Business Rural Winter 2021

20 | Managing large teams ‘our biggest strength’ Sue Russell I t is Manpreet Singh and his wife, Jas Boparai’s first season contract milking 1300 cows on 650 hectares for Jenkins Road Dairies at Tuatapere (Western Southland) and if this isn’t enough cows, milking twice a day, they also milk another 700 cows on a 250 hectare farm, near Colac Bay, in which they are a shareholder. The couple moved to Tuatapere on June 1, 2020 after five years with a farming syndicate that owns multiple farms around Invercargill, two of which they contract-milked. Prior to moving to Southland in 2015, they managed multiple farms for a large-scaling family business in the Waikato, milking 1500 cows over two sheds. To date, all their experience have been working for large-scale equity partnerships or absentee owners, something Manpreet points out as requiring huge trust and honest communication between all stakeholders. Their team comprises eight permanent staff boosted with three or four casuals. The largest herd is processed through two 54 bale rotary sheds, with the herd of 700 through one 50 bale. “These are fairly new good basic sheds and designed for one man to operate with in-shed feeding and milking usually takes about 3 hours,” Manpreet says. The herds are mainly kiwi-crossbred and Manpreet says they perform well. He’s expecting even greater vigour and performance through their breeding programme. “Our semen is sourced from LIC and we’re seeing bigger capacity of the cows coming through now. With that increased production goes an increase in appetite.” As large-scale contract milkers, their days are about organising and overseeing the staff, keeping them optimally occupied. Jas manages the book- keeping and administration as well as their two young children – Sara, who’s 6 and Veraaj , 3. Manpreet and Jas are pleased to see their efforts are being rewarded well with production levels well above what they have historically been. “We have a really good team and the farm is fully compliant. Animal welfare is always our priority and our biggest strength is managing large teams.” The farm operates at System 3 and most of the feed goes through the in-shed feeding system. While the farm has good infrastructure, Manpreet knows it can perform and look better. “We have a plan of action and we’re putting a lot of extra effort in now to bring all parts of the farm up to a high standard. We certainly have our own vision for what the property can become.” The vision is guided by the goal Manpreet has al- ways held that he wants to leave the farm in much better condition than when he first stepped foot on the land. This season, with really kind weather, their team expects to produce 800,000 kgMS over the three farms. “The industry is challenging at the moment but I think it is a great life-style and I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.” The couple first came to New Zealand from India in 2009, with a desire to go into large-scale farming DAIRY PEOPLE » Manpreet Singh Manpreet Singh managed multiple farms for a large scale business in Waikato before moving to Southland in 2015. Paddock Cultivation from Ploughing to Sowing Dry Hire available Aerating Direct Drilling Ridging Mulching Dairy Lane Maintenance Tip Trailers • Vibrating Roller • Effluent Services Large Skid Steer for calf shed cleaning, loading Muck Spreaders etc 4 Muck Spreaders • 16,000 litre Slurry Tanker • Pond Stirrer • Umbilical Slurry System Sheep Conveyor Drenching, Vaccination etc • 3 way draft PH ALEX 021 277 5308 HOME 03 225 5377 www.alexreidcontracting.co.nz • Log Cartage • Stock / Bulk • PROUDLY SUPPORTING MANPREET SINGH BOPARI F ertiliser • Gravel • Contracting • ransporting T 0800 22 5899 www.dtking.co.nz 03 225 8356 Otautau 03 225 5899 Pukemaori 03 234 8120 Riverton Manpreet Singh and wife Jas Boparai with children Sara and Veraaj. and leaving corporate careers in India behind. Previ- ously, after completing his MBA, Manpreet worked in the banking and insurance sector overseas, while also managing a primarily cropping family farm in India. Jas was a mortgage underwriter and banker in India. “It was a huge learning curve initially, despite hailing from traditionally farming stock. We come from India’s wheat basket and dairy farming in India is a cut-and-carry system. “But we’ve met so many awesome people along the way, who’ve been mentors and created op- portunities for us.” The properties in Tuatapere wrap around the village and Manpreet and Jas say this necessitates an honest working relationship with their neigh- bours. “We want to work along with the local popu- lation and we try to be good community members. If anyone has a question or concern , we want them to come to us. That’s very important . It’s part and parcel of being good neighbours and good stewards of the property we’ve been entrusted to managed by the owners of this farm”. Manpreet and Jas are enthusiastic about the op- portunities for any-one who strives to work hard to make a life off the land, here in New Zealand. “These are opportunities that we would never have in India and we are very conscious of how fortunate we are to be here, enjoying this wonderful lifestyle.”