50 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Canlac Holdings Sustainability embraced on farm Navreet with wife Drishti and 3 months old son. Navreet with team Harold (2IC) , herd manager Klinton and farm assistants Japore, Kirby and Parvesh. Kim Newth Having just completed his first year as dairy manager with Rahi Partnership Ltd at Dunsandel, Navreet Singh is feeling confident of another good year ahead. Rahi Partnership is part of a wider dairy equity partnership group in Dunsandelthat includes award winning Canlac Holdings/Datona Ltd. Equity partners Tony Coltman and Dana Carver were the supreme winners of the 2020 Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards. The accolade recognisedtheir achievements in significantly reducing nitrate leaching and for farming sustainably across the board, as well as supporting the wellness and wellbeing of their farm teams. Rahi Partnership is an efficient sharemilking enterprise running a System 35 platform, milking out of a50-bail rotary shed. The herd of 1150 cows are predominantly grass fed with some supplements fed in-shed. Navreet, who connects regularly with Rahi Partnership’s shareholders, says he appreciates thesupport and encouragement they have given him to date. Staff well-being is a very important ongoing focus for the equity partnership that promotes a positive and balanced team culture. “Including myself, we have six staff here and we are quite an international group: we have another guy from India as well as four from the Philippines. We like to have dinner with our staff to catchup and check in on how they are. Ahead of calving, we always encourage everyone to have a break off farm too.” The work roster is 6:2, with early starts rotated to ensure everyone gets to sleeplie-in at least at least a couple of mornings every week. “No-one is in the shed for the whole day, as we rotate the milking sessions: there’s one milking in the morning but a different person milks the second herd. Also, from January we do 3 in 2 milking through to April and from then onwards most of the herd is on once-a-day. It’s about achieving a good balance so staff and herd are rested and ready for the busy calving season. We work pretty hard during calving.” Navreet comes from a crop farming background in India. When he moved to New Zealand in 2014, he decided to pursue a career in this country’s dairy sector because of the opportunities for progression that it offered. “I studied for a year in 2014/15 and then started dairy farming from June 2015. I began as a dairy assistant, working in that role for three years before taking up a job as a herd manager for a year. Then I was a 2IC for two years. Before starting here as a farm manager, I also had a season managing another farm. “My wife and I have a three-month-old baby and we are really enjoying the rural lifestyle in Canterbury. My wife is from India too but we met here. She studied agricultural science at Lincoln University and helps me with day to day farm management, as well as calf rearing.” Calving is due to get underway at Dunsandelfrom mid-July, starting with the 2yo heifers and finishing towards the end of September. Office: 03 324 2949 Mobile: 027 279 6457 Email: office@ealgroup.co.nz Website: www.ealgroup.co.nz Southbridge & Hororata BALING, STRAW & SILAGE, CARTAGE, CULTIVATION Servicing the contracting needs of farmers across Central Canterbury. Call us today to discuss your requirements • Concrete • Fertiliser Spreading - Farm Mapping - GPS Tracking - Variable Rate Spreading • Livestock Cartage • Grain Cartage • Shingle Supplies • Daily Freight Leeston: 03 3248 070 Dunsandel: 03 3254 039 reception@ellesmere.co.nz IRRIGATE WITH CONFIDENCE - IRRIGATION SYSTEMS - REMOTE MANAGEMENT - PRECISION VRI 0800 PLAINS www.plainsirrigators.co.nz
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