2IC

The farm

- Split calving 600 spring + 250 autumn

- 50 bale rotary

- Protrack drafting & feed

- In-shed feeding

- Allflex collars

- 80% irrigated with pivot & K-line's

- 600 cow feed pad

- System 4-5

- Resolution Farming App used daily for communication, planning & recording

The role

This is a leadership role and you will be required to help manage a small team of people alongside the contract milker in the day to day running of the farm. Great people skills and communication are incredibly important!

While there are many variables involved in farming, we hold high expectations for presentation, shed hygiene, animal welfare and targets such as SCC and production. You will need to be able to uphold these expectations and help implement and encourage this within the rest of the team.

Machinery operation is a big part of the job as we utilise the use of a mixer wagon, telehandlers and tractors on a daily basis so confidence in machine operation is important as well as, smaller machinery like 2 & 4 wheel motorbikes.

A good understanding of basic pasture management would be beneficial to help make decisions around grazing in the contract milkers absence however, training can be given to up skill in this area. 

You will have a broad knowledge base of animal health including treating mastitis, down cows, lameness,  calving troubles and any other problems that can arise. 

It is a busy environment so, time management is important while still being able to recognise the finer details that can impact results such as production and animal health. We want you to be able to recognise the really obvious stuff but also the not so obvious little things, before a bigger problem occurs.

A big focus of this role is to support the contract milker in implementing farm policies and procedures that are in place as well as adding your own input to constantly improve the operation of the farm. 

Further training is supported and encouraged to further grow your skillset. 

Skills & Experience

• Excellent people management.
• Time management.
• Have an eye for detail.
• Able to implement animal health regimes including but not limited to, mastitis detection and treatment, lame cow treatment and preventative trimming, calving assistance, down cow management, vaccination programmes.  
• K-line irrigation experience
• Basic understanding around pasture management and pre & post grazing residuals
• Positive can do attitude.
• Ability to problem solve and use initiative. 
• Physically fit.
• Able to utilise and understand the technology in place such as apps and collar data.

More info: 

• 3 bedroom house with 2 fires 
• School bus 1.5km up the road
• 15 minutes to Masterton 
• 20 minutes to Carterton
• Additional work for a spouse available such as calf rearing and relief milking.

About us:

We are a couple who have a strong passion for the dairy industry and enjoy a challenge. Alway's aiming to make improvements in every aspect of our job, we strive to achieve and uphold great results in mating, SCC, all things animal health, production and farm presentation. 

While we want to achieve great results and we take pride in what we do, it is important to us that it be enjoyable for everyone involved! Therefore it is a goal within our business to invest more time in to our people and give everyone a sense of purpose and belonging.