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DALE & KELLY PICARD
NZ Dairy / Summer 2012
Couple aim to get most out of farm, life Karen Phelps After working hard to climb the dairy ladder Dale and Kelly Picard say it's now time to reap the rewards. They milk 300 crossbred cows through a 44-bail rotary shed on their 83-hectare (effective) unit at Alton, in South Taranaki. “We have been developing the farm for the past eight years, so the focus this season is on getting the most out of it,” says Dale. Both of them grew up on farms in the Kaponga area. After Dale left school he worked on a dairy farm for three years, then headed to the United Kingdom for 18 months for working OE. Kelly worked at a vet clinic. The couple took on their first lower-order sharemilking position for two years on a 160cow unit at Mangatoki. They progressed to 50:50
sharemilking for two years on a 230-cow property at Stratford, then, in 2000, increased the scale of their business to move to a 650-cow, 50:50 sharemilking position, where they remained for nine years. In 2002 they entered an equity partnership with Kelly’s parents, Mike and Barbara Muller, and Kelly’s brother, Mathew Muller, on a 62ha, 200-cow property at Mangatoki. In 2004 the Picards bought a farm at Alton, close to Patea, and employed a lower-order sharemilker to run it. In 2009, they took over this farm and gave up their 650-cow sharemilking position. They have done a lot of development work at Alton, including a new spray irrigator. Whereas their effluent system previously consisted of oxidation ponds, they are now be able to irrigate 30ha of the farm. They have also made a new bore to replace an old dam with the aim of improving water quality. The Picards feed around 400 kilograms of maize to each cow per year, plus palm kernel to fill in the gaps. They hope that a new feedpad this season will help them improve their use of feed. They are
predicting they will be able to milk 10-14 days longer this season as a result. The couple run a stocking rate of 3.6 cows to the hectare. They have no support blocks and winter all their cows on farm, which, Dale says, can be challenging. If the weather gets too wet, the herd is stood off on the feedpad and in the cowyard. Dale works full-time on the farm and they employ one full-timer. Kelly is a full-time mum to their children, Tom, 7 and Ava, 4, and also works on the farm. The couple continue to oversee the family equity partnership. Their production last season was 125,500
kilograms of milksolids, and they are looking for 140,000kg this season. “Pasture utilisation is number one,” says Dale. “We need to ensure grazing down to the correct residuals and will be constantly monitoring paddocks by eye.” He says the arrival of their children has modified their priorities and focus. They want to achieve more time off, but at the same time, they remain dedicated dairy farmers. “We’ve worked for some excellent people who have given us a good start. We’re really passionate about the whole dairy industry.”
Kakaramea, RD 2, PATEA 4598 Phone: 06 273 8668 Mobile: 027 4811 777 E-mail: thegwynns@xtra.co.nz
PHOTOS Dale and Kelly Picard (pictured with four-year-old Ava), have done a lot of development work on their Alron farm. While the arrival of children has modified their priorities, they remain passionate and dedicated dairy farmers.
• BULK AND GENERAL CARTAGE • FERTILISER SPREADING
ROAD
TRANSPORT ASSOCIATIONS
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C.F. Schurr Ltd B.Com.
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT
Proud to support Dale & Kelly Picard 11 Stanners Street, PO Box 45, ELTHAM 4353, Fitzroy Arcade, NEW PLYMOUTH Telephone: (06) 764 8305 Fax: (06) 764 5263 Email: chris.schurr@cfschurr.co.nz
GB Contracting
is proud to be associated with Kelly & Dale Picard Obligation free quotes given
Contact Greg on 0274 526 717 or 06 273 4264
Doug Fowell Building Contractors ON THE FARM
• Effluent sumps & Drive in sand traps • Feed pads, bunker and silage pits • Load out ramps • Pole buildings • Cowsheds • Insurance Work • Complete farm building maintenance & Repair • All work dairy company, TRC & Dairy Code of Practice Compliant • All our experience with farm development construction is yours for the asking
Proud to be associated with Dale & Kelly Picard CONTACT DOUG & THE TEAM TO DISCUSS YOUR BUILDING NEEDS WITH A FREE NO OBLIGATION CONSULTATION 74 Kauae St, Manaia Mob: 0274 848 438 • Ph/Fax: (06) 274 8031 Free Phone: 0800 84 84 38 Email: dougfowellbuildingcontractors@xtra.co.nz
JENNINGS ENGINEERING 66 South Road MANAIA, TARANAKI
Ph: 06 274 8563
027 445 4653
Specialists in pipework and yards for all cowsheds High Lift Gate manufacture and installation | Backing and Top Gates Floodwash Systems | Water Ram Systems