NZ Dairy Summer 2020

56 | nz dairy Did you know we can set up permanent and temporary exclusion zones for your pivots? This allows you to stop the application of water, fertigation and effluent over tracks, waterways and non productive land. We control each nozzle independently to allow precise control on the exclusion areas. ON FARM » Rob & Janet Mangin 10x4 laser electrical (mangin dairies) • from page 54 but they have added native trees in wetter spots where feasible. “All the little things add up.” Rob started off on a cropping farm in Methven some 30 years ago before switching to working on a dairy farm at Lyndhurst for three seasons, where Janet was then working as a teacher. As a young married couple, they went sharemilk- ing just north of the Rakaia River and, in their first five years sharemilked 500 cows. At their next job in Hinds they grew their herd to 900 cows over five seasons. This then enabled them to buy their dairy farm at Laghmor, southwest of Ashburton, in May 2001. After seven years, they added 70 hectares to the original 130ha platform. Last season was their best yet on farm from a production perspective, reaching just over 302,000kgMS. “We’d never got over 300,000kgMS before so that was brilliant,” says Rob, who credits the stellar result to the right weather conditions along with milking more cows through autumn than usual due to the COVID-19 situation, (with the only negative being more pressure on feed in late autumn/early winter). Around 15ha of fodder beet is grown on farm, also feeding into the positive production equation. This season is tracking well too with calving going without a hitch, and calf and cow health extremely good. Alongside their busy farming life, the couple have raised two daughters and a son, now all in their 20s and pursuing their own careers. Retirement is “getting closer” with an assis- tant manager now looking after the farm’s day to day chores. The couple still enjoy being actively involved.“I’m always out fixing things and keeping the supplies coming and I really like training the young ones up – it gives me a buzz to see them ripping into it!” ‘All the little things add up’ on Mid-Canterbury farm Wet areas beside the laneway are planted in natives on the Mangin farm.