62 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » The Numan Farm A major milestone for Chris and Rachel Numan Karen Phelps Full ownership of the Numan farm this season marks a major milestone for Chris and Rachel Numan, and one that is shaping how they view both the present and the future of the business. “It’s pretty rewarding as we have been working on projects here since 2012, so to now own the farm is special,” says Chris. “It also gives us more freedom in decision-making. If there’s something we want to improve or change, we can act on it.” The Te Awamutu-based dairy unit has been central to the couple’s farming journey for more than a decade. Chris and Rachel initially took on a 50:50 sharemilking role on the 189-hectare effective unit. In their first year sharemilking, the farm owners decided to sell, creating an opportunity for Chris’ parents to purchase the property. Chris and Rachel continued sharemilking while steadily investing in feed systems, soil fertility and pasture performance. In 2018 they began buying shares in the business as equity partners, taking what Chris describes as a focused and proactive approach to improving productivity. “We’ve worked on lifting performance wherever we can across the business,” says Chris. “That’s meant making sure the system works well while also being thoughtful about where effort and investment go.” They now milk 700 cows through a 50-bail rotary shed and operate as a system five farm with a pasture-first philosophy and supplements used strategically to complement grass and extend lactation at the shoulders of the season. Production is currently sitting at around 1,850kg of milksolids per hectare with total output of approximately 355,000kg of milksolids. Recent years have seen significant capital investment, much of it aimed at improving labour efficiency and animal welfare. When they bought into the business the dairy shed was stripped back to its shell and rebuilt with automatic cup removers, teat sprayers, Protrack and a new yard allowing it to operate as a one-person shed. The Te Awamutu-based dairy unit has been central to the couple’s farming journey for more than a decade. “That investment has given us and our three fulltime staff much more flexibility around time off,” says Chris. “It’s also made day-to-day work easier and more appealing.” CowManager tags were installed across the herd CHARTER D ACCOUNTANT E Specialists in Farm Accounting • Cashflow Budgeting • Fonterra Shareholding Advice • Farm Sale & Purchase Advice • Equity Partnerships • GST • Livestock Valuation Options • Income Equalisation Pleased to support Chris and Rachel Numan www.hoogeveen.co.nz | office@hoogeveen.co.nz | 07 862 9090 18 months ago and the farm has now completed its second season using them. To help support the cost, the couple extended artificial insemination to 11 weeks and moved away from bulls in favour of short-gestation semen. Rachel, a qualified veterinarian, carries out the AI herself. “It saves money and gives us flexibility,” says Chris. “We can manage timing ourselves rather than relying on technician availability.” That practical, hands-on approach applies across
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