10 | Smarter, more consistent and sustainable This year, Sam has added another layer of innovation with the Halter virtual fencing system. Kelly Deeks RURAL PEOPLE » Claxby Farm At Claxby Farm in Eyrewell, North Canterbury, fifth-generation farmers Marcus and Sam Spencer-Bower are proving that technology can do more than just make life easier - it can make dairy farming smarter, more consistent, and more sustainable. The Spencer-Bower family has farmed Claxby Farm since 1852, and Marcus says embracing innovation is part of protecting that legacy. With rising costs of production putting pressure on dairy farmers across the country, Claxby Farm is leaning into technology to drive better decisions and reduce risk. For the past four years, the team has been using Allflex collars, an advanced monitoring system that tracks cow health, rumination, and heat detection. “Allflex has changed the way we manage cows,” Marcus says. “The collars collect data that helps us make faster, more accurate decisions. During mating, for example, quality of drafting used to depend on who was in the shed that day. Now it’s automated, and the AI never has a sick day.” The collars also provide real-time insights that help prevent issues before they become costly. “It’s all about risk management,” Marcus says. “The data is consistent, it’s recorded automatically, and it means our decision-making is based on facts, not assumptions. When I’m off farm, I can still see what’s going on, and that’s a big advantage.” This year, Sam has added another layer of innovation with the Halter virtual fencing system. The system allows farmers to move herds, set break fences, and manage grazing all from their phones. “We’re watching that closely on Sam’s farm as a trial,” Marcus says. “From what we’ve seen so far, Halter is fantastic technology. It’s expensive, so we’ve got to make sure it really works for our system, but the potential is huge. Technology is also delivering a better work-life balance. “It frees up time,” Marcus says. “You can be off farm and still check/shift pivots. It gives you more flexibility and less pressure to always be physically on farm.” Alongside Allflex and Halter, Claxby Farm has recently adopted Aimer, a new pasture management app that uses artificial intelligence to help predict feed wedges and plan feeding. “You use your phone’s camera to do your farm walks, put in your pasture covers and growth rates, and Aimer gives you a 14-day forecast,” Marcus explains. “It can tell you how much supplement each herd needs and how many hectares per cow per day. It’s pretty clever - we can see feed deficits coming before they hit.” He says AI tools like Aimer are giving managers a new level of clarity. “As a general manager, I’m not on farm every day, so having reliable data is key. These systems make our information more concrete and remove the guesswork.” Marcus says the challenge for the future is keeping up with technology as it continues to • SILAGE • DIRECT DRILLING • CULTIVATION • HEADING • BALING “Service doesn’t cost, it pays” B.A. MURRAY LTD 177 Mt Thomas Road, RD 1, Rangiora 7471 Phone: 03-313-5060 Mobile: 027-434-3119 Email: office@bamurray.co.nz Website: www.bamurrayagriculture.co.nz ……..New Zealand Rural Contractor Of The Year 2002……. 177 Mt Thomas Road, RD 1, Rangiora 7471 Phone: 0274343119 | Email: office@bamurray.co.nz Web: www.bamurrayagriculture.co.nz ...New Zealand Rural Contractor Of The Year 2002… B.A. MURRAY LTD. • Self Propelled Sprayers • Truck Mounted Boom Sprayers • Handgun Unit • Mini Spreader • Proof of Placement Mapping HIDE SPRAYINGLTD REGISTERED CHEMICAL APPLICATORS IN ALL CLASSES Ph/Fax: (03) 313 5278 • Mob: Andrew 0274 372 006 Ph: (03) 313 7723 • Mob: Graham 0274 333 786 Email: hidespray@xtra.co.nz • 211 Mt Thomas Road, RD1, Rangiora 7471 Hide Spraying is proud to support Claxby Farm 027 427 8180 JOEREDWOODFENCING@GMAIL.COM Joe Redwood Fencing CANTERBURY evolve. “Everything’s moving so fast with AI, but we’ve got to go with the flow,” he says. “It’s not about replacing people - it’s about supporting them. Technology helps our team make better decisions, reduce risk, and ultimately spend more time doing the things that matter most.”
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