| 25 nzdairy Best spring in 15 years for Kylie Evans Kelly Deeks DAIRY PEOPLE » Josh Sneddon / Kylie Evans Fourth generation dairy farmer Kylie Evans and partner Fran Walker are having a great season like most on the Hauraki Plains, with the right amount of rain at the right times and not too much muggy heat, as well as doing a couple of things differently on farm. “Near perfect weather conditions have made this the best spring I’ve ever had on the Plains in the 15 years I’ve been farming here,” Kylie says. “One thing we are doing here, that I think all farmers should consider, is we’re using sexed semen for mating. I can’t speak highly enough of it. Yes, it is double the price but when you’re passionate about improving your herd and getting a heifer replacement from your best cows, to me, its worth it. Because heifers are guaranteed, we’re able to put our lower producing cows to beef semen and get a better price for beef feeder calves. The beef sales have been strong this year, so it has really been a win-win.” Tahau aims to breed cows that can go into any herd and produce the same. “Near perfect weather conditions have made this the best spring I’ve ever had on the Plains in the 15 years I’ve been farming here.” - Kylie Evans She says some farmers are reluctant to try sexed semen based on concerns their conception rates could drop. Kylie says the reverse has been true on her farm. “Last year our conception rate for sexed semen was 70%, well above our target of 60%, and above the rate of our non-sexed straws. I can only recommend using fresh straws rather than frozen, which are delivered daily to our on-farm bank.” Kylie carefully selects which cows will get the sexed straws. “They must meet a certain criteria. I am conscious of the extra cost and want to give each cow the best possible chance of holding. They must be high producing, with good capacity and udder traits. Less than eight years of age and have already had at least one pre-mating heat.” Kylie and Fran are also milking their first-time calvers once-a-day. “I struggle to grow my heifers out to target weight at our run off, which is hill country. Milking these once a day is a good compromise we have adopted, taking the pressure off not only the stock but the people as well.” • from page 24 “We’re getting good results and we’re really happy with the way our breeding is going.” It has been a great season near Tokoroa with the right amount of rain at the right time. Josh and Kareena’s niece Aimee Harmer has recently joined the Tahau Jersey team since the couple lost their previous staff member to a job in the South Island. “I get them in, train them up, and send them on to advance their careers,” Josh says. Aimee is becoming a real animal lover and is now working towards her New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture Level 3. As an experienced, reliable local electrician Brett Harris Electrical (2016) Ltd is skilled in electrical installations and repair services for dairy sheds as well as other commercial plants. Phone: 07 867 5196 Cell: 027 270 2804 Email: bhelectrical2016@gmail.com ELECTRICAL Brett Harris (2016) Ltd Servicing the Hauraki Plains area. Having been a farmer on the Hauraki Plains for many years and as the Federated Farmers HaurakiCoromandel Sharemilkers’ Section Chair, Kylie has close connections with other local farmers and finds the information flowing out of Dairy NZ discussion groups highly valuable for herself and other farmers. The P3 Dairy Trust in particular is focused on improving profitability for farmers working the harsh environment of the Plains and runs some very informative field days. “We’ve got very challenging soil here. It gets really wet through winter and can be very hard to manage, then in what feels like the blink of an eye, it gets dry, cracks open, and loads of crickets leap out to eat all the grass. It’s pretty extreme.” Dairy NZ discussion groups are immensely helpful for picking up tips and helping everyone to do a bit better. “We can learn from each other’s mistakes, and our successes as well. That’s one of the great things about farming; we are not competing against each other. We can talk amongst ourselves and help each other to do better.” Ready for peace of mind with a reliable effluent system? Contact us today for a customized solution to fit your farm's needs. Proud Supporters of Kylie, Fran and the Evans Family. Farm Effluent Equipment | Installation Full System Design | Service 0800 4 EFFLUENT www.williamsirrigation.com
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