This is a new conversion dairy farm located near Geraldine. The farm is a dryland farm, with Halter in place for the dairy herd- which will also be used through winter.
The role requires experience running a dryland dairy farming system, and preferably with the attitude to manage any hiccups that come with a new conversion. The contract milker will be supported by an independent consultant.
The farm owner is on-farm, running an adjacent beef/ finishing operation. The contract milker will be responsible for all areas of dairy farm management, staff recruitment, animal welfare and feeding, fertiliser management etc. Finances will be in conjunction with the owner.
The contract milker will be working alongside the farm owner and drystock manager with all youngstock and most wintering kept in-house. Some wintering will be done with external graziers. Dairy farm staff are responsible for wintered animals and assisting with youngstock as required throughout the season.
Target production for the cows is 460-480 kgMS/cow, with some variation season dependant. The farm system is primarily pasture based, with supplement (fed in-shed or on a feed pad) used to ensure cows are fully fed throughout the season to ensure profitable milk production and healthy cows. Fully fed cows is a key value.
Cowshed is a new automated 60 bale rotary, with ACR’s, automatic drafting and in-shed feed, feed pad attached.
The farm is located in Woodbury, close to good schools, both primary and high school. It is nearby to Peel forest with access to DOC land for outdoors adventures, hunting, ski fields, while still being 1.5 hours from Christchurch.
MRB (Macfarlane Rural Business) is a farm consulting firm supporting dairy farmers across the South Island. We support dairy farmers to be profitable sustainable business's. Focus on cows, grass and profit (Cost control) & people. We rely on benchmarking (Farmax Dairy DSM) and provide coaching to manage pasture. Working with teams to execute and achieve goals of all involved.