32 | RURAL PEOPLE » Canlac Holdings Positivity on the horizon for farmers Since starting with a 1350-cow dairy farm (335ha effective) in June 2013, Tony has grown the business to encompass 3300 cows. Randall Johnston Canterbury farmer Tony Coltman is feeling good about the season ahead, speaking right in the middle of calving and having started at the end of July, he says things are progressing well on-farm this year. Running a busy sharemilking and equity partnership business (Datona Ltd, Canlac Holdings and Rahi Partnership) in Dunsandel, with 2,150 cows on the home farm, which has two sheds and 1,150 on the other ‘up the road’; it’s a busy and large scale operation. Tony also has a support block nearby at Oxford for heifers, which comes in handy. Since starting with a 1350-cow dairy farm (335ha effective) in June 2013, Tony has grown the business to encompass 3300 cows (802ha effective) with tried and true farm management systems in place. “Were doing really well for staff this season with some new people coming in board this year, we have a really good team. In my mind, the tide hads turned a little bit. We had a lot more people apply and we didn’t rush the process. There are more people looking for this kind of work than there were a few years ago, which is helpful” Costs have also come down a little bit; according to Tony and things are looking ‘relatively promising’ regarding the milk price. Partner Dana Carver works full time off-farm in the mental health space and travels all around the country. With four children - the youngest being 20 and working with Dana in her business - they are now all off ‘doing their own thing’. Not from a farming background; Tony moved south to study agriculture at Lincoln University in Canterbury, something his parents actively discouraged - as it wasn’t a great time for farming in New Zealand. He then worked in rural banking, and then for Dairy NZ and went farming full-time in his mid-30’s. “In in equity partnership so I’ve had some support there, but I also had to consistently deliver results, in order to gain their confidence.” Canlac Holdings was a monitor farm for the DairyNZ initiative Forages for Reduced Nitrate Leaching (FRNL), paving the way to reduced N usage and Tony and the team were recognised at the 2020 Ballance Farm Environment Awards, winning the Canterbury Supreme Award. Tony’s interest in farming is pretty broad across all disciplines including pasture management, animal health and genetics. “I’m actually standing for the LIC board this year, so we will see what happens there and should know the outcome by around September.” “We try to get the best genetic improvement we can and we are using Forward Pack (LIC). We AI our heifers and use a short-gestation Hereford on our low BW cows that are not quite bad enough to cull,” Tony explains. An award winning dairy farm manager, director and shareholder; Tony also makes an effort to promote positive mental health among farmers, as it’s a tough and isolating industry to be in. “That’s my wife’s interest and expertise and I guess that’s rubbed off on me a bit. I do get the occasional phone call when people are struggling and try to be there as much as I can for other farmers. I think it’s really important to keep those lines of communication open.” “Were doing really well for staff this season with some new people coming in board this year, we have a really good team.” FERTILISER SPREADING | FARM MAPPING GPS TRACKING | VARIABLE RATE SPREADING LIVESTOCK CARTAGE | DAILY FREIGHT CONCRETE SUPPLIES | GRAIN CARTAGE SHINGLE SUPPLIES | FERTILISER SUPPLIES Leeston: 03 3248 070 | Dunsandel: 03 3254 039 reception@ellesmere.co.nz CULTIVATION & EXCAVATION CONTRACTORS Cow Track Lime Supply & Lay • All Shingle Supplies • Truck & Trailer Hire • Hedge & Stump Removal • Direct Drilling Tree Shearing • Farm Tracks & Driveways • Fodderbeet Planting • Pivot Rut Filling • Cultivation Grader & Digger Work • Reversible Ploughing • Supply & Installation of Irrigation Pipe RD2 Leeston 027 534 9161 e: chris@chrisswanson.nz
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