| 85 nzdairy RURAL SERVICES » Stock Ezy / Camco Dairy Services Making things easier Tracey Edwardes Sean Blenkin created Stock Ezy simply to make things easier for farmers. The 66-year-old entrepreneur was a shearer for 15 years, then spent time in painting and building. In 2021, with a strong desire to fill a need on New Zealand farms, he produced Ewe Cradles, Fadge Wool Pack Holders and Back Stops, before developing the award-winning Flow Control Gates. Ongoing product development has flowed on to the dairy industry. “Ewe cradles have been around over 100 years, but modern sheep are larger and cradles on the market seemed too small. Then when selling them at Mystery Creek, I got asked for a calf cradle for rearing and tube feeding. “When calves go down with health issues such as Scours, they can come right in half the time in an upright cradle with a head rest. They’re essentially a metal frame with a long-lasting, weather-proof breathable fabric which Maire, my wife, sews on an industrial machine.” His Wool Pack Holder was popular at the Golden Shears shearing competition, with requests during Covid for ones with wheels, for the garden. Then 18 were even sent to Chatham Islands for their recycling depots. Stock Ezy’s Back Stops prevent the sheep from reversing up as they come up the race. “Those on market are spring operated, but our’s work on gravity. Designed to lift in and out, these should outlast the great grandchildren. For a continuous flow, they are on a mounting bracket so they can be taken in or out. One farmer said he was going to give up farming, but these will keep him going for another decade. “For dairy and cattle farmers, I’m currently working on cattle back stop in varying heights.” Comprehensive service Kelly Deeks Offering a partner for life for the milking, water pumping, and effluent system needs of Central Plateau and Bay of Plenty dairy farmers, CAMCO Dairy Services emphasises long-term relationships with all of its clients and exemplifies this by being available 24/7. Based in Reporoa, CAMCO has been servicing the local area for 20 years, and has been taken over from founder Dave Goddard by long-term employee Gary Wood in 2021. Gary has seen CAMCO grow from a team of three to now nine, including three milking systems specialists, a water pumping systems specialist, an effluent systems specialist. Gary says every day is different at CAMCO. “The job is variable and so are the people,” he says. “We work with a whole heap of different people, from farm owners to sharemilkers to farm staff, and we get to meet a lot of our community. If we do a good job, they’re happy for us to come back and keep servicing them.” A good job means different things to different people and to Gary it doesn’t just mean doing an installation and making sure it works. “I want it there, I want it looking good, and I want to be proud to have our name on it.” CAMCO offers a complete and comprehensive service including all the necessary parts and equipment, installation and induction on how to properly use and maintain the entire system. CAMCO deals in a wide range of different brands and systems to ensure it can provide for operations of all shapes and sizes. His popular Flow Control Gates were developed over 12 months, winning the innovation awards in 2024 in Southland Field Days in the No. 8 wire section, and second in the South Island Field Days in 2021. “When I was shearing, nothing was done about jamming and bottlenecking in the drafting race. You’d have to stop and free them up. It helps them enter the race in a more uniform manner. You see the immediate difference in sheep flow. A farmer recently said “wow it has saved us a labour unit. They have been designed with torsion springs which is not being worked, so I can’t see them ever wearing out.” Sean says they have found their way to goat and sheep milking sheds, easing and controlling the flow onto the herringbone platform. This unique in New Zealand product is gaining popularity as the word is spreading. “I travel the country installing them on three month trials, before sending the invoice. And I haven’t had a complaint yet. Out of 200 flow control gates, I’ve only had six back. Every sheep gate has gone into a different situation - they’re very adaptable.” Stock Ezy’s products sell with little profit margin. That’s how Sean likes it. “Farmers might not be able to afford a new tractor at the shows, but they can come home with something. I guess I enjoy what I’m doing - providing reasonably priced products makes more people happy. A Back Stop is $100 plus GST, Ewe Cradles $280 plus GST and Flow Control Gatesare $540 installed.” Sean uses 2K Engineering in Masterton for all steel and welding work, while he does the assembly in batches. “Watch this space I’ve got more developments in the pipeline.” “Those on market are spring operated, but our’s work on gravity. Designed to lift in and out, these should outlast the great grandchildren.” 04 568 5090 sales@nzspringworks.co.nz | www.nzspringworks.co.nz EXPERTS IN THE DESIGN&MANUFACTURE OF ALL SPRING COMPONENTS Call Sean Blenkin0800 785 399 stockezy@outlook.co.nz www.stockezynz.com EZY ON YOUR STOCK, EZY ON EWE STOCK EZY SHEEP HANDLING GEAR FREE DELIVERY WAIRARAPA WIDE FLOW CONTROL GATE EWE CRADLE SHORT & LONG BACK STOPS www.maclon.co.nz Maclon is pleased to support Camco Dairy Services and proud to be a supplier of high quality water reticulation products. • Rotary Platform WOFs • Centre bearing conversions • Platform servicing & maintenance • Complete rebuilds • Platform extensions • Bail replacements • General farm maintenance & welding • Epoxy concrete repairs 027 296 1806 • 11 Te Tahi Street, Whakatane whakatane.rpm@yahoo.com Shane Rogers ROTARY SERVICES MANAGER Rotary Platform Maintenance a division of Milking & Water Systems Ltd. The main brand of milking system is the top of the line, world-leading Waikato Milking System, which CAMCO is a dealer for. “There is no one system which is suitable for everyone. This is where CAMCO comes in. Under our guidance and supervision, we can steer you in the right direction and ensure that you are properly equipped for your particular situation.” CAMCO’s water pumping systems increase efficiencies on farm by reusing and recycling water, save money, and benefit the environment. “At CAMCO, we strive to help you run your property to its most efficient and effective level by providing top of the range water pumping systems and accessories.” CAMCO is able to install and upgrade any effluent system currently on the market, ensuring effective management of this extremely valuable resource for farmers. “We always endorse the use of any equipment which promotes sustainability and recycling of resources, and we can offer accredited design and installation for complete or upgraded systems.” CAMCO has recently seen an increase in uptake of cup removal systems as the effects of the labour shortage continue to be felt in the rural sector. Gary says cows can’t wait to be milked, so local dairy farmers are turning to automation to get the job done. “It’s not what farmers want to do, but it certainly helps take the pressure off the farmer and makes what staff they do have happier because they spend a lot less time in the shed and the work is a lot easier.” CAMCO offers a complete service.
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