| 27 nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Karl and Jessica Wood Aiming to get herd up to 100% of liveweight With the potential of two consecutive years of good payouts, Karl says he and Jessica are excited about the prospect of reducing debt, increasing equity and employing a full time worker for the next season. Russell Fredric After three seasons sharemilking their 230 cow herd, Karl and Jessica Wood are looking forward to having more time for the things that matter most. With the potential of two consecutive years of good payouts, Karl says he and Jessica are excited about the prospect of reducing debt, increasing equity and employing a full time worker for the next season. “I’ll have a bit more time. We’ve done the first three years without a lot of help so it will be nice to have a bit more family time for us. There’s that whole theory of buying back your time. That’s exciting. “We will have a bit more time to make better decisions on the farm as well; when you’re in a grind it’s hard every day.” Before going on parental leave to have their now seven month old Daisy, Jessica worked as a senior commercial consultant for FMG and the income from this was “a huge strength for us coming here and [especially] our ability to survive that first year,” Karl says. “Probably the best way to help you get started is to have one of you work off-farm, one on-farm. Going forward we are a little open as to whether Jess goes back or stays on-farm.” Their herd is farmed on 85 hectares near Shannon, supported by a neighbouring 19 hectare lease block. Karl and Jessica have completed three seasons on the farm owned by John Gardner/ Wyke Partnership and have committed to two more years. The support block is a great asset, both in terms of feed, cutting baleage at the optimum quality, pasture preservation on the dairy platform during winter and not having to transport the herd to distant grazing is a significant saving. Included in the herd are a number of Shorthorns – Karl’s father David milks a full herd of pedigree Shorthorns. “He still milks about 260 with my sisters and that farm has been in the family since 1933 so my great granddad and granddad always had Shorthorns from way back. “Its quite cool to keep that going; at the moment we’ve probably got about 40 to 50 cows by Shorthorn sires in the herd.” Karl describes the balance of the herd as a liquorice allsorts of pedigree Friesians and Jerseys, along with some Kiwicross “and a cross of everything in between”. “I will definitely keep about 20 to 25% of the herd with Shorthorn.” Like the rest of the cows, the Shorthorns must perform as good milkers. If they do not they will not be bred from for milking and will be bred for beef progeny instead. “It’s the same for the rest of the herd. I go pretty aggressive with the beef side of mating and only the top 40% of my cows, based on production, get a dairy [AI] straw regardless of the breed. I want to make sure the Shorthorns I do have aren’t just a hobby, that they are actually helping to improve the breed.” Last season the herd produced 103,000kgMS and this season is on track for 105,000kgMS which will equate to an average of 455kgMS per cow or 95% of their body weight. “The goal is to get this herd up to 100% of liveweight, pushing 470-plus [kg] each season, getting more towards that 110,000 [kgMS] which I think we will do as we keep improving the quality of animal that we have.” Congratulations Karl &Jess onall your hardwork! Milking Shorthorns Northbrook Wok Dam is Northbrook Wonder and Sire is Treeton Pingerly Northbrook Lacy Dam is Northbrook Nc Lucy and Sire is Oceanbrae Logics Plato Northbrook Open Dam is Northbrook Operetta and Sire is Northbrook Titan ET Milking Shorthorns are proud to be part of the New Zealand dairy industry for 200+ years As a family we are proud of Karl and his journey in the dairy industry. 798 Reid Line East, RD11, Palmerston North Email: northbrook2016ltd@gmail.com Phone (David): 027 200 2726 Phone (Anja): 021 180 4931 Servicing Horowhenua & Manawatu 027 522 2889 www.guthrieagwork.co.nz
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