Near South Taranaki, in Kakaramea, is David and Kathrine Gwynn’s 286-hectare beef and sheep farm. David’s parents moved here from Levin, purchasing the farm in 1979. David soon joined them after leaving school in 1982 and took over the farm in the 1990s. Their operation includes 50 hectares of maize, 800 mixed-aged ewes, and raising young calves for sale.
“We have been raising calves for 15 or 20 years now,” says David.
The shed is empty for the moment, but soon 120 calves will be arriving, hungry and ready to grow big and strong. Getting them to a healthy, productive size is time intensive, and a case of trial and error.
“We have tried a few milk powders over the years,” says Kathrine.
For years, during the first few weeks, the Gwynns’ would add probiotic yoghurt and eggs to each bucket of Calf Milk Replacer (CMR) feed to ensure the stock were getting enough nutrients.
“It was messy, labour-intensive work. Cleaning out the buckets also took major scrubbing, but we were getting results,” she explains.
“Animal welfare is really important to us, and we wanted to make sure they were getting the best start at life.”
A conversation with their PGG Wrightson Technical Field Representative Belinda Wilson would change their lives, and the lives of their calves, for the better.
Belinda has worked with the Gwynns for the last two decades, starting with their maize crop. Each year, they would sit down over a cuppa and evaluate what worked. The conversations soon evolved, and Belinda began working with Kathrine and David on all aspects of their operation.
“We can not praise Belinda enough, she is amazing,” says Kathrine.
For Belinda, it is about keeping the lines of communication open.
“As a Tech Rep, it is about what can we do to improve things on your farm. We have a catch up each year on where things are, where things are heading, what things are working, what are not, and what can we improve upon,” explains Belinda.
It was one of these conversations with the Gwynns that changed their calf rearing operation for good.
“I saw the amount of work and inputs they were putting into their calves and wondered if there was a way to get better results,” she says.
Belinda had heard good things about MaxCare and suggested changing their CMR.
“She said, ‘try it for one season.’ We did and are never going back,” laughed Kathrine.
Life has become much easier, and they have seen much better results since making the change four years ago.
“I am no longer adding anything to the feed. Cleaning is easier, mixing is easier, and our calves are so much happier,” says David.
“From the state of the shed to the state of the stock, everything has improved. This has been a fantastic result which is not only saving them time and money, but it has resulted in better health outcomes for the calves as well,” Belinda says.
Kathrine and David could not agree more.
“The difference is amazing. The calves are more content with better body conditioning scores and are ready to wean earlier," Kathrine says. The difference in the shed is noticeable, too.
“There was less powder dust on the walls, less residue in the bag, it was easier to clean the feeders. It surprised us there would be such a significant change, but we are thrilled with the results.”
Belinda revels in the Gwynns’ success.
“They may start as your client, but they soon become your friends. For me, I want to see them thrive, so my goal is to find ways to help them find improvements. Technology is always changing, best practices are evolving, so it is worth having the conversation every year to see what we can tweak and change to find better outcomes.”
In the weeks before the calf season starts, Kathrine is sure to make a note in her diary, 'Remember how busy you are!' she laughs.
"I am always adding things to my to do list, but working with Belinda helps ensure we are ready."
The Gwynns’ motto is to ‘work smarter, not harder,’ so the valuable advice they pass on to their fellow calf rearers is to be prepared.
“We have our calf first aid kit, because when things go wrong, and they always do, you will be prepared. A minor does not have to become a major issue,” says David.
With Belinda’s help, they are set-up for the new season.
