| 45 More water, more grass and more milk Woodleigh Farm Trust continues to lift its milk production. Anne Boswell “His milk tests are consistently 9.4 to 9.5, which is extremely high. That comes back to grazing better-quality pasture.” RURAL PEOPLE » Wijesooriya and Stuart Woodleigh Farm Trust continues to lift its milk production, with further irrigation investment already paying dividends on the Masterton dairy unit. In 2025, another pivot was installed on farm with the help of Bay Irrigation, adding yet more resilience to the system. “We had the extra water available and thought, why not?” farm owner Duncan Stuart says. The decision has resulted in nearly every paddock irrigated by small pivots now, enabling pasture growth to remain consistent across the farm. The impact on performance has been swift. Contract milker Chaminda ‘Chum’ Wijesooriya is on track to manage the production of around 380,000kgMS this season, up from 350,000kgMS last year – and the strong season could push that figure higher again. Farming under full irrigation has been a game changer for the business. “It’s that profitable to have irrigation going,” Duncan says. “You’re feeding less supplement and growing more high-quality grass – it’s a win-win.” The quality of the grass is no accident. Duncan credits Chum’s disciplined pasture management, particularly his commitment to regular topping. “The reason Chum gets such good production is that he creates high-quality grass,” Duncan says. “His milk tests are consistently 9.4 to 9.5, which is extremely high. That comes back to grazing betterquality pasture.” A strict policy of replacing pastures with tetraploids, combined with confidence that irrigated paddocks will bounce back quickly, allows topping to be used as a strategic tool rather than a risk. Woodleigh Farm Trust has gone from strength to strength under Chum’s careful management. Now in his fourth season contract milking for the Stuart family, his leadership has driven steady gains in both cow numbers and output. Chum’s journey began in Sri Lanka, where he helped his grandfather milk eight cows, before moving to New Zealand in 2013 and working his way through the industry. Chum farms alongside wife Thilanka, with whom he has two young daughters. Chum’s first season on Woodleigh Farm saw him milking 650 cows, producing 300,000kgMS – already pushing past the previous on-farm milk production record by 30,000kgMS. The following year, cow numbers lifted to 700 and production climbed again to 320,000kgMS, exceeding targets by 6%. Last season, the herd grew to 750 cows, supported by the lease of an additional 50 hectares, bringing the effective milking platform to 250 hectares. Irrigation has underpinned that growth. The farm now operates multiple pivots, including a new unit installed in the 2023/24 season to cover close to 80 hectares using run-off water. Ordish and Stevens also added 13 hectares of K-Line irrigation in February 2025, further improving flexibility and covProudly supporting Wijesooriya and Stuart ORDISH & STEVENS erage. The addition of the most recent pivot in 2025 has future-proofed the farm for years to come, enabling the consistent growth of high-quality pasture, and milk production as a result. At Woodleigh, a stable team of long-term staff, smart infrastructure, disciplined management and attention to detail continue to turn opportunity into performance.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=