36 | nzdairy Step up for award-winning manager DAIRY PEOPLE » Blake Cameron: Cameron Family Farm Karen Phelps A year down the track from winning the Dairy Manager of the Year Award for the Taranaki Region at the 2023 NZ Dairy Industry Awards Blake Cameron is about to take a significant stride up the dairy ladder and start lower order share milking. He credits this to the industry awards, which he says forced him into setting up a plan when undertaking the financial planning and goal setting aspects of the entry. “It can be quite easy to get stuck in the day to day of farming and I hadn’t really thought about it until the awards prompted me to work out a plan,” says Blake. “I spoke with mum and dad and lower order sharemilking seemed to fit us all best and they were keen to see me progress as fast as possible as well.” Blake is fifth generation on the family farm in South Taranaki, ten minutes north of Hawera. The 73ha effective unit typically milks a herd of 260 jersey/jersey cross cows. Blake grew up on the farm and completed an agricultural science degree at Massey University in 2016. He then worked at Wanganui Vet Services as part of the heifer grazing team before returning to the family farm in 2021 as farm manager. Not much will change in terms of the day to day running of the farm as Blake steps up to lower order sharemilker. Blake will continue to work alongside his father on the farm with Hugh filling in as needed and doing the calf rearing. Taranaki farmer Blake Cameron, pictured below with partner Hanna Russell, is about to take up lower order sharemilking on the family farm near Hawera. “Dad will still be here each day as well. He’s really let me take the reins as the manager. Mum’s a teacher so maybe they will be able to take more holidays now with me taking on lower order sharemilking,” says Blake. Another change has been the addition of a 30ha support block to the farming operation. Utilised for carrying 70 R1s and 55 R2s at the moment, Blake also plans to send some winter cows down there to enable him to grow more grass on farm. “Previously all heifers used to go grazing in the Manawatu. This will give us more control over the quality of stock and feed as we will grow extra grass silage and maize as well. The aim is to be self-contained and reduce costs. It’s our first season with the support block so it will be interesting to see what we can do with it and the effect it has on our farming system.” The farm is a system 3-4 and the priority is to use grass first: “I walk the farm every week to help plan ahead and have made an Excel spreadsheet to allocate break sizes and supplement input for each mob during calving and winter,” explains Blake. “I also use an app on my phone to work out break sizes and coordinates for areas. This all helps to ensure all animals are fully fed.” Blake has just attended the Dairy Environment Leaders Forum in Wellington and, on the personal front, will soon be married to Hanna Russell, an early childhood teacher at Eltham. 50:50 sharemilking is the next step for the couple and the timeline is five years. Specialising in rural services with over 20 years in the trade means you are choosing an Electrician you can trust. Available 24 hours a day 7 days a week Call Chris for all your electrical needs. (06) 272 8210 027 515 5442 We are proud to be the chosen electrician for the Cameron Family. www.taranaki-vets.co.nz Clinics - Stratford · · Manaia Hawera Patea · · Waverley Proud to be sponsors of Hugh Cameron
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