| 51 Tech has transformed the way they operate Based at Rosebery in North Otago, it was when eldest son Joel, 29, started working at Halter as an Otago Beef Manager around a year ago the family decided to introduce the system. Karen Phelps North Otago farmers Renee Hooper and Justin Meikle have embraced innovation to transform the way they manage livestock, grow pasture and make day-to-day decisions. Based at Rosebery in North Otago, it was when eldest son Joel, 29, started working at Halter as an Otago Beef Manager around a year ago the family decided to introduce the system to their farm. The pair initially installed 100 collars and will soon be expanding to 500 after seeing the results. “It’s been so transformational,” explains Justin. “It’s allowed us to manage the pasture better and improve growth rates. With Halter’s Beef Pro, a satellite assesses pasture cover and gives us data that is very valuable. It’s great having Joel as our rep and I don’t know if we’d have tried it without him because he saw the benefits. Now we wouldn’t be without it.” They have also noticed improved animal welfare. “The animals are very content now, not pacing up and down the fence waiting for us to shift them,” says Renee. “I set up the breaks on my app and the cows shift themselves.” The couple also load crop tonnage, stocking numbers and feeding requirements into the Halter app, which then allocates daily grazing breaks and tracks progress in real time. Complementing that is Optiweigh, a farmer-developed in-paddock weighing system that provides live performance data. Bulls step onto the unit, which is taken into the paddocks, while feeding, allowing sophisticated algorithms to estimate individual and mob weights. Daily notifications show how many animals have used the unit, average liveweight and daily weight gain, giving them continuous information to support management and marketing decisions. The farm was finishing around 100 Friesian bulls annually. That number has now increased and they will build up to 500 bulls and collars this coming spring while maintaining the same lamb finishing programme, demonstrating how improved management tools have allowed the family to rapidly scale without compromising other parts of the business. They have around 1,000 breeding ewes, including hoggets. Each year they purchase about 6,000 store lambs before Christmas. Sourcing quality stock remains one of the biggest challenges. RURAL PEOPLE » Rosebery Farm Ltd Lambs are purchased at around 30kg liveweight and finished to 20-21kg carcass weight with most processed before the end of March. They also finish another 2,000 winter lambs. The family has steadily expanded their farming business since taking over Justin’s grandfather’s former ballot farm in 2011. Today they own 220 hectares, lease a further 200ha from Justin’s cousin - part of Justin’s father’s original farm - and have purchased another 70ha nearby. Around 200ha is irrigated and the remainder is dryland, requiring careful management in one of New Zealand’s most drought-prone districts. Justin’s background has also shaped the business. Raised on the family farm, he met Renee while both were working for the same shearing contractor. Together they ran a shearing contracting business for nine years before returning to farming. Justin continues to spend around four months of each year pregnancy scanning sheep and is now in his 29th season, scanning around 200,000 sheep annually. He says the introduction of more technology to their farming operation has also positively impacted this off-farm business, taking significant labour out of the equation and meaning Renee can manage the farm much more easily in his absence. Coast Accounting Chartered Accountants serving the following industries throughout New Zealand: Rental Properties & Other Small Businesses Forestry Farming Hospitality & Retail Transport 021 293 7792 paula@coastaccounting.co.nz coastaccounting.co.nz Matthew 027 900 6144 office@campbellspreading.co.nz Your Farm Building Specialists WOOL SHEDS • POLE SHEDS • HIGH COUNTRY HUTS For all your Livestock cartage requirements give us a call. PO BOX 128, BALCLUTHA 9240 | PHONE 03-417 8485 | PHONE 0800-101 333 PHONE (03) 444-4737 RD3 Ranfurly 9397
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