22 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Melrose Dairy Ltd: David & Lynley Ecclestone Nitrogen use a focus on large unit Sue Russell David and Lynley Ecclestone and their family live on one of three farms (Melrose Dairy Ltd) owned by Mark and Devon Slee, at Ealing in Mid Canterbury. The dairy farms extend over 890ha (823ha effective) while two support blocks add an additional 311ha (300ha effective). All three farms have managers overseeing the day to day while the support blocks also has a manager. Completing the management team is a maintenance manager. David & Lynley became contract milkers six years ago. The business is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when owners and staff alike have a real sense of investment on the extensive properties. “Each dairy unit is run as a separate farm. Milk is produced through two 60-bail rotary sheds and one 50-bail and each farm has 950 cows, so it’s a very substantial overall operation,” David explains. He is hoping to achieve 475kgMS/cow this season. The farms sit on at Lismore and Balmoral soils and time, energy and nancial resources have been continuously applied to improve farm management systems and infrastructure. “It’s all about greater resource use ef ciency.” Water is supplied from the May eld Hinds Irrigation Scheme. All water users of this scheme must have an up to date Farm Environment Plan, with consent given by the Environment Canterbury. The herd is very much a cross-bred mix and David says the aim is to get a fully cross-bred her. “I think at the moment we are in the top 10% of the country for our herd BW. Mark’s been working on herd improvement for 25 years now and both he and Devon are excellent farmers and stewards of the land.” Along with David, four other staff work on the farm he contract milks. This is David’s last season on the farm, deciding to shift to Ashburton with Lynley and their four children. “I’m not sure at this stage what I am going to do, but we feel this is the right time to make a change and with the children getting older, have a bit more time with them.” Nitrogen use has been a focus on all the farms, with the overall aim of reducing nitrogen levels in the soil and through to the ground water. Extensive pasture testing every year is providing important evidence of where various soil minerals are deposited. Last season was the rst time a conscious decision to lower nitrogen application was made. • to page 23 “It’s been quite a signi cant drop and we’ve started to see a bit of a difference in the grass and grass growth as a result. Adding other nutrients into the soil to compensate is what we’re working on at the moment.” Asked what his day to day reality looks like David says there is always plenty to do, including maintaining irrigation, pasture management and weed control. “Moving the dry cows around to eat grass the milkers don’t eat, such as in the laneways. Maintenance is a big one. We believe in keeping things going instead of having break downs so this is always a priority. Teaching the team is also really important as the “It’s been quite a signi cant drop (in nitrogen application) and we’ve started to see a bit of a difference in the grass and grass growth as a result. Adding other nutrients into the soil to compensate is what we’re working on at the moment.” Melrose Farm team is only as good as its weakest link so we are always looking to upskill people,” David explains. Mid-Canterbury contract milkers David and Lynley Ecclestone. IRRIGATE WITH CONFIDENCE · IRRIGATION SYSTEMS · REMOTE MANAGEMENT · PRECISION VRI
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