North Waikato dairy farmer Brad Cockrell says he’s looking forward to showcasing his family’s Mooka Flats dairy operation to Australian and New Zealand dairy farmers as part of the upcoming Rabobank New Zealand Dairy Tour.
Mooka Flats Limited is one of eight New Zealand dairy farms on the itinerary as part of the nine-day tour that runs from 7-15 November and includes stop overs across the South and North Islands. The touring party – made up of 24 Australian dairy farmers, three New Zealand dairy farmers and several Rabobank staff – will also take in visits to operations throughout the dairy supply chain allowing attendees to see first-hand the systems, structures and technologies that support New Zealand’s world-class dairy production.
Mr Cockrell – who runs Mooka Flats alongside wife Ellie and his parents Charles and Sue Cockrell – said there were several benefits to hosting the group.
“I’m a people person and I enjoy meeting other people and gaining an understanding of what they are interested in,” he said.
Brad and Ellie Cockrell, North Waikato Dairy Farmers
“As a family, we’re very proud of the advancements on our farm, and across dairy farming in general over recent years. We’ve seen some real progress in terms of effluent management and technology and we’re only too keen to show the touring party how we’re doing things.
“I’m also looking forward to chatting to the Australian farmers about some to the challenges they are facing in their businesses, in particular how they handle heat stress with their herds.”
When the touring party visits Mooka Flats on Saturday 14 November, Mr Cockrell said he planned to cover off the development of the farm following the family’s purchase of the property in 2009.
“We probably bit off more than we could chew to start,” he said.
“But we managed to work our way through those tough times and we now have two dairy units encompassing 648 hectares and producing in excess of 650,000 milk solids annually.
“We’ve got one spring calving farm, the larger one, and the other is autumn calving, and there are plenty of synergies we can bring from one farm over to the other one – including use of machinery and calf rearing equipment.
“I’ll also touch on the family governance structure and the business’ clear long-term growth and succession focus.”
Rabobank General Manager for Country Banking Bruce Weir said the upcoming dairy tour was the latest in a series of tours run by Rabobank in regions across the globe to share knowledge, expertise and international networks with clients.
“These tours give the bank’s clients an opportunity to step away from their businesses, expose themselves to different thinking and insights, and learn and engage with their farming peers,” he said.
“New Zealand’s dairy industry is recognised globally for its innovation, scale, pasture-based production systems and sustainable farming practices, and I’ve no doubt the participants will learn a lot from the experience.
“The tour also provides an opportunity for some of our New Zealand-based clients to showcase their operations and to develop insights on the Australian dairy sector.”