Manawatu Jemima & Thomas Bebbington Dairyindustryawards.Co.Nz

Wednesday 20th March 89b Mangawhero River Road, RD1, Ohakune 4691

Handout prepared by: DairyNZ Winners Field Day Winners Manawatu Jemima & Thomas Bebbington dairyindustryawards.co.nz

Renee Howard

Nick Besinga

dairyindustryawards.co.nz Field Day Programme

Wednesday 20th March 2019

11:30am Arrive – Lunch kindly sponsored by Farm Source

11:45am Welcome, Introductions and Health & Safety Raewyn Hills, NZDIA Regional Manager; Manawatu

Facilitators of today’s field day are: Jo Back, Kate Stewart, Ian Burmeister & Rich Greaves – DairyNZ

12:00pm Dairy Trainee of the Year – Nick Besinga Rich Greaves – Consulting Officer; DairyNZ

12:15pm Dairy Manager of the Year – Renee Howard Kate Stewart – Consulting Officer; DairyNZ

1:00pm Share Farmers of the Year – Tom & Jemima Bebbington Jo Back – Consulting Officer; DairyNZ

2:25pm Insight from previous NZDIA winner - Richard Ash

2:30pm Summary & Thanks Raewyn Hills, NZDIA Regional Manager; Manawatu

Health and Safety notices:

• All children must be supervised by an adult at all times • Visitors must remain with the group and follow signs and directions • The farm has a non-smoking policy • This is an agricultural workplace, please take care • Please see one of the DairyNZ team if you require any assistance

2019 Results

Share Farmer of the Year: Tom & Jemima Bebbington

Runner Up David & Alyssa Rae

Dairy Manager of the Year: Renee Howard

Runner Up Paul Mercer

Third Chris Simons

Dairy Trainee of the Year: Nick Besinga

Runner Up Dominic Semmens

Third Chris Shailer

Merit Awards Dairy Trainee of the Year

Totally Vets Ltd Most Promising Entrant Award Mollie Milne

Levno Farming Knowledge Award Dominic Semmens

School of Agriculture & Environment and the School of Veterinary, Nick Besinga Sciences Communication & Industry Involvement Award

I.S Dam Lining Ltd Communication & Engagement Award Dominic Semmens

DairyNZ Practical Skills Award Nick Besinga Dairy Manager of the Year

Naylor Lawrence and Associates Most Promising Entrant Award Zoe Reichardt

Taylorednz Ltd Leadership Award Paul Mercer

Fitzherbert Rowe Employee Engagement Award Chris Simons

Fonterra Dairy Management Award Zoe Reichardt

DeLaval Livestock Management Award Renee Howard

PrimaryITO Power Play Award Paul Mercer

Hopkins Farming Group Feed Management Award Paul Mercer

Westpac Personal Planning & Financial Management Award Renee Howard Share Farmer of the Year

DairyNZ Human Resources Award David & Alyssa Rae

Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award Lachlan & Rhianne Fee

Federated Farmers Leadership Award Renae Flett

Honda Farm Safety and Health Award David & Alyssa Rae

LIC Recording and Productivity Award Renae Flett

Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award Tom & Jemima Bebbington

Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award Tom & Jemima Bebbington

Westpac Business Performance Award Tom & Jemima Bebbington

DAIRY TRAINEE OF THE YEAR

Nick Besinga

Merit Awards – Judges Citations

School of Agriculture & Environment and the School of Veterinary, Sciences Communication & Industry Involvement Award

Nick holds the position of Secretary of the River City Filipino Club. He has his career and work life balance as demonstrated in the many activities he participates in.

DairyNZ Practical Skills Award

Nick demonstrated a thorough and methodical approach to all the practical tasks set. We were impressed with his ability to keep calm under pressure especially in the motorbike module. Nick gave well thought out answers to the questions asked. We look forward to seeing Nick progress through the dairy industry in the future.

Background • Nick was bought up in the Phillipines in Cagayan De Oro City, ‘City of golden friendship’ • Studied at Xavier University – obtained a degree in Agribusiness • Mates told Nick about the opportunities in NZ • Further six months specialist study around the fundamentals of Dairying. • In 2015 Nick applied for 800 farm assistant positions through fencepost with one response from a Wanganui farmer. • Moved to the OB Group in 2017 as a herd manager. After one year Nick progressed into the 2IC role, where he currently works under farm manager James Webb.

Farm Overview • Employed as 2IC • 360ha effective under irrigation • Owned by John O’Brian • Free draining Sandy soil, flat to rolling • Split calving – 220 in the Autumn, 1050 in the Spring • Grass silage and a combination of PKE and PKE blends through the cow shed. 300 cows are wintered on the platform with the balance wintered on kale at the runoff.

Goals

• “Bring the family to NZ to help them understand NZ Dairy farming culture and what my role is”. • Become a NZ resident. • Nick wants to be in a position to take advantage of opportunities when they become available. Nick’s focus is to learn as much as possible, he is in no rush, he believes in being prepared for the opportunity when it arises. • Keep up skilling and progress into a managers position within the next two years. • Nick has his eyes set on a sharemilking position in the not too distant future.

Training • Primary ITO Animal Level 3 • DairyNZ ‘Building Capabilities” • Biz start in the near future

Off Farm interests • Basketball – Wanganui Phillipino team • Young Farmers • Hiking • Mountain biking • Surfing • Young farmers

DAIRY MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Renee Howard

Merit Award – Judges Citations

Westpac Business Performance Award

Renee showed superior Personal planning and Financial management. It was evident throughout her presentation that she had clear goals and was working on her development both personally and financially. She showed strong knowledge of personal finances with clearly outlined budgets to show how she was going to reach her goals.

DeLaval Livestock Management Award

Renee had a great understanding of her livestock on farm. She showed good knowledge of the animal health issues faced on farm and how best to prevent, identify and treat these animals accordingly. She also showed good knowledge of the production and mating policies on farm.

Background

• Renee grew up on a dairy farm until she was 12 • Completed an AgriScience Degree at Massey University • After university, in March 2015 Renee started as a Farm Assistant in Kiwitea, soon to be promoted to herd manager in September of the same season • 2015 purchased a house in Feilding and completed renovations • June 2017 Renee married Benjamin Howard, who works at Farm Supplies in Rongotea • This season Renee started as the manager of Waihewe Farms Ltd.

Other interests • Member of Marton Young Farmers • Involved with Dairy Women’s Network and Federated Farmers locally.

Goals ● 5 year plan ○ Begin family ○ Build equity - rear calves in addition to current employment ○ Begin equity partnership in family business ● 10 year plan ○ Purchase family farming business ○ Rent out current home and expand property portfolio ○ Purchase additional runoff block.

Farm Overview • Employed as Farm Manager at Waihewe Farms Ltd. Located between Sanson and Awahuri • Farm owner: Andy Short • Dairy farm is 152 ha of which 140 ha effective, in addition to this there us a support block that the cows calve on • Split calving herd, 340 Friesian Cross cows. 170 spring, 160 autumn • Between the dairy and support block 800 calves are reared • System 2 farm with rolling to steep topography • 2 FTE between the dairy farm and support block • Target milk solids production = 100,000 kgMS supplied to Fonterra • Crop and supplement: Baleage and hay is made at the run off, 12ha of turnips are sown on the dairy platform • Livestock: All bulls are used for mating, and replacements are purchased.

Farm strengths • Flexibility with cow numbers, able to swap between support block and platform throughout the season • Communication between manager and owner.

Renee’s main farm responsibilities • Rearing 200 calves over the year, which she really enjoys • Pasture and stock • Effluent • People • Financial – understand and meet production and working expenses targets.

Power Play – Calf rearing and race options to prevent lameness

Calf rearing ● Total 800 calves ○ Renee rears 110 in spring and 70 autumn (plus 20 for herself) ○ ~270 Friesian bulls ○ Remainder Hereford heifers and bulls ● 340 born on farm - remainder bought in ○ Calves bought in are 4-10 days old ○ Andy’s policy is to spend the money to get the best calves ○ Buy calves from as few farms as possible ○ Calves need to have the correct markings

Race options to prevent lameness ● Current situation ○ 60+ lame cows annually (including repeats) ○ Annual vet cost $30,000 ● Target ○ Reduction down to 25 lame cows or less (60% reduction in lameness) ○ Regained lost milk production $7,600 ○ Increase in calf sales (increased fertility) $4,000 ○ Decrease in veterinary expenses $5,700 ○ Total advantage $17,000

SHARE FARMER OF THE YEAR Tom & Jemima Bebbington

Tom • Tom comes from a generational farming family and grew up on dairy farms in Galatea and Rotorua. • He went to school in Galatea and attended Rotorua Boys High school. • After Tom left school he worked as a fencing contractor for two years before returning to dairy farming for his parents new farm in Te Aroha.

Jemima • Jemima grew up in Bay of Plenty and spent some time in Ohakune, her connection to farming was through her father who worked as a livestock agent. • Aftering attending Univesity of Canterbury and gaining an Arts degree majoring in Communicaton and Geography Jemima worked for a family business based in Rotorua specialising in comestics for the tourist and spa market.

Together • After meeting in 2007 Tom & Jemima managed the family farm from 2008-2013 before moving to their first sharemilking job in 2013. • This is their 3rd season as 50/50 sharemilkers in Ohakune. • Tom & Jemima were married in 2014 and have 3 children Violet (8), Jack (6) and Charlotte (2). • Jemima has continued working part-time for the family cosmestic business. • They are moving back to the Waikato to sharemilk 600 cows on the family farm next season and have purchased a 27 ha runoff.

Judges citations for Tom & Jemima’s Merit Awards

Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award

Farming and the environment go hand and hand. So do relationships with local Iwi and their farm owner. They are implementing a shared environmental vision, playing their part in enhancing the farms ecosystem through identifying and mitigating pollution hot spots and minimising runoff. This protects water quality so locals can continue to harvest Tuna from the river flowing through their farm.

Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award

Farming in a cold environment with a short growing season means Thomas and Jemima need to manage their pasture well. They clearly demonstrated their knowledge in managing surpluses, deficits, residuals and cow intakes while also showing how feed quality impacts their milk production and liveweight gains.

Westpac Business Performance Award

Thomas & Jemima demonstrated an understanding of the fundamentals of financial planning, monitoring and control. Their family and business aspirations were clearly identified and translated into a realistic and achievable career path. Robust operational practices and the measuring of key business indicators will be a key factor to aid them along the path towards farm ownership.

Vision and Goals

Vision Statement

To farm with the environment in mind while creating a well balanced secure future for ourselves, our family and younger generations coming through.

Mission Statement

To ensure a sound financial and environmental business to support the growth of all people and families involved. As well as to contribute to the positive growth of our farming and local communities.

Financial Goals:

Goal financially is to be in a position to take the next step as soon as it presents itself

Short term Goals (1 - 2 years)

• Growing cow numbers • Paying off Debt • No unnecessary spending • Rental Investment + work off farm • Netwoking

Mid term Goals (3 - 5 years)

• Paying off debt • Another Sharemilking position • Diversify the business

Long term goals (6 year +)

• Purchase more land • Farm ownership • Continue diversification

Farm Owner/s: Andrew Wightman & Joy Bell

Area: 220 total ha with 160 effective ha milking platform and 15 eff ha grazing

Soil: Combination of soils from hills to river flat (Ash / Clay / Stony Silt)

Altitude and rainfall: 545 m above sea level, 1,300 mm average

Fertility: pH P K S 6.2 30 7 15Hills /8flats

Pastures: Perennial ryegrass and clover pastures with limited regrassing and no cropping. Recent regrassing has been undersowing with annuals and Tabu.

Drainage: Novaflow

Irrigation: Two centre pivot irrigators covering approx. 85 ha

Farm Dairy: 40 a-side herringbone shed with ACR’s

Stock and Production

Farm KPI’s (targets) 2018/2019 Target 2017/2018

Production (kg MS) 150,000 149,700

Cows Milked 425 430

kgMS/cow liveweight 75% 74%

Effective ha 160 160

Stocking Rate 2.6 2.6

6 week in-calf rate 82% 85%

Empty rate 18% 11%

FWE/kgMS $1.60 $1.52

Herd Details: Breed of herd: Crossbred & Guernsey BW: 40 -70 PW: 70 -61 Recorded Ancestry: 68% Calving Date: 10th August

Herd Management: • The goal of the herd management is to use all collected information to utilise and grow the potential of the herd. • Monitoring herd through Minda, yellow books, herd testing, pregnancy testing, body condition scoring and DNA testing. • The farm is a closed unit with all winter grazing and youngstock grazing on the farm. Currently the only animals brought onto the property are the jersey bulls for mating. • Youngstock are weighed using Minda Weights with quadrant used for prioritising feed

• Goal to have the best Guernsey herd and to promote the Guernsey breed. Currently the herd is capped at 40 Guernsey’s.

• Challenge of moving from Ohakune to Waikato next season: o Growing the herd from 450 to 600 o Moving calving date from 10th August to 15th July

Mating Management:

• The mating program is focused on calving spread and increasing quality of the herd to increase the value of herd. • The mating program is designed to maintain the crossberd component of the herd as a medium framed good capacity cow and to breed top Guernsey cows. • The mating program this season needed to be changed due to the planned move to the Waikato. The first 3 weeks was with jersey bulls due to not having an AI technician available, followed by 4 weeks of short gestation nominated AI bulls and finished with another 4 weeks of jersey bulls. The nominated short gestation semen was selected on the ability to keep replacement heifers. • A2 semen has been used in the past and may be an option going forward. • The heifers were run with jersey bulls for 10 weeks. • Jersey bulls are selected for ease of calving. • The herd purchased off farm when moving to the Ohakune role had been DNA tested with DNA testing continued over the past 3 seasons. Other benefits include ease of calf management in spring, increased value of DNA confirmed animals and an option of an A2 herd.

Culling Guide:

• Minimal culling – only when necessary. • Culling guidelines: o Empty cows o Cows with continuous health issues o Cows with multiple high SCC based on herd testing o PW/BW are in the lowest 10% in conjunction with poor herd test results

On Farm Management

Staff Management and Building the farm team:

• The focus of on farm management is efficiency and be outcome focused not time focused. The goal is to be productive and set tasks to be accomplished not set working hours. • The ability to leave the farm is also valued with happy staff resulting in low turnover. • This focus has seen targets being met with a reduction in work hours and stress. Hours worked are monitored each fortnight with Shannon’s average hours a fortnight to date this season of 83.5 hours/fortnight. • Both Tom & Jemima work on the farm and they have a fulltime 2IC, Shannon Taylor who has worked with them for the past 3 years. • The roles on farm have been shaped to suit Shannon and manage workload, key areas for focus and success. • Shannon has been given responsibility for: o Milking o Effluent o Youngstock o Weeds • Daily talks are held each morning to ensure that the plan for the day is sorted and any information is given. Risk of tasks for the day is also discussed. • Formal training for dairy farming in Ohakune is challenging due to the low numbers of dairy farms so on farm training is a continuing focus.

Health & Safety:

• Health & Safety culture on the farm is to build awareness of hazards and empower everyone on farm to have the confidence to raise any Health & Safety issues. • Health & Safety procedures and plan has been developed by On Farm Safety that includes a hazard map, emergency plan, health & safety book for jotting down anything that needs discussing, incident reporting and staff awareness training which includes ensuring appropriate PPE equipment is always available. • Both Tom & Jemima are first aid trained to Level 2. • Health & Safety is discussed at start up meetings.

Farm System: The farm system is a system 2, imported supplements 5%, with home grown feed utilised. This farm operates as a closed system with all youngstock grazed on and all cows wintered on the property.

Pasture Management:

Pasture goals:

• Every blade of grass on the farm is utilised • A quality over quantity policy has proven successful on this farm

Key points to pasture management:

• Planning, montoring and recording to ensure cows are fully fed: • Spring rotation planer used during spring • Plate metering & assessing pasture by eye for grazing decisions • Monitor residuals to ensure even low residuals are met to maintain quality • Target pasture cover at start of calving 2000kgDM/ha with target pasture cover at end of season of 2200 kgDM/ha. • Target 2 ½ - 3 leaf stage. • Rotation length: • Winter as long as possible (180 days) • Spring rotation planner • Post spring 18 – 20 days to manage seed head for quality • Summer – Autumn – look to push out to 30 days • No cropping policy on the farm. • Minimal nitrogen used. • Supplements are used in to fill deficit in spring and winter. Predominantly PKE used during spring and hay during winter.

• The focus on quality pasture management has enabled Tom & Jemima to increase milksolid production on the farm with no other changes to inputs.

Environmental:

• Fertilser recommendation based on soil test data with maintenance dressing during spring. • All stock is excluded from the river with nutrient hotspots identified and plan put in place to minimise impact on the environment.

• Established riparian plantings along river boundary which flows through the farm and into the Mangawhero River.

• Currently effluent is collected in a sump and spread via a travelling irrigator over the 33 ha effluent block. • The effluent system will need upgrading in future around storage and stormwater diversion. • Completed a DairyNZ Envirowalk which identified areas of improvement such as a storm water diversion for reducing effluent.

Leadership & Community “Living the Dream" Involved in the community through:

• Industry events including DairyNZ discussion groups as both host and convenyor, Fonterra meetings and creating conversation with other dairy farmers in the region.

• Hosting and organising the 2016 Guernsey Conference held in New Zealand, Tom as Vice President of the Guernsey Association and Jemima as Conference secretary. Tom & Jemima have a goal of attending one of the overseas Guernsey conferences in the future.

• Tom reviving his love of Motocross by getting both Violet & Jack involved in Motocross which involves travelling around North Island competitions and getting a school team established.

Financial key performance indicators (KPIs)

Goal financially is to be in a position to take the next step as soon as it presents itself.

• Green Gate Farms Limited • Company structure chosen for ease of splitting income and transferring shares. • Budgets are prepared before the season starts using Cash Manager Rural and reviewed by Accountant and Bank Manager. • Throughout the season budgets are closely monitored monthly including looking at any variances and reviewing the cashflow.

• Annual budget is used for tax planning. • Dairybase is used to analyse previous seasons performance. • Key financial focus is increasing equity through growth, debt reduction and diversification of business.

FINANCIAL KPI’S 16/17 17/18 18/19 North Forecast Island Benchmark 17/18

Breakeven milk price $/kgMS $2.92 $3.80 $4.14

Feed cost $/kgMS $0.21 $0.17 $0.26 $0.39

FWE $/kgMS $1.42 $1.52 $1.65 $2.07

Operating Profit $/kgMS $1.50 $0.97 $1.04 $0.71

Operating Profit $/ha $1713 $904 $980 $751

Debt to asset ratio 73% 65% 55%

Return on equity 67% 47% 24%

Growth in Equity % 11% 7% 20%

We pulled these numbers from dairy base and our cash manager figures for this season.. just getting our figures checked by the accountant

Budgeted Financial Summary 2019/20 Season:

Equity Growth plan for next 4 years:

• The goal of being in a position to purchase a dairy farm starts with the equity growth plan through increases in rental property equity, increases in grazing block equity, cash growth and stock growth.

Manawatu Regional Sponsors

Alleva Animal Health Ltd Allflex

Fitzherbert Rowe Flipp Transport Limited

Hopkins Farming Group Gallagher Group

Inspire Net Limited I.S. Dam Lining Ltd

MacDougalls Agriservices Ltd School of Agriculture & Environment & the School of Veterinary Science McIntosh Bros Engineering Ltd James and Son Norsewear

Levno Pedleys Slurry Service

Naylor Lawrence and Associates Pioneer Brand Products

Tailorednz Ltd Progressive Livestock Ltd

Totally Vets Ltd Rural and Lifestyle Sales Ltd

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards appreciates the support of our national and regional sponsors in bringing you this prestigious event.

National Awards Dinner Saturday 11 May 2019 TSB Arena Wellington Ticket Cost $195 Purchase from 25 March 2019 @ dairyindustryawards.co.nz General Manager | Chris Keeping | [email protected]