56 | nzdairy All part of a strategic plan for Ethan & Sarah Ethan and Sarah Koch. Their staff member Rita Jeffrey receiving NZ Dairy Trainee of the Year Award. Hauraki Plains dairy farmers Ethan and Sarah Koch have approached their farming business with a clear sense of purpose, understanding that planning and hard-work are the way to reach their business goal of realising ownership of their own farm. Sarah is a former High School teacher and set aside all her salary for three years in order for the couple to buy their herd. Ethan also contributed some of his wages to the savings goal. This was all part of the strategic plan that had specific well-informed steps to see them gain equity year on year. Asked how the farm has been progressing these past two years, since NZ Dairy last spoke with them, Sarah says they have had to adapt some farm management systems to cope with less certain weather patterns impacting what they grow. Following on from there previous two extremely dry summers we have increased the hectares of chicory grown on farm. Ironically, this summer we have had wet conditions through summer and autumn so the chicory crop was average. Across the platform 18 ha’s of maize is also grown with a view to attaining the goal of becoming less dependent on imported feed. The farm is located on the edge of the Hauraki Plains and has a roughly one-third equal mix of silt, peat and clay. Depending on the weather pasture can react differently given this variation. “All these soil types have different pros and cons. When it gets really really dry the peat takes a long time to come back. Our soil is very fertile. The last couple of years we’ve grown grass all winter long because the soil temperature has been higher,” says Sarah. These past two years Sarah says maintaining ideal cow condition has been a struggle at times. “We dried half the herd off in early May and the balance mid May.” This season, however, half the herd was dried off at this time while the balance continued to be milked until mid May. Calving is set to get underway 10th July with an 11 week window. Sarah says the plan has been to breed a smaller framed Friesian. “We have our own Hereford stud that we breed to go over our heifers and to tail the herd after 5 weeks of AI. Working towards a completely closed herd. We purchase top-up bulls from Mahuta stud who also breed herefords specifically for easy calving.” Heifers replacements are bred from nomination Sue Russell DAIRY PEOPLE » Ethan & Sarah Koch
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