NZ Dairy Winter 2021

58 | nz dairy DAIRY AWARDS » Gary Sunshine-Tervit Silver lining to injury for top manager Vicki and Shane Murphy have helped Gary Sunshine-Tervit (right) progress through into a contract milking position on their South Hillend property this season. Dianna Malcolm T he serious head injury that reshaped Gary Sunshine-Tervit’s career in the dairy industry – in the end – put him on a path to higher equity using a management system he may have never considered before his accident. The 2021 Southland/Otago Dairy Manager of the Year had significant press after the award was an- nounced, acknowledging his fightback back from a 15-metre fall from his trail bike after its suspension failed. It left him with frontal lobe damage, and still affects his short-term memory and fatigue levels. However, the injury also formed the anchor for the next chapter of his life. For the last two seasons Gary has managed the 750-cow herd of Shane and Vicki Murphy, a 270ha effective dairy platform at South Hillend. This season he steps up to contract milking with the couple, who have been unafraid to do things differently. Shane and Vicki work with MilkMaP’s senior farm business consultant Conal Harkin. MilkMaP focusses on ‘Milk, ‘Management’, and ‘Profitability’, by analysing the cost structure of the business – and the impact of any proposed feeding/ stocking rate changes. Gary initially found MilkMaP’s “Grazing120” philosophy confronting. The aim is to offer 120% of daily pasture allocation where the paddock size al- lows for it. The fresh paddock is deliberately opened up on the evening feed (to protect the herd from overnight feed shortfalls). No electric fences There are no electric fences to shift, because the Murphys give each of their three herds the entire paddock – with the goal of leaving it with residuals of between 1650 and 1800 kgDM/ha. The herds return to those paddocks after the morning milking, and staff check them around 10-10.30am to assess how much feed is available. If necessary, the cows are then moved. Gary noted that given the paddock sizes and that they run three herds, in most cases they get near to 24-hour graz- ing in each paddock. “When Shane and Vicki first told me about the Grazing120, I thought it was a bit strange,” Gary said. “I’d had 14 years of shifting fences, and I couldn’t see how it could work. But after two years of doing it, I’d never go back to shifting fences again. “It’s definitely a much better way to manage cows for production and contentment. “It’s also less stress on the cows, and it’s great to see them fully fed. You’ll go there at 10.30am in the morning, and you walk amongst them and they do nothing at all. You’ve got to go and actually get them up to make them go anywhere, because they’re so relaxed.” He said MilkMaP’s advice in the lead-up to calv- ing, including fresh cow management had also had a major impact on the herd’s production – contrib- uting to an average production of 550kg Milk Solids per cow. It is achieved on a low-input feed system, with a daily per cow proposed ration of 18-20kgDM pasture,and 2kg grain mixfed in-shed. “MilkMaP has definitely helped me manage the cows differently than I had in the past,” Gary said. “It’s also helped put me on the path towards contract milking.” Another empowering tool for the operation has been CowManager. Based on ear tags, the software gives accurate and real-time information on every cow’s fertility, health and nutrition. With phone alerts, and access to every cow’s temperature, activity, rumination, eating, and resting times the whole team is never far from the cows. Shane says, “Ultimately, everybody just wants the best for the farm, the cows and our team.” Gary says his accident has also made him a more engaged manager. “Before the accident I was just like my Dad. We would have 10 things to do today and we’d be out there until we finished. No matter what time it was. When I got injured, I physically couldn’t do it anymore. “So now, if I’m starting to get tired, I take it as a warning sign that things should slow down a bit. “I deliberately run our cow-to-staff ratio at four instead of three, so we have good cover in the busy seasonal times … like calving. We find it eases the pressure when any of our team take their four-week leave entitlements – rather than relying on relief staff.” Gary says while his world today is different, it’s not all bad. “Farm ownership for people like me now – while not out of the question – is significantly harder than it was 15 years ago,” Gary said. Shane, Vicki and MilkMaP have helped me man- age the cows differently, and this contract milking opportunity represents stability for me and my fam- ily – in addition to progression and wealth creation.” “When Shane and Vicki first told me about the Grazing120, I thought it was a bit strange. I’d had 14 years of shifting fences, and I couldn’t see how it could work. But after two years of doing it, I’d never go back to shifting fences again.” HERDHOMESNZ LTD +64 21 573 052 info@herdhomes.co.nz www.herdhomes.co.nz Herd Home Shelters. Awintering alternative. WarmDry Cows. E luent captured