32 | Happy being close to Te Awamutu Michael, Olivia, Lindy & Abby Bennett. Russell Fredric RURAL PEOPLE » Michael and Lindy Bennett Dairy farm ownership has come with excitement tinged with a touch of trepidation for Michael and Lindy Bennett. Having been in an equity partnership for eight years, and on their current farm for five years, the couple and their business partners came to the point where they were mutually looking to move on. The partnership milked 1000 cows on 291 hectares which comprised blocks of 131 and 80ha, plus 80ha leased. When looking to exit the partnership, some alternative options initially considered by Michael and Lindy included a dry stock operation, heifer grazing and even a blueberry farm. However with pre-school children aged one and three and a half, the proximity of the 80ha block they have now purchased and the other 80ha they also now lease being close to Te Awamutu was a big consideration. While Lindy says committing to ownership was scary, the farm’s proven production and the ability to secure finance for it were clinchers. It also meant continuing to farm what they knew well has been a seamless transition. “We decided to stay where we were and make it work. We got quite a lot of financial advice and it stacked up, that was our big achievement this year, farm ownership. Michael always had his goals in the office and top of the list was farm ownership.” The farm has a 40 a-side herringbone shed and a feed pad and peak milks 500 Jersey cows. Jerseys work well in the system, especially because it can get quite wet during winter. There had previously been a problem with down cows. Consequently this year Michael and Lindy sought outside help to have some soil and herbage tests undertaken to identify the source of the issue which proved to be high potassium which hindered the cows’ calcium absorption. “If you’ve got a down cow it means you’ve got quite a lot of ketosis in the herd. That’s why we were having to target their mineral intake on the feed pad. It made an instant difference.” The farm fits between system 2 and 3 depending on the time of year and the nature of the season and buys in palm kernel, maize silage and makes grass silage on-farm. The herd was made up from three separate herds that were amalgamated when the equity partnership originally purchased the farm. Genetically, improving the breeding worth has been a focus and the lowest BW cows have been mated with Speckle Park. “We’ve gone all out trying to get as many cows in calf as possible, we need to get 54 more cows in the next three days to hit that 90% three week submission rate so we are on track to do that.” The cows have been regularly Metrichecked this year to see if there is any uterine infection and while they can self cure, it can affect conception, Lindy says. This season they had an exceptional run of heifer replacement calves born, which enabled the lowest 30 BW calves to be sold. “We had 140 of them, usually we might get to 117.” Last season’s production was 170,000kgms compared to the usual average of around 175,000kgMS, while this season has had a slow start due to grass growth being three weeks behind what would normally be expected. Where quality and service count For all your contracting requirements Phone 07 872 0000 www.johnaustinltd.co.nz FARM MACHINERY NEW & USED FARM MACHINERY John Machell 027 493 6643 Email sales@farmline.co.nz Dylan Magon 027 593 6643 Email dylan@farmline.co.nz REPAIR & PARTS SERVICE 339 Bond Rd | Te Awamutu | Waikato | Ph 07 871 8040
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