66 | nzdairy Establishing his own pedigree herd Josh Norton contract milks for Dean and Jo Geddes on their 110ha effective, Tai Tapu, Canterbury farm, located approximately 18km south-west of Christchurch. The farm is home to a historic pedigree Holstein herd which stretches back four generations, having been established by Dean’s great-grandfather in 1921. This year is Josh’s third season on the farm which winter milks and current the herd runs to 380 cows. A focus for Josh of late has been establishing his own pedigree herd ‘Springoaks’ within the Tahora Farm operation. Josh says his own pedigree herd will run to 100, once his heifers calf in the spring. He holds big ambitions for his future in the industry, with the plan that he and wife Chelsea will move to sharemilking in the next couple of years. The intention is to remain in the district. Life is busy for the couple with two very young children. Tahora Farm suits their situation well, given it is positioned close to both their parents. “Tahora Farm is quite a wet property. We have a 440 cow free-stall barn so through winter the herd are in their 24/7,” Josh explains. The plan to increase the milking herd will depend on taking all the dry-stock and heifers off the platform. “I think we could get to milking 400 cows if that was the case. At the moment we’re putting a lot of focus into improving pasture.” A significant amount of supplement is provided to the herd to keep it in top condition, so Josh is very DAIRY PEOPLE » Tahora Farm Josh Norton contract milks for Dean and Jo Geddes on their 110ha-effective, Tai Tapu farm. aware of balancing increasing herd size with costs of milk production. “We grow our own maize and grass silage in the winter and we feed some soy/sunflower for additional protein. In all we grow about 6ha of maize on this farm and another 30ha run off down the road is where we make our grass silage, along with growing 14ha of maize.” The district is peppered with a mix of dairying and cropping and when not busy on the farm, along with one full-time worker, Josh enjoys spending time with the family. He’s also big on showing cattle at A & P shows and the like, with the season getting underway in October. He’s showed Friesians at both the Ellesmere and Rangiora shows as well as the main event, the Christchurch A & P show. Josh got involved in the pedigree industry through helping his grandfather Gordon Stewart and uncle Graham Stewart on the farm and at shows from a young age. “We’ve also gone up to Dairy Event in Fielding, which I’ve enjoyed.” Selecting which heifers and cows will be shown takes several months. Refining the best from the herd is a case of assessing form and condition over time, with a select few chosen about a month before the shows get underway. “For the main Christchurch show we separate out the animals that we’ll show to get them off the grass and eating a diet that will give them additional energy and make it possible to feed them while they are away. Sue Russell • to page 67 FERTILISER SPREADING | FARM MAPPING GPS TRACKING | VARIABLE RATE SPREADING LIVESTOCK CARTAGE | DAILY FREIGHT CONCRETE SUPPLIES | GRAIN CARTAGE SHINGLE SUPPLIES | FERTILISER SUPPLIES Leeston: 03 3248 070 | Dunsandel: 03 3254 039 reception@ellesmere.co.nz
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