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Winning Manager Achieves Huge Lift In Production
Winning Manager Achieves Huge Lift In
Production
Gordonton farm manager Colm Tierney has improved milksolids production 46% since taking on his current position three years ago.
Mr Tierney and wife Gaynor were last night named the best farm managers in the North West Waikato region of the Fonterra Westpac Dairy Excellence Awards, taking home $2000 cash.
The Tierneys now progress to the national final of the awards in Hamilton on June 27.
The couple currently manage a 200ha property milking 515 cows owned by the Bird Family Trust. They are targeting production of 200,000kg milksolids this season.
"One of our achievements has been to improve per cow and per hectare performance on this farm by 46%. We have been able to do this by regular pasture monitoring, improving animal health, feed budgeting and the use of 250kg dry matter per cow of maize silage in the autumn," Mr Tierney says.
Together they are aiming to grow their equity by rearing young stock and saving so they can progress to sharemilking.
"We are well on target with our savings goal, so getting the right sharemilking job with a progressive employer is now one of our biggest challenges and our farm owners are right behind us.
"Our owners also recognise our hard work and dedication and reward us well."
Mr Tierney says his four main farming objectives are to supply milk of the finest quality, manage the farm to maximise profit, feed the herd at levels to maximise milk production, and report progress through weekly meetings with the farm owner.
The Fonterra Westpac Dairy Excellence Awards are supported by Dexcel and sponsored by Fonterra, Westpac, Holden, Ravensdown, DTS, Livestock Improvement, Pioneer, RD1 and Fegan and Co.
The awards are run in seven
regions, with the winners of the farm business and farm
manager categories in each region progressing to the
national final. Tickets are available on 0800 273 759 or
online at www.dairyexcellenceawards.co.nz
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