| 9 nzdairy “It’s only been one year and I’ve probably got more pleasure out of seeing that wetland attract all the wildlife than from any other part.” DAIRY PEOPLE » Andy and Debi Whitehead Bradley and Andy discuss the positive start to the season. ownership just as he had. Seeing Bradley’s farm managing decision’s already paying off as the herd’s somatic cell count more than halves, with a submission rate as high as 90% in three weeks, and milk production continuing to rise, Andy’s confident that he’s ready to start that journey. Right up there with the joy of farm ownership for Andy and Debbie is the satisfaction they take in having created a wetland out of half a hectare of a paddock where many years before the Oaonui River used to flow. Helped with partial funding from Fish and Game Taranaki they recontoured the area with a digger to ensure it would withstand the drier summers, and they’re already being rewarded with numbers of royal spoonbills, pied stilts, cattle egrets, cormorants and a variety of native ducks, explains Andy. “I’ve been farming nearly 40 years and I’ve seen the loss of habitat on dairy farms, especially on the coastal plain, as it gets drained and turned into pasture. So when we saw the wildlife haven created by the flood back in 2023 we wanted to make it permanent. It’s only been in for one year and I’ve probably got more pleasure out of seeing that wetland attract all the wildlife than from any other part of my farming journey. “
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=