58 | nzdairy RURAL SERVICES » Baz Janssen Building Ltd Last year’s wet spring boosts inquiry Russell Fredric Southland has experienced a dream winter, but last year’s nightmare spring prompted plenty of dairy farmers to call Baz Janssen Building about feed pad options. “Usually, we get a wet spot and then it will come right, but it [the spring] it was just never ending,” Baz Janssen says. “The people that had the infrastructure didn’t have the stress, they didn’t waste the feed, the cows were in better condition, they didn’t ruin their pastures. It got to the point where many just ran out of options; they got out to plan D and it [the bad weather] was still coming. “I guess it really stands out when you do have the infrastructure – the cost of those rough patches aren’t the same to the farmer.” Baz and his wife Teresa own a 115 hectare/400 cow farm, consequently Baz easily identifies with the sometimes complex needs of his farmer clients and the challenge of creating a solution that meets their budget. Baz Janssen Building is based in Winton and specialises in constructing concrete feed pads, sometimes with the option of converting them to a covered wintering barn as finances allow. Baz and his team innovated a concrete nib profile for wintering barn floors which is moulded off-site, and this prefabrication creates efficiencies which can be vital for time-critical builds. “The job runs a lot quicker; it takes that other step out of it. When we get them made it doesn’t matter what the weather is doing.” The nib profile features a curved top and a cove at the bottom where the silage sits against, so feed is not caught in a perpendicular corner, plus it is much better looking, Baz says. “There’s so many options out there when it comes to off-pasture wintering. There’s pros and cons of every one.” Baz Janssen Building has considerable experience, having built many feed pads and wintering barns, some of which were complex Baz Janssen Building has considerable experience, having built many feed pads and wintering barns. projects for up to 1000 cow capacity, a concrete area of 10,000 square metres and an effluent system including weeping walls and the collection area. Late last year/early this year Baz’s phone started ringing, with once-bitten-twice-shy farmers looking at options following the prolonged weather challenge. “The feed pad was one that got quite a quick response; it’s the lowest cost system where you get the benefit of feeding them on it for a few days, or you have to or you can fill them up before they go to the paddock and they make less damage.” Another benefit if installing a feed pad is the consent process is usually reasonably simple compared to a wintering barn. When considering return on investment, in addition to preserving pasture and increasing feed utilisation, a feed pad can also extend the number of days in milk, Baz says. “It’s a lot easier, without redoing your whole farming practice. It slots into anyone’s system and you get the benefits on the shoulders of the seasons.” “We’ve got a pad that’s rubber matted and on the end of it we’ve got bark chip and every single night all of those cows will lie on the bark chip, so the cow comfort is awesome.” Along with the interest in feed pads, some farmers are having silage bunkers built, while others are considering digging even deeper into their pockets. “We’ve actually had a bit of a swing again; we’ve got farmers enquiring about dairy sheds again now. I think that’s probably payout related and a few farms have changed hands in the last 12 months. “I think Southland’s ticking along quite nicely at the moment.” READY MIX CONCRETE - GRAVEL WINTON HEAD OFFICE P.O. BOX 34, Winton Phone: (03) 236 6580 e: office@mcgregorconcreteltd.co.nz www.mcgregorconcreteltd.co.nz Te Anau: (03) 249 7051 Lumsden: (03) 236 6580 Cell: 027 430 1012 Email: admin@mcgregorconcrete.co.nz Free phone 0800 225 850 • Phone plant 03 225 8503 MCGREGORS ReadyMix Concrete &Gravel WINTON Phone 0800 484 622 • Email: sales@southbuild.co.nz
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