62 | Westview Farming Partnership’s long-term Diversity is the name of the game with sheep, beef, dairying, deer and forestry over the farms’ almost 2500ha area. Sue Russell Matt Carroll is assistant manager for a significant farming business, Westview Farming Partnership, in the Pohangina Valley, near Palmerston North. The business is an equity partnership established by parents Shane Carrol and Nicola Shadbolt in 1987. Several streams of income-earning activity including sheep, beef, dairying, deer and forestry happen over the farms’ almost 2500ha area. “My parents have always been big on finding solutions to create sustainable farming practices that benefit the environment, the stock and our shareholders, through operating as efficiently as possible and fully utilising the available land over many farming activities,” Matt says. Matt’s key roles are on the sheep, beef and deer unit. Before stepping on to the farm and in the role he worked as a farm consultant in Rotorua for almost three years. The sheep and beef unit employs three full-time staff. The flock of 4,300 sheep are Romney based. The number is a couple of hundred smaller than previously, this led to an excellent scanning rate of 186% this year. “It means we’re getting the same number of lambs from fewer ewes. We retain our own hoggets and we mate a small percentage of them.” The two dairy units each calve in spring and autumn and Matt says their the approach to farming is to very much focus on the next steps, to add value to the business. “Strategic planning is a strength of Mums. While we are a corporate entity in terms of our structures and number of remote investors, we are also very much a family running the farm.” The dairy units collectively carry 1000 cows and their heifers were measured in the top 5% for performance genetics. Milking on one farm is once a day and twice a day on the other with spring calving underway from 1st August. Only 30% of the herd calve in Autumn. When Rural North spoke with Matt mid August nearly 70% of calves had delivered. “We like to have quite a dense calving period.” RURAL PEOPLE » Westview Farming Partnership “Strategic planning is a strength of Mums. While we are a corporate entity in terms of our structures and number of remote investors, we are also very much a family running the farm.” Milk is produced through two herringbone shed; 40 aside on the twice-a-day milking property and 36 aside on the second dairy farm. The Ashurst farm also contains a feed-pad and a shelter. In total 30% of the milking platform is under irrigation on the Pohangina Dairy unit Interestingly the once-a-day Pohangina farm is producing more milk now than when the herd were milked twice a day; something Matt puts down to quality genetics and good management The 88ha deer farm has 250 Hinds and is geared around supplying the venison processing sector. “We’ve had deer right from the start. They were originally trapped. We operate the deer farm to have all the R2’s sold by February.” Matt applies simple sensible deer management practices with sufficient human investment to P 06 323 0255 M 027 928 8630 W farmworxbikes.co.nz - On Farm Service - New and Used Sales - Fully Equipped Workshop 06 323 0309 | tractors@trctractors.co.nz Logan 027 224 7679 | Aaron 027 224 7677 | Peter 027 224 7678 • Tractor & Machinery Sales • Side by Sides Contact: (06) 323 3081 - 027 242 2905 DARRIN HOLM - Manawatu - Livestock Agent / Auctioneer ensure the best outcomes in terms of condition and performance. “You need patience and when you put the right level of attention in they do perform.” 06 323 2944 027 2760963 t.kendrick@kinect.co.nz . . . Call us today! Manawatu Shearing Top Service Competitive Rates Covering Manawatu, Rangitikei &Wairarapa areas Proud to support Westview Farming Partnership
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