102 | nzdairy ON FARM » Schouten Dairies Relationship with CFS key for large farm business Richard Loader Arjen and Amy Schouten operate two high input/high production dairy farms in West Eyreton, in North Canterbury’s Waimakariri District. Operating as Schouten Dairies, the business encompasses a 300 hectare/1150 cow farm, and a 170 hectare/700 cow farm, along with four supporting run-offs, one of which is leased. “Collectively we have a thousand hectares,”says Arjen. “We use the run-offs to grow our own barley, silage, and maize silage. They’re home to the young stock and we winter the cows there. Apart from buying in some molasses, soy, and DDG, the farming operation is all within our own control. “Each dairy farm has its own feedpad, which ensures the cows are getting what they need, and automatically gives you an increase in production. The cows are all Friesians, and have the capacity to eat more and therefore produce more milk, and with a system 5 that works very well.” Last season, between the two dairy units, Schouten Dairies produced over a million milk solids, with each dairy unit having its own fully automated rotary DeLaval shed, installed and serviced by Canterbury Farm Services. The Schouten’s relationship with Canterbury Farm Services goes back to Arjen’s parents’ days, when the original 300-hectare farm was converted to dairy in the early 2000s. “So, the relationship goes back a long way. Amy and I took over the farm in 2010, and converted the second farm in 2017/18. We didn’t even get a quote from anyone else to put the dairy shed in. Canterbury Farm Services delivered it well and they provide a really good back-up service. They’re good at what they do, passionate about the work and look after the customer. “They’re also very good at scheduling maintenance services. Francois calls me to say we have maintenance coming up, are you happy for us to carry on, and I just say do it. With our higher per-cow production I cannot afford not to have a decent milking. Every milking is important and I need the shed to work. They work in with us so that they’re finished in time for the afternoon milk. Not a lot fails in the shed, but there has been the occasion when something has failed and Canterbury Farm Services have dropped whatever they’re doing to come out.” Having grown up with dairy farming, both in the Netherlands and New Zealand, Arjen says he cannot imagine doing anything else. “It’s what we have done since we could walk. My parents were dairy farming in Holland and could see my brother and I wanting to be farmers, but we could never do in Holland, what we are doing here. The farms are too small, too expensive. So, in 2000 the family immigrated to New Zealand. My brother has two farms next to ours.” Arjen and Amy have two children aged 10 and 12, who are starting to get more involved on the farm. Arjen says that while the discussion around the kitchen table is always about farming, the farming interest he had growing up in Holland is different to his children’s interest. “We have a big dairy farm here with tractors, motorbikes and machinery racing around and even the milking is different because you can’t take your time and hold everyone up. “Back at home, when I was taught to milk, I went with Dad and he was the only person there and it didn’t matter if you were half an hour late. So, teaching the kids is harder, and I haven’t found the right way of going about it yet. “So yes, they are keen, but they are not in the shed every day helping Dad, because I am not there everyday anymore either.” Schouten Dairies encompasses a 300 hectare/1150 cow farm, a 170 hectare/700 cow farm and four supporting run-offs. Gilchrist Brothers Ltd Proudly supporting Schouten Dairies Proud to support Schouten Dairies FRASER GRAIN & SEED LTD Alan Fraser - P.O. Box 220, Rangiora | Ph: 03 313 8093 | Mob 027 432 9273 Building relationships with the farming community in North Canterbury for decades! www.rangioravetcentre.co.nz We’re proud to be working alongside Amy, Arjen and the team at Schouten Diaries. We greatly admire their commitment to the care and welfare of their animals.
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