Mid-Canterbury dairy farmer boosts milksolids by 50% with millennial mindset

John Totty, 34, milks jersey cows at Lawnhayes— the family’s 465ha dryland farm at the base of Mount Somers in Staveley.

Compared to the average Kiwi farmer, John is young. Statistics NZ data suggests the average age of New Zealand farmers is over 51.

Taking over the family farm wasn’t his initial plan. He first completed a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in finance at Otago University, and then travelled overseas, including a stint guiding hunting trips in Canada.

It was only after his father Ian died in an accident in 2015 that John—then aged just 26—stepped up and took over the farm.

A sharemilker was in place at the time, giving John and the family a window of opportunity to seek advice and take a good look at the farm, and consider what was working, and what wasn’t.

“The younger generation of farmers are quite happy to try new things, whereas a lot of older farmers might be worried that their milk production might drop,” he said.

Having grown up with technology, he said millennial farmers are generally able to do research more quickly and easily than previous generations.

After taking over, Totty focused on improving grass quality and utilisation, as well as installing Allflex automatic drafting gates.

He removed old accommodation from the property and replaced it with modern lodgings, to make Lawnhayes a more attractive place for staff to live and work.

The milking shed was upgraded and modernised, as well as the backing gates, and Totty also undertook the process of re-configuring Lawnhayes’ paddocks and laneways.

“All our lanes and paddocks were designed for back when the farm had 200 cows,” he says.

“We’ve re-fenced the whole farm now, little bits every year, and it’s all brand new 7-metre-wide lanes.

“All the paddocks are about 3-4 times bigger – we had about 200 and we would be down to about 60 now.”

Perhaps one of the most significant changes was a shift to 10-in-7 milking (10 milkings over 7 days), which works well for his Jersey herd, and results in less milking needing to be done.

Over the past season, Totty has also introduced Halter collars to help manage his herd.

He also made the call to stop rearing calves on the property, putting that land back to work producing milk. “We were trying to do all of the young stock on farm and milking fewer cows as a result, and we simply didn’t seem to be doing a good job,” he explained.

That focus on improving efficiency and productivity has paid off. Totty says he has been able to increase milk production by 50% within a few years.

“We were doing 260,000 kgMS odd and we did 393,000 last year,” he says.

“We’re getting closer to doing live weight too - our cows are about 425 kgMS and we want to do 425 kgMS/cow – and we did 410 kgMS/cow last year.”

Right Advice

John Totty says that getting the right people around him during this period of succession and change was crucial, especially at the start.

“The team at ANZ put me onto a really good lawyer and a new farm advisor—they definitely added value, and they backed it up by offering the best rates,” he said.

“They were just really enthusiastic – they’ve both known the family a long time – one of our original ANZ contacts, Mark Grenside, actually coached me in rugby!”

ANZ regional manager Cameron Reed said the changes Totty has made to improve output come at a good time.

“In terms of the market, Canterbury dairy farmers are currently benefiting from strong production, high prices, and a weak New Zealand dollar,” Cameron said. “New Zealand’s milk production hit its highest level in five years during 2024, producing 1.92 billion kilograms of milksolids.”

The low New Zealand dollar, relative to the US Dollar, is also enhancing farmer payouts, with Fonterra currently forecasting $9.70-$10.30 per kgMS.

“The global trade environment presents our farmers with new challenges, but also opportunities. Agriculture is driving New Zealand’s economic recovery,” Reed says.

“ANZ is keen to help the sector grow and thrive… as the next generation takes the reins.”

Acknowledging the importance of not working to the point of burnout is one of the most noticeable changes between his generation and his fathers’ Totty says.

He doesn’t feel guilty about taking a day off, whereas his father was “head down all the time, working, working, working”.

“My first calving, I did 73 days straight,” Totty says.

“I had three mini breakdowns in the afternoon and had to go to bed – I was not doing my best work.”

Learning to manage his workload effectively has been a crucial part of his development as a farmer.

Totty's Tips

1. Always strike a fair deal: “A deal has to always benefit both parties, otherwise it’s not a good deal for either of you.”

2. Get some off-farm education: “You’ll do lots of onfarm learning, but if you can get some insights into why it’s done that way, you’ll pick everything up quicker and you’ll have a greater appreciation for what you’re doing.”

Use the resources that are out there: “There is so much information out there that can be used, or even just asking people for advice – don’t be afraid to just pick up the phone.”

Have a go: “If you’re looking for experience, ask a few local farmers if you can come and help on their farms during holidays or downtimes.”