| 27 nzdairy Manpreet moving into property development Manpreet has just completed a variety of small subdivision projects and will start a 42-section project in Invercargill. Karen Phelps After 14 years of dairy farming, contract milker Manpreet Singh Boparai is at a crossroads: step more deeply into the dairy industry or into his side gig of property developing. He’s chosen to hang up his overalls. “I really enjoy property and the skills I have learned dairy farming have helped me to do well in this such as a hard work ethic, focusing on goals, self development and taking calculated risk.” Manpreet has completed four seasons at Jenkins Road Dairies in Western Southland, which is presently milking around 1200 cows through two dairy sheds with Protrack. The 650ha unit is comprised of two dairy farms next door to each other and an adjoining run off block. It’s a large operation with all young stock staying on farm and Manpreet has managed to keep production consistent despite cow numbers reducing by 100 in his time there. A big part of this has been due to focusing closely on herd quality. He is only mating as many cows as he needs to obtain replacement calves with the rest going to beef semen. DNA testing the whole of the top herd - good BW and PW cows as well as young cows - enabled this herd to be artificially inseminated with sexed semen last season and Manpreet says the genetics are improving rapidly as a result. “We have less cows but better cows, and better production,” he says. Manpreet has the vision to see the potential of residential homes in his passion for property and he has shown this same vision on the farm. The steep run off area is a good example where Manpreet saw how the challenging piece of land could support the dairy platform. He says the young stock are used as a tool to manage the grass and the young stock are moved between all three farms allowing Jenkins Road Dairies to keep grass quality high. Maintaining good relationships with all involved in running the farm is another aspect Manpreet is proud of – and yet another skill that translates well to property development. Jenkins Road Dairies is owned by a syndicate, which employs farm consultant, Greg O’Byrne from High Performance Farming, who forms a key part of the team. Manpreet has also been a keen supporter of growing young people in the dairy industry and under his mentorship some staff have progressed from farmhands to 50:50 sharemilkers. His mentorship extends beyond dairying to helping staff be financially savvy so they can get ahead in both their career and life. This has included showing some how to create wealth through property as Manpreet has done. DAIRY PEOPLE » Jenkins Road Dairies Ltd He is now helping with the seamless transition of the farm to the new contract milker while preparing for his own transition to full time property developing. Manpreet and his wife Jaspreet plan to continue to grow their own property portfolio while renovating properties to on-sell and completing small subdivisions, selling both sections and finished homes. Manpreet is also part of the local Tuatapere Volunteer Fire Brigade and Jaspreet serves on the Southland District Council. “There is a shortage of good housing and we will focus on quality. We will hold some to provide rental accommodation and others we will on-sell to home buyers ensuring the homes are affordable.” Complete Silage, Baling, Cultivation, Effluent, Spraying & Excavator Contracting Service Phone: 03 225 8488 Rabco Ag Ltd E-mail: admin@rabco.nz Web: www.rabbitt.co.nz PH ALEX 021 277 5308 HOME 03 225 5377 www.alexreidcontracting.co.nz Aerating • Direct Drilling • Ridging • Mulching • Strip Till Planting Paddock Cultivation from Ploughing to Sowing Dry Hire available Sheep Conveyor (Drenching, Vaccination etc) • 3 way draft Dairy Lane Maintenance • Tip Trailers • Vibrating Roller • Effluent Services Large Skid Steer for calf shed cleaning, loading Muck Spreaders etc ( 4 Muck Spreaders) • 16,000 litre Slurry Tanker • Pond Stirrer • Umbilical Slurry System The couple have just completed a variety of small subdivision projects and will start a 42-section project in Invercargill, which they will sell as sections direct to the market and finished homes. They have also acquired another business; Challenge Lorneville service station.
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