22 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Jason and Michael Treder Building a more resilient farming system The farm converted to once-a-day milking six years ago. Kelly Deeks Belleview Milking Shorthorns are proving their durability and value on the steep, wind-blown hills south of Pahiatua, where fourth- generation dairy farmers Michael and Jason Treder are working to lift genetics, improve environmental outcomes, and build a more resilient farming system for the future. The Treder family has milked Shorthorns for 111 years. The original 40ha family farm was purchased in 1915 by the Treder’s great-grandfather and today Michael and Jason run 245ha plus support land. Milking Shorthorns have been on the farm since day one, brought into New Zealand by Samuel Marsden and the most common dairy breed in the country at that time. Today the herd sits at 200 mixed cows, including about 120 Milking Shorthorns and 80 Jerseys. On the rolling to steep country, with wind from every direction, the brothers say durability is non-negotiable. “We’re not a flat farm, we’re on top of a hill and the wind comes from every direction so we need something hardy,” Michael says. “The Shorthorn is a good medium-sized cow and they handle the conditions really well.” The farm converted to once-a-day milking six years ago, a decision driven by terrain, heat, workload, and an opportunity to purchase a neighbouring farm that required major redevelopment. At the same time, 40ha was sold to neighbours and fellow Shorthorn breeders Alan and Sue Moore. The Moores run a higher-input system, producing 600kgMS per cow on flatter river flats. The Treders sit just over 320kgMS per cow on a low-input system, a substantial lift from about 200kgMS when the brothers first took over. “We’ve done a lot of development over the past decade,” Michael says. “Break fencing, water supply, races, paddock layout. Dad farmed the way his father farmed, big paddocks and simple systems. We’ve modernised things while keeping it low input.” Genetics are a major focus. With only a few thousand registered Milking Shorthorn cows in New Zealand, Michael sees numbers and testing as key to the breed’s progress. “It’s a numbers game. The more people herd test and record, the quicker we all progress. What we were milking 10–15 years ago is a completely different animal to what we have today,” he says. Traits the Treders chase include udder quality and strength for once-a-day, and polled genetics. “Udders get pretty full in spring. We want good ligaments and moderate frames. One of our top cows is doing 32 litres, and others do 25 litres.” Environment is another long-term priority. The property includes limestone gullies, creeks, and fenced catchments, with two QEII covenants established across home and support land. A three-hectare wetland block is planted annually by local schoolchildren, with support from Horizons Regional Council, community volunteers, and industry partners. As keeping stock out of waterways, fencing off erosion-prone areas, and planting native filtration zones has become part of the farm’s normal rhythm, protecting the soil is also driving fertiliser decisions. On light, wind-blown limestone soils, the brothers avoid rotary ploughing and minimise cultivation to prevent fine soils turning to powder. In recent seasons they have shifted to Profile Fertilisers, drawn to its biological, slow-release, soil-tested approach. Smarter Fertilisers for Smarter Farming Not Just Fertiliser. A Formula Built for Your Soil. At Profile Fertilisers, we’re not here to push products —we’re here to build better farming outcomes. We believe fertiliser should work with your soil, not against it. That’s why everything we do starts with science, is built around your farm, and is designed to give you better outcomes and results. If you’re looking for fertilisers that do more —with less drawbacks—these are the game -changers you’ve been waiting for. Location Contact 508 Scarborough Road, Pahiatua - 4983 Wium Mostert 027 463 7577 | info@ergozymenz.com Don Henderson 021 643 698 | donh@profilefert.co.nz Free Customised Solutions www.profilefert.co.nz Tailored Fertilisers Without the Added Cost Kinder on Animals, Better for Soil pH Balanced for Soil Health Better For The Environment ili . l il il. t r l rtili r , ’r t r t r t ’r r t il tt r f r i t . li f rtili r l r it r il, t i t it. t’ r t i t rt it i , i ilt r r f r , i i t i tt r t r lt . If ’r l i f r f rtili r t t r it l r t r t r ’ iti f r. L ti t t r r , i t i t rt | i f r z z. r 1 | r l f rt. . z t i l tions \\\ UWTƴQJKJWY HT S_ il r rtili r it t t t i r i l , tt r f r il l f r il lt tt r r ir t “adding value to your business” “We were just looking for something different,” Michael says. “Profile has been working bloody well. We’re seeing more clover, more grass growth, and better quality grass.” The brothers also run a mixed beef and sheep operation, finishing dairy-beef Shorthorn/Specked Park progeny and producing yearlings off the hills. Michael says diversification matches the farm’s terrain and gives flexibility when payout, weather, or feed curves fluctuate.
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