24 | nzdairy Not interested in Hugh de Lacy “We’re not interested in running anonymous crossbred cows numbered one to 500. With the studs we pretty well know every cow – who’s out of who and how they and their relatives are doing. Each cow is an individual, and we enjoy the process of selecting bulls for mating, mostly from overseas, then seeing how the progeny turn out.” DAIRY PEOPLE» Bruce Eade An Eade family connection to Scotland partly explains the presence of Ayrshires in the Fairleigh Stud’s herd of 550 pedigree cows that also includes both Holstein and Jersey studs. Ken Eade bought his first Ayrshires in 1965 at the age of 15, and after getting married in 1973 began milking 150-180 of them on his father’s farm at Tisbury, between Invercargill and Bluff in Southland. Ken’s wife Nancy was herself from Scotland, and they continued farming the Scottish breed at Tisbury until they bought the current farm in West Otago, 20km north of Gore, in 1995. Originally just over 200ha, the new farm was a big jump in land area and there weren’t enough Ayrshires around to meet its 300-cow capacity so they got the numbers up by buying recorded Holsteins, then adding a Jersey stud about 10 years ago. They boosted the size of the farm by acquiring the neighbours’ 80ha in 2007, and in 2019 a further 118ha over the road, which they use for dry stock. Today they farm in partnership with their son Bruce Eade and wife Tanya. The current 550 milkers comprise about 50% Holsteins and 10% Jerseys, with the rest the beloved Ayrshires that Bruce Eade says are “first and foremost” among the trio of Fairleigh studs. “We’re not interested in running anonymous crossbred cows numbered one to 500,” Bruce says. “With the studs we pretty well know every cow – who’s out of who and how they and their relatives are doing. Photos: Family favourite Fairleigh Gold Favor, aka Chubbs (top) at 18 years old. Fairleigh Jasmine TT was champion Jersey at the 2020 Gore A & P Show “Each cow is an individual, and we enjoy the process of selecting bulls for mating, mostly from overseas, then seeing how the progeny turn out.” The herd is split for mating, 100-120 in autumn and the rest in spring, and milk for Fonterra is produced year-round twice-a-day in a 40-a-side herringbone shed. Production runs true to breed with the Holsteins at 550kg a year, followed by the Ayrshires at 500kg and the Jerseys at 470kg. Management is organised round a 550-cow capacity covered 145m x 38m free-stall barn on which all the milking cows are wintered, and the spring calvers calved. The free-stall barn is a win/win, Bruce Eade says, with slurry going into a 300-day capacity pond before being spread over most of the farm as conditions allow. Supplemented by two other smaller barns, close to 750 animals are wintered under cover, including 120 in-calf and 120 yearling heifers, a few odds and sods, and as many bull calves as can be raised to yearlings or 18 months – about 100 all told, sired by Limousin and Hereford bulls - and wintered on kale and fodder beet. The Eades used to have an annual on-farm sale parading heifers broken to halter – one nine-month Holstein fetched a startling $31,000 about a decade ago – but the M. Bovis outbreak put paid to that. After a couple of years without a sale, the Eades are planning an on-line one for next April. “It all adds up to us running a tight ship while minimising environmental impacts,” Bruce says. Phone Jason - 0274 392 838 | A/H 03 207 2611 › Ploughing › Discing › Power Harrows › Roller Drill › Aerating › Baling › Direct Drilling › Individual Wrapping › Tube Wrapping › Mowing CLELAND CONTRACTING 2005 Ltd Proud to support Bruce & Nancy Eade • Grassland Aerator • Soil Aerator/Cultivator • Auto Reset Aerator • Turf Aerator • Mole Plough • Dual Mole Plough • Pre-ripper • Super Ripper • Subsoilers • Super Subsoilers Tipper • Dual • Pipe Laying • Baleage Tow Hitch We Specialise in Phone/Fax: 03 207 1837 www.james-engineering.co.nz VETSOUTHARE PROUDTO SUPPORT BRUCE AND NANCY EADE BALCLUTHA | GORE | WINTON | INVERCARGILL | LUMSDEN | OTAUTAU | CLYDEVALE | TAPANUI 0800 VETSOUTH | vetsouth.co.nz STgenetics are proud to support the Fullerton family in their succesful farming business. 21/35 Illinois Drive | PO Box 86008 | Rolleston West 7658 www.stgenetics.co.nz | 0800 764 363 | admin.nz@stgen.com STgenetics New Zealand Ltd are proud to support the Eade family in their successful farming business. THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE IS TO Mystique-MGGD Redrock dam Mystique: MGGD Create It
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