40 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Peter and Robyn Askey Peter and Robyn aiming to lift production Russell Fredric Peter and Robyn now own the business through a company, a structure chosen partly for succession planning, while two younger employees are becoming more involved in day-to-day management. Proudly supporting Peter and Robyn Askey Stainless steel – fabrication and welding Design Supply Install Steve King 027 4095 0054 Will King 027 615 7922 Robbie Hall 027 807 1312 Milking & water systems specialists since 1988 Main Street, Edgecumbe Ph 07 304 9640 anytime King Farm Services Ltd * Ef uent & irrigation * Feed systems * Frost protection * Animal health * Detergent * Rubberware & Consumable * Trenching service Milk quality has received greater attention too, with a new milk chiller compensating for warm bore water, while in-cup mastitis detectors and tighter teat-spray and plant-check procedures are helping reduce somatic cell counts. At 65, Robyn wants to retain an interest in the With about 280 cows on 90 hectares of milking platform, Peter and Robyn Askey are aiming to lift production while reshaping how their farm is run. The family farm on the Rangitaiki Plains comprises a 90 hectares milking platform, with about 11ha owned mainly for wintering and young stock. Several adjacent properties have been acquired over the years. Peter and Robyn now own the business through a company, a structure chosen partly for succession planning, while two younger employees are becoming more involved in day-to-day management. The 24-a-side herringbone shed has an in-shed Buster Cover feed system, with pasture supported by maize and grass silage. About eight hectares of lease blocks are used for maize, while grass silage is made from the runoffs, and feed is generally allocated in the paddock rather than through a feed pad. Production was at a low of 70,000 – 80,000kgMS following two or three very wet seasons, down from about 100,000kgMS budgeted. The aim is now 110,000kgMS, with production per cow targeted to increase from about 400kgMS/cow to 450kgMS/cow. Achieving this requires improving pasture and stock condition while making better use of supplements; this season the farm has about 1.5 tonnes of supplements per cow available. Feed planning has become more structured as Robyn looks to reduce her day-to-day workload. Private dairy consultant Tonya Greig meets with the farm team monthly, providing the feed plan and helping staff work through feed allocations and quantities per cow. “We’re trying to be a bit more thorough on following the feed plans and feed allocation.” That approach is being shared with the two younger staff, who are learning pasture and feed allocation and taking on more responsibility for calf rearing. Maize is limited to about 2kg per cow per feed to avoid wastage, while the in-shed ration includes palm kernel, soy hull, maize and DDG, at about 1kg per cow per milking. Seales Winslow is another established part of the feed system, supplying the meal and calf pellets and working with Robyn and the consultant to work out the meal mix and put it together. Calcium, magnesium and salt are added, with zinc included during summer. “They help work out the mix and, with the consultant, to get it together. We’re trying to get a cost-effective mix, but it’s a good mix.” Pasture management includes nitrogen being applied about every two months and ProGibb recently used over 30 – 40ha to boost grass growth heading into spring. Dry and sandy areas on recently purchased parts of the farm are useful for wintering early-calving cows and heifers, reducing the cost and time involved in sending stock away to run-off blocks. farm while stepping back from some of its daily demands. The younger staff are being trained to take greater responsibility, while Peter – who works off farm as an environmental engineer – is considering moving towards part-time work or retirement. The next step is to produce more from fewer cows, with stocking rate and per-cow production under review while the farm keeps its budget in check. “I still want to retain and run the farm, but I’m not doing quite so much. I still help out on weekends.”
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