| 53 nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Theo and Lucie Sneek A significant step in their dairying journey Karen Phelps Eighteen months ago Theo and Lucie Sneek took a significant step in their dairying journey, purchasing their own farm east of Oxford in North Canterbury after years of Theo being in a sharemilking partnership with his brother. Now in their second season as owner-operators, the couple say the move has brought both challenge and satisfaction as they build a business of their own. The 317-hectare property, with 310 hectares effective, milks 730 Holstein Friesian cows through a 60-bail rotary shed fitted with automatic cup removers. Around 40 per cent of the farm is under a lease-to-buy arrangement, a pathway that they say has been instrumental in making ownership achievable. “The seller said they were open to lease-to-buy and it has certainly helped us as well,” says Lucie. “It was beneficial for both parties and has made the transition into ownership much more manageable.” Last season the farm produced 319,000kg of milksolids and this year it is targeting 330,000kgMS despite a challenging spring and summer. A severe windstorm left two centre pivots out of action for 12 weeks from late October until the end of January, forcing the couple to purchase additional feed to maintain production. “It was a huge storm with a lot of wind, and we had irrigation systems down right when we needed them most,” says Theo. “We’ve had to adapt quickly to make sure the cows kept performing.” The Sneeks milk twice a day and feed three kilograms per cow per day through an in-shed feeding system, moving from straight grain to a dairy blend plus PK. “We adjust the ration slightly as the season progresses,” says Lucie. “It’s about responding to what the cows and pasture are telling us.” Infrastructure improvements have been a priority since taking over. They have upgraded yards and lanes, widened the bails in the shed, installed new milk clusters and carried out maintenance on effluent pumps. Fencing has been improved and stock water upgrades are next on the list. “We’re looking at new cow tracks to better utilise the pasture and divide the farm more effectively,” Now in their second season as owner-operators, the couple say the move has brought both challenge and satisfaction as they build a business of their own. says Theo. “We started with a budget herd out of necessity, but now we’re selecting bulls for production and using herd test data to make more informed decisions.” Theo remains closely involved with the rural community, having served for nine years as Federated Farmers sharemilkers’ section chairperson in North Canterbury and continuing his involvement with Federated Farmers. Lucie brings considerable expertise to the operation. Working part-time as a large animal vet in Rangiora, she also manages animal health and administration on the farm. Having both Theo’s farming experience and Lucie’s veterinary knowledge on the team is very valuable to the operation. The farm supplies Synlait and achieved accreditation in its first year under the company’s Lead With Pride assurance programme, which recognises and financially rewards best practice. “It’s helped us identify areas we can improve,” says Lucie. “We’ve started planting trees and doing more weed control, and we’re looking to plant natives to increase biodiversity.” With streams running through the property and runoff from the Oxford foothills during heavy rain, environmental stewardship is front of mind. Lucie recently attended a water surveying course and plans to use regional test kits to monitor water quality. “We will be involved in testing the waterways on our farm,” she says. “This will help us understand what’s happening. Our focus is to look after the waterways and land. We’ve done some testing already to see where we’re at and where we can be in the future.” The couple live ten minutes away from the farm with their three young sons, Douglas, five, Barnaby, three, and Alfie, two, who are already immersed in farm life. They employ three full-time staff and are focused on supporting their team’s development. “We have a really good international crew and we really appreciate them,” says Lucie. For the Sneeks, the goal is simple: to settle in, strengthen the business year by year and create a resilient farming future for their family and community. 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