Combatting somatic cell counts used to be the bane of Andre Du Plessis’ workday until he called upon the support of Terry Playle and Farm Source’s Milk Quality Improvement team.
Combatting somatic cell counts used to be the bane of Andre Du Plessis’ workday until he called upon the support of Terry Playle and Farm Source’s Milk Quality Improvement team.
For the past three years Andre has managed Fonterra’s 70-hectare farm on the outskirts of Hamilton, milking 180 cows. It’s a very different environment from what he grew up with.
Born and raised in South Africa, Andre grew up on the Highveld, about 100 kilometres south of Johannesburg, on a mixed cropping and dairy farm where the system was totally different from here.
While Andre had a vast knowledge of agricultural practices in general, when he came to New Zealand in 2005 and moved into dairy farming, he realised he needed to learn more about the finer details of maximising milk quality. Terry Playle has been on hand to upskill Andre and his team.
“We have a lot of respect for Terry Playle. We learned so much from him, particularly about mastitis control and hygiene. We have him out on the farm at least twice a year and he will often bring international visitors through to show how we do things,” Andre says.
“Terry is very knowledgeable and can provide a lot of detail on how to manage mastitis on a day to day level. With his guidance we have put changes in place that have dramatically decreased our somatic cell counts. Teat sprays and ensuring effluent doesn’t come near udders when you’re washing out the sheds is crucial and makes a big difference. Following Terry’s assessment of our systems we’ve also upgraded our cooling system.”
Andre says the changes put in place following Terry’s advice have improved the way they run the farm.
“Year after year our cell count is coming down and ultimately it will reduce our cull rate.”
Andre has nothing but praise for the Co-op’s support mechanisms in place for farmers.
“Here at the Co-op we sell the New Zealand system to the world and emphasise our strict quality control. The support we receive with milk quality and somatic cell counts allows us to deliver a quality product to the world. Fonterra and Farm Source provide so much support – more than what I’ve experienced overseas. The 0800 number for farmers is fantastic and we have so much hands-on support from the team.”
Visit your local Farm Source store or call 0800 65 65 68 to find out more about Farm Source's milk quality support services.