70 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Kuljeet Singh The operation is grass-based, and the cows only feed on grain and silage over the shoulders of the season. Maximising per-cow performance is key Kim Bowden Kuljeet Singh is combining business nous with hands-on farming expertise as manager of Penbridge Farm, a 725-cow operation 15 minutes from Ashburton. Now in his second season managing the property for owners James and Lynley Proctor, Kuljeet is focused on maximising per-cow performance as he works towards a 50:50 sharemilking partnership. Kuljeet’s journey began on a small cropping farm in Hassanpur, Kurukshetra, India, where his family worked to produce rice and wheat on 10 hectares. He came to New Zealand to study business, quickly realising the dairy sector offered a pathway where he could put both his practical upbringing and strategic thinking to use. With 12 years in dairy under his belt, including several seasons managing a smaller 400-cow farm, Kuljeet now leads three full-time staff on the 235-hectare Pembridge Dairies, producing 320,000 kilograms of milk solids a year from a herd of 100 percent Holstein Friesian cows. Irrigation is handled by four roto-rainers, and the 50-bail DeLaval shed includes automatic cup removal for efficiency. The operation is grass-based, and the cows only feed on grain and silage over the shoulders of the season. During the winter dry-off period, around 200 cows remain on the home farm while the rest are grazed on a neighbouring property. “Soil management is one of our biggest challenges,” Kuljeet says. Despite the relatively low rainfall – 700 millimetres annually - the crew plan ahead and keep an eye on the weather. They make use of “sacrifice paddocks” when there’s heavy rain in the forecast, Kuljeet says. “Last time we had 100 millimetres of rain, we knew it was coming, so we moved the cows onto the sacrifice paddocks and opened up extra silage. We plan to re-grass those paddocks next season anyway, so it works well.” The farm layout also helps protect pasture in wet conditions. • Baled & Fine Chop Silage • Loader Wagon Silage • Straw Baling • Silage & Straw Trading • Maize Planting & Harvesting • Transport Jake Garrett 027 432 4031 Logan Wall 022 140 6059 Andrew Harris 027 318 9798 andrew@harriscontracting.co.nz 0800 222 203 www.mainfert.co.nz Mainfert, Turning knowledge into action to build stronger farms Proud to support Kuljeet Singh with better nutrient solutions at Penbridge Farm SHED CHEMICAL, TEAT SPRAY &MINERALS
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