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Clinton and Heather Oliver of Blacolive Ayrshires farm their totally autumn calving herd just outside Foxton in the lower North Island. And its totally autumn calving for a reason – their proximity to the sea at only 5 kilometres means that they are farming on sandy country. They experience a dry period in summer, but the grass grows well throughout winter. The couple find it easier to feed at that time of year also as they experience little or no pugging and the cows are not cold.
For the first 4-5 years on the farm they followed a split calving system, but found that they never got a break – they were always milking. Hearing of other farms that had changed to a fully autumn calving system they did their homework first and then involved Sue Macky of Dairy Production Systems.
Farmed on 100 ha (88 ha effective) and milked through a 24 aside herringbone shed the herd is a mixture of breeds – 75 pedigree Ayrshires, 4 Milking Shorthorns, 42 Red Holsteins, 4 Brown Swiss and the balance red carrier Holstein-Friesian. Red is obviously favoured at Blacolive.
Both Heather and Clinton come from Jersey farming families, but Clinton had always liked Ayrshires even as a child. Funnily it wasn’t until he started farming Ayrshires that he discovered that his grandfather had also had some. Married almost 18 years, Clinton and Heather sharemilked for Heather’s parents near Matamata for 7 years before coming back to Clinton’s family property 10 years ago. They have two children Kelly (13) and Warwick (11), both avid calf club members.
Clinton & Heather Oliver
As the herd is totally autumn calving, when visited in July Clinton & Heather were just finishing AB. They calve on 1 April, drying off 10 – 15 February annually. As a result they have just six weeks dry. Clinton likens the cows to what happens to athletes when they take too much time off.
Using Dairy Production Systems for just over three years has seen the farm increase production. Clinton puts this down to three reasons – the use of the new feeding regime proscribed by DPS, the change to a fully autumn calving herd and the use of a mixer wagon (which is quite obviously Clinton’s pride and joy). The use of the mixer wagon alone saw a jump of 100 kg milksolids per cow as all the cows received the benefit of the full mix of supplement on the feedpad. The cows go on to the feedpad twice during the day prior to both milkings. They can return for ad-lib feed after milking, and many of the cows will do this. In addition, the heifers will come on and finish off what the cows have left during the mating season. All young stock are kept on the farm year round, and the heifers are run with the cows when they are not being mated.
The farm is owned in partnership with Clinton’s parents who also live on the farm. Clinton’s father Colin often helps out, and while the couple do not employ any additional labour, the kids help out where they can. Clinton and Heather milk together, and Colin helps with milkings in the autumn so Heather can feed the calves.
Their first Ayrshires were purchased as budget cows from the Kilbarchan stud of John & Kim Buchanan. They have bought more from this source over the years, and also purchased the autumn calving heifers when John & Kim moved to Australia.
Clinton strongly believes that growing an animal well and feeding it well is the key to good production. He aims for “as fat as they can” at calving, condition score 5.5 – 6, and usually reaches that goal. He comments that it is not hard for a cow to lose condition, but a lot harder for her to put it back on. While the Ayrshires do keep their condition better, he has not found much of a difference between breeds for calving, but again the Ayrshires are better for fertility.
Where previously he believed that genetics and using the highest BW bulls was the key to higher production, he is now not as concerned with that as with feeding his cows well. He readily admits though that the emphasis on breeding in previous years stands him in good stead and allows him to concentrate more on feeding for the time being. Good examples of the new system abound in the herd, Clinton points out at least two cows that were almost culled two years ago and that have now well and truly secured their place in the herd, such has been their improvement. Last mating season Clinton used Sanrosa Royal Phillip, Kiteroa Cream Ali and Covey Farms Restless Heart. This season he has used Lagace Modem, Woodland View Pardner, Hirvivainion Julli and Kiteroa Cream Ali.
In the 2006/07 season the herd of 183 cows produced 6167 litres milk, 253 kg fat, 224 kg protein, 477 kg milksolids in 276 days for 89,800 kg milksolids at the factory. In comparison 74 Ayrshires averaged 5972 litres milk, 247 kg fat, 217 kg protein, 464 kg milksolids in 284 days. Winter that season did not treat the farm well, and this season they are currently up 19% on the same time last year, on target to do 100,000 kg milksolids. The previous farm record is 92,500 kg milksolids from 180 cows. The aim is to reach an average of 600 kg milksolids per cow, and this season they expect to reach an average of 550 kg per cow. Having once been told that that figure is a dream without a herd of pure Holstein-Friesians he now has a point to prove! Clinton also comments that when he looks at a herd like Gordon and Shona Glentworth’s, he knows it can be done.
In the 2005/06 season the Olivers won the Certificate for total solids in Ward 6, and also the FIL Somatic Cell Count Competition for their ward. 60 pedigree Ayrshires produced 6211 litres milk, 268 kg fat, 219 kg protein (487 kg milksolids) in 287 days.
No supplements except grass silage are grown on the farm, with maize. Palm kernel, soya, some barley straw and molasses all bought in. Learning what to feed and when, also includes learning about the use of mineral supplements as necessary.
Both children show calves at school, group day and the Manawatu and Feilding shows. Autumn calving does pose a problem for the kids in choosing calves to show as Clinton no longer calves a few of the cows in spring for this purpose. In recent years instead they have purchased calves, first from the Peak View stud of Stewart & Margaret Graham at Woodville. More recently the calf selection has seen them travel further afield to the Valendale stud of Tom & Junne Johansen, Gordonton. That trip will be made again this year and Clinton and the kids will be on the lookout for calves suitable for calf club, but with the added bonus of good production behind them.
The Blacolive herd grazing
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Glenbon Ayrshires |
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A change in thinking for Mark & Robyn Bon of Glenbon Ayrshires, Mercer, has seen some major changes taking place both on the farm and in their herd. Previously breeding only for conformation, the stud was well known for its show successes, but not so well-known for production success. That is all changing.
Mark and Robyn are now starting their third season using Dairy Production Systems, and their thinking has undergone a dramatic turnaround. It has become important to Mark to learn how to feed cows properly, and to learn to recognise a healthy, well fed cow. While he believed he was already feeding the cows well, he was just not getting the production he expected. Hand in hand with feeding the cows better, Mark and Robyn have also recognised the importance of genetics and the third prong of their attack is to grow their young stock to their full potential, so there is no need for them to catch up when they calve.
The season prior to undertaking the new feeding regime, 230 cows produced 64,000 kg milksolids. In the first season that increased to 75,000, and the second saw an increase to 95,000 which included an increase in land and cows. An adjoining 22 hectares was purchased by Mark & Robyn and the number of cows increased to 270. Mark is quick to point out however that the bulk of the increase is a per cow increase. Their goal for the current season is to reach 105,000 kg milksolids, in excess of 400 kg per cow, a goal that has already been achieved with the autumn calving cows. In the 2006/07 season 270 cows averaged 4002 litres milk, 189 kg fat, 147 kg protein in 248 days. In comparison, 133 pedigree Ayrshires averaged 4530 litres milk, 197 kg fat, 160 kg protein in 262 days.
Profit margins have not increased to date, but Mark is confident that once the system is fully functional this will occur. To do this they will continue to feed palm kernel, maize silage, grass silage, straw, molasses, and of course grass. The supplementary feeds are all used strategically to maintain the required balance on the farm. As an example Mark explains that straw is fed to the cows when they are on slushy, high protein grass to balance scouring. It also gives them something to chew, which stops acidosis. The straw will float around the rumen and stimulate gut expansion – allowing the cow to consume more and process better.
Mark concedes that changing feeding regimes does mean a drop in fertility initially as cows increase production. However, this is already rectifying itself with the autumn mating cows having improved considerably this year.
At the same time as beginning to feed their cows better, Mark and Robyn also recognised that they had inferior genetics in their herd. They have since adopted methods to get rid of the poor genetic cows and increase the genetics of the herd. Along with breeding bigger framed cows, they purchased a number of cows from John Buchanan’s Kilbarchan stud that were producing over 700 kg milksolids. While still settling in, Mark comments that they are on track to do that production again.
Taking a hard line on the selection of young stock is also paying dividends. In addition, they are putting more emphasis on growing young stock to their full potential, with all stock weighed regularly in order to meet targets. Having concentrated more on conformation in the past does mean that not as much emphasis needs to be placed in this area at the moment. Mark and Robyn pay more attention to the production Breeding Values of individual bulls than Breeding Worth, so that they can concentrate on improving individual cows as necessary.
This season the calving sires include Jonnotorno, Pardner and Royal Phillip with Sakic on the show cows. This spring the autumn calving cows will be mated to Pa Hill Nigel ET and Royal Phillip and for the spring calving cows Mark and Robyn will be looking at higher proven genetics. Mark comments that they are making a concerted effort not to use too many bulls, as he feels that this has disadvantaged them in the past. A bull is run with the heifers, and ‘show’ bulls are used only with elite production and type cows.
The Glenbon herd
While building up the genetics in the herd, Mark and Robyn won’t be using sire proving bulls, except those with overseas genetics. Mark comments that they are too far behind genetically at the moment and need to catch up, not just to the breed average, but to their own goal of being in the top 10% of Ayrshires in the national herd. As at April 2007 the herd Breeding Worth is 74 and the Production Worth 95. In addition, a further genetic goal is to have bull calves of a standard high enough to be taken into a Sire Proving Team.
They milk 270 at the peak under a split calving system, with approximately 100 cows autumn calving. The breed split is 60% Ayrshire and 40% Jersey. While the Jersey content is still purebred, it is no longer registered, and Robyn’s parents still own 25-30 of the milking cows in the herd.
Believing that it is not efficient to dry the cows off 3-4 months prior to calving if the cows are still producing efficiently, Mark and Robyn keep the cows in milk longer, usually drying off 8 weeks prior to calving. This means that they dry off groups 6-7 times throughout the year, which they find more efficient. Mark also comments that he prefers to milk carryovers through and build up their condition in preparation for next season. Three weeks prior to calving all cows get a maize and molasses mix as they progress into the springer mob. Aiming for condition score 5 at calving, Mark comments that they expect to get close to that this spring.
The farm is 96 hectares, 93 hectares effective. From rolling hills the farm progresses onto 32 ha of swamp, which is protected from flooding by a drainage scheme and pumps. The shed is now 22 aside herringbone, having undergone many transformations since it’s origins as a 6 bail walk through approximately 50 years ago. Both Mark and Robyn milk, and this takes 1 – 1.5 hrs each milking. The farm now employs a full time staff member, mainly a lifestyle decision as it allows Mark & Robyn to attend local A & P shows and to take a summer holiday.
The grass grows evenly throughout the year on this farm which is why the split calving regime suits them so well. Summers are usually good, with only the occasional drought. They enjoy split calving for it’s flexibility, although note that they are still feeding autumn born calves when the spring arrives.
Six years ago Mark and Robyn purchased a 200 acre runoff on the river side of State Highway One. The new overpass at Mercer has made it much easier to access this which is used both as a beef block and for dairy grazing, with most of the young stock grazed there. However, being so close to the Waikato River holds some challenges. The runoff has a tractor driven pump which is sometimes needed to keep water out.
Some supplement is grown on the farm. 10 ha of turnips is fed from December to the end of March. A further 14 ha of maize is grown at the runoff and more bought in.
Showing has long been a favourite pastime for the Bons. A small portion of the herd is still bred for showing, but the couple will show any animal they consider to be good enough, regardless of breeding. Pa Hill Wise Doreen was purchased by them as an in-calf heifer at the annual Pa Hill sale and won the four year old class at the World Conference show in 2004. Doreen was sold to Craig Rapley and went on to win the North Island Championship at Te Kauwhata (04/05) and Royal Champion at Waikato (05/06). To date the family has had more success with young stock than in-milk stock at their local shows. Last season a grandaughter of Doreen, Glenbon Sakic Dorothy, had some success.
The farm also boasts four horses and two ponies. Robyn currently rides quarterhorses in Western Event Riding, and has previously been involved in eventing. Jessie is also now riding competitively, and Mark has recently upgraded from a horse to a trail bike. Mark has been a volunteer firefighter for the last three years. He enjoys stretching himself and learning new skills, and is constantly training in new areas with the Fire Service.
What really appears to drive the couple is thinking about what they are doing and asking questions - looking for ways to do things on the farm more efficiently. In the short term they plan to complete the purchase of the farm from Robyn’s parents. Having already invested large amounts in the infrastructure of the farm – 2 houses, re-fencing, extending the shed, implement shed, feedpad and the purchase of an additional 22 ha in January 2006 – this farm is their home.
In the very short term? Finish off work on the riding arena for Robyn and Jessie to train for their western riding. And I’ll bet that young Sharee is not far behind them!
Robyn Bon with one of the herd favourites
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