| 9 RURAL PEOPLE » Fabish Brothers Mostly Friesian with a sprinkling of Jerseys Bryant manages the original family farm comprising 149 hectares of effective land while Paul runs a 108ha farm. Karen Phelps Taranaki dairy operation Fabish Brothers Farms has found constant fine tuning and continuous improvement the key to farming success. “We’re always trying to improve – there are always more things to work on as we try and get better at what we do,” says Bryant Fabish who owns Fabish Brothers Farms at Tariki with brother Paul. Bryant manages the original family farm comprising 149 hectares of effective land while Paul runs a 108ha farm on higher ground. A smaller farm of 68ha and two run-offs complete their operation. The collective herd of around 900 cows is predominantly Friesian with a sprinkling of Jerseys on Paul’s farm. Bryant’s farm milks the herd through a 36-aside herringbone parlour with automatic cup removers and Protrack technology from DeLaval while Paul operates a 32-aside herringbone setup with Protrack. In 2022 there was the introduction of contract milker Anura Subasinghe and his family to the main farm after previously employing lower order sharemilkers, which Bryant says has been working out well. The home farm is tracking ahead of its 137,500 kilogrammes milk solids target, with expectations of reaching 140,000 this season. This achievement comes through careful management of the system, including the implementation of a 3-in-2 milking system that reduces the amount of time spent milking compared with milking twice a day (TAD), without reducing milk yield as much as milking once a day (OAD). The smaller 68-hectare farm in their portfolio also operates under a contract milking arrangement, with impressive results. Total production from the 190 cows there is tracking towards 71,000kgMS, says Bryant. Paul still milks, assisted by another worker, and Paul’s wife Heidi helps too. The brothers also have a couple of casual part-timers in the mix. Environmental stewardship ranks high on the operation’s priority list. The farm has completed extensive waterway fencing and riparian planting, positioning it ahead of regulatory requirements. Bryant says that this proactive approach to environmental management aligns with its precision grass farming methodology, utilising electric fencing for optimal pasture management. They re-grass about two paddocks each year to improve pasture quality. While predominantly grass-based, the operation supplements feed with modest amounts of palm kernel as dry periods are common. Regular paddock re-grassing maintains pasture quality, though the farm avoids cropping to maintain a simple easy system. One area of improvement the brothers are currently targeting is enhancing breeding outcomes. They are aiming to improve cow condition before mating to boost cycling and overall mating performance. They also hope to tighten calving spread, which currently runs from early August to late October, with plans to reduce this window by approximately two weeks. When the Fabish brothers came home to farm in the 1980s, their dream was to expand from the Proud to partner with Fabish Brothers Phone: (06) 756 7785 Mobile: 027 663 5675 Address: 34 Richmond Street, Inglewood 4330 EXPERIENCED SERVICING & REPAIR OF FARM EQUIPMENT Equipment Servicing & Parts Agents of Fintax Chartered Accountants Limited Contact us today (06) 756 8189 fintaxltd@xtra.co.nz P.O Box 7, Inglewood 4347 28 Brown St, Inglewood Taranaki For all your Accounting and Management Advisory needs and Taxation Services original family property to each have a farm of their own and they are proud to have achieved their goal. Bryant puts their success down to a measured approach to improvement and willingness to adapt. He says they are “consolidating the business” with no immediate plans for growth.
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