Partnership important for family and farm

“I don’t run a hi-tech operation, but I know what a hungry cow sounds like and how much feed they require every day to maintain production, "Phil O’Connor says.

Phil and Jackie O’Connor took over their farm from Phil’s parents in 1991. Back then they ran 120 cows and since then they’ve increased the herd to 260 cows averaging 470kg milk solids per cow.  They also purchased adjoining land when it came on the market which has allowed them to bring their daughter Casey and son Syd into the family partnership.

While Phil chuckles that he doesn’t know what a kilo of dry matter looks like and jokes, “I farm by the seat of my pants.”  He credits Jackie with being an integral part of their partnership bringing computer skills and handling most of the farm business while he gets on with the work. He jovially pipes up, “If I ever get lost or over extended, its Jackie who get us back on track again.”

Over the years that work has been significant, developing land, humping, and hollowing on some blocks and flipping 40ha of another block while milking and carrying out the usual farm jobs.  They winter their own stock on farm. When asked, how he thinks they will cope with next year’s lower pay out and rising costs? Phil responds, “in the past we weathered hard times with debt and higher interest rates, albeit with more stable costs.

This type of situation is not new to older farmers who hopefully now carry less debt than many young farmers just starting out.  It will be hard for them, and they just need to do their best to ride it out and hope the banks are helpful.”  Last season the O’Connor’s used sexed semen to produce more heifer calves. This has worked well with ninety-one heifer calves born. The benefit of this is they’ve been able to select a top-line for replacements and sell off a nice line of fourteen. They plan to continue using sexed semen.

The family partnership has noticed LIC and Ambreed semen is now becoming more closely related with potential for in-breeding if they’re not very careful.  Last mating, they decided to inseminate with Viking Red semen from Samen, a Nordic breed, to introduce hardiness into their cross bred herd. Phil, thinks this bloodline will be helpful for Westcoast conditions.

Recently the O’Connor’s came first in the Westport heifer competition, winning the ‘Tobias King, Memorial trophy.’  Phil says, their family partnership lets everyone do their bit.  The kids’ milk during the week and he and Jackie do weekends. They now have more opportunity to get off farm where he and Jackie do some of their best planning.