4 | nzdairy Sheep Milk » Scott Kirkham Well into second season of sheep milking Russell Fredric Ovine and bovine milking on the same property are proving a good option to diversify a Putaruru family business that is contributing to a growing sunrise industry in New Zealand. Now in it’s second season, Gordon and Linda Kirkham’s sheep milking operation is managed by their son Scott and supplies Spring Sheep, the largest sheep milking group in the Southern Hemisphere. Of the total of the Kirkham’s 290 hectares property, 40 hectares has been allocated to the ovine operation which supports 800 milking ewes and hoggets, while 850 cows are supported on the 250 hectare bovine platform which autumn calves 250 to 300 of the herd. “It’s pretty uid between them, last spring we had huge covers and couldn’t keep on top of it with the actual demand so the cows were coming across [to the 40ha] and utilising paddocks to graze and reset the residuals,” Scott says. Part of the reason for adding sheep milking was the bovine platform being somewhat understocked, he says. “It’s all beautiful at country that could be better utilised and we had heifers walking two kilometres to get to the end of the block so it utilises the land a lot better and complements the overall business.” The Kirkham’s ock comprises Zealandia sheep, a registered breed developed by Spring Sheep speci cally for New Zealand’s farming conditions. Their development included a global search for leading dairy genetics in part of Europe. • to page 6 “ Last spring we had huge covers and couldn’t keep on top of it with the actual demand”. 108 TE RAHU ROAD, TE AWAMU TU PH. 07 871 3624 MOB. 0274 996 428 FAX. 07 871 5539 Phillip & Charlotte Brisco RURAL ENGINEERING RESIDENTIAL GO BIG GO ANLAMB NZAGBIZ.CO.NZ Biosupport™ Emma Kirkham, Alexandra Kirkham, Holly Kirkham, Jasmine Jefferies.
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