24 | nzdairy Huge gains are all part of the plan Feedback from the NZ Dairy Industry Awards judges was hugely positive. Producing 515,000 milk solids per season between the two farms, Navdeep is proud of the level of production that they have been able to achieve. Randall Johnston Navdeep Singh winning the Share Farmer of the Year Runner Up Award for the Central Plateau Region at the 2024 NZ Dairy Industry Awards was a highlight of the year for him and his family. The Greenacre farm located at Atiamuri, south of Rotorua is 193ha effective of rolling to steep land with a herd of 650 cows, plus a 63ha runoff which is used to accommodate the young stock. The second farm ‘Ballinamore’ is 198ha effective, also with rolling to steep land, with a 53ha runoff - which is handy for winter grazing and young stock. The soil is pumice so it drains well, with about 1200-1400mm per year falling in that part of the country. Water is sourced from a stream and bore on-farm. Navdeep started managing Greenacre Farm first in 2022, before coming onboard to also contract milk Ballinamore farms. “We did really well on Greenacre increasing milk production by nine per cent, that first year was amazing so that’s why we got the opportunity to manage Ballinamore as well and our six week in-calf rate has improved greatly there too by 23 per cent, which was a real goal and priority of mine when we took over there.” Navdeep says they are moving towards herd genetic Gain with assistance from LIC, to improve production and dropping stock rate per hectare and environmental footprints. Feedback from the NZ Dairy Industry Awards judges was hugely positive. They were especially impressed with Navdeep’s financial planning and ambitious, yet well considered plans for the future. They were also impressed at their pasture management and feeding systems as well, earning them merit awards in these areas. Judges said they were impressed with his knowledge around cultivars including pros and cons for each type and why the farm moved from one species to another and taking the time to explain why he uses different species in different paddocks. They also noted that his feed planning was ‘exceptional’. “We grow 20- to 25ha of crops each year which really helps keep out feed costs down. So we grow turnips, rape, fodder beet and kale (kale in winter for young stock). We also buy a blend for the cow shed,” Navdepp says. Producing 515,000 milk solids per season between the two farms, Navdeep is proud of the level of production that they have been able to achieve with twice a day milking. DAIRY PEOPLE » Greenacre and Ballinamore Farms 07 348 3628 | 19White St, Rotorua | www.abcmilkingsolutions.co.nz “We use Pasture IO Satellite to measure our pasture and we have an AgFirst on farm consultant Bridget Ray, who visits every second month as well.” Navdeep plans to keep learning and using technology and taking advice from experts in various fields of farming to help him reach his on-farm goals and to keep achieving even better results in 2024 and beyond.
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