| 3 nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Gavin Travers - Pa Hill A diverse offering of in-calf cows and heifers Pa Hill has also scheduled a combined breeds sale on Bidr for the following day. Karen Phelps Pa Hill is preparing for its upcoming sale, set for 14 April. Gavin Travers, who owns Pa Hill with wife Bronwyn, says it will be a diverse offering of in-calf cows and heifers, with between 50 and 70 animals available. The sale will be conducted entirely online via Bidr, something he started doing during the Covid-19 pandemic. “We put representatives of all our main Ayrshire cow families in the sale so there is something for everyone,” he explains. “I have diversified a bit into British semen. They are an outcross for us as the Ayrshires in New Zealand are so closely related now. If one does good production I put it back to a New Zealand bull.” Pa Hill has also scheduled a combined breeds sale on Bidr for the following day, 15 April, featuring incalf Jerseys, Friesians, and a couple of Normandys. Gavin says last year’s inaugural combined sale went well and allowed him to showcase some of the smaller studs he has developed over the years. “We had a friend that had half a dozen Jerseys and sold them to us. When the Roma herd dispersed I bought some more. They have all bred on really well. I also purchased half a dozen empty Jerseys from the Brown family in Dargaville. I bought a few high-index Jerseys a few years ago and last year was the first year I had a Jersey that outperformed any of my Ayrshires. LIC is telling me Ayrshires are 300 points behind Jerseys but I know they’re not. Now I have pets in the Jersey breed so I’ll keep on with them for a bit. But when I need to downsize the herd, due to my age, the Jerseys will be the first to go. They are more friends than cows.” The Friesians were acquired when he bought one of his farms, which came with a herd including a few pedigree animals. “I have quite a few good cow families. I show them at local shows and they’ve become pets too. A friend who went farming in Australia sold me two of her best Friesian cows. One of those cows left me a good family with good production and type. Because they came off a harder farm so they suit this property.” Basically whether Ayrshire, Jersey or Friesian Gavin likes to peruse the sales: “I like dabbling in sales, so if I see a cow that catches my eye I buy it,” he explains. He remains focused on breeding quality stock whether that be cows or bulls. “I’m always trying to breed a good bull to get them through the AB companies. One is coming up with his first proof this year with LIC and looks promising. Capacity and udders are the focus with cows. Our best cows do over 700kgsMS for clients if fed intensively but here the top ones manage 300kgsMS on just grass.” Pa Hill Ayrshires have long been a favourite across New Zealand thanks to their adaptability and hardiness. Gavin says he deliberately breeds cows that are not overly large, ensuring they survive and shift well to different farms while still producing strongly. He enjoys matching the right animals to the right buyers. Pa Hill is located near Kaitaia and covers a total of 604 hectares over seven properties, of which 420ha is leased, including the Travers family’s 134ha effective home farm. The dairy operation comprises three farms and three milking sheds effectively run as one unit, split calving and peak-spring-milking 430 cows on 270ha and winter-milking 220 cows. Beef cattle, calves and dry cows are grazed on 09 408 1950 33-35 Matthews Ave, Kaitaia e: sales@kaitaiamotorcycles.co.nz www.kaitaiamotorcycles.co.nz 021 034 8999 | vince@mawlimited.co.nz | www.mawlimited.co.nz For all your agricultural contracting services in the Far North. 333ha over five properties. From a kid Gavin says he was “mad keen” on cows and it’s stayed that way ever since. He enjoys his hands-on approach to farming, often working 15hour days from 6.30am to 9.30pm, with his brother Carl milking one of the herds. Milking Machine Testing, Servicing & Supplies Cleaning Chemicals & Rubberware Pumps, Water Supplies & Filtration Irrigation & Effluent System Solutions NORTHLAND DAIRY AND LIFESTYLE SPECIALISTS NDLS DeLaval Dealer - Northland 09 407 3400 | 021 533 916 | admin@ndls.co.nz | www.ndls.co.nz 24/7 BREAKDOWN 021 586 074
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=