Top sharemilkers and managers found

16-04-2007 | Not Specified

It is that time of the year when this country’s biggest income earner acknowledges some of its best operators through the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.

The top sharemilkers and farm managers have been selected in four South Island regions.

Oamaru sharemilkers Matt and Julie Ross took out the Canterbury/ North Otago title.

The couple milk 798 cows on a 233ha (effective) farm owned by Kelvin and Debbie Weir. Production by the end of May is expected to be 395,000kg MS.

Shaun and Joanne Back won the region’s Farm Manager of the Year award.

Their philosophy is to achieve excellent farming results through teamwork, knowledge, experience and farm management skills.

The Backs milk 1350 cows on a 345ha (effective) milking platform. Anticipated production to the end of May is 552,000kg MS.

Kaitangata sharemilkers Mark Watt and Kylie May won the Otago Sharemilker of the Year title.

The couple are 50/50 sharemilkers milking 496 cows on 155ha (effective) farm owned by Lindsay and Dorothy Watt.

Production by the end of May is expected to be 214,000kg MS.

Mark is coming into his fifth season as a 50/50 sharemilker and takes pride in the quality of the milk he produces.

Last year his herd had the lowest somatic cell count (SCC) in the Otago region.

Owaka couple Nigel Snell and Joanne Ede were awarded the Otago Farmer Manager of the Year title. The couple milk 614 cows on a 330ha (effective) farm owned by Alvin Reid.

By the end of May they are expecting to have produced 205,000kg MS.

One of the strengths of their operation is the systems they have in place to make their operation enjoyable for staff.

Further south, Winton couple Donald Kidd and Loshni Manikam took out Southland’s Sharemilker of the Year title.

By the end of May the couple are expecting to have harvested 103,000kg MS off their 218 cows which they farm on a 72ha (effective) platform.

The couple are working towards their ultimate goal of farm ownership and intend moving to bigger operations in the future, milking 600 then 900 cows before buying a bigger run-off and eventually their own farm.

The Southland Farm Manager of the Year Award went to Daniel Woolsey and Emily Fraser who milk 433 cows on a 136ha (effective) farm owned by the Umanui Trust.

By the end of May the couple’s herd is expected to have produced 184,000kg MS.

Hari Hari sharemilkers Matt and Sally Gallant were named West Coast/Top of the South sharemilkers. James Burnby from Westport won the title of Farm Manager of the Year at the regional awards.

Matt and Sally are milking 345 cows on 194ha (effective) farm owned by the Deane family with production expected to be 120,000kg MS for the year ended May 31, 2007.

James Burnby is milking 956 cows on a 444ha (effective) farm owned by Landcorp Farming with anticipated production of 378,421kg MS. Along with his wife Michelle, James says his job selection criteria has always been to set himself the toughest challenge possible.

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