64 | nzdairy Jersey’s the focus for Ricky and Maria Ricky and Maria Johnson moved north to Murchison up the Matiri Valley at the beginning of June. While they’re a bit under this year they plan to peak milk 300, having sold off some of their herd and leased out some in-calf heifers when they shifted. Virginia Wright After three seasons 50/50 sharemilking 440 mainly Jersey cows, on 215 effective hectares near Springs Junction on the West Coast, Ricky and Maria Johnson moved north to Murchison up the Matiri Valley at the beginning of June. It’s a step up for them as they’re now leasing the farm with everything that entails, and it takes them a step closer to their goal of owning their own farm. The lease-owners Georgie and Jim Turnbull who were beef farmers live just over the river. When they bought their neighbour’s dairy farm 20 years ago they had 50/50 sharemilkers running it for many years, then six years ago they decided to lease it out with both farms by then operating as dairy with a total of 115 hectares The change of location isn’t without its challenges with the new farm running alongside the river under the Matiri Hills. “We knew it was a rough farm with long walks and could get wet, and now we know just how wet it can get but it’s just part of the challenge really,” says Ricky. Having a long farm with a cowshed at one end means a long walk for the cows and that, combined with calving and a lengthy period of rain, resulted in too many lame cows for the Johnsons’ liking. They couldn’t change the weather or the walk, so they changed from twice a day milking to three and two, milking every 16 hours, which has already reduced the lameness in the herd. While the rain seems to Ricky and Maria to have gone on for a long time Jim Turnbull tells them it’s not an unusual amount. They hope the flip side of that is that they’ll be summer safe which will be a welcome change after weathering two droughts on their previous farm. “Hopefully we can keep growing good grass through summer. We expect to grow a lot more here than on the other farm, already it was a lot warmer here in the winter,” says Ricky. Having a couple of nearby lease blocks means they don’t have to winter on the dairy platform, or pay anyone for winter grazing, and they were pleased with how the winter went without cropping having decided they would manage with grass and bailage only. While they’re a bit under this year they plan to peak milk 300, having sold off some of their herd and leased out some in-calf heifers when they shifted. The previous leasee ran a high input system but the Johnsons intend to concentrate on a pasture-based approach. They’ve budgeted on a very conservative level of production which they’ve already overtaken,“That’s good though, it only causes disappointment if you put in a really high figure doesn’t it,” says Maria with a laugh. They now know they can achieve their target and more, and it’s tracking well for costing less per kg of milk solid than it was DAIRY PEOPLE » Ricky and Maria Johnson 24 HOUR SALES & SERVICE • Servicing all types of milking systems • Mobile Shop P: 03 547 3276 Alexanders are proud to support Ricky and Maria Johnson previously thanks to reduced winter costs and their hope that having better soil will reduce their need for fertiliser. “Pasture management will be the key,” says Ricky. They’re enjoying being in sole charge, making all their own decisions for better or worse. They’ve signed a three-year contract and they’re confident that they can count on this farm to grow good grass and confident also in their ability to do what’s needed to make the most of that grass to make milk. Ultimately it should get them closer to their goal of farm ownership whether that’s in three years or six.
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