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ON FARM: Bryce & Lee-Ann Hunger/Gibson Rural
NZ Dairy / Winter 2013
New grasses produce ‘exciting’ performance They run a number three input system. An in-shed feeding system allows them to use about 350 tonnes of palm kernel, biscuit and DDG mix through the milking season, and ensures their cows are fully fed every day.
Kelly Deeks A vision for expansion has seen Bryce and Lee-Ann Hunger develop their original 75-hectare block in Taranaki into a fully set up, 197ha milking platform running 550 cows. The Hungers have been running the Inglewood farm in an equity partnership with Leanne’s parents, Nigel and Karen Smith, for seven years. Bryce has been farming for 23 years; he did a polytech course after leaving school and was lowerorder sharemilking three years later. He and Lee-Ann worked their way up to 50:50 sharemilking before entering the equity partnership on a 100ha dairy farm in 2005. While they were still sharemilking, the partnership employed a manager. In 2006 the partnership brought a 75ha block and leased 40ha six kilometres away from the home farm. The Hungers gave away sharemilking to become owner-operators, milking 350 cows through an
18-a-side herringbone. In 2009 they built a 50-bail rotary to cope with the expansion. In 2010 Lee-Ann’s brother, David, and his wife, Sheryl, Smith became shareholders in the partnership and managed the home farm. Last season the partnership expanded further. The 100ha home farm was sold to a neighbour and a 200ha, 570-cow dairy farm was bought. David and Sheryl are in full control of that operation. A further 72ha lease block was also added to the operation. The farm has been fully developed. Water supply has been upgraded to 40mm pipes right to troughs (two or three per paddock), races have been widened to 5.5 metres, and all paddocks have been fenced to 4ha so that they can take a herd. Bryce Hunger is excited about the performance of the new grasses. The Hungers have been regrassing 12% of the farm into new pasture each
year, and have now done 100ha in total. Winter annual is sowed in March, then put into turnips in early November and then permanent pasture the following March. Paddocks are also undersowed with Italian ryegrass with AR37 to boost performance. Hunger has found the AR37 entophyte is really performing well. “It’s quite dry at the moment, but those paddocks are still looking like spring grass.” They run a number three input system. An inshed feeding system allows them to use about 350 tonnes of palm kernel, biscuit and DDG mix through the milking season, and ensures their cows are fully fed every day. The Hungers are targeting production of 250,000 kilograms of milksolids this season, which is the same per cow and per hectare production as the last three seasons.
Come and see us for your new shed & dairy effluent enquiries
Lee-Ann and Bryce Hunger, with their family – Cameron, 8, Caitlin, 4, and Renee, 19 months. • Hay & Silage Baling • Hedge Mulching Round & Square Bales • All Cultivating Work • Maize Silage • Effluent Spreading • Pit Silage
‘Clock ticks on bringing farm Sue Russell
Billy and Team proudly supporting Bryce & Leanne
For Further Information Phone Billy at: Ken G. Moratti Ltd • 7 Carrington Street, Inglewood Ph: (06) 756 8066 Mob: 0274 434 858 A/H: (06) 756 8804
Specialist Drainage Contractors We have been in business for 31 years servicing the farming sector. Modern Reliable with all attachments. Machinery Transporter.
Proud to support Bryce & Leanne Hunger
Johnston Contracting Ltd Phone Jock 06 756 7266 or 027 448 2335
Pat Gibson is not surprised that farm-effluent systems are keeping his Te Awamutu-based Gibson Rural firm flat out. “The whole effluent issue has come to a head,” he says. “The clock is ticking on bringing effluent structures up to spec on farms. “Where there once weren’t definite guidelines and standards, the good thing now is that there are. No farmer wants to have to do the job twice because the rules have changed. Now things are certain for them. “Effluent is a huge issue for farmers, some spending up to $500,000 to make the necessary upgrades.” Gibson Rural installs Firestone rubber-mat BATHROOM PLUMBING GAS HEATING
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pond-liners to bring farm effluent systems up to compliance. The firm builds bunkers, as well as systems to manage farm grey water. Gibson and his staff are also heavily involved with building a mixed bag of milking sheds. It’s a variety they relish, says Pat Gibson. Right now, there’s a rotary at Ohaupo, a herringbone at Paterangi and, a first for the company, a build-from-scratch robotic system at Pokuru, not far out of Te Awamutu. “We had previously installed three robotic stations into a parlour, but this one is brand new and we’re really enjoying the experience,” says Gibson. He sees robotics – where one robot can handle 80 cows a day – working well for smaller herds. The entirely “cow-directed” approach uses sophisticated and sensitive technology to identify the cow, measure and monitor milk output, and clean and feed the animal before it is left free to wander off to paddock. Farmers are increasingly looking at robotics to futureproof their operation., says Pat Gibson. His firm installs Lely robots from Morrinsville, which be fitted into sheds easily. Gibson Rural has developed four shed designs, and Pat Gibson likes to take interested farmers to see one at work. It’s a way for farmers to get a perspective of the shed in action and to talk turkey, farmer to farmer. Gibson Rural evolved 12 years ago when Pat Gibson was doing surface coatings on a build. As chance would have it, the builder went bust and the farmer asked Pat to finish the job. He enjoyed the experience so much he decided to apply his building skills in a new direction, and hasn’t looked back. “I have 22 staff working with me now and plenty of work ahead. Concrete and steel work isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s our thing. “I can see the effluent side of the business getting even busier, but we can spread staff around several sites at the same time and I can factor that capacity in when discussing time-frames with farmers.”