METCALFE
PH 07 578 0030
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Splitting the farm and building a new dairy Qubik’s Kyle Osborne and Brent Bird stand by the screw press separator used for separating the effluent solids from the liquid.
Milk quality is further enhanced by the Danfoss 8hp refrigeration unit and the Glacier Plus 30kw chiller, which cools water through the 25,000 litre Manican system. This ensures milk passing through the plate chiller drops to eight degrees Celsius by the time it enters the vat. A heat recovery system delivers water at 60 degrees Celsius at a rate of four litres per minute to the two 450 litre hot water cylinders. Kyle says the clay soils of the Metcalfe farm means conventional irrigators for spreading effluent were not an option.
Integrated effluent The integrated system sees effluent from the dairy and feed pad flow into a large drive-in stone trap and over a weir into a mixing tank. A Reid and Harrison screw press separator takes out the solids, which are deposited into a bunker to be spread on pasture or maize paddocks. Liquids are pumped to a 150,000 litre concrete tank, where a 15kw centrifugal pump sends them to the irrigation system for spreading by a travelling irrigation canon or to a lined effluent pond if conditions don’t permit irrigation. In line with nearly 30 per cent of all New Zealand dairy farmers, Ant installed an auto-
Ricky Withers of Withers Electrical.
matic yard washing system from TechniPharm. TechniPharm Group CEO Harmen Heesen says the system leaves the yard nice and clean, at the same time saving on labour as well as reducing the use of water by up to 40 per cent if not more. “A big factor is also in effluent volume. Less water used in the yard cleaning means less effluent created and thus reduced cost in storage and distribution. “On top of that the Dungbuster achieves electricity savings and time savings. The average yard takes a full 120 hours per year to be manually washed and 120 hours equated to three weeks’ labour a year at $8 a day,” says Harmen. Andrew Forbes of EnvirolineNZ, which lined the effluent pond, says; “Ant was rather savvy with an excavator so took care of the earthworks and the excellent team from Qubik laid the pump suction-delivery and flood wash pipes”. “The pond is square at 25m by 25m by 4m deep, giving an approximately volume of 1500m3, including a holding tank at end of the feed pad. The farm has exceeded its holding requirements with this system.” The installation time for EnvirolineNZ to
Innovative Design Improves Efficiency
Qubik’s Jason Hare, Gibson Construction’s Brent Gibson and Ant Metcalfe. install the HDPE liner was two days. “It was 85 per cent completed through the night – so as to have minimal interference to the daily running of the farm.”
Gates and races Chris Pickin and Jim Harris of Waikato Dairy Builders supplied the Ezi-flo Pitgates. “The gates, one each side of the pit, are the lightest and quietest to use and are easy to operate. “The milker can shut the gate from the other end,” says Chris. “We refined the design of the gates in 2000 so they don’t catch the hips of cows and cows can’t force them open. These gates are the strongest in the market. “They have fewer moving parts and are fully galvanised.” A Race Wrangler, installed as part of the dairy’s new yard, is ideally placed for ease of operation, says Waverley Klein Ovink of The Wrangler. The Wrangler is safer and more comfortable for cows, and also for those attending to their feet. “Health and safety of staff is vital. Gone are the days when it was acceptable for farmers to have hoof knife scars on their hands, or
injuries caused when treating hooves.” Tirau Welders installed the pipework for the extensive yards, which service the dairy and the feed pad. “It was quite a big job, but reasonably straightforward as the owners and the builders are good to work with,” says Russell Tye. “There were a few minor changes but we worked to a set plan and had up to five staff on-site to get it all done. The yards work well with good cow flow.”
Tailoring Zelio Withers Electrical wired in the Waikato Milking Systems plant. One of the more technical aspects was tailoring the Zelio programme to suit the dairy, says Ricky Withers of Withers Electrical. “We work to make sure every possible function that the dairy requires is catered for. Ant has a great control board on-site. This makes it easy for staff to start and stop and control each function of the shed. “We put in a variable speed drive to run the sludge pump and other functions. Which can increase and adjust its pressure as required, meaning the gear isn’t working as hard.”
Qubik are proud to be the milking system, effluent, water, refrigeration and pre-cooling suppliers for Metcalfe Holdings Ltd
Ezi-flo pit gates completely clear exit ways and cannot be touched by cows leaving the milking area.
The fully galvanised gates are available in kitset for speedy installation
0800 226974 2 C OW S H E D Ph Jim 07-850 5971 Mob. 0274 936 693 Ph Chris 07-849 3630 Mob. 0274 936 692 P.O. Box 10 188, Te Rapa, Hamilton www.dairybuilders.co.nz
ezi-flo
PITGATES
Elaine Fisher
TE AWAMUTU 07 871 6781 OTOROHANGA 07 873 8500 PUTARURU 07 883 3423