96 | nzdairy 100-tonne of maize is harvested each year, and 5ha of summer turnips, as part of his re-grassing programme. PEDIGREE HOLSTEINS » Streamline Holsteins Found an ideal breeding ground for success Randall Johnston Justin Ruygrok of Waiuku has scooped the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Award for the Northern Region. Judges were impressed at Justin’s grasp of dairy farming and overall, his positive attitude to the work and dedication to learning more on farm each season. Justin also more recently achieved runner-up for the Auckland / Hauraki sharefarmer of the year in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards. The 52ha, 170 Holstein Friesian cow farm at Aka Aka, just over the Waikato side of the Auckland / Waikato regional border has experienced a very dry spell when NZ Dairy spoke to him in March. Justin averages 500 kilograms MS per cow and is happy with how things are going production-wise. Now well into his 8th season on the property, Justin has refined his system to an impressive degree. Owned by the Reid brothers (Ray and Tony), who are predominately commercial growers. “When they purchased the farm they had plans to crop it and run beef cows on it, but that didn’t eventuate - so they ended up giving me a chance as a 20 year old sharemilker in a sole charge type of position,” Justin explains. As a first time entrant, Justin was stoked to be recognised for his efforts. “You do an exam, and a big practical day and then a evening quiz in front of spectators. I was up against seven other people. Prior to that there was a district competition as well at Donalds Farm in Whitford in November last year.” “I found the practical day a bit easier than answering a whole raft of questions in front of a • Maize silage • planting & harvesting • Loader wagon silage • Big square baling • Round baling • Full ground cultivation 027 4648 437 | murdoch.ag.contracting@gmail.com Specialist Services Benchmarking | Budgeting | Business Start-up | Cash Flow Forecasting Financial Planning | Management Consulting | Office Duties Payroll Services | Software Solutions | Strategic planning Business Services Company Accounting | Company Administration | Estate Planning | Farm Accounting Information Technology | Insolvency | Orchard and Horticultural Accounting Rental Property | Succession Planning | Trusts | Valuations Taxation FBT | GST | Income Tax Bombay 09 236 0437 Waiuku 09 235 7455 www.drk.co.nz Farm the way you always wanted. Go to halterhq.com “Halter allows you to really hone in on the basics and do it right. We were doing the basics well before but now it allows us to do it even better.” Dan Blair Sebakwe Farming, Canterbury “We hit peak production much earlier this year and held it for six weeks – that’s unheard of for us.” Greg andMichaela McCracken Silverhill Trust Farm, Te Hana Pasture management Virtual fencing and herding Heat detection Animal health “With Halter, we’re not limited by time or fences anymore. We can truly prioritise what’s best for our cows.” Teagan Gray Gray Farms, Hauraki Plains
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