A desire to focus on improving the environment led to dramatic changes in how Waka Dairies farmed.
The farm has been in the Phillips family for nearly 120 years and is now run by Co-op farmer Mike Phillips (Managing Director) and Business Manager Andrew “Bubbles” Evans, with a team of eight, along with Mike’s wife Gill, and children Eloise and Brooke.
About 10 years ago, Mike and Andrew sat down and established a vision for the farm: to be a leading producer, prioritising food, natural capital, skills, culture and energy.
Over the following years, they acted upon their vision. The 380ha (230ha effective) dairy farm near Dannevirke has reduced its stocking rate from 850 to 650 cows, increased production from 450kgMS/cow to 650kgMS/cow, sold off low-performing blocks, installed a composting barn, built effluent and storm water ponds and evolved to grow 90% of its feed on-farm. Animal welfare has improved dramatically by adjusting the cows’ mineral diet and introducing lime flour, and growing better quality grass. This improvement significantly decreased milk fever from 15-20 cases per day to around 10 cases per year.
“We’re aiming to be a leading producer and to improve efficiency in the business – milk efficiency, environmental efficiency and financial efficiency. Our focus for a while has been to reduce our exposure in key areas, particularly around importing feed. We looked at what diet we wanted to feed the cows with what we could grow, and worked out how much we should grow, and then worked out our stocking rates on the dairy platform. It was a reverse-engineered way of working it out. Our trucked-in feed was around 40%, which wasn’t a business model that was going to hold, so we’ve brought this down to 10%,” Mike says.
It was these collaborative and transformational changes and innovative approach to sustainable farming that led judges to award Waka Dairies the Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award at the recent National New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.
The Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award recognises dairy farmers and businesses who are demonstrating leadership in their approach to responsible dairying (environment, animal health and welfare, financial, milk quality, community and people), and sustainability.
The judges noted: “They operate a highly progressive, future-focused business that achieves outstanding performance across all areas of the farm. Their operation sets a benchmark for the sector. Showcasing a broad integrated approach to sustainability and excellence in dairying.”
For Mike and the Waka Dairies team, the award signified years of hard graft and sharing their story with the industry.
