56 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Bryan Hayward Bryan’s passion for Ayrshires is clear Kelly Deeks In Putaruru, the Hayward family has been dedicated to dairy farming for five decades as they blend tradition with modern challenges to create their industry benchmark-setting Goldwyn Ayrshires herd. Bryan Hayward’s passion for Ayrshires began in 1987 when he purchased his first cows. Inspired by their resilience and impressive production, he transitioned from the Jersey breed run by his parents and eventually incorporated Friesians into his own herd. Today, alongside wife Lynley, his operation consists of about one-third Ayrshires and the rest Friesians. While both breeds yield impressive results, regularly testing between 600 and 630kgs milk solids per cow, Bryan remains steadfast in his belief that Ayrshires are the hardier breed. “I would love to run a full Ayrshire herd, but I’m not getting the heifers out of them,” he says. “This season, nearly 80% of our Ayrshire calves were bulls. It was bull after bull and very frustrating.” The limited availability of sexed Ayrshire semen in New Zealand has only compounded the problem. While Scandinavian Ayrshire genetics dominate the market, Bryan has found them to be lacking in stamina and udder quality. Determined to find a solution, he has turned to North American genetics, investing in sexed semen from overseas this year to improve his chances of producing heifers. Even with these hurdles, Bryan’s herd remains among the best in the country. The Goldwyn Ayrshires have once again received the prestigious Mayfield Trophy for the top milksolids herd in the 2023/24 season, an honor they have won multiple times, including in 2022/23, 2017/18, and 2006/07. Bryan’s cows continue to perform at an elite level, with standout animals like Goldwyn SV Petrina, who produced an impressive 723kgs milksolids in 305 days as a three-year-old, and Goldwyn Reality Pet, a 10-year-old producing 814kgs milksolids in 286 days. The milk factory returns for the past decade are 140,000 to 145,000kgs milksolids achieved off an 85ha milking platform. Despite his success, Hayward is reassessing the future of his farm. At 62, with a new house to pay off and rising operational costs, he is weighing two options. “We could bring in a sharemilker or reduce our herd size from 230 to around 150 cows. We’ve got a feed pad and it works brilliantly, but it requires a lot of time. I’m thinking of getting back to milking fewer cows and installing meal feeders.” The biggest concern remains fertility, as securing high-quality sexed semen continues to be a gamble. This year, Hayward has sourced semen from FT Genetics and enlisted a skilled neighbour to handle artificial insemination, hoping for better results. As a long-standing family operation, Bryan takes pride in his legacy. His operation consists of about one-third Ayrshires and the rest Friesians. He and Lynley’s son Thomas, just 15, is already involved in farm operations but has yet to decide if he will follow in his father’s footsteps. “He milks the cows and drives the tractors, but we don’t want to put any pressure on him.” While Bryan acknowledges this may be the last year his herd competes for top production honors due to a gap in cow age groups, his commitment to Ayrshires remains unwavering. Whether he downsizes or shifts strategies, his dedication to the breed and to producing high quality milk ensures that Goldwyn Ayrshires will remain a force in the dairy industry for years to come. Proudly supporting Bryan Hayward Grass & Maize Silage Harvesting Silage & Hay Baling Cultivation & Planting Maize / Precision Planting Muck & Eff luent Spreading General Cartage Urea Spreading 0272309883 Get In Touch! office@pro-ag.co.nz Proudly Supporting Bryan Hayward PHONE. 07 885 1022 EMAIL. info@grahambrown.co.nz WEBSITE. www.grahambrown.co.nz Your business. Is our business. Proud to be associated with Bryan & Lynley Hayward. Helping to grow rural business throughout New Zealand.
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