Taranaki drought leaves farmers limping toward season's end
Limping towards the end of the season is how Richard Walker describes the situation he's facing due to prolonged drought in coastal areas of Taranaki.
It was described by judges as an outstanding example of best dairying practise.
The region's first Supreme title was presented to Gavin and Oliver Faull, Faull Farms, and their sharemilkers, Tony and Loie Penwarden, at a special Ballance Farm Environment Awards ceremony on April 3.
The Faull Farms Ltd/Trewithen Partnership also collected the Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award, the LIC Dairy Farm Award, the Massey University Innovation Award and the PGG Wrightson Land and Life Award.
Gavin and Oliver are directors of Faull Farms Ltd, which owns the 371ha property near Waitara. The Penwardens have been sharemilking on the farm since 2004 and currently milk 850 spring-calving cows and 300 autumn-calving cows on a 282ha milking platform.
Last year the operation produced almost 488,000kg of Milksolids (MS) and this season it is on target to achieve 540,000kgMS.
BFEA judges described the business as a strong example of dairying and what can be achieved with "two businesses combining effectively to service the aspirations of both".
Judges were impressed with the determination of the partners to achieve best practise in all areas, noting the outstanding adoption of technology and innovation, excellent per hectare and per cow production levels and an "admirable focus on people".
Cows are milked through a high-tech 60-bale rotary dairy which is fully automated to enable the collection and analysis of a comprehensive range of performance data. A former farm dairy has been converted into a calf-rearing complex with a computer controlled feeding system.
