| 21 Farming is continual problem solving Sharon also rears 1,200 calves annually, manages administration, and works on the farm daily, while their three children - Daniella, 16, Claire, 14 and Layla, 10 - are actively involved on the farm. Karen Phelps RURAL PEOPLE » Jesse and Sharon Bagley When NZ Dairy calls Jesse Bagley the alternator in a tractor has just snapped off in the middle of feeding out. “I macgyvered up something and got it going so we could feed out and get the cows in,” he says with a laugh. “Farming is problem solving.” Jesse and his wife Sharon are share farmers at Te Rarawa Iwi Farm, Tupehau, where they hold a 50/50 equity share and contract milk to the business. The Northland couple were named winners of the 2025 Northland Share Farmer of the Year, a recognition that comes as little surprise given their hands-on, innovative approach to farming. Both were raised on dairy farms and met at 17, embarking on a partnership that has spanned years and multiple farms. They peak milk a crossbred herd of 1150–1200 cows with a split calving system. Their 54-bail rotary features automatic cup removers with drop bars and auto teat spray, while this year marks the first calving with Allflex collars and an automatic drafting gate. “It’s pretty cool what it can do,” says Jesse. “We’ve already seen benefits, particularly for animal health. I set up a draft which pulls out cows to inspect every morning if the data shows their health is down a bit. At the end of milking, I check their graphs on the app and make a decision.” He gives an example of how the collars are changing daily operations. “I showed a heifer to a farmer friend and she thought it looked fine but the data showed this heifer wasn’t ruminating or eating properly. I put her on a course of penicillin and on once a day and five days later she was back to normal. It’s something the human eye couldn’t catch, but technology could. This will be a game changer for the farm.” With collars tracking when cows are on heat and the automatic drafting gate reducing manual labour, Jesse says they will probably run no bulls this year and rely entirely on artificial insemination. “Because the collars take out the human labour aspect of drafting cows, it makes AI much more feasible,” he says. “It’s all about using tools to make the farm more efficient while keeping the cows healthy.” The Bagleys manage a self-contained operation with a 340ha milking platform supported by three run-offs within walking distance totalling 460ha. The run offs are used for heifer replacements, dairy grazing for themselves and others, cutting silage and growing crops. They normally cultivate about 60ha of maize silage and 20ha of sorghum. Four full-time staff help on the dairy farm, with one dedicated to the run-offs. Sharon also rears 1,200 calves annually, manages administration, and works on the farm daily, while their three children - Daniella, 16, Claire, 14 and Layla, 10 - are actively involved on the farm. This year Jesse and Sharon are heavily involved with the Dairy Industry Awards, helping as part of the Team Leaders for Share Farmer of the Year. He also participated in the Farm Trainee Section, judging fencing criteria at the Northland Trainee Skills Day. “It’s been interesting being on the other side, checking in with share farmers and helping with questions,” says Jesse. Looking ahead, farm ownership is the next step for the Bagleys. “We’re looking and trying to find that perfect farm to suit us and our family. But we’re quite happy where we are and in no rush to do anything.”
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