He knew the farm had made big savings by getting on top of a mastitis problem but he’d never added the savings all together.
“When you see that – well, we knew it was worth it but $100,000 over four years (at a $5/kg milksolids (MS) payout) – that speaks for itself really,” David says.
There’s a myriad of peer-reviewed research behind the calculator that takes into account bulk somatic cell counts (BSCC) and incidence of clinical mastitis.
David and his wife Sally farm at Lismore, just west of Ashburton, in a 900-cow equity partnership with David’s early employers John and Fiona McCarthy.
They formed the partnership with the McCarthys in 2006, having worked their way up from wages and on through the sharemilking ranks.
Through the first three years the enterprise grew cow numbers but with the purchase of a nearby 150ha support block in 2008 they were able to quickly reach what’s become the status quo of 900 cows.
Adjustments were made to the teat sprayer to improve coverage. Springers are teat sprayed daily as part of the normal pre-calving routine.
