Numedic buys Cobra irrigators
Numedic Ltd has acquired a major part of Waikato Milking Systems' effluent and environmental business, including the well-known Cobra range of travelling rain gun irrigators.
Waikato farmer Malcolm Jones’ 450 crossbred cows were milked three times a day in a herringbone shed until last year.
The shed, on an adjacent family property on the outskirts of Matamata, served two herds, “my brother-in-law’s which went through in the morning and mine in the evening,” says Jones.
“While this worked well for both of us, it wasn’t sustainable long term and so in 2014 we decided to build a 54-bail rotary on our 150ha farm.”
The existing herringbone was from Waikato Milking Systems (WMS) so the Jones knew the company, its products and service. Jones says WMS sheds are known to be well designed, robust, easy care and don’t need much servicing.
“We wanted to have only one person in the dairy so we opted for a 54-bail Orbit rotary platform with SmartECRs (automatic cup removers) and SmartSpray (teat spraying).
“The new dairy was commissioned in November 2014 and we were pleased with how quickly the cows settled to the rotary platform.
“The new rotary has made a huge difference to the ease of running this farm. The automatic cup removers and automatic teat spraying allowed one person to comfortably milk 450 cows for the balance of the 2014 season and it will easily handle 550 in 2015-16.
“You have high expectations of quality and service when you invest in a new dairy,” Jones says. “WMS has delivered on both counts: their products are well designed, price competitive and robust.”
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
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