28 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Finnerty Farms: Ang and Dean Finnerty Goat operation’s feed bill ‘almost halved’ Karen Phelps For Waikato cow and goat farmers Ang and Dean Finnerty efficiency is the key to success: “We’ve always focused on efficiency in terms of day to day operations and costs, especially as the industry is in challenging times at the moment. As part of this we identified that our feed bill is the biggest cost with our goat operation so we’ve employed a consultant who has really helped us in this area. Through her advice we have managed to almost halve our feed bill,” says Ang. The couple have a 138ha farm on Paeroa-Tahuna Road where they milk 285 dairy cows through a 32-a-side herringbone shed. The goat herd numbers are approximately 800 and run on 38ha of the farm (Ang’s brother Vince is a partner in this goat operation) supplying to Dairy Goat Co-op. On 63ha of the 246ha dairy farm of Ang’s parents Ray and Arna Curtin they are milking around 1000 goats supplying to NIG Nutritional. There is a 50-a-side double up milking shed on each farm. There is also a 96m x 65m covered goat barn, with pens and feeding units. Ang and Dean employ contract milkers to run the cow operation and a team of four full time and two part time staff over both goat farms as well as being hands on themselves. They have three breeds of goats - Saanen, British Alpine and Yorkshire – and now they are in their fifth season of goat milking say they have learned a lot. “The first three seasons were growth as we started with 300 goats,” says Ang. “So for the last two years we’ve been herd testing as we’re now at our optimum size in terms of goat numbers. That’s been giving us data to selectively mate and make culling decisions, which is improving our herd quality and therefore our production per goat.” Coupled with better feeding they have seen production sky rocket as Ang says that “goats are like Ferraris” in terms of milk conversion and can deliver a huge amount of milk solids with the right feeding regime. Last season they produced 112kgsMS per goat and this year they are on target for 132kgsMS while halving feed cost. With goats she says a big focus also needs to be placed on animal health with constant vigilance. “Someone once said to me there is just four hours between a live goat and a dead goat and they were right. Goats tell you with their eyes and ears when they’re not well and you need to react on the The goat herd numbers are approximately 800 and run on 38ha of the farm. Ang and Dean employ contract milkers to run the cow operation and a team of four full time and two part time staff over both goat farms as well as being hands on themselves. JONO TESSELAAR | MOB 027 495 6106 | 0800 956 106 • Maize Planting & Harvesting • Loaderwagon Silage • Baleage Rounds • Cartage • Cultivation • Hedgecutting • Regrassing • Spraying • Crop Planting spot.” She says that despite times being tough in the industry they are focused on the fact that they are still contributing positively to their community by employing staff, supporting suppliers etc. “It’s about contributing to not only the rural sector but the wider New Zealand economy. New Zealand dairy is doing a really good job and is such a huge contributor. We are confident and positive the goat milk market will come right. We have an amazing product.”
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