16 | Paynes Holsteins win the Withers Trophy One practice that distinguishes Brad’s breeding policy from man others is the frequency with which he herd tests. Sue Russell At this year’s Holstein Friesian Association awards, held in Hamilton on 24 June, Payne Trapeze Suzi, from Payne Holsteins in Cambridge, was awarded the Withers Trophy. Donated by the family of Brian and Greta Withers the trophy is awarded to the elite heifer from the 2022 Discovery Project in her first lactation as a 2-year-old. The Discovery Project is sponsored by LIC and was established to support opportunities for breeders, through advanced breeding technologies, to develop top cow families and breed bulls for the AI industry. Each season Genomic screening of up to 300 registered rising one year old heifers, from which 50 are ultimately selected takes place. Heifers either travel to the provider or remain on the owner’s farm and matings mutually agreed by both the breeder and LIC. Brad and Claire Payne moved to their Cambridge farm in 2003 having farmed in Huntly before this. Their farm extends across 205 ha, with a further 40ha run-off down the road. At peak it has milked up to 700 cows but has now dropped back to 550, given it is quite summer unsafe and carries all the young stock as well. “Last season in January was the worst we have encountered. Bone-dry!,” says Brad. One practice that distinguishes Brad’s breeding policy from man others is the frequency with which he herd tests. While the industry norm may be to test three or four times a year, Brad tests nine times a season, spurred on by the embryo transfer programme he instigated 13 years ago. “I want up to date, accurate figures all the time to base my embryo transfer decision on. He says herd testing is a critical activity, without which farmers have no way of benchmarking genetic gain and identifying higher performing cows within the herd. “For me, herd testing is a basic regular audit, just like any other business compares monthly production and sales figures. I need to see the profitability and know the health situation of each of my cows and to see what changes.” To identify young cows for embryo transfer work Brad uses the data collected from the late-June and September herd tests. He considers Herd Testing crucial for monitoring somatic cell counts, support mating decisions, help determine culling decisions at times when feed pinches are foreseen. “It also helps me decide which surplus cowls to sell, should there be a high number of replacement stock. It also tells me who my outstanding milk producers are.” Their farm is located on Parallel Road, 10 minutes from Cambridge and Brad says its probably on the larger size than most farms in the district. It’s a small farming operation, run by Brad, Claire and father Rex. A milker comes in to look after processing the herd twice a day through the shed. RURAL PEOPLE » Paynes Holsteins “You could say we run on the smell of an oily rag, with last season being really challenging. Thankfully this one is shaping up to be much better.” Brad is establishing his own Ayrshire herd within the operation. He’s interested in learning what it will take to breed a high BW Ayrshire. Brad says he enjoys farming in the district and can’t imagine farming near the central Waikato town. “We have the best of both worlds, being so close to Cambridge and all the services and facilities it has to offer.” “For me, herd testing is a basic regular audit, just like any other business compares monthly production and sales figures. I need to see the profitability and know the health situation of each of my cows and to see what changes.” Proud to support Paynes Holsteins Your Farm Animal Health Professionals Proud to support Paynes Holsteins Mon-Wed 8am - 7pm | Thurs-Fri 8am - 5pm | Sat 9am - 12.30pm | Sun 9am - 12pm Empire Street 24 Hour Service 827 7099 or 0800 226 838 www.cambridgevets.co.nz
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