WHEN independent milk co-operative Gisborne Milk closed down in January 2008, Waimata Cheese director Rick Thorpe decided it was time to get into dairy farming.
“We bought the farm to secure supply, because when Gisborne Milk shut their doors we were unsure of milk supply that we need five days a week,” said Mr Thorpe, who purchased an 89ha dairy farm near Gisborne.
Although he is an experienced grower of kiwifruit, grapes, persimmons and sweetcorn, and reared calves for a short time, Mr Thorpe, 54, admits to being on a learning curve with the 230-cow dairy farm.
He began working six months ahead of a possession date of June 1, 2008, and is keen to continue managing the farm with the help of a farm worker.
“I am not in a hurry to find a dairy manager because we are learning and enjoying the whole challenge of this,” he said.
“The dairy industry has a great support system. All the material is available, we talk to a consultant and I’m told the farm has never looked so good or the production been as good.”
The rapid improvement of pasture has had a big effect on herd performance.
About 40 per cent of the farm was re-grassed and the high sugar grass AberDart was sown into 30ha on the advice of Agriplus technical consultant Tim Lewis.
Despite being sown in the wettest April in 20 years, the AberDart pasture established good cover, has responded well to conditions and shows strong regrowth, said Mr Thorpe.
“My main observation is that the cows seem to love it.”
“When they come in to the AberDart they will clean it up and take it right down to the ground. They seem very happy and seem to be producing more milk.”
Other New Zealand farmers have similarly reported vigorous grazing and a lift in milk production when cows are on AberDart – the reason being its higher ratio of soluble carbohydrates to grass protein to make it more palatable and allow more efficient digestion.
Mr Thorpe plans to regrass a further 20 per cent of his farm this autumn with some paddocks initially sown with a winter annual ryegrass as an interim step to get rid of paspalum before planting a perennial (long-lasting) ryegrass, such as AberDart.
“I’m keen to put in more,” said Mr Thorpe.
Other changes have been to shift calving dates for the herd to produce a year-round supply of milk and the Friesian herd to be cross-bred with Jersey to lift protein content in their milk.
Mr Thorpe says the farm is an exciting extension of Waimata Cheese because it gives more control of milk supply and offers the potential for vertical integration of their cheese business, with one possibility being organic certification.
It’s likely their farming venture will mirror the professional way Rick and his wife Carol have developed Waimata Cheese: an award-winning enterprise that employs 20 people at the Riverside Road cheese-making factory.
Mr Thorpe said Waimata Cheese had grown to become the third largest specialty cheese producer in the country. It ha an annual sales revenue of $5m from processing three million litres of milk a year into 300 tonnes of soft cheeses such as camembert, brie, blue vein and feta.
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