Zach Mounsey who is an equity partner and sharemilks 440 Jersey cows on 161ha at Te Kawa near Otorohanga on the family farm, which was the most profitable Waikato 50:50 sharemilker in Dairybase for 2018. He is also the general manager of milk supply for Happy Valley Nutrition (HVN), a new dairy processor aiming to produce high-quality infant formulas.
His background from study and working with Fonterra and DairyNZ have built his knowledge and skillset for success both on and off the farm. He credits his farming business success to a focus on efficiency, cost management, cow health, pasture management and getting a return on every dollar spent.
“In every aspect of the farm business, I’m trying to maximise returns. This approach informs everything from breed choice and milking intervals, to feed inputs and infrastructure,” Zach says.
Several years ago, he made the decision to change the breed of cows they were milking. At the time, the family owned a farm at Otorohanga that had contour and soil that was more suited to a smaller animal than the black-and-white and black cows they were carrying. They strategically purchased a Jersey herd and continued to target A2:A2 production.
“Changing to Jersey was a no-brainer on that farm and I think other farms could consider it too,” he says.
“The herd we looked at was doing similar production to our Friesian-cross animals while on a once-a-day system, with a lower maintenance feed requirement.
“And it also appealed to me that Jersey genetics predominantly carry the A2:A2 allele, which we started breeding towards in 2012.
The herd is now completely A2:A2 and they supply exclusively to Synlait. They are pleased they are getting financially rewarded for the breeding decision they made 10 years ago after realising the opportunity and on-farm value A2:A2 could deliver.
He describes the herd as low-maintenance, with very few animal health issues.
“We have very few cases of lameness or mastitis and our somatic cell count typically averages less than 150,000 for the season,” he says.
The herd’s outstanding health and reproductive performance also results in savings on youngstock.
He and his dad manage the youngstock and until recently, they had not been weighing them but have always been satisfied with their condition and how they look when they enter the herd. It helps that they see them regularly and are able to make nimble decisions about their management.
But moving forward, under the Lead with Pride programme for Synlait they will start weighing and collecting the data.
Mating begins on October 10. They are nominating high BW CRV A2:A2 Jersey bulls for four weeks of artificial breeding followed by a mix of Angus and Jersey bulls with mating finishing on New Year’s Day.
“A2:A2 is our first criteria when picking bulls, and we continually focus on efficient genetics that lean towards once-a-day, udder capacity, milk composition and fertility,” he says.
“We don’t use any intervention during mating but our management practices, the condition of the cows and the genetics we’re using are all contributing to our great reproductive results.”
They have great reproductive performance, with a six-week in-calf rate sitting around 85-87%, which helps keep replacement rates low and gives them options with surplus animals.
“Because we have little need to cull on health traits, we have lower rearing and grazing costs than many,” he says.
The farm business has grown significantly over the past few years, including expanding the herd on the new farm, purchasing two surrounding neighbouring properties and expanding the herd further onto them.
They were fortunate the new farm already had significant sustainability developments, with the effluent and waterway fencing sorted. So their next objective is to plant some shelter and fruit trees.
As well as a change in his personal situation he is now working on consolidating their assets.
“I want to make the most of our assets and the favourable milk prices we are seeing at the moment but that being said, I am always looking for opportunities to make the most from the farm,” he says.
“It’s likely we will expand further in the near future or invest in other land-based assets or additional housing on the farm, all while maximising production while maintaining operating expenses.
“We like to keep things simple, keep the cows happy, keep the team happy and I’m actually just starting life as a bachelor again, which is a completely different world.
“It’s the ease of our farm system that allows me to operate the way I do, if it was any different I wouldn’t have the same flexibility, but we have a great set up and I really enjoy it.”
If he is not working on the farm he is working in the sector.
Only 31 years of age and with both sides of his career progressing well, his timetable is full to the brim.
“My life revolves around dairy, I reckon I work 16 months a year,” he laughs.
“Most of the time I balance everything pretty well, but there are always pinch points where things are happening on-farm, at work and in my personal life, and I need to prioritise, but there will always be casualties and usually it’s my social life.
“But I describe myself like a bicycle – if I’m not moving forward, I’m completely off balance.”
He keeps an eye on his long-term goal of farm ownership, being hands-on where he can and maintaining a professional career at a high level.
“I’m always trying to add value and shift farmers’ milk up the value chain. I want to continue to contribute to the success of New Zealand farmers and rural communities,” he says.
Farm owners: Andrew and Anita Coombe
Sharemilker and equity partner: Zach Mounsey
Location: Te Kawa, Waikato
Farm size: 161ha
Cows: 440 Jersey cows
Production 2020-21: 125,000kg MS
Production target: 2021-22 season: 160,000kg MS
