12 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Chris and Steve Blyde Higher input system pays off for Blyde family Anne Boswell For the Blyde family of Lepperton, a move to a higher input system four seasons ago has reshaped both their farming operation and their future. Chris Blyde, alongside his wife Anne-Marie, is in an equity partnership with his parents, Steve and Cherry, who have farmed the North Taranaki property since 1990. While Chris now makes around 90% of the day-to-day decisions, Steve remains actively involved, bringing experience and continuity to the business. Peak milking 270 cows on an 80ha effective milking platform, the Blydes operate a split calving system, with around 80 cows calving in autumn and 180 in spring. Alongside this, they have a 50/50 sharemilking operation run by a contract milker, with empty cows returning to the home farm over winter. Around 120 cows are winter milked, before final culling decisions are made ahead of August calving. Replacement heifers are mated at 18 months old rather than 12 months old, in order to put a bigger, stronger, more mature animal up for mating. The shift to a higher input system was driven by both necessity and passion. Chris, who previously worked in contract and 50/50 sharemilking roles, saw an opportunity to return to the home farm when his parents wanted to start stepping back - but the farm in its original form was too small to support two families. Chris saw an opportunity to revamp the operation to a higher-input system that would enable the farm to support the two families, but in order to make this happen, the property needed the correct infrastructure. That challenge led to the construction of a 64x45m composting barn, which is now in its fourth Peak milking 270 cows on an 80ha effective milking platform, the Blydes operate a split calving system. PROFESSIONAL EARTHMOVING CONTRACTORS Denis - 021 397 399 • denis@deniswheeler.co.nz Brett - 027 384 0620 • brett@deniswheeler.co.nz Office - 06 759 9919 • admin@deniswheeler.co.nz Depot - 87 Corbett Rd, Bell Block, New Plymouth · Excavators - 25T, 14T, 13T, 8T, 5T, 3.5T, 1.7T · Earthmoving · Bobcat Work · Transporting · Cartage · Land Clearing · Site Levelling · Demolition · Rock Work · Drilling · Digging Disposal · Bulldozing · Landscaping · Farm Work • Round Hay & Silage (plus sales) • Conventional Hay Baling • Fert Spreading • Hedgemulching • Hay/silage cartage • Tip Trailer Work OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE Phone Amanda: 06 752 0698 Mobile: 027469 7353 GOBLE CONTRACTING Outstanding in Your Fields www.unlimit.co.nz Proud to support Chris and Steve Blyde Is your business performing as well as it could be? We can help Learn more at
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