| 23 RURAL PEOPLE » Lewis Knauf Maraekakaho A thriving farm for generations to come The Knauf family farm in Maraekakaho, Hawke’s Bay. Karen Phelps The Knauf family farm in Maraekakaho, Hawke’s Bay is focused on ensuring the operation thrives for generations to come. “We are working on a clear succession plan,” says Lewis Knauf, who has been involved with the farm for 13 years and is operations manager. “It’s about making sure the next generation is ready to take the reins while maintaining the farm’s long-term vision.” Lewis’ parents, Sue and Ivan, purchased the original 550-hectare sheep, beef and deer property in 2001 and converted part of it to dairy. Over time, a number of neighbouring farms have been added. Now operating as the family business Wairua Dairies, the total farm area spans 993 hectares, including a 425-hectare dairy platform. The platform features a 70-bail rotary shed with automatic cup removers, a Milkhub milk monitoring system, and automatic drafting and weighing. Around 420 hectares are irrigated using nine centre pivots and two hard hose irrigators, with the latest pivots supplied and installed by Bay Irrigation. The business is supported by a team of 12 staff, with Lewis’ wife Mel managing the administration. The family milks a predominantly Friesian herd of 1,700 cows, with production split evenly between autumn and spring calving. Factory milk production reached 720,000 kilograms of milk solids last season, with a target of 730,000kgMS this year and a longer-term goal of 750,000kgMS. Achieving these targets relies on fully feeding animals and optimising cow mineral nutrition. “We pre-emptively feed supplements to ensure we have the best stock possible,” says Lewis. “We’ve seen significant improvements from adding iodine during calving and mating.” A selection of cows is liver- and blood-tested before each mating for macro and micro minerals, with results used to inform custom mineral blends from Nutritech. The next step is exploring vitamin D supplementation to improve calcium and phosphorus uptake. Reducing mastitis and improving mating performance are also current priorities. The family has used Farm Medix mastitis testing for the past three seasons to identify pathogens and apply targeted action plans, often without antibiotics. Cows with mastitis are kept in a single herd to limit spread. Drystock management is overseen by Lewis’ brother Carl and his partner Michelle, who rear replacement heifers from birth through to joining the milking herd. Some Friesian bulls are retained for breeding, while most are sold as weaners at approximately 100 kilograms. Simmental bulls are used as terminal sires, with calves raised to the same weight. Genetics are sourced from cousin Jon Knauf of Kerrah Simmentals. Mechanical & general engineering Certified welding Repairs & maintenance Bespoke builds Mobile field service 111 Te Mata Mangateretere Road, Hastings 0800 GCW ENG (0800 429 364) | office@gcw.nz | www.gcw.nz Proudly supporting Wairua Dairies “We’re fussy and always select a top BV bull from Jon,” says Lewis. The family has also used overseas genetics from Samen for the past four years to address deficiencies seen in New Zealand-bred Friesians including udder conformation and smaller proportions. Heifer mating involves three weeks of nominated Friesian AI followed by homebred Friesian bulls. Each calving a large group of bulls is genomically DNA tested to identify high breeding-worth bulls with very low calving difficulty suitable for heifers. The goal is to reduce unsaleable calves with a target of 80% of calves reared or sold. The cows’ diet consists of approximately 40% pasture, 40% homegrown forage (including beet, maize and silage) and 20% concentrates such as PKE, DDG and high-moisture corn. Fertiliser use, soil testing, soil moisture and crop rotation are closely monitored. Soil tests are carried out every three years with nitrogen deep-tested to 600 millimetres. The family was an early adopter of slow-release nitrogen fertiliser. “It releases nitrogen over 90 to 180 days based on soil temperature rather than moisture,” says Lewis. “I modelled this against our soil temperatures to identify optimal application periods. This has lifted pasture harvest and improved persistence as fewer plants go hungry and stress impacts are reduced.” SILAGE • BUYING & SELLING BALEAGE • FULL CUTIVATION • DIRECT DRILLING MCCUTCHEON CONTRACTING 027 842 6714
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