46 | Diverse operation, 100 years in the making Supplying Fonterra; the operation is large, with a staff of around 30 people. Randall Johnston Matt Sisam, of Sisam & Sons, travelled to Lawrence with his mother Sue, Uncle Neil and his cousin Peter recently and said receiving a Century Farms Award was a very special occasion for them. The Sisam & Sons farm now totals 4,500ha comprising four dairy units on 823ha, two sheep and beef blocks on 2,521ha, and 650ha of commercial forestry in areas not suitable for grazing. After several years of study at Massey University and working on various farms around the region, Matt came back to the home farm in 2007. He became General Manager in 2022, taking over the role from his uncle, Bruce, who worked on the farm for 50 years succeeding his brother Richard (Matt’s father). Supplying Fonterra; the operation is large, with a staff of around 30 people, and located about 20 minutes from Whakatane, in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. “We winter about 2,200 Friesian cross cows and have about 5,500 Romney cross ewes (rams sourced from Piquet Hill). Three of the four dairy units are adjacent to each other on the flats, and one is further up the valley on the hill country,” he says. With a new Dairy Operations Manager, David Ingram, starting in June, alongside three new dairy managers; it’s all hands-on deck to keep things ticking along over the winter. Matt and David are very pleased to have the additional help to manage the twice daily milking (for most of the season). They’ve had a couple of poor seasons due to weather, but the team generally target about 750,000 kilograms of milk solids per season. “By June last year we had already had four metres of rain. This year, thankfully, it has been a lot drier. There are pastures that you couldn’t even walk on mid-last year - you can drive through these now, so conditions are a lot better.” The only cropping done is maize for silage; they usually plant about 28 ha, which seems to be the right amount, in addition to about 200-tonnes of brought-in feed, to help see them through. Water for the property is sourced via a combination of creeks and bores. CENTURY FARMS » Sisam & Sons Ltd Stainless steel – fabrication and welding Design Supply Install Steve King 027 4095 0054 Will King 027 615 7922 Robbie Hall 027 807 1312 * Ef uent & irrigation * Feed systems * Frost protection * Animal health * Detergent * Rubberware & Consumable * Trenching service c1107kwKing Milking & water systems specialists since 1988 King Farm Services Ltd Main Street, Edgecumbe Ph 07 304 9640 anytime Together, Creating the B Soil and Food ballance.co.nz | 0800 222 090 At Ballance, we believe that a thriving agricultural community can only exist with the support of all who live and work in it. As a result, we invest both time and money to help secure the future of New Zealand farmers and growers. Proudly Supporting Sisam and Sons Ltd WILLYOU MEET NEW 2016 LEGISLATION? 13 Pohutu Street, Whakatane Ph (07) 308 7787 • Mob 0274 570 953 ON CALL 24/7 365 DAYS A YEAR
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