and stud owners Murray and Bev Hagen have instigated some changes that have improved both the quality of the animals in three key areas – increased production of both venison and velvet; easy temperament; and the stud’s performance at animal sales. The first step was to hold an annual auction on the farm instead of selling the animals privately.. “We’re still selling about the same amount of animals, 35 to 40 a year, but holding an auction on farm has helped us to keep the quality there,” Jim Cameron says. “Our next sale will be held here at 1pm on Sunday, January 17.” Connemara Wapiti buys top sire-stags, and has bought three in the past three years. The latest addition was the top ranking two-year-old in New Zealand. Connemara Wapiti’s 300-hectare property winters about 2500 deer, including 350 velveting stags, 850 hinds, 1000 weaners, and sire stags. Although velvet prices are down $5 a kilo from last year, Connemara Wapiti is still working to on improve its velvet production. “Last year our 350 velveting stags averaged

Connemara Wapiti’s 300ha farm near Te Anau winters about 2500 deer, including 350 velveting stags, 850 hinds, 1000 waeners and sire stags. seve kilograms of velvet,” JIm Cameron says. “At $130 a kilo, this stacks well up against dairy.” Sixty of those stags were grown out to Elk Supreme, the highest grade of velvet, averaging 11kg. Connemara Wapiti has recently become involved

with Deer Industry New Zealand’s DEERSelect database, which stores pedigree and performance records to provide estimated breeding values and economic indices. “Our first crop of weaners is just going into that database now,” Cameron says. The stud has also in the past 12 months got involved with DINZ’s Advance Parties, a new discussion group system developed to help deer farmers increase the profitability of their farms. “We’re just trying to improve our stud all the time, so with Advance Parties we have a group of about eight of us in Southland and we visit one another’s farms and try to help one another get ahead,” Jim Cameron says. “We all have the same problems, and we’re all trying to do the same stuff – grow more velvet and more venison.” He says following the Advance Party held at Connemara Wapiti, he is concentrating on putting more weight on his younger hinds earlier before

mating, to try to improve the stud’s fawning percentage. This year Connemara Wapiti trialled a new method, keeping its yearlings for 40 days longer in the spring before cutting off their spike then culling them. “Instead of culling at 60kg, they culled at 72kg. With their spike and their extra weight gain, that made us another $70 a head.” Also this year, Connemara Wapiti is aiming to lift its velvet weights by increasing the cut-off on fouryear-olds and older from 3.5kg to 4.5kg. “If they’re not cutting 4.5kgs of velvet, they’re culled,” Cameron says. About 1000 animals are sent to the freezing works every year, mostly yearlings and cull hinds and stags. Sire stags are velveted all their life, then some are sold to trophy farms. One Connemara Wapiti sire stag with a particularly good head for shooting fetched a price of $7000.

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DEER » Clachanburn Station

Business Rural

| 11

Top stud stag bound for ring Russel Fredric Deer and elk breeders looking to introduce new genetics targeting venison production in their herds are targets for Clachanburn Station’s annual sire sale on January 20. Station owner John Falconer believes his elk, at Patearoa near Ranfurly, are achieving “industry leading growth rates’’ as a result of a strong focus on venison production. ‘’The livestock being offered for sale are genuinely bred as terminal sires,’’he says. Between 70 and 80 three year-old elk will be up for auction. “When we first started farming elk, we had 500-kilogramg bulls as adults that were only 300kg three year-olds. We’ve now got 400kg three-yearolds that are 440kg at maturity. We are getting a far earlier maturing, higher growth rate, higher yielding deer than we’ve ever seen..’’ Since the early days of the farm’s elk operation, it has aimed to develop its own genetics, concentrating on constitution, growth rates and yield, as opposed to breeding only for antler yield. ‘’We do actually breed for increased velvet and trophy sizes, but it’s not the main focus of our operation – growth rates are.’’ “One of the policies we have here is we have only one bought-in sire at a time. I’m a real believer in using the best of your own, while keeping outside genetics coming in.’’ Last year a bull bred by Dave Lawrence, of Winton, was introduced to the herd for its growth rates and yield traits. “When we bring in outside genetics, they are very targeted.’’ A rare opportunity from Clachanburn Station will be a feature of the January sale. While its elk stud bulls are not usually offered

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for auction, the station’s master sire, nine-year-old Megatron, is being brought to the ring. “He’s a proven sire at Clachanburn. He’s the top growth-rate bull in both the Deer Progeny Test and Deerlink databases. I am hoping he will be sold to a stud. He’ll be sold in full hard antler – he’s a pretty special animal.’’ He’s one of the best in the business, if not the best in the business. We believe there’s an opportunity there for a breeder to obtain a fully recorded herd sire, but the trophy industry will set his minimum value.’’ The station’s deer were the first Elk and Wapiti in New Zealand to be entered in DEERSelect, New Zealand’s national deer recording database which records pedigree and performance traits. “We’ve supplied semen for the last five years into the Deer Progeny Test and also Deerlink.’’ The sire sale runs on a traditional auction system with most elk having full DNA-proven parentage, “hard data’’ and breed values. John Falconer says Clanchanburn Station has been an industry leader in the assessment of newly identifiable traits such as eye-muscle scanning, foetal ageing of stud deer during pregnancy testing, and CARLA saliva testing, which measures the levels of an antibody against parasite larvae in animals. While genetic gains in the herd have been consistent, the new traits assessed from DEERselect showed sufficient variation to allow for significant further improvement of the individual traits. Despite the various technologies available, he still believes a hands-on approach and using the eye are still important in assessing traits in individual animals. “We’ve made consistent genetic gains because we are looking at multiple traits without targeting any single trait above others. We are very happy with our progress.’’

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12 |

DEER » Raft Creek Farm

Business Rural

Rainfall puts Jo Bailey Stephen Wright, manager of Landcorp’s Raft Creek deer farm was pleased to be one of the first West Coast farmers to enter Lincoln University’s South Island Farmer of the Year competition, and says it was even better to be named among the 12 finalists. “Although I didn’t end up in the top four, it was a good process to go through. The judges looked at our physical and financial information, and spent about three hours here doing an independent assessment. They put together a good report on the property and acknowledged it is a tough place to farm, on this side of the island.” Raft Creek is one of 22 Landcorp properties running deer. It is 15 kilometres inland from Hokitika, near

Raft Creek farm inland from Hokitika is the wettest in the Landcorp group, receiving more than four metres of rain a year.

Lake Kaniere, and has the distinction of being the group’s wettest farm. “I would quite happily swap some rain for a bit of drier weather,” he says. “By the end of October we already had 102 per cent of our long-term average rainfall. The saving grace is that we get good sunshine hours here too, and after a couple of fine days, things dry off pretty quick”. Spring is a high-revenue period at Raft Creek, but with less grass cover after a very wet winter and spring, the carcass weight of finishing deer has been compromised a little this season. To prepare for this possibility, he monitors the weight of his fawns post weaning in March and April, and supplements their feed if necessary to get them up to a target weight of 70 kilograms by June 1. “This helps get the weaners through winter

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DEER » Raft Creek Farm

Business Rural

| 13

heat on management and a tough spring, or hit spring running in a good year.” Around 730 hinds are run on the 483-hectare (452ha effective) farm, split 50:50 between commercial and genetic animals. Meat yield is the biggest focus of the commercial side of the business, with velvet a “good by-product”. Raft Creek is one of Landcorp’s three elite, reddeer breeding herds; it breeds stock for other farms in the group under the Focus Genetics umbrella. “We AI about 120 hinds a year on the genetic side of it, with any surplus yearlings we don’t need also going to other Landcorp properties,” says Wright. Stags are also bred for other deer farms in the group, with 58 of the 70 rising two-year old

• To page 14

To avoid aggression and unpredictability, he puts time into the deer when they are young...Nobody likes a stag that will back you into a corner or a hind that will have a crack at you. Meat from a stressed animal is also tougher and can affect a premium price.

Landcorp staff spend time working with young deer to avoid aggression.

Meat yield remains the focus at Raft Creek, with velvet a `good by-product’.

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14 |

DEER » Raft Creek Farm/Peel Forest Estate

Business Rural

New line bred Neil Grant

Deer in a paddock at Landcorp’s Raft Creek farm

Technology cuts guesswork • From page 13 stags on offer from Raft Creek this season already earmarked for Landcorp farms. “The balance will go back to the stud and we will have a few spares available for private sale, although this is not something we’ve really pushed. We also run around 50 mixed-age stags.” Stephen Wright is a born-and-bred West Coaster who has been deer farming for more than 30 years and manager at Raft Creek for around 15. In recent years he has embraced technology to help him fine-tune the management of the farm and herd, with the introduction of electronic ID in 2007 and FarmIQ farm management software in 2013. Fawns are EID-tagged at two to three months of age, and the farm has a digital record of every hind including data on birth, vaccinations, the paddocks grazed, fertility and movements in weight. Centralising all the farm data in the FarmIQ program has taken the guesswork out of decisionmaking, especially when it comes to finishing animals, he says. “We can run finishing reports that show starting weights, finishing weights and average daily gains. Over time, this allows us to see if we’re going backwards or forwards, and how any variances relate to things like weather or pasture. It’s all

there in black and white, so we don’t have to bluff our way through. We can also provide accurate information to potential buyers.” Temperament is another attribute under constant scrutiny, he says: “Nobody likes a stag that will back you into a corner or a hind that will have a crack at you. Meat from a stressed animal is also tougher and can affect a premium price. We cull any repeat offenders.” To avoid aggression and unpredictability, he puts time into the deer when they are young – and it’s an approach that has paid dividends: “Although the animals have got bigger over the years, they have also become gentler.” A small number of sheep and beef provide a secondary income stream at the farm, he says. “We have 140 ewes and normally carry 60-80 steers, although we’re down to 40 at the moment because of the season. We breed lambs to finish, the ewes tidy up the lanes and tracks, and we use the cattle as a management tool for pasture.” He is hoping for a better summer, but with rain predicted, says the farm will probably end up with more than four metres of rainfall over the calendar year: “It can be a tough place to farm, and it wouldn’t suit everyone. But after around 15 years as manager at Raft Creek, I’m pretty familiar with its limitations and potential.”

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Peel Forest homestead harks back to 1860. Originally a pit-sawn timber, single-storey house, it evolved into a large, attractive two-storeyed building, reeking colonial style. As part of what is now called Peel Forest Estate, the homestead lends grace to a modern hi-tech agricultural business. Owner Graham Carr set up his red-deer business on the 730-hectare property in 1987. Acquiring neighbouring land and a hill block has increased the area to more than 2800ha, running 9000 DNAed, computer-recorded, stud deer with three, four or five generations of pedigrees. “We were known originally for our trophy deer. We have added the venison dimension to the stud in the last two years,” Carr says. “After talking to farmers, and as a commercial operator ourselves, we realised the needs the farmers were looking for. We developed our own terminal sire, and, more importantly, maternal sire. This had not been recognised in the deer industry, although it was well recognised in the sheep and beef industries.” Dairy development has pushed deer further back onto harder, poorer country, so the company bred a hind with the right size and production values, capable of wintering in harsh conditions and weaning a large fawn. The Forrester maternal sire produces such hinds. “They are proving very popular,” says Graham Carr. “Their attributes are not just focused on growth rate. They are very tough, very strong with good constitutions and conformation.” He throws the term, ‘curve bender’, into the conversation. This means, for his deer, that the animals grow following a normal curve, then stop growing – ideal for a hind on the hill. This attribute adds to another characteristic they have bred into their animals – resilience to Johne’s disease. Johne’s (pronounced ‘Yoh nees’)

Peel Forest uses genetics to produce good velvet. is a contagious infection in ruminant animals, often passed on from the mother through the milk, or from contact with faeces, leading to emaciation, scouring and death. “This was really important where deer are going onto much tougher country with snow, drought and feed shortages. They need a constitution not prone to disease, which is often brought on by stress.” A third category of Peel Forest deer is velvet production. “We use genetics to produce very good velvet,” says Carr. “This has a double benefit for farmers. It puts genetics into their replacement herds and the eight or nine kilos of velvet helps pay for the animal itself.”

DEER » Peel Forest Estate

Business Rural

| 15

with ‘The Simple System’

Peel Forest has developed a bloodline of terminal sires called B11, which have a number of important traits including high conception, high growth rates and hardiness. Peel Forest has developed a bloodline of terminal sires called B11. As well as Johne’s resilience, these have a number of important traits, including early calving, high conception, high growth rates, and hardiness. These sires, put over hinds from Forrester sires, produce progeny that are fast growing, maximising productivity. It’s a programme they call The Simple System. “We are very progressive and in tune with what farmers want,” Carr says. “We have a dedicated salesman visiting and talking to farmers finding out what they want.” Growing deer for trophies is the fourth category. They believe the classic red deer antler with clean tynes and wide structure is the one most

desired. Young animals with these attributes are sold to breeders, and older ones to trophy safari businesses. Many sales are by private treaty, but some are on-farm events. Peel Forest’s Forrester auction in early December demonstrated strong demand for the stud’s animals with a 20 per cent increase in sales over 2014. An on-site auction of three-year old trophy and velvet stags is scheduled for January 12. Buyers come from around the country, and overseas buyers have representatives on hand. The attributes of Peel Forest, which so appealed to Francis Jollie in 1860, continue to this day. “This is lovely country,” Carr says. “Deer love it here.”

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“Our aim is to provide cost effective solutions across the board” says Stan Rivett, Director of Netspeed NZ. Farmers’ use of technologies such as cloud based accounting and herd management applications means it is critical that they have a good strong internet connection. Cost efficiency is always at the forefront of farmers’ minds, now is a good time to review their current internet set-up. “Many farmers are paying a lot of money to access broadband via satellite. With the rollout of the government’s Rural Broadband Initiative, (RBI) they may now have a cheaper, and much faster alternative,” says Stan Rivett, director of NetSpeed NZ. The coverage of RBI will never reach all the remote parts of New Zealand, “a good chunk of the country” is now covered, providing better options for farmers. Rivett says rural communities are enjoying improved internet connections and faster speeds under the RBI, especially since 4G was enabled on the network. “We’ve noticed a big change, especially for people who are switching to 4G. They are getting really good speeds, in some cases better than people in town.” With faster broadband connections other possibilities open up. NetSpeed can transfer existing phone lines across to VOIP phone services for just $15 month, including features such as call waiting, call minder and call forwarding. Netspeed can also provide hotspots, domain names, email, web hosting and web design. Netspeed NZ started back in 2003 with its own wireless networks in Wanaka, Dunedin, Christchurch and Oamaru, since the launch of the RBI, its business has extended throughout New Zealand, with franchises in the South Island and preferred installers covering the rest of the country. “When people call us, they are talking to people who have carried out installations and understand how things work on the ground which is quite different to ringing a call centre.” This provides a significant advantage to clients, as setting up a rural connection “takes a fair bit of expertise”, says Rivett.

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16 |

DEER » Brian & Kristine Russell

Business Rural

Game changer Jo Bailey A property auction in December will set the future direction of Brian and Kristine Russell’s large-scale commercial deer operation in Southland. “We’ve put our Kowhai farm on the market, so we’re a bit in limbo until we know whether it sells. If it does there will be lot of decisions to make,” says Brian Russell. The Russells have farmed the 1320ha Kowhai hill block since 2001, developing it from a straight run-off into a sizeable deer breeding operation. Six and half years ago they sold their home farm at Avondale and moved to The Rock, an 845-hectare farm at Dipton, where most of the stock bred at Kowhai are sent for finishing. Brian says this year’s “shocking winter” was one of the catalysts for the decision, as was the couple’s desire to spend more time with their three children, Adine 12, Hamish 7 and Natalie 6. “It was time to make some major changes and work out what we wanted to do going forward. We will work through the process with some outside professionals such David Stevens from AgriResearch, taking a look at some different models to see what comes out best.”

If Kowhai does sell, there will be a major impact on stock numbers and stock types carried by the couple, he says. “The deer side of things would definitely be scaled down, as we physically couldn’t run all those hinds at The Rock. We want to maintain some diversification in the system as well.” At present there are around 1800 hinds (250 hinds were sold late winter this year because of feed deficit), 2500 yearling deer and 130 stags split between the farms, along with 2200 breeding ewes and 150 breeding cows. Venison is the main focus of the operation, with more than 110,000 kilograms produced each season. The Russells finish about 2100 of their own weaners each year; they are killed from late October until the following June. Around 600kg of velvet is also produced from spikers and sire stags. Secondary income comes from the sheep and cattle operations. Last year The Rock became the Southland deer focus farm, and Brian and Kristine are keen to carry on with that even if Kowhai sells. He says becoming a focus farm is a big commitment and challenge.

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DEER » Brian & Kristine Russell

Business Rural

| 17

for deer focus farmers “There is a lot more monitoring, which has increased the demands on our operation,” says Bqrian. This year we have hosted four on-farm field days as part of the programme with 60 to 120 people attending.” The Russells have set three main goals or a “triple bottom line” as part of the exercise – to achieve an increase in profitability; improvement to the personal and social aspect of their lives; and carry out their farming business with clean, green environmental attributes. “We’re in the public eye as a focus farm, which has made us take our responsibility towards sustainability and protecting the environment even more seriously. It’s important to us to be setting an example.” Brian says the first year of the focus-farm programme has been all about monitoring, with some changes to farming practices due to be made in the coming year based on the results. “The idea is that by the end of years three and four, we can see some positive results of the changes. This not only benefits us, but gives other deer farmers the tools to increase productivity.” The focus farm is a joint venture between the Southland branch of the New Zealand Deer Farmers’ Association and Deer Industry New Zealand.

One of the advantages of the programme is the ready access to industry professionals, who work with the Russells as part of steering group, says Brian. “The experts are helping us to refocus on the different aspects of the operation such as genetics, feeding, technology and animal health, which are also topics we cover at the on-farm field days.” Brian and Kristine are shareholders and directors in the family-owned farming company, B & A Russell Ltd, along with Brian’s parents, Bruce and Annabel, who retired to the Gibbston Valley a few years ago, but retain an interest in the family business. The farming company owns all the stock, plant and machinery. “Mum and Dad were originally sheep farmers. They bought a few deer in the early 1980s and the deer side of things just kept growing and growing. It’s great to still be in partnership with them.” Brian says the deer operation generally “ticks away pretty good”, and although it’s been a tough last 12 months, he won’t waste time reflecting on it. “We will continue to look forward, and have started a process to set ourselves up for next year. After the auction, we’ll have a better idea of where we are heading and start to put some firm plans in place.”

PHOTOS: Brian and Kristine Russell (top left); Hamish Russell aged 7 (top right); The Rock, an 845-hectare farm at Dipton, home base for the Russell family and the Southland deer focus farm (left); venison (right) is the main focus of the operation with around 110,000 kilograms produced each season. Around 600kg of velvet is also produced from spikers and sire stags.

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18 |

DEER » High Peak Station

Business Rural

Focus: Jo Bailey The Guild family is continuing to invest heavily in new infrastructure at their Canterbury farm, High Peak, where they operate diverse farming, hunting and tourism businesses. Current projects include a new irrigation scheme and the development of a new beekeeping operation; there are plans to build a luxury lodge for the family’s tourism ventures, says Simon Guild. “Our focus is very much on productive infrastructure that will contribute to our bottom line in a reasonably short time-frame.” His parents, James and Anna, bought the largely undeveloped 3800-hectare hill and high country station, which surrounds the Selwyn River, headwaters, in 1973. Simon says the new irrigation scheme should cover an additional 120ha of land by the end of the growing season to complement the 30 hectares already irrigated. “As a high-country store producer, we are not always ready to sell our lambs and weaner deer before the schedule comes off peak, so we may be stuck with a lower price, which is not reflective of animals’ condition. “Water will give us back some control and the flexibility to take the animals through winter and finish them ourselves if we choose to.” Simon and his brother, Hamish, both spent a considerable amount of time overseas before coming back to High Peak to take over the management of most of the ventures. Hamish manages the day-to-day operations at High Peak, which carries 1800 breeding hinds and 850 velveting stags, along with 4500 perendale ewes and around 350 mixed-age hereford and hereford/angus cross cows. Simon’s background is in marketing, and his focus is more on building the High Peak brand, and attracting wealthy hunters and tourists to the property. Their sister, Ameila, is also involved. It is her husband, Tom Dunbar, who is developing the niche beekeeping operation on the farm. “It’s been quite satisfying for our parents to have all three of us involved,” says Simon. .”We all have different skill sets in quite distinct areas, which makes decision making slightly easier.” PHOTOS: Top: High Peak’s Guild family, Hamish, James, Anna, Amelia and Simon. Above: Some of High Peak’s 4500 perendale flock on the move.

• To page 20

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DEER » High Peak Station

Business Rural

| 19

‘Productive infrastructure’

High Peak station carries 1800 breeding hinds and 850 velveting stags. The station also runs a specialist trophy deer mob for its hunting operation.

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20 |

DEER » High Peak Station

Business Rural

‘Dodgy’ hunting a concern Jo Bailey Greater regulation is needed to sort out professional commercial hunting guides from the cowboys in the industry, says Simon Guild, of High Peak Game Estate, in Canterbury. “At the moment there is nothing stopping someone with a new firearms licence and gun from setting themselves up as a hunting guide,” he says. Simon and his brother, Hamish, who regularly host international hunting clients at High Peak, are both members of the New Zealand Professional Hunting Guides Association, a voluntary organisation that sets standards for the commercial hunting sector. All members are vetted before being accepted into the organisation and must be fully conversant with the safety aspects of hunting in the New Zealand environment. “Safety is at the top of the list of the codes of practice and self-imposed standards we operate under,” says Simon Guild. “The aim of NZPHGA members is to provide our clients with the safest and best hunting experience possible.” Unfortunately there are still non-member guides running dodgy commercial operations, he says. “A few come in and out of the industry, treating the occasional international client as a one-off cash cow. These operators, who are in it for short-term gain rather than the greater good of the industry, can do a lot of damage to New Zealand’s reputation offshore.” He welcomes the establishment of the Game Animal Council Act, which came into force in November 2013, along with a new statutory body (the Game Animal Council) with the mission of “sustainable management of game animals and hunting for recreation, commerce and conservation”. In its five-year strategic plan, the Game Animal Council says the industry is coming under more scrutiny, especially given that hunters’ actions can spread from the back country to a computer or mobile phone on the other side of the world in a split-second. “The conduct of hunters and their guides is critical,” says Simon Guild. “The new codes of

At the moment there is nothing stopping someone with a new firearms license and gun from setting themselves up as a hunting guide.

High Peak Game Estate is one of the largest game estates in New Zealand. Brothers Simon and Hamish Guild regularly host international hunting clients and want the industry’s international reputation protected through better regulations. practice have been designed by industry leaders based on consultation with people who understand the industry and other stakeholders, to preserve the

longevity of what we do.” But with the industry largely self-managed, he says things could be tightened up even further.

“I would like to see more daylight between the professional hunting guides, who have made a significant investment in their businesses, and some of the shoddy operators out there. It is important that people here and internationally have a good perception of the industry and don’t think we’re all a bunch of cowboys flying around in helicopters with rich clients.” He says anyone considering a guided hunt in New Zealand should ensure they are dealing with a guide with the right credentials, experience and attention to detail – selecting from members of NZPHGA is a good place to start. The Guild’s operation, High Peak Game Estate, was established by the brothers’ parents, James and Anna, in 1986, initially as a venue and trophy herd for outfitters to hunt with their clients. At nearly 2000 hectares it is the largest fully certified and audited estate in New Zealand. Since 2010 the Guild family has run the game estate themselves alongside High Peak Station, a 4000ha commercial deer, sheep and cattle operation at the head of the Selwyn River. “Our low-volume approach and large-scale nature of the game estate means we can provide the hunt to match the trophy,” says Simon. ”The animals have an opportunity to evade the hunter, which makes the stalk the most valued part of the experience for our clients.” Simon says the family meets some “very interesting people with interesting backgrounds” who become huge ambassadors for New Zealand. “I don’t think their influence should be underestimated, which is why it is critical the industry and its international reputation is protected through better regulations.”

Diversity key to high country business operation • From page 18 High Peak runs a commercial deer herd and specialist trophy mob for its hunting operation. Velvet production is the main driver of the farming business with the venison market “pretty disappointing” over the last few years, says Simon. “As a high-country producer, we often find ourselves saddled with animals that are difficult to shift once the venison schedule comes off peak. Trophy animals and velvet has traditionally propped up the venison for us. “However, I believe venison has just as much potential if we could break out of the game meat seasonal trade.” Simon says stud animals at High Peak are selected on breeding values, and also survivability, given the harsh climate. “Animals must have a proven track record in a cold, high-country environment in order to pass on genetics that continue to enhance the survivability and ruggedness of the herd,” he says. The Guilds have invested quite heavily in new buildings over the last few years “to house the family who have come home to roost”, he says. They are turning their attention to an “ambitious plan” to build a lodge on the property to house the well-heeled tourists and hunters who visit the station. In 1986, James and Anna fenced off a large area to create High Peak Game Estate, which, over 20 years provided a venue and trophy herd for

outfitters to hunt with their clients. However, since Simon’s return to the business, the family has “radically altered” this approach, hosting the clients themselves in a bid to offer an individually tailored, authentic high-country hunting experience. “High Peak has one of the largest, if not the largest, enclosed game estates in New Zealand, which allows us to offer a fair-chase hunt as close as possible to a free-range, high-country experience.” He says they target the premium end of the market, have hosted a wide range of people, and have “heard a lot of great stories over the years.” The secret to the operation’s success lies in the scale and scope of the property and the quality of the trophies on offer, coupled with a low-volume, high-quality approach. he says. “Clients are treated as if they are the only people in the world that matter at the time,” says Simon. Americans make up around 60 per cent of clients, with others coming mainly from Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The trophy season usually runs from late February until the end of June, with some meat hunting for the likes of elk, chamois, wild goat, feral Awapara sheep, wild boars and thar at other times. Tourists are also welcomed onto the station for “a genuine high-country experience” with the family. Fully hosted, guided ski tours are also run in the winter. As Simon says, “diversity is the key to our operation”.

High Peak Station runs around 350 mixed-age hereford and hereford/angus cross cattle.

RURAL TRADE SERVICES » Millar Plumbing & Drainlaying

Business Rural

| 21

Effluent irrigation ‘latest evolution’ work – from farm-shed construction and maintenance, to bathroom renovations, to newhouse builds. The Millar name has been part of Southland’s Gordon Sharp handles the day-to-day plumbing plumbing and drainage scene for more than 30 maintenance and the new-house plumbing work. years. “Gordon has also got very good knowledge of Led by Graeme Millar – a certifying plumber, what is required in the dairy-shed plumbing,” says gasfitter and drainlayer – Otautau-based Millar Graeme. Plumbing and Drainlaying Ltd services the The origins of the company go back to 1984 plumbing, drainage and irrigation needs of country when Graeme and his father, the late Alan Millar, and town-based clients through northern, western bought the F R Insall & Son business, where both of and central Southland . them had served their apprenticeships in the trades. While he describes ongoing maintenance work “Living and working in a small town and running as the backbone of business, he says that over the a business that goes back more than 30 years last few months, the company has completed some brings with it a sense of pride for us in delivering large farm projects exceptional workmanship,” says Graeme. Its involvement in There is a wide variety servicing the dairy sector of work across both the His priorities will be has developed considerably urban and rural markets – over the past 15 years general maintenance such to maintain up-to-date in particular, he says. as dealing with leaks and Installing effluent irrigation blocked drains; installing knowledge and skills as systems has been the latest and maintaining domestic evolution. new plumbing and drain- drainage and plumbing “We have a very large systems; putting in septic age technologies evolve, tanks and waste-water amount of loyal clients, and while there has been a systems, flashing and small slowing down lately in the sheetmetal work. dairying sector in particular, we feel comfortable “We’re also IQP registered for backflow with the level of demand for our services.” prevention testing in the South Island,” says The company is a member of New Zealand Graeme Millar. Master Plumbers, which means that every job is “There’s plenty of variety in the work we do. backed up with the Master Plumbers guarantee. We are installers of Firestone EPDM pond-liners, Graeme Millar has three staff working with him – which carry a 20-year guarantee. And we supply, Gordon Sharp, a registered plumber and certifying install and repair all manner of pumps used in dairy drainlayer; Mike Armitage, a third-year apprentice; parlours.” and Barry Drake, a licensed builder practitioner. Graeme Millar is happy with the size of the “Mike is progressing through his apprenticeship business and has no plans for growth. His very well,” says Graeme. “He’s doing work on his priorities will be to continue to maintain up-to-date own and is delivering to a high standard.” knowledge and skills as new plumbing and drainage Barry Drake’s role is to carry out all building technologies evolve.

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22 |

RURAL TRADE SERVICES » Jason Hall Builders

Business Rural

Winton-based builder Jason Hall specialises in dairy sheds. His biggest recent project is this 80-bail rotary for Winton firm A B Lime.

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It pays to be flexible Neil Grant Southland’s dairy conversion boom has slowed down a bit, especially as a result of the lower milk payouts, but Winton-based Jason Hall Builders is still getting enough work to keep his business ticking along. “Things are on hold a bit,” he says. “People are waiting to see what happens before they start spending again. “There has always been an off season for dairy sheds after May or June, so then we have done one or two houses or farm sheds, it’s whatever we can get for three or four months. We have built a Night and Day store, and two or three very nice, large houses lately. But 70 per cent of our work is related to dairy.”

We build whatever the farmer wants, whether it’s a herringbone or a rotary shed. It has been nearly all rotaries lately. We do up to the platform stage. Word of mouth is an important means of getting new jobs. What often happens is that a farmer will want a pad or sand traps built, and then that leads to dairy-conversion work. Sometimes, though, farmers will approach the milking-plant supplier, determine what’s the best system for them, and opt for a package deal. The supplier will then give them a list of the builders on their files to choose from. Being flexible about he and his staff work has been in Jason Hall’s favour. His firm has built dairy sheds in the local district, and from West Otago to Omakau, in Central Otago. Sometimes the workers travel each day if the site work is reasonably nearby; at other times, they may stay in motels. On the Omakau job, they stayed in farm accommodation and, because of the weather and time of the year, could work long hours.

They completed that job in 20 days, whereas, a shed usually takes four to six weeks, determined by the size of the job and the weather. Hall’s staff are “all good boys”. “We get plenty of good remarks,” he says. At the moment, he has five staff, most of whom have been with him for quite a while. When work picks up, he can have up to eight on the payroll. The polytech has proved a good source of extra staff when needed. “We build whatever the farmer wants, whether it’s a herringbone or a rotary shed. It has been nearly all rotaries lately. We just do the building up to the platform stage. Then the plant suppliers come in.” Jason Halll Builders’ biggest recent project was an 80-bail rotary for A B Lime Company, a Wintonbased lime and fertiliser company.

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RURAL TRADE SERVICES » Riverton Electrical

Business Rural

| 23

The Riverton Electrical ‘sparkies’ line up with the vehicles...from left, Nathan, Adam, Ethan and Chad.

Role of farm-related work expands Sue Russell The role of farming-related work in the business has grown substantially since Nathan Coburn took over a long-established Southland electrical business, Riverton Electrical, from Owen and Yvonne Andrews nearly seven years ago. “It is good to have the servicing and maintaining of dairy sheds because it balances out the year’s work,” he says. However, he admits, it can be quite hectic for a few months before the milking season gets under way.” The company is now servicing up to 50 sheds around Western and Central Southland There are three electricians and an apprentice on the staff, one of them will always be on call to respond to breakdowns outside the standard Monday-to-Friday business hours. Nathan Coburn has also worked on extending the company’s services in the local community. On any given day, he and his staff can be busy on residential, industrial, commercial or farming work. He has a particular interest in renewable energy and energy management, having completed several papers through Massey University on the subject. “It’s great to have the industrial background, and tying this in with some study to try and benefit my customers. Sometimes, making energy consumption a little more transparent to the user can be a cost saving on its own.”

A number of new technologies available these days can significantly reduce energy needs, and he says this is something he has a passion for, whether it’s timing operations to coincide with cheaper tariffs, or new technologies. His industrial background comes from his apprenticeship with Fonterra Edendale, New Zealand’s oldest dairy factory. He has recently developed an effluent-control system that his company installs. Instead of radio signals with pressure feedbacks, his system uses a flow feedback to monitor leaks in the system. This is run through a variable speed controller (VSD), which also helps reduce energy consumption on the pump while recording volumes applied accurately. Riverton born and bred, the “local boy done good” is proud to be actively involved in supporting his community, not only through sponsorship and gifting his services to many local charities, but by helping customers get the best bang for their buck in terms of their energy bills. “I always ask my customers about their energy use. If anyone is concerned about power bills, I’ll do my best to look into how and when they are drawing power in terms of the tariffs and suggest ways they can save.” Riverton Electrical offers specialised services to industrial, residential and commercial sectors, from home ventilation and heat-transfer systems

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to energy audits/inspections, thermal imaging, automation and system design. It’s the sort of variety, Nathan says, that helps keep his staff up to speed with the latest energy technologies that are on offer. “The dairy pay-out hasn’t changed much of the business as a lot of my customers are self-owned operations and, as a result, are pretty savvy on spending. “So it is business as usual assessing viability of repair over replacement to get the best result.” Nathan says responding to call-outs and breakdowns promptly is always a priority. “I get feedback from customers when there has been a breakdown about how much they appreciate our prompt response. It makes the job worthwhile.” When not on the job or out and about, he spends time at home investigating and pricing jobs. He also manages a couple of days a week juggling “daddy day-care” for his 18-month-old daughter. He and his wife, Selena, who is a part-time lecturer at the Southern Institute of Technology, run the business together and also have an 50-hectare deer farm on which they manage a small velveting herd, eight kilometres from Riverton. “Having a diverse lifestyle helps us to understand some of the challenges that people are facing in the local area,” he says. “It’s great that I can talk to all of my farming

clients on the best farming tricks while I complete a job.” Riverton Electrical’s Yellow pages listing carries a list of the company’s services.

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24 |

RURAL TRADE SERVICES » Ken Cookson Builder

Business Rural

Truckie meets cockies, forges career as chippie Murray Haig Chartered Accountants Level 3, 258 Stuart Street, Dunedin 9058 (can be seen at East Taieri ofﬁce) 03 474 7222 murray.haig@xtra.co.nz

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Kelly Deeks Although he faced one or two challenges and a steep learning curve when he started his own business, Outram builder Ken Cookson must be doing something right as it’s now 31 years since he took the plunge. Cookson started building in 1970. By 1984 he was still a young man and decided to take up an opportunity to become a rural truck-driver. “This was when it was easy for a young fella to get into driving,” he says. “I did a lot of the physical stuff, like bagged superphosphate, hay, and stock. It was there I got to know a lot of the local cockies.” After driving for five years, he decided to get back in to building and started Ken Cookson Builder. Those rural contacts he has established while driving had plenty of work for him to carry on with. Although a lot of those farmers are now out of the game, Ken Cookson Builder has forged a good reputation in rural Dunedin, and work continues to come in. “Over the years I’ve been everything right down to a marriage counsellor, sometimes I’m even a banker,” he says. “But the cockies are pretty good

when it comes to sending the bills out.” Cookson is now 61 and is still swinging a hammer. He is helped out by a painter and two carpenters on his staff, with others available to lend a hand when work gets busy. He is also trialling a third employee, a recent school-leaver who is showing promise. He says the work flow is up and down during the year, with September and October quite quiet. “I’ve always had a lot of work to carry me through the winter, then people tend to say ‘We won’t worry about that until spring’. Then we kick things off again, and leading up to Christmas, it goes absolutely nuts.” With dairy sheds now a more specialised and

PHOTOS Above, below, opposite page: Some examples of Ken Cookson Builder’s work in the Greater Dun-edin area.

technical job, Ken Cookson Builders focuses its services on farm buildings, yard extensions, and residential building. The company has recently finished building a house for Ken Cookson’s daughter. It was designed by Richard Oliver, of R J Oliver Architectural Design. Other recent on-farm projects include an extension to a woolshed, an eight-bay calf-shed, and various cow wintering barns, feedpads and wintering pads. “We’ve done an awful lot of concrete work in recent years,” Cookson says. “We prepare the site, get the diggers in and get

• To page 25

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RURAL TRADE SERVICES » Reporoa Engineering

Business Rural

| 25

I-beam innovation for gate

The running gear for Reporoa Engineering’s High Lift gate has re-developed from a channel system (above left) to an ‘I’ beam (above right), eliminating the possibility of derailing.

Reporoa Engineering has re-developed the design of the Reporoa High Lift gate, its benchmark product for more than 20 years. The nationally recognised product was the first solid, rectangular-yard backing gate and it revolutionised yard management for many farmers throughout New Zealand and overseas, says Reporoa Engineering director John Perrin It ensures maximum cow-flow through rectangular yards, and, while it works well in larger yards, is perfect for yards with capacity for fewer than 300 cows, he says. The company built on its technology with the development and launch of the Herdflow Crowd gate, which John Perrin describes as a sophisticated and fully automated option for any size herd. Now Reporoa Engineering has adapted the technology developed for the Crowd gate and applied it to the High Lift Gate. This has seen a change in the running gear – from running in a channel to running on an “I” beam, which eliminates the possibility of derailing.

Kelly Deeks All the other features of the High Lift, such as the pulse-forward auto stop, the manually operated Dungbuster wash system, pause when lowering, and high/low rail options, remain. John Perrin says farmers looking to repair or replace their old High Lift can have it upgraded for less than half the cost of replacement. “We can give them a better performing gate with optional extra features, including upgraded electronics featuring the new breech-sensing technology and even four-wheel-drive capability.” . Developments have also been made to Reporoa Engineering’s round-yard gates. All gates come with a high level of technology and a robust construction. Perrin has been a director of Reporoa Engineering since 2008. A registered farm management consultant and director and shareholder of Perrin Ag Consultants, he has extensive farm knowledge and experience, and has

No payout fall-out yet – builder • From page 24 it the way we want it. When we get it right, we get a crew of concrete placers in. Last year we poured about 800 cubic metres of concrete. That’s an awful lot of concrete, especially when the trucks hold only about 6cum.” The company is a specialist in window replacements, and has formed some strong relationships with aluminium companies and window manufacturers that engage Ken Cookson to remove old windows and replace them.

Cookson says the low milk pay-out hasn’t hit his business yet, but it will. “Most of the work we’ve been doing had been planned, so they were going to do it anyway,” he says. “I think that before we see a rise in the milk price, we’ll start to see clients moving away from new builds towards repairs and renovations.” Right: A Ken Cookson Builder house. The firm specialises in farm buildings and residential houses.

able to lead the business into new markets and opportunities nationally and internationally. One such development was the creation of the Herdflow product brand in 2008. “The Herdflow approach to dairy-farm building design and construction is about providing engineering that focuses on the needs of the dairy farmer, with particular emphasis on reducing animal stress to increase milk yield, ensuring ease of use and increasing efficiency in the yard,” he says. Reporoa Engineering has gathered a reputation

for reliable and robust engineering through its flagship Herdflow brand.. “Increasing productivity through maximising cow comfort and cow flow, coupled with the provision of excellent working conditions for milkers, is the core philosophy behind Herdflow,” he says “We aim to deliver confidence and value to our customers through design, innovation, and expert focus on superior animal handling, milk harvesting, and workplace equipment.”

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26 |

RURAL TRADE SERVICES » Rural Building Solutions

Business Rural

Right: Nigel Hodges, of Darfield-based Rural Building Solutions, cut his teeth on commercial building in Christchurch and is a structural-concrete specialist. Top: Rural Building Solutions is the first company in the South Island to become a licence-holder to build Chapman Dairy-branded sheds. Above:

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Nigel Hodges, the owner of Darfield-based Rural Building Solutions, has been called upon to share his construction experience with farmers converting to dairying. He is involved in filming a series of videos for the My Milk website, on how to convert and what to watch out for. Hodges’ advice is simple: “Start planning early, and you get what you pay for.” He says his business likes to use quality products and strives for the perfect finish. “Our service is all-inclusive as opposed to these ‘add-ons’, and our clients get a structurally sound, well managed, well priced project with a goodquality finish.” He and his wife, Ruth, established Rural Building Solutions “to provide a better level of service to rural areas”. He began building dairy sheds and other associated buildings in 2007. after he had gained extensive building experience as a foreman in Christchurch’s commercial building sector. He is a structural-concrete specialist. Hodges is a licensed building practitioner, and his company is a registered Master Builder with the Master Builders’ Federation. The company now operates within the greater Canterbury region – which he interprets as taking in the Culverden Basin and other parts of North

Canterbury, and all of the districts in Central and Mid Canterbury. Rural Building Solutions is the first company in the South Island to become a licence-holder to build Chapman Dairy-branded sheds. The sheds are construction to the same design and construction standards used by the parent company. Hodges says most of his customers come from repeat business or referrals. “Word of mouth is the best advertising you can get, and the company’s reputation for quality is a result of it building every dairy shed as though it were a ‘show shed’. “Most of our staff are older and wiser, and they understand about doing things right the first time. This gives our projects a better finish and, by doing it right the first time, it is also more cost effective.” Hodges’ structural-concrete experience has come to the fore lately as his firm builds more and more feedpads in Canterbury. “In winter, their benefits really stand out,” he says. “We can offer farmers less pasture pugging, less wasted feed, faster feed-out by fewer staff, greater control of feed and supplements, and greater run-off control.” And, in July, the company began producing feed-bins, offering clients an option to design their own. “Our feed-bins can be cast on site, which cuts out the cost of transport,” he says. “They are adjustable in width so that we can make both single and double feed-bins.”

Word of mouth is the best advertising you can get, says Nigel Hodges, of Rural Buidling Solutions.

RURAL CONTRACTING » Urquhart Contracting

Business Rural

| 27

‘Straight-up and honest’, firm’s motto Russell Fredric Being up-front with clients and basing business relationships on family values is a big part of Urquhart Contracting’s success. Don Urquhart junior says the Hawea Flat-based rural contracting business has built a loyal client base since patriarch Donald Urquhart started off “in a quiet way’’ about 15 years ago. Don’s brother, Thomas, is also a partner in the business. During the summer season, nephews Daniel and Alex Edwards pitch in with the hectic workload. Urquhart Contracting’s services cover baling, balage, hay cartage, cultivation, direct drilling, spraying and mowing. “Dad had a farm and we were leasing a big block as well,” says Don Urquhart. “Contracting was a bit expensive, so he decided to get all his own gear and do some for his family and a couple of people in the area.’’ From that unassuming beginning, the business began to expand its client base as well as the geographical area covered. Surrounded by some of the most dramatic scenery in New Zealand, the Urquhart family has an impressive “office” to work in. The season kicks in each year with cultivating from the last week of August, sowing at the start of October, cutting lucerne and grass from late October/ early November and sowing in December/ January. “We don’t stop cutting grass until April,’’ says Don. An influx of dairy herds for grazing during the last 10 years means nearly half the work contracted is now related to this sector. “I think there’s nearly 15,000 to 20,000 cows come into the basin every year,” he says. “It has changed dramatically here.’’ This has resulted in an increasing demand for groundwork such as cultivating and deep ripping of paddocks, after the cows return to their home farms. In turn, this has created a need to add a Gregoire-Besson cultivator to the firm’s line-up of equipment two years ago. To meet the high workload, the company operates five tractors during the peak season, with balage and silage continuing to provide the “bread and butter”. While most of the tractors were parked up in the shed for the off-season last winter, Don was involved in an unusual and interesting job at an altitude of 1500 metres above sea level. Helping another local agricultural contractor, he is involved in grooming snow and ice at the nearby Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds, which is used for secretive product testing by automotive manufacturers. “It’s completely different. You’re working with people from all over the world.’’ He says the family’s philosophy has been to build a loyal client base while making some good friends along the way. “Just keeping clients happy, being truthful and honest – straight-up and keeping to our word and to our pricing. The price we give is what you get the job done for.’ “We are always aiming for fast and efficient service for the best-quality feed ‘’

PHOTOS: The Southern Hemisphere Proving Ground provides an interesting off-season job for Don Urquhart jun, from Hawea Flat-based contractor Urquhart Contracting. He is involved in snow grooming at the facility which is 1500 metres above sea level. The family-based business;s catchment also includes Lake Hawea (left).

I think there’s nearly 15,000 to 20,000 cows come into the basin every year. It has changed dramatically here. This has resulted in increasing demand for groundwork.

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28 |

RURAL CONTRACTING » Golden Bay Contracting

Business Rural

Top gear and some smooth operators Kelly Deeks Takaka’s Golden Bay Contracting has expanded its operation to include pit silage and round bales as a direct response to local market demand. Daryl and Sue Hill bought Golden Bay Contracting in 2011. They had spent several years dairy farming together, and Daryl had driven trucks in Australia. He says that although they had many years of industry experience, they were pretty naïve when it came to running a contracting business. “We started off just keeping it viable, but it soon became apparent there were opportunities to expand. “The biggest issue, both at the beginning and

now, is keeping latest-model, well maintained gear. When we got that under control, the business snowballed.” Twenty-eleven was a big year for grass growth in Golden Bay, and the company was stretched to deal with all the hay and balage to be made. “We handled the busy season with better, more efficient gear, and refining and expanding our services,” Daryl Hill says. In 2013 Golden Bay Contracting bought a large square baler to offer bigger, more cost effective bales for bigger farming operations. A year later the company added a McHale Fusion 2 round baler, and has now just taken delivery of the new McHale Fusion 3 Plus. “This is the latest technology and makes better-quality balage,” Daryl says. “It also has other

benefits for the farmer such as film-on-film instead of net wrapping, so the wrap and film can all be recycled and doesn’t need to be separated.” Also last year, the company saw an opportunity to provide local farmers with a cheaper pit-silage service, and bought its first loader wagon. He says this service has been well received by local farmers and has now been expanded through the addition of a second loader wagon this year. “The only plant we’ve got left from 2011 is one tractor,” says Daryl. “Everything else has been replaced and upgraded.” He says he and Sue have taken control of their business and are concentrating on what they are doing rather than on what the competition might be up to. “That gives us flexibility to manoeuvre and do

what’s best for our clients and our business,” he says. “We do our best to supply the best service we can and focus on our clients.” Golden Bay Contracting has five full-time seasonal staff, including office manager Jude Edmondson and operations manager Warick Harwood, who, says Daryl, has a “fantastic rapport with customers”. He says that like every contractor,, it is difficult to find good-quality staff, but says that so far he and Sue have been lucky to find dedicated, experienced people, most of them with farming experience and able to empathise and understand the needs of their clients. “Anyone can buy good machinery, but you’ve got to find a good operator to run it,” he says.

PHOTOS: Using the latest machinery and the best operators has helped Golden Bay Contracting grow its hay, baleage and silage business.

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RURAL CONTRACTING » Mike Dynes Contracting

Business Rural

| 29

Mike ‘born and bred’ into contracting Karen Phelps Whatever a digger on a farm can do, that’s the service Mike Dynes Ltd offers clients, says company owner Mike Dynes. The company predominantly completes earthworks for the dairy sector including full dairy conversions, effluent systems, road and track maintenance and wintering systems. The company also offers muck spreading and repairs drainage on farms. With three diggers, a grader, roller and various trucks the company is well prepared to do any earthworks the farmer requires, says Mike. The company also offers silage stacking, removing trees, rock and gravel supply and cartage and land development. Mike grew up on a farm and his father was an agricultural contractor. “Ever since I walked I’ve been involved with contracting. I was born and bred into it,” he says. “This means I can go onto a farm and talk their language. It helps me to offer my clients better advice. If they say they have lame cows, for example, I know why because I’ve been there and dug stones out of cows’ feet myself. “ I can also go and look at the tracks and see what the real issue is – the track or the cows. I can sort the job so it makes their day a bit easier. It’s different from a contractor who has never worked on a farm before. I’ve stood in a dairy farmer’s boots.” When Mike left school he started working for his father’s contracting business. Later Mike worked for an earthmoving company a friend owned driving a bulldozer. It was in the late 90s that Mike went out on his own. When the recession hit, Mike decided to sell his business and drive trucks for another company. He says seeing how a large company operated gave him valuable business skills. He learned more about his clients when he undertook a dairy conversion and then went on to milk cows for the farm. When old clients heard he was back on the digger and started contacting him demand led Mike to start up Mike Dynes Ltd. The business has taken off since then. Today Mike Dynes Ltd has a range of clients including sheep and beef farmers. Mike’s uncle Ron Thornley drives for the business. Mike is a big believer in the correct business systems and documentation to run his business, another thing he

Tapanui-based Mike Dynes Contracting specialises in full dairy conversions, effluent systems, road and track maintenance and wintering systems. The company also offers silage stacking, tree removal, rock and gravel supply and cartage and land development.

says he learned from working for other businesses. “Writing down notes on a job and keeping in contact with clients is almost more important than what I do on the job now. “ We have a small group of core clients and we’re very focused on meeting their needs and delivering the best service we can.

It helps me to offer my clients better advice. If they say they have lame cows for example I know why because I’ve been there and dug stones out of cows’ feet myself. I can also go and look at the tracks and see what the real issue is – the track or the cows. I can sort the job so it makes their day a bit easier. It’s different from a contractor who has never worked on a farm before. I’ve stood in a dairy farmer’s boots.”

“For example if we are contracted to do a job on a farm we try to give that little bit extra. It might be pushing over a gorse bush on the way to the job. It doesn’t cost us anything to do this but it’s about noticing the little things and going the extra mile.” Based at Tapanui, Mike Dynes Ltd works in West Otago and Eastern Southland.

Mike says he is waiting to see what the future holds in terms of further growth of the business. “Obviously my work is very dependent on the dairy sector so I’m operating by the same mentality dairy farmers are at the moment – cutting costs. The prediction is that the pay out will go up and then my work will go through the roof.”

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30 |

RURAL CONTRACTING » A.M. Scannell Contracting

Business Rural

Precision spraying Kim Newth A South Canterbury spray and sheep-dipping business is keeping pace with change in the agricultural sector through progressively investing in GPS technology and bigger booms. Over the past five years, rural contractor Tony Scannell, of A M Scannell Contracting Ltd, has added a high-clearance Sands Agricultural Machinery (SAM) sprayer with a 24-metre boom, from the United Kingdom, as well as an AMAZONE sprayer with a 24m boom. Both are fitted with Trimble GPS auto-steering systems. Tony Scannell says having sprayers equipped with GPS accuracy, coupled with longer booms, has definitely opened up new business with demand particularly strong from larger-scale cropping farmers. The high clearance of the SAM is another advantage. “It is used late in the season just before harvest for desiccation work in crops.” Tony has seen a lot of change in the rural sector since starting out in 1976 as a rural contractor in Pleasant Point, specialising not just in spraying but

also sheep-dipping. He bought the business after having spent some time working for a spraying contractor and driving trucks. Over the years, he has moved to longer booms and later, hydraulic booms. As well as the SAM and AMAZONE sprayers, the business has two 18.5m booms, both on Isuzu trucks and fitted with TeeJet controllers and TracMap GPS. Having up-to-date equipment for the job cuts down on wastage of chemicals and ensures correct application rates are maintained. While demand for spraying services has increased over the years, the sheep-dipping side of the business has declined, he says. “I have the only mobile sheep shower left in South Canterbury. When I started out, there were seven. We had thought about parking our one up too, but there will always be demand.” Big growth in South Canterbury’s fodder-beet acreage over the past four years has fuelled demand for spraying services in that area, he notes. Beet fodder has grown in popularity as a cost effective, agrarian super food. And, says Tony, it’s not just dairy farmers who are turning to beet fodder.

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RURAL CONTRACTING » A.M. Scannell Contracting

Business Rural

| 31

gear brings results “Our sheep farmers are trying it out too.” The sheep dipping season will start in January. In the meantime, demand for agricultural spraying and weed control is ongoing and mostly concentrated in northern South Canterbury, from Cave to Geraldine and just south of Timaru. Often, referrals come through the region’s grain and seed merchants. “At this time of year we are doing pretty much everything. As well as fodder beet, there is kale, where the ground is sprayed off for direct drilling; and cropping, wheat and barley with fungicides going on. It is pretty varied.”

He says demand for their services is evenly split between the dairy sector, cropping and sheep and beef farmers. Working with Tony is his son, Logan, 30, who drove trucks for Fonterra for a number of years before joining his father some four years ago. “Altogether, there are three of us on boom spraying and one doing gorse spraying,” says Tony Scannell. He says years of experience mean he is very familiar with local spray service needs: “We are qualified and registered chemical applicators and we keep up to date.”

At this time of year we are doing pretty much everything. As well as fodder beet, there is kale where the ground is sprayed off for direct drilling; and cropping, wheat and barley with fungicides going on. It is pretty varied.

PHOTOS: Tony Scannell and son Logan operate South Canterbury spray and sheep-dipping business A.M. Scannell contracting. The rural contractor has invested in larger spray booms and the latest GPS technology, and maintains the only mobile sheep shower left in South Canterbury.

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32 |

RURAL CONTRACTING » Gilchrist Brothers

Business Rural

Baptism of fire Jo Bailey In 10 years, Peter and Andrew Gilchrist have expanded what was a thriving one-man spraying firm into a growing operation with five spray trucks and two tractors. They have also developed an award-winning engineering business, building spray rigs for their own business, and other contractors around New Zealand. Last year the firm won a Rural Contractors Innovation Award for its “floating” spray boom that can handle rougher ground better than a permanently fixed boom. “When a spray truck hits a pivot rut or pothole in the field, a fixed boom will crash around, whereas our boom swings, which neutralizes the shock and prevents strain and fatigue,” says Peter Gilchrist. “We’ve almost perfected the boom for Landcruisers, and we’re now looking to build bigger booms for bigger trucks.” He and his brother, Andrew, bought the North Canterbury spray contracting business in 2005 after its previous owner, Murray Evans, died unexpectedly. “We were thrown in the deep end as we didn’t have Murray there to tell us what to do,” says Andrew Gilchrist. “We ran a lot of water through the truck while we were figuring it out.” Peter was able to spend a few days with another spray contractor to get some experience, “but that was the extent of our training,” he says. Within a few weeks of buying the business, which they renamed Gilchrist Brothers, Peter and Andrew built another spray truck to meet demand. “We quickly realised how busy the business was. Murray was highly respected and had been at

the top of his game. It was incredible the amount of work he had got through as a one-man operation.” Over the last decade Gilchrist Brothers has continued to “grow and grow”. The firm now has an extensive fleet, all fitted with GPS guidance systems to minimise overlap and provide proof of placement for every spray application. “We’re big fans of electronic technology that helps us to provide a faster, more efficient and accurate service with less wastage,” says Andrew. “Our spray trucks all have auto rate controllers which control the amount of spray going on, and an auto-boom shutoff, that stops the boom when the truck drives over an area where spray has already been applied.”

PHOTOS: Peter and Andrew Gilchrist , have built up a operation with five spray trucks and two tractors. Not an award-winning engineering business building spra ploughing, grubbing, rolling and planting services.

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RURAL CONTRACTING » Gilchrist Brothers

Business Rural

| 33

e for spray firm Most of the spraying work is completed within the Waimakariri district these days, which is easier from a management and economic point of view, says Peter. “It’s much easier to keep track of changing wind and weather conditions when you work closer to home.” The firm’s Precision Ag division offers ploughing, grubbing, rolling and planting services for maize, grass, pasture mixes, brassicas, cereals, and fodder beet –“which has really taken off over the last couple of years,” says Peter. “We also cart liquid urea with a truck-and-tanker set-up.” The engineering side of the business is also

a sole operator spraying business into a thriving t content with that the brothers have also developed ay rigs, while the firm’s Precision Ag division offers

We’re big fans of electronic technology that helps us to provide a faster, more efficient and accurate service with less wastage. growing rapidly, under the guidance of Andrew, who is a skilled engineer. The Gilchrists started building spray rigs for their business, and for the last three or four years, have built and sold them to other contractors. “We have developed an efficient, reliable spray rig that is robust enough to handle whatever is thrown at them. This winter we built four rigs for other contractors.” Peter says the engineering business fits well with the seasonal spray operation, as it enables the brothers to maintain a steady workflow for their four full time staff. “Our guys are multi-skilled and enjoy the variety. With different areas of expertise between us. Everyone gets the chance to make their mark.” Peter says it is “all hands to the pump” during the busy summer season, and everyone is looking forward to a short break over Christmas. “The business continues to grow and develop. However Andrew and I keep a pretty tight rein, with growth always governed by the quality of our guys. We don’t employ people for the sake of it as we are careful to take on the right people who have the same passion for the job that we do.”

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34 |

RURAL SERVICES » Harves Contracting

Business Rural

Harves Contracting specialises in cutting fence lines, drainage work and lane and track maintenance.

Contractor ‘loves the farming Karen Phelps He’s a one-man band who has been servicing the needs of farmers in the Owaka Valley for over a decade. Mike Harvey, owner of Harves Contracting, grew up on a farm at Duntroon and started his contracting business in 2002 when he saw it was difficult for him to buy his own farm. Instead, he bought a truck and went silage contracting. He

initially sub-contracted to another company for two years before branching out into digger work, leasing a digger then purchasing it a year later as the service took off. Harves Contracting now specialises exclusively in farm maintenance and development offering services such as cutting fence lines, drainage work, lane and track maintenance and general farm maintenance. The company also offers a tile

Cnr James & Gordon Streets, Balclutha Tel: (03) 418 4420 - 24hrs Email: davidson@actrix.co.nz

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cleaning service for drains, flushing out silt to get the system running again. It also installs water schemes, for example pulling in water pipe, setting up the troughs and tapping a water source for the supply. “Basically I help farmers to keep their farms to a safe and operable standards,” says Mike. “With health and safety as it is today, farmers have to be really conscious of keeping their paddocks safe.”

Mike says having a farming background as well as a real passion for the industry helps. He can relate to the way farmers think and offers advice from his many years of experience at the job. Farmers’ needs are simple, he says: a good service for a good price. Harves Contracting has two CAT diggers, and two trucks, including one for transporting. Despite the lower dairy payout and the fact a lot

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RURAL SERVICES » Cheviot Lime

Business Rural

| 35

Lime business runs in the family Karen Phelps It was a rural banker that suggested Greg Thiele start Cheviot Lime, as there was a huge need for lime to be applied to rural properties in the Cheviot area. After approaching a local transport company, Cheviot Transport, to undertake a partnership, Greg worked on wages and a bonus contract for a year to make sure the business was viable. The business proved a success and a partnership was formed with the transport company. Cheviot Lime was later taken over by the Thieles and is now a family owned business involving Greg’s wife Bev and their son Dan. Today Cheviot Lime works in the Cheviot basin and services include spreading lime and fertiliser. Clients are predominantly sheep and beef farmers with a small number of cropping clients. As dairy is starting to gain a foothold in Cheviot dairy farmers are becoming big clients of the company as well. “We’ve gone from a traditional sheep and beef area to become more diverse. We have some really proactive farmers in Cheviot,” says Greg. “It used to be sulphur, sulphur super and lime. Now we’re getting a huge amount of mixes as these guys are undertaking soil testing to get the best out of their land.” All products the company uses come from companies such as Ravensdown, Ballance and Conway Lime. Cheviot Transport, which is also a Ravensdown depot, is the main supplier out of Christchurch and Cheviot and Cheviot Lime works closely with this company. Cheviot Lime operates a modern fleet including two 4x4 and a 6x4 spreader. The trucks are

We’ve gone from a traditional sheep and beef area to become more diverse. We have some really proactive farmers in Cheviot.

Family affair: Greg, Bev, Peter and Dan Thiele. Spreadmark certified for optimum performance. The company has also just purchased a new tow behind spreader and tractor, which will be ideal for

way of life’ of his clients are dairy farmers, Mike has noticed little downturn in his own business. “Farmers still need to keep up with farm maintenance. For example, if they have crook lanes they end up with cows with sore feet that produce less. “Being from a farming background I fully understand the situation. I’ve kept my rates to an acceptable level so farmers can carry on with essential work that needs to be done to keep their businesses ticking over,” he says. Mike and wife Lyn farm 6ha, raise a few Friesian cows and lease the remainder of their land to a dairy farmer who lives next door. This means Mike can keep his hand in with farming but also leaves him ample time for the contracting business. Mike completes most of the work himself as he loves being out on farms and only employs casuals to help out as required. He says this makes a real difference to his customers. “They are working with me and they know they can walk away and leave me to get on with the job. There’s a lot of trust, especially with our regular customers,” he says. “I’ve got clients I’ve worked for since the company started. I’ve never had to chase work – it’s always been there. I always

Farmers still need to keep up with farm maintenance. For example, if they have crook lanes they end up with cows with sore feet that produce less. Being from a farming background I fully understand the situation.

keep to a certain number of clients so I know I can service their needs and look after them really well. I really like being out and about outdoors and catching up with what’s happening on my customers’ farms. I love the farming way of life.”

use on dairy farms, says Greg. Trucks use e-road computer technology, which helps to track on road and off road use helping the Thieles to operate

the business efficiently, keeping costs down for customers. For a number of years the couple ran a large sheep-and-beef property and now farm a small 76-hectare farm used mainly for dairy support, which, Greg says, gives them a good understanding of the needs of their rural clients. “This definitely gives us a rapport with our rural clients,” says Greg. Son Dan has been the manager of Cheviot Lime for the past four years allowing Greg to take more of a back seat in the business. Cheviot Lime employs one full-time and two part-time drivers and a part time office administrator. Their son Peter also takes a role in the business. Dan does all the day-to-day organizing and decision making in conjunction with Greg. Greg still drives when required and he does the pricing and invoices. Greg says that Dan will one day take over the business completely. “Cheviot is a good community and we hope to be around for the long term and continue to support our loyal customers.”

‘Proud to supply and support Cheviot Lime Company’ Contact us today for all your fertiliser needs. Suppliers of: • Highly soluble Ag. lime • Customised Blends • Viafos® Products • Fine lime • Dairy track rubble

• Zoom® Soil Conditioner

Mobile 027 626 1088 | Elliot Road, Amberley RD3

Soil Consultancy available – www.soilmatters.co.nz

Locally Owned and Operated by Greg, Bev & Dan Thiele Mob: 027 511 7656 (Dan) Ph: (03) 319 2779 Mob: 027 240 4776 (Greg) Ph: (03) 319 2700

Proud to be associated with Harves Contracting

Proud to support Cheviot Lime

Carriers of Livestock, General Freight, Bulk & Fertiliser Barry Hanna P: 03 319 8644 F: 03 319 8144 A/H: 03 319 8131 99 Ward Road, Cheviot 7310

5029

36 |

RURAL SERVICES » High Country Contracting

Business Rural

Versatility key for pest-control firm Kim Newth Extensive industry experience and a passion for conservation are key qualities that underpin High Country Contracting’s impressive track record of pest control in rural South Canterbury, according to business manager Khan Adams. Whether the problem is a rabbit in the veggie patch or an 80,000-hectare possum control issue, landowners can rely on us to come up with the right control plan, he says. From its base in Pleasant Point, High Country Contracting (HCC) Ltd covers a wide area, from the peaks of Central Otago to the Canterbury Plains. The company has a modern fleet of vehicles that are built fit for purpose, ranging from off-road machines to lightweight, two-wheel bikes. HCC’s mobility allows it to take on work far from its Pleasant Point hub. Adam says the firm aims tailor its methods to suit the situation and property. Types of pests coming up for control include wallabies, rabbits, possums, feral pigs, mustelids (ferrets, stoats and weasels) and plant pests (wilding pines, gorse, broom and weeds). Health and safety standards, and quality assurance techniques are applied on all jobs. He says pest control is recognised as an essential activity, not just to maintain productivity in the rural sector but also to help protect native flora and fauna. HCC currently runs several mustelid operations in the central South Island that are protecting a range of native species by controlling ferrets, stoats

and weasels with permanent trapping infrastructure. Pests such as possums and rabbits also take a significant toll on New Zealand’s precious natural environment. The company is working with clients through Otago and Canterbury on appropriate control plans.

A GIS system ensures can offer clients accurate and reliable data management, detailed mapping and comprehensive post-operational reporting. Khan Adam began his career in pest control a decade ago on the North Island’s east coast in weed-spraying and scrub clearing operations.

His main focus has now switched to animal pest control in New Zealand’s back country. Operations manager Darren Nee also has acquired his pest-control skills and experience in a range of operations for private landowners and through government contracts.

PHOTOS: Left, High Country Contracting busness manager Khan Adams. The company targets a range of pests in the South Island back country, including wallabies (below).

Pleased to supply legal services to High Country Contracting Ltd TIM GRESSON + SIMON DORMAN + CRAIG O’CONNOR + KEN GRAVE + ANDREW MCRAE + MICHELLE HAWTHORN + NYSSA WILLCOCKS + MATT BEATTIE + JENNY BOLITHO + KELSIE BERTACCO

RURAL SERVICES » Koi Contracting

Business Rural

| 37

Calm and flexible approach keeps pair on the level Sue Russell Carl Conlan and Andy Roberts operate an agricultural contracting business a stone’s throw from the West Otago/Northern Southland boundary. Surrounded by a mix of sheep, beef and dairy farming the company provides a raft of services to farmers within a 50-kilometre radius of their homebase in the Waikaka Valley. Carl established the company in 2008 having completed a Diploma in Agriculture from Lincoln University. In 2012, with demand for contracting services increasing, he invited Andy to take up a share in the business and since that time they haven’t looked back. “We are both passionate about the farming sector and thrive on seeing the impact a job well done has on the success of our farmer clients. You could say that their success is our success,” Andy explains. For Andy, involvement in the company will in time provide a stepping stone toward eventual farm ownership, though both he and Carl, who runs the family dairy farm in the district, are committed to continuing to provide top quality land-based contracting services to their clients. “Just very recently we have specialised our roles with Carl taking on the bailing operations while I run the crop establishment side,” says Andy. According to Carl the pair, maintaining an agricultural contracting business is very much about the quality of each and every job done. To achieve this, in a dynamic working environment influenced heavily by factors such as the weather, requires a certain level-headedness and flexible approach to adapt to how each day will unfold. “We are fortunate to have established really strong and sound working relationships with other contractors operating in the greater area we work in. “It is very much a case of working with each other, supplying labour and gear if necessary, to see all the jobs completed in time when there is fairly small window to get the bulk of our clients’ work finished,” says Carl. As the company has evolved, so too has the equipment it operates. Maintaining a fleet of tractors, drilling and cultivation gear along with the cropping and bailing machinery is a constant priority and something given particular attention during the quieter winter months.

With the installation of sophisticated GPS machine guidance on board the tractors Andy says he and his drivers can deliver precise planting and harvesting services. “Ultimately it makes a huge difference to operating efficiency and potential yields when seeds are precisely placed and aligned for optimum growth and efficient harvesting.” Fodderbeet is becoming an increasingly significant crop grown in the district, something Andy says doesn’t come as a surprise, given the nutritional and management benefits the crop supplies. “It’s a very versatile product suited to a number of different grazing systems and while it costs more to initially grow compared to other crops it is in fact a cheap crop because of its yield,” Andy says. Koi Contracting offers a comprehensive range of contracting and cropping services; round and square bailing, deep ripping, direct drilling, power harrowing, roller drilling, harvesting and sub-soiling work, extending its business through the Southland and West Otago regions.

Andy Roberts and Carl Conlan run Koi Contracting from their home base in the Waikaka Valley.

It is very much a case of working with each other, supplying labour and gear if necessary, to see all the jobs completed in time when there is fairly small window to get the bulk of our clients’ work finished.

Specialists in: • Farm & Business Accounting • Taxation • Auditing • MYOB support & advice Contact us for a no obligation meeting to discuss your requirements and how we can best help you. Proud to support Koi Contracting Ltd

For all your Machining & Welding Requirements 25 Avon Street Gore | Proprieter ALLAN RIEPMA Ph 03 208 6380 Proud to support Koi Contracting

33a Main Street, Gore Phone: (03) 209 0002 Fax: (03) 208 3222 Email: enquiries@bpa.net.nz Web: www.bpa.net.nz

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38 |

RURAL SERVICES » PW Dairy Services

Business Rural

Strength seen in versatility Russell Fredric

Importers & Wholesale Suppliers of: • Geared Motors & Power Transmission Products • Conveyer Betting & Equipment • Industrial Hoses & Fittings • Industrial Products • Conveyor Vulcanising Services

Prove n S e r v i c e O 8 0 0 RU S S E T

Russet Engineering Sales Ltd are pleased to be suppliers for P W Dairy Services Ltd

Mosgiel-based PW Dairy Services was launched in 2009 to help meet growing demand from the dairy industry in the Taieri and greater Otago region. Manager Steve Miller says the business has access to a fully equipped machine shop, a fabrication workshop, and a design department through its parent company, PW Engineering. “This gives us the ability to build our own rotary platforms, to call on extra staff, and to offer a design-and-build service,” he says. PW Dairy Services is a dealer for Milka-Ware milking system components, which include vacuum pumps, pulsation milk pumps, automatic cup removers, automated wash systems, vacuum control, claws, liners and rubberware. Miller says his firm’s vision is to create turnkey systems to allow dairy operations to run at maximum efficiency with lower maintenance costs. This includes building from scratch or upgrading herringbone or rotary milk plants. “We will work with you from the ground up on every project,” he says.

• To page 39

PHOTOS – Top left: Milkaware milk plant fitted on a rotary platform. Top right: PW Dairy Services vans on site, Above: A herringbone dairy shed installation.

Milka-Ware is a private family owned company dedicated to providing dairyfarmers with quality dairy equipment that helps improve farm productivity and proﬁtability. Our dairy equipment delivers exceptional value through industry leading reliability, ease of maintenance and importantly design suited to New Zealand’s dairying conditions. Started as a dairy focussed stainless steel fabricator, Milka-Ware has been manufacturing milking equipment since 1969 and has been for many years recognised by the industry as a leader in stainless steel fabrication.

Economical, Reliable, Simple…! •

•

Genuine Milka-Ware liners and spare parts Rotary & Herringbone systems Dairy Automa on

• Vacuum Diagnos cs & Pulsa on Tes ng •

Dealer opportuni es available

Designed for New Zealand dairy condi ons, with par cular focus on keeping costs down over a dairies life me. Milka-Ware equipment is easy for milkers to use and excep onally reliable. Economical, Reliable, Simple. Milka-Ware equipment is compe vely priced, all whilst being over -engineered to ensure durability when milking large herds day in day out. Engineered for the modern New Zealand dairy, Milka-Ware equipment makes complex tasks simple, because we understand that technology is a tool, and that farmers just want to get the job done.

sales@milka-ware.co.nz

www.milka-ware.co.nz

We are a company with a long history within the New Zealand dairy industry, and have been a strong and continuing supporter of Kiwi manufacturing, and the wider dairy industry. From local stainless component manufacturing, and plastic moulding, through our support for industry associations, Milka-Ware’s commitment to New Zealand has been long, deep and continues today. Put simply, our company, staﬀ and dealers are committed to providing customers with quality products, and service, of exceptional value. Milka-Ware is also a company strongly committed to constantly developing new products or improving existing products to increase milking performance and farmer proﬁtability. An example of this is the Milka-Pro 4 automatic cluster remover system which has a unique “at a glance” visual information system, cutting edge end of milking detection that adapts to individual animals, and unsurpassed, but easy to use programmability. These features enable farmers to better understand the performance of animals within their herd, improve

teat condition, reduce cell counts, and set the system up to suit their dairy type and preferred workflow. While Milka-Ware has a strong commitment to product development and to manufacturing here in New Zealand, and in Australia, we also know that our ideas and ingenuity, while often brilliant, are not always the final word. This open mindedness drives us to keep up to date with developments overseas, and to source the best ideas and dairy equipment available, wherever its origin. Conversely, our contacts with industry leaders around the world have led to opportunities to export our products and ideas to a wide range of countries. Farmers in Asia, Africa, Eastern and Western Europe, The UK, along with both North and South America can be found enjoying the benefits of Milka-Ware’s dairy equipment and technology. Back in the south of New Zealand where you are reading this, Milka-Ware is thrilled to have exceptionally committed, strong and capable dealers strategically placed across the key dairying areas. With MPTA certified technicians, and a wealth of experience, in dairy, water, effluent, and general engineering, they can be found from Invercargill in the south, through to the north. In addition to their services, to keep your dairy milking smoothly, our dealers stock a range of genuine Milka-Ware consumable products, spare parts and provide a 24 hour, seven day a week break down service. Milka-Ware’s dealer network is ready for you to put their service to the test. Call them, mention this article, and ask them what deal they have for you today!

RURAL SERVICES » PW Dairy Services

Business Rural

| 39

When things turn dry, you need the Neptune man Russell Frederic Although it’s essential to life on earth, water is one of those things people do not give much thought to – until the supply is cut off. For nearly 40 years, Neptune Water Carriers has been one of the few Southland companies equipped to respond quickly to that need. Owner Sam Anderson says that, in a slightly unusual twist, carrying water originally spawned from his former sheep-dipping business. He recalls that 1976 was a particularly dry summer in Southland, and, with an equally dry Kiwi sense of humour, he outlines how the business was floated during a drought. “We had farmers wanting us to cart water with the dipping tanker for stockwater. Then we supplied some houses with water, but it wasn’t a good look having a sheep-dipping tanker at someone’s house, so I went to the North Island and bought an ex-milk tanker,’’ The locally-owned family business supplies water to residential, agricultural, industrial and commercial customers. “We service all of Southland,” he says. This can involve topping up household water tanks in rural and semi-rural areas that have been emptied during a dry spell, or to dairy farms where bore water has run lo A rotary platform twin-beam retrofitted to a dairy parlour. w, or during power outages or mechanical failures. ‘’We understand that farming is all about timing and we will ensure we will always be there on time,” he says. “When you need water quickly, we

We understand that farming is all about timing and will ensure that our team will always be there on time. When you need water quickly, we will do our best to get there straight away. will do our best to get there straight away.’’ During winter, a hard frost can also keep the firm busy with call-outs to properties with burst water pipes. With four tankers available, Neptune has demonstrated the ability to supply large quantities of water quickly, such as in emergencies where water is vital for commercial use. It can deliver multiple loads using its 13,000-litre and 28,000-litre tankers. ‘’We have faced many challenging situations and have found proven methods of overcoming them,” says Sam Anderson. Our experience has helped us develop many solutions to many problems.’’ Health and food safety has always been foremost in the firm’s handling of water, he says. Water is sourced from registered council outlets and is carried in stainless-steel tankers that for many years have been certified annually to export milk standards that exceed Ministry of Health

Neptune’s Sam Anderson with one of his four water tankers. requirements. The company also runs an affiliate business, All Day Sucker, which operates a vacuum truck to clean out dairy effluent-ponds and spread the

effluent on pastures. The firm also supplies water that is used for dust suppression – which involves spraying water on roads during road works or where excessive dust could be a safety hazard.

PHOTOS – (clockwise from above left): PW Dairy Services’s base in Mosgiel; twin-beam retrofits on a rotary platform; an iLAT in-line automatic teatspray and emollient mixer; milking plant.

SOUTHLAND TYRE CENTRE (1998) LTD al The Tyre Gener

Auto teat-spray cuts mix-ups • From page 38 “We scope the size and complexity of every project to make sure we meet expectations and that budgets are kept.” The company can also handle maintenance of plant and machinery, provide a seven-day, 24hour, breakdown service, and do effluent-irrigator repairs and water-pump repairs, stainless-steel modifications and repairs, yard repairs, new yard installations, and shed-testing by qualified New Zealand Milking and Pumping Trade Association testers. Miller says one of the firm’s strengths is its ability to handle a wide range of projects and work with farmers to meet specific needs. “We believe good communication and customer service are the keys to maintaining ongoing relationships.” One of the newer products available from PW Dairy Services is the iLAT in-line automatic teat-

spray designed for trouble-free mixing of teat-spray and emollient products. The system is attached to an internal shed wall and connects to a clean-water supply running at 50-70psi on the inlet, with the teat-spray line connecting to the outlet. “Place the pump inlet hoses into your chemical containers, plug in the power, bleed the system, and away you go, no more mixing required,” says Miller. The units are available as a single-pump system for teat-spray only, or as a twin-pump system for teat-spray and emollient. Mix ratios (1:4,1:7 and 1:9 mix rates)are set with a switch. PW Dairy Services is also an Otago agent for Cullimore Engineering Ltd’s solar-powered backing gates. These wireless backing gates are custombuilt to suit a farmers’ particular needs and operate on a 24-volt DC system powered with batteries charged by three large solar panels. A radio transmitter in the dairy shed sends a signal to the backing gate to direct various operations.

Corner of Mersey Street & Victoria Avenue P: 03 218 6904 • F: 03 218 9064 • M: 027 437 5287 • E: stc1@xtra.co.nz

Milk-Ware Ashburton Your Complete Dairy Solution

Milking Machine • Installation & Upgrades • Servicing & 24hr Breakdown • Rubberware & Consumables Dairy Yards • Design, Installation & Upgrades • Solar Wireless Backing Gates • Rotary Backing/Top Gates • Rotary Platform repair/install Pump Servicing

www.milka-wareashburton.co.nz 96 South Street, Ashburton - Call Luke on 03 308 8335

40 |

RURAL SERVICES » Helicopters South Canterbury

Business Rural

Helicopters South Canterbury undertakes a diverse range of agricultural work including spraying, spreading fertiliser, seeding, mustering, pest control, snow raking and frost protection.

Business as usual for new owners Karen Phelps A passion for helicopters and assisting the rural community has led to South Canterbury couple Lisa and Richard Geary buying Helicopters South Canterbury in April after a long association with the business. “It’s an established, reliable local business with local owner/operators. We’re dedicated to continuing to provide a quality and efficient service,” says Richard, who began working as a loader driver for the previous owner of the business 14 years ago. Richard gained his commercial fixed wing licence when he was 18 and says he quickly discovered flying was his passion and decided to focus his career on the industry. He started working for Helicopters South Canterbury to get a foot in the door and it wasn’t long before helicopters became his primary passion. Richard spent time in Australia gaining more experience and returned to Helicopters South Canterbury as a pilot about eight years ago. He says his long association with the business has

Wilding pine aerial control is a new service offered by Helicopters South Canterbury. given him a solid understanding of the needs of clients making the take over a seamless process. The fact that he also has a farming background has also helped. He says things have pretty much remained as they were and things are “ticking along nicely”. The company has just employed a second experienced ag pilot, Andy Toomer, to work alongside Richard and has two loader drivers. Helicopters South Canterbury does agricultural work and offers a diverse range of services including spraying, fertiliser spreading (solid and fine particle suspension) and cartage, seeding,

mustering, pest control and snow raking and commercial work including surveying, frost protection and lifting. Wilding pine aerial control is a new service the couple is offering in which they work alongside local pest and weed control company High Country Contracting. The company works with the Department of Conservation and Environment Canterbury on contracts. Hellcopters South Canterbury also does filming and photography, and scenic flights, which the Gearys hope to increase to diversify and expand the business.

All of the company’s pilots and loader drivers are GROWSAFE accredited. Training covers the knowledge and practices required for safe, responsible and effective use of agrichemicals, based on the Industry Standard NZS8409:2004 Management of Agrichemicals. The Gearys believe that all agrichemical users have a responsibility to demonstrate that they understand their obligations and best practice for the use of agrichemical products. Their two Robinson 44 helicopters operate specialised aviation GPS equipment TracMap so areas and maps can be loaded into the system. They can also provide clients with proof of placement if required. Based in Waitohi, Helicopters South Canterbury operates in South Canterbury, the Mackenzie Country, North Otago and North Canterbury. Richard and Lisa say they enjoy working in the rural sector. “It’s been challenging but also very rewarding to take over the business. Our main focus remain on providing a quality and efficient service to our customers both existing and new.”

Your co-operative, your community.

FAR_04156

Farmlands Timaru is proud to support the South Canterbury Helicopters. Timaru 32 North Street (03) 687 9459 timaru@farmlands.co.nz

Forest Management Group With 25 years’ experience in the industry the Forest Management Team offer services in:

YOUR FOREMOST CHOICE IN RURAL PEST CONTROL multiple animal and plant pest control methods.

021 422 947

www.highcountrycontracting.co.nz

• Woodlot and shelterbelt harvesting • Timber sales to domestic and export markets • Forest establishment of harvested and greenfield sites • Forest valuation • Emission Trading Scheme advice and management • Trainer/Assessor in NZQA forestry related units Our highly experienced teams aim to ensure value optimisation in all aspects of forest management.

To find out more call us on 03 343 4101 or visit www.forestmanagement.co.nz

RURAL SERVICES » Lister Helicopters

Business Rural

| 41

Farm experience a big bonus Russell Frederic Having hands-on farm experience makes a collective difference in the daily work of Lister Helicopters co-owner Alister Lister and the pilots employed by his company. As an agricultural aviation specialist, much of Lister Helicopter’s work involves spraying of liquid fertilisers, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides along with aerial seed and solid fertiliser spreading. As a pilot, the advantage of being raised on a farm is ‘’massive’’, Alister Lister says. “Obviously we specialise in agricultural flying and just having that rural knowledge and the affinity with your clients and an understanding of the challenges they are under, and what effect it has on them downstream, we can relate really well to what’s going on.’’ Planning of work, taking account of factors such as weather, farm cycles, clients’ specific needs and helicopter maintenance, is a critical part of the business. This also means good relationships and good communication between clients and agricultural product representatives is vital. “Some of these products we are dealing with now, if a farmer has to wait more than a couple of days, it’s a problem. The work we are doing, particularly with helicopter spraying, the time windows often are very narrow.’’ The company, co-owned by Alister and his wife, Nadine, who handles the administration, operates three helicopters – a Squirrel and two Hughes 500s from its Milton base. He worked as a fixed-wing topdressing pilot for about 10 years before moving on to helicopters and starting the business four years ago. An advantage of helicopters is their ability to undertake a wide variety of work. In addition to spraying and spreading, the company offers lifting, fire-lighting and firefighting services, and has the ability to call in extra machines when required. “With the bonus of a farming background and stock knowledge, we can make mustering and animal control projects a breeze,’ Alister says’ The pilots’ affinity with their clients’ and wordof-mouth referrals have contributed to the rapid growth in a short time, as well as the company’s investment in good ground-support equipment. “Providing a good service and our quality of work at a fair and sustainable price, and client relationships, have been important,’’ says Alister Lister. Lister Helicopters operates TracMap, designed for precision ground-spreading applications, in its helicopters. TracMap has another system, TracLink integrated into it, which allows a farmer to upload a map of their farm and the paddocks to be sprayed, while also creating an order which is e-mailed to the contractor; the information is then loaded wirelessly into the helicopter’s TracMap cockpit head unit. After the spreading or spraying work is complete, the information is sent back to the TracLink website, which records the application for the client’s records. Along with accuracy, Alister Lister says the system has the benefit of providing proof of placement if there is ever any question about the application of products, including for environmental reasons.

Ag Chemical Specialist Croplands Spray Equipment Hardi Spray Equipment C-DAX Spray Equipment • Pump Repairs

Proud to Support Lister Helicopters 03 418 0988 - 1 Barr Street, Balclutha 03 203-9100 - 14 Tamworth Lane, Gore

PHOTOS: Lister Helicopters uses TracMap, designed for precision spaying (top). The company operates three helicopters from its Milton base (above).

With the bonus of a farming background and stock knowledge, we can make mustering and animal control projects a breeze.

Proudly supplying Lister Helicopters with quality weed control.

Proud to support Lister Helicopters Oceania Aviation | Helicopter Specialists Oceania Aviation Support Capability:

Business Advisors & Chartered Accountants Contact

Lee McAuslan or Stephen Kornyei

17-19 John Street, Balclutha. Balclutha (03) 418 1256 Milton (03) 417 8588 Email adviser@haymake.co.nz

Proud to be associated with Lister Helicoptors

• Bell 200 Series • MD500 Series • Airbus AS350 Series • Sikorsky 300 Series • Robinson R22, R44 & R66

Flightline Aviation | Aeromotive | Skysales w: www.oceania-aviation.com

e: pete.james@oal.nz

RATA Industries is a quintessentially New Zealand can-do business. The success of RATA Industries Group Ltd has been built on knowing what works best for New Zealanders. “We have a lot of contact with our customers to find out what they want and what they need,” says one of the company directors Troy Walton. “Our engineers design and manufacture a wide range of equipment to suit every task from handling bales to ploughing paddocks.”

needs. We can also customise a piece to suit a client's specific requirements,” says Troy. The company’s extensive range of the latest plant, including a robotic welder and automatic cutting and processing gear, ensures accuracy and excellence during the manufacturing process, says Troy. The company is a wholesale manufacturer and supplies to selected retail outlets. RATA Industries Group has long been a proud partner with North Canterbury Equipment, which has access to all ranges of RATA’s product lines.

Rata Industries Group is a family owned and operated wholesaler that supplies a vast range of agricultural machines to selected retail agents. The company was founded in 1981 when Troy’s father Peter, an engineer by trade, started the business from a farm shed making a range of front-end loader attachments buckets, grabs and forks. The company is now owned by Peter and his three sons.

Troy says that RATA Industries Group aims to continue developing new attachments, ploughs, cultivators, drills, ridgers, spreaders and hay gear with innovative designs that keep up with the changes occurring in farming.

RATA Industries Group expanded markedly in 2012 when Rata took over Paddon Direct and moved its operations to a larger, more efficient building located in Winchester. Troy says that the acquisition brought together manufacturing divisions that produce front-end loader attachments, primary and secondary cultivation equipment, fertiliser spreaders, drills, rakes and tedders significantly expanding the company’s offering to customers.

Two new front end loader products recently released by the company include a funnel bucket and a auger bucket. “The funnel bucket has been designed to easily and efficiently fill and stack bags. The funnel buckets are made to fit most loaders and/or telehandlers and are ideal for filling bags of fertiliser, sand, stone, top soil, grain, saw dust etc. they also have the option of hydraulic closing on the shutter of the bucket.

RATA Industries Group now operates a large manufacturing facility, service centre and spare parts warehouse that houses all of the company’s brands including RATA, Vogal, Agrex and Sitrex. Recently RATA Industries Group was made the sole New Zealand importer and distributor for the Italian made range of Agrex professional chemical fertiliser and lime spreaders.

Our new auger buckets released to the market in August include twin mixing star agitators, which stop material bridging. These are bigger agitators than competitor products which make for better mixing and prevention of the bridging effect. The auger is hydraulically driven with a powerful motor and the auger chute extends 300mm to the side of the bucket in operation by a hydraulic ram,” explains Troy.

Troy says that the aim of RATA Industries Group products is to take the “slog out of a day’s work” for farmers as well as maximizing efficiency and safety. He says that meeting the diverse needs of New Zealand farmers is a challenge but RATA Industries Group designs its machines to be altered and tailored to suit individual farmers particular specifications.

He says the new products are just the latest example of the company’s commitment to continue to deliver innovative products to its customers. The company has its sights set on developing export markets, particularly Australia: “Quality and unsurpassed service is our promise to farmers who need their equipment to be durable and stand the test of time. As we have been doing for the past 30 years, we will continue to expand our range and deliver the equipment they need to get the job done easily, safely, quickly and efficiently.”

“Many of our machines were developed from clients expressing a need for certain types of equipment. The RATA engineers love the challenge of solving a problem and creating machinery to suit our clients’

RURAL SERVICES » North Canterbury Equipment

Business Rural

| 43

Get into the right gear for summer Kim Newth Summer is a busy time on the farm, vineyard and lifestyle block. Having the right tools and equipment is essential to keep on top of everything that needs to be done. North Canterbury Equipment proclaims that it stocks the latest in new outdoor power equipment, ride-on mowers, and new and used farm machinery. You can get sales, service and spares under the one roof in a new purpose-built 1600 square metre building on the Main North Road, in Amberley. Now in stock is the Ferris ride-on mower – a heavy-duty commercial brand known for its patented suspension technology, performance, durability and ergonomic design. “This is a great ride-on mower for anyone wanting something that can handle the rough stuff, yet will leave an immaculate finish round the house,” says a company spokesman, Ryan Bassett. “The heavy-duty units will last longer and the suspension means you can mow faster too. So the whole job takes up less time with a much more comfortable ride.” Lighter ride-on garden mowers, also in stock, are sourced for the budget-conscious and those with less demanding terrain. Brand-new ride-on mowers range from $3000 to $35,000, so there is plenty of variety and choice in stock, he says. Twelve-month, interest free finance is on offer, and free delivery is available Canterbury-wide. “We even took two Ferris mowers to Wanaka last month,” says Ryan Bassett. “Ferris has such a good name; we had a couple of farmers down there who knew all about them. “As well as delivering mowers, we set them up and check that the client is comfortable with how to use everything.” The German brand, Stihl, is also well represented in the store through chainsaws, brush cutters, high-pressure cleaners, hedge-trimmers and blowers. December is a GST-free month for all Stihl gear at North Canterbury Equipment, which offers an opportunity for anyone looking to clean up just before or after Christmas season. Buying and selling farm machinery, both new and used, is the core of the business. Virtually anything that runs behind a tractor can be found in stock, he says.

• To page 44

North Canterbury Equipment, situated in Amberley (top), stocks a vast range of outdoor power equipment and farm machinery like this multi-disc unit.

On the Farm Mobile Service for all your Rural Needs. No job too BIG or SMALL.

44 |

RURAL SERVICES » Hecton Products

Business Rural

Customer demand drives Kelly Deeks Long-standing Southland agricultural engineering firm Hecton Products has been converting along with its clients.

Proud to support Hecton Products

Northern southlands only Dairy farm specialist Electricians We have electricians based in Invercargill, Lumsden and Gore

Phone 0800-LUMSDEN ANYTIME

After having provided products for the sheepfarming industry since the early 1980s, the company moved into dairy in 2007 – and this now accounts for about 70 per cent of its annual turnover. Managing director Aaron Bremner joined the business in 2005 with a small shareholding, and he and his wife, Lauren, bought it outright in 2013. A fitter welder by trade, Bremner started on the workshop floor, so has had experience in all aspects of his business. “Back in 2005, everything we did was sheep, apart from a tandem-axle calf-trailer we did for the dairy industry,” he says. “In 2006 we responded to a small advertisement in the paper for a farmer looking for a feed system installer for their dairy shed, then we got a couple of labour-only contracts. A lot of our sheep-farmer clients started converting to dairy, and we’ve now become the leading dairy feed system installer in Southland.” Hecton Products has sold its sheep-handling gear around New Zealand, and internationally – to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States, and now has a distributor in Australia. “Our sheep handling gear is unique,” Bremner says. “Our crutching machine is by far the fastest, most efficient, and most versatile on the market.” John Hector, who developed it, was a sheep farmer with a sore back who developed the machine out of necessity. After a few variations to the initial design, the current model has been unchanged for about 30 years.

PHOTOS: A weight crate (above) and sheep handler and lead-up race (far right), are two innovative products by Southland agricultural engineering firm Hecton Products. “It’s the only crutching machine on the market that allows full access to the sheep’s bellies,” Aaron Bremner says. “The majority of crutching

contractors in New Zealand who use a machine use our gear.” As well as adapting with its customers, Hecton

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Get the right gear for summer • From page 43

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North Canterbury Equipment has its own workshop for servicing and repairs, with parts readily sourced for most machinery. All secondhand machinery is workshop-checked and serviced before sale. “Everything is 100 per cent ready before it’s delivered,” says Ryan Bassett. Cultivation, sowing and hay mowing equipment is currently in strong demand, and North Canterbury Equipment imports second-hand Simba cultivation equipment product from the United Kingdom. It also imports new European equipment for cultivation from the RZ range (Razal), which it sells South Island-wide. Krone hay and silage equipment from Germany is keeping staff busy with hay mowers, balers and rakes in strong demand despite the drier-thannormal conditions.

Vineyard owners and contractors will find spraying and mulching needs in stock, including quality Berti mulchers and Silvan spray equipment. The North Canterbury business employs 16 people in the farm machinery and power equipment store, and its associated workshop. It’s a locally and family-owned company. Brothers Gerard and John Bassett took over the business 25 years ago, and have employed six of the family’s next generation to assist with running the business. “We are more than happy to help with your queries and talk through all the options to ensure you get the right tools and equipment for the task at hand,” says Ryan Bassett, who is John’s son. • North Canterbury Equipment used to offer a hire service, but this is now operating as a separate company, NC Hire, which focuses on excavators, construction equipment and access hire.

RURAL SERVICES » Hecton Products

Business Rural

| 45

engineering firm to dairy Products has also grown from a five-strong staff in 2005 to 16 at peak. Winter is busy for the business, After dairy cows are dried off, the company gets into the dairy sheds to install feed systems. Bremner says Hecton Products has the largest market share of feeding-system installers in Southland, and installs feeding systems for some of the province’s larger engineering companies’ dairy-shed projects. Workshop foreman Brett Allison runs the workshop, while site foreman CJ Shanks is looks after all the site work. Hecton Products is always on hand for breakdowns, says Bremner.. “We drop tools and go. We really try hard to look after our clients.” Some of those clients have been incredibly loyal, he says. Many have been working with Hecton Products since its inception, and some have up to six or seven farms. Over the quieter months in summer, product development is the focus. “It’s good we get that quiet opportunity to do this work,” Aaron Bremner says. Hecton Products’ latest development is an automatic drafting system, developed by Bremner and his previous partner about three years ago, but not trialled until now. The new product will be on display at the Southern Field Days at Waimumu, near Gore, in February 2016. The company is working on a calf-drafting crate in response to calls from dairy-farmer clients. Company staff are working closely with some of these clients to make sure the product is as practical and efficient as possible.

In 2006 we responded to a small advertisement in the paper for a farmer looking for a feed system installer for their dairy shed, then we got a couple of labour only contracts. A lot of our sheep-farmer clients started converting to dairy, and we’ve now become the leading dairy-feed system installer in Southland.

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46 |

RURAL SERVICES » Paul Smith Earthmoving

Business Rural

PHOTOS: Left: Paul Smith Earthmoving was involved with the earthworks for the new Holcim silo (above) at the Port of Timaru. Below: Construction work under way at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval in preparation for the 2015 Cricket World Cup tournament.

Firm has a long reach Sue Russell

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Sue Russell Over the last 13 years Canterbury earthmoving and transport business Paul Smith Earthmoving has undergone rapid growth, spurred on in part by the Christchurch rebuild. Chief executive officer Mark Rogers, who is based at the company’s Timaru headquarters, has been leading the company for 15 months. He describes the role as exciting, seizing fresh opportunities for work, working with highest-quality staff, and experiencing a diverse workload. “The business grew significantly from 2011 to 2015 to the point where we now employ 120 permanent staff over three locations, each with dedicated staff working independently in their catchment.” While its head office in Timaru and depots in Ashburton, Twizel and Christchurch, the company’s activities cover a significant area of Canterbury.

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Bruce Tinnelly, one of two directors, looks after the Christchurch depot. “We already had a presence in Christchurch, but after the earthquakes our workload grew significantly, initially clearing away rubble and then directly involved in the rebuild with Fletchers and other large contractors,” says Mark Rogers. Forty-five permanent staff are currently based in Christchurch and, while there is some movement of personnel from one depot base to another, staff generally work in the areas they live. The company opened its Ashburton base in 2014 to capture some of the burgeoning dairy and rural work. “Certainly it wasn’t easy in the early days in that district, with the drought and now the low payout affecting farm servicing businesses such as ours, but we have made significant inroads,” says Rogers. The company owns an extensive fleet, but has hire agreements in place to access additional gear if necessary. It’s an arrangement that provides the

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ability to respond quickly if a new project comes up. The permanent fleet includes excavators, ranging in size from 1.8 to 30 tonnes, graders, rollers, loaders, scrapers and bulldozers. The company carries ACC tertiary, Site Wise and ISO 9001 accreditations, and has been granted “pre-qualified contractor” status by a number of city and district councils. “We are the only contractor approved to undertake all Timaru District Council works,” says Mark Rogers. “We really value the relationships we have built up with councils.” The company is also the preferred subcontractor for many large national organisations. “We concentrate on what we are good at, and that list is extensive,” says Rogers. “Excavation, construction, building rock walls and cutting in driveways, irrigation ponds and drainage work.” Another director, Tony Moir, oversees the South Canterbury, Mackenzie and North Otago operations, while Rogers moves between all the branches. “The decision was made when we had undergone a period of significant growth to formalise the structure into independent operations each with an overseer in charge,” says Mark Rogers. He describes the company as very focused on encouraging staff through their professional pathways rather than just looking elsewhere to employ highly qualified operators. “We invest a great deal in our staff and have a mix of people. One of my responsibilities is in the longer-term strategy of the company, and central to this is care of our staff.”

RURAL SERVICES » ICS Farm Machinery

Business Rural

| 47

Got farm ruts? Call the rutbusters Neil Grant Slowly, inexorably, the centre-pivot irrigator rolls across the paddock. In doing its work, the ground beneath it becomes sodden, and its wheels press into the surface. Eventually, the track the wheels take becomes a depression, then a rut, sometimes up to 600 millimetres deep. The series of concentric arcs creates problems. Water collects in the ruts. The wheels do not move as easily there as on a level surface, putting strain on the mechanism, and eventually leading to mechanical failure. Farm staff on their ‘ag bikes’ or ATVs, or contractors spreading fertiliser for instance, do not always see the rut, especially in the darker hours, and have been injured, and even killed, as a result. Early methods of dealing with this often involved tipping hard fill from a ute or trailer, and then shifting it manually into the rut. A messy and time consuming task, negating one of the advantages of forking out for a centre pivot in the first place. ICS Farm Machinery, a Rangiora-based agricultural engineering company, has the answer. Its Rutbuster has a hopper with 12-tonne capacity. Whatever the farmer has available – soil, or gravel for instance – goes into the hopper. The Rutbuster is backed up to the fence line and the operator sets off along the track. The chute below the hopper sits flush with the ground surface so that the fill comes to just the right depth, then a blade behind the chute grades it flush. Only one pass is needed and no follow-up compaction is necessary. This solid, robust piece of equipment is New Zealand designed for local conditions, but is proving well suited to Australian farms as well. Over the years, modifications have been made, and can continue to be made, to satisfy changes in tractor wheel sizes or drawbar heights. “Having the Rutbuster on hand means it can be used as and when required, or kept for use in the off season rather than having to fit in with a contractor’s timetable. A number have been sold to groups of three or four farmers who have bought one as a joint venture, sharing the capital expense,” says ICS business manager, Amanda King. ICS Farm Machinery has other innovative plant , all designed to make the farmer’s life less onerous. Their range of four docking chutes reduces stress on lambs, as well as the staff’s backs and arms. “They speed up the process and allow multiple operations with up to eight lambs at a time,” Amanda King says “Two chutes have tippers, depositing the lambs safely onto the ground.

ICS Farm Machinery at Rangiora has developed the Rutbuster for farms. It has a 12-tonne capacity with a chute below the hopper that sits flush to the ground so the fill comes to the right depth. A blade behind the chute grades it flush.

They make it easy on staff who can do docking, spraying, putting on rings, all at the same time.” Their bale-feeders are ground-driven, that is, driven by the machine’s wheels rather than by power takeoff, for instance. They can be towed by ATV, car or tractor, which makes them suitable for smaller lifestyle blocks as well as larger farms. The Dominator wool press is a development of the standard wool press, but with innovations, such as front and rear loading, is easily transportable and able to fit through New Zealand woolshed doors, and with a low top box improving operator safety. “Our range of equipment is long life and reliable, and designed for New Zealand conditions,” says Amanda King. “Everything is modified to meet New Zealand safety regulations.”

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48 |

ON FARM » Matakanui Station

Business Rural

PHOTOS: Matakanui Station’s Andrew and Tracy Paterson won Supreme Fleece at the Canterbury A&P Show in November for the tenth time in the last 12 competitions. A rock mulcher (right), which mixes fertiliser and lime as it grinds the rock up with soil, is a recent acquisition and is transforming the rocky soils.

And the winner (again) is Matakanui Neil Grant ‘Supreme Fleece’ gained for the 10th time in the last 12 competitions. and Andrew Paterson, of Matakanui Station in Central Otago, is naturally a bit chuffed about winning that award at the Canterbury A&P Show in November. “It was an exceptional ram fleece,” he says. And adds: “Our 30 sires averaged 9 kilograms of wool. One ram shore 13.1kg, and a number shore more than 11kg.” Matakanui breeds and farms polwarth sheep – a cross between merino and lincoln animals where a merino ram is put across a lincoln ewe. Ewes

from this cross are then put back to merino rams giving a three-quarter cross. The result is a dual meat/wool sheep, comfortable in damper and colder conditions than merinos favour, happy in dry conditions, producing long, white well crimped wool second only to merino for fineness. Carcases produce flavoursome meat with good eye muscling. “We’re trying to breed and develop our sheep to fit different aspects of the farm, and to handle different types of farming,” says Andrew Paterson. “We’ve been developing intensive irrigation, so we’re breeding an animal suitable for fattening on wetter pastures, while still able to live at 5000 feet at the top of the mountain.” The Patersons have put in two pivot irrigators that cover 130 hectares of their flats, and five guns

that cover a further 200ha. The water is gravity fed from water rights using run of the creek supply on the property. The intention is to build dams, two holding 100,000 cubic metres, and another holding 500,000cu m . “These will be gravity fed and will supply 12 pivots with a total coverage of 700ha,” says Andrew. “We will be able to fatten all we produce. We can look to increase our numbers and even look at buying stock in.” Another innovation is growing forage king maize, a grazing maize variety, to feed their steers. If it is successful, he sees an opportunity to sell some to dairy farms. A lot of Matakanui soils are rocky, and the Patersons have recently bought a rock mulcher to deal with this. There is a fair chance Andrew will get only a pair of socks for Christmas this year since he told his wife, Tracy, that the mulcher was her Christmas present. “It has been going 12 hours a day every day, allowing us to mix fertiliser and lime as it grinds the rock up with the soil. Some contractors have them, but we thought it made more economic sense to own our own. We needed a new tractor anyway, so bought a 250-horsepower one to tow it. The neighbours have been looking over the fence at it, and people have been driving slowly along the road, keen to come and see it.” Matakanui’s ram-sale season runs over January

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and February, with 300 rams sold privately from the farm. “We do a lot of advertising and promotion. Clients arrange a time and come and see us. They range from Owaka to Dargaville, and there is interest from Australia, South America and England. “The Dargaville people use our rams over perendales, fining up their wool and giving them a good lamb. Hogget mating with polwarths over crossbreds are giving 90 per cent scanning, so I thought it would be a good test to send a couple, free, to try in Owaka. It has been quite successful. They are smaller for lambing, then take off. All rams are eyemuscle scanned, noted whether they are twins or singles, their fleece weights noted, and have footrot and cold-tolerance genes.” Matakanui polwarths are proving a versatile animal. Their fine wool sells well in the Icebreaker and Smartwool merino markets, and the meat goes to Alpine Origin. The 8700ha property contains land ranging from 300 to 1500 metres, runs 8000 ewes, 6000 hoggets, 1800 wethers and 200 rams, plus 1200 hereford cattle. In some of the hottest, coldest, driest, and most snow-laden land in the country, the Patersons believe they have developed an animal with all the important genetic traits to not only win awards but bring desirable qualities into flocks in a wide range of environments.

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ON FARM » Emlyn & Hilary Francis

Business Rural

| 49

New conversion vote of confidence in dairy farming Karen Phelps Emlyn and Hilary Francis haven’t let the low dairy prices dampen their enthusiasm for the dairy industry. The couple has just converted a 160ha/180ha effective total farm near their Culverden based home farm to dairy. They are in their first real season (they milked for one month last autumn) milking a herd of 630 crossbred cows through a 54 bail rotary shed with the help of contract milker Kane McCarthy, who has worked for the couple in various roles for ten years. Emlyn says this has been one of the positive aspects of growing their business – providing a means for talented staff to move ahead in their careers. Emma Gibb, who has worked for the couple for five years, progressing in that time from calf rearer to the new farm manager of the home farm, is another case in point. “Our business is about people,” says Emlyn. “It’s been really satisfying to see people progress through the system on our farms.” The couple’s company, Kenmare Dairy Ltd, also owns their 630ha home farm, which milks the remainder of their herd which totals 2170 cows. The farm has an 80 bail rotary shed and employs nine staff and a maintenance manager who works across both farms. Despite markedly increasing their business in arguably one of the worst times for the dairy industry in recent years the couple remain upbeat. “It’s a temporary glitch,” says Emlyn. “We’re being prudent around our spending but we don’t want to penalise cow condition or mating performance in a knee jerk reaction to a temporary drop.” He acknowledges the fact they have been farming for a long time as a plus. Emlyn grew up on a dairy farm south of Te Awamutu and completed a bachelor of commerce and agriculture at Lincoln University but says he never intended to be a dairy farmer. “In the mid 80s it wasn’t a good choice,” he says. But after travelling overseas for several years he

changed his mind on returning to New Zealand and started his career as a farm assistant on a 900-cow unit at Culverden in 1992 for Norm Williamson at Pahau Reserve. Emlyn says it was one of the first dairy farms in the region and he followed this up with a contract milking position for Applefields near Oamaru, milking 360 cows for two years. He progressed to a lower order sharemilker position in Culverden with Applefields with Hilary who had joined him in life and the business. The couple milked 450 cows for two years then switched to a 600-cow farm for the same company, 50:50 sharemilking for another two years. In 1999 they moved to a farm owned by Hilary’s parents, Dougal and Diane Norrie, sharemilking for two years before joining the Norries in an equity partnership in Kenmare Dairy Ltd. In 2006 Emlyn and Hilary purchased Kenmare Dairy Ltd. They say this season they are cost cutting where possible including an electromagnetic map of their farms, which will allow them to apply fertiliser at a variable rate only where necessary. Emlyn hopes this will result in considerable cost savings and will also demonstrate the couple’s desire to farm in an environmentally sustainable manner. They are minimising repairs and maintenance on their farms and say the current low bank interest rates are helping them cope with the temporary downturn in the dairy industry. Their home farm is also self-contained system, where the entire milking herd remains on the farm year round, which is assisting their budgeting. Young stock are contract reared off-farm. Both Emlyn and Hilary take an active role in their farms. Hilary is heavily involved in the selection of staff and administration, drawing up job descriptions, employment agreements and rosters. They have three children Lewys, 15, Isaac, 12 and Annie, 8. Their production target this season across both farms is 975,000kg MS and Emlyn hasn’t ruled out the possibility of continued growth. “We enjoy challenges so who knows. There is potential to expand the home farm and we’d quite like to put another dairy shed on it and another centre pivot. About 580ha is irrigated at the moment and we could increase that to 630ha. We remain optimistic about the future of dairy.”

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50 |

ON FARM » Blairich Station

Business Rural

The trait that Blairich is known for is wool quality. Historically we have produced superfine wool but are now tending towards fine wool that is white, well nourished and waterproof.

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HC Partners LP, Chartered Accountants are proud to provide accountancy, tax and business solutions for Ron and Sue Small of Blairich Station

AWATERE VALLEY, MARLBOROUGH

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Blairich Station

The road up the Awatere Valley that goes through Molesworth Station runs past Blairich Station near the northern end. The homestead, on the river flats, is at 150 metres; the highest point on the hills is nearly 1500m. Annual rainfall is about 800mm, but when it is dry in Marlborough generally, it is dry in the Awatere too. If it sounds like perfect country for merinos, A & P show results certainly bear that out. At the recent Canterbury show, Blairich merinos took out: reserve grand champion ram; reserve grand champion ewe; champion medium wool ram; champion and reserve champion superfine ram; champion and reserve champion superfine ewe; reserve champion medium wool ewe; reserve champion fine poll ram; reserve champion medium poll ewe; reserve champion medium wool ewe; best ram hogget; and the Merial Ancare pair award for two-tooth ewe and two-tooth ram. A list like that reflects the work put into the flock by Ron and Sue Small and their son, Tom. “The trait that Blairich is known for is wool quality,” says Tom Small. “Historically we have produced superfine wool, but are now tending towards fine wool that is white, well nourished and waterproof. We’ve been working hard to increase wool cut and body weights. We sell a little bit of wool to Radar, a specialty Italian company, but most is sold at auction. February is a busy month. The ram sale from early in the month sees buyers from Marlborough to Central Otago, and occasionally the North Island, make a time to come and make their selections. “We have a fixed list of clients, and usually pick up a few new ones each year. We don’t have a

pecking order for buyers, so the last person has an equal opportunity to get good sheep too. “They tell us the traits that are important to them, like body weight, eye muscle, fat, and if they want, say, five, we pick out maybe 20 so they are not confused by being faced with 150. We have general discussions with buyers – tell them what we are doing – and if they want advice, we do that. We do all the objective measurements available – fleece traits, body weight, eye muscle, and submit that to MerinoSelect Genetics. They generate the breeding values , and can now offer genetic breeding values as well. Some people use these a lot, some use their hands and eyes, and the good ones use both. “Our Australian sheep classer, Chris Bowman, is coming out at the end of January. We invite clients to come and pick his brains too.” At the end of February, they take a few stud rams down to the Tekapo sale. Blairich’s commercial flock has 800 stud ewes, and this year 4000 commercial ewes (down about 500 because of the dry season) were lambed. They station usually carries 4000 hoggets through winter. All the wether hoggets were shorn and sold this season because feed was tight. There are also 350 angus and angus/hereford cross cows that went to the bull. Calving and lambing were both good despite the season. “What we are trying to achieve, for us and our clients, is more of the things that make you money,” says Tom Smail. “We are working hard to produce a sheep that cuts more wool and grows bigger and finishes earlier. You could do that very quickly if you didn’t focus on quality. To keep the quality there as well is a matter of incremental gains, not monumental leaps.”

What we are trying to achieve, for us and our clients, is more of the things that make you money. We are working hard to produce a sheep that cuts more wool and grows bigger and finishes earlier. You could do that very quickly if you didn’t focus on quality.

Business Rural

Canty show

ON FARM Âť Blairich Station

| 51

PHOTOS: Blairich Station (above, far left), in the Awatere Valley, ranges in altitude from 150 metres on the river flats to nearly 1500m on the hills. Blairichâ€™s commercial merino flock has 800 stud ewes, and this year the station lambed 4000 commercial ewes. February is a busy month for father and son combination Ron and Tom Small (below, left) when Blairich holds its annual ram sale.

52 |

ON FARM » Peter & Rhonda Sherriff

Business Rural

Evaluation system irks breeder Kelly Deeks New Zealand’s dairy-cow evaluation system isn’t doing Canterbury holstein-friesian breeder Peter Sherriff any favours, since he has created his highvolume, high-protein-to-fat-ratio producing herd using overseas genetics. A third-generation, holstein-friesian breeder at Ohoka, he grew up on his father’s stud farm, Deloraine, in South Canterbury. His brother Alistair now runs Deloraine, with Peter and his wife, Rhonda, starting up Sherraine Holsteins with about 90 Deloraine cows in 1993. By 2005 he had doubled the size of his operation, bought the property next door and become a self-contained unit, increasing his farm to 136 hectares (effective) and his stud to 180 cows. The dairy farm and stud is a family-run operation, with the Sherriffs’ son, Reagan, now working on the farm with his dad, and daughter Olivia and her husband, Jared, helping out. Last season, Sherraine’s average milk volume was 8542 litres per cow, with fat at 318 kilograms, and protein at 287kg. “That sits us approximately in the top half a

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dozen herds in the South Island for protein,” Peter Sherriff says. Every year the Sherraine herd is classified under the T.O.P System. Before this year’s classification, it has an average of 86.39 points ranking it fifth in New Zealand for the holstein breed. “Eighty-six points is a ‘very high’ classification, while an ‘excellent’ classification is 90 points,” Peter Sherriff says. “We are going to increase on that very high classification this year, as our twoyear-olds classified extremely high. We also had 15 cows go up to ‘excellent’.” Still on Dairy NZ’s breeding worth index, Sherriff’s cows are only given a score of -144. “That means we’re the lowest indexed herd in New Zealand,” he says. “In the eyes of LIC, our genetic worth is very low, because we don’t use any New Zealand-bred bulls. We use global genetics which gives us the ability to use the best bulls in the world, and we do use the best bulls in the world.” But there is no way Sherraine Holsteins could do that sort of production using New Zealand genetics, and even if they were able to, New Zealand genetics don’t have the functional types to withstand that volume of production. Sherriff’s tendency to go against the grain doesn’t end with his genetics – he also runs a farming system that does all the ‘wrong’ things. He is milking about 150 cows through the winter, and calving from February until October, with a herd that is capable of producing high volumes. “We don’t have a split calving in autumn and spring, instead every month we have cows coming and going,” he says. “It’s far easier to manage 20 to 30 cows calving in a month than 600 cows calving in six weeks. Plus, it means we don’t have any bobby-calf issues.” He says it is paramount for Sherraine to do the job right for the animals to reach their full genetic potential. Sherraine sells at high-spec sales. The region’s top genetics are sold at the annual Canterbury Collection Sale and average between $6000 and $7000. Sherraine also does a lot of showing at Rangiora, Oxford, and Christchurch shows, and this season Reagan is keen to take two animals up to the Dairy Event at Feilding in January. One of those animals, Sherraine Congress Maria, was intermediate champion at this year’s Canterbury A&P Show. Judge John Gardner, who also exhibits at International Dairy Week in Australia, said that in his opinion, Maria would place in the top two in her class at Dairy Week in Australia.

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Sherraine Congress Maria, intermediate champion at the Canterbury A&P show.

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ON FARM » Dean & Joanna Geddes

Business Rural

| 53

Tahora Stud again a force at show Karen Phelps Tahora Stud has once again experienced success at the 2015 South Island Championships held at the Canterbury A & P Show in November taking out a number of awards. Most notable amongst the wins was the champion senior female as well as the supreme champion titles in the holstein friesian section with Tahora Shottle Toni-ET EX who was also placed first in Seven-year-old and over In-milk Cow. Tahora Shottle Toni-ET EX was the intermediate champion five years ago as a three-year-old. Despite her success at the awards, stud owner Dean Geddes says she is not the best cow Tahora Stud has bred. “She’s an extremely big, powerful dairy cow with a big udder. Saying that, I don’t think she’s the best cow we’ve ever bred. She’s a wee bit extreme (big) I think.” Tahora Stud was founded in 1963 by Dean’s parents, Jim and Judith Geddes. When they established the stud, it was based on the breeding philosophy and success of Judith’s late grandfather, L H Leslie, and her late father, Merton Leslie. L H Leslie bred registered friesians from 1925 through to 1938 and during that time showed or bred six Canterbury champion cows as well as the 1934 Royal Show champion cow Pareora Ethel Burkeje. Dean took over the stud in 1991. Geddes farms a 180-hectare home block at Greenpark, just south of Christchurch, and a 37ha run-off at Rolleston. He also has a polo-pony breeding stud, which involves around 15 horses. Geddes says it is essential for anyone wanting to breed top cows to work on their farm. He and wife, Joanna, calve and milk around 350 cows, run all their own replacements and heifer calves, and about 50 bulls. “You have to work with cows in a hands-on way in order to breed cows. It’s subtle things like milking speed, utilisation of feed, their legs and feet, how well they walk. If you are working with cows all the time you notice things.” Geddes claims there are three ingredients to breeding a great cow: passion, dedication and money. He places a great focus on investing in the best genetics he can lay his hands on. As an example

We had a good show but it was very competitive. We had to really work hard to achieve the results we did.

Greenpark’s Tahora Stud took out the Champion Senior Female and the Supreme Champion titles in the Holstein Friesian section at the South Island Championships in November with Tahora Shottle ToniET EX (top). The stud also took out the Reserve Champion Intermediate Female title with Tahora Windbrook Tonie-ET GP84 (left).

Geddes had a half-share in an Australian cow, Pooley Bridge Titanic Alicia; the granddaughter of Shoremar S Alicia, one of the first Excellent 97 cows in Canada. Although she’s now passed away Geddes has valuable progeny from her. He also has a quarter-share in another Australian cow, Blue Chip Goldwyn Paradise, who took out junior, intermediate and senior titles over three consecutive years at the International Dairy Week in Australia. He has also invested in a third share in a sister to Blue Chip Goldwyn Paradise.

Geddes, who focuses strongly on conformation, longevity, fertility and production, says that he is also not a strong believer in an all-grass system. “In an all-grass system cows are consuming a lot of water to get enough dry matter. Our herd production average is two to three times better than

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the national average but we don’t feed them two to three times as much,” he says. The Geddes have just invested in a 460-cow wintering barn. They already have a tunnel house, which has proved useful in winter to prevent pasture damage but were wanting more shelter to further assist their cows to better utilise feed and increase production. Tahora Stud also took out a number of other titles at the South Island Championships this year: the reserve champion intermediate female title and second in three-year-old In-milk cow or heifer with Tahora Windbrook Tonie-ET GP84; first and third in the Heifer born since 31 August 2014 and before 1 June 2015 with 1 Tahora Dreams BToni-ET and Tahora Dreams Larfine-ET respectively; second in heifer born since 1 June 2014 and before 1 January 2015 with Tahora Doorman Legacy; first in Twoyear-old In-milk heifer with Tahora Uno Tonibee-ET; first in 2.5 years-old In-milk heifer, or in-calf with Tahora Goldsun Jester and first in five-year-old Inmilk Cow with Tahora Bolton Legacy VG88. “We had a good show but it was very competitive. We had to really work hard to achieve the results we did,” says Dean. Daughter Sophie and son Tom have also inherited the family talent and competitive spirits. Sophie, aged 12, was placed second in the Ballantyne Canterbury Cup for showjumping in the under 17 section. It was Tom, aged 9, who was placed second in heifer born since 1 June 2014 and before 1 January 2015 with Tahora Doorman Legacy.

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54 |

ON FARM » Kamahi Perendales

Business Rural

Genetic data just a tap away Neil Grant Smartphone technology is making science in farming even easier to use than ever. Previously, data needed to be recorded in a notebook, then downloaded into computers at a later time. Now, the farmer can enter information on his or her smartphone on the spot, in the paddock, and it is transferred immediately into the database, For Warren Ayers, who has a perendale sheep stud at Mimihau in Southland, providing data about the animals he has to sell to his clients is vital so that they can select those best suited for their farms and needs. Zoetis Genetics has two products he uses, Sheep 5K and Sheep50K. “Sheep 5K uses 5000DNA markers to generate molecular breeding values for up to 22 economically important traits” according to the company website. The data can

be blended with SIL information. Warren Ayers uses it for testing ram hoggets he has to sell. Sheep 50K has 50,000 markers providing genomic predictions, and he uses that for testing his sire rams. “The genetic information is as important as the physical information, such as weaning weight and eye muscle,” he says. “It adds surety to what the buyer is choosing.” Another program he has and can feed information to on site is Agrimap 360. Using Google Earth, a farmer can develop an interactive farm-map showing paddock areas, effective areas, distances, and hazards on maps or satellite images. Workers and contractors can use the information that was fed in as a paddock

PHOTOS: Warren Ayers runs the Kamahi Perendale stud at Mimihau, in Southland.

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ON FARM » Deebury Pastoral

Business Rural

| 55

Water helps `worst growing year’ Fred Newton A tricky season for growing pasture hasn’t dented Jon Dampney’s enthusiasm for dairy farming, as he enjoys his first season as a contract milker on a 300-hectare (273ha effective) property near Hinds, in Mid Canterbury. “It has been the worst growing year around, I’d say, with the weather being so up and down,” Dampney says. Even so, and despite reducing the herd by 40 cows to 1130, he’s matching last year’s production thanks to the availability of plentiful irrigation water from the Mayfield-Hinds scheme. This feeds two centre-pivots, k-line and some border dyke paddocks. “We’ve got a fairly high stocking rate, but we’ve got plenty of water. And if you have water, you can grow grass.” Born in Northland, Dampney moved south to Mid Canterbury with his parents when he was 14, in 1996. “They were looking for more opportunities and then went home when I was 21. I’ve just stayed on. Having gone to school down here, all my mates are down here.” Though he always intended to go dairy farming, he put it off for a while and worked in a tyre shop in town for four years, did a year of building, and travelled overseas. When he turned 26 he was ready to go back to the land.

The guy before us had done a good job with the animals and we take pride in doing that part.

Jon Dampney has a three-year contract-milking job with Mid Canterbury-based Deebury Pastoral. “I always said that I was going to go back, it was just when. I really enjoy it – I just wanted to get those younger years out of the way without those early starts. I applied for a few jobs, started back at the bottom, worked my way up as I went, and I’ve got the right opportunities at the right times so far, which has been a help.” The farm he found a job on, owned by Deebury Pastoral Partnership, is close to where his parents had farmed, so he was familiar with the area and steadily climbed the dairy farming-career ladder

until he took over as manager. “The guy before us had done a good job with the animals and we take pride in doing that part. We’ve just carried it on because I worked under him. He taught me a few things and understood how the farm runs.” After three years as manager, Dampney was ready to progress. “I was looking at a few options around the area and I said to the owners that if there was no other step to go up, such as into a sharemilking role, I

was going to find another job. “I was lucky enough that the owners came back and said, ‘We’ve got a contract-milking job’. We did the figures and it worked out.” As a contract milker he is paid a fixed price per kilogram of milksolid, and out of that, pays for his four staff, shed costs, and owns the motorbikes on the farm “It just makes it more worthwhile getting out of bed some days now that you’re getting the rewards a bit more – not that you weren’t getting them as manager, but it’s a little bit more.” And with the low payout this season, he’s happy not to be sharemilking. “With the payout where it is, it’s very hard to be a sharemilker with all your costs and your overheads. With contract milking, you’re guaranteed to get a certain amount.” Dampney has a three-year contract and then he’ll look to see what other options are available to him to progress in the industry. “It may be 50:50 sharemilking, something like that, we’ll see what’s around.”

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Focus on wool as well as meat • From page 54 was sown or fertilised, check soil tests, and be aware of any health and safety issues. “I put the data in as I’m doing things,” says Warren. “It’s easy to work, and get up and running. I’ve told a number of farmers about it and suggested they download the free trial. It’s great when I’m doing the auditing. I don’t have to spend the day before with three different-coloured pens. Now it’s done as I go.” The farm wintered 6000 commercial ewes, all perendale, 1700 ewe hoggets, and 150 ram hoggets, along with 120 mixed-age angus/hereford cross cows and 50 angus/hereford heifers and steers. Most calves are sold at weaning. Some rams are sold at the Gore ram sale in January, and the rest on-farm afterwards. Advertising is done in newspapers and on the Perendale NZ website and newsletter. Buyers on the client list are contacted, and appointments made. “I usually pick up some new buyers each year,” he says It would not be proper farming if there wasn’t something to make life difficult. Environment Southland is developing a plan to protect waterways, which requires a buffer zone of up to 20 metres between crops and creek-banks. This has potential for severe impact on the farm’s economy. “I’ve done some sums and reckon that if you

Wool has reasonable value at the moment, so farmers might as well keep up the quality. have 250 metres of creek, you lose 0.85 hectares of land, so there’s 12 tonnes dry matter you can’t grow or sell. It becomes quite a big sum when you’ve got creeks in nearly every paddock. I’ve got two or three creeks in some paddocks. So, I’ve made a submission.” The characteristics he has been breeding into his sheep have focussed on growth rates and meat yield. It is still important to focus on the wool as well, he reckons. “Wool has reasonable value at the moment, so farmers might as well keep up the quality. But, meat is fetching good prices, so we should make the most of it.” He is feeling pretty positive. A paddock of fodder beet is this year’s experiment, and he intends to finish more of his calves after weaning. “The future is quite bright for sheep farming as long as the freezing companies can work things out.” Good luck with that.

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56 |

ON FARM » Denis Aitken

Business Rural

‘Perfect cow’ still a work in progress Neil Grant The holstein friesian is the most dominant milking breed in the world, reckons Taeiri farmer Denis Aitken. He believes the reasons for this are that they give more protein than other breeds, have a better protein-to-fat ratio, and have more uses as by-products. For example, calves can be finished as beef, or crossed with beef breeds to get a nice beef animal. In other words, they are just more versatile. Denis Aitken, rather modestly, describes himself as a farm worker. “I work for my two boys on their separate dairy farms on the Taieri, and their dairy support unit at Middlemarch. Both boys breed registered cattle; James and Celia farm 260 cows at Momona, and Andrew and Sonia have 520 on the home farm (near Outram).” But he is a bit more than that. As a young man, he had a stud herd, and became president of the New Zealand Holstein Friesian Association. This led to his becoming a judge and classifier through his strong interest in breeding and classification. He then represented Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) at the World Holstein Friesian Federation. This body holds workshops every second year at one of which, he ran a workshop called ‘The Perfect Cow.’ This talk was first presented at South Island Dairy Event (SIDE) and became so popular he travelled the country giving presentations. Then followed private work assessing and advising on breeding matters. Two years ago he joined an eight-member World Holstein Friesian Federation working group overseeing harmonisation of the cow type throughout the world. He and the other seven panel members have travelled the world organising workshops. The next is in Argentina in March 2016, for 45 delegates from 29 countries. This is all pretty high powered stuff for “a farm worker” from the Taieri. “Breeding cows is my passion,” he says. “I’ve done classification in Australia, and workshops in other countries making sure everyone is on the same page. “It is necessary because of the fluidity of semen and embryos – genetics – that around the world everyone is describing the same thing. A bull in the Netherlands needs to be classified the same as in Australia or New Zealand.” Denis Aitken says New Zealand is lucky because we have the most fertile cows with greater longevity. “This is because they are outdoors and grassfed. They don’t produce as much, but are not being

Holstein-friesian breeder Denis Aitken with sons James and Andrew. stressed or intensively fed. The aim is to breed a cow with correct functional traits to enable them to last longer in the herd so that you can increase profitability. “We are the best grass-feeders, but not the best profit-makers. We’ve dropped off because our animal husbandry and stockmanship skills have dropped off. A lot of people managing herds have not been brought up on farms. They are good at

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growing grass, but the stock skills are not there that were there 20 or 30 years ago.” That ‘perfect cow’ talk concluded that there is no perfect cow. It concentrated on the purpose of farming, which is to make a profit, and one of the best ways to do that is to lower costs. One way of doing that is to increase the herd life of the cows by ensuring they have the traits of not breaking down under the stress of production, the ability to walk

long distances, to get in calf, to calve, and to turn large quantities of grass into milk. “We want cows to move up to six lactations; then you can rear fewer calves and have lower turnover, and that helps your profitability. At a $6.40 payout, an extra lactation for each cow in an average herd of 420 will give you a return of a direct profit of $56,000 through having to rear fewer replacements, or having surplus stock to sell.”

Business Rural

RURAL PEOPLE » Wilco & Noortje Hamers

| 57

PHOTOS – Above left: A wintering barn negates pasture damage over the winter months. Above right: Noortje and Wilco Hamers with daughter Emma.

Best of two worlds at Lumsden Karen Phelps Wilco Hamers arrived in New Zealand with the express purpose of seeking new opportunities to further his farming career. Hailing from the Netherlands, Wilco grew up on a dairy farm. He worked as a nutrition adviser after completing an agriculture-based degree, then headed to New Zealand with wife Noortje. “It’s a different kind of farming in New Zealand, more grass-based, whereas in the Netherlands cows are often kept in barns year round,” he says. Wilco is now in his third season managing a 170-hectare effective (175ha total) unit at Lumsden for Art Blom and Helen Van Echtelt. The unit milks a herd of 450 crossbred cows through a 36-a-side herringbone shed with automatic cup removers and an in-shed feeding system. Touches of Netherlands style farming have influenced the system, bringing what Wilco and Noortje Hamers see as the best tools from both countries to the dairy farm. For example, the farm has a wintering barn to avoid damaging pastures over winter. The farm is crossing their friesians with jersey, and jerseys with friesian cows.

The crossbreds get crossed with a mix of three European breeds – british friesian, dutch friesian and brown swiss – to get a third cross and exploit the heterosis effect. The farm also gets a contractor in with an umbilical effluent system, something that is popular in Europe but not common in New Zealand. The system uses a pump at the pond, which feeds the applicator through a long hose. The injector slurry applicator places the effluent in the ground to leave a cleaner finish on pasture, save nitrogen volitisation and evaporation by placing it right on the ground and reducing the smell. A travelling irrigator is used during the dryer summer months. Over the past two seasons the farm has been trialling once-a-day milking before mating to increase in-calf rates. Cows have been kept on once-a-day until mid January then switched back to twice-a-day until the end of lactation. The result has been a 15 per cent increase in the six-week, in-calf rate and it has kept the cows in milk a bit longer each season. The farm quit winter milking this season when premiums from Fonterra ceased and it simply wasn’t economic to continue any more, says Wilco.

The dairy herd of 450 friesian and jersey crossbreds are milked through a 36-a-side herringbone shed. The lower payout will see stocking rates lowered slightly, culling low-performing cows. Cows have been on 16-hour milkings from the end of August, then once-a-day by mid-September. Wilco says another aim is to expand the business by developing the people the business employs. The farm is part of a Dairy New

Zealand pilot programme aimed at lifting people performance through better staff management. Last season the farm produced 213,000 kilograms of milksolids. This season the target is 186,000kg because the lower payout has led to changes to the system, such as going onto once-aday milking earlier.

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RURAL PEOPLE » Jackson Orchards

Business Rural

Forced relocation bears fruit for orchardist Kelly Deeks When Kevin Jackson’s Cromwell Gorge-based orchard was submerged under metres of water as part of the Clyde Dam hydro-electric project in the late 1980s, he made a fruitful decision to move his business. He chose a sheep-grazing property on State Highway 6 near Cromwell, where he now runs New Zealand’s second-best orchard – the best, he says, is under water. Jackson is the third generation of orchardists in his family, brought up on an orchard in Alexandra which his parents sold when they retired. He bought his orchard in Cromwell Gorge in 1969, and after 20 years of successful operation, was forced to relocate when it became one of 17 orchards flooded by the Clyde Dam. He chose the first property to be settled in the Upper Clutha district in 1863 by Canadian Jackson Barry, who later became the first mayor of Cromwell. “We chose this land to re-establish from our previous property because it has a similar soil type and a similar climate,” Kevin Jackson says.

We chose this land to re-establish from our previous property because it has a similar soil type and a similar climate. “The gorge was unique in this respect because it had a particular soil type and climate ideally suited to growing apricots. We could rely on an apricot crop every year, but since moving out of the gorge, the apricot crops are not quite so consistent. That’s mainly because of the severity of the frosts. In the spring we get frosts that start damaging the fruit just prior to blossom.” He planted three new varieties of apricot – clutha gold, clutha fire, and nevis, all propagated in

• To page 59

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Business Rural

RURAL PEOPLE » Chris & Jenny Stewart

| 59

Equity couple explore options Kelly Deeks North Otago dairy farmers Chris and Jenny Stewart will be on the move next season after 10 years on John and Michelle DeVeth’s farm at Richmond, near Oamaru. Chris Stewart has worked his way up on the DeVeth farm from manager to equity partner over the past 10 years. With the farm now up for sale, the DeVeths have bought the Stewarts out of their partnership, leaving the couple free to explore the options open to them for next season while they contract-milk at Richmond for the rest of this season. Chris says North Otago is his preferred place to continue farming. “Being close to the Waitaki River gives us a good supply of cheap water on the Waitaki Plains,” he says. “This really complements what we’re doing, especially with our dry summers, when you get heat and add a bit of water you grow a lot of grass out of it.” The Stewarts are grateful for their time working with the DeVeths, who have been very supportive farm owners. “We have always had an open line of communication, we’ve been given the tools to be able to run the business and do what we can do,” Stewart says. “The DeVeths are realistic and genuine people

The once-a-day animals are cycling well, animal health is very good and so there are less inputs with them.

North Otago dairy farmers Chris and Jenny Stewart. who are really enthusiastic about the dairy industry, and about farming.” This season the stocking rate has been lowered as a direct response to the lower milk payout, and is helping the Stewarts be efficient with the feed growing on farm. “We’ve cut back 100 animals, from 850 to 750, cows this season,” says Chris. “We’ve had a bit of a tidy-up of the herd, taking advantage of good cull cow prices in the past six months.” The DeVeths 115-hectare dairy platform is

supported with a 136ha lease block next door, which was used to rear the R1s and R2s, growing silage, and doing a bit of wintering until last season when the Stewarts started milking off it as well. The R2 heifers are currently at home, and Chris Stewart says the system has been adapted to the current market climate. “We’re able to use the R2s to clean up some paddocks in behind the cows, instead of having to hop on the mower,” he says. The Stewarts have been running two separate

herds for the past three years, with one herd milking once a day and going straight on to pasture with no supplements. “The once-a-day animals are cycling well, animal health is very good and so there are less inputs with them,” he says. “We’re not having to do a lot with them through mating, they’re doing their own thing quite nicely.” Chris Stewart is growing 15 to 25ha of barley for silage, which is yielding about 15 tonnes per hectare. That comes off in January and is followed by direct drilling other winter feed or back into pasture. Palm kernel has been fed to the twice-a-day milkers in the past few years – up to 500-800 kilograms per animal last season. This has been cut back to about 400 kilograms per cow this season, with the lower stocking rate and the whole-crop silage working well in the spring and autumn to hold the condition on the cows.

More than 100 varieties of fruit grown in relocated orchard • From page 58 Central Otago and, he says, better tasting than the renowned moorpark. By starting afresh, there was an opportunity to diversify, and he developed a mixed orchard with about 100 varieties of fruit. Jackson Orchards usually claims the first cherries of the season in Central Otago around the middle of November. The main crops of rich flavoured dawson and sweet, white-fleshed florence cherries are available by the middle of December. Later varieties include the red and crunchy bing, the

larger lapins, and the sweet plump regal cherries in the New Year. Between December and February, fresh peaches, nectarines, greengages, and plums are readily available, with some varieties such as black doris and omega plums and golden queen peaches are available in March. At the end of the season, apples and pears are picked with some varieties keeping well right into October and November. Both of Kevin Jackson’s maternal and paternal grandparents were fruit growers, and he says they would find his operation today very easy.

“We’ve got automated equipment, modern tractors, sprayers, and hydra ladders, but I can remember when my father used a horse,” he says. “I was seven years old when my father bought his first tractor, and I was there when the dealer unloaded it and tried to show dad how to use it. He said ‘There’s no point showing me, show Kevin’. I’ve still got the tractor and we still use it, along with a further 17!” In recent years Jackson Orchards has started running orchard tours, with tour operator Julie Tate driving groups around the operation in an electric tour bus, or joining large groups on

their own bus. She provides a full report on the orchard and its history, and tour patrons get the opportunity to hand pick some fruit from the trees in season. “They also get to see the people working in the orchard which is another plus, because when you’re on holiday it’s good to see people working,” Kevin Jackson says. “Our special electric vehicle is environmentally friendly, and some of the tourists recognise these things. Because we get people from all corners of the globe, they are interested in so many different aspects of the orchard.”

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RURAL PEOPLE » Landcorp Cape Foulwind

Business Rural

Fair winds and foul at Cape Foulwind Russell Fredric Captain Cook discovered the sometimes challenging nature of New Zealand’s West Coast when in 1770 he was blown well offshore from a promontory, which he subsequently named Cape Foulwind. In more recent years the nature of the nearby land has presented some different challenges for Landcorp’s three dairy farms on the cape. The farms are part of five dairy properties Landcorp has in the region – three (Bassets, Totara and Tram Road) at Cape Foulwind, and two (Thompsons and Somervilles) in the Grey Valley. Production figures for the three cape farms reveal some good news stories, as well as the illwinds faced in establishing productive pasture. Converted 11 years ago, Tram Road has battled through significant manuka-beetle damage to now be growing good pasture, says Landcorp West Coast business manager, dairy, Rebecca Keoghan. “Tram Road, one of the hardest terrains at the cape to manage, is striving to eventually run a once-a-day milking herd with minimal purchased feed on a low payout, and maximising crop growth and pasture use, to equal production on twice-aday milking.’’

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Rebecca Keoghan, Landcorp West Coast business manager, dairy. Controlling manuka beetles at both Tram Road and Totara required continuing management following their conversions, but as the farms’ mature and the organic content in the soils has grown, the natural inhibitory defence against the beetle has also strengthened. “In the last couple of years Tram road has hit its peak with damage, and the newest flipped land at Totara is starting to show increased signs of damage,” she says. “We manage through spraying and cropping the worst-affected land, using the animals’ feet and effluent to assist in lifting the organics and enhancing natural resistance to the beetle.’’ This season, Tram Road is milking 900 (1050 last season) cows on 400 hectares (effective), producing 288,910 kilograms of milksolids at an average of 320kg per cow. This equates to 720kg milksolids per hectare – similar to the production of Totara, which was converted 12 years ago. Bassets, converted 15 years ago, has a herd of 1130 cows on 460ha (effective), producing 375kg/ milksolids per cow (750kg per hectare) with total production of 384,616kg last season. All three farms have 60-bail rotary sheds with automated drafting and Tru-Test MilkHub technology. Tram Road is eight per cent ahead of last season’s production with 150 fewer cows at costs about $1/kg milksolids lower.

Proud to support Landcorp West Coast

Top: Calving and spring growth, Above: Part of the milking herd on Landcorp’s Cape Foulwind farms. The farms all have a strong environmental focus, says Keoghan. A 15-kilometre waterway fencing project at Tram Road has almost been completed. And the farm won the Westland Milk Products 2015 environmental excellence award and was second amongst all Landcorp dairy farms for environmental performance. “With tight times such as we are in now, Landcorp is obviously working hard on cost control, best-practice pasture management, and once-a-day and 16-hour milking versus twice-a-day.” Originally from Invercargill, Rebecca Keoghan and her husband, Nathan, moved to the West Coast eight years ago to manage his family’s farm. She was operations manager for Holcim for eight years before taking on her present role around in mid-2015. She is a director of the Buller District Council’s controlled trading organisation, Buller Holdings Ltd and a team leader for the Dairy Industry Awards’ dairy-manager-of-the-year award program. In November she was elected to the Westland

With tight times such as we are in now, Landcorp is obviously working hard on cost control, best-practice pasture management, and once-a-day and 16-hour milking versus twice-aday. Milk Products board as a general director. “My husband and I bought the family farm in 2012, a 200-cow operation with jerseys in the top 5% of the country for breeding worth. We have 300ha, but a milking platform of 110ha.”

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RURAL PEOPLE » Tony & Michele Roberts

Business Rural

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Tony Roberts stands besides Black Gully Stream, a waterway running through his West Otago farm. With help from a local school, a welldeveloped riparian planting project now provides a buffer for nutrient run-off.

Quality stock behind high production Russell Fredric Breeding quality livestock that are good individual producers has been one of the keys to success for West Otago dairy farmers Tony and Michelle Roberts. Although achieving an enviable milk production of 470 kilograms of milksolids per cow, Tony Roberts says the underlying philosophy for the farm’s operation is broader than the milk pumped into its vats from the high production, low input, low cost business. “Profitability-wise it is very successful. We are not pumping that high production per hectare – we are (focused on production) per cow, but not per hectare,’’ he says. The farm’s herd of 290 friesian/jersey-cross cows is milked on a 124 hectare (effective) home block supported by two nearby run-off blocks (40ha in total), plus a 113ha block for grazing young stock. Production has averaged about 132,000kg of milksolids a year over the last four years. The couple’s daughter, Kate, works on the farm, which means that only relief milkers need to be employed. The high individual production has come from breeding good quality stock and feeding cows well, Tony Roberts says. Grass and winter crops produced by the support blocks means the farming operation is largely self-sufficient, and with about 80 per cent of feed provided from the farm’s own system, cows usually have plenty of feed during lactation. “We have full control on the whole business (for) grazing and supplements and feeding the cows, so consequently we can do quite well on the bottom line.’’ The focus on raising quality livestock was reinforced by the Robertses success in winning the 2014 West Otago heifer competition under-100heifers section. “I really enjoy breeding cows that have top quality udders and good capacity, but they’re not too big,” says Tony. “We’ve also had contracts with Ambreed for contract cows for breeding bulls. We’ve got another two this year contracted to mate to produce potential bull breeders for the company. That’s a real coup for us that we’ve worked hard to achieve.’’ After 14 years of ownership, the farm continues to provide a good lifestyle for the family in the face of the present difficult dairying economy. However, Tony says there are some industry-wide hurdles to face during the next few years. “Our perception as farmers in the media or overseas is a big one for me and that comes back to environmental footprint [such as] effluent and fertiliser run-off. We’ve got to be very mindful of

Our perception as farmers in the media or overseas is a big one for me and that comes back to environmental footprint (such as) effluent and fertiliser run-off. We’ve got to be very mindful of that.

Proud to be associated with Tony & Michelle Roberts 3 Fairfield Street, PO Box 268, GORE | P: 03 208 9560 | F: 03 208 9189 | E: gore@mallochs.co.nz

Michele Roberts. that. Also our animal welfare practices, I think there’s certainly room for improvement for some farmers. We have to be very conscious of what we do on our farms and how we manage them.’’ Dairy farmers will also need to develop new ways of looking after the environment: “If we don’t, it’s not going to be sustainable.’’ A waterway (Black Gully stream) runs through the farm and has been a part of the Roberts’s own environmental focus. With help from a local school, a well-developed riparian planting project now provides a buffer for nutrient run-off, shade for the stream resulting in improved habitat for fish and invertebrates, and a boost for bird life. “It’s our way of involving the community, by letting them help develop it and ongoing education with the local high school,” says Tony. “We have a responsibility as guardians to protect and look after these resources.” “We get a lot of enjoyment out of it. It is a family run business and we enjoy what we do. It’s been very successful for us. We have been able to go through the system as workers on a farm, then sharemilkers, buy our own land and then ownership over those years. It is achievable and it is a good lifestyle and a good opportunity to have a good life out of it.’’

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62 |

RURAL PEOPLE » Welsh Family

Business Rural

Converting? `Get the right people around you’ Kelly Deeks “Get the right people around you,” says Southland dairy farmer Keith Welsh, on converting his Gummies Bush sheep farm to dairy in 2013. Welsh has lived on his family farm since he was six months old. Now with a grown up family of his own, he was convinced converting to dairy was the way to go. “The sheep industry hasn’t looked too rosy for a long time,” he says. “Well neither does dairy farming at the moment! But I think long term, dairy farming has got potential, particularly for the next generation. That’s one of the reasons why we converted.” Welsh is now running the 233ha, 600-cow dairy farm with the help of his daughter, Vicki, her partner Nathan Cook, and Troy, one of Cook’s staff from his previous manager’s job at Richard and Syd Slee’s 1000 cow dairy farm at Lillburn Valley, Western Southland. “Like any business, its only as good as the people you have in it,” Welsh says. The success of the Welsh family farms conversion was thanks to the people involved. “You’ve got to get the right people around you when you’re going to convert,” Welsh says. “You’ve got to get the people that can look after all the compliance issues and know how to go about getting all the paperwork done, and you need experienced contractors with the right gear who know where and how to construct your lanes and put up your fences.” Agribusiness consultant Miranda Hunter advised the Welsh family through their conversion, then her husband Alex Hunter took the job as the family’s farm advisor once the operation was up and running. Southland Farm Services was contracted to build the new shed, and suggested the Welshes go

with a 54 bale rotary setup with auto drafting, milk metering, and regulated feeding system options. Euan Shearing Contracting built the new dairy farm’s lane ways. “He’s very experienced and well known in this area, and he knows what we needed,” Welsh says. “We’ve got all 7m lanes on the areas close to the cow shed, and as they go further back they go down to 6m.” Effluent was a big consideration for the converting farmer, and Welsh’s new system includes 60 days of storage which is large enough for the farm to hold due to its good soil structure and allows the maximum amount of nutrient as possible out of the effluent. Three main effluent lines feed four pods per line and irrigate 99ha with effluent. “We’re only allowed to put on 10ml at a time, so as it goes through the effluent pump, it registers through a timing system as to how much is going on. Once 10mls have gone on, the system switches off and we shift the pods.” The farm produced 233,000kg milk solids in its first season, 410kg milk solids per cow, and this season is currently sitting 8% ahead of last season. This year the Welshes have converted a covered yard to a stand off pad for calving, with 60% under cover so the calves are better protected against the elements. Future plans are to carry on with the current extensive regrassing program, having already regrassed 60ha of land since the conversion, and improving the current herd through specific genetic selection. Welsh says even through the converting of a sheep farm has its up and downs and testing times, it seems to be the best move he has made for the next generation coming on. “I definitely think for those thinking about converting you need to surround yourself with a supportive family and contractors that know what they’re doing and the best way of doing it.”

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Family affair: Keith Welsh (top) with daughter Vicki, partner Nathan Cook and children Tyson, Belle and Macey. The 233ha, 600-cow farm at Gummies Bush, converted from sheep to dairy in 2013.

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AQUACULTURE » Clearwater Mussels

Business Rural

| 63

Mussel buoys in the Marlborough Sounds. Mussel exports were worth over $253 million last year.

From cottage industry to multi-million dollar business • From page 64 farms, between 2.5 and 80 hectares, spanning a combined area of 470ha of water space in the Marlborough Sounds and Golden Bay. Young has been mussel farming since 1974, setting up his first farm in the Marlborough Sounds in his previous position as a MAF scientist, in conjunction with the Fishing Industry Board. After 10 years he set out mussel farming on his own, and in 1988 linked with his partner, Lyn Godsiff, and her mussel-farm operation. In 2007, the couple amalgamated their business with PBT Mussels and gained business partners Milan and Andrew Talley. “Lyn and I had already built a state-of-the-art aluminium boat in 2003, then in 2007 we took over the farms Talleys was farming and spent 12 months repairing and extending farms, and rebuilding boats,” Young says. “In 2007 we were growing 2500 tonnes of mussels, and this year we’ll produce about 12,000 tonnes.” Growth came from extending mussel farms, buying and developing new farms, as well as the Talley brothers’ confidence in the industry seeing them snap up any farms for sale and lease them back to Clearwater Mussels. The company also leases about 60ha of water space in Golden Bay and Tasman Bay from local iwi, and share farms with other local

farmers. “We’ve got a lot of equipment and spat security is a big issue,” Young says. He says the mussel farming started out as a cottage industry in New Zealand, with mussel spat grown in shallow farms. “Fish discovered this wonderful bounty of food and ate everything out of existence. We had to move to deeper waters in the outer Sounds where the bottom dwelling fish that do the damage won’t find us. So we needed a bigger boat, and a lot of individuals found it was a struggle to own all the capital equipment.” The market for mussels has been fabulous at keeping up with the increased supply, he says. The creation of the marinated mussel in a plastic pottle and the half-shell product set the market alight. Then, through a more diverse range of products from the large players, including Talleys, Sanfords, Sealord and United Fisheries, the market was opened up again. Talleys now sells to 67 countries. “Being aligned with Talleys is great as they sell hoki and frozen vegies into the market,” says Young. “They’ve also got mussels in their repertoire. Their salesmen sell everything!” Mussel exports were worth $253.6 million last year, compared with salmon exports of $50.1 million and Pacific Coast oyster exports of $16.5 million.

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64 |

AQUACULTURE » Clearwater Mussels

Business Rural

Triumph for big mussel mob Kelly Deeks Marine farmer John Young helped make history when Clearwater Mussels was judged joint winner of the 2015 Lincoln University Foundation South Island Farmer of the Year competition. Clearwater Mussels and high-country farmers Richard and Annabelle Subtill – who run a sheep and beef property, along with some smaller-scale hydro and tourism operations, near Omarama – were the first joint winners in the competition’s 31-year history. And Clearwater Mussels was the first aquaculture business to enter the competition. Young won the audience vote for the best presentation and he also won the Farmlands award for the best resource management. He says he was so happy to amongst this group of taleneted he didnt’t dare think he could win. He says he had one reason for entering – to showcase the industry and what it has done for all sorts of people who work in it. Judging coordinator Tricia Macfarlane says all four finalists showed that investing in staff training, advancement, responsibility, and remuneration produced excellent results, with staff performance, commitment, and team culture being significant contributors to their employer’s success as a business. “We have 26 staff and for us as a company and for the future well-being of New Zealand, it means a lot to incentivise the generation that’s working for us,” Young says. “We push our staff through training, we give them their own vessel and their own line of mussels, giving them some ownership.” Clearwater Mussels operates 90 mussel

• To page 63 PHOTOS: Harvesting mussels in the Marlborough Sounds (above) and the finished article ready to eat (below).

We back locals like Clearwater Mussels Congratulations to John and the WHDP RQ UHDFKLQJ WKH ŷQDOV IRU Lincoln University South Island Farmer of the Year For the right insurance for your ‘Farm of the Year’ talk to us here in Marlborough: Call: 03 578 0228 Visit: Level 2, Rangitane House, 2 Main Street, Blenheim

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