Hard work, land development and dairy farming are deeply entrenched in the psyche of Dinah and Arran Simpson from Oromahoe, Northland.
The pair purchased their first farm in 1981, the 144-hectare (ha) property was in poor condition with gorse accounting for at least 40% of land cover.
Recommissioning the old, disused cowshed, they started milk production with 80 dairy cows in the 1982/83 season. That season marked one of the worst droughts on record. Despite these initial setbacks, the Simpsons overcame adversity and managed to expand their holdings to 600 ha and 100 ha runoff.
Nowadays, the farm supports a 500-strong milking herd of predominantly Friesian cows on a 170-ha platform, while running a beef cattle finishing system on the balance of the property. Both operations are well integrated with offspring raised on farm. Bobby calves are either sold as stores or finished, with replacement heifers joining the dairy herd.
In 2015, daughter Anna and son-in-law Doug became involved in the family business as 50/50 sharemilkers. Introducing their passion and expertise, they have taken the dairy platform to new heights and profitability, while the beef finishing and cropping operations are successfully run by son, Ross Simpson. High in-calf rates, reliable milk production and consistent body condition scores (BCS) are recorded throughout the season for the dairy cows. The Simpsons attribute these results to best practice pasture management and incorporating maize silage as a supplementary feed.
Maize is grown as a break crop in their pasture renewal programme. It is an effective tool that helps to increase pasture persistence through a variety of cultivation, weed control and effective drainage improvements. This helps to keep costs low but also ensures a constant supply of supplement on a yearly basis as it is always on hand to feed whenever it is required.
Arran says that his high-producing dairy cows benefit hugely from maize silage as it provides a high-quality feed that nutritionally balances a pasture-based diet. Combined with the seasonal variations in pasture quality and production, maize silage is hard to beat. It is an ideal low-cost supplement that reduces climatic risk by filling genuine feed deficits.
For seven consecutive seasons, they have recorded an 82% cow submission rate over a three-week period and a 7% empty cow rate after a total 10-week mating term. These results are a testament to the benefits of feeding maize silage.
When initially considering maize as a supplement, the Simpsons trialled three maize seed companies and found Corson Maize hybrids to be the best on delivering consistent yield results. Corson Maize demonstrated a higher tolerance to leaf disease, variable temperature and moisture stress. On farm they grow PAC 343 and PAC 344 maize hybrids recording average crop yields upwards of 22 tonnes (t) per ha.
Maize silage continues to be the most cost-effective supplement to support dairy cow nutrition and promote milksoilds (MS) production. To ensure they achieve a high-yielding maize crop, the Simpsons focus on paddock selection, soil preparation and maize nutrient requirements. The dairy platform offers an optimal supply of nutrients to support growing maize and as a result, maize reduces residual nitrogen in the soil and the potential risk of leaching.
So, what is the secret to their success? The Simpsons place a high value on their support partners, particularly the team at Farm Source Waipapa and local TSR Fleur Scelly. The agronomic advice and aftersales service from Corson Maize are second to none, plus local contractors Alexander Ag are essential with maize planting and harvesting. Arran is a strong believer that "to be successful, you must have a strong team around you".
Besides that, the true satisfaction for Dinah and Arran comes from seeing their family happy and successful in farming, while supporting one another in the local community.
A final word of advice from the Simpsons: "Have a plan, create a vision, keep an eye on the goal and, above all, never give up!"
For information and advice on growing Corson Maize hybrids in your farm system, contact your local Farm Source Technical Sales Representative.
Article supplied by Corson Maize.