NZ Dairy
DAIRY PEOPLE » Grant & Charlotte Bennett
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Shed fire forces farmer’s hand Russell Fredric Paihiatua farmers Grant and Charlotte Bennett were not planning to upgrade their 18 a-side herringbone milking shed for a few years. However, when in March this year a bird decided to make its straw home in the shed’s switch-board, the fire and the subsequent damage it caused to the shed forced the Bennett’s hand. Consequently, they and their two parttime staff are now milking from a flash new 40-a-side shed with all the mod-cons. The couple each have a Diploma in Agriculture and fast-tracked their way to a 50:50 share-milking position at Pirongia, near Te Awamutu, before buying their then 100ha farm near Paihiatua in 2013, which supported 260 cows at the time. Grant Bennett says their original goal was to own a farm by the time they were 30, however they achieved this two years earlier than planned; their ability to buy the farm was a combination of luck and timing due to high pay-outs, careful management and budgeting, he says. The couple took on the lease of 70ha with settlement in June this year and also bought a 40ha block which they formerly leased “across the road” in June. Following the fire, it was initially hoped the existing shed could be rebuilt, but this proved uneconomic. At the time of the fire, 340 cows were being milked, but these had to be dried off early. “We are surrounded by dry-stock farmers so there are no other cow sheds.” Adding to the challenge was insurance which only covered about 10% of the cost of building a new shed and a low pay-out which negated gross profit insurance. Discussion’s with the couple’s banker revealed the best option was to expand the farm’s herd to 520 cows to provide the cashflow for servicing the debt on the $800,000plus milking shed and its plant. The land which was bought and leased provides pasture support for the larger herd. “We always thought we would build a new shed, but it came three years sooner than we would like.” Another challenge was to have a milking shed built with very short notice ready for the new season. “We were unsure if we could build a cowshed before calving because of our climate here with high rainfall.” Fortunately, Foxton company Roaches Concrete Products, builder of Foxpac cow sheds stepped up; site work started midMarch and construction was completed in three months on July 25, five days after the usual calving and milking start date. The farm’s existing effluent pond was able
Charlotte and Grant Bennett, here with their two young children, farm near Paihiatua.
to be used with the addition of a 100 cubic metre sump. While the fire and its fall-out was stressful, Grant Bennett is taking a long-term view and agrees he and Charlotte will look back in the future and be glad about having a far better milking shed and the technology that comes with it. This includes automatic wash, cup removers, walk-over teat spray, automatic drafting and a Dungbuster automatic yard washing system. An in-shed feed system was also installed and proved an asset during the relentlessly wet winter and spring, while reducing wastage of supplementary feed in pastures. “It’s worth its weight in gold. The beauty about it is each animal gets its allocation.” The Bennett’s greatly appreciated the help they had from neighbours, friends and family following the fire and during the rebuild. Grant Bennett offers a final snippet of advice for fellow farmers. “Make sure you check your switch-board for birds. When you come back home with your family and see your cow-shed on fire it’s not a nice feeling.” Palmerston North Branch
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“Make sure you check your switch-board for birds. When you come back home with your family and see your cow-shed on fire it’s not a nice feeling.”
Roaches Concrete Products Ltd − Foxton
ROACHE’S
CONCRETE PRODUCTS LIMITED – FOXTON CONCRETE SPECIALISTS
Manufacturers of ... Feed Pads • Silage Bins • Precast Stock Ramps • Septic Tanks • Precast Vehicle Ramps • Precast Cattle Stops • Precast Stock Under Passes • Effluent Pump Sumps • Mega tanks P: 03 363 8363 | F: 06 363 8366 | E: roachesconcrete@xtra.co.nz ww. roaches concrete.co.nz PO Box 108, Foxton 4848 46 Johnston Street, Foxton 4814
FOXPAC COW SHEDS Designed & built by
Roache’s Concrete Products Limited
Cow Shed Specialists | Complete Design and Build Rotary and Herringbone P: 03 363 8363 | F: 06 363 8366 | E: roachesconcrete@xtra.co.nz ww. roaches concrete.co.nz PO Box 108, Foxton 4848 46 Johnston Street, Foxton 4814
History Competitive Pricing Experience Quality Workmanship Durable Building Quality Building
The only Company that all the boxes Foxpac Cowsheds for design and build service, 2nd to none
R o a c he s Co nc re te were h o n o u red to h ave b een i nvo l ved w i t h t he b u i l d i ng o f Ch a r l o t te & G ra nt s n ew cows h ed