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DB & JH ROPER FAMILY TRUST
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Sharemilkers build new dairy on their farm Hunts Farm Services 2014 managing director Nigel Robinson says it’s a valuable addition as there can be up to 200 litres of milk in the pipes after milking. Hunts, based in Hawera and a sister company to Elite Farm Solutions, also installed the refrigeration units and cattle crush, supplied by Waikato Milking Systems.
Robust feed
Damian’s cows get a minimum of three kilograms of palm kernel feed a day from the in-shed feeding system and 16 tonne silo. Central Silo Systems has more than 50 years’ combined experience between owners Sean and Bernie Curry in the design, supply, installation and service of in-shed feed systems and on-farm feed mills. “We believe in supplying the most reliable and robust system available to the market,” says Sean. “Our in-shed feed systems for a rotary dairy shed have a larger 115mm auger for increased longevity of the components; and with our own manufactured drive units, reliability and accuracy is achieved.” A Realcold refrigeration unit was supplied by Dairy Technology Services, a division of TruTest, and installed by Hunts Farm Services. Tru-Test DTS area sales manager Nick Callingham says the refrigeration unit chills the base of the milk vat, reducing the milk from ground temperature, after going through the heat exchanger, to four-five degrees Celsius within Fonterra’s compliance time. An existing chiller, brought over from a former dairy shed, chills the sides of the vat and the calf tank. A high-end automation system for drafting has Damian singing its praises. Protrack Vantage from LIC Automation provides individual cow management with full in-bail identification. “It’s been marvellous,”
says Damian. “It’s a tool that’s been really amazing, great support from the company over the phone.” LIC national solutions manager Jason Szabo says the system gives easy and accurate automated drafting. It simplifies herd testing, animal health, Artificial Insemination and PD. The in-dairy touchscreen records events and data while in the dairy shed and has full alerts, so staff don’t have to remember data for Midwest Machinery’s Michael Prestidge individual cows. with the Nevada pond stirrer. D Jennings Engineering did all the welding Manutahi in the extensive yards. Donald Jennings and his Concrete Products team fitted a 12 metre wide High Lift gate at was formed by Steve the end of the rectangular yard. They did the last year following steelwork for the holding pens, drafting race 10 years as a sole and loading ramp. trader. A Dungbuster 2000 automatic yard The racecoursewashdown system has been installed on shaped effluent the backing gate. Designed and built by pond was designed Technipharm, Dungbuster can wash the yard by Midwest in a matter of minutes, reducing water usage Machinery, together and effluent waste by 40 per cent. with Fonterra, to The product uses hundreds of angled water contain the jets and twin scraper blades to clean the yard A Protrack Vantage drafting effluent and while the last cows are in the shed. On its gate from LIC Automation. provide storage return it washes the yard for a second time, during wet ready for the next milking. weather. Midwest Machinery supplied and Steve Watson of Manutahi Concrete installed a German-made Nevada EL925 stirrer. Products installed the silage bunkers, water “The electric stirrer creates good horizontal and feed troughs on the feed pad and races. flow bringing all the solids into suspension, with The bunkers, made of tilt-slab concrete, are Nevada’s 3-blade high efficiency propellers,” says conveniently close to the feed pad. Midwest Machinery’s upper North Island sales Two Hynds concrete tanks are used to floodrepresentative Michael Prestidge. wash the feed pad. The 22,700L tanks are The floating centrifugal pump is mounted to robust and durable, and can last for more than a Nevada PondBoom. The retractable shore50 years. mount boom gives a safe and simple method of The water stays cooler in a concrete tank, deploying the centrifugal pump. which reduces the growth of algae and raises PondBoom eliminates the need to enter the the pH level of the water. They are also stockpond, ensuring operator safety and servicing. proof, vandal proof and won’t burn or rust.
The lake formed by Alexander Contracting.
Damian Roper at the silage bunker constructed by Manutahi Concrete Products. The Nevada PondBoom can be used with all leading brands of floating pumps, including DODA and Yardmaster models.
Lake creation
Developing the lake, dam and wetlands required major earthworks and Alexander Contracting was up to the job. The Waitotara company took six weeks to create the lake, contouring the surrounding hills to provide the fill and carefully compacting the dam wall. Damian says owner/operator Richard Alexander did an excellent job. “His crew were very astute with a fine eye for detail and they made sure it was aesthetically pleasing.” One thing missing in the Roper’s new dairy is a toilet. “I don’t believe there’s any need,” says Damian. “It takes just one-and-aquarter hours to milk – with 45 minutes from cups-on to cups-off. That’s not enough time to have to go to the toilet.” By Sonja Matla
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