34 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Ben and Anne Marie Bosch Opportunities for business growth a focus The compost bedding is warm, sitting at around 40 degrees. Water receding after a flooding event. Eli (1), loving the outdoors. Sophie (5), having a cuddle with one of the friendly cows. Karen Phelps Ben and Anne Marie Bosch are continuing to grow their farming business. They have a contract milking position for Gerard and Meredith Vollebregt in South Wairarapa on a 650cow farm and also own a 50% share in a 75ha farm milking 250 cows in Kahutara nearby with Ben’s brother Eddie and his wife Janine. Ben works with the manager of this farm while Eddie takes care of the run-off and looking after the young stock. There is also a leased 120ha run off, which, aside from supporting their farm, is used for contract winter grazing and growing surplus supplement to sell along with raising around 40 dairy beef cattle to finish each year. “We will keep looking for other opportunities to grow our business,” says Ben. Ben grew up on a dairy farm in Carterton and has progressed his entire career in the region. He and Anne Marie are in their fifth season on the Vollebregt’s 180ha effective farm, milking the Kiwicross and Friesian herd through a 48 bail internal rotary with automatic cup removers, Protrack and automatic drafting. The farm has a 150ha run off next door used for silage, young stock and wintering. The farm target is 275-280,000kgsMS. The Vollebregt’s farm has undergone a number of changes under the Bosch’s watch. An additional 30ha has recently been added to the run off, which they are working to incorporate into the business and a centre pivot was installed to replace k-line and a big gun irrigator a couple of years ago. Ben says this has resulted in better water efficiency and quicker return intervals. For example the same paddock can be irrigated within 48 hours compared with 12-14 days before with the gun irrigation system. The pivot also allows a smaller dosage of water to be put on over a larger area, so water is staying in the root zone rather than draining out the bottom below where the plant roots cannot access it. Another big change has been two herd homes finished around 18 months ago. Each can winter 120 dry cows inside 24/7 or feed 500 cows as a feed pad situation, which eliminates the need to feed out in the paddock when wet. This is important as the farm floods at least once a year due to overflow from the Ruamahanga River covering two thirds of the farm each time. Recently there were three floods in 18 months, which knocked production as each event shuts the only road into the farm for 24 hours and it can take up to a week for the farm to completely dry out. “We do get warning the river might flood though so we can prepare,” says Ben. “The floodway relieves the pressure from the river and comes through a few different farms before pooling on our farm.” The herd homes, which have compost bedding consisting of sawdust, have proved invaluable for preventing pugging and feeding out and reducing feed usage and wastage by keeping cows warm and dry. It can be used at key times of the year for calving and putting the dry cows in there 24/7 in June and July to reduce cows wintered at the runoff. A high empty rate has been reduced by identifying that the high levels of iron in the water were partly to blame meaning supplementation with copper has proved vital. This has seen empty rates drop from 18% three years ago to 12% in Leanne Southey BBS, FCA Becks Scho�ield BBS, FCA Contact us for a no obligation chat about how we canhelp you today. www.sosa.co.nz E: ca@sosa.co.nz P: 06 3700811 Masterton 5810 110 Dixon Street We can assist you with all your accounting,tax and business needs Proud to support Ben & Anne-Marie Bosch SPREADING FERTILISER AND LIME ACROSS FARMS IN THE SOUTH WAIRARAPA TABULA ENABLED Jason: 0274446285 Email: jnjbrooksspreading@xtra.co.nz SPREADING Ltd J&J Brooks Kahutara the last two consecutive seasons, even with a 10 week mating length. The six week in calf rate has increased from 69% to hovering around the 80% mark, which Ben says is pleasing. “There is no silver bullet to mating so we will keep monitoring this,” says Ben. The farm employs two full time workers and is looking at employing a casual calf rearer this season as Anne Marie, who normally helps on the farm, is expecting their fourth child in September. They are also parents to Sophie, 5, Tessa, 3 and Eli, 1 meaning busy times ahead. AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTOR We o er the following services: Cultivation • Drilling • Hay • Balage • Harvesting Trenching • Diggers • Dump Trailers • Bulldozing Call Tim Linton 027 557 7008 valley2019@gmail.com BREAKDOWNS DIAGNOSTIC & TECHNICAL SUPPORT REPAIRS & MAINTENENCE 027 742 7384 gareth@vandiesel.co.nz www.vandiesel.co.nz Specializing in heavy diesel for the agricultural community, we look after any farm machinery - tractors, balers, combines, grape harvesters, implements etc. We service the Wairarapa region as well as the Wellington and Tararua areas. Talk to us.
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