| 7 nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Cameron Dairy Farms Dairy industry is so full of opportunity Rosa Watson For Bay of Plenty dairy farmer Lindsay WIlliams, the sky is the limit within the industry. He was named runner-up in the dairy manager category at this year’s Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards, and received two merit awards in people and leadership and in management. It follows a third placing in the same category in 2023. Entering the awards was a great way to get ahead in the industry and get your name out there, he told NZ Dairy. “I definitely want to up myself in the industry and get as far as I can. “I want to be the best manager out there so if can do anything to help myself, the dairy industry awards are a way to get your name out there.” It encouraged him to challenge himself and increased his general industry knowledge, gaining a better understanding of the farm and different farming systems. It was also great recognition to receive. “It makes you feel appreciated for all your hard work.” Lindsay manages a Cameron Dairy Farms property – a 118ha property on the coast near Te Puke that is owned by Cameron Group where he milks 340 Friesian cows. It is his fourth season on the property, with one fulltime staff member supporting him who has been with him for three seasons. “He was looking for a farming job and we just so happened to be looking for a farm worker.” There is also a full-time calf rearer, which he said was a game-changer. Lindsay said he enjoyed the wide variety of work the property offered, with dry stock, orchards and a quarry. Each day offered something different, whether it was milking, fencing, feeding out, tractor driving or drenching. “It’s a huge operation. There’s lots to do here.” It was also a spectacular location to live. “It’s a paradise here.” The operation was well set-up, with technology assisting with everyday decisions. CowManager monitoring tags, that monitor fertility, health and nutrition, have helped develop strategies to keep cows at their best condition and assisted in making feed decisions. “We have implemented a system change last season and went OAD full season. Andre and Natalie Meier, Jess (calf rearer), MacKenzie in the middle (Andre and Natalie’s eldest daughter). Lindsay (assistant manager), Jamie (herd manager) and Sarah (farm assistant). 027 312 5082 or 07 307 0704 ⌂ 11 Te Tahi St, Whakatane o ce@milkingandwater.co.nz The benefits to the herd and my lifestyle have been amazing “The cow manager tags have been a crucial part of the system change, monitoring their health, heats and nutrition, making sure that the cows are ruminating well when they are dry. It has helped with the in-calf rates also, and can provide a temperature reading the know when they are on heat. “There’s certain features that come up on the app (such as) it tells you when will be the best time to inseminate a cow. “You just flick into the app and you know what’s going on.” As a result, the in-calf rate has increased from a 55 percent six-week in-calf rate to a 67 per cent in-calf rate. MT rates had reduced from 28 percent to 13 per cent with no intervention, he said. Lindsay started out in the industry in 2012 after losing his job in the timber industry and picked up work on a farm straight away. Two years later he was a senior herd manager and had completed his level 2 studies and was starting on Level 3. He was eventually appointed assistant farm manager before taking his current role with Cameron Dairy Farms. Visit our website WWW.JCLCONTRACTING.CO.NZ Your agricultural contractor in the greater Bay of Plenty Services Grass silage • Cultivation Maize silage • Earthworks • Feed supplement Get in touch P: 07 533 1828 | M: 021 244 9481 office@jclcontracting.co.nz Proudly supporting Cameron Dairy Farms
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